Ryan is one of the most professional voice artists I have worked with, comparable to some of the best I've worked with at Cartoon Network, as his intuition and experience lets him pull from popular material to refine his performance into one that can fit any character. His talent gives the performance a range of options to work with. His refined instincts, his broad range, and his nuanced delivery makes directing his performance incredibly rewarding. The hard work he puts in shows in the final product, and he's easily top of my list for any new role. -Richard Mansfield, Blackfield Entertainment
Ryan is an incredible character actor. Rarely have I seen such range and creativity from anyone I've worked with, making him a wonderful asset to any project. I look forward to working with him more in the future. [...] You're a Swiss army knife, ha ha ha! You did great work. -Matt White, Old Moon
Ryan Cooper is equal parts gracious and talented, a rare gift in a collaborator. The first time we heard his voice, we knew immediately that we wanted to work with him. That instinct has proven correct over and over. Nearly a decade of collaboration and two full audiobooks later, Ryan continues to surprise and impress us. His vocal range and nuance, the hard work he puts in to ground his performances are extraordinary. He's the first man we call for any project. -Jack and Hugh Monahan, Stellar Jockeys
With Ryan, all of the professionalism, skill and creativity are intertwined like a finely-laced orchestral piece. You will never wonder what the character would do in a situation because the vocal pieces themselves inspire the story. On-time delivery, 100% clean and amazing audio, all in a beautifully crafted professional shell. Ryan has been a joy to work with; I would hire him to narrate my daily life if not to only hear what Ryan would come up with next. It was an honor to work with you and I hope to again in the near future. -Adam Lehenbauer, Forteller Games
With Ryan, I put out a call on Twitter and he responded. It was before STASIS launched on Kickstarter and I wanted a voice for the alpha demo. He hit the nail on the head with the character. I wrote the lines, but he gave them heart and soul. Ryan is such an amazing artist to work with that I find it hard to imagine a project that he wouldn’t be involved with in some fashion. -Christopher Bischoff, The Brotherhood
Cooper has an incredible talent and is malleable to any need. His work on The Old City: Leviathan surprised us all with just how well he understands what is needed while also elevating the work with his own creative license. If we needed him to act with guidelines, he nailed it. If we needed him to act with little to no guidelines, he nailed it. He's willing to redo his work to get the perfect take, though he rarely needed to. He's a fantastic actor and we look forward to working with him again in the future. -Blaine Bowen, Postmod Softworks
"I really, genuinely hope that Bethesda Studios works with Ryan Cooper one day." -Mackenzie Rowles (aka Camelworks). "I really love Ryan's take on Sledrig. When we went from robo voice to a voiced character, it was like, "Yep, that's him - that's exactly how I imagined him in my head." He nailed it." -Kinggath. "Thanks Ryan! Your voice took it to the next level!" -Haenir Studio.
"Man, I LOVED your character! The performance was absolutely perfect. I was always keen to find him within the world, to hear more of his story and dialogue" -Tommy Holloway, editor at PSU.com. "This amazing dude is the one you hear crying in the first sequence of the game and narrating all those tapes! ♥ Such an amazing voice actor!" -Alexis Di Stefano, Bloodious Games.
Bards College Expansion sets a new standard for Skyrim's
paid Creations, not just in terms of its content, but also
in the professionalism of its team.
MEDIUM / GENRE
Video Game, RPG DEVELOPER(S)
Kinggath Creations,
Bethesda Game Studios RELEASE
August 2024 MY ROLE(S)
Archbard Sledrig
The "Bards College Expansion" is a 'verified Creation' for The Elder
Scrolls V: Skyrim, i.e. content that has been vetted by Bethesda.
Kinggath invited me onto the project after
providing the voice of Caleb in "Fallout:
Sim Settlements 2". I play Archbard Sledrig, who has returned to Skyrim
after a long hiatus
and is ready to impart his knowledge. However, Sledrig's gregarious
demeanour may shield a greater mystery and a darker past, to any bard
who is able to look beneath the surface of things...
*SPOILERS FOR THE BARDS COLLEGE MAIN QUESTLINE*
I was born in Wolverhampton, a post-industrial town in the English West
Midlands. I left as a teen, and my accent has been watered down in my
remoteness from my birthplace. Yet, when I
return, the accent roars back: "Alroight cocker, 'ow bin ya?"
Sledrig
is very old, and has spent centuries away from his homeland.
What effect would such a long lifespan have on one's voice, with the
brain's capacity to hold only so much? An interesting thing to ponder.
I also liked the idea of Sledrig's curating his voice to fit in better
with the bardic milieu, where a
heavy Nordic accent may be seen as lowbrow. However, when he becomes
animated or passionate, it creeps back in.
All the voice acting, writing, and even the role-play options from this were just top tier.
[Ryan] did the voice of Caleb [in Sim Settlements 2], which was shocking to me [...] His characters couldn't sound any more different in Sledrig and Caleb.
The
characters feel alive and carry a sense of
value that enhances the
overall narrative. The
voice acting is exceptional, adding depth to the
story and making every interaction a
memorable experience.
The
Last Faith by developers Kumi Souls, is a
gothic action-adventure game in the pixel art style of the original Castlevanias,
crossed with the Victorian era aesthetic of Bloodborne.
Noisy Pixel's review argued that The Last Faith has set
new
standards of excellence for the "Metroidvania" genre. As a fan of the
classic Castlevania titles from the SNES era, I was delighted
to take
part.
I play
several characters. The Old Wymond is a withered scavenger all-consumed
by his quest for vengeance against the church that wronged his family.
But there is more to this old geezer than meets the eye...
Mariano is a wary Scottish quartermaster who assists the
player-character in upgrading his arsenal.
The Cold One Beast is a man
turned monster by a plague that afflicts the denizens of the city of
Mythrangil.
I also lent my voice to various monster creatures in the
game: The Giant Patron, Cold One Stray and Cold One Primitive.
Voice acting is another treat
here, each
performance believable and interesting, drawing you into the narrative
[...] There are some genuinely attractive cut-scenes and the voice
acting is top-notch.
The voice actors do a flawless job of
breathing life into the characters, and even though most of the
ensemble carry themselves with a prolonged, obscure approach, they do
so with a sense of poise and self-assurance.
The same can also be said for the NPCs
inhabiting the game’s desolate world; nearly every one has a distinct,
interesting design as well as an excellent voice actor to bring them
further to life.
The English dubbing resonates well in the
ears. The quality is evident in the first conversation that takes
place, between Eryk, the protagonist, and the Old Wymond, a merchant in
disbelief about the future after his daughter's fate.
Another layer of quality is the outstanding
voice-over work for all dialogue scenes, despite the actors’ somewhat
slow delivery, which contributes to the immersion in the gothic world.
Every other character I've come across,
they are top notch. They're chewing up the scenery, yelling and
screaming and getting into it [...] Nine out of ten of the voice actors
are great.
The voicework is excellent. Regardless of
your feelings on the dialogue, the performances stayed true to what one
would imagine the characters to sound like.
Gorgeous pixel art, different starting
archetypes, gothic setting, solid voice acting, demanding combat,
custom executions, huge arsenal and plenty other elements look to
result in a perfect blend of Metroidvania and Bloodborne.
The sound is very good as well, from fully
voiced cutscenes that explain what is going on, through to the usual
combat noises of swords swishing and flesh squelching.
...some pretty impressive voice acting and
character art. Nearly all conversations in the game across its wealth
of characters are fully voiced, giving a great deal of life to these
characters who all are aesthetically grim and gothic players in this
ghastly tale.
The voice work feels like it's punctuating
the important moments, in an
almost sorrowful yet charming manner. My favourite character in
Ghost Song isn’t a part of the main crew who crashed onto Lorian,
but a drifter android named Saymund. He can be found in multiple
locations throughout the game, and always has interesting
dialogue and lore to divulge.
On the desolate moon of Lorian, a
long-dormant Deadsuit awakens from slumber. Journey beneath
the surface on an atmospheric adventure of self-discovery, ancient
mysteries and cosmic terror.
Explore winding caverns and acquire new abilities to unearth this
world’s long-buried secrets.
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Metroidvania DEVELOPER
Old Moon Games RELEASE
November 2022 MY
ROLE(S)
Saymund, Bill, Hector, The Outlier, Xorogon CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 84%,
Metacritic 79%
The
performances of the voice cast deliver
authentic and raw emotion that serves as pillars upholding
the weight
of the story. Su Ling Chan gives a phenomenal performance as Deadsuit,
particularly with her
use of pause and hesitation as she delivers lines
dealing with regret and loss. Other standouts include
Glen Cooper as
Roper, Madeline Dorrah as Pasha, and Ryan Cooper as Saymund.
Nearly
a decade in the making, Ghost
Song
developed by Old
Moon Games and published by Humble,
has released to widespread acclaim among
fans and critics.
Solo developer Matt
White first cast me way back in 2013 after a
successful Kickstarter
campaign.
I played no less than five
distinct supporting roles - a tremendous challenge that taught me a lot
about the creative process of developing character voices.
An
enigmatic wanderer who is
inextricably
tied to the events of the desolate moon Lorian V. He speaks offhandedly
about incredible triumphs and horrors, and has a strong nostalgic
streak. I played him like an Oxbridge old boy looking back at those
halcyon days, when he felt invincible and unlimited. He has become
nonplussed by this destructive and decidedly less hopeful future.
However, "Little
Blue" offers him slight curiousity, and grounds for optimism.
Just slight.
A
trader whom I played as a "no fuss, no muss" Southerner in the style of
a Sam Elliott, but with the hidden heart of a poet. Bill likes cats.
A
grizzled bounty hunter who is tracking a runaway robot girl. His
exoskeleton protects and sustains the life of the ancient, vulnerable
man within. His voice similarly is eroded by age and excess; Nick Nolte
was a big inspiration.
The
Outlier: Hector's
crashed spaceship, that just so happens to be
sentient and mistakes the
Deadsuit for an enemy drone ship.
My inspiration came from the joke of
Sat Navs with
peculiar celebrity voices (Gilbert Gottfried, Frank Oz
etc). I settled on the dulcet tones of Mancunian
"punk poet" Dr. John
Cooper Clarke. Not sure
why exactly; the script somehow reminded
me of
his dour but lyrical voice. Maybe
because Hector might find such a voice
grating - or perhaps refreshingly
dour. It creates a subtle sense
of backstory.
Xorogon the
Undefeated: In September
2023, Old Moon released an update to Ghost Song with new NPCs. I played
Xorogon, a raging brute. This was a fairly archetypal,
Incredible Hulk style performance, with lots of grunting and growling.
So
much in fact, that I blew my voice box; couldn't sing Soprano for weeks!
Above:
an encounter with Adam during an earlier build of
Ghost Song, in which I portrayed him as an English butler.
Sadly,
Adam didn't make the final version of the game (though "Adam's Tweak"
is a collectible item).
Adam:
a tragicomic robot whose circuitry has become fried in its dank
surroundings. I used an 'old-timey' Transatlantic American accent to
fit
the grandiose atmosphere cultivated within Adam's 'mind' (the
antithesis of his reality): a big bash for the elites with chandaliers
and curving twin staircases, lobster and fine champagne in crystalline
flutes. The mayor is looking dapper this evening... Good show, old
sport!
One
thing that caught me off guard was just how fantastic and interesting
the voice acting is. [...] Just give this video a watch
to
hear a bit of it and find out a little bit more about the story (though
I guess you could say it contains light early game spoilers). It’s so
good, and has some pretty great writing too.
While Ghost Song is
very narrative-driven, its partially voiced dialogue with its various
characters bring a great deal of depth to its world and characters, the
game's boss fights and varied combat customizability ensure players of
all stripes will find something to enjoy.
I enjoyed
traversing through the unanswered, getting history snippets from
Saymund, and talking to the deserted NPC’s – Raven and Gili in
particular – all of whom had interesting backstories through the little
they said, and were brought to life with genuinely solid voice
performances.
Ghost Song is
actually full of charming and unique NPCs to befriend (and sometimes
fight). Not only are the cast of characters well written, but their
dialogue is
also partially voiced by some
lovely performances, making each one
a joy to interact with.
I find myself
especially intrigued by the little bits of voice-acted character and
story on show. [...] The bit toward the end of the video with the
lonely, demented robo-butler definitely had me by the follicles of my
Intrigue Cilia.
More often than
not, it’s the story and character moments that shine.
There are NPCs littered throughout the game that give personality
through
some impressive voice acting and great writing.
I took a fast
liking to the downtrodden crew members who were sparingly but
excellently voiced and all embodied an attitude of both melancholy and
hope.
I
won’t ruin this but, listen to the voices. Finding some of these
characters is definitely a highlight and enhanced my time playing the
game, seeking out hidden areas.
There's a decent
amount of voice acting here, with a good array of different accents,
with one of the spaceships even sounding like it could have been voiced
by Sean Bean [!].
There's one element
which it does a bit different to Hollow Knight especially, and that is
there are actual voiced characters, with some very nice voice acting as
well.
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Board Game, Audiobook, Fantasy DEVELOPER
Forteller Games, Cephalofair Games RELEASE
November 2022 MY
ROLE(S)
Crain Tallengyr, Bird Demon
It’s
not just a narrator reading the text - there are voice actors with
different accents, atmospheric background noise, and other sound
effects. It really adds to the setting, and the app is fairly easy to
use.
If
you don’t have someone in your group with a good
narrator voice or
simply prefer a professional voice to
read for you the various sections, then we definitely recommend
Forteller.
In
recent years, I have performed a variety of voice work for Forteller
Games, who provide accompanying voice overs for adventure board games,
involving hundreds of independent voice actors.
In Frosthaven, I played an eccentric Quatryl genius called Crain
Tallengyr, whose plans often lead his colleagues to near-death
experiences. He represents the classic engineer trope who
understands people less than how their parts are put together.
Crain was inspired by John Bentley, one
of the hosts of "The Gadget Show" on British TV. He has a
quintessentially English voice and a "tally-ho" manner that I thought
suited Crain.
I also played a Bird
Demon straight from the Bayou, inspired by the character Old Georgie
from the movie "Cloud
Atlas".
In
Bloodious
Games' acclaimed debut, I portray John Maxwell, anguished
father of the
protagonist, Luca. Anguished because his wife and daughter have been
brutally
slain... and he believes his son is the perpetrator.
I also play Priest Thomas,
whose voice can be found across several audio cassette recordings. I
was inspired by Max von Sydow's performance as Father Merrin in the
Exorcist for this role: wise in matters of the occult.
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Horror DEVELOPER
Bloodious Games RELEASE
June 2022 MY
ROLE(S)
John Maxwell, Priest Thomas CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 87%,
Metacritic 75%
In
the absence of any other human characters
to interact
with a lot of Madison’s plot is delivered via audio recordings found on
cassette tapes. I reveled in the disturbing details drip-fed through
each recording.
It’s
not an incredibly complex story at the end of the day but was one I
found myself engaged with throughout the entire runtime. This is in
part due to the excellent writing and voice acting. Each audio
recording was ominous in its implications.
Capping the excellent sound design is the
phenomenal
voice acting,
particularly from Luca's voice actor, Jacob Judge. [...] The other
voice actors, though sparsely used, are just as
captivating in their
delivery.
With
superbly implemented 3D audio, every noise made in the game is one that
instigates fear and paranoia. On the other hand, voice acting is also
excellently done, with each character feeling real and genuine. -
Gaming
Nexus
The
game has good visuals and background audio, well-done voice acting, and
interesting puzzles.
"Welcome, Executor!
It's the
year 117 After Earth and you have a very important mission. You were
awakened to lead the Cell, a secret taskforce assembled to counter the
threat of the STROL mutant invasion. Take command of your squad to
fight the mutants and find a cure to the virus that threatens to end
mankind." For the sequel to the
best-selling The Red Solstice, I play protagonist Executor Ryan
and reprise the role of Connor "Grunt" Rhinefield for the M.E.R.C.S. DLC. I wanted to impart a certain
falseness and untrustworthiness to Grunt, on the basis that he is a
corporate marine (a frightening thought in of itself), and also
because he keeps secrets from his allies. I landed on a combination of
Buzz Lightyear and a used car salesman.
"Battle for survival
against
waves of Martian mutants in this tactical shooter. Using the skills of
your drone companion, make fight-or-flight decisions that drastically
alter the threats you face. Will your choices lead you to freedom... or
your doom?" After voicing the
trailer for Red Solstice, I was asked by developers
Ironward to return for Solstice Chronicles: M.I.A. I play the
sole surviving corporate marine caught deep behind enemy lines, whose
only hope for survival lies in an unlikely alliance with a rebel drone
called Saffron.
The
voice acting was extremely well done and really gave the characters
within the game a deep atmosphere around their being and added to the
immersion within the game [...] Great voice acting & audio. - MKAU
Gaming
It's
difficult to say if that bit of fun I had would still be there by the
time there's a finished product. Surprisingly, the developers have
already managed to include some great voice acting which is a positive
sign. - Keen
Gamer
The
gameplay hasn’t changed dramatically, but now, there are cutscenes that
introduce your character, as well as some exceptional art and voice
acting.
- Esports
Edition
While
the cut-scenes are well-animated, the voice actors do a special job.
Excellently done, combined with fun and witty dialogues between the
grunt and the drone, they give the story an exceptional charm. - Goodgame-HR
"The voice acting and soundtrack, which
consists
mostly of atmospheric noises and creepy vibes, also do a fine job in
adding a bit of tension to the mix."
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Lovercraftian Horror, Cyberpunk DEVELOPER
Stormling Studios RELEASE
October 2020 MY
ROLE(S)
Randolph Carter CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 69%,
Metacritic 65%
In Stormling Studios' Transient, I
portray
protagonist Randolph Carter, an outlaw hacker-for-hire who accidentally
stumbles across a terrifying truth.
I played Carter like his augmented
world is always a few decibels too loud, leading to a constant low-key
migraine that brings his voice to a hush. This lends itself naturally
to the understated protagonists of Tech-Noir classics like Blade
Runner and Dark City.
The eerie voice acting overlaid with
Bioshock-esque atmosphere prompting the player to enter their own
memories has me hyped to jack in to the matrix and inject this game
directly into my brain.
Excellent
work is done in the performance of dialogues and the general voice
acting, as well as the music where cold synths of a future dystopia
intertwine with Oriental melodies forgotten in time, and provide an air
of mystery.
This is then complemented further thanks to
the excellent, albeit occasionally hammy acting. The combination of
overbearing characters and a gruff protagonist was great, as it added
many dynamics to the storyline.
The
game has a talented cast of voice actors.
Known names like Julian Casey, Sarah Williams, and Ryan and Glen Cooper
help bring the characters of Beautiful Desolation to life. -Keen
Gamer
Beautiful Desolation has some of the best voice
acting
and writing I’ve ever experienced in an indie game. Every character is
given a unique voice (and even animated conversations) and the script
is beyond impressive. -Switchaboo
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game,
Point & Click Adventure
Each [character] is brought to life with
voices that express these ranges of emotions brilliantly and make each
conversation have an impact on the story and how you feel about it. -Thumb Culture
Along the way you are treated to an engaging
sci-fi
story, deep character interactions, wonderfully performed voice acting,
distinct dialogue choices, and all set in a mysterious but well-built
future world. -Gaming Nexus
Conversations are engaging,
thanks to the
imaginatively
weird folks you encounter and a
high standard of voice acting. -The Sixth Axis
The voice acting is excellent and its
profanity-filled convo choices are right up my street. -Movies, Games
& Tech
Voiced
by a cast of talented voice actors, the dialogue is brought to life and
often requires the player’s input in the game, engaging us in the story
right from the start. -Cog Connected
The fully voice-acted script is chock full of excellent performances to
boot. -The Switch
Effect The voice acting is pretty
top-notch throughout, and the
South African accents are an oddly refreshing element. -God is a Geek
There
are surprising twists and turns throughout the game, all delivered via
some impressive voice-acting and jaw-dropping cut-scenes that far
exceed anything you would expect from a game with such a modest budget. -Gameplanet
(New Zealand)
The
real treat in this game is the voice acting. The voiceovers are not
just done well, they're done differently and each character finds
themselves and has their own personality. This goes for both flesh and
metal characters, and it really does heighten the game so much. -Switch Heads
The standout audio feature
here is the voice acting. [...] Every character is fully voiced, and
the entire voice cast does an excellent job. -3rd Strike
ATUM
A
zombified drunk
whose brain has been commandeered by a parasite.
Driven to physical ruin, the host's final stop is an obscure tavern
where he encounters player-character Mark Leslie.
I wanted a disparity between the voice of host and parasite to give the
impression of two minds in one body. The host is soused and giddy
(and yes Chris, I did have a few shandies for the role).
The parasite is
harsh, desperate, throttled
and always in danger of losing control.
BRA'
BONES
Zealot-cum-barkeep
Bra' Bones is a Cockney publican with a glint in his
remaining eye. He tasks the player with seeking out his estranged
brother Embombe (played by my brother Glen), whom he regrets
enlisting into his cult of The Witnesses - fanatics who dismember
themselves in tribute to their Priestess.
GRAVE
A
mechanical warrior poet who I played as a well-spoken Stratford
thespian,
which makes for an interesting dissonance next to his
formidable
physicality. As is a common refrain in the story of Beautiful Desolation, Grave seeks to reunite
with his
estranged brother, Lebanon.
NARCHEE
Finally,
the chronically miserable creature Narchee: a disembodied
human
skull effectively enslaved by drones that force him to act
as their
topographer. As with many of the NPCs in the game, Narchee
represents a horrific distortion of humanity.
Storytelling is done with elaborate images
that portray great emotion, along with intense voice acting. This
really draws the player into the action, making you another member of
the squad, not just a person behind the keyboard. -Gaming
Lyfe
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Real Time Strategy DEVELOPER
Destructive Creations RELEASE
May 2018 MY
ROLE(S)
Boleslav, Truvor CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 80%,
Metacritic 77%
The game has amazing voice acting, and it
really stood out in all the individual stories. Each historical event
was well told, always engaging, and never felt dull. In my opinion, the
narrative was also very well-paced. -Lords of
Gaming
Tapestry-like cutscenes, intriguing storylines
based
on historical events and solid voice acting all round. -VG
Almanac
The music and voice acting were all
great, I
didn’t cringe at any accents or feel like they hired cheap voice actors
throughout the Viking campaigns. -Game Pitt
"Ancestors Legacy is a squad-based real
time
strategy with a strong focus on tactics. Inspired by medieval European
history, it brings to life four different nations and their conflicts,
usually solved by war."
I play the first King of Poland, Boleslav the
Brave, and the
bloodthirsty Viking Truvor (pictured). Both men are driven by a
ruthless,
unrelenting aggression, which manifested in equally aggressive live
recording sessions. It was here I realised how physically exhausting
voice acting can be!
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Twin-stick shooter DEVELOPER
Ironward RELEASE
July 2017 MY
ROLE(S)
The Grunt CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 70%,
Metacritic 68%
The gameplay hasn’t changed dramatically, but now,
there are cutscenes
that introduce your character, as well as some exceptional art and
voice acting.
- ESports
Edition
Surprisingly, the developers have
already managed to include some great voice acting which is a positive
sign. - Keen
Gamer
After voicing the
trailer for The Red Solstice, I was asked by developers
Ironward to return for Solstice Chronicles: M.I.A. I play the
nameless, sole surviving corporate marine caught deep behind enemy
lines, whose
only hope for survival lies in an unlikely alliance with a rebel drone
called Saffron.
I wanted to impart a certain façade to Grunt,
on the basis that he is a corporate marine (a frightening thought
in of
itself), and also because he keeps secrets from his allies. I
landed on Buzz Lightyear if he were a used car salesman.
Hadley wakes in
a facility. She is nine months pregnant. They want her baby...
Each
ambient sound
fits well with each environment and the characters
have
shown to be very quirky with the help of great voice acting.
MEDIUM
/ GENRE
Video Game, Horror, Point-&-Click Adventure DEVELOPER
The Brotherhood RELEASE
January 2017 MY
ROLE(S)
The Man, Danie Boland CRITICAL
APPRAISAL
Steam: 80%,
Metacritic 75%
“In this
grim return to the Stasis universe, expectant protagonist, Hadley,
wakes up in a facility. Where is she? Why is she there? And, why do
they want her baby? Help panicked and anxious Hadley find her feet and
brave stomach-churning situations to break free, by solving puzzles in
this free horror adventure game. Each step will uncover colorful
character stories as you help Hadley find her way out…"
In The
Brotherhood's free DLC chapter to the Stasis story, called CAYNE,
I played two main supporting
characters, the nameless man who assists protagonist Hadley (Sarah Anne
Williams,
Skullgirls, League of Legends)
from an unseen location, and Danie Boland (below) - a vulgar
engineer who comes
to realise he won't be walking out of the facility.
In the Winter of
2016, I
travelled to the chilly Old Post Office deep in the Arthurian land of
Tintagel, for a University of Falmouth production of The
Highwayman, based on the 1906 poem by Alfred Noyes.
I portray the narrator
who bears grim witness to a treacherous tryst. Director Oliver Chater
and Producer Henry Isaksen invited me on board after their successful Kickstarter campaign, and to return to the
University for additional ADR work.
Highlights include chewing
the fat with Poldark and Doc Martin stalwart Rory Wilton(above),
enjoying the splendid National Trust building for the day, and working
with a vibrant young crew.
(Above): Kate Hamilton as Bess, the landlord's
daughter.
(Below): Myself as the narrator who regales a
fellow pub patron
with
this tale of woe.
The Highwayman was entered into The
National Film Festival for Talented Youth among others, and the excellent
score by Ben Sutcliffe (above) took the runner-up spot at
the 2017 LA
Shorts awards.
(Below): Guillaume Rivaud as the villainous
Officer.
(Below left): Chris Barnicoat as the
Highwayman.
I
took on the
mammoth task of turning Brad Buckmaster's 2016 novel Brigador into an 7-hour audiobook, serving
as a companion story to the video
game of the same name. It was the first audiobook to release on
Steam, with a 97%
user rating and a 4.8/5 rating on Audible.
For the performance, I
honed what I facetiously call my "Sean Bean" voice. It has become
something of a running gag in my household that my performances are
often compared to the world's most famous Sheffield United
fan, even when I'm actively trying to avoid them...
The rustic aspect
of a Northern English voice seemed appropriate for a visceral
military tale (as well as being an accent I could hold for 80,000
words). The challenge came in demarcating the characters from the
narrator. At one point, I was speaking in a coarse Northern accent
to interpret the grizzled Sergeant Koenig, then a mocking impression
of it from his own subordinates!
The Spacer faction is alien,
mostly cruel, cold and snobbish. For the marooned Spacer Pilot, I took
inspiration from Twin Peaks'The
Man from Another Place, and Gman
from the Half-Life series, emphasising the wrong words and an
unsettling cadence, like he is a chameleon merely passing for human.
I
spoke to Bryan Finck of Seasoned
Gaming about my experiences working on
the Brigador audiobooks:
"My more recent audiobooks are with Forteller, who provide accompanying
audio narration for board games. They typically put out public casting
calls, so it’s about impressing them with your range.
"Brigador was
different. I approached Stellar Jockeys, in the hope of
voicing a character for what I presumed would be the game’s story
campaign. To my surprise, they asked me to voice an accompanying
80,000-word audiobook instead (the
first of its kind on Steam).
"If a character performance is a 100m sprint, an audiobook is a
marathon. For the sequel Brigador Killers, I was live directed by a
lovely gent called Benjamin Glover for one hour, three days a week,
for
five months solid. This thing became a part of my life and
squatted in
my brain for a long time.
"I was screaming obscenities at the height of
my lungs, praying the neighbours weren’t dialling the Police. I
finished up with that strange melancholy you get when you finish a good
book, only way more intense.
"The process for the original Brigador was much
the
opposite; I was self-directed, while starting a new job. I was
squeezing in morning sessions before I drove off and paying my brother
Glen a percentage to chop up the rushes. Less polished, but certainly
raw.
"I interpreted the narrator as a character of that world in his own
right, and then played a good ten characters on top of that. That’s
a
challenge. You cannot go through the process in the same depth, so you
ascribe little markers like a rasp, an odd cadence, or the use of a
head voice opposite a chest voice to make a distinction. I think people
could sense which character was which, even though I was essentially
speaking in the same voice."
The
big surprise came in the form of Brad Buckmaster's Brigador novel and
subsequent audiobook, narrated wonderfully by Ryan Cooper.
The
idea of adapting it as an audiobook came after the first draft was
finished—we like it so much we wanted to ensure as many people as
possible would read it, and an audiobook adaptation was the best way to
go about that. Enter Ryan Cooper, who did an equally impeccable job on
giving voice to Brad's
writing.
"With Ryan, I
put
out a call on Twitter and he responded. It was before STASIS launched
on Kickstarter and I wanted a voice for the alpha demo. He hit the nail
on the head with the character. I wrote the lines, but he gave them
heart and soul. Ryan is such an amazing artist to work with that I find
it hard to imagine a project that he wouldn’t be involved with in some
fashion." -Chris
Bischoff, The Brotherhood
In
the
distant
future, aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft, John Maracheck awakes
from stasis. He must push himself to new physical and emotional limits
and unravel the mysteries around him. John is in tremendous pain, his
wife and daughter are missing, and time is running out as the Groomlake
plunges further into the swirling blue methane clouds of Neptune...
"Stasis" is the
acclaimed debut title of South African siblings
Christopher and Nicolas Bischoff, also known as The Brotherhood.
The game was
credited with breathing new life into the point-and-click
genre.
Writing for Rock,
Paper, Shotgun, Alec Meer said, "Stasis punches so far above
its
weight that I almost can’t believe it exists."
Destructoid's
Patrick Hancock said, "There
are scenes in Stasis, especially towards the end of the game, that I'm
not sure I'll ever forget."
"The
player character is well-developed, in part thanks to
some fantastic voice acting."
I
play the beleaguered protagonist John Maracheck, a family man and
teacher, whose ship
is waylaid by the unscrupulous Cayne Corporation en route to a
vacation to the Saturnian moon of Titan.
I portrayed John as the archetypal 'every-man', but with a certain
softness born of a privileged lifestyle; such a holiday must surely be
above the pay grade of most.
That softness provided the strongest starting point, as it makes John
especially unprepared for the horrors that await. His arc toward
hardened survivor is that much starker.
"John's
rage, his naked horror is perfectly conveyed by the well-motivated
English voice actor."
"I
have never heard a videogame character sound so vulnerable and human
[...] It's better than a lot of VO work in some AAA games out there
[...] A great deal of the game's intensity is a result of Ryan Cooper's
performance."
"[Cooper]'s the one that I think has
had
the most opportunity to show his range of emotions, and he's done a
great job. He's really a good voice actor."
A selection of two 2015 media interviews
with Bitcultures
and 1001 Up,
on
all things Stasis:
Rafael
Serrato, Bitcultures: Your
performance in STASIS was excellent and reflected the dark atmosphere
perfectly. How did you go about preparing for the role of John
Maracheck?
Ryan: The
voice actors
were asked to study scenes from The Last of Us
for an idea of flow between the actors. I saw similarities between Joel
and John too, but there are no conscious influences on how I played
him. I didn’t want John to come across as a lesser imitation of similar
characters. The role was not overly stylised or managed, so I had the
freedom to attack it from a unique perspective and put a lot of myself
into the performance.
This will be obvious
to any serious actor, but it is important to read
the script in its entirety if possible before stepping in front of the
mike – to internalise the character, reflect on the themes of the story
and how the characters attract and oppose each other. Family is the
central theme of Stasis, and all three lead characters symbolise this
in their own way.
John has an arc, which
I look for in characters. It was vital that he
be vulnerable, uncertain and slow to harden to the horror. If the
player can connect with the character, they then consider the
uncomfortable question: how would I cope in this situation? That is the
essence of great horrors, they shine a light on our own lives.
"In
terms of characters, the game is almost entirely carried by John,
masterfully voiced by Ryan Cooper, who perfectly descends into the role
and is able to convey anguish with every sentence he utters."
Rafael:
John
often discovered the gruesome leftovers of the Groomlake’s crew and,
not to mention, found himself hurt, scared, beaten, bruised and at one
point under a surgical laser. Whether John was screaming in pain or
catching his breath from shock, your voice work captured these heavy
and extreme moments greatly. What can you tell us about your efforts in
helping to create such moments through your voice? Was the voice work
as gruelling, stressing or draining as it sounded within STASIS?
Ryan: The process was
gruelling, but very satisfying. Being the
archetypal every-man, and a husband and father to a young child, John
is an instantly empathetic character. The role represented a great
opportunity because many parts are more fantastical, or inherently not
relatable. I favour roles that I can humanise.
For John, authenticity
was crucial; a less than genuine performance
would distance the character from the player. I produced upwards of ten
disparate takes per line so that John’s tone would be in keeping with
Chris’ vision for the scene. Frustration often got the better of me and
Chris [Bischoff] wound up with a database of my numerous curses, sighs
and lip smacks.
To emulate John
hyperventilating, I sprinted around the block before
recording. I acted in pitch darkness to put the onus on my imagination
and remove visible distractions. John’s tears became my own. When he
screamed out in agony, I recalled the indelible memories of past
injuries. I even threw up for real!
Kim,
1001 Up: Have you played
STASIS? What did you think of it?
Ryan: I was an
early-bug tester and a beta Kickstarter backer, so I
played it a couple of times before release. For a one-man
development,
STASIS is a minor miracle really, and serves as inspiration to other
small teams. It has been spoken about in the same breath as peers like
SOMA, which had several team members with years of experience between
them. The game has a timeless quality and won’t really age in years to
come. Chris should be very proud of what he has achieved.
Kim:
What was
it like working with The Brotherhood?
Ryan: It was always an open-door working relationship with the Bischoff
brothers. Chris trusted me enough to get on with my performance, which
was liberating. I drip-fed him the lines so he could implement them on
his schedule, and this became an organic way of building the voice work
into the game. If I were compelled to revisit takes, he was more than
happy to receive them.
Kim:
How does
John Maracheck compare to your previous roles?
Ryan: It’s funny. I looked back at my previous work the other day and
John is the only character who actually converses with other
characters. Being mostly narrators, the others address the player
directly. So, the action / reaction dynamic of John’s dialogue is what
sets him aside from my other roles.
I wanted to impart a rawness, a genuineness to John and be satisfied
I’d done all I could to make him sound like a real person in an unreal
situation. If I had screwed up in making John relatable, I don’t think
I could have forgiven myself. There was only $130K+ behind the game and
thousands of expectant backers.
Kim:
Some of
the scenes within STASIS are particularly harrowing. We
have to ask: how did you feel when presented with ‘that’ surgery scene?
What was it like to record?
Ryan: It was the toughest scene for me because it was so hard to
imagine. A character sobbing over all manner of upsetting revelations
is achievable because the actor can draw on their own upsetting
experiences and the tears are real. But performing open spinal surgery
on yourself while you are still awake? Has that ever actually happened?
To prepare, I studied a similar scene in the movie Prometheus, albeit
the character’s motivation is different. Shaw is desperate to remove
her foreign-body from a position of religious and motherly disgust. Her
reaction is natural, and therefore the horror lies more in the
revelation of the creature than in her slicing herself open. John’s
foreign-body is not causing him any immediate consternation, besides
blocking the path to his daughter. The decision is on him – and thus
the player, to push the button knowing full well what’s coming.
I pictured Rebecca [John’s daughter] as I was screaming, as that is the
only way John could get through it without passing out. This is however
a scene I would have recorded differently if I had the time again. It’s
a bit tamer and more inward than I would have liked at points; I should
have just gone hell for leather until I blew my voice box. The sequence
itself though is wonderfully realised in its sheer body horror and
becomes one of the game’s most memorable scenes.
"You
have to clamber into the machine and operate on yourself
in excruciating detail. Props to John's voice actor, who emits many,
many convincingly tortured noises."
"Where
the sound really shines is in the voice acting. [...] There is none of
the panic-about-to-lose-it in one clip and happy-no-cares in the next.
This may be the best voice acting I have ever had the pleasure to
experience."
"It
was therefore a nice surprise to find out in the credits that [Utopia
Syndrome]'s protagonist is voiced by Ryan Cooper, who did an excellent
job of playing John Maracheck in [Stasis]."
"There
is something very different about the whole game together with its
voice actors, soundtrack, and visual style that just feel off,
and in a
good way."
The
Old City: Leviathan is described as "an experiment in first-person
exploration that focuses entirely on story. All that exists is you and
the world. Set in a decaying city from a civilization long past, The
Old City: Leviathan puts the player in the shoes of a sewer dwelling
isolationist."
The Washington Post described the game as an "experiment
in literary gaming." Known colloquially as a 'walking simulator', the
game is my first major credit as a voice actor; I played the
protagonist (and sole character) Jonah.
I discussed my experiences in a 2015 interview with Rafael Serrato of
Bit Cultures: "It was here I understood the responsibility of the voice
artist, in co-ordination with the devs, to form a fleshed-out character
that will engage the audience. There was a theatricality in Jonah’s
dialogue, so I interpreted him as a worn-down actor of sorts.
How
many
times has he approached that specific brick arch and launched into the
same over-rehearsed soliloquy? For how long has he been shambling that
facility like a ghost caught in a self-imposed cycle? Surely way before
the player arrived. There is a subtle horror to the role."
To Kim of Later Levels, I went into more detail
about the challenges of
the role: "Getting into the head space of someone
who has spent too
much time alone, but has a keen philosophical mind and forms these
unique insights into the meaning of life. He comes from a very
different place to the average person and therein lay the challenge of
making him relatable.
"I put Jonah into terms I could understand, as an actor of sorts. More
specifically, someone whose life has become an act, who created
Leviathan to avoid the pain of the unknown. Maybe we all create our own
personal Leviathan as we get older. Jonah’s life views become his
lines, rehearsed to the point of banality, the theatrical pauses more
deliberate with the years. Only when he is exposed to the uncertain
does the child in him break out. Jonah manages to rekindle a deep ember
of childlike curiosity that helps him get off his ass and leave his
self-imposed prison."
(Left: A playlist of my work as Jonah in "The Old
City:
Leviathan")
In
that place [the narrator] becomes a little panicked, the sneer of
discontent and slight superiority cracking for a moment. It's a
necessary emotional pinprick of a moment.
I
found [Cooper] to be rather excellent. [...] As I continued, as more
and more was uncovered, the game's narrative began to take hold, and I
have to say for that, I think the voice is excellent.
In a game where we are practically alone,
such images are awe-inspiring. All of this is helped by the amazing
soundtrack of the title, the narrator's voice and the surreal
landscapes.
Cooper
has an incredible talent and is malleable to any need. His work on The
Old City: Leviathan surprised us with just how well he understands
what is needed while also elevating the work with his own creative
license. If we needed him to act
with guidelines, he nailed it. If we
needed him to act with little to no guidelines, he nailed it. He's
willing to redo his work to get the perfect take, though he rarely
needed to. He's a fantastic actor and we look forward to working with
him again in the future.
In Glen Cooper's World's Fair,
as Bill White and Aiden White.
-February 2014
In Skyrim: Interesting NPCs, as
Ogdul, a former bandit gone straight and a mage called Lattimore.
-December 2013
Narrating the backstory for Strike Vector.
-November 2013
As the fast-paced narrator in the Lou Schlepps skit by Crowdsuasion.
-September 2013
The
sound engineering was brilliant; everything from the sound effects to
the voice acting raised the immersion of the game [Lunacy: Saint
Rhodes]. - Gamescreed
Utopia
Syndrome is a very impressive game with a highly detailed
environment, great voice acting, an intuitive UI and a very intriguing
lore.
- Alpha
Beta
Gamer
Ryan
did an incredible job [on Yagrum Bagarn]
and thanks for such an amazing video! - Mary
Cherry
From
what I heard and experienced during my tour [of Rune II],
the voice acting is nothing short of amazing. - Nerd
Stash
[Rune
II] The voice acting additions, combat improvements, more focused
questlines and Action RPG feel for the most part, work wonderfully!
- Game
Tyrant
[Rune
II] I loved being in a story with gods, even one that speaks directly
to me
with excellent voice acting and all the skills I could get.
- LifeisXBox.eu
[Skyblivion]
Over the course of 19 minutes, narrator Ryan Cooper enthralls the
viewer with descriptions and explanations of the updates, overhauls and
redesigns of key parts of Cyrodiil. -Game Rant
[Skyblivion]
The grass now glimmers in the sun, blinding
you to the
darker elements
that hide there, though the manly narrator assures us that the
necromancer infestation is but a myth. Phew! - Rock,
Paper,
Shotgun
[Skyblivion]
That man narrating has a wonderful voice!
Does he do any of the
character voices? If not, he should!
- Shirley
Curry
The
narration [Skywind] comes courtesy of Ryan Cooper, a professional voice
actor
who brings just the right amount of Sean Bean to the role of Dagoth
Endus. - Polygon
The
[Skywind] trailer is narrated by a man whose vocal chords I would very
much
like to steal, (presumably) assuming the role of Dagoth as he mutters
some fittingly megalomaniacal words.
-PC Gamer
Taking
us on an ominously (and professionally) narrated tour of House
Dagoth’s volcano-side properties, it’s a testament to what a small team
[Skywind] can achieve with the right tools, enough time and a lot of
dedication.
- Rock,
Paper,
Shotgun
SEVEN: THE DAYS LONG GONE (2017)
