Randall Ryan, of Hamsterball Studios joined the VO Peeps in September for a workshop where we learned to refine our cold reads and create believable characters. Randall has worked on some of the biggest AAA games and gave us so much in-depth insight into the casting process and character creation. He took the time to get to know each participant individually and then assigned a cold read based on their unique strengths and challenges. We learned to turn our auditions in quickly, how to create characters on the fly, how to embody a character, and how to make bold choices. Randall showed us that over the top is better than a boring choice, and gave us insight into the thought processes of a casting director.
Words of Wisdom
"We expect actors to come to the table with creativity and ideas." -Randall
"Put a cardboard cutout or a stuffed animal in your booth to have someone to talk to. It’s weird, but it works." - Randall
"The difference between 'good' and 'amazing' is adding little things to your performances". - Randall "Gaming needs voices of all kinds - there are roles for everyone." - Randall
"You need to have a visual of your character in your mind, even if that’s not what they actually look like in the end." - Randall
"With video game auditions, more than any other genre, you don’t really always know what it is exactly they want. It’s not always the stereotype you might want to go with. The writers and creators also don’t always know what they want." -Randall
"If we tell you to “zig”, show us you can do that." - Randall
What Peeps are Saying ...
"The VO Peeps workshop with Randall Ryan was an eye-opener. The information I received while watching Randall work with the other VO artists was perfect for what I was looking for. I also enjoyed how much time that was spent with each of us, one-on-one! I did not realize how important creating a character in your mind before an audition was. I will be using this for knowledge for all of my auditions here on out."
-William Therrien
Video Replay:
As always, VIPeeps have access to workout archives in the member's section of the website. Purchasing a VIPeeps™ Club membership will give you instant video access to previous and future VO Peeps educational archives, as well as over 150+ hours of educational content that you can access at your convenience, 15% off all live Guest Director Workouts, a directed monthly workout with Anne and other great guest directors, exclusive on-site forums with VO Tips and Tricks, your own VIPeeps Member Page, and an exclusive members-only Facebook Group.
Upcoming Events
Makes sure to Check out our events page for more exciting guest directors and workout opportunities. Our next event is:
This October, join us for Creating Characters for Animation with the voice of tweety and Porky Pig, Bob Bergen
Join Bob as he takes you through his techniques of how to create, sustain and remember original characters. It’s not about voices. It’s about character. All characters have a voice. But not all voices have character. The script is a skeleton. The actor’s job is to give it a body. Creating interesting characters is about making specific choices, intent, and above all, acting.