FREE “Voiceover Success Mini Course” By Email

What you’ll learn:

  • The top 10 mistakes new actors make when getting started
  • How to get into the writer’s mind and book voiceover jobs
  • The counter-intuitive “Secret” to voiceovers
    … and more! 

Truth is the Blood of (voiceover) Acting

by | Nov 4, 2013 | 0 comments

I am currently on page 134 of The Actor’s Art and Craft, and my mind is being blown apart – in a good way.  The book follows one of the classes taught by William Esper, who is conveying the lessons of his own great master, Sanford Meisner.  You can read a short synopsis on the Meisner Technique as well as on all the other great teachers and techniques in this quick and easy page on acting tips and techniques.  I can’t stress enough how critical acting is to . . . voice acting!

 

One of the things that Esper said, which stuck like glue the moment I read it was, “Truth is the blood of acting.”  Wow.  What a simple but powerful statement.  He clarifies and backs this up by reminding us that after seeing a movie or play, we never say something like “Wow, that was so fantastic.  I didn’t believe a word they were saying.  It was so phony!”   When a work of art moves us, it resonates with us on some level, and that level is a level of TRUTH.  That is truly the only way it can draw on our emotions.  So for the actor, this means operating on a level of truth.  This can be a bit vague in the world of commercial copy.  There is less story, less background, less character development, less . . . truth.  There is deception, and twisting of truth to manipulate the audience into buying into their story.  “twisting of truth.”  There is the key.  Twisting of TRUTH.  Even the greatest writers with the greatest of imaginations can still only write from a place of truth.  Yes, a character might be from the planet Xeron and have steel for skin, but “it” might also be motivated in its actions by fear or the need for power.  There is a truth in everything, even the greatest liars operate from that place because it’s what motivates our subconscious.  Find that small truth in your voiceover script, and find your angle.  When you read a script, don’t think “I’m trying to convince them of blah blah blah.”  Find out what’s CONVINCING YOU, and share that with your audience.  That’s operating from a place of truth.  I can hear a few moans and groans out there, “what if I’m just NOT convinced?”  I’ll deal with that on another blog.  The truth is, I’m tired of typing.

FREE “Voiceover Success Mini Course” By Email

What you’ll learn:

  • The top 10 mistakes new actors make when getting started
  • How to get into the writer’s mind and book voiceover jobs
  • The counter-intuitive “Secret” to voiceovers
    … and more! 

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