This is still a blog about writing and narrating, so this week let’s talk about those things. I have a book to narrate that is set in England, filled with British characters. Listening to John Finnemore and his team makes me slightly less terrified as I consider prepping for the job. They are amazing examples of the highest quality acting and voice work. I can pick apart the performances: What was the attitude there? How did she change that placement? Oooh, I know that voice, but the pace is different. I have endless fun listening to both the content and the artistry, mimicking and learning between laughs.
The (hours and hours of) clean, clear, diverse British dialects give me great hope that I will be able to pull off British characters for the upcoming Remains in the Rectory. I depend heavily on my ear for the subtleties of dialect, but I can’t wait to do more research on what the dialects performed actually *are* and how to do them properly.
In addition, dry British humor is known for self-referential nods and winks to the fact that it knows what it is doing and how. In this week’s episode, the first sketch in Season 1 Episode 2, Finnemore tackles storytelling and the power of stories to affect views of the world. This is something that as a writer I keep in mind at all times. I’m attempting to build worlds inside readers’ heads. So when I write, I have to ask, am I having the effect I want, or are my attempts backfiring, like in this story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arVSgDyqn0Y
What do you think?