The Voice Actors of Lovers Lab

[Vulon]

I figured a thread that could act as a sort of 'directory' for voice actors here on LL would be of great benefit to any ongoing or future projects that could use voiceover work. Voice actors can post their "credentials", so to speak, and modders would have a convenient means of picking and choosing an actor of their liking, or simply posting a general casting call in the topic to hopefully bring more attention to their work.

 

I'll start things off!

 

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Yo! My name's Jeremy, or Vulon, as I'm known here and on the Nexus. I first dabbled in voice acting years back, and took a more serious interest in it last summer. After a long hiatus, I recently got back into it and have contributed to a number of mods for Skyrim. I'm also currently involved in a couple fandubs, an indie game currently in development (Lacuna Passage), and I plan on lending my voice to a short animated feature for a film festival this summer. 

 

I consider my voice fairly versatile. I'm open-minded and will take just about any role. 

 

Speaking Voice

https://soundcloud.com/vulon/speaking-voice-sample

 

Interesting NPCs - Bodyguard [AUDITION]

https://soundcloud.com/vulon/interesting-npcs-bodyguard

 

ASX - Hodlin Dialogue

https://soundcloud.com/vulon/hodlin-dialogue

 

http://youtu.be/iAzKc43_YVg

 

http://youtu.be/XQO4LrYT5nI

 

 

 

 

Sample Reel

http://youtu.be/zPVTm6GyrdA

 

Completed Roles

 

Inconsequential NPCs - Foreign Envoys, Maven's Bodyguard, Town Crier 

 

Interesting NPCs - Bodyguard 

 

Better Cities Whiterun - Gashmuk and Lugmol (completed, but I haven't heard back from the mod author about when the next update will be, so the voices aren't currently implemented)

 

ASX - Hodlin, male prostitute, Dunmer pirates, Redguard Brothel patron, Imperial Brothel patron (dialogue recorded, will be implemented in next update)

 

Hellspire : Realm Of The Fallen - 

Azazel, Moloch, Baal, Lost Soul, Brodir, Erebos, Samiael, Loki

 

Fallout New Vegas : Russell - 

Glanton

 

The Emperor's Wing -

Ahmad

 

Dark Investigations - 

Tursam

 

 

Completed work for Upcoming Mods

 

Arissa : The Wandering Rogue - Gunnher 

 

Spellmaking Mod : The Last Altar - Sadril and Bangral  

 

Spectraverse : Magna Ge Spells - Ilmaasi and Astetu

 

 

In Progress

 

Restitution - Talos (waiting for finished script)

 

Forbidden Fruit : The Incest Mod - Redguard Uncle / Orc Father (might take on other roles)

 

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Another reason I decided to create this topic is to bring attention to this mod, which is currently in need of more voice actors.

 

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For those who want to get into voice acting, but don't know where to start -

 

Voice acting can be great fun and highly rewarding, but it can be daunting for those who don't know where to begin. I'll provide some basic tips, recommendations, and guidelines for anyone who wants to take a shot at it, but is feeling lost.

 

Have something to record with

The first (and most obvious) step is to have something to record your voice with. A lot of aspiring voice actors who don't mind spending some money choose the AT2020  USB Condenser Microphone to start out with. This is what I use, as well. Audiophiles won't sing praises about this mic, but for the price (roughly $100), it's easily one of the most accessible mics out there, and will sound more than passable for just about any fan project. 

 

You'll also want to invest in a pop filter, which won't take much. I got mine for about $15, shipping included. Why would you want this, you ask? Mics are often very sensitive. Here's a video that effectively showcases the difference in recording with and without a pop filter. 

 

 

You'll also likely want a stand, unless you prefer recording sitting down. All in all, for everything listed, you shouldn't have to pay much more than $100. 

 

But don't be disappointed if you don't have a mic to record with and aren't willing to spend money on one. You'll find that most fan projects (mods included) are fairly lenient when it comes to audio quality. Some projects will hold the voice actor to a higher standard in terms of recording quality, but many are just happy to have someone show some interest. So if all you have to record with is a webcam, for instance, don't let that stop you. 

 

Understand your recording environment

Sometimes, recording can be a real pain for me. For the last couple months, I've recorded almost exclusively under a thick blanket. Why? Because if I don't, my recordings sound much tinnier, there's often noticeable humming from my computer, and background noises come into play much more often. Recording under the blanket effectively isolates the sound between myself and my microphone, producing a much more satisfying recording. It's unorthodox and, honestly, pretty damn uncomfortable for long recording sessions. 

 

Now, I'm by no means saying this is something anyone else should feel pressured to do. This is just something I do to get the most out of my recordings. 

 

Where you record, and how you record, can dramatically effect the quality of your recording. If you keep your mic right next to your computer and record at some weird angle, your voice is going to sound distorted and you're going to have a lot of noise from that pesky computer fan. You want to speak right into the mic or an inch or two above, and keep a distance of at least 6 inches or so. 

 

 Audio Format 

For Skyrim, audio files must be saved under a specific format and sample rate in order to be properly processed by the Creation Kit. This isn't something I was always aware of. I was working with a modder who hadn't dealt with adding voice files to a mod before, and we were both perplexed as to why my lines weren't generating proper lip-sync files.

 

Here's a picture of how you'd want to have your recordings set-up in Audacity, which I use as an example because it's the most popular tool for audio recording for a lot of people. 

 

https://photos-1.dropbox.com/t/0/AACBQ_8kaFs0bkM8XkOepkQDjdpgxlKdgctkM7mjm-HxXg/12/178695594/png/32x32/3/_/1/2/RecordingSample.png/IqD3rmSJuWbalWugTwKfdxjDHM9ylB08h7_YdOUZjnY?size=1600x1200

 

 

I've highlighted everything of importance. It should be set up as follows --

 

Input volume - 0.1 

Input channel - Mono

Audio Format - Mono, 44100Hz, 16-bit PCM

Project Rate (Hz) - 44100

 

This information is very important to remain mindful of. And always make sure to export your audio as .WAV files for Skyrim...and just about any other project, unless specifically stated otherwise. 

 

Finishing Touches

Alright, so now let's say you've set the audio format correctly and have just finished recording. Is there anything else you should do before exporting that audio? It's not absolutely necessary, but I certainly would. 

 

Here's what I do after recording...

 

First, I go through the audio and generate silence between lines and pauses (very easy to do in Audacity) to eliminate unwanted noise. To make the silence more 'natural' sounding, I add slight fade-ins and fade-outs to the beginning and end of just about every line so that it doesn't sound like a complete and abrupt stop. This process can take quite some time, especially if you have minutes of dialogue to sift through, but it can have a big impact on quality. 

 

After I'm finished generating silence and adding the fades, I amplify the lines. Unless I have some particularly loud lines in the recording, I'll select the entire thing and amplify by anywhere from 5 to 8.1, depending on how loud the lines are originally. If you don't bother to amplify your lines, they're most likely going to sound pretty pitifully quiet next to the in-game actors, who've had their audio beefed up through post-processing and all that jazz. Speaking of, you might want to also boost the bass of your lines, depending on the role. If you're playing a big, tough guy with a booming voice, why not boost the bass and make it even boomier? 

 

Along those same lines, don't be afraid to play with effects and pitch in Audacity (or whatever program you use) if the role calls for it. If you're voicing a spirit of some sort, for example, why not give it some nice reverb or delay? 

 

The Non-Technical side of voice acting

It might seem like I spent a lot of time focusing on the technical components of recording voice work, but that's because the technical side is half the battle, really. As for the actual acting, well...how you approach that isn't as clear-cut. 

 

There's a lot to be mindful of. Tone, volume, inflection, emphasis...and all these aspects vary depending on the character you're voicing. It's helpful to have an existing repertoire of voices at your disposal that you can use as a foundation to work off of for certain roles. Versatility can take you a long way, but veer too far from your speaking voice, and you may find it difficult to convey emotion or keep the voice consistent without practice. Above all else, be confident and have fun with it. Make sure to breathe properly, and if you're unhappy with a take, try again until you get it right. There have been times when I've breezed through minutes of dialogue confidently, and there have been other times I've spent hours trying to get a few simple lines just right. 

 

Get used to hearing yourself outside of your own head, so to speak. Practice speaking out loud. When you land a role, try to get a good feel for the character before recording. Sometimes, the person you're working with won't know how to effectively communicate exactly what they want the character to sound like, so don't rely 100% on the direction of others. Go with what you know. If sending in an audition for a part, do a few different takes using different voices, or variations of a voice. Don't be afraid to look or feel awkward while recording, and don't be surprised if you end up gesticulating wildly while speaking into the mic. Body language can really be a valuable asset for voice acting. Be mindful of your range. You can damage your voice if you try too hard to break out of your comfort zone. Stay hydrated. If you plan on drinking milk, don't record immediately after, because dairy builds up mucus in the back of your throat and the mic's going to pick up on some gross sounds as a result. 

 

Listen to others. Practice imitating other voices. Challenge yourself to make each voice as unique as you can. Obviously, you'll have some roles you'll do better in than others. And keep in mind that voice acting, like many things, is highly subjective. Don't take criticism too personally! There's always room for improvement. Good luck.

 

 

[Warfriends]

Welcome aboard Vulon, hope you reach new heights as you pursue your career in voice acting (though I hope you don't ditch us when you become famous. Haha! Just kidding).

[Vulon]

Why thank you, my good sir.

And no worries, I've invested wayyy too much time in The Elder Scrolls at this point to ever forget Lovers Lab. No way I could ever ditch this place. I'm sure I'll be coming back here for years to come.  

[WaxenFigure]

This mod needs voice actors, it's one of the best sex in a story mods that's being done so anything you can do to help it get further toward completion will be appreciated by a whole bunch of us who are anxiously waiting for the next update.

 

http://dark-investigations.blogspot.com/?zx=90a9eda8db714156

[Vulon]

Awesome. Yeah, I'd be happy to contribute to that mod.

[eriberri]

Just wanted to say that your voice acting ability is amazing.

 

I was watching that montage vid of the range of characters you've voiced (on the incest mod thread) and have to say that the way you speak the Dragon tongue is absolutely phenominal; like one of the professional VA's from the vanilla game.

 

Also liked that demonic character right afterward (the one that looked like a vampire lord).

 

Fantastic job - I'm sure you'll go far if you decide to follow voice acting on a professional level.

 

EDIT: Also, you should put that vid (the one that shows your range) in the original post, too.

[Vulon]

Thanks so much!

 

I contemplated it, but I recorded that reel a couple months back before I learned how to produce better sounding recordings, and the difference in quality is quite noticeable to me now. It might not be immediately obvious, but there's quite a bit of reflection and echo that I've been able to (mostly) eliminate from my recordings since. It bugs me to listen to now, haha. I may decide to add it, though. I just figured I had enough other sample material to share.

[eriberri]

If nothing else, at least add the dragon clip - that is too good not to show off, seriously

[Vulon]

Alright, you convinced me. Added the sample reel video.

[Vulon]

Gonna go ahead and bump this. Really hoping to find some more voice actors here. >.>

[Zadil]

Good to know that there are individuals who would offer their time and vocal cords to fellow mod makers. Who knows, I might potentially find myself in need of some good voices one day, so I'll definitely keep an eye on this thread. Wouldn't be surprised if I'm not the only one...

[Vulon]

Awesome!

[Vulon]

*Bump

[Seijin8]

Not a LL project, but this mod is looking for voice actors:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38429//?

 

(Posting link here, because I can't link LL there.)

[Vulon]

I'll look into that mod when some of my current projects slow down. As it stands, I've made myself way too busy. Currently doing custom music for two mods, writing for one mod, and contributing voice acting to at least 3 or 4 other mods. xD 

 

Still hoping to attract more potential VAs to this thread. C'mon, people, I know you're out there.  

[Reokudo]

I can volunteer for a VA. I'm able to do several different kinds of voices, from a close Khajit, to a Gollum(From LOTR), to your monstrous sounding "evil" characters etc.

[Vulon]

Awesome! Do you have any samples of your work?

 

 

[Reokudo]

No, since I've never really recorded myself. Granted I've gotten lots of compliments on my many voices in Mumble/Vent when playing MMO's. I've been told countless times that I should do voice acting, granted I've always said with the lack of actual acting abilities I don't see that possible. But hey, a project could get some practice in that regard I suppose. ;P

[Vulon]

Well, as I mentioned in the very first post, the Incest Mod I'm involved in could certainly use voice actors! We're still working out the general event progression details and working on some other things, but dialogue will be next to follow. You're more than welcome on board.

 

If you'd like any tips on voice acting, have any questions regarding recording equipment, etcetera, I'd be happy to help you out by sharing what I know.

[Reokudo]

That'd be super haha. Any bit is appreciated.

[Vulon]

Just added a new section to the first post of this thread, starting with "For those who want to get into voice acting, but don't know where to start". I included just about everything I could think of. Hope it helps.

[Reokudo]

Alrighty, I'll check it out.

[Zadil]

Greetings, open-minded members of Skyrim's voice-actors guild.

I've recently released a fairly simple mod introducing chastity belts to the game and I'd quite like to expand it by adding a small quest with custom npc(s) related to the mod's content.
I won't go into specifics here because the details will depend on the vocal capabilities and number of people interested - should there even be any in the first place. Also I don't want to spend a lot of time developing a script if there's no hope that anybody will lend it their voice (and I want to avoid releasing a mod with unvoiced dialogue).

What I can tell you though is that it's not going to be anything of epic proportions, just something along the lines of a curious blacksmith examining and interacting with the device and possibly the wearer, or a devious trickster introducing the player to the strange thing around their waist. Maybe even just a merchant announcing an exotic piece of equipment...
Of course I'd be open to suggestions during the creative process.

Again, not looking for any binding offers right now, especially with all these details still in the air. Instead I'm merely trying to figure out my options sound-wise in terms of role, gender and personality and trying to see whether anybody would be interested in some casual cooperation - or if I'm better off basing the quest purely on writings.

So, if you're interested in contributing to a mod about chastity belts and have the necessary equipment, let me know.

[Vulon]

Got my eyes set on the Blue Yeti. Vul what mic are you using? Any pointers?

 

Check the first post, near the bottom, where I have a spoiler underneath some text that reads "For those who want to get into voice acting, but don't know where to start". I covered everything I could think of there, from what mic / equipment I use to general tips.  

[Vulon]

Edited my first post - updated my 'resume' and included a new video of a character I voiced. Still hoping to find more VAs / potential VAs. 

 

Also, aside from any projects I'm currently involved in, I'm taking a break from voiceacting for the time being to focus on other things. I took on too much VA work all at once and I'm just now getting everything wrapped up.