Shadowrun: One Night, Shadowrun Movie Short Released! Options

[emo samurai]

I'm not on IM that often; I should get on more often.

[James McMurray]

You mean like Shadowrun? :)

[James McMurray]

[eralston]

Well, I must contend that if Shadowrun were entirely about just getting the job, I wouldn't have played it for as long as I have.

Secondly, the model for the story was the Orpheus and Eurydice myth (exactly the same myth Max Payne 2 was based on), thus I think it wouldn't have driven home the message had he bent over.

Lastly, it makes the characters far more complex, and a bit more anti-heroic, if they're willing to blast through something like 30 guards just to lose two people in the process (if you count Phoenix) just to choose not to complete their objective.

I suppose the person you should really be noting here is viper. He would have picked up the laser before he left, I guarentee it.

[James McMurray]

I'm not saying there's no reason for romance in shadowrun, I'm saying that there's no reason that I can see to walk away from money and damage your reputation like that. I could somewhat identify with the character up until that point. He even said he'd do any run if you paid him, so obviously money is a concern.

[eralston]

In the end he says (in case the VO really really doesn't come through)

"The riches of the Shadows aren’t really paid in nuyen. It all comes down to reasons greater than money. Tonight, I found a new reason to live and two more reasons to kill. The cred just keeps me running; further from my past, nearer to my death, closer to the edge. Running until maybe I find a reason to stop."

How could he say that while picking up the laser? The cred is just a means to an end and is ancillary to his real goals, which he implies are redoubling his efforts to screw over Ares. What could have been really good: picking up the laser, thinking for a moment, then throwing it out the window and walking back to the t-bird, but that required far more acting that MP2 could have expressed.

[James McMurray]

OK I guess I could see a mentally deficient person walking away from lots of cash, even though they could use that cash to start doing whatever purpose their life just achieved. And if screwing over Ares is his new goal, how does letting them keep their toy achieve that?

I could see Viper not picking it up, as he'd probably assume that his boss would. Maybe after a short argument the lead guy gets tossed out of the aircraft and Viper flies it back over to get the laser. :)

[eralston]

Maybe I should make a sequel just for that ;)

Tossing it out of the window would have at least broken it.

Overall, I think Viper would pick it up just to rig a way to recharge the battery and use it as his main assault weapon from then on. Being much like Jane from Firefly, he'd probably name "her" as well.

[James McMurray]

Definitely make a 2 minute sequel with Viper beating the crap out of him and going back for the laser. :)

[eralston]

I was thinking more about an assassination attempt on Damien Knight, but I suppose I could dumb it down a bit...

[emo samurai]

What's your IM name, eralston?

[eralston]

eralston123 (eralston was taken, naturally)

[emo samurai]

But NinjaPhilosopher WASN'T. Therefore, I am better than you.

[eralston]

If arseface were not taken, would that make him better than me too?

[FanGirl]

[emo samurai]

[James McMurray]

Because obviously the need to hide behind a pseudonym is "awesome." :please:

[eralston]

At the same time, if emo wasn't excited by obscure names, he might not be excited by obscure things like my screenplay.

FanGirl, the best word you could put in would be those spoken by your own voice. Record something and send it to me. It may be a while before I get around to SR: The Full Length Movie, but I have ~4 intermediary Machinima planned between now and then.

Plus, female voice actresses are hard to find (of quality anyway).

Ah, how I wished to have deep conversation about the subtext of my movie or grand visions for the future.....oh well, wasn't really playing to the strengths of the internet...should have asked for porn

[emo samurai]

Hey, I can easily do deep conversation; I'm just not on AIM that much. I'll go on tomorrow, okay?

And were you bitching deliberately to bait me into saying that?

[FanGirl]

[eralston]

I do suppose that is one concern.

One huge advantage of Black Bird Studio was their equipment. They were thoroughly professional in other respects as well, but high fidelity capture is irreplaceable.

If you try to capture at home, try this:
1) do it surrounded by sound absorbing material (blankets and curtains)

2) do it straight into a digital format (recording onto a computer with a quality microphone and sound card is good enough

3) do it with a quality microphone (they are not that expensive)

4) Try to get as much volume out of your voice as possible (I'm not saying yell, I'm just saying jacking up microphone volume can cause static)

If you are good, which I'm sure you are, the listener will be able to tell that through technical limitations

[FanGirl]

Thanks! :D I've realized that getting access to recording equipment is not that much of a concern for me, because I know nerds a-plenty and one of them is bound to have the tech I require. My only real worry right now is what I'm going to say in the recording: I've never auditioned for a voice-acting role before, so I'm not exactly sure what's expected of me. Perhaps the choice of words isn't all that important, but I want to make sure I do it right, you know? I'd like to read a monologue as opposed to just winging it, but the only good monologues I can think of are from Shakespeare, and Shakespeare doesn't mesh well with cyberpunk. :P Any advice?

I just thought of one really good option! Emo mentioned an interest in being a voice actor as well, so I might arrange for us to record a short dialogue or two together. Emo and I could show off each other's snappy timing and witty repartee and stuff, and we would be less nervous and awkward in the recording than we would be if we each did an individual recording.

[eralston]

My only concerning about auditioning as a pair would be if there were no witty repartee and one of you was chosen and the other was not. Otherwise, if you both believe yourselves professional enough to accept that possibility, it could really help your performance.

As far as what to say, Shakespeare is not really where it's at for a few reasons:
1) His words are not the vernacular thus I wouldn't learn what you "normally" sound like
2) His words are expressive on their own, meaning that the quality of your voice performance would be decpetive
3) His work is established as having a certain style of presenation that you are undoubtedly going to respond to in your performance (probably by emulating it)

Point number three will be true of anything you try to read that was not original dialogue; however, Shakespeare is an extreme case of presumed style.

You should select the dialogue from a movie or TV show that you enjoy, but not seen a million times (to prevent emulation). You should select snippets of different styles, try to touch upon:

1) Comedy (which is difficult)
2) Despair (which is very difficult)
3) Romance (Try to tell someone you love them with a straight face, I mean try it!)
4) Short lines (something you have to sell with your voice instead of your words, extremely difficult)

If you stil don't know what to do, I suppose I could come up with a scream sheet of possibilities

Files of any format (preferably a low-loss, but compact size) can be sent to erik.ralston@gmail.com

I definitely hope that you pursue this, if not to realize your dreams of voice acting, then just to have a lot of fun. I like working with new people (they're not tired of me yet) and you seem like people I want to work with

[kryton]

I really liked the audio track and the voice acting was really good as well. I'm not so sure about the animation? I think I would relegate this product to a audio play and that could be very cool. I'm not a super fan of Machinima so I'm biased....Excellent work though all in all.

[eralston]

All cutscene quality animation in MP2 was custom done for each cutscene. The general use animations in the engine are competently done, but boring.

Yet another reason why I'm finding a new engine

PS: Kryton "head shaped like a novelty condom" Kryton?