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VOICE ACTING Give Your Voice Over Characters More Character With 'Conditions' and 'Agendas'  By Patrick FraleyVoice Over Performer and Trainer Distinct characters often possess a condition or agenda. A condition is a
temperament, a problem, or propensity toward acting a certain way, that is always there.
For example, being mean, stupid, a wallflower, a snob, or insane. An agenda is a little different than a condition. An agenda has to do with a character
wanting something and going about getting what they want in a particular way. A condition is a circumstance, which the character possesses that they may be able
to overcome like being stupid, or insane. Characters who are condition- or agenda-driven provide the audience continuity,
yielding a sense of knowing the character and that they may trust the character to react
within the limitations of the agenda or condition. There is immediate familiarity. In a sense,
characters who possess a condition or agenda are delightfully limited.
In many cases, the condition or agenda, which you may "add" to a character, brings
them from stereotypical, or on a "one level performance," to a "two level performance." An Archetype (type of character) most always yields a hint to a condition or agenda. For example:
It gets more fun when one considers creating a character with both a condition and
an agenda. As an example, bring to mind Don Knotts' "Barney Fife" character on "The Andy
Griffith Show." Don Knotts played Barney as a character with the condition of being
frightened. He added to that the agenda of appearing confident, a know-it-all, and being in
control. The "dance" between his condition and his agenda was a constant delight. ----------------- ABOUT PAT Patrick Fraley is a foremost voice over industry voice talent, trainer, director and producer. As a voice actor he has created
the voices for more than 4,000 characters, placing him among the top 10
performers of all time to be cast in animated programs - including the voice of Krang, Casey Jones, Baxter Stockman and numerous
other characters in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated
television series, and the voice of Falcon in the 2003 Stuart Little
animated
television series. As a trainer, he is a prolific author of books and
creator of CDs on the art of voice over performance and business. And
scores of home study courses are offered at his website on voice over
performance, audiobook narration, narration, character development,
acting, demos, video game performance and more. Email: patfraleyteaches@aol.com Web: www.PatFraley.com Complete Guide to Voice Over Exercises: https://patfraley.com/pf/product/complete |
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For further distinctiveness, add other elements, such as age, a celebrity mannerism (NOT an impression!), the environment (indoors, outdoors, battlefield, whatever), pitch (try a different range than you naturally fell into). Simple elements that you can remember and that will affect the character consistently. And have fun!