Fairytale Characters for Radio Fairfax - Thumbelina
Project Overview
I am producing a recurring show for Radio Fairfax. It is on public access TV, so consider yourself a volunteer. However, if you want to be a paid, professional voice actor some day, any part you perform will prolly look impressive on your resume. You can also incorporate your work into a demo reel. There will also be a Podcast and possibly a Webcast of the finished project available on our website later.
Anyway, the story is called, "Little Tiny or Thumbelina". I expect you to have read it before you bother auditioning. You can find it for free, here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27200/27200-h/27200-h.htm#li_tiny
The characters are: Woman, Fairy/Spirit of the Flowers, Toad/Toad Son, Fish/Birds/Ladybugs, Field Mouse, Thumbelina, Neighbor, and Swallow.
I expect that you:
- Take this opportunity seriously
- Will use a professional mic w/pop filter or windscreen
- There will be NO background noise (do not forget to shut off the A/C)
- No mouth noises, like lip smacking or swallowing
- No heavy breathing
Instructions:
- I know it is an audiobook, but try not to sound like your character is reading
- Do not read between the brackets; those are your instructions
- Each [pause] should be one half a second of silence
- One half a second of dead air at the beginning and end of the recording
- No special effects - you can edit out your mistakes, but that's all
- No compression, noise reduction, or other kinds of post-production effects
- Record format: WAV
- Sample rate: 44,100
- Bit depth: 16 bits
- Channels: Mono
Last, but not least, be sure that the audio peaks at or BELOW 3db so it will not sound distorted after uploading.
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I should so very much like to have a little child; can you tell me where I can find one? [pause]
Thank you. [pause]
It is a beautiful flower.
[Mother] What a pretty little wife this would make for my son. [pause] Don't speak so loud, or she will wake and then she might run away, for she is as light as swan's down. We will place her on one of the water-lily leaves out in the stream; it will be like an island to her, she is so light and small, and then she cannot escape; and, while she is away, we will make haste and prepare the state-room under the marsh, in which you are to live when you are married. [pause] Here is my son, he will be your husband, and you will live happily in the marsh by the stream. [pause]
[Son] Croak, croak, croak. [pause] Croak, croak, croak.
Perhaps this was the one who sang to me so sweetly in the summer and how much pleasure it gave me, you dear, pretty bird. [pause] Farewell, you pretty little bird farewell; thank you for your delightful singing during the summer, when all the trees were green, and the warm sun shone upon us. [pause]
Oh, it is cold out of doors now; it snows and freezes. Stay in your warm bed; I will take care of you. [pause]
No, I cannot. [pause] Farewell bright sun. [pause] Farewell, farewell. [pause] Greet the little swallow from me, if you should see him again. [pause] Yes, I will go with you. [pause] That will be delightful. [pause] Oh, how beautiful he is! [pause] Yes.
[Fairy] Oh, that can be easily managed. Here is a barleycorn of a different kind to those which grow in the farmer's fields, and which the chickens eat; put it into a flower-pot, and see what will happen. [pause]
[Spirit of the Flowers] You must not be called Tiny any more. It is an ugly name, and you are so very pretty. We will call you Maia.
[Fish] [bubbling] No, it must never be! [pause]
[Bird] [Singing] What a lovely little creature. [pause]
[LadyBug] She has only two legs! how ugly that looks. [pause] Her waist is quite slim. [pause] She has no feelers. [pause] Pooh! she is like a human being. [pause] Oh! she is ugly.
You poor little creature. Come into my warm room and dine with me. [pause] You are quite welcome to stay with me all the winter, if you like; but you must keep my rooms clean and neat, and tell me stories, for I shall like to hear them very much. [pause] We shall have a visitor soon. My neighbor pays me a visit once a week. He is better off than I am; he has large rooms, and wears a beautiful black velvet coat. If you could only have him for a husband, you would be well provided for indeed. But he is blind, so you must tell him some of your prettiest stories. [pause] He is very rich and learned, and his house is twenty times larger than mine. [pause]
Yes, you may well say that, as a clever man! What is the use of his twittering, for when winter comes he must either starve or be frozen to death. Still birds are very high bred. [pause]
You are going to be married, Tiny. My neighbor has asked for you. What good fortune for a poor child like you. Now we will prepare your wedding clothes. They must be both woollen and linen. Nothing must be wanting when you are the mole's wife. [pause] In four weeks the wedding must take place. Nonsense. Now don't be obstinate, or I shall bite you with my white teeth. He is a very handsome mole; the queen herself does not wear more beautiful velvets and furs. His kitchen and cellars are quite full. You ought to be very thankful for such good fortune.
He will sing no more now. How miserable it must be to be born a little bird! I am thankful that none of my children will ever be birds, for they can do nothing but cry, 'Tweet, tweet,' and always die of hunger in the winter.
[Weakly] Thank you, pretty little maiden I have been so nicely warmed, that I shall soon regain my strength, and be able to fly about again in the warm sunshine. [pause] Farewell, then, farewell, you good, pretty little maiden. [pause] Tweet, Tweet. [pause]
[Strongly] Tweet, tweet. [pause] Cold winter is coming and I am going to fly away into warmer countries. Will you go with me? You can sit on my back, and fasten yourself on with your sash. Then we can fly away from the ugly mole and his gloomy rooms,—far away, over the mountains, into warmer countries, where the sun shines more brightly—than here; where it is always summer, and the flowers bloom in greater beauty. Fly now with me, dear little Tiny; you saved my life when I lay frozen in that dark passage. [pause]
This is my house, but it would not do for you to live there—you would not be comfortable. You must choose for yourself one of those lovely flowers, and I will put you down upon it, and then you shall have everything that you can wish to make you happy. [pause] Farewell, farewell. [pause] Tweet, tweet.
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