(Source)
It was news to me that I would be interviewing anime voice actor Dan Green tonight.
Last month, I set up an interview/mini-voice acting lesson with Edge Studio, a New York based voice over coaching and production agency. I signed up for a Skype session with an anime voice over specialist. I had no idea that this instructor uses an alias for his anime work. He was none other than Dan Green, a voice actor I’d definitely heard of — and heard — before.
The man behind Yu-Gi-Oh!
As I tried getting my recording program to work (and it didn’t! Believe me, nobody is more upset about this than me), I had to ask Dan about Yu Gi Oh! the Abridged Series.
“I get asked to do Abridged impressions as often as I get asked to do Yu Gi Oh ones,” he said. Even though Abridged pokes fun of Yugi’s voice actor as much as Yugi himself, Dan thinks the series is hilarious and isn’t at all offended.
After I was able to get over this surprise, Dan introduced me to the basics of voice acting. According to him, it’s all about the range you create with your voice. He told me that most people have a much wider vocal range than they think. For example, after hearing my voice (never heard it? Listen to it on O-Talk), he accurately guessed that I was pretty young, but supposed with training I could play any character from a teenage girl to a grandmother.
Voice acting techniques
Dan led me through seven techniques that voice actors use to improve their voices: pitch, texture, nasality, diction, dynamic range, volume and pace. It sounded like I was listening to seven different people over the phone. (When I told him that, he jokingly remarked, “you should see the inside of my mind.”) When Dan raised his pitch, he sounded just like Yugi, but by lowering his voice and increasing volume and diction, suddenly I heard the Pharaoh. By giving his voice a gravelly texture, he started to sound like the bad guys he played in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
He said these techniques are like “knobs you can turn up and down” to increase your vocal ability.
Many people already have ample control over their voices, but Dan said that it’s unlikely that an anime fan could make the transition to voice actor without any lessons. His usual suggestion is to take at least five in order to get these techniques down.
Experiences for aspiring actors
“It’s more than just the voice. Even if you have natural talent, you might be competing against actors with natural talent as well as training and experience,” said Dan.
He used fansubs for an example. “Not to diss on fansubs since it’s great people are doing them, you can recognize the difference between a professional voice actor and a fan.”
Dan said that acting and singing are two examples of experiences that can help aspiring voice actors go from fan subs to anime studios. He recommends acting experience because voice over directors speak like they’re speaking to actors: “I need this kind of energy, this kind of emotion.” Singing is helpful because dubbing anime requires a good sense of rhythm. When you’re trying to give a genuine performance while your lines are restricted by how long the animated character’s mouth opens and closes for, a sense of timing is key.
Pursuing voice acting
At the end of our session, I asked Dan what would be the next step if I really wanted to take voice acting lessons. I would first have a one hour private session where Dan would test my vocal range and control. After that, he’d make an estimate for how many classes I’d need. Sometimes he suggests six or more for inexperienced actors, and other times it’s just three. Finally, it’d be time to make a demo reel of a few character voices to send to anime studios.
I came for an interview, but I had so much fun I might actually sign up for classes. But at $577 for Dan’s recommended five classes, it’s something I’ll have to think about. It’s probably a better investment for people who want to seriously pursue voice acting than for someone like me who just wants to try out weird voices and listen to Dan’s hilarious impressions.
Your turn. Would you consider taking voice acting lessons? Have you ever tried them out?
12 Comments.
It’s pretty cool that he finds the Abridged series funny. I’m always amazed at a voice actor’s talent. I don’t really have any voice acting goals (other then making a short animated series with a friend of mine) but I’d consider the classes if I had the money just as an exercise to stop my voice from sounding the funny way it sounds.
Also, I didn’t know you did a podcast. I’m always looking for new podcasts to listen to. ^_^
Yeah, I’m an irregular contributor to O-Talk, though I was one of the founding members. Right now, Dan adds a new member about every week or so, maybe you could be on sometime!
I’d love to hear about the short animated series you’re working on. Also, your voice definitely doesn’t sound as funny as it sounds to you. I think everyone gets weirded out hearing their own voice!
I’d love to be on O-Talk sometime, although I’d probably have to start watching anime again. (I still read lots of manga but I haven’t watched any Anime since FMA: Brotherhood, I think).
The short animated series I’m working on is just mostly me trying to convince my friend who is an amazing artist that we should try to make an animated short for fun (I have a little animation experience). If I can ever get it started I’ll let you know. ^_^
Interesting interview! The classes sound like a bargain considering the range and techniques that he’d be covering. Maybe after the wedding I’ll have to find some extra jink and reasons to take the train into Manhattan…
Also, what recording program do you use? I’ve had so many issues with them (particularly with Skype) that I eventually decided to kludge it for my interviews and just set one of my headset’s earbuds against the mic of my digital voice recorder. I’m still surprised at how well that works ^^
I’ve used Nicecast and Adobe Soundbooth. I still haven’t found a really basic one to work with Skype. I wish recording was native to Skype, but that would be too easy.
You’re so lucky you live close enough to actually visit the studio for classes! I would have to just do Skype, and pay the same price. Also, congrats on getting married!
Given the cost of trainfare/parking in NYC, it would be *way* cheaper and less aggravating to do the lessons via Skype ;)
I wish recording was native to Skype, but that would be too easy.
Of course it would. Also, it’d be too easy if Skype didn’t completely monopolize your system’s audio card to prevent most other recording software from working. I’ll have to look into Nicecast when I go Macbook Pro in August.
And hey, thanks ^^ We’re already legally married so October is more of the social ceremony for our families.
Hi! I just found your blog via Susannah Breslin over at Forbes and I just wanted to say I love it and to congratulate you on finally achieving your career dreams! I, too, am a girl geek/nerd and I am also struggling to find a job in my field of choice (art museums) so I am glad to find a like-minded spirit on the interwebs. I’m also trying to re-vamp my blog and yours is certainly providing inspiration.
Fan-wise Dragon*Con in Atlanta is my convention of choice–if you have never attended I highly recommend it. I even wrote a summary of my first time at convention on my blog, if you need an introduction to the event (http://thedilettantista.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/the-full-unabridged-dragoncon-article/).
I also wanted to say I loved your dating an otaku entry. My boyfriend, Jon (no h!), plays Warhammer, which is a much more space-taking hobby than Magic, but I totally understand what it is to not only share space with your man but also his hobby/passion.
Anyways, I really look forward to becoming a regular reader at your blog!
@Lindsay, thanks for the compliment! It sounds like we have a lot in common. Geeky interests, focused on our careers, bloggers, and dating guys named John/Jon.
I’ve never been to Dragon*Con but I’ve always considered it since it’s right here on the east coast. Still working through your account of it, but you look great in steampunk!
We nerd girls have to stick together! And thanks re: Steampunk. It was such a cobbled together costume–I’m much more proud of my costume from 2010, but of course I commissioned a professional to do it because I cannot sew to save my life. Makeup and hair I can do, sewing skills, not so much. Alas. I hope you enjoy the article! I know it is long, but I wanted to make sure to get down all the details for posterity’s sake!
Great read. Even though I stay very far away from listening to dub work, I found the interview to be interesting.
As for me, I wouldn’t take any voice acting lessons as I couldn’t be a part of something I don’t enjoy listening to myself.
For those that enjoy the dubbing, I think these classes are a great way to try their hand at something they love. :)
$577 is not a bad price for the classes either, as I would have thought it would be a much higher amount.
@Michael, I wasn’t a dub fan until recently, when I realized that heeeey… dubbing got kind of good. Meeting some of the voice actors behind the dubbing helped, too. But I just went back and tried to watch Ah! My Goddess on Hulu, where it is ONLY the dub version, and it’s just ridiculous. The mouths are closed and the voice is still talking. Don’t tell Dan Green I said that since he’s actually in that anime. But dubbing has come a long way since we were in high school.
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