A flopper boys! A perfect flopper!

[fancycwabs]

Last night was read through for Chatterbox Audio Theater's upcoming Rip Van Winkle adaptation, in which I am playing the dog (among other roles, including a ghost-mutineer-bowling afficionado). Which meant I spent a good portion of last night panting, barking, growling, and whining. Just like every other night.

For those who've done audio work (I'm looking at you, derspatchel), a couple of questions:

• Do you know of any non-electronic means of giving a voice an otherworldly, ethereal quality? We'd like our ghosts to sound ghostly.
• Beyond actual bowling, any ideas about imitating the sound of bowling? Consider that this is the bowling of the damned, so it will need to be more awesome than actual bowling.

Also, I need to turn in a bio and headshot for the web site. This marks the first bio I've had without a word count limit, so I'm considering composing it of theatrical anecdotes instead of a c.v.

We record Saturday night! Maybe it'll be up on their website by Christmas.





No matter, the ship's sinking. And the ship sank

Comments

[spatch]

1. There are some echo tubes which may work well to create vocal reverb. I'm thinking something like the "thunder tube" with one end open and a spring attached to the other side. It may work; experimentation is key.

Another eerie idea is to use several voices together as a single voice, deliberately not in unison, each saying the line starting soft and fading out when appropriate (and having the voices all say a key line in complete unison before fading off on their own) but considering the source material, I don't think those are the kinds of ghost voices you're looking for. I'm guessing you want either hollow and/or slightly wispy-whispery?

2. Oh that's a challenge that'd make my Foley artists slaver and rub their hands together wickedly. Hmm. You go up on Saturday? Let me quickly pick their brains and see what we may be able to spitball for you. We were able to create a creaking rowboat for Tomes II over Halloween with two oars in oarlocks, one paddle in a bucket of water, and some creaking, and an overturning carriage with a crashbox made of implements shoved in a wooden slat crate and then, well, overturned, while someone "clicked" two wooden bits together to emulate the turning wheel's eventual slowdown.

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

We go up on Saturday, but Foley experiment night is Thursday, so I'm working on coming up with ideas by then. Although you've already given me a couple of avenues to pursue.

[bigbrownhound.livejournal.com]

The ship sank, indeed.

THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO THIS POST I HOPE U LIKE IT

[resk.livejournal.com]

I am playing the dog (among other roles, including a ghost-mutineer-bowling afficionado). Which meant I spent a good portion of last night panting, barking, growling, and whining.

I was in a production of Ubu Roi about 6 years ago, and I played a number of roles, including a Russian Soldier, a Peasant, and my major role: King Wenceslaus. I also had a part as a messenger. The director, Lee, an awesome guy and brilliant visualist who became my Master's Thesis Advisor and basically helped me graduate. Anyway. Messenger. Lee wanted to do something unique. I had no lines. He wanted my entrance and exit to be interesting and funny. The following coversation took place:

Lee: Can you ride a skateboard?
Resk: Not really.
Lee: Roller blades?
Resk: Nope.
Lee: Peg Horse?
Resk: I can do a peg horse.

So I did. And the first time I did it I was flailing my head and body around so much and doing my famous horse sound with my cheek and sputtering and almost losing my balance and 30 seconds later I was panting offstage.

Various Castmates: HAHAHAHAHAWHATTHEHELLWASTHAT?
Resk: Um. I was riding on a peg horse.
Various Castmates: HAHAHAHAHAD00DURAMANHORSE!
Resk: A Manhorse?
Various Castmates: HAHAHAHAHAD00DURSOMANHORSEZOMG!!!!ELEVENTY!!!11

And so I was. I was . . . Manhorse. I was billed that way in the program. I actually fell down from the flailing about during one performance. The audience gasped! But lo, I was FINE!

For those who've done audio work (I'm looking at you, derspatchel), a couple of questions:

* Do you know of any non-electronic means of giving a voice an otherworldly, ethereal quality? We'd like our ghosts to sound ghostly.

I did voice work for the video game Dissent 3. It is my professional opinion that you should use empty toilet paper roles for echoes. Nothing more ghostly sounding than that. Srsly. TRY IT.

* Beyond actual bowling, any ideas about imitating the sound of bowling? Consider that this is the bowling of the damned, so it will need to be more awesome than actual bowling.

Big Lebowski Soundtrack FTW.

Also, I need to turn in a bio and headshot for the web site. This marks the first bio I've had without a word count limit, so I'm considering composing it of theatrical anecdotes instead of a c.v.

My bio had an uneven amount of stats at the top -- Hair: Auburn, Eyes: Blue, etc. So I added this to even it out:

Bats: L, Throws: L

Re: THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO THIS POST I HOPE U LIKE IT

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking Bats and Throws will be added to the resume forthwith.

Cardboard tubes are on our list of things to try for spooky voices; I've got another idea as well now that you mention it.

Re: THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO THIS POST I HOPE U LIKE IT

[resk.livejournal.com]

Other idea?