Haunted House Accent

[Baitman]

I don't know about all of you gouls but I ALWAYS hear the crazy Redneck accent in haunts!!! It may be because it is an easy accent to work with but I think we can do better!
I started this thread because I am also guilty of over killing the Redneck voice!
Any Ideas on new accents and how to work on em?

Happy Haunting!

[BruiseMuse]

I think redneck and a bad British accent are the two most common and overused dialects in haunts. Accents need to match the character and the setting of the haunt. I like to play with French, German, and Russian accents since they are not so overused.

[Badger]

When I'm training actors, I tell them to imagine who and what the character is (it doesn't always have to be human) and to create a completely different accent for that character. One thing I find that seems to work is to watch and study movies or TV shows of people speaking with that accent, especially if they're of European decent...

I have two or three undistinguishable or nondescript accents that I use with my different characters so it always keeps the customer guessing. One other thing I've told clients who hire me for VO work is that "Bad Dracula accents will cost more"...

[Allen H]

Personall I love Scottish because they always sound angry. (I have a wole Scottish castle themed haunt) I have the Sawney bean clan in one show and the accents really help sell it.
Also accent depends on where you are, in Mass the new england accent isint foriegn or strange but it goes over great in TX.
I really like a good NY accent or a good Cajun accent.
What ever fits the character like Bruise muse and Badger said.
Allen H

[freak 'n' stein]

Haunting in the South, we're very guilty when it comes to terrible accents...

I loved the Russian accent the actors used during the St. Louis Haunt Tour at Fear Fest!! I legit thought the hospital nurses were from out of the country. I even asked but apparently they took a "crash course" and learned only a few phrases, but it sold the haunt SO well!!!!

I do agree, British-type dialects are the next overused because a lot of themes revolve around castle time periods.

I like what Cutting Edge Haunt owner, Todd James, says in having his actors silent. It takes the human element away. As he said, all the horror greats never talk and it just adds to the uneasiness.

[Jim Warfield]

I'll Try Again.

"Gremlins" ate my previous attempt on this subject.
I probably do more almost non-stop talking to put people through my house than anyone else out there.
I talk for usually 90 minutes or more, crafting my information (hopefully) to the particulair group's expectations, ages, excetra.
Yes, my voice gets tired but I accidentaly discovered a long time ago that for some reason sort of a Southern accent seems to flow more smoothly and leave my vocality in much better shape.
Ever notice how often movies make the evil, smart, much feared bad-guy have an English accent?
(Fear him because he's smarter than we are?)
Maybe it's something that goes back to the Revolutionary War? War of 1812?.
Maybe it goes back historically to the fact that our first 15 Presidents were of Irish heritage? And why did they leave europe? It had something to do with the treatment the Irish were getting, I think...
All the talking I do I really try to keep listening to myself and ennunciate plainly and often more slowly to just communicate better and more fully, because without their comprehension.. I may as well be just growling or farting. (I Never growl!)

[nmhollowproductions]

Thinking of accents, a good Danish accent can be used to perfection. If you're familiar with King Diamond, he's proof-positive that a Danish dialect can be terrifying...and can be of good use to a character in a haunt.

There are many interviews with him where he's blending his accent with a low, diabolical tone. There's a just-right hint of raspiness, and it's breathy to the point of being eerie. In addition, he's also got a laugh that'll give you chills in the right context. He put out a CD some years back called The Puppet Master that came with a DVD describing the concept...a lot of the clips from that DVD are on YouTube. They're pretty cheesy, but I digress... It's a great study for a haunt character (any of his interviews are).

I agree with Allen - Scottish accents can be pretty scary, too. Just the right hint of malice...

[Jim Warfield]

Tonite's "Accent" in my house.

Was similair to Marlon Brando's in The Godfather.
It was totally unintentional, it was just all that I had left.
I was so tired and out of it this morning I thought it was Monday instead of Sunday.(Wishfull thinking?)

[terrorbythecreekgirl]

redneck accent

I don't know about all of you gouls but I ALWAYS hear the crazy Redneck accent in haunts!!! It may be because it is an easy accent to work with but I think we can do better!
I started this thread because I am also guilty of over killing the Redneck voice!
Any Ideas on new accents and how to work on em?

Happy Haunting!

For the Haunt that I have worked at since I was 11, we use and maybe overkill the redneck voice. It works for our haunt, because it is in a hick town at an old grist mill. I think it all depends on the setting/scenes in your haunt.

[Jim Warfield]

I Try To Sound intelligent.

Because this does scare some people because of the mad genious syndrome sort of thing.
As I was acting intelligent one night I was seriously asked if I taught at the local school?
I said.."N.., wait a second..maybe I do?" (All the school kids who come through my house every year count toward this being true) Entertaining, scaring, informing, stimulating And keeping them interested in hearing what I am about to say next....while seeming to be smart guy..or maybe a crazy/smart guy, the worst kind. Yup! I'm a teacher!

[soultrkr]

I think one of the main reasons the redneck accent is so used especially here in the south is there is already the fear and sterotype so we just play it up. and in some haunts that accent is not fake. Personally I have always been fond of the Russian or eatern europe accent. But an accent should fit the character if it does not then do not use it. I mean how wierd would it be for a guy dressed up as a redneck hillbilly to open up his mouth and sound like one of the cast members from Jeresy shore.

[Johnny Thunder]

I did a Southern accent because I was in the corn maze with a western/ghost town theme. I played up the hillbilly butcher kinda vibe and it worked.

[Madhaus32]

Now that you mention it, I do a redneck voice too, but it's probably because I live among them every day. Pehaps this season I will do SomethinG where I STreSS all of the harD ConSonanT SounDS in a sharP suCCinCT mannor.

Hmmmm.... Gears are turning.

[N2SPOOKINU]

Russian nurses

Freak n stein,
Thank you for the kind words and honorable mention about our Russian nurses. using the accent gave our asylum an edgy feel that alot of patrons commented about.
Its a great tool we used that set us apart from other haunts. We even expanded it into the haunt to let not only our nurses speak Russian but also our actors.
It changes the tone of the whole haunt and gives it that little extra difference that some are looking for.
It worked for us, give it a try.
Greg
Fearfest

[NightmareOnYourStreet]

German and russian are my two favorite to use. i usually kind of make my own accent depending on the character. also swapping accents mid sentence seems to keep patrons wondering whats happening.