Character to SFX

             What quality can make a random character voice precious to our memories?  Many of us remember watching cartoons early in our childhood and becoming attached to certain characters, but is it all nostalgia?  I remember reading Joseph Campbell’s “The power of Myth” when I was younger.  I was intrigued by the idea that “story telling” was a fundamental building block of human progression; that the idea of passing along different tales, lessons, and beliefs was a natural part of being human.  During these stories, I also imagine that the people passing them along might also be expert “story tellers” and who wants to listen to a boring story?  These members of our past must have been experts in describing scene, sounds, and of course, character voices.  These stories would not be remembered if they were boring as dirt, so what do you want to bet that the people telling them would attempt to make them as memorable and dramatic as the could?  By adding sound and technique, stories became entertaining and an art form.  These qualities are the major foundation in what sound design is for me personally.  If you really want to sell a story at a party, or for a group of children, or even at church, adding sound and voice suggestion can be the difference between something people merely listen to and something they will remember for the rest of their lives. 

            For the past couple weeks or so I have been concentrating on character voices more then sound effects.  So, naturally, over the next couple weeks I will divert more attention to the creation of sound effects and their importance.  How are they made and how do you recreate a natural sound with household objects?  Who were the masters of this art and talent?  Any other questions will be checked out and looked into!    

            Just for fun, according to Josh Jackson and his blog entry on the “40 best character voices of all time” on pastemagazine.com, here is a fun list to peruse over.  Look at the names of the artists and remember how many times they might reappear.  Also have fun remembering some of these characters and how many different scenarios or “one liners” you can pick out from being entertained by these talented individuals.  

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2010/05/the-50-best-cartoon-characters-of-all-time.html?a=1