Voice acting
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Voice acting is the recorded vocal performance of a visual novel's written script. It can be used to depict characters or add narration to a game.
The voice recordings resulting from voice acting are also known as voice-over or voiceover.
Voice acting can add depth and personality to characters and help convey the tone and mood of a scene.
Voiceover Styles used in VNs
Voiceover used in visual novels varies in quantity used and closeness to written script. It is typically categorized into full or partial voice acting.
Full Voice Acting
In Full Voice Acting, every line of character dialogue is voiced and recorded. This may or may not include recorded non-dialogue, such as narration.
Partial Voice Acting
In Partial Voice Acting, only certain sections of a visual novel script are voiced and recorded.
Many partially voiced visual novels use just one or a combination of the following methods:
Bark Lines
Bark Lines, also known as exclamations, effort noises, soundbytes, or catchphrases, are short lines or sounds used to accent character dialogue. These typically do not always match the dialogue displayed, and are intended for repeated use throughout gameplay to match the character's general tone of voice upon expressing certain emotions.
For example, a character expressing hesitation might have a voice clip that says "Well..." or "I'm not sure...". Other emotions can be captured with appropriate sound bites or soundbytes.
| Sample Barks | Greeting | Surprise | Confused | Thanks | Recall | Relief | Laugh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | Hello there. | Oh my! | What do you mean? | I appreciate it. | Now that you mention it... | That's great! | [High, musical laugh] |
| Set 2 | What's up? | No way! | Um... | Oh, thanks! | Right, about that... | No way! | Haha! Get it? |
| Set 3 | Hey, watch it! | Huh. | Are you for real? | Thanks, I guess. | Of course I remember. | I knew it. | [Short scoff] |
Character or Scene Focused
Some visual novels opt to produce voice acting for only certain characters or certain scenes. For instance, romance focused games may choose to prioritize voice acting for the romance-able love interests rather than the full cast, or choose to voice scenes from climactic points of the script. Introductory lines may be voiced when characters enter a story to establish their personality and demeanor.
Dialogue Blips
A dialogue blip is a sound effect that plays as text appears in a text box, generally when a character is speaking. These sounds are usually electronic “blips”, but may also be other sound effects (like a typewriter) depending on the game, character, or scene.
The 'Ace Attorney' series is one example of its use in a visual novel. Dialogue blips may be made of voiced segments (such as the use of Animalese and Bebebese in the 'Animal Crossing' series), but are not considered partial voice acting as they do not reflect the characters' voices.
Production Considerations
Execution of voice acting for visual novels is subject to considerations which vary on a project to project basis and are typically subject to budgetary and time constraints. They generally include the following:
- Casting and onboarding for suitable voice actors
- Recording period duration
- Amount of content to be recorded
- Potential time for re-recording or re-casting
- Editing and processing of audio files
- Ideal audio quality
- Method of implementation of voice lines
Full voice acting is the most demanding type of voice acting, and requires the most management, time, and resources. However, despite the time and financial investments required, many visual novel developers opt for full voice acting due to the significant impact it can have on the player's experience.
Casting Voice Actors
Casting voice actors for a visual novel is a critical process, as the right voice actors can greatly enhance the overall experience for players. When casting voice actors, several factors should be taken into account, including the voice actor's experience, range, and ability to capture the character's emotions and personality. In addition, it's important to consider the voice actor's availability as voice acting can be a time-consuming process.
Casting can be done either by scouting actors directly, posting a casting call, or a combination of both.
A Casting Director may be enlisted to manage the casting call and/or evaluate submitted auditions and cast for the roles. They may also be first to offer roles and establish connection to the selected voice actors. Established casting directors sometimes have a roster of actors they have collaborated with before, and might recommend an actor from their roster alongside the producer's chosen casting process.
Scouting
Scouting is the process of seeking out and evaluating potential voice talent. A Casting Director or other suitable member of the team will leverage available public resources, such as roster sheets, voice acting websites, and social media, to find actors who are available for work and meet the appropriate criteria for the project. The team member will then reach out to the actor via one of the actor's listed methods of contact and seek to employ them.
Casting Calls
Casting Calls are calls for auditions which include information on the roles available. Most casting calls will detail the character's archetype, age, gender, and voice characteristics, although some casting calls may provide optional character artwork and background information. Casting calls may be open or closed; open casting calls are typically public and shared online via social media, whereas closed casting calls are invitation-only, such as for members of a voice actors' union or voice actors in a casting director's roster.
Casting calls are often given a set timeline with an end date and time for submission. They will also typically indicate the intended compensation and/or workload required for the available roles, as well as any applicable content warnings for adult or disturbing content.
Information for casting calls may be shared as social media posts, webpages, or documents. Casting calls may request for auditions to be submitted via email or through online forms.
Auditions
A typical casting call will request either voice actors' demo reels for review, which demonstrate a voice actor's vocal range, or recorded audition lines. These lines may be taken from the final script, be written for the purpose of casting, or be ad-libbed based on an instruction. It is generally preferred for the person hosting the casting call to provide audition lines, and not rely on an actor to ad-lib them, as the person making the game has spent much more time with the characters and can understand their motivations and goals more clearly than the actor reading the casting call.
Places to Find Voice Actors
The DevTalk Voice Acting Roster contains a list of voice actors who have posted their demo reel in DevTalk's voice recruitment forum, and are open to unpaid work. The list is categorized by feminine-sounding or masculine-sounding voices. The voice actors listed can be reached out to via Discord direct messaging and scouted.
Voice Acting Club is an online resource with a much more active discord channel. They support casting for both paying and non-paying jobs just make sure you read and follow their rules for posting. Their resources also include advice for pay rates, how to start a career in voice acting, how to run an audition, drawing up contracts, advice on industry etiquette, and more.
Casting Call Club is an online resource where creators can post projects (one at a time if using the free membership) for voice actors to review and audition for. It hosts many hobby and no-budget projects. Many voice actors report projects falling into limbo so this may not be the best option for a those looking for a career in voice acting but still a solid choice for hobbyists and beginners wanting to experience the audition process.
Reddit Voice Acting costs nothing to post a casting call however all jobs posted must be paying jobs. A good choice if you have money to pay actors but don't want to pay to post. The link above also includes a short list of 11 rules to follow when posting jobs on Reddit. Since this resource is so open, there is no quality control so a casting director may be spending extra time sifting through submissions. Some ask for recording set up specs to vet for higher quality audio.
Voice Over Dot Bizis an extensive resource that costs nothing for those seeking talent. You are able to search by genre, gender, how they want the files shared, and an extensive list of spoken languages and dialects. They are also free to contact the talent they find to negotiate rates, discuss availability, etc. It is associated with the World-Voices Organization, a non-profit member run international association of voice actors. They focus on maintaining fair and ethical business practices and professional quality work. Voice actors wanting to become members will have to pay $99 in yearly membership dues and be vetted in order to be included on the roster.
Fiverr You'll be able to browse voice actors who's profiles include demos and rates which can help make budgeting your project easier. Talent can be found based on language, gender, desired time-frame, budget, accents, tonal quality, and usage.
NewGrounds hosts a voice acting forum that is supportive of indi projects and newer voice actors. There is also a tutorial and Q&A for Audio Engineering.
Social Media can be a good place to find voice acting talent. Many voice actors can be found on platforms like Bluesky (tag @vacastingrt.bsky.social), twitter (tag @VAcastingRT), instagram (tag @vacastingrt), and Facebook Voice Acting Alliance If you already have an account, places like these can be a great starting point.
Locally Community Theaters, Improv Troups, and Local Sound Studios can be great places to contact potential voice actors. The benefits being interacting with real people, gaining local support for your project, and building a roster in your own neighborhood. The downside being literal leg work. You'll probably have to see a show or two but those can be great opportunities to get aquainted with an actor's range. If you have access to your own sound equipment or a local recording studio, this method can help ensure even audio quality across voice performances.
Recasting Roles
Typically, existing roles are only recast if the original voice actor is unable to continue the role, information emerges that necessitates the end of the voice actor's working relationship with the developer, or a breach of signed contract occurs.
Recording
Once the voice actors have been cast, the recording process can begin. This typically involves the voice actors recording their lines in a recording studio using high-quality microphones and recording equipment, though many voice actors record from home studios or recording set-ups.
Voiceover recording that takes place remotely, without the director physically present to guide the voice actor, is also referred to as self-directed recording.
Self-Directed Recording
Voice actors are commonly asked to record from provided scripts by themselves before submitting the resulting recordings for review by a member of the production team.
Live Direction Recording
Voice actors may be asked to attend recording sessions either in-person or over voice call, on platforms such as Discord, in order to record in the presence of a Director or Voice Director, whose role is to provide guidance to the voice actor throughout the recording session. A Voice Director is frequently hired for longer projects that require character arcs to be managed, and to help enhance the actor's performance by giving them a person to interact with for the scene.
Re-recordings
If any recorded voiceover work requires revision, it will either be re-recorded or given a retake. Retakes refer to re-recordings done due to technical issues or performance adjustments from the original recording. Re-recording refers to new recordings made at the director's request rather than due to issues with the original take. Re-recordings can incur an additional fee and are based on the work agreement between the actor and production team.
For self-directed recordings, 2-3 recorded retakes are typically considered within the scope of the original recording work due to lack of immediate direction.
Editing and Processing
After recordings have been approved, the length of each audio file is typically trimmed and volume adjusted for use in-game. Additional editing may be undertaken by a dedicated Audio Engineer who is responsible for equalizing audio levels and cleaning noise from recordings in order to improve the quality of the overall voice acting and create a cohesive listening experience. They may also be responsible for mastering a game's soundtrack and/or sound effects.
Implementation
Once the voice lines are processed, they are brought in-game to play alongside their corresponding dialogue or narration lines. This is done either through manual insertion of audio files or through automatic voicing functions, which may be employed by game engines through matching line identification codes to voice file names.
Compensation for Voice Work
While some voice acting may be done pro bono, such as in the case of some unpaid game jam projects, it is generally preferred to compensate voice actors for their recordings. Depending on the volume and method of recording, this may be accounted for in a few different ways:
- Per-Line Rates are often preferred for self-directed recordings, and are commonly used for game and visual novel voiceover. Projects with both full and partial voice acting typically opt for per-line rates.
- Per-Hour Rates are typically used for live directed sessions, in which the session duration is billed at a set rate. Live direction sessions are typically 2 hours in length, unless otherwise agreed upon.
(For further information and recommended rates for compensation of voice actors in indie projects, see Voice Acting Club's Indie Rate Guide.)
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