Celebrity Voice Actors in the Animation Studio
by Kelly Richardson
Animation School Review Columnist
Nothing brings more life and character to a great animation feature than a celebrity voiceover. Animation voiceovers not only entertain audiences, but also sell products and services. Here’s the scoop on celebrity voice actors in the studio.
The influence a voice has over the message is absolutely immeasurable—not just on the animation front, but in advertising as well. Commercial and animated voiceovers differ in some important ways, however. UW News reports that in advertisements, unfamiliar voices are much more effective than those recognized. In animation, by contrast, familiar voices matched with computer-generated faces are all the rage.
Voiceovers in Animation
A recent Animation World Magazine report took up the issue of celebrity voice actors in the animation studio. Here’s what it found.
- Competition. The trend of casting well-known actors in newly released animations is reducing demand for career voiceover actors.
- Qualifications? Career voice actors maintain that their specific training in mike techniques and vocal acting make them more qualified than their immensely famous counterparts.
- Commitment. Many animation fans criticize big name actors for not putting the same effort into their performance as they would in a ‘real life’ movie.
Blockbuster in Point
The Transformers movie release has animation fans holding their breath for the insane action sequences and celebrity voice actors. Pop culture news network EMI reports that Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving, and Mark Ryan are just some of the acclaimed actors adding their voice talents to the jaw-dropping animation sequences.
No matter how good the animation is, voice actors play a critical role. The quality of the voiceover is as critical to the final product as storyboarding and image effects.
About the Author
Kelly Richardson covers the local education and technology scenes in major cities across the country. His articles appear in educational journals, periodicals, and e-zines.
Source(s)
Posted on August 7, 2007 at 4:48 PM
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