Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 3/9/20- EMMY and Telly – winning voice actress Tasia Valenza – Poison Ivy in the Batman: Arkham Series, Venisa Doza in Star Wars Resistance, Shaak Ti in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Sniper Wolf in Metal Gear Solid games has released a dynamic TedxTalk – #GiveGreatVoice the remarkable power of tone and intent in everyday speech.
How does one become the voice of iconic female characters in videos and animated television shows?
Years of studying, perfecting my craft, auditioning and the stars aligning!
What attracts you to voiceover?
That I get to use my voice to channel all my talents and that I’m liberated from all the confines of having to look the part as it on camera for an actor. It’s also a wonderful profession that allows me to be the wife and mother I want to be because I’m fulfilled in my career, I get to act can be creative but I’m not trapped on a set as I was when I was an actress. And lastly, I can work in my jammies. 🙂
Share a few of the challenges of being a voiceover artist.
The challenge with voiceover as opposed to on-camera acting is that you don’t have the benefit of using your non-verbal communication to enhance your acting performance so it all has to be channeled through your voice. There’s no wink of the eye, no staring into your soul so all of our acting skills have to be at their best. The other is that you are tied to your studio/ closet since it’s such a last-minute medium. You can get a job that starts at the same hour but at the same time if you’re not available it most often will go to whoever is. We call it the golden handcuffs.
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud that I’m off living a life that feels purposeful and meaningful, and that I’ve made some very good choices in my life which were the right ones but not the easiest ones. And that I’m always wanting to improve myself and grow always.
Why are intent and tone your superpowers?
Because when we are conscious of our intention when we speak our voice will follow that intention.
When we can understand and practice that skillset we can have far more success in our lives both personally and professionally. Those that can “Give great voice” can achieve their life’s goals and dreams far better than those that don’t.
What would we be surprised to know about being a voiceover artist?
That we can get very lonely working in our booths all day. Even though we’re hearing the sound of our own voice, we don’t interact a lot with others and have to force ourselves to come out of closets…
What is your preparation process?
I warm up my voice with a few vocal exercises and then look at my scripts for auditions for my jobs. I always read my scripts aloud even the directions and the breakdown of the script since I absorb more information that way. I’m audio kinetic and learn as I listen. Then I read aloud the script several times and think about the four Give great voice questions I have to answer.
Who am I
Who am I speaking to,
What do I want? and
How does my voice support that intention?
When I have that specificity then I begin to record.
Insert photo #3 Tasia Valenza at TedX Talk
Tell us about #GiveGreatVoice.
Give great voice is my platform that came from my thirty-five years of being an Actress and Voiceover Artist and recognizing the power in my ability to use my voice as an instrument of powerful and persuasive communication.
At its essence, it’s the ability to move or touch someone with our voices. And we do that by thinking life, a voiceover actor in our own lives so we can “play our personal and professional roles more successfully.’
We give great voice when we’ve achieved landing our message in the way it was meant to be received and both the giver and the receiver are better from that interaction. So when I’m able to give great voice to my client and they are inspired by my read we both win. And when I speak to my husband in a loving tone instead of an impatient one, that is to give great voice. And when I speak to myself with compassion and affirmation that is to give great voice.And when I make a phone call to tell my Aunt that I love her with heartfelt emotion that is to give great voice.
Valenza’s TedxTalk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR9qqiK7tR0For
#GiveGreatVoice, visit http://givegreatvoice.com @GiveGreatVoice
More on Emmy Winner Tasia Valenza, visit http://tasiavalenza.com/
@TasiaValenza