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Sound and the Voice

Vocal Warm up

Step 1: Stretch Your Body

Side stretches are a great way to expand your rib cage and to help your lungs feel like they are full of air.

Take a deep breath and raise your arms up to the sky. Exhale and slightly lean to the left, lengthening in your side body. Hold it there for just a couple of seconds before you inhale to centre, and then exhale over to the right.

Next, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Inhale your arms up to the sky, then slowly bend at your waist on the exhale and take your hands toward the ground. It doesn’t matter how far you can go, the action of bending over is enough to give you a nice, warm stretch! Stay there for a couple of breaths, and then on an inhale slowly come back up to a standing position.

Step 2: Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are a great way to relax your vocal folds, especially before a big recording and they will help to expand your vocal range.

The straw trick - Practice humming, or simply inhaling and exhaling, slowly with a straw in your mouth. When your lips are closed around a straw, you’ll automatically focus all of your attention on your breathing, while keeping your face and body still.

Lay on the floor - If you lie on the floor whilst breathing or singing a vocal piece and rest your hands on your stomach and concentrate, you’ll be able to feel your diaphragm move. This technique is an easy way to zero in on your breathing.

The hissing exhale - Start by inhaling for an amount of time you feel comfortable with, and then when you exhale, produce an “sss” hissing sound. Each time you do the hissing exhale, switch up the amount of time that you’re inhaling and hissing, aiming to go longer with each hiss until you find yourself beginning to run out of breath.

Step 3: Humming and Lip Trills

Performing a loose and gentle modulating hum is a nice way to ease in your facial muscles, as well as create space for resonant sound. Humming and lip trills get your resonators going, which in turn helps restore your vocal tone quality after sleeping for several hours. These are ideal to carry out as you start your day. Lip trills and flutters will also help loosen facial muscles and get your vocal folds warmed up.

Professional Vocal Warmup 1 - "Opening Up The Voice" (youtube.com) 

Step 4: Descending on Nasal Consonants

A useful trick that any singer or voice actor should have in their toolbox is the ability to open up passages to descend on a nasal consonant sound. The English word ‘onion.’ is quite nasal sounding particularly its second syllable, which makes the ‘gn’ sound. Take that ‘gn’ sound and lovingly stretch it, slide it and descend glissando style. Another favourite vocal warm up for many voice actors involves reciting any word or phrase that ends in a Z, for example, ‘buzz’ or ‘fuzz.’ Linger on the Z to get resonating.

Step 5: Fricatives

Fricatives are consonants that are formed by impeding the flow of air so that a friction sound is produced. Some of the most common consonants include Fs, Ths, and Vs. They are great for warming up the voice and help to develop a smooth and connected sound in your singing.

Fricative Vocal Warmups (youtube.com) 

Step 6: Tongue Twisters

In the voice over business, being able to distinctly enunciate your speech is by far one of the most important aspects of your performance. If you don’t articulate or enunciate clearly, no one is going to understand a word of what you are saying. There are several troublesome consonants that you’ll want to master before you step up to the microphone. Speaking each of these tongue twisters out loud serves as a fantastic pre-recording warm up:

1. Unique New York, unique New York, unique New York.

2. A big black bug bit a big black bear.

3. She sells seashells by the seashore.

4. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

5. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

6. What time does the wristwatch strap shop shut?

7. A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

8. No need to light a nightlight on a light night like tonight.

9. My cutlery cuts keenly and cleanly.

10. Four furious friends fought for the phone.

11. Reading and writing are richly rewarding.

12. Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster most.

13. I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.

14. He threw three free throws.

15. Three free thugs set three thugs free. 

16. If you stick a stock of liquor in your locker, It is slick to stick a lock upon your stock, Or some joker who is slicker, Is going to trick you of your liquor, If you fail to lock your liquor with a lock.

17. Someone said something simple, A simple something said to me, Simply simple someone said, A simple something said to me.

Step 7: Yawn

Yawning naturally relaxes, drops your jaw and regulates oxygen while extending your soft palate. If you’re looking to improve the sound of your voice, yawn a lot. It helps to relax your throat muscles. It relaxes your vocal cords. And as soon as they relax, the tone drops. The lower your voice is, the better you sound.

Learning how to properly do a yawn-sigh can be a wonderful trick to add to your vocal warm up toolbox.

Step 1: Open your mouth as if to yawn.

Step 2: Slide all the way down from the top of your vocal range to the lowest grumble you can muster.

Step 3: You’ll know when you bottom out.

However, you should only do this exercise a few times as a part of each warm up. You should never start with this one, and it’s often best to leave it until the end when you have already exercised your voice.

Link to website I used to help me with this vocal warm up: What Are The Best Vocal Warm Ups for Voice Actors? | Voices | Voices

Vocal Practitioners and Vocal Exercises

Cicely Berry:

Cicely Berry is likely the most influential voice and theatre practitioner when it comes to Shakespearean acting. Her methods like to emphasize the power and musicality of the language, which shows how these elements can elevate the actor's performance. Berry focuses on exploring rhythms and sounds of Shakespeare's texts, so that the actors can infuse their performances with greater poetry, musicality and emotion. She also highlights the importance of breath control and vocal warm-ups for actors, as this helps to ensure that their voices will remain strong and flexible enough to meet the demands of Shakespearean roles.

Kristin Linklater:

Kristin Linklater is a voice practitioner who is known for her approach to freeing the natural voice. Her voice training methods focus on releasing tension and allowing the voice to flow freely and effortlessly, tapping into the actor’s vocal potential. Linklater’s approach involves voice acting exercises that help actors connect with their breath and release physical and emotional tensions. By doing so, actors can access a more authentic and resonant voice, improving their vocal authenticity. Linklater also emphasizes the importance of vocal warm-ups for performers and exploring the range and flexibility of the voice. 

Kristin's 10 minute warmup on Vimeo 

Accessing The Industry 

Last year I looked at the ways an aspiring actor like myself could use to try and make it in the acting industry. These included signing up with an agent or an agency, going to auditions and effectively marketing yourself. My chosen career path is still the same, so all the research from last year still applies. 

To help me progress into becoming an actor, I have signed up with Phoenix Casting Agency as a supporting artist to help me get a foot inside the industry. Phoenix casting work with supporting artistes, walk on’s, actors, models, presenters and voice over artists in the south west and south wales. This is perfect for whilst I’m at college because I'll be able to do it and continue to focus on my studies.

Health And Wellbeing:

As a continuation from last year I have been making sure that I am going to the gym regularly and eating healthy. This has helped me to lose almost 20kg in the last year which I’m very happy with. I feel this has improved my stamina, which is very important for when it comes to doing long performances.

Types of Auditions

Pilot Testing:

This is the process an actor must go through if they wish to be cast in a pilot at the network level. First the actor must go through a Pre-read, This is where they audition with the CD and if the CD like what the actor did during the audition then the actor can be brought back in for a Call-back. This is where the actors will audition in front of the producers and director. Usually the CD will give the actor notes based on their meetings with the creative team, the network and studio. If the actor does well during the call-back then they can be asked to do a Studio Test. Most pilots are produced by a production company, which is the studio, then aired on a network. But before that, the actors have to do a test for the studio. At this time the business people will be negotiating with the actors agent. For the test the contract will state that the actor is on hold for the next seven to ten days, until the studio or network decide to either release you or pick up your option. The actors will be given a studio test location, which will usually be a small theatre or a conference room where 20 or so executives will be. The actor will read with either the CD or the actor they'll be playing opposite so that they are able to see the actors chemistry. After the studio test, they will narrow it down again and move onto the final step, the Network Test. This is similar to the studio test, but will be in a different room with more executives. From this point the network have however many days the actors agent negotiated for, to pick up their option.

https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/phases-pilot-testing-9877/

Two Audition

The Landlord:

The Landlord is very interesting character to me. He is someone who I find I can relate with quite deeply. The way he jokes around to hides his true thoughts and feelings when with others, the way he bottles up his emotions and the way he does everything he can to avoid dealing with the issue cause he's scared to feel the hurt again. The Landlord is someone who has gone through something traumatic, with the death of his son, but doesn't know how to properly deal with and process that loss. So instead he tried to push all of those thoughts and feelings deep down and has spent his time, since his son's death, doing his best to not reopen that wound. He clearly loved his son a lot, as well as his wife, but after his death he shut off his emotions and neglected his wife hoping that time would help. I think at some point he realised that no matter how long he waited, time wasn't going to make things better, but at that point it had been too long and he was too scared to try something else.

Suitability Of Material

Monologue:

The Landlord has several monologues to choose from, but I decided that his first monologue would be the most suitable as it fits very nicely with my chosen progression route of becoming an actor. The Landlord is a complex character, who is bitter, nostalgic, charismatic and emotionally fractured. This monologue is very character driven and allows me to show a good emotional range, which is essential when it comes to progressing for both my top up year and professional theatre. This piece is also written very naturalistic, which will help to demonstrate my ability to perform contemporary and conversational dialogue, which is essential for modern productions and especially on screen work. Another reason why this monologue is a suitable choice is because of the emotional subtext. On the surface, it looks to be just a normal pub chat. But underneath it all there’s a lot of resentment, heartbreak and grief. So this monologue lets me show off my ability to layer a performance.

This is great for my chosen progression route. For it comes auditioning to a drama school. It will be great for showing text analysis, character depth, and emotional contrast. Directly addressing the audience gives me a chance to show how I can connect to them and show my presence. When it comes to theatre company auditions, the monologue will fit a wide range of theatre companies that focus on working-class narratives. The piece will also highlight my ability to handle long-form monologues, that change in pace and emotion, which is very relevant for stage work. I believe the monologue will also work when it comes to television or film auditions. Although the monologue is written to be performed on stage, the naturalistic dialogue would work very well for the style of on screen acting. I’d have to adjust the performance a little, so that it better suited an on screen performance rather than an on stage performance. But the material would still work for something on screen. One way this monologue wouldn’t be suitable, would be if I wanted to progress down a musical theatre route. This is because it doesn’t show any vocal or musical skills.

Ending Duologue:

When it came to choosing the duologue I had more to choose from. But there were two in particular that I like for the character so I decided to do both. The first one being the ending duologue. I believe this one to be a very suitable choice for my chosen progression route for several reasons. First one being that it has a very good emotional range, it goes from subtle, repressed grief to explosive conflict to reconciliation. This is all a very good thing to have in an audition as it proves that I can handle the emotional transitions and sustain the character throughout. This duologue also helps to show the depth of the character and allows me to play with the subtext of the landlord carrying years of pain, guilt, love, resentment and silence. This duologue also requires good voice control and physicality. This is because your voice shifts from quiet confession, silence and then moments of shouting. As well as physical stillness and tension that build character presence. Universities and professional theatres both look for actors who can embody real people in real pain and this piece is raw and truthful. It proves you're capable of an emotionally honest performance. This is also great for my next steps because a strong duet scene like this will show that I am able to carry a narrative with another actor, our chemistry and collaboration in a live moment and how I listen and respond to a scene partner. Which is all very important in an ensemble or two-handers. I don't think this would be as suitable for an on screen performance as your delivery would have to be different, with less projection and more micro-expressions. It also wouldn't be suitable for musical theatre, for the same reasons as before, as it doesn't show any musical skills.

Bullseye Brown Duologue:

While the other duologue I chose was deeply emotional and rooted in grief and reconciliation, this duologue is more subtle, simmering with tension, layered subtext, and unresolved resentment. I chose it because I believe it shows a good contrast and gives me the chance to show a different kind of control and emotional precision as the Landlord. I believe this is a good duologue for my chosen progression route, one of the reasons I believe that is because it lets me show off subtle emotional tension. This is different from the other duologue I chose which had big emotional outbursts, this scene is more about contained emotions. It’ll let me show that I can do a lot with silence, tone and body language. It also lets me show off the complexity of the character because throughout the scene the Landlord is trying to hold it together in front of customers, but internally he's spiralling. It’s a good opportunity for me to show my understanding of the character and how to use the subtext. It’s also just more good examples of realism and restraint. Which I believe is something Universities will be looking out for, actors who can play real people, with restraint and depth, this scene shows that I can do more than just melodramatic moments. This duologue is similar to the other two pieces I’ve picked to use for an audition, as they are all very suitable to be used for future potentially universities and professional theatre auditions. This is because it shows off very naturalistic acting, chemistry with my scene partner and my ability to move through dialogue naturally while still holding emotional stakes. It’s also just more examples of being able to play a character who has a lot of layers to them, which is perfect for uni auditions and professional theater auditions.

First Rehearsal:

Evaluation:

Chained Heart

Headmaster Crow:

My character in Chained Heart is Headmaster Crow. He's quite a unique character, with a low gravelly voice. Crow is someone who has very strong opinions on things, like his son Paul. He doesn't have a good relationship with Paul, making a point to mention that when ever he can and to substitute his relationship with his son, he's replaced him with a fish named Bob who he seems to love very deeply.

The Voice:

The voice for the headmaster came very quickly to me when discussing the character with Faith. It was quite a low, deep voice that was a bit crackly. This was fine when doing shorter lines, especially when it came to, what would become my entry line which was "I hate you Paul". But the voice felt more restrictive when it came to doing the longer monologues, in which he had a few and so I decided to change it slightly so that it was able to do the more energetic and grander lines. It stayed mostly the same, it was low, deep and a bit crackly, but I gave it volume and freed it up a bit, so that I could have more range with it and I believe that really helped out.

My lines:

(Headmaster Crow walks in as everyone quiets down. Crow is tapping papers in his hand as he sighs)

Headmaster Crow: First off, I'll start the speech to the second Years and above. I'll be honest boys I had to bring in these girls since your scores were just so low, if you scored higher enough, I would have kept it an all-boys school, I'm so disappointed in you boys, except you Charles (Charles is a Sail Fish), Charles was always my favourite, especially in the swimming Gala, the fastest swimmer in school. Second Off, welcome First years! This is a new beginning for you, and the years above you. Today is the day we welcome the new students from Gray Swan College! The first time ever we have opened our doors to these lovely ladies. To the young men of Shadow Knights Academy, I expect you to welcome them with the same respect and camaraderie you show your brothers, and the ladies of Gray Swan College, I expect you to meet the challenge of this new environment with the determination that earned you your place here, remember you are now Shadow Knights. Together, we will not only restore the reputation of the boys but bring our schools together. The road ahead will not be easy, but then, nothing worthwhile ever is. So let us rise to the occasion, as Shadow Knights always do. Here’s to a year of hard work, great achievements, and unshakable pride in the academy we all call home. Welcome, one and all, to Shadow Knights Academy.

Headmaster Crow: There are important students among you, they are the student representatives of each dorm, identified by the bands around their arms. These Students are the law of the dorms and your dorm leaders. When placed into a dorm you’ll get to know your Prefect and the rules you must follow in your dorms. Though like every year I'll explain one rule that includes every dorm. If you think for a moment a Prefect is an unfit individual for the position bestowed upon them, these are the legal ways you can take ownership of said title. you could be appointed by the previous dorm leader or duel the current leader and win. The right to challenge a dorm leader is bestowed upon all students when enrolling at Shadow Knights Academy. A duel is certainly one of the simpler methods, a legal duel must be approved by a faculty member that has had a long standing with in the school or by myself as the headmaster, you can only duel the dorm leader of your dorm, though you may request you be Resubmitted into another dorm where then you can challenge the other dorm leader, but the transition from dorm must be signed off by both dorm leaders and permission granted by myself the headmaster.

Headmaster Crow: Yes, the lovely ladies of Gray Swan College may duel the dorm leaders if approved, you ladies are a part of Shadow Knights Academy now, like spoken before, the right to challenge a dorm leader is bestowed upon all students when enrolling at Shadow Knights Academy, yes this was an all-boys school but you are officially enrolling here, which gives you that right.

[The door swings open, and they step into the office. Crow sits behind his desk, staring into the fish tank on the side of the room with intense concentration. The desk is cluttered with piles of paperwork, but the real oddity is the personalized fish food cup sitting on the corner, reading "World’s Greatest Son" in bold letters. Bob, the goldfish, lazily swims around inside the tank, completely unaware of the impending confrontation.]

Headmaster Crow (adjusting his glasses, not even looking at them yet): Why... why is it always you, Frazer?

[Crow finally turns his attention away from the fish tank, his gaze pinning Farah. His expression is deadpan, but his eyes flicker with an odd mix of annoyance and fondness—oddly fixated on his goldfish.]

Headmaster Crow (sighing dramatically): I don't understand. Every time something goes wrong at this school, it’s always you, Frazer. What did you do now? Did you invite the Void to tea or something?

[The other students shift uncomfortably, trying not to laugh at Farah's dry sarcasm. Crow doesn’t seem to notice, staring at his fish food cup with a deep, almost unsettling affection.]

Headmaster Crow (suddenly, in a completely different tone, looking down at his mug): Do you think Bob would approve of this? Do you think he'd understand the responsibility I have to maintain order at this school? Because sometimes, I think Bob understands me more than any of you.

[The students blink, trying to make sense of the conversation shift. Crow pauses, as if lost in thought, before glancing up at them, an awkward, sheepish grin on his face.]

Headmaster Crow (grumbling, as if a great burden rests on him): I do not like Paul. Bob was more of a son to me than Paul was.

Headmaster Crow (suddenly defensive, as if the mere mention of Paul stings him): Paul... Paul reminded me of his mother. I always hated his mother. All I like is my tea and my Bob.

[Crow suddenly stands, walking over to his desk with newfound urgency, muttering under his breath about his “precious Bob” as he fiddles with his mug. He takes a sip from it like it’s the most important thing in the world.]

Headmaster Crow (finally looking them all dead in the eye): Listen, I’m trying to run a respectable school here. And you four... well, I can't even begin to fathom the destruction you've caused. Just... for once, can we not have a Void Incident or a Siblings-Under-Kaleb's-Control moment every few days?

[Crow, face reddening slightly, turns back to his desk, clearly rattled but trying to maintain his composure. He pulls out a small photo frame from one of the drawers—it's a picture of Bob, the goldfish, framed proudly next to a plaque that reads, "Best Son Ever." Crow sighs deeply and places it down on the desk.]

Headmaster Crow (mumbling, almost to himself): Honestly, I sometimes think Bob’s the only one who understands me.

[Crow’s face softens, and he places a hand over his heart as if he’s seriously contemplating the question. Then, with a sigh, he finally stands up from his desk and gestures at them all.]

Headmaster Crow (seriously, though his voice is still laced with awkwardness): Well, I can’t exactly punish you all... after all, technically you did save the courtyard.

[Crow actually pauses for a moment, his brow furrowing. He then pulls a small, handmade card from one of his desk drawers and stares at it thoughtfully.]

Headmaster Crow (muttering): Bob deserves that, yeah... He’s been my rock.

(From somewhere in the chaos—)

HEADMASTER CROW (frantically hurling a chair at a demon student): WHY IS IT ALWAYS YOU, FRAZER!?

(Headmaster Crow closes his eyes for a moment, like he’s mentally preparing himself not to commit a crime.)

HEADMASTER CROW (flat, monotone): Why… why is it always you that survives, Paul?

HEADMASTER CROW (muttering, dead inside): Of all the people who could have perished… fate chooses to spare Paul.

(Crow exhales deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.)

HEADMASTER CROW (grumbling, looking at Paul with pure disappointment): out of everyone, why couldn’t you be the one to fall in battle? Bob would’ve been fine without you.

(Crow just stares.)

HEADMASTER CROW (gritted teeth): …A table.

(Crow mutters under his breath as he leaves—his voice filled with regret.)

HEADMASTER CROW (soft, mournful whisper): Why did it have to be you, Paul? Bob deserved better...

Evaluation:

Directors Comments:

"I would say, your performance as the headmaster was absolutely what I was looking for. I love how you portrayed him and if I had to be honest I think you were a fit choice for him. Your line deliveries were perfect, though shifting through all the bloopers to find them was fun, I found you to be the best choice I had made in casting, not only did you deliver them on time but you (hopefully) kept in mind my comments on the character when we talked about him in class." - Faith Bethell

The Smile

Nan:

In the Smile I play two characters, Tony and more noticeably Nan. Nan is a very unique character, on the surface she is just a sweet innocent old lady whose memory isn't the best. But deep down she is secretly a psychopath who is manipulating, gaslighting and torturing her grandson. She has a deep hate for him, because she blames him for her daughters death. She likes to rial him up in ways where she's gaslighting him and putting unearned blame onto him, whilst acting all innocent.

Her Voice:

I tried many variations of Nans voice. I had ones that made her sound older and more crackly. But The thing I really wanted for the voice was for it to sound innocent and slightly condescending. I wanted her to sound like this because I believe it creates a better impact in the end when it comes to the reveal that she has been the one doing all this to James.

Finding The Voice:

The Performance:

Final Film

Evaluation: