Thinkin' Bout Audio Drama, Day #3
Today's theme is, "My Vocal Directing Philosophy!"
While all of these typically have the caveat of being just my own opinion, that holds triple-true for today's topic. There isn't a one-size-fits-all how-to for audio drama directing, and there are MANY very popular and successful shows do exactly the opposite of what I'm talking about here.
When I'm starting a session with a new voice actor, I usually tell them that there are three broad things that I listen out for, and to bear in mind before we even start talking about character.
I'm a big believer in the idea of performing to the mic as if it were just by your barstool, as opposed to performing from a pedestal or on-stage.
The thinking is -- the microphone is so unbelievably good at picking up on your innermost thoughts and feelings at a baseline. You can do SO much with so little. They say a camera is able to read your mind -- I think a microphone, to me, amplifies what's in there.
On top of that, we're dealing with listeners who are generally listening with earphones or headphones in -- deep, deep immersion. I tend to find myself sensitive to over-the-top performance, unless it's part of a very clear overall artistic intention.
To pay tribute to another gang of Batman creators, I think The Audio Adventures does such a terrific job at selling camp and fun in the extremes as part of its overall vibe. There's almost a sense that nothing could be too much in that world. Again: there are SO many valid ways to approach directing in this medium.
That said, for me, I like to start our voice calibration from a place that's closer to film than theater or animation, energy-wise. Situations can still be extreme -- and yes, I still give this direction to people playing big gross aliens or stubby little monsters -- but starting from considering the 'natural' gives us room to be intentional about the steps we take from the norm.
As a final note here, I also tend to encourage actors with major roles to start from their speaking voice, unless the character calls for something REALLY specific. Sometimes playing with archetypes -- and even accents -- becomes shorthand for a whole host of choices that skip over what I consider to be the fun part, which is finding the character from scratch.
In animation and gaming, you've gotta watch the mouth flaps. In film and television, you're often told to do it fast and throw it away. So rarely do we get to tell actors to take their time, and I delight in the fact that we get to do so in audio.
It also benefits the listener -- almost every decision we make in audio, every element we add or play with -- affects their cognitive load while listening to our show. A lot of the especially fun sound stuff actively taxes the listener, or at the least, asks something of them.
Giving our performances breathing room, and allowing ourselves to think about and tinker with clear diction, is one of the few and free things we can do to make the listeners' lives easier while ALSO (in my opinion) often making the show richer for it.
This is important. With just points 1 and 2, you'd think that I'm rallying for the world's slowest and dullest audio dramas, which -- hopefully, if you've heard an Andas show, you'd know that's not what we're about.
It's about layers of intention, and once we've talked naturalism and clarity -- that, to me, is where playing with specific intention and turns and emotional baselines in scenes becomes especially fun.
Audio drama and music are best buds. The best audio dramas, for me, often feel indistinguishable from a great song in terms of what they do for me mood-wise. I can put on The Tower or 36 Questions exactly the way I'd put on a moody Yoko Shimomura soundtrack -- to take me on a journey, ups and downs with a clear mood and dynamic energy, for catharsis, while I stare out the window and sigh deeply.
With that in mind, I think that vocal performance is something which is enriched by studying the text for character study, and to find their dynamic moods and distinct rhythm.
Very often when I'm directing, the naturalism and clarity points are understood quickly and -- once an actor is locked in, they're there throughout. (Maybe a 'slow down' here and there.)
Modulation, on the other hand, points to the real meat of the back-and-forth we get to have as director and actor. What's different about this scene? What's urgent? Why did you say that, instead of nothing? And really leaning into specificity in every passing moment is what, to me, makes vocal performance come alive.
I just finished directing a career-record number of voice actors for a big, unannounced thing that I'll yell more about once it's revealed -- so I'm writing this while all of it feels fresh in my brain, and also, probably because I already miss the rush of directing!
Once again -- please feel free to point me towards the thing you'd like me to talk about next! Tumblr, you have been VERY kind already, and I hope these posts and this series ends up being useful to someone.
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