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VOICE ACTING Push The Boundaries Of Your Voice Over Imagination With Improv. Say, 'Yes, And ...'  By Kim HandysidesVoice Actor & Coach Have you ever taken an improv class? My first improv teacher, Diana Mady Kelly (University of Windsor, School of Dramatic Art) blew my mind wide open early in my career by introducing me to the power of "yes, and…" A
student of both Viola Spolin and Uta Hagen, the grounding in "working
in the now" Mady Kelly taught me has informed all my work since, and has made me a better voice over actor. Improvisation, or improv, is a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters,
and dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up live and in
real-time. It is a fantastic way to tap into your observation skills,
and allows you to focus on being grounded and connected to places,
people and actions as they are created. This handy instrument in the
actor's toolkit can help make you a better voice over actor in several ways. LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE Voice acting can be a very isolating
profession, whether we are in the midst of a pandemic or not. Especially with the growth of home pro studios and self-direction, it is
not unusual for a voice actor to have very little interaction with
their fellow humans (immediate family notwithstanding). Joining an
improv group or taking improv lessons means you get out of your personal space and comfort zone
(both physically and emotionally). In the current Covid climate,
exploring online improv troupes and groups is a way to connect and
create.
Improvisation schools and troupes are
popular, as are theater sports (competitive comedic improvisation), and
all have one thing in common: stepping out of your personal booth (and
other boundaries you may have erected) and teaming up with other actors
in the pursuit of storytelling. This collaboration allows actors to
"play" off of one another and build stories together – the more
elaborate and interesting the better. You're encouraged to flirt with
the unconventional and adopt the eccentric. Improvisation is a safe
space for pushing the boundaries of your own imagination with others who
have your back and play along. Literally. PAY ATTENTION! Improvisation is fast-moving and always changing. To do it well, improvisers must be fully present in the moment
as the scene, story or game evolves. Because while being present is
just good advice for generally living life, if an actor isn't paying
attention, their contribution or lack thereof can grind the improv to a
halt. Lack of comfort in staying and playing in the now leads to
awkward moments when everyone realizes things aren't going well, whether
the medium is theater, film or voice work.
Being able to stay connected and
grounded in the here-and-now benefits the voice actor once back in the
booth. Paying attention to the copy, being present in the world of the
project, can make for fewer mistakes, less overthinking, and more
relaxation and engagement for the actor. CREATE YOUR WORLD Improvisers make up worlds from
nothing! This imagining and then describing what exists and is
happening in the world around them, is what brings the improvised story
to life. Like for children at play, improvisation happens when actors imagine whole worlds to connect to -
full of people and places and activities that then exist collectively
in the minds of the audience as they are being created. I call this
"world building" and I use it in the booth every day. Voice actors spend their performance
time in small quiet spaces talking to imaginary people. By deciding who
they are, who they are talking to, where they are, and what
circumstances led them to talk about the product, service or subject, a
voice actor fully embodies a character and brings a script to life. All
voice over acting IS acting, and a nimble and strong imagination is a
valuable asset in any genre, be it commercial, corporate, animation, gaming, audiobooks, e-learning, etc. Improv can greatly enhance the care and feeding of the imagination. CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES ... The first rule of improv is to always
say "yes, and…" This means, whenever fellow improvisers are developing a
story, the job of the actor is to agree to whatever direction the story
takes and to take it further in the service of the story's telling. In
order to effectively agree and participate, the actor needs to stay open to possibilities and
new directions as they are introduced. This openness allows for
creativity to flourish. The actor can drop preconceived ideas about
what is happening and simply "go with it" to find new ways to connect
and explore the story. This is especially helpful for the
voice actor in finding new, fresh ways of delivering the script
authentically. Staying open, in the moment and "yes-anding" helps you
better work with directors and creatives in a session. You find
previously undiscovered voice over performance options whose existence
you might not have been aware of until that moment. And in those
moments, real brilliance is possible. ----------------- ABOUT KIM Kim Handysides is a top voice over artist in commercials, eLearning and narration. With a background in theatre and film and a thorough grounding in radio and television, she was a 2018 Voice Arts Awards nominee, and "loves sharing advice, tips and experience with anyone who asks." She also loves dogs, mountains, beaches and story. Email: KimHandysides@gmail.com Web: www.KimHandysides.com CLICK HERE FOR MORE HELPFUL VOICE ACTING ARTICLES |
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Can you or commentors put links to online improv classes so we can start today?
After retiring from almost 40 years as a speech pathologist (SLP), I worked to become a narrator of audio books. Prior to and during my career as an SLP, I acted on stage and in films. Taking advice from VO coaches and this website, I began to participate in live improv classes. After finding a good online coach, I began to participate in an online improv class with other voice over actors. We meet almost every Monday via SKYPE. The teachers and others have been a great help. My narration skills have improved with each lesson, I've made new VO friends and had lots of fun while learning. All VO-actors should try to find good coaches and classes that help online.