General Note For Everyone:

To start, I want to thank everyone for what they brought to these reads. You all deserve to be here, and I appreciate what you gave. Thank you!

Whether I’m reviewing auditions or directing a session, the first thing I listen for is if the read is rooted in an identifiable context. Is it dynamic? Does it feel like a character performance or a narrative reading of the scene? Of course, the character pillars (emotional tone, timbre, accent, etc.) are important across the board. However, a perfect characterization can be undermined by a lack of presenting the contextual dynamic. This is true across genres. It doesn’t matter if it’s a psychological horror or zany comedic setting, a deep RPG or light-hearted adventure puzzle game. A performance that doesn’t represent the environmental context of the scene can break the experience.

The sample sides demonstrate a wide range of how well the character and context are described. Some of them are quite detailed. Others, have very little to no description. In each case however, it makes all the difference to perform with a clear context. Even if it’s “wrong”, giving a read that pays attention to context as much as the character and voiceprint reveals good acting ability. It is far easier to correct a contextual choice than to have no choice represented at all. It also shows that you’re putting thought and care into the performance. Respecting the material to that level goes a long way with directors, clients, and even the people who play the games.