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Narrator Interview - Jonathan Davis
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Interesting stuff Vic, I especially liked this one sentence, it's a lot harder than we think it is I'm sure.The voice has to do everything and it requires so much more than just the instrument alone.
Interesting interview with audiobook narrator, Jonathan Davis. I haven't listened to any of the books he's read (mostly Sci-Fi/Fantasy) but I always find these interviews insightful. Just thought I'd pass along.
... particularly interesting from interview:
AJH: Do you think of yourself as a medium or an interpreter: by which I mean do you try to keep yourself, your tastes, your interests out of the performance, or do you deliberately inflect the story in the ways that seem, right to you? (And no, that’s not supposed to be a loaded question!)
JD: That is a bit of a loaded question! It depends upon the story, and if my particular skills apply. For instance, I am bi-lingual in Spanish, so if a character from Spain appears, I can portray him/her with my personal inflections. However, if a character with a thick Philly accent appeared, I’m not sure I would attempt it. As an actor, I believe one should begin with what one knows (your self) to really find a personal connection with the story. Then again, in audio, many listeners prefer the narrator to be as neutral as possible. In general, the entire production team discusses the direction in which the audiobook will proceed. This kind of brings us back to the question of what differentiates a narrator from a reader or a performer. We don’t have much “rehearsal time” so the choices we make must be pretty immediate, and appropriate in converting the written word to audio.
... interesting comment from author of blog/books:
I must say that I fancied myself as a reader of audiobooks too, and even considered doing the Will books myself. In the end I deferred to Audible who clearly wanted a pro, but I did record the “translator’s prefatory notes” for both books; my time in the studio made me realize how hard voice work is and convinced me that I had done the right thing in letting a real actor handle it. The logistics of sitting very still and not making any mistakes were enough of a challenge for me without considering the basics of acting: operatives, choices, objectives, strategies etc. All completely beyond me. I think some people think that this kind of work is acting-lite: it’s not. The voice has to do everything and it requires so much more than just the instrument alone. You need a full actor’s tool kit for this stuff. I consider myself suitably humbled by my own faltering attempt!