Creating Character Voices for Fun and Profit: A Professional Guide [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Patrick Fraley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 1993

A humorous and practical approach from one of the most successful voice-over actors in Hollywood. This effective instructional tape includes techniques and exercises with dramatic examples from professional workshops PLUS everyday applications such as adding voices to speeches, storytelling, and reading to children. 2 cassettes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For actors, the voice is their most important tool. Pat Fraley's tapes are an excellent aid in the development and use of that tool." -- Joe Mantegna

"Fraley, a professional actor, has not only mastered the standard voices of dogs, ducks and villains, he created Krang, the "evil undulating blob of brain" for the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Show." This audio is for anyone who wants to improve their delivery of jokes and stories. Fraley suggests numerous exercises such as using magazine pictures to prompt a tailored oral delivery of a boring newspaper article, dramatizing inanimate objects such as chairs or doorknobs, pretending to be at an identical twins convention, developing a character by doing everyday things in character, and watching Casablanca and other videos...His delivery is entertaining and informative, and the packaging is descriptive." -- Kliatt, May 1995

"Whether you want to become a professional "voice" for cartoons and commercials or you simply want to enliven children's bedtime stories, this book should prove helpful. Fraley is an accomplished voice artist. He also has taught several workshops. He leads the listener through a variety of exercises on creating and enhancing both the voice and the character. He also makes listening fun by continually leaping into one of his voices and offering up anecdotes from his career." -- Indianapolis Star, February 27, 1994

About the Author

Patrick Fraley, one of the most successful voice-over actors in the industry, has performed in thousands of TV and radio commercials, 27 feature motion pictures, including The Fisher King, and has lectured and taught at more than 100 schools. He has supplied character voices for over 2,000 cartoons, including Krang in the animated hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Denver in Denver, the Last Dinosaur, and Cousin Itt in The Addams Family.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audio Partners, The (September 6, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0945353839
• ISBN-13: 978-0945353836
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,196,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Books on Cassette > Radio Shows

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I use the tips in this audio daily, February 20, 2001

By 

"chadwixom" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Character Voices for Fun and Profit: A Professional Guide (Audio Cassette)

This audio series was recommended to me from my personal acting coach. Pat Fraley is genuine, motivational and very easy to learn from. I consider myself a premier voice actor with great abilities but Patrick Fraley really taught me more than that, he taught me to dig into the acting side of the business and learn exactly what steps to take to prepare and train yourself to CATALOG your voices you create. Having over 200 voices well prepared and cataloged it makes it easier to dig in to the placement, range and characteristic of the voice, especially when you have only had two minutes to go over the copy. Beleive me when you pay the money for the series you are investing in your future as a voice actor! A great added bonus are the demo tracks in the 2nd cassette. Jack Angel, Brian Cummings, Danny Mann and Tres MacNeil - Amazing talent. Buy it! The only problem I have is I wish Pat had this series available on CD my tapes are beginning to wear because I have listened to it so much.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voice actor shows everyone how to fully use their voices., April 12, 1998

By 

Thomas E. Reed "Cartoon Geek" (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating Character Voices for Fun and Profit: A Professional Guide (Audio Cassette)

Fraley, who has made a career of cartoon and radio advertising voices, shows how to use your voice to its fullest potential. This "professional guide" is really for everyone; speakers, lecturers and teachers who want to enliven their speech; actors who want to make additional income in radio advertising or who want to expand their on-stage presentation; parents who want to read stories to their kids with real impact. To Fraley, character is more than vocal tricks; you learn to create a character that goes along with the voice. He also has a simple, effective way to classify the voices and characters you create. Even if you never use it professionally, it's a fascinating glimpse into entertainment and presentation technique.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a student of Pat Fraley's, August 2, 2002

By 

David Rhodes (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Character Voices for Fun and Profit: A Professional Guide (Audio Cassette)

...and he is truly the master journeyman of this trade. He goes in and out of character more fluidly than Robbin Williams, and is one of the most generous and entertaining coaches I've come across in a very competitive field. I wouldn't be booking gigis if it weren't for what Pat has taught me - Buy the tape, and book a seminar with him as soon as you can in LA.