229 - VO Scream Session

Developer diaries about creating Neverending Nightmares.
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matt
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229 - VO Scream Session

Post by matt »

Did you ever wonder what went into recording screams for voice over? Here is a behind the scenes video showing the very talented Elizabeth Maxwell doing the screams for our game.

This has a bit more of my direction for those who question my VO coaching skills. hahah I can't promise I did a good job though, but I think the results were pretty awesome. However, the video is a bit tough to watch since it is someone scream their lungs out for 10 minutes.

-Matt Gilgenbach
Lead Frightener at Infinitap Games
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RightClickSaveAs
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by RightClickSaveAs »

Wow, that was really interesting, thanks for sharing it! I'd definitely love to watch any of the other voice over video you want to share.
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evilkinggumby
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by evilkinggumby »

This has a bit more of my direction for those who question my VO coaching skills.
Who ever would do that?! pshaw...

Was a great and interesting video. Wasn't ALL screaming, just a lot of it. Only thing that was driving me nuts was the statement "louder". I think what he meant was "more intense" but saying louder was just pushing her to strain her vocal chords and she actually had to say at one point " i can't go louder, that's it".

this portion of the recording session would have benefitted from altering the aesthetic of the location a bit. I realize you had no control over the sun but trying to close windows/blinds to darken the room and place her in a more sinister place, a dark place, so she could channel a bit of that into her work would have helped. Not to say what she did was BAD, just think it could have gone in all kinds of interesting directions had she the muse.

I still vote for seeing Matt's booth time recording for Thomas. :) That has got to be epic.
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matt
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by matt »

Well, the advantage of VO recording is that no one needs to see behind the scenes. The actors can look nothing like the characters, and you can record it in the privacy of Eduardo's home. :) Unfortunately, the developer diaries have absolutely no budget, so we could redecorate Eduardo's place just to make the VO session look creepier. Elizabeth and Josh do a ton of voice acting, so I don't think they need a set to get into character. :)
-Matt Gilgenbach
Lead Frightener at Infinitap Games
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evilkinggumby
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by evilkinggumby »

Eduardo's home? why not yours? heheeh.. (I'm kidding, I know you don't have a home, just an office with a toilet where you never leave because of your work ethic.. hehe ok still kidding.. a little.. )

"Need" is subjective. You might think they don't need it, but they might appreciate it. It is kind of like cakes.

Cake doesn't NEED icing for some people, especially if it's a cake flavor they really like. But if you offer them a bit of icing, or several options of icing, it is usually appreciated and can take something good and make it GREAT. I have no doubt they are accomplished and capable Voice Actors. But one thing I have seen in my years, with the right direction, setting, and inspiration/muse, even the best someone can do can be raised even better. But if you just shoot for "your usual good job" then yeah, that's what you can get. And if what you got is, overall, everything yu guys wanted, then there ya go. You got your money's worth. :)

Personally I love cake and icing and variety and getting that has a significant impact on my productivity, mood, attitude and performance (all positive, mind you hehehe).
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matt
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by matt »

Eduardo lives in Austin and wanted to do the recording at his home studio. It saved me the expense of renting a professional recording studio in LA, and he helped with casting locals, so it was a lot easier to have him do all the heavy listing, since I didn't know where to begin with getting voice actors.

We didn't budget for voice acting at all. It was going to be our stretch goal, but we didn't get to that point in our kickstarter. Because of this, we had to do voice acting inexpensively. Even if we had a larger VO budget, I don't think building a set is the best way to spend our money. I don't think anyone does that for VO recording even in the massively budgeted AAA games. Actually having a professional VO studio or more recording time would be a much better usage of money.

If AAA games start building sets or decorating recording studios or the voice actors ask for it, then I might consider it.
-Matt Gilgenbach
Lead Frightener at Infinitap Games
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evilkinggumby
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

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LOL who said anything about building a set? that's a fairly extreme way to inspire a voice actor, way beyond what I was talking about.

In a lot of cases they do the voicework with early graphics or animations so the actor can not only try to match the timing but get a visual idea of the character and the moment. In oher cases they have sculptures or pictures or other props/objects around for them to look/touch/consider. Hardly set building.

Which makes me curious, for the voice actors you did have, did they get to see any designs/animation, the demo before they did their part or did they literally just walk into Eduardo's house blind?
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matt
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by matt »

I gave them codes of the game, so they played it before hand, and I brought my laptop and showed them the scenes for which they were recording dialog as it appeared in game.
-Matt Gilgenbach
Lead Frightener at Infinitap Games
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evilkinggumby
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

Post by evilkinggumby »

matt wrote:I gave them codes of the game, so they played it before hand, and I brought my laptop and showed them the scenes for which they were recording dialog as it appeared in game.

I take back everything I said about you on Twitter, youtube, 4CHAN and 26 other websites. You sir, are awesome!
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matt
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Re: 229 - VO Scream Session

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hahaha. I don't know if I'm that awesome. :-P There is no guarantee they actually played the game beforehand...
-Matt Gilgenbach
Lead Frightener at Infinitap Games
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