We had the pleasure of chatting with Shakyra Dunn all about their creative journey! You can also hear Shakyra as Kay in our original project ‘I Married a Monster on a Hill‘!
1. What inspired you to become a voice actor?
I grew up playing a lot of the video game Kingdom Hearts, and in addition to voice work, I’m also a writer. When I was fourteen, my high school best friend’s older sister made a comment that I sounded like the character Kairi from the series, and while I was incredulous at first, one day I decided to record some of Kairi’s dialogue on my laptop microphone, and put it on YouTube. I’ve had the love for voice acting ever since then!
2. Can you describe your process for preparing for a voice acting role?
I try to avoid looking at the script in advance, since it makes me feel more at ease and less rehearsed. If it’s an audition, it makes the flow feel more natural, and if it’s something I already have booked, I try to listen to music and sing as I’m recording because it warmest the vocals!
3. What has been your biggest challenge as a voice actor and how have you overcome it?
My biggest challenge as a voice actor has been time management. I work a full-time job presently on top of my voice work, and I also try to do writing on the side. It’s a rough balance. But when you work at your work, and work at your play too, things start to add up. I try to find time to do some smaller auditions and keep a close contact with my directors in case things come up. It helps a lot to work with good people down the line.
4. Can you tell us about a particularly memorable project you’ve worked on and why it stands out to you?
I’ve had a number of projects where I’ve gotten to express my own life experiences. My most recent is Rebecca Winstead in “Defenders of Alodia.” She is a fifteen year old girl that is spirited into the vibrant world of Alodia, while carrying the burdens of a new place with her father and thinking of her deceased mother. As someone who didn’t have a close relationship with their father, and lost their mother in an important phase of their life (I was newly 18, a week or so from starting college when my mother passed), the raw emotions hit even harder. And you draw yourself to characters that hold even more meaning to you than you dreamed.
DoA: https://youtube.com/@DefendersOfAlodiaShow
5. How do you handle the pressure of performing in front of a microphone?
It kinda helps to be all alone in your recording booth…
6. Can you share any advice for aspiring voice actors just starting out in the industry?
A few things! The first, find your crowd. There were always be people willing to support you as you navigate through the community, and there are good people for it. The next, don’t feel you have to rush to meet up with others in your field that are already booking. Imposter syndrome catches up quick, and everyone moves at their own pace. It’s a big field, full of rejection. You have to hold your breath before you dive, or you sink.
7. Can you tell us about a time when you had to adapt to a new character or voice?
I found myself booking many boyish/serious-toned characters. And also moms? Somehow? And when I first started my career, I was fully expecting to use my higher register more often. So I had to realign myself and figure out the best ways to be comfortable speaking lower. And now it’s become something I’m known for. Expect the unexpected.
8. How do you stay motivated and engaged during long recording sessions?
It helps to take breaks. I personally sit down for fifteen minutes every hour or so and listen to music, read, anything of the sort for about twenty minutes, then get back into the game.
9. Can you tell us about an experience you had while working on a project where you had to improvise or come up with an unexpected solution?
I remember once, I accidentally lost half of a recording for an important project due to my recording software malfunctioning. And I had to re-memorize every single action that I took during the live session. It was not a fun time. But I pulled it together. Don’t be me, always check your recordings to make sure they don’t out of your hands.
10. Can you share a funny or interesting story from your time as a voice actor?
I can share something small, in that since becoming a voice actor, I’ve had my coworkers stumble upon my work. There’s nothing more charming and incredibly embarrassing than them finding your social media and complimenting your work. Can you feel the inner cringe, the utter praise? It’s there, and we live for it, even if we’re crying about it on the inside.
11. Can you share your favorite voice acting moment or performance?
I remember, the very first lead role I booked was Noah from “Since When Did I Have a Combat Butler?!” There’s a scene where Noah becomes rather emotional and frustrated, something he hasn’t showcased throughout the entire game so far, and I was proud to record the entire ordeal in one go. It helped a lot to have the entire script in context (Thanks, Kokoro~), but it’s one of my proudest achievements to date.
ComBu: https://tofu-sheets-visual.itch.io/since-when-did-i-have-a-combat-butler
12. Can you tell us about a voice acting project you turned down and why?
I’ve turned down a few due to lack of pay/time, but I’ve also had instances where I’ve turned down projects because a director was incredibly rude/off-putting to me. And I think it’s important to learn the signs, and never settle for any project that falls into your lap. You have to be good to yourself.
13. How do you keep your voice in good condition for voice acting?
Try not to scream too loud into the void, my friends.
….No, okay, jokes aside, my biggest practice is to avoid pushing too hard, especially if you’re tired or feeling out of sorts. And drink tea. Or a ton of water, advice given to me by one Eric Vale.
14. Can you tell us about a time when you had to take on a role that was completely different from what you were used to?
Actually, yeah, that’s how I started getting cast in serious-type roles! It began when I first debuted my animation demo reel in 2021, and my first instance being cast in a deeper voiced role, which has still yet to release, so I can’t particularly share it yet. It took me several hours to latch onto a comfortable range that still felt appropriate and realistic. Practice, practice.
15. What are your thoughts on All Ages of Geek and what can we improve on to make it a better platform?
I’ve peeped the page for a while now, and I love how engaging that everyone seems to be! I don’t really see a need to improve just yet. But everything can increase over time!
16. Where can people find you online?
You can catch me on:
http://www.twitter.com/shakyradunn
http://www.instagram.com/seerofwords
—
Email us if you are interested in an interview! [email protected]
