THE ACTOR’S QUESTIONS
If you want to be a great voice actor, you have to believe and live in the scene you’re creating. If you thought that the concept “How to Think Like a Voice Actor” could be summed up in one blog, well buckle up, because this is a series, baby! In the Voices Carey Method, our foundation of scene development is answering the Actor’s Questions. Be specific with every choice!
Who am I? This is absolutely the biggest one. Understand that the answer to this question defines how you perceive reality in the scene. Let’s break this down:
What is my role? Am I the sister, the boss, the best friend, the hero or the villain?
What is my personality? Establish some emotional traits like “Sociable, Optimistic, Competitive” or “Gloomy, Shy, Contemplative.” The reason this is so useful is because it gives you direction for how to interpret the script, and also allows creative freedom during the performance.
What are my physical characteristics? How old am I? A child is going to sound and behave differently than an adult or elder. Am I a burly lumberjack who is deep and loud? Maybe I’m missing teeth- how does that sound?
When answering these questions, it’s important to give actable answers! If part of your personality is “likes ice cream” and nowhere in the script is there a single mention of it, that is bogging you down with unnecessary information that will not translate to the performance.
Where am I? Your attitude and behavior are certain to change whether you are at home, hanging around a basketball court with your friends or in a conference with coworkers at your job. Also, where you are mentally can pivot the intent of the scene entirely! Imagine you are at that conference with your coworkers, but you haven’t eaten for a full day. Now you are daydreaming about your next meal and can’t focus on the conversation at hand. What this means is that sometimes your physical and psychological location can clash to facilitate even further nuance in your performance.
What am I doing? Both physically and mentally. Physically, am I meditating, fighting or walking across hot coals? Mentally, am I trying to be your best friend or manipulating you into a certain destruction? This intermingling of physical and mental action is where you can develop a great deal of scene reality.
Who am I talking to? Friend, lover, boss, etc. Every script is a conversation. Even if it looks like a monologue, it’s actually a dialogue. Whenever possible, talk to a single person, because that is going to yield a more specific and engaged conversation.
What is my goal? Make a choice, then decide what you’re willing to do to achieve it. Do you persuade politely or threaten? Maybe you will stop at nothing to get the result you are looking for! Your goal may be you want them back, but the way you express it comes in varied emotions. Emotions are the meat, but your goal is the bones. Knowing your character's history gives clues to your motivation. There is motivation behind everything you do, whether big or small. Knowing your goal gives purpose to the scene and a driving force that dictates the progression of the narrative.
How do I feel? Happy, sad, nostalgic, elated, etc. Acting is feeling. What is my general emotional disposition and how will that evolve throughout the scene? Determining how you feel moment-to-moment informs the way a scene develops. Don’t forget you can pivot emotionally! One of the best tools in creating a compelling scene is identifying where things change. If a script stays in the same spot the entire time, it is going to be radically less compelling than if it develops over time. Emotions can change, grow or diminish, or be conflicting- maybe you have layered emotions in a given moment because things got complicated. Effectively conveying emotion engages the listener.
How do I want the person I’m talking to to feel? A great deal of this aligns itself with the goal and how you feel, but is more about emotionally moving the person you are talking to. Knowing how you want the person you are talking to to feel really identifies the conversational tone and gives the scene a sense of reality.
What is our relationship? This goes hand-in-hand with the “Who am I?” question. It crystallizes how you will engage. When talking with a single person, visualize someone you personally know. Just a friend is vague. Be more specific! Is this someone you have sarcastic banter with, or deep philosophical discussions. Those two differing connections, while still both being friends, will yield very different performances.
The Actor’s Questions are the foundation of connecting with a scene. In the Voices Carey Method, there is plenty more beyond this, as well. Now you have the formative tools at your fingertips, it’s time to put all of this thought into practice and bring page to reality. Have fun and go record something with all your heart!