December theme: Animated Voices
Deadline: December 12, 2022
For our next theme, we invite posts addressing the relationship between voice and animation from any perspective. The voices chosen to dub and/or narrate an animated work can make it or break it to the point that, for instance, when “re-dubbing” a same animated work in a different language great care has to be paid in the casting of the dubber to avoid re-writing the character or even part of the film or tv series in question. Moreover, the voice cast can acquire a role in the marketing and promotion of an animated film or tv series, as the increasing choice of casting stars rather than professional dubbers has proven. Yet, even if in recent years we have seen growing scholarly attention being paid to the vocal component of animated works, the relationship between voice and animation still remains understudied. For this reason, for our December theme, we welcome posts addressing, from any perspective, the different ways in which voice can be used within an animated work as well as how voice can be and has been represented within both fictional and factual animations.
Possible topics may include but are not limited to:
- Voice and animation: a historical perspective;
- Voice-over narration and animation;
- Professional and non-professional voice acting for animation;
- Voice casting for animation;
- Star dubbers and the construction of animated characters;
- The role of dubbers in the marketing and promotion of animation;
- Representing voice in animation: aesthetic and narrative choices;
- Animated interviews;
- Animated documentaries and their different use of voice;
- Race, gender, and the animated voice;
- Adaptation, translation, and the voice of animation.
Posts of between 600 and 900 words, which discuss any aspect of the above topic are welcome. Contributors are encouraged to include clips and at least one image to support their posts. Please also include a short bio (100 words max) and 3 keywords. All permissions are the responsibility of the contributor. Please contact the managing editor Cristina Formenti (cristina.formenti@uniud.it) and Carmen Hannibal (carmen.hannibal@network.rca.ac.uk) with submissions or questions.