The Bard of the Mountain Valley

*All I require for VA roles are clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• Sonata is the main character of the film! She's a sweet character, a rather gentle little lady that’s simultaneously spunky and adventurous! She loves to ride through the forest on Bluegrass, the wind whipping her feathers, and sit in beds of flowers with the forest singing around her.

• She speaks with a higher-pitched, soft whistle! She sounds a bit like she’s speaking in birdsong. I might actually look into whistled languages for a fascinating example of what I’m looking for! (Although note that these and bird calls are usually used to communicate over far distances. Note how they sound and also see if you can tone that aspect of it down to sound more like a conversation between characters that are next to each other!)

• I will be looking for interpretations that seek to match her character, and sound like the right emotions/intentions are coming across well!

• When auditioning for Sonata, please include your interpretation of the following prompts:

  • Asking a question: ex. “Are you okay?”

  • Reassurance: ex. “Everything’s fine/it’ll be okay.”

  • Excitement: ex. “Wow!! Amazing!! Awesome!!”

  • Compassion: ex. “Love you. I’ll be home soon.”

  • Singsong! Make up a little tune and have fun with it. Remember that these characters are inspired by birds.

*All I require is clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• Bard is Sonata’s older brother by quite a few years! A kind and good-natured soul, very much a gentleman. He’s also very much Sonata’s senior/mentor and has got a bit of wisdom and successful adventures under his belt. He also whistles quite like a bird, but his is a bit lower-pitched. It’s gentle and considerate like Sonata’s, though!

• Again, I might actually look into whistled languages for a fascinating example of what I’m looking for! (Although note that these and bird calls are usually used to communicate over far distances. Note how they sound and also see if you can tone that aspect of it down to sound more like a conversation between characters that are next to each other!)

• I will be looking for interpretations that seek to match his character, and sound like the right emotions/intentions are coming across well!

• When auditioning for Bard, please include your interpretation of the following prompts (He is sick during the story, so please consider making your whistles shaky and/or rough/husky-sounding. I would highly prefer hearing two versions of each prompt, one “ill” whistle and one “normal” whistle”):

  • Asking a question/concern: ex. “Are you okay?”

  • Reassurance: ex. “Everything’s fine/it’ll be okay.”

  • Excitement: ex. “Wow!! Amazing!! Awesome!!”

  • Compassion: ex. “Love you.”

  • Singsong! Make up a little tune and have fun with it. Remember that these characters are inspired by birds.

*All I require is clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• Chief is the leader of the village. Big and strong, and a teeensy tiny bit of a himbo. He’s kind and compassionate, and has seen quite a few things in his many years! Keeps track of all the stories and makes sure to pass them down to each generation. Often responsible for sending his musicians/bards on quests.

• Chief speaks with a deep tuba voice! Quiet, and sincere, perhaps even simple. I’m looking for a tuba player that can do him justice.

• I will be looking for interpretations that seek to match his character, and sound like the right emotions/intentions are coming across well!

• When auditioning for Chief, please include your interpretation of the following prompts:

  • Asking a question: ex. “Can you do it?”

  • Reassurance: ex. “Everything’s fine/it’ll be okay.”

  • Worry: ex. “It’s not looking good.”

  • One long tuba blare, like he’s calling Sonata to come home right now and she’s very far away (I encourage loudness with this one)

  • Singsong! Make up a little tune and have fun with it. Remember that these characters are inspired by birds.

*All I require is clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• All the villagers speak with different instrument voices! Pretty much anything breath-related is fair game here, wind instruments, brass, etc.

• I will make exceptions for strings, percussion, etc. if you can get those emotions across and if they sound more bird-like! For example, I may allow chimes, but the bass drum is probably not going to get a pass.

• Will also prioritize non-flautists for this specific role, since the main character plays a flute herself!

• I will be looking for interpretations that sound like the right emotions/intentions are coming across well!

• When auditioning for a villager, please include your interpretation of the following prompts:

  • Asking a question: ex. “How are you today?”

  • Excitement: ex. “We’re rooting for you!”

  • Concern: ex. “Oh dear. Not good.”

  • Singsong! Make up a little tune and have fun with it. Remember that these characters are inspired by birds.

*All I require is clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• The Wraiths are manifestations of music. Ethereal beings. Magical, almost otherworldly creatures. The Queen (not pictured here, but a huge and similarly designed creature) is the source of music in this world. Magnificent, and even terrifying.

• You will be working very closely with me, the sound designer, and even the composer.

• Think of the sound the will o’ the wisps make in Pixar’s “Brave,” and apply that to the tiny wraiths/sprites. Imagine them as being and sounding older as the medium-sized wraiths/wisps, and fully mature as the largest wraiths. That should be your inspiration for those creatures. The Queen is a bit like that, but regal, “vast,” and “old” in a more immortal sense. A mystical voice with a royal flavor.

• You don’t have to add effects and whatnot to your voice – the sound designer will be doing that. I will be looking for interpretations that seek to give off that regal or magical, mystical tone, and sound at least vaguely like the right emotions/intentions!

• Think of this like an experimental-creature-sound audition. Note that the wraiths are more human-like as an attribute of their “otherworldliness” in comparison to our bird-like people, so a hint of that in their voices/noises is a plus. But not too much! They’re not human, after all.

• When auditioning for either the wraiths and/or the Queen, please include your interpretation of the following prompts, and make sure to identify which one(s) you are trying to make sounds for – the sprites, wisps, wraiths, or Queen:

  • Teasing/taunting

  • Laughter/giggles

  • Cheers

  • Concern

  • Singing (think of them as though they are in a choir. The Queen is the lead singer)

*All I require is clear, high-quality audio recordings with little to no background noise, sent to me in a wav format. As long as you can do that, we’ll work fine together!

• If you are a musician eager and willing to donate your musical talents, you may be in luck! Our main character plays a wood/bamboo flute and a silver flute during the film.

• If you are a flautist with good experience/skill, and have access to a silver/metallic flute and/or a bamboo flute, we would love to work with you! You’d be working especially closely with the composer.

• When auditioning for a flautist/musician role, please include an mp3 or wav of you playing a short piece of your choosing, whatever would best showcase your skill. Please also identify the type of flute.

• The sound designer and/or foley artist will be responsible for the sound effects in the film! Birds whistling, leaves rustling, eerie ambience, vocal effects, all that jazz.

• You will be working closely with both me and my composer to make the film sound just right!

• If you are recording audio for any reason, all I ask is that you can record clear audio with little to no noise.

• As long as you can listen to and incorporate feedback and be willing to go into great detail with me, we’ll work fine together!

• Responsible for the animation for this film! I will be working extra closely with you. As long as you’re willing and able to copy the style of the film, follow art guides, and listen to and incorporate feedback, we’ll work fine together!

• I have no specific program requirements. While I work with Krita as my main art program, as long as you can at least import and export transparent png sequences

  • We may need to workshop specific brushes depending on program and role, but I’m willing to work things out with you.

  • Animation responsibilities will be divided into specific roles, and you can have one or more of the following roles on the film:

  • Rough Animators

  • Cleanup/Line Artists

  • Colorists

  • Shading/Lighting Artists

  • Effects Animators

  • Background Artists

  • Compositors