Creating a Fake English Accent for TV Show Audition

My son has an audition to become a series regular, which will be filmed in Los Angelos. The only thing is they require of him is to have an English Accent. Would anybody know if hypnotherapy would work for this.

He is a very good candidate for hypnotherapy, as he started playing hockey for the first time this year. I did hypnosis with him and he has actually caught up to the kids who have been playing for 4 years. This happened with 2 sessions I did with him, but it was easy to have him visualize playing hockey and performing perfectly, but I don't know if creating a fake accent would work the same way.

If others have any ideas of how to go about doing this, it would be greatly appreciated if others could share their thoughts.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Neale on January 7, 2012 at 11:49am

Hi Jagi,

While I am sure you can hypnotise someone to do a different accent the problem is that what you will get is not necessarily an English accent. You will get an impression of an English accent.

When I have done stage hypnosis I have done skits where I get one of the volunteers to be (Japanese, russian, german) and what you get is an impression, not the real thing.

If your son is serious about this role then he needs to get a voice coach who is experienced in accents. And practice, practice, practice. Then hypnosis might help to really "install" it

I wish him luck

Barry

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on January 7, 2012 at 1:38pm

I do think that your son can utilize hypnosis to instill a proper British accent, Jagi! I would find a recording in said accent, play it during a session, guiding him to connecting with the speaker and then, as in a Circle of Excellence model, allow him to absorb the details. You might study up on language modalities so that you can cue him regarding inflection, enunciation, colloquial phrases, etc.

I would engage the inner child in him, bring him up to play with some familiar British character in a movie: perhaps he has seen Mary Poppins, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or a James Bond or Sherlock Holmes flick, for example. Ask him for the ideas and remember to give him some homework as this will make him be accountable and responsible for the enhancement, while allowing him to also take credit for the change!

Congrats! I hope he gets the part and remembers his dear ol' mom accordingly. heh heh

Best, Kelley

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Permalink Reply by Barry Neale on January 7, 2012 at 2:13pm

Hi Kelley,

I agree that hypnosis would help but as I said I think it would be so much easier and better with a voice coach. Also as a Brit I have to say that the film examples that you gave, ( and I don't mean to criticise) couldn't have been worse. The Dick Van Dyke accent in Mary Poppins is often cited as the worst fake accent in films ever. Only in 60's Hollywood do Brits speak like the characters in the films that you mention. When we Brits hear them we cringe.

Unless Jagi's son has a very good ear he is just going to sound like a poor imitation. Film studios are not going to give a job to modern day Dick Van Dyke fake impression.

Yes, the techniques you mention would shorten the time it takes BUT he has to be practicing the right thing.

The phrase "Practice makes perfect" really doesn't apply here, even if it is unconscious"

Only Perfect practice makes perfect.

Regards

Barry

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on January 7, 2012 at 2:21pm

LOL My ignorance is showing, thanks for correcting that, Barry. Jagi, ignore those examples of fake British accents!

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Permalink Reply by Jackie Spencer on January 7, 2012 at 3:13pm

Coaching and hypnosis suggestions given, all I will do is to congratulation your son. Honest preparation shows he's taking the work seriously. The confidence that will give him will go a long way toward landing the role.

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Permalink Reply by Erick J Lundin on January 7, 2012 at 4:18pm

There sites on the web that will teach you a "Proper British accent". Here is one:

http://www.britishaccent.us/

It has the mechanics.They do charge $40.00. (This is just an example.)

I did something similar with other websites and listened to Irish movies when I had a puppet skit that required an Irish accent.

Use hypnosis to reinforce it. So, "Give it a Go!"

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Permalink Reply by Jason L. - VirginiaHypnosis.com on January 7, 2012 at 7:31pm

My background is in theatrical management. Gillian Lane Plescia is the leading resource for home audio programs to train dialogues:

http://www.dialectresource.com/

Jason