Page 1 of 1

Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:33 pm
by Moosmum
Hi, my DD has been asked by A and J management if she is able to loose her accent?! Any ideas if they mean to replicate other accents or to make her sound more "neutral"? To be honest I think she pretty much has a neutral accent anyway so I'm a little confused! Any advice welcome please, we are pretty new to this!!
Thanks,
K x

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:18 pm
by Humph
Hi

Ive just sent you a PM

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 12:03 pm
by pg
I'd ask for more information from the agent.

I find the advice odd.

It's impossible to know which accents are going to be in demand - and one's "native" accent, whatever it is, could be one if the things that gets you seen for a job.

No harm in *learning* another accent - but changing one's own seems silly to me. If an accent is indecipherable :) you may need to learn to soften it or improve diction - it doesn't sound as though that's the case here.

Being able to switch on RP can be useful - but "losing" an accent is something I would regard as bad (and very old-fashioned) advice.

Of course, if they know there's an opportunity in the pipeline that requires an accent she doesn't yet have in her repertoire - that's different . In that case they should tell you.

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:22 am
by Moosmum
I think I worded it wrong,they asked if she was capable of standard accent,the agent did say it doesn't matter, just would open up more castings for her,we aren't actually with the agent as yet but I was just a little confused as to what it was with being a newbie haha x

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:35 am
by paulears
Being able to do accents is a really good trait many cannot do - so gives them an edge if they can do it, and of course strong accents still limit people's opportunities despite hearing far more on TV and radio nowadays, but this is mainly in news and soaps. You won't hear many brummie or Scouse accents in Poldark!

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:23 am
by Moosmum
True :) she has a very slight normthern twanfto certain words but not an accent as such so I think she would find standard pretty easy with some help, not sure on the accents though haha,might have to attempt those when she's abit older haha x

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:34 pm
by paulears
My grandson has two accents - and he is nearly 6. He has the local one he uses at school and the barm cake odd one he uses at home with his manchester mum. He switches between the two when he talks to mum and dad. He isn't even aware he does it but it's fun to listen!

Re: Losing an accent?! HELP!!

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:12 pm
by Moosmum
Haha I bet it is :) my DD goes very northern when she's at her grandmas house but with us she is fairly standard so I guess that could class as an accent haha! I have just read back my last comment and am surprised anybody could decipher it haha! Will teach me for typing on the train!