Date of release - 13 September 2013 (USA)
Director - Lake Bell
Actors and Roles - Carol (Lake Bell), Sam (Fred Melamed), Gustav (Ken Marino), Moe (Rob Corrdry), Louis (Demetri Martin), Dani (Michaela Watkins)
Nation of Production - USA
Budget - Less than 1 Million
Revenue - 2.9 Million (Box Office)
After the famous voice actor who coined "In a World" dies, Hollywood is left searching for someone to fill his shoes. Carol (Lake Bell), a struggling voice actor, sets out to fill that void. Her father (Fred Melamed) and his coworker (Ken Marino) become her top competitors, both of whom are already prestigious men in the industry. Carol is at a disadvantage, but determined to make her way to the top. A new film series, The Amazon Games, is looking for a voice to be featured in the trailer. In the absence of Gustav and Sam, Carol is offered an opportunity to do temporary work for the trailer. Impressed by her voice, the executive producer grants Carol the part. Meanwhile, Gustav and Sam are unaware of the fact that Carol landed the role. Instead, they focus their energies on being outraged over a woman being cast.
Carol's sister, Dani, works as a concierge at a popular hotel. Because many foreign visitors frequent the hotel, Carol has made it a habit to record the guests and their accents to use for her vocal training. Her ongoing antics has given her a bad rapport with the manager, leading to her banishment from the premises. Carol then tasks Dani with recording a flirtatious Irishman for her accent archives.
Gustav throws a party at his mansion. Carol, Sam and his girlfriend all attend. Unknowingly, Gustav flirts and sleeps with Carol. On the same night, Dani stays at work late, breaking plans with her husband, Moe (Rob Corrdry). As he waits for Dani to return home, he listens to the recording of the Irishman. He's surprised by Dani's declaration of singleness on the tape and walks out on her as soon as she tries to explain herself.
Gustav and Sam converse about the party and the woman he spent the night with. He learns she is the woman being considered for the voice over job and is, from there on, intent on pursuing her, still ignorant as to who she actually is.
Later, Sam and his girlfriend host a meal. The actual identity of the girl Gustav slept with is revealed. Sam reacts negatively causing Carol to leave. Sam selfishly vows to compete for the job even though his daughter has a high chance of receiving it.
Dani helps her sister win Moe back by secretly recording her true feelings and divulging these sentiments to Moe.
As the competition stiffens, Carol decides to give up, but Louis (Demetri Martin) motivates her to continue. They work together to produce the audition recording. The night culminates as they share their requited feelings.
Still angry at her father, Carol tries to blow off an event being hosted in his honor. Moe convinces both sisters to show up. There, the trailer for The Amazon Games is revealed complete with Carol's voice signaling that she got the job. Carol is thrilled, but her father storms the room. He reconsiders his position after Jamie the girlfriend talks to him. Soon after he accepts a lifetime achievenment award and dedicates it to his daughters.
Later, Carol is seen continuing her career as a vocal coach. Her goal is to help women rid themselves of the "sexy baby" voice to be taken more seriously.
The coloring and lighting of the film takes on a significant role in the story. A light sepia filter is used throughout. This choice can be attributed to the protagonist's unfulfilled status. She doesn't view the world through clear eyes, the colors are faded, her perception is murky, stained with the harsh realities of life. Her outfits match this mindset, she often wears over-sized, disheveled clothing.
The movie isn't entirely drained, when Carol is doing voice overs the colors are saturated. She wears a signature green sweater. Green, as is seen in nature, commonly symbolizes life. This contrast is further evidence that the previous colorization is directly associated with Carol's mood. When she's doing what she loves, the filter dissolves, her appearance changes, we are left with crisp vibrant colors and a costume that emits vitality.
The narrative of "In A World" delivers a largely feminist message. At it's core it is a satirical movie, meaning, comedy is used as a tool to expose and ridicule sexism prevalent in the film industry. The movie focuses on voice actors and uses the theme of voice to parallel the social and cultural dehumanization of women as it pertains to, arguably the most important aspect of a human being, their voice. And not just voice in the sense of the sound that vocal chords help create, but the acknowledgment that a woman's thoughts, ideas, and words carry as much weight as a man's. Essentially, inclusion in the world. Women have a history of being socialized to become smaller, as to make room for men. Examples include: corsets, sitting posture and weight, to name a few. Similarly, the protagonist is discouraged when she decides she wants to try voice acting.
The field she's entering, like most film associated careers, is almost exclusively dominated by men. Right from the start, the protagonist's father explicitly makes her aware, but words it arrogantly. The hand gesture evokes an aggressive vibe, as if his words are final and shouldn't be questioned.
He turns away when Carol speaks. Commentary on the aforementioned outright dismissal of a female voice.
It cuts to a wide shot, exposing both subjects, emphasizing the supposed separation between the sexes. The father's reaction is an all too common argument in regards to mysoginistic trends. As if socially learned behavior doesn't play a role in constructing our society. The so called "truth" that the industry doesn't crave a female sound is arrived at through illogical means. A sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. The people in power reflect their sexist opinions onto the public, the public consumes it, and it's labeled as public demand. What it truly is is a completely fabricated illusion.
These same men in power make it difficult for women to establish space within the industry. However, intent on proving her worth, Carol tries to overcome this discrimination and succeeds.
Figuratively and literally, she is fighting for a voice in the perversely sexist field of voice acting. Carol not only challenges men, her character calls out the women in society who deliberately alter their voice, infantilize it, becoming a representation of submissiveness.
This phenomenon of "dumbing yourself down" or silencing your opinion is perpetuated by pop culture. Reality shows, beauty ads and magazines are specifically geared towards women and are often saturated with mundane subject matter involving how to be physically "perfect". When women participate in intellectual discourse, they are muted.
By the end of the movie, Carol is a successful vocal coach leading a seminar for a roomful of women.
"The Vocal Make-Over" strives to help intelligent, collegiate women struggling to find jobs. Her focus, like the entirety of the movie, is placed on the importance of being heard. The last shots are close-ups of the protagonist, to emphasize the dialogue. The seriousness in her words and expression are further accentuated by the empty background. The thesis of the movie is being spoken and so the cinematography does everything to capitalize on its pertinence.
