Character Description: Rex Kestrel (Intergalactic Pirate)

Role: Rex Kestrel is a 35-year-old intergalactic pirate who serves as a roguish mentor to Max Blaster and an unlikely ally to the rest of the team. Rex is rugged, charismatic, and carries a haunted past that he rarely speaks of. He is resourceful and skilled in combat, piloting, and smuggling, and is always ready for an adventure. Though he may come off as carefree and cocky, Rex has a deep sense of loyalty and will go to great lengths to protect those he cares about. He struggles with regret from his past decisions but hides it with a charming exterior and his tendency to keep his emotions at bay.

Voice Type: Rex's voice should be gravelly, deep, and charismatic with a slight roughness to it. His voice should convey a sense of world-weariness but also confidence, reflecting his status as a seasoned pirate. He needs to sound charming and adventurous, but also capable of showing the underlying vulnerability and regret that comes with his troubled past. There should be a sense of swagger, but with hints of seriousness when necessary.

Emotion Required: Rex's voice should be able to shift between light-hearted and carefree when he's engaging in banter or telling stories, and intense and serious during moments of reflection or when he is protecting the team. He’s a mentor figure, but one that has baggage. His voice should also express his emotional conflict — he’s been through a lot, and his inner turmoil should come through when appropriate.

Sample Audition Lines for Rex Kestrel:

1. Line 1 (Charming, Playful):

“You know, kid, there’s more to life than just blasting your way through it. But hey, you’re a quick learner, I’ll give you that.”

(Light-hearted, teasing, showing his mentorship side and also his carefree attitude)

2. Line 2 (Serious, Protective):

“Listen to me, and listen good. We do this by the book. No shortcuts, no mistakes. If you want to survive out here, you follow my lead.”

(Authoritative, intense, with a hint of a life-or-death situation — showing his experience)

3. Line 3 (Reflective, Regretful):

“I’ve made mistakes. A lot of them. But that’s the life I chose. No going back now. All I can do is make sure I don’t drag you down with me.”

(Slightly more serious, revealing a glimpse of his inner struggles and emotional baggage)

4. Line 4 (Confident, Adventurous):

“The galaxy’s full of treasure, kid. But it’s also full of dangers. And we’re gonna face ‘em all, because that’s what pirates do.”

(Excited, confident, with a touch of swagger — embracing the thrill of the pirate life)

Preferred Hardware and Software:

Microphone: A good-quality USB or XLR microphone, such as the Audio-Technica AT2020 or the Rode NT1-A, is ideal.

Recording Software: Audacity (free and easy-to-use), or Adobe Audition (for those who prefer more advanced features).

Environment: Record in a quiet space with minimal background noise. A pop filter will help with clean audio recording.

Character Insight: Rex is a charismatic, world-weary pirate. He’s a mentor figure to Max, but his charming and cocky exterior hides a man who’s deeply conflicted about his past. His voice should reflect this duality — he can be charming and carefree one moment, and serious and protective the next. He’s a survivor of tough situations, and the emotional weight of that experience should be evident in his voice.

Voice Characteristics: Emphasize that you want a voice actor who can capture Rex's gravelly, deep voice with a bit of roughness. The ability to switch from carefree and playful to serious and intense is key to portraying his character.

Voice reference : Chrom from Fire emblem Awakening - Matt Mercer