EXERCISE 1: RELAX YOUR MIND

EXERCISE 2: RELAX YOUR BODY

EXERCISE 3: RELAX YOUR NECK

EXERCISE 4: RELAX YOUR ARMS

EXERCISE 5: RELAX YOUR FACE

EXERCISE 6: HORSE LIPS

EXERCISE 7: RELAX YOUR TONGE

VOICE AND BODY EXERCISE

EXERCISE 8: YAWNING

EXERCISE 9: THE CORK EXERCISE

EXERCISE 10: THE SWEEP

EXERCISE 11: ENUNCIATION EXERCISES

SPECIFIC LETTER SOUNDS

SHORT PHRASES

TONGUE TWISTERS

VOICE AND BODY EXERCISE

I slit a sheet; a sheet I slit, upon the slitted sheet I

sit.

A proper cup of coffee in a copper coffee pot.

A big black bug bit a big black bear, and the big

black bear bled blood.

The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.

Better buy the bigger rubber baby buggy bumpers.

Licorice Swiss wrist watch.

Tom told Ted today to take two tablets tomorrow.

The bloke’s back brake block broke.

VOICE AND BODY EXERCISE

Make a clear distinction between the sounds of each letter.

Gudda-Budda (Budda-Gudda)

[Emphasize the “B” and “G” sounds.]

Peachy-Weachy (Weachy-Peachy)

[Emphasize the “P” and “W” sounds.]

Fea-Sma (Sma-Fea) [pronounce as FEH-SMA]

[Emphasize the difference between the “EH” and “AH” sounds.]

Lip-Sips (Sip-Lips)

[Make the “P” sound clear and don’t drop the “S” after lips or sips.]

TTT-DDD (Tee Tee Tee, Dee Dee Dee)

[Emphasize the difference between the “T” sound and the “D”

sound.]

PPP-BBB (Puh Puh Puh, Buh Buh Buh)

[The “PUH” sound should be more breathy and have less

vocalizing than the “BUH” sound.]

KKK-GGG (Kuh Kuh Kuh, Guh Guh Guh)

Specific Letter Sounds—do each four times, then reverse for four more.

1. A DECENT SPEAKING VOICE

Voice Acting is not about your voice – it’s

about what you can do with your voice.

2. EXCELLENT READING SKILLS

Reading not memorizing

3. AN ABILITITY TO ACT AND TAKE DIRECTION

Change delivery in an instant

4. PASSION

Time, Energy and money

ESSENTIALS

1. Most Character and animation voices are an

exaggeration of specific vocal characteristic or

attitudes.

2. Character Voices can be difficult to sustain for

long periods of time.

3. Be careful not to overexert or injure yourself

when doing character voices

4. A forced voice is rarely the most effective, is

difficult to sustain, and can actually cause physical

damage to your vocal cords.

5. The most effective character voices are those

that emphasize or exaggerate the attitudes and

emotions of the character you are portraying.

Vocalizing Characters

• Character and Story Analysis are most important with this type of copy.

• Consistency is extremely important in character voice work.

• Most animation voice actors have a repertoire of several voices. Versatility.

• In addition to voices and sounds for animation: dialects, foreign and regional accents, and even celebrity impersonation.

• Celebrity Voice Impersonations are often the most challenging because they are well known. (Usually done in the context of a humorous commercial/exaggerated.

Animation and Character Voices

6 Critical Elements of a Character Voice

•1. Pitch (Higher or lower than your own?)

•2. Pitch Character (Gravelly? Breathy? Husky? Constricted?)

•3. Tempo (Faster or slower than your own?)

•4. Rhythm (Loping? Vocal thumb print)

•5. Placement (Nasal? Back of Throat? Normal?)

•6. Mouth Work (Accent? Lisp? Tight Lips?)

Top of head (tiny)

Behind Eyes (nasal)

Top of Cheeks (bright)

Front of Mouth (crisp)

Under tongue (sloppy)

Diaphragm (strong)

Loose cheeks (mushy)

Back of throat (breathy)

Nose (nasal)

Throat (raspy)

Stomach (low)

Voice Placement – Finding your Voice By Body

Vocal Range is important for

achieving emotional attitudes and

dynamics in your performance.

Range from the lowest note to the

highest note

Take a deep breath, hold, release

slowly by saying HAAAAAA sound.

Gradually increase the pitch of your

voice, sweeping from low to high.

HELP: Hold your hands near your

stomach and gradually raise your

hands to raise the pitch.

The Sweep Method

BREATH CONTROL AND

FLEXIBILITY EXERCISE

Villain: You must pay the rent.

Girl: I can’t pay the rent.

Villain: You must pay the rent.

Girl: But I can’t pay the rent.

Hero: I’ll pay the rent.

Girl: My Hero.

Villain: Badtrip… Palpak na naman. Hay!...

Girl: Mwaaah (kisses the Hero)

Hero: Sarrraaaap!! Heheheh!

GIRL (in your

highest

possible pitch)

VILLAIN ( in

your lowest

possible pitch)

HERO (In your

own beautiful

voice)

Character voice work can be challenging, but lots of

fun.

1. Understand your character and situation.

Remember that acting is reacting. In animation, you

often must make up what you are reacting to.

2. Discover who the audience is and understand how

the audience will relate to the character.

3. Maintain a consistent voice throughout the copy

and be careful not to injure your voice by stretching

too far to create a character. It is better to pull back

a little and create a voice that can be maintained

rather than push too hard for a voice you can only

sustain for one or two pages.

Tips for Character and Animation Copy

4. Be willing to exaggerate attitudes or personality

traits for the sake of finding the voice.

5. If a drawing, photo, or picture of the character is

available, use it as a tool to discover the

personality of the character.

6. Find the place in your body from which the voice

will come.

7. Experiment with pitch, pitch characteristics,

tempo, rhythm, placement, and mouth work to

discover the most appropriate vocal delivery for

your character.

8. Experiment and use your physical-ness to take on

the physical characteristics of the character.

Physicalize the moment and the voice will follow.