I was strolling around Spotlight a couple of weeks back and saw this comfy-looking rug. No, I wasn't shopping for rugs. So instead of walking pass and continue on with my day, I put on the rug and became this familiar brooding character from this well-known HBO TV Series. I should've said "King IN the North" instead of "King OF the North". Oh well.
I dare say most of my voice-over and voice-acting colleagues CAN do impressions. But after 6 years of being in this field professionally, I realize that the market or the demand for it is scarce (from my own experience at least). I always thought that when I first started became a voice actor, I would be given the opportunity or be requested to sound like someone. Like Arnold (Ah-nuld) or Trump or Batman or something.
(Source: Google Image)
Nope. Far from that.
The closest thing for me to be able to do impressions is when the producers/directors/voice directors wanted me to sound ALMOST like this particular person BUT with a twist of MY OWN interpretation. Like, the lamest example would be, be Gandalf but not really (ANYONE can do a Gandalf impression).
(Source: Google Image)
The next closest thing would be me trying to channel someone when voicing a character. Most of the time, this happen during an audition because it was just my own way to start exploring a character that just got briefed to me. This is a huge gamble because sometimes it works, most of the time it does not (for me at least). I remember I was trying to channel Heath Ledger's The Joker into one of my auditions back in 2013 for a techno-nerd character.
First feedback I received was this: "Are you trying to become The Joker or something? Cause this character is definitely not like that."
Now, I was only two years into my career and that was only my first few auditions (not too many auditions for animation here in Malaysia) so I was freaking out. Not freaking out like "Oh my God I screw up" kind of freaking out but it's one of those internalized feelings you don't show to people. Like crying internally.
Or dying internally.
(Source: Google Image)
And yeah, I didn't get the role but it was an awesome learning experience.
The demand or directions I have received has been and are mostly along the line of, "be original". Like your own interpretation. So, what the hell is an "original interpretation" of a character anyway? You know what? I have no idea. But it involves constant communication with the director/producer/voice director. It's one of those trial-and-error sorta thing and when the experiment hit the spot, then that's the one. If it doesn't, well, you can start thinking about the next audition because let's face it, you won't nail EVERY audition.
So anyways, I would say this trial-and-error process is like putting on layers and layers of filters onto a voice. Do I still channel other characters? I think, yea, I still do but I don't perform or put a 100% into the delivery. The filters are like putting in a series of nouns or verbs or adjectives or describe a situation.
Things like; sound a little younger, older, excited, deeper voice, higher pitch, less angry, more aggressive, be a cat, sound like a doctor...
Or like... a grumpy wizard struggles with his spells which requires him to rap. (lol)
Or maybe, I could say this. To those inspiring voice actors out there, the next time you are given the opportunity to step into a vocal booth to voice a character, JUST BE YOURSELF! :)
(Source: Google Image)
I end my post with this image of me voicing Viktor from the local animated series "Ejen Ali" by Wau Animation.
I look forward to my next post as I am super excited about creating a little awareness that voice acting can be a potential career path for everyone!
Cheers~