Hello! I'm Kit Harrison, and I'm a UK-based voice actor! You have heard me do work for Baldur's Gate III, Warhammer 40K, Genshin Impact, Mashed, SMITE, Ghostrunner 2, and many more awesome things!
Check my webzone at
We’re past AI being harmless fun. We are closing out a year in which it has explicitly done real, tangible damage to the creative arts.
One of the most popular shooter games of the year entirely went without human voice acting because it was “easier”.
Don’t support it. Period.
The Past 7 Days: "AI SUCKS, DON'T SUPPORT IT"
The Past 7 Hours: "OMG, this FunkoPop concept art of me (that was generated using an AI program) is so accurate!!!"
Really, y'all? Really???
I actually think Ridley Scott needs to learn his history. We know Napoleon didn’t blow up the pyramids because we see them centuries later being destroyed by Devastator to expose the Sun Harvester in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Ridley Scott on shooting a sequence where Napoleon’s cannons fire at the Pyramids.
“I don’t know if he did that, but it was a fast way of saying he took Egypt.”
(Source: )
Every day I wake up to voice actors being backhanded and every day I must throw hands.
I'm not opposed to Chris Pratt voicing Mario, as he's been an excellent VA in films like The LEGO Movie.
But you DO NOT drag Charles Martinet's name through the mud to make that point.
Transformers is great because you can have an amazing, politically charged story with exploration of gender expression, religious freedom and the ability to live for oneself, and then another character's like "Thanks for your wonderful speech, Bangwang" and turns into a tractor
My D&D group came together to buy me a very special birthday present: a custom-made hardwood DM screen, with magnetic note mounting points on my side and a top-mounted initiative tracker on theirs. I'm overwhelmed, this is so gorgeous.
I'm going to kill them all with it.
Voice Actors,
Respect your NDA.
You announce your role when you’re allowed to. Retweeting art of the character with “👀” won’t fool anyone, least of all the client - who now knows you are not as trustworthy as you said you were and will not be back to have you again.
Voice Actors,
Say no to AI!
To have the union undermine its own solidarity by jumping in bed with a company like this - while its video game members are ACTIVELY striking to ensure AI does not take our jobs - is such bafflingly poor optics that I’m honestly in awe
SAG-AFTRA has struck a deal with AI startup Narrativ for audio voice replicas in digital advertising that the union asserts sets "a new standard" for ethical use of the technology and also makes it easy for performers to give consent and get paid.
Story Teaser: Akitsu Haneasobi | Genshin Impact
Simply put, Akitsu Haneasobi is a game where you use hagoita to hit a ball towards a set target, which tests one's speed, endurance, and directional control.
#GenshinImpact
Fans of Voice Actors,
Please don’t ask a VA if characters with unannounced actors are played by them. They’re bound by their NDA to not answer even vaguely, and in some cases being asked at all risks breaking it.
Wait for the official announcements and then say you always knew!
Voice Actors,
Know when to step aside!
If a character has a minority background that you don't identify with (eg. they're POC and you are not, they're trans and you are not), consider leaving that one for an actor of that background to have a go.
Pave the way for your peers!
Please pay attention to the way media like the new Velma show is critiqued. Some will attempt to spin any flaws with the show as BECAUSE it contains a diverse cast or is “woke”, and use that as a platform to advocate for less diverse casts in the future. Keep critique honest.
Fans of Voice Actors,
Please be patient with actors if they take time to process difficult situations. It's important to let people have time and space to consider things over and make a statement if they wish to.
Integrity and principle aren't shot from the hip!
@Kotaku
This article will stir the pot of right-wing gamer chuds no doubt, but it's right: even with the anime's weird lighting, Bea very clearly has a lighter skin tone in the show than she does in the game. I hope future episodes correct this; I want to chalk it up as a simple error.
@Kotaku
From how it is described this mode sounds perfect for giving disabled, inexperienced or otherwise slower players access to the story and gameplay. There should be no shame in switching between the modes to give a bespoke challenge, or reducing said challenge to zero if necessary.
Voice Actors,
Don't gatekeep this hobby!
All you need to do voice acting is a microphone that ideally isn't attached to a headset and a desire to do the work, and you're a voice actor, even if you don't do it all week long.
Anyone can be a VA as long as they want to be!
They should have left this in.
There's a general push within Transformers, both fandom and fiction, to present Optimus as some sort of infallible, unflappable paragon, and I actually think his stoicism resonates more when you see its limits, that it is possible to push too far.
During the first draft of the Prime episode 'Stronger, Faster' there was a line where Ratchet implies Elita One had died during the war and blames Optimus for it, leading Prime to punch Ratchet. The scene was cut as the story editor didn't want Optimus to lose his cool. (2011)
Voice Actors,
Never be afraid to speak up!
We build a better industry for ourselves by uplifting our peers, holding the door open to let awesome people in, and calling out bullshit whenever it crops up.
It is always better to lose opportunities than compromise your values!
I see some peeps are trickling into this post, with very specific responses that don’t quite make sense! Hooray!
I know the TTS was “trained with actors”! That was never in doubt! It’s that, on top of ethical concerns, it’s unlikely they asked those nameless actors PERMISSION
Voice Actors,
Don't talk shit!
Other voice actors are your peers, not your rivals. We're all on the same quest, and the best thing to be on that quest is a helping hand. Always.
If you kick other VAs off to try to climb the ladder, they will remember. And so will the ladder.
We talk a lot about people needing to learn media literacy, but maybe we need to start by explaining that the people who live in the TV programmes are not real
Antony Starr says he gets slightly offended when people treat him like he’s Homelander in-person.
“People are surprised, like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re actually not like him.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, he’s a psychopathic narcissist. So yeah, thanks’”
(Source: )
People deserve to see themselves properly represented in media, ESPECIALLY if that media wants to use the concepts and iconography of a culture. And this doesn’t just go for characters’ skin tone but giving appropriate voice actors a chance as well.
@sankakucomplex
Considering pretty much the dictionary definition of 'lolicon' is someone who is attracted to underage girls, I don't really see an issue with this localisation. Japan's underage sex laws are weird, but even they have harsh punishment for such an interaction.
Voice Actors,
Love your voice!
Your voice sounds a bit higher in recordings because your voice resonates in your skull. You still sound great, just different to what you expect!
The reason this happens is because skeletons are liars and the Bone War will put them to rights
Voice Actors,
Be aware of unwanted noise!
Loose-fitting clothes or jewellery can disrupt your audio - I once ruined a take because my ring flew off my finger onto the mic!
Deal with the noise of passing planes by installing a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) Launcher on your house
Voice Actors,
Scabs get stabs!
These studios may go non-union in response to strike action, and it may be tempting to cross the picket line and work them.
DO NOT DO THIS. There will be opportunities after the strike, and you'd only be hurting your fellow actors if you do!
Voice actors could be one step closer to walking out now that
@sagaftra
has given Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland the power to call a strike.
The 10 companies workers could strike are:
-Activision
-Blindlight
-Disney Character Voices
-EA
-Epic
-Formosa Interactive
@LightsCameraPod
This hits like a truck. Kevin will always be the single most definitive voice of Batman for me, as well as one of the most inspirational LGBTQIA+ voice actors. The comic he wrote about his career, "Finding Batman", is incredibly touching as well and I urge you to read that. RIP.
Voice Actors,
AI has a shelf life!
The genie can’t survive out of the bottle. It will die like the overpriced, regurgitating, plagiarising stain that it is soon enough.
Art is eternal. Continue to stand in solidarity with your fellow actors. Fight for a deal that serves us.
Voice Actors,
Stop "aspiring"!
If you view yourself as "aspiring" until when you personally believe "you're a voice actor", that's silly. I can exclusively reveal that I found the Voice Acting Sword and I've just knighted you with it.
CLANG! Tell the world what you are!
@shaun_vids
For my GCSE Geography exam, the correct 'con' for wind farms was that they were ugly. Strangely, this was not considered a valid answer for the coal and gas power stations! Clearly unparalleled beauty
I worked my absolute ass off to join a union that fought for all its members. I do not remotely appreciate having measures that don’t go far enough literally upsold to me like I’m going to miss a fire sale at the supermarket.
We can do better and that’s why I’m voting no.
Voice Actors,
Range isn't everything!
A selection of voices can serve you well, and it never hurts to expand your armoury, but VA means voice ACTING, not VOICE acting. If you can sell a character with your natural pipes, you need nothing else.
Melee range is still range!
I increasingly see "dirtbag left" channels crop up, and I've got to be honest - I thought we'd all agreed racist and ableist slurs were a bad thing.
"Unity in the left" at the expense of minorities through decades-old abusive language isn't unity at all.
Whole lotta "leftists" who claim we gotta be able to say slurs with impunity to be able to attract converts from the right sound like they're just intellectualising their desire to dehumanise others. Stop trying to pretend the hard R is praxis, it ain't.
Sekiro: *features a man with a prosthetic arm*
Gamers™:
Metal Gear Solid V: *features a man with a prosthetic arm*
Gamers™:
Battlefield V: *features a woman with a prosthetic arm*
Gamers™: Lol haha why is she a cyborg??? SJW takeover am I right snowflake generation
Voice Actors,
Stay away from AI!
Any action you take to use it for any purpose feeds the literal machine to be used to rob work from talented human actors. And AI-made stuff just looks and sounds like butts anyway.
It's hip to be human!
I'm overanalysing the hell out of this, but I love the implication here that Kup took the time to know his cadets' personalities, whereas Sentinel would later arbitrarily christen Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Wasp, Ironhide and Longarm based solely off his first impressions. What a jerk!
To be completely open about the
#PokemonSwordandShield
discourse, I quite literally have no time for you if you speak ill of a game that has fucking Wooloo in it.
Look at Wooloo. There is no space in this world for both Wooloo AND negativity, and the sheep isn’t leaving.
Incredibly excited to announce that I am now represented for Animation and Gaming by CESD Talent!
It's a true honour to stand alongside the amazing people in their roster.
Thanks so much to the team for having me aboard!
Voice Actors,
Range isn’t everything!
It’s easy to be disillusioned by praise like “you can barely tell it’s [VA]”! Who cares? Do we ever mind that we can recognise a Flesh Actor in a movie?
If all you have is your natural voice, that’s enough! Let them know it’s you 😉
As further evidence that my life is not actually real, I got to play Santa in this Baldur's Gate 3 short! It's an honour to grace the waveforms opposite this stupendous cast.
Thanks ever so much to
@larianstudios
and
@mashed
for this opportunity!
The party is hunkering down for some well-deserved rest... But who is the crimson-robed figure awaiting in the forest?
Check out our latest collaboration between
@twitgera
and
@mashed
! Goes perfect with a warm drink.
The Clone Wars is, and I do not mince words here, the best piece of Star Wars media that exists. This interaction - which sets the tone for the whole thing - is the second episode, and the whole thing is brilliant for seven more seasons.
Voice Actors,
The "voice" part of "voice actor" is an adjective. Like "badass reel", or "sick performance".
This means two things:
- VAs are just as much actors as any flesh actor
- Voice acting is ACTING with your voice, not doing VOICES.
Train the noun, not the adjective.
Stories of abuse hit deeply for me. I have been subject to relationships in the past that still give me serious problems with recognising praise or processing my own happiness.
Healing is a necessary and deserved part of the recovery process. Forgiveness of the abuser is not.
Voice Actors,
Getting direction in a session is nothing personal, nor reflective of your "skill level". The audio team are working with you to get the best results.
Your voice is an instrument, and you know how to play it. But you need guidance to form part of the orchestra.
Voice Actors,
Uplift your peers!
Announcing a new role or life event is the moment almost every actor lives for. A retweet, a comment, or a polite message are all free, but will absolutely make that person’s day.
We are all in this together. Raise the tide and lift all ships!
Voice Actors,
It’s all work, no matter how fun.
Auditioning is work. Honing your craft is work. Upgrading your space is work. Networking with your peers is work. Updating your website and reels is work.
Remember to rest. You’re working harder than you think you are.
Voice Actors,
Be vigilant!
Non-union actors CAN still work non-union games. But eyes up - a union project might try to go non-union to get around the strike, and if you work on those you're scabbing.
Look for the agreements, and show solidarity!
Voice Actors,
I've said this before, but please love your natural voice.
I have a lisp, my accent is somewhat vague; it's not northern nor is it particularly RP, it has a rumble but it's not especially deep or high-pitched.
I still book roles with it.
You will with yours.
I cannot tell you how validating it was to book Genshin with a character who uses my natural voice.
I spent years upon literal years HATING it and it turns out people like it.
The road to loving yourself is a long and sometimes bumpy one, but it's one everyone needs to walk.
Voice Actors,
Embrace remote work!
We are seeing so many awesome projects that have been recorded remotely. It opens the doors to a diverse pool of talent the world over!
Keep your home studio up to snuff and use it as much as possible. Keep proving this can be done!
@transscribe
I don't ever recall 'becoming' a supporter of trans rights. I've always been a supporter of human rights, and so of course I fight for trans rights. So it goes.
@Rob_Marley_VO
I politely disagree. This can be a fun hobby where skills can be learned, enjoyed and stepped away from without the pressure to always keep going. This is not the realm of the 100% no-break hard grafters, and we scare away newcomers by suggesting so. There are enough plumbers!
It seems I’ve been retweeted by
@neilhimself
. An honour, sir!
And as for YOU, dear reader (yes, you) - if Twitter survives beyond this point, please do consider giving me a follow. I’m trying to make it as an actor and a game dev or some combination thereof. I’ve got Takes™️.
Voice Actors,
This is YOUR journey.
It is easy to look at your peers and think that they are "better" or "further along" in their career than you.
Not so. They are on a different journey up the same mountain. You can't go that way. But you can and you will go yours.
Voice Actors,
Success finds you!
Some very common newbie questions include how to join the union, get an agent, how to build a name for yourself.
The reality is that these things will seek you out. Work with tact and professionalism, and these escalations will come naturally!
Voice Actors,
Failure isn't failure!
Yeah, yeah, you only book 3% of your roles. But not achieving a role is an investment in achieving later ones.
The casting directors will hear you and your talent - and a month, a year from now, they'll know the perfect actor for the job!
Voice Actors,
Other actors' successes are not your failures.
It is easy to fall into the mindset that because you are not announcing, getting a booking or even getting auditions, you have failed or are failing.
There are downtimes in every adventure.
Your fight is coming.
Who the fuck cares what age you do something by?
I didn't decide I wanted to be an actor until I was 26, I didn't book a game role until I was 28. If I live to 100 I have 70 more years to do cool things in. Just live your life, don't make excuses for not doing shit by deadlines.
Voice Actors,
Eyes peeled!
There will be many projects that attempt to go non-union to circumvent the strikes. If you work on one of these projects you'll be scabbing, and your career standing and future union membership could be in jeopardy.
Stand strong and don't be tempted!
It is with the greatest of pleasures that I can officially announce I am a member of SAG-AFTRA as of today! It's an honour to be in these hallowed halls.
Voice Actors,
Making mistakes is a part of the job!
So you flubbed a line. Maybe you didn’t do the best you could on that read. Your voice cracked, and not in a cute way! Oh noooo!
Whatever. Pick yourself up and go again.
It’s only failure if you stop.
Can't wait for some reactionary YouTube dickhead to make a video explaining why the PS5 should instead literally vomit diesel fumes to render additional frames and own the libs
Voice Actors,
This space is for everyone!
You can be a pro no matter your background. I used to think I would never be able to do it because I hated my lispy-ass half-high half-low pitch voice, and yet I keep booking roles all the same so I will NOT tolerate it from YOU
Voice Actors,
Leave unauthorised productions off your resume!
They were many peoples' foot in the door, and I bet your performance rules. But they don't look good on a list of work as rights holders won't look kindly on them at best and blacklist you at worst.
Look after you!
My impostor syndrome and I regularly fight, but here's an affirmation:
I entered 2022 thinking I would go nowhere in VA, and I closed out the same year voicing a talking weasel in Genshin Impact, in a video watched by hundreds of thousands of fans.
I am enough.
Just for my own sanity, we're all in sync that "this Friday" is the date circled in red, while "Next Friday" is green, correct?
Nobody would ever say "next Friday" and mean the date in red, right? Surely not?!
Voice Actors,
Be there to be found!
As evidenced in tweets recently from
@JoeZieja
and
@FeleciaAngelle
, if your details, reels and vibes aren't accessible in a couple of clicks, you may miss out on networking, roles, and good times!
You are treasure, but don't be buried!
Voice Actors,
Acting is a muscle!
This is a stressful hobby. You're always on call, and it can be easy to worry that you're not always auditioning, networking, DOING.
But when you've exercised, you have to rest to get stronger.
That's science. Never feel guilty for that.
Voice Actors,
Make yourself accessible!
Your email address and socials should be reachable with a click or two from your profile. Casting directors don’t have a lot of time and if they can’t see your stuff in a couple of seconds they may move on.
Don’t let them leave!
Voice Actors,
Perfection is BORING!
We have all been seasoned: coloured by our experiences, blessed with our quirks, bequeathed with our weirdness!
Pass that seasoning onto your characters, so you leave a piece of you in every audition or role.
Nobody likes bland food anyway.
I am told
#voiceactor
is trending. I am one of those voice actors! If you’re a
#GenshinImpact
fan and you read Sawada’s essay or cried at Kamai’s lifelong bond with his samurai, then you’ve heard me!
BREAKING: It's happening. An original animated series following the next earth Avatar in the cycle after Aang and Korra is coming in 2025 from Paramount and Avatar Studios.
All the info:
Voice Actors,
Bass traps are brilliant! They help keep all that rumble from bouncing around those studio corners.
But remember to stay ethical. Always remember to gently tap them after your session to release the bass back into the wild.
This should be your moral bassline.
Doing auditions is really fun because you cast yourself as that character for that moment.
There's now a version of them in at least one universe voiced by you. In a way, it doesn't matter if it ends up not being this one.
But it's fun to roll the dice all the same.
If ever you want an easy example of how skewed some Transformers fans are on representation without even realising it, someone in the TFUK group asked for a new Elita-One toy and another countered with "she's already had 2"
She's had two...in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE BRAND
Sawada.
I was at one of my lowest points emotionally in my life, and not only was I contacted to be in Genshin, the directors gave me the freedom to give him my real voice. Seeing the outpouring of love and support for him was overwhelming, and I'll always be grateful for that.
@AJBecklesVO
I am never surprised to see some members of the anime community act like this, but I'm always disappointed. I can scarcely believe it whenever it happens.
Voice Actors,
Please be mindful of which colour your XLR cables are!
Pick red ones to give your audio a warmer sound, but choose blue and you'll sound much cooler. For the eco-friendly among us, save power by using a green one.
This absolute dude was not only decked out as an absolutely awesome Thunderclash but GAVE UP HIS FIRST PLACE AWARD to another cosplayer!
Best fandom ever. No exceptions.
Voice Actors,
You belong!
This community is home for you, however you identify. Binary or non, cis or trans, whatever your queerness, whatever your skin tone.
The only requirements are a voice, because everyone deserves to be heard.
(The intolerant need not apply.)