Skrag the Slaughterer from Total War – Warhammer III

INTRODUCING SCOTT JOSEPH AS SKRAG THE SLAUGHTERER

This Ogre Lord’s name says it all really. He’s not exactly the most stable of characters but then it is perhaps understandable, given that his forearms were ripped off and replaced with massive dull blades and, shackled directly into the bones of his back, he is forced to drag a gigantic meat pot around, into which he tosses his many kills as tributes to his Blood God.  He has magic, knowledge and an unquenchable thirst to heed the orders he receives from the Voice of the Great Maw, which he then barks in a most unsettling guttural way to his gorger army, The Disciples of the Maw. If you want to find out more about this unsavoury character then click here.

In the main, Scott was directed by Will Tidman for Skrag and for another character, Herald of Khorne. The voice sessions were kept deliberately short because of the vocally demanding nature of both characters. As a powerful and deranged Ogre Lord, Skrag in particular, speaks in what can only be described as tormented guttural roars that at times need to be projected across great distances, in battle and to possibly thousands of minions or foes.

The real trick in playing characters like this is actually to relax, which is not easy when you hear what he says and how he says it. However, if Scott tensed his vocal chords to generate Skrag’s chaotic rants, he would most certainly damage his voice and be unable to sustain the character for an entire recording session. Relaxing the vocal chords allowed Scott to generate a guttural tone, while protecting his natural voice. It also helps when top of the range mics are used, such as the Sanken CO 100k Omnidirectional Super Wide Range Condenser because it captures so much that can then be further enhanced in post to achieve the character’s true voice.

Here is a cut scene introduction to Skrag followed by some individual lines up-close and personal:

Find out more about the game itself using the links below:

https://warhammer3.totalwar.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/totalwar

Image from THQ Nordic’s YouTube

A word from Caeso himself…

Whether players are veterans of the ‘Expeditions’ game series or first-timers, the voice of consummate Roman legionary, Caeso Quinctius Aquilinius, in this official Combat Trailer  commands attention and rightly so, your character’s life might just depend on it! Play the video link below or click here…

In the days leading up to the game’s official launch, several of the companion characters saw a brief introductory trailer of them released and first up was Centurion, Caeso himself. Play on the video link below or click here:

Introducing Scott as Caeso Quinctius Aquilinus

Caeso’s a main character whose story arc is directly affected by the player’s in-game decisions. The role required hours of studio time, recording thousands of lines of dialogue for a myriad of possible conversational threads and story eventualities. Scott relished portraying Caeso’s broad range of emotions for scenes that included epic battles, hushed stealth missions, tense character encounters and a host of other dramatic sequences.

Voice of the Gameplay Trailer

Before the game even launched, the developers asked Scott to narrate one of its promotional trailers. They were after a gritty and commanding delivery to impart information, whilst building drama alongside the music and onscreen action. Play the link below or click here…

Find out more…

‘Expeditions: Rome‘ is a CRPG game that allows you to ‘determine the destiny of Rome as you conquer foreign lands … and choose your own path in a story where every decision matters’. This is the latest offering from THNordic and Logic Artists and forms part of the ‘Expeditions’ series. It officially launched on Thursday 20th January, 2022.

Having a studio to work in is great but I also get the chance to play in it and recently I have been honing my voice acting and sound production skills with this short monologue. The aim with this particular exercise is to write a piece that reveals an everyday character in a dramatic situation, during which the character’s drive or emotional state shifts. I then voice the scene and practice some basic level sound design to help bring the scene to life.

The back story is that something catastrophic has happened on board a large space craft and this character is racing along a deck hall in the footsteps of his fleeing children, for the safety of a bulkhead door that’s about to close. Have a listen and see what you think…