Character voice over includes video games, animation / cartoons, ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement), podcasts, game apps and toys. Advanced voice acting skills are a necessity because the voice actor is required to physically and vocally become someone else. This is by far the most strenuous and demanding of all areas of voice over but also, as many voice actors will tell you, the most fun!

Character work is what most people envision when they think of voice acting. However, unless you’re actively working in the business, you won’t have a complete understanding of the skills involved in this craft. Someone who merely reads words in a voice other than their own is not a voice actor.

Whether you are trying out for a video game or an animated show, understanding all aspects of character work will help your chances of booking a job. It’s a sobering thought to realize that if you are auditioning for a AAA video game or a feature-length animated film, there are literally hundreds of people vying for each role….and only ONE will book it. So what puts your audition at the top?

This will always be at the top of every casting director’s checklist. When they press play on your audition they need to hear the character speaking, not you reading. It is our job to bring vocal life to the character. The performance must be real, have motivation and intent, and accurately represent the chosen emotion of the scene.

Your audition is your interview. This is the time to show production that you have the skills to take this character anywhere on the emotional spectrum. Make each scene different. Make good scene choices while staying within the boundaries of the character’s personality. You have to show the potential client your range, especially if this is a production team you have never worked with before.

If you do a quick analysis of any script, there is a 99 percentile choice of each scene. Don’t fall for it. Dig deeper, study the scene, and acknowledge the words that were specifically chosen for this character. There will always be another, more unique, way to approach a scene. You will find that many scripts do not have stage direction or exposition. In some instances, this is done deliberately. Production is leaving it open to interpretation by the actor. They want to hear something more interesting than the obvious choices.

In the LA market, if you read the words that are on the page, pause at the commas, and stop at the periods, you are dead in the water. You need to make your performance your own. Showcase what you as the actor will be bringing to this session. View the script more as an outline, rather than a set of instructions. Interpret it. We always want to honor the words of the writer, but we also don’t want to be boxed in by them. When you ad-lib in a script, you are telling production that you understand this character so well, that you can riff appropriately. Things like a unique pre-life, or a button on the end of a scene will accomplish this. Don’t completely rewrite the scene, just plus it. The writer has given you a beautiful new car, just put some shiny hubcaps on it.

Is this Sunday morning cartoons, or is this the next big epic video game? Different genres will call for different performances. Broad, silly, funny, dramatic, and grounded, are all ways of approaching your audition depending on the project. So matching your performance to the intended genre is key.

In animation, voice over is used to bring cartoon characters to life. The voice actor must be able to embody the physical, emotional, and motivational force of any given character by capturing their spirit and distinct vocal quality. This requires a high degree of skill and creativity, as the voice actor must be able to adapt to different styles of animation and bring a range of characters to life.

In video games and game apps, voice over can range from simple voice commands to full-on conversations between characters. The voice actor must be able to deliver lines in a way that matches the character’s personality and the context of the game. They must also be able to portray physicality and exertions in a realistic manner. This requires physical intensity and stamina, aspects that can make this particular genre of voice over very demanding, therefore, not for everyone.

In toys, character-based voice over is used to provide sound effects and voice commands. This can include everything from simple phrases to complex interactive dialogue. The voice actor must be able to deliver lines that are clear, fun, and easy to understand for younger audiences.

In ADR, character-based voice over is used to replace dialogue that was not captured clearly during filming. This can occur when background noise, technical issues, or other factors make it difficult to hear the original dialogue. The voice actor must be able to match the original actor’s performance and deliver the new dialogue in a way that fits seamlessly with the scene.

In all of these contexts, character-based voice over requires a high degree of skill and creativity, bringing characters vividly to life while engaging the audience in a truthful, believable manner. Voice actors who specialize in character-based voiceover need to have excellent acting and improvisation skills, both emotionally and physically.