Kirsty Woolven
Actor
The Secret of St Kilda (2021-)
Role
“Young Amy.”
Bio
“Kirsty has been a voice actor since 2019, having a performance background in dance and musical theatre since a young age.
Away from the recording booth, they hang out with their cat, dance or pootle about outside. My audiodrama and visual novel credits include: How I Died, The Kingery, Apollyon, Two Flat Earthers Kidnap a Freemason, Cryptid Coffeehouse, Shadows at the Door, and Breathing Space: Fading Frontier. You can find her via kirstywoolven.carrd.co or @kirstywoolven on social media..”
“If you want to learn, start by doing!”
How did you become aware of this show?
“For St Kilda, I found the show via social media. I also knew a couple of people - from other projects - that had already been cast, before I came onto the show myself.”
What was the biggest challenge?
“The vocal placement. I had never even considered I could play a character as young as Young Amy is, in St. Kilda. When I was approached for the role, I studied younger voice actors and tried to mimic the vocal qualities that make them sound child-like.”
How did you land the role? Any tips for a strong audio reel (or virtual audition)?
“Originally, I auditioned for another role - when the team put out a casting call for supporting characters. After they'd heard my audition, they thought I'd be a good match for Young Amy and asked me to record a short sample before welcoming me to the cast!”
How does acting for audio compare to other media, for you? Any skills or techniques you’d recommend learning?
“You are up close and personal with the audience; you are effectively in their ears.
I also act on stage and, in comparison, acting for audio is typically more naturalistic. Of course, this can differ based on the type of VO or genre of the project.
Another thing to keep in mind with audio, especially if you are recording remotely by yourself, is the technical aspects of recording - eg: you need to make sure you aren't so loud you aren't distorting the microphone input (also called clipping/peaking), and that if you do move you don't hear it in your recording. If you want to learn, start by doing!”
If your character was an occasional part, how did you characterise them quickly and memorably?
“Read the script - as much script as you're given! Listen to the show, if part of it's already out - this helps you to give you a sense of the plot so far and its style.
When I get the script, I think about where my character is, who they are with and what they are doing. I tend to write this down, as that's what helps me the most. Often, in audio fiction, you will get a short summary of who the character is from the production team. Even if it's one sentence, it helps a lot with your starting characterisation.
Then, when I'm ready to record, I tend to have a short phrase in the character's voice that I use to get the correct voice and placement; in particular, my phrase for Young Amy in St Kilda is "You pirate ship!".
But the most important thing is to have fun and don't be afraid to try something new!”