950 réponses à ce sujet

[Addai]

Sylvius the Mad wrote...
I do wonder about that.  You specifically wanted RP British accents, which isn't the natural accent for a great many English people, let alone Scots or Welshmen.  A voice-actor from the midlands may well have a terrific RP accent he can use, but could it sound fake to someone who knows the RP accent really well?

Wouldn't it be more distracting to have a lot of regional accents cropping up?  I would be really weirded out if one of the dwarves or elves suddenly started speaking, say, Brooklyn English.    Well, maybe not the Tabrises, since I always thought of them as the Brooklyn branch of my elven characters.  lol

And no matter how crazy they sound, I squee at northern English accents and would love to hear one of those.

[David Gaider]

Sylvius the Mad wrote...
I do wonder about that.  You specifically wanted RP British accents, which isn't the natural accent for a great many English people, let alone Scots or Welshmen.  A voice-actor from the midlands may well have a terrific RP accent he can use, but could it sound fake to someone who knows the RP accent really well?

We don't always require them to use RP. It depends on the character-- sometimes we will specifically ask for a Midlands accent or what have you. That said, there isn't a single actor in the UK who doesn't do RP as well as their natural accent (and most do a variety of other British accents, as well). If they aren't able to do that, they're unlikely to be very successful (with few exceptions, as I understand it), as that's simply a requirement of working in the region.

[TheMadCat]

As to the accents in Dragon Age: Origins, Tim Curry and Simon Templeman
aside of course, I noticed that a lot of the British accents were fake,
particularly the player soundsets where it was painfully obvious.
Claudia Black and Steve Valentine, however, I actually thought did an
admirable job of faking it. Still, in most cases I prefer authentic
accents to fake ones, so I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear
that Hawke's English accents would be the real stuff.

Obviously you've got a degree and years of study in the field of linguistics, because that's about the only way I can see you being qualified enough to make the claim the majority of accents in Origins were fake, doubly so since BioWare has stated numerous times that they recruited people born and raised in the UK for their VO work. Don't understand why people think linguistics is as simple as "It doesn't sound like what I'm accustomed to hearing so it must be fake". It's not that easy to break it down.

[In Exile]

The weird one for me is Leliana. It always shocks me that people think her accent is fake.

[Night Prowler76]

Claudia's VO made Morrigan my fave character, doesnt matter where the actors are from as long as they put in a compelling performance.

[Addai]

David Gaider wrote...
We don't always require them to use RP. It depends on the character-- sometimes we will specifically ask for a Midlands accent or what have you. That said, there isn't a single actor in the UK who doesn't do RP as well as their natural accent (and most do a variety of other British accents, as well). If they aren't able to do that, they're unlikely to be very successful (with few exceptions, as I understand it), as that's simply a requirement of working in the region.

I always wondered about Loghain, being born a farmer.  Simon Templeman (who is awesome- put a point and a capital A on that) has one of the more classically British performances in the game.  Almost Shakespearean sounding sometimes.  I guess story-wise it makes sense since Loghain spent most of his life a noble and in public life.

Also I noticed more accents cropping up in Awakening, was that deliberate?

[Elsariel]

I'm really excited to hear what LadyHawke sounds like. I'm really hoping it's a voice that can be used for whatever kind of LadyHawke you create; young, mature, gruff, ladylike, etc.

[ciaweth]

In Exile wrote...

The weird one for me is Leliana. It always shocks me that people think her accent is fake.

I was all weirded out by Leliana's accent until I remembered that almost all the French-accented English I've heard is a French accent over "American" English.  Hers sounds more like a French accent over RP, which makes sense both because of Corinne Kempa's background and for Leliana's character.  And now I am at peace with it.

[Sylvius the Mad]

David Gaider wrote...

We don't always require them to use RP. It depends on the character-- sometimes we will specifically ask for a Midlands accent or what have you. That said, there isn't a single actor in the UK who doesn't do RP as well as their natural accent (and most do a variety of other British accents, as well). If they aren't able to do that, they're unlikely to be very successful (with few exceptions, as I understand it), as that's simply a requirement of working in the region.

Good point.

Any chance of a Gloucester accent in DA2?  That could be terrific... or horrible.

[Wynne]

David Gaider wrote...

Claudia
Black is Australian, and Steve Valentine's accent is authentic. The
voices you hear from them are their natural speaking voices. That
doesn't really seem to deter some folks from deciding that they (or
anyone else) aren't authentic, somehow.

Morrigan doesn't sound Australian to me, and Alistair doesn't sound Scottish like his actor. They both sound English to me. I am honestly stunned to read this. Apparently I just don't know what I'm talking about at all, but in my defense, I'm in Europe right now and when I ask people here what accent they hear from the two, they say English.

And of course there was the (presumably) English guy saying what he noticed. Hard for me to argue with that. I'm really not sure what to say.

Modifié par Wynne, 24 janvier 2011 - 07:57 .

[Anarya]

I think that 1.some people really don't have an ear for accents, and 2.non-RP English accents throw us North Americans off because RP is what we hear most of the time as an "English accent". Pretty sure that explains the misconception that real English/other UK accents are fake in media.



And wow, those were Claudia Black and Steve Valentine's normal speaking voices? I wish I could steal Claudia's voice ala Ursula in the Little Mermaid, and I wish to pay Steve to just kinda talk at me all the time.

[nightcobra]

Lilacs wrote...

In Exile wrote...

The weird one for me is Leliana. It always shocks me that people think her accent is fake.

Leliana lives in the UK, so her accent is adapted to where she lives.  In some of her words, her accent is definitly french.  In other words, she will always have a French undertone.

making her the perfect voice for leliana, speaking ferelden with an orlesian undertone. at least that's how i feel about it.
 

[Chaia]

I wasn't particularly bothered by any of the English accents in DAO, and as a lot of people have pointed out that (even though shes spent a while in London) Claudia Black is Australian and you can't tell her apart from any English/British born VA, so I'm not that bothered about where a VA has come from as long as they can perform their job well.

Besides I've noticed over the years a complete authentic RP accent is starting to become less and less in use in the English (I'm not sure about the rest the British/UK) media, apart from the BBC, most TV channels etc are using more soft regional accents.

Modifié par Chaia, 24 janvier 2011 - 08:02 .

[Wynne]

Anarya wrote...

I think that 1.some people really don't
have an ear for accents, and 2.non-RP English accents throw us North
Americans off because RP is what we hear most of the time as an "English
accent". Pretty sure that explains the misconception that real
English/other UK accents are fake in media.

I think #2 is very true of me. I am used to certain English accents, so when I hear sounds that don't match up to what I'm used to, I'm very sensitive to that (I have done amateur voice and had to fake accents before, so I've had to concentrate very hard on what is "proper".) Thank you, Anarya.

nightcobra8928 wrote...

Lilacs wrote...

In Exile wrote...

The weird one for me is Leliana. It always shocks me that people think her accent is fake.

Leliana
lives in the UK, so her accent is adapted to where she lives.  In some
of her words, her accent is definitly french.  In other words, she will
always have a French undertone.

making her the perfect voice for leliana, speaking ferelden with an orlesian undertone. at least that's how i feel about it.

I never thought her accent was fake, either. Hers worked really well (whereas, if Isolde's was real, it must just have been me disliking the performance that much.)

Modifié par Wynne, 24 janvier 2011 - 08:04 .

[David Gaider]

Chaia wrote...
I wasn't particularly bothered by any of the English accents in DAO, and as a lot of people have pointed out that (even though shes spent a while in London) Claudia Black is Australian and you can't tell her apart from any English/British born VA

Yes, as I understand it Claudia Black moved from Australia to England and lived there for a time-- though she lives in California now (or, at least, she talked about having a home in Los Angeles when she recorded for DAO). So I imagine her accent isn't pure Australian any more than Leliana's is pure Parisian French, but regardless they're very much using their natural voices.

Simply put, the people who are assuming accents that are not their own are the exception in DAO as opposed to the majority. We like people to use their natural voices whenever possible so they can concentrate on the performance as opposed to their voice.

Modifié par David Gaider, 24 janvier 2011 - 08:14 .

[Bann Duncan]

David Gaider wrote...

Sylvius the Mad wrote...
I do wonder about that.  You specifically wanted RP British accents, which isn't the natural accent for a great many English people, let alone Scots or Welshmen.  A voice-actor from the midlands may well have a terrific RP accent he can use, but could it sound fake to someone who knows the RP accent really well?

We don't always require them to use RP. It depends on the character-- sometimes we will specifically ask for a Midlands accent or what have you. That said, there isn't a single actor in the UK who doesn't do RP as well as their natural accent (and most do a variety of other British accents, as well). If they aren't able to do that, they're unlikely to be very successful (with few exceptions, as I understand it), as that's simply a requirement of working in the region.

Sadly though, using RP is now proving more of a hindrance than a help these days, as Roger Moore recently noted.

I applaud you for requesting RP from the voice actors.

[magicwins]

David Gaider wrote...

Wynne wrote...
As to the accents in Dragon Age: Origins, Tim Curry and Simon Templeman aside of course, I noticed that a lot of the British accents were fake, particularly the player soundsets where it was painfully obvious.

Sorry, but that's simply untrue. Considering the expense we went to in order to record in the UK, it's also kind of sad. Perhaps we needn't have bothered.

You do realize this is just one person's opinion?

[Miri1984]

Claudia Black went to the same high school as my sister - her accent is actually a slightly classier version of what I would call ... erm.... posh Australian? It's how we sound when we're trying to impress people. (Absolutely nothing against Claudia there - I love her accent and from all accounts she's a lovely person). And... I can tell her apart from a British born VA - the accent is definitely Australian.

[Addai]

Anarya wrote...

I think that 1.some people really don't have an ear for accents, and 2.non-RP English accents throw us North Americans off because RP is what we hear most of the time as an "English accent". Pretty sure that explains the misconception that real English/other UK accents are fake in media.

Plus it's harder to follow a strong regional accent.  I used to have to sit and translate East Enders for my mom. 

 I wish to pay Steve to just kinda talk at me all the time.

Oh you know it.    Also SV is very approachable to fans, which makes it all around a better experience to have him voicing one of your favorite characters.  If you're going to stalk someone, it's nice when they're as fun and awesome as he is.  Seems to be the same for Corinne Kempa, the Shepards and Brandon Keener (Garrus).

[TwistedComplex]

Sylvius the Mad wrote...

David Gaider wrote...

Wynne wrote...
As to the accents in Dragon Age: Origins, Tim Curry and Simon Templeman aside of course, I noticed that a lot of the British accents were fake, particularly the player soundsets where it was painfully obvious.

Sorry, but that's simply untrue. Considering the expense we went to in order to record in the UK, it's also kind of sad. Perhaps we needn't have bothered.

I do wonder about that.  You specifically wanted RP British accents, which isn't the natural accent for a great many English people, let alone Scots or Welshmen.  A voice-actor from the midlands may well have a terrific RP accent he can use, but could it sound fake to someone who knows the RP accent really well?

I saw a british person call into a radio show and the host saying he had a fake accent

What the hell is it with tight asses and accents?

Does it make people feel smart when they call someone out for a supposedly fake accent?

Modifié par TwistedComplex, 24 janvier 2011 - 08:24 .

[David Gaider]

magicwins wrote...
You do realize this is just one person's opinion?

One that we hear quite frequently. It's not an uncommon opinion that DAO is a game filled with fake British accents galore. God help us should we ever go to Orlais and fill our game with so many ear-splittingly fake French accents.

[ViSeiRa]

David Gaider wrote...

Chaia wrote...
I wasn't particularly bothered by any of the English accents in DAO, and as a lot of people have pointed out that (even though shes spent a while in London) Claudia Black is Australian and you can't tell her apart from any English/British born VA

Yes, as I understand it Claudia Black moved from Australia to England and lived there for a time-- though she lives in California now (or, at least, she talked about having a home in Los Angeles when she recorded for DAO). So I imagine her accent isn't pure Australian any more than Leliana's is pure Parisian French, but regardless they're very much using their natural voices.

Simply put, the people who are assuming accents that are not their own are the exception in DAO as opposed to the majority. We like people to use their natural voices whenever possible so they can concentrate on the performance as opposed to their voice.

So ummm, is Merrill's voice actress using her natural accent?