The Accent Handbook

Need to learn an accent for an audition? Got the part but can''t master all the sounds? Fancy increasing your repertoire? This practical handbook offers a digestible, flexible and contemporary way of learning a range of accents that have historically been overlooked within actor training but are vital and increasingly in demand in the industry. The authors bring their experience of conservatoire-teaching as well as working with the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Armie Hammer, Lily James and Kristen Scott-Thomas, to bring you closer to an extensive range of accents including those from across the UK (Geordie, Scouse, Cockney, for instance); throughout Europe, the Americas and Caribbean; and reaching into Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. Split into 4 clear sections, the book provides a plethora of visual, aural, physical and textual exercises to help investigate the facts, practise the sounds and rhythms and, crucially, get performance-ready. With the accents grouped into ''families'' according to their common features, The Accent Handbook - while comprehensive - is designed to be easy to navigate. Its pick ''n'' mix format allows for a dip-in-and-out approach, while the underlying structure offers a cohesive progression to ensure no stone is left unturned. Without using phonetics as so many resources in this field do, this book encourages experimentation and freedom, asking you to become a detective of accent sounds, rather than viewing them as fixed entities. With audio and video resources integrated throughout, and a wealth of practical exercises suitable for all learning styles and needs, this book provides many ways in and encourages the reader to find out what works for them, thereby taking ownership of their own accent-learning process. The Accent Handbook is the most contemporary and inclusive guide to accents on the market.>

Préface
A handbook for actors, students and teachers full of practical visual, aural and physical exercises for getting to grips with different sounds and refining an accent for a role.

Auteur

Jessica Hammett and Lottie Williams-Burrell

Texte du rabat

Need to learn an accent for an audition? Got the part but can't quite grasp the sounds? Want to expand your repertoire? The Accent Handbook is a novel approach to accent-learning, providing a practical, digestible and customisable way of learning any accent of your choosing. Drawing on the authors' extensive experience coaching students and leading stage and screen actors, the book offers more than 200 empowering exercises to actively explore and hone accent features. You can dip in and out or go from cover to cover, depending on your aims, what you're learning or how much time you have. The book is accompanied by a wide-ranging and diverse library of contemporary accent recordings from across the globe. Uniquely, it also offers a guide to finding accent samples and getting more out of your listening. A section devoted to accent and acting delves into the powerful interplay between dialect, character and performance. Approachable and encouraging, this book is an essential companion to keep by your side as you take on an accent, from first listen to performance.

Contenu

Introduction

What is an accent?
Accent vs dialect
What are accents composed of?
Accent and identity
Accent is more than just geography
Accent bias
Why this book?
How to use this book
Springboard
Part A Speech
Your own speech anatomy
The vocal tract
The articulators
Jaw
Lips
Tongue
Soft palate

Part B Accent

Part C Acting
Accent and script
Approaching text
Introducing accent
Accent and character
Accent and situation
Accent and situation for character
Accent and situation for actor
Accent and situation for character

Part D Troubleshooting
Appendix A: Accent recordings
Appendix B: Recording material
Appendix C: Nonsense passage
Appendix D: Vowel spelling guide
Notes
Bibliography
Index