Voice-over incorporates certain principles across all genres, but there are also things that are specific to each niche. Voice-over for toys, games and apps are no exception. Here are a few guidelines to follow (and questions to ask) when you find yourself presented with the opportunity to use your skills for this specific category of voice acting.
1. The first thing you want to ask is, “Who am I in the script? Am I a narrator? Am I a trainer? Am I a teacher, or a mom?” You will be a character of some sort even if it’s just an instructor. It requires putting on the proverbial “hat” of the character for which your voice is being used, so you can take on that personality.
2. Once you determine who you are, then, of course, you want to know whom you are addressing. Some game scripts are different characters talking to each other. In that case, you need to determine the relationship between your character and the other character. Some games you may just be giving instructions, and therefore, talking to the player.
3. What is the tone of the game? Is this a game for adults, or for children? Some games are very dramatic and realistic. Others are super playful and silly. Some are straightforward narration, and some are just entertaining. For those games where the characters are bigger and broader, you definitely need to put a lot of energy into your performance. That means standing up if you can and using your body to bring life to your interpretation of the script and your delivery. Realistic movement that accompanies the dialogue and stage directions will create a more realistic vocal performance. The ear hears everything and knows when things sound real or not.
4. All games and apps are designed to keep the user’s attention to keep them engaged, playing, or interacting. We must always keep this idea at the forefront of our minds. It is a good idea to change up our reads so as not to deliver similar responses in the same exact manner. That means changing the pacing, the rhythm, intonation, and the energy. Furthermore, it’s important to understand the function of the game or app so that our reads match what the developer is trying to do.
5. Most games geared for children will have an educational component. In that case, you want to make sure that you are speaking clearly enough so the lesson can get across. What is the person playing the game supposed to be learning? Is it the alphabet? Then make sure you clearly emphasize the sound of the letters you are presenting. Are you teaching colors? Make sure you add emphasis on the color words. Are you giving instructions how to play the game? Focus on the verbs. (For example, “Drag the blue bird to the branch.”) Consider the age of your audience: if it’s for preschoolers, speak to them like you would if you were a kindergarten teacher or a character in a preschool show. Games and shows geared for a certain age group usually feature characters a few years older in age. There seems to be a rule that children respond to other children a little older than they actually are.
6. Pacing is important. The pacing in children’s toys and apps is often slightly slower and more deliberate as compared to the average adult educational training video. Adults want to hear things delivered more conversationally. Children, on the other hand, need to be edu-tained, so to speak. The characters will have higher energy, like those in an animated series. And because of their energy, caution must be taken that the words are understandable. (It can be quite exhausting delivering the lines with the energy required.) Keep in mind that children are in the process of learning language and will be encountering new concepts and ideas for the first time as they play.
7. Be prepared when working on a game to deliver the line two or three different ways. Most game scripts come in the form of an excel sheet, and the numbered lines are read one at a time. By lines, I mean excel sheet cells that can actually consist of more than one actual line of dialogue. It has been my experience that most directors want choices whether the session is live or recorded on your own. So make sure the lines are read differently. Play with inflection, pacing and emphasis on your different takes. An exercise I like to do with my students is to take a short line and read it over and over again, each time emphasizing a different word. Not all line readings will work, but it’s an exercise that will help give you variations in your reads.
Toys, apps, and electronic games will always be avenues for voice work. It is important to familiarize yourself with apps that are popular with kids you know. See how they are used. Play with some talking toys and watch some video games. That way you can better picture how what you are recording will be used, who will be listening or interacting with your voice and, therefore, how best to engage them.
Katie Leigh is a voice-over artist based in Los Angeles. Check out her site here!
