I'm an actress, and I want to work on accents. Any tips?

Answer 1

Absolutely watch movies with characters from the countries whose accents you want to pick up. If you're having trouble finding a particular one, you can always go to a small video store and ask them for suggestions. They're GREAT at knowing stuff like that. You can also go to the library and get language tapes. Often times the English translation is done by someone native to the foreign language and will have an accent. There are also some websites that offer foreign language lessons or translation and some have sample clips that you can hear of the same type of thing. Depending on how quick of a study you are, that may do the trick! :-)

Good luck!

Answer 2

I can do several different accents, so I'll see if my methods help any.

Watch movies and TV shows where the main characters have different accents. I got most of my British accent from "The Chronicles of Narnia", and my Canadian accent from "The Saddle Club". (British and Canadian are actually very similiar.)

Have friends who have accents or who can imitate accents help you out. I learned my Middle Eastern accent from a friend while prank calling.

Listen to radio, dramatic audio books (audio books where they use different people to act out the book instead of just reading them), and other audio things to help. I'm working on a French accent with help from Adele in "Jane Eyre". I've also heard that computer programs designed to teach you another language usually have someone with an accent teaching you.

Mess around with stuff. I've developed several accents simply because a director told me I needed one for a character and I started messing around trying to sound like a specific accent. You'll never pick up an accent if you don't try it out loud.

Going somewhere where everyone talks in an accent is very helpful as well. This can't always be possible, I know, but it's most useful if you're trying to pick up an accent from somewhere else in the country (i.e. Southern, New Yorker, etc.). I go to camp in the South every year, and always come back with a Southern accent. (Not sure if "south" needed to be capitalized there... sry if it didn't)

If you specified which accents you are trying for, you may get some better advice. (I haven't read all of the above suggestions, and I'm not saying anything against the other advice you've gotten.) Break a leg!

Answer 3

Of course, one of the best ways (if not very practical) is to go to the countries. You can watch all the British movies, etc, that you want, but you won't really understand the different types of British accents until you've stayed in the UK for a while. The same is true of any country, or even just different areas within a country.

Try and find ONE real-life person whose accent is different enough from your own to be a real change, and learn to copy that person's accent and use of words... it will teach you a lot about the little differences between people's speech patterns.

Answer 4

Certainly watching foreign films is one way,,,and ones with subtitles actually allow you to KNOW the context of the dialogue.

This one may seem abstract, but it also aids in ACTUALLY learning a language, which can be a very inportant quality in dialogue work. ROSETTA STONE CD, teaching aid, offers a FREE intro CD, using actual people, or actors, speaking not only the text, but in normal dialogue.

Then and at least once, you might attend an Opera, usually NOT sung in English.

Your issue seems to relate however to speaking in English as if you were/are Italian, etc. Be around those, even in person, who do speak with an accent. GETTING the inflections is pretty easy. Being convincing is all about practice.

Steven Wolf

Bella Fortune'

Answer 5

well like everyone else has said watch TV. well i've learned most of my accents on my own form exchange students at my school and just plain messing around. right now i can do an australian, british accents and i'm working on my irsh and german accents as we speak. i was also in a play a year ago and i had to talk like a hillbilly that was probably one of the easier accents to learn if your from the south and already have a hick accent like me!

Answer 6

I would have to suggest (if you want an english accent) to watch Pirates of the Caribbean I and II. They are these great little movies about Pirates and they have like the best accents...EVER. I dunno...it's just a suggestion! I mean it's not like these movies were really famous or anything. Nobody really saw the movies...well excepy my friend, but she dosen't count because she's kinda crazy...like me...FYI! LOL! :)

Answer 7

look at how different accents relate to the face expressions of those who use them. then copy it.

i know that new zealanders screw their faces/squint eyes a bit when talking, helps with accent. Can be very subtle, but each is there.

also, learn another language, even basics, will help with other language accents.

Answer 8

watch english soccer for a british accent. Trust me, i used to watch it all the time and know when i play soccer i have this british accent that wont go away.

Answer 9

International radio stations--find stations with a lot of talk, and PRACTICE out loud.

Answer 10

use voice chat to whom ever u want to copy..u will pick up some tips