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Pat Fraley's latest voice over home study course, Game World: Video Game Performance & Audition Schools, offers five weeks of instruction, from September 11 to October 10, 2015.


VOICE ACTING
Voicing Video Games: Three Techniques
For When The Director Wants More Takes

August 21, 2015

By Pat Fraley

Voice Actor & Trainer

As I am putting together my new home course about performing and auditioning for video games, I’ve been thinking of a performance technique I could share that would benefit everybody in one short lesson.

Here it is.

With video game work we are usually required to do three takes in a row on each single line of dialogue. When the direction calls for a series of three, I think, "I’ll do it right once and wrong twice.”

What they want are three different, viable takes on the line. The added challenge is that after you do your three, sometimes the director says, "Great. I liked your second take. Do three more focusing on that.”

I have a hard time remembering what I did, as I was busy acting. So here are three "Series of Three Techniques” I use for giving them a variety, and having a shot at remembering what I did if they want me to circle back on an approach.  

THE GOLDILOCKS SERIES

Perform the line, too hot, too cold, and then, just right.

THE SALLY FIELDS SERIES
Perform the line as if you like the person you are speaking to, dislike them, and are indifferent to them.

THE HIDE-AND-SEEK SERIES

Performing as if three people can hear you, one person hears you and one person can hear in secret.
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ABOUT PAT
Pat Fraley is one of the top 10 performers of all time to be cast in TV animation roles, and has been teaching acting, voice and performing for over 40 years. He is also a renowned voice over trainer and author, conducting workshops and speaking at conferences across the U.S. and near his Hollywood home base of Los Angeles. Also the creator a unique acting method to address the rapid-fire needs of the voice over world, he is the recipient of many awards, including the Emmy, Audie, Annie and in 2014, the Backstage Vanguard Award for Education.


Web: http://patfraley.com/pf/
Email: patfraleyteaches@aol.com
Game World: Video Game Performance & Audition Skills home course, Sept. 11-Oct. 10, 2015


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Comments (6)
Pat Fraley
8/23/2015 at 11:25 AM
No time during Video Game recording sessions is alloted for playback, so performers have to have another way of accessing the right performance of a line.
Jay Webb
8/22/2015 at 1:52 PM
Excellent thought process! I can see this technique working for auditions as well as when you want to give a client more than one take if you're delivering undirected audio.

Thank you, Pat. Your advice is always appreciated!
Lisa Rice
8/22/2015 at 8:39 AM
So practical and simple. Can't wait to use them. Thanks, Pat!
Johnny George
8/21/2015 at 7:57 PM
Pat nails it again. Try taking notes when he's speaking to a crowd. I want to remember everything, but want to experience it live. It's like recording your whole vacation and not actually enjoying it through your own eyes, without the distraction of a camera.

Thanks, Pat, for the insight.
Tony
8/21/2015 at 11:47 AM
Why not simply ask for a playback of your reads, particularly of the one the director likes.
Tom Conklin
8/21/2015 at 11:27 AM
This is an excellent tip! Side note: It's funny... you know Pat is one of those guys that when you read something he's written, you can hear his voice loud and clear.

Thanks for posting the tip... and Pat, thanks for your generosity it sharing this!

Tom Conklin
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