A seasoned voice director and casting specialist with over four decades of experience in interactive media.
Beginning my career when games first gained voice in the 1980s, I have directed and cast some of the industry’s most iconic titles, from Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto to Half-Life and Control.
Armed with a Master’s Degree in The Process of Production from Goldsmiths College and an extensive network of international talent, I bring a unique understanding of character development and linguistic authenticity to every project.
Directing varies with each medium, client, writer and editor, and yet…
For over 40 years, I have directed actors and crew. I started directing for the stage, and on stage the direction demands are completely different to those of Film, TV, animations, promos, commercials or games. Yet they all share that same drive to achieve the best possible output and performance from the actors and the crew.
Often, it requires being possessed by a sacred fire that will ignite everyone else day after day. It requires me to be a problem solver and to adapt, to compromise, to manage egos, to keep in mind always that what matters most is the final creation.
In Gaming, for instance, some developers want to record every nuance possible for every line, and will choose the takes later. In this case, the director is there to coax performance, to suggest angles, to make sure the actor “keeps it Fresh”.
Some want the director to be in complete artistic control, to choose the “select” and “option” takes and be responsible for the artistic choices, to ensure that all actors answer to each other (tone and situation matching) but are also easily recognisable, that they evolve in the same environment, that their evolution within the game play is consistent with the experience of the character.
The core of directing remains the same, only the technical aspects change.
I believe in having fun when creating.
I try to create an environment where the actor feels safe to let go, and will adapt my directing style to each and every actor to get the best performance. I also believe no one is irreplaceable, so I also keep everything up-to-date and clear so it can be picked up by another director.
Creating the pronunciation bible as early on as possible in the recording timeline is paramount to ensure consistency of place and character names, as is recording a “character voice reference sample” which helps to keep the voice from drifting, and for pick-ups down the line. I focus on understanding the unique narrative and emotional contribution of each character within the story, guiding voice talent to deliver performances that are true to life and to the chosen genre, creating a rich and consistent linguistic environment.
I have a knack for picking up a story and a genre from a script and visualising the world of the game play.
I hold a Master’s Degree in The Process of Production from Goldsmiths College, specifically studying and identifying the logical steps from the initial “idea on a napkin” stage to a complete product. Over the years, I have developed a vast network of English and American Actors, but also International talent.
This allows me to cast actors that I have worked with previously or coached, and who I know will deliver what the project requires and more. When casting, I also take into consideration tonal differences, that will allow the voices in the same gender to be easily identifiable.
Creating good Casting Sides for actors is an essential part of my job, because it is the first step in directing: I am getting to know the character, their quirks, their parts in the story, their background and then I will isolate extracts of script that cover the range of emotions they display in the story.
It is also the main resource for helping the actors to create informed, targeted performances; It is my duty as a director, even in these early casting stages, to give actors the chance to perform at their best. This comes through clarity of the information and a thorough knowledge of the outlines of the character.
Side Creation is an art. It is pre-emptive. It will help the team anticipate, for instance, if the same species in the project will share linguistic characteristics, if members of the same family will share family traits and expressions, how we want to voices to match and differentiate in the final product. Creating effective sides often generates questions for the developer or writer, which will save time at the recording stages.
You can download a Side Guide Sample here, which I created for coaching actors for auditions. Enjoy.
I love comedy. In all its genres : from Farce to Absurd, from Comedy of Manners to Comédie Noire. An avid reader and spectator, over the years, I have honed my natural flair for comic timing and comedy writing. There is nothing I like directing more than a fast paced, well written comedy.
I started casting and directing games when games started to talk in the eighties. I think my first directing job was on Final Fantasy… and over the years, I have had the privilege of contributing to some of the most iconic titles in the gaming industry such as Driver, Grand Theft Auto, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Half-Life, Control and Syphon Filter. These projects have allowed me to collaborate with many talented actors and production teams, ensuring that each character’s voice resonates with authenticity and enhances the player’s immersion.
Among my latest casting and directing projects (still under NDA) is a AAA Manga style game, in transatlantic English, cast across LA and London with over 100 characters. Epic.
A French series for Netflix for which I cast and directed the English UK dub.
A video game, for which I did casting and direction.
The presentation gallery of the characters I cast in this game.
I simply love directing actors, so please do get in touch and we can discuss your project.
I really started directing when I was 7 or 8, in the attic of my parent’s house in Normandy. My actors were dolls, pets and puppets. The least demanding actors I ever had.
I directed my first paying audience play at 17 and by 18, I ran my own theatre company. After several years in the theatre in France, the US and the UK, I started to direct for video games, from iconic titles like Need For Speed, and Spiro the Dragon to little Indie gems. I also have extensive experience in directing actors in Lip Synch dubbing as well as other media.
I always try to get involved in the casting, and I have an extensive database of great actors in the UK and internationally. Usually, casting and directing tend to go hand-in-hand, because the director needs to trust the actors to deliver, so they like to be involved in the casting process.
I was recently tasked with creating and training a complete acting roster from scratch for a lip synch dubbing studio in London : 90 actors in total, covering both sexes and all age ranges.
Feel free to send me an email at casting@theVoicelikechocolate.com (No reels or cvs) I will send you a link to a casting form to fill in.
Absolutely, I am very experienced in creating sides for the actor’s auditions. I can put them together with the help of your writers and Graphic designers, or straight from the script. Please contact me for more info & quotes.
I can and have often directed remotely. Sometimes, it’s a mixture of studio and remote recordings. Most professional actors have great studio set up these days. Those whose set up lets them down don’t get called back.
A great vision of the overall project/story/game. Unending attention to detail. The ability to put jigsaw puzzles together in their heads. Infinite patience and kindness. An ear than can cut through the intonation to hear the thought process. The ability to adapt the style of directing to the actor’s need. No ego. The ability to dissect a scene, to find its hinges and levers, its logic and flow, and to put it back together as new. a bit of magic does not hurt.
Feel free to get in touch with any project and questions you may have.
