# A bizarre request...



## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

Hello all,

I have been searching for an appropriate way to go about this strange but hopefully interesting request... I hope posting on this forum is the answer.

I am an actor undergoing a 3 year professional training course in Oxford (England) at the Oxford School of Drama; one of the top schools in the world. I am in my second year and as part of our training we do a lot of work learning accents from around the globe that suit our casting. This time around I have a slightly more detailed mission, which is to not only learn an accent but also to develop a character study. In other words I would be trying to 'play' the person who's accent I am learning. Some people may identify this as a type of 'method acting'. 

Essentially I am looking for a male volunteer between the age of 18-30, native to Boston or with a recognisably 'strong' accent (Chicago etc) who would be willing to have a short Skype (or similar) conversation with me. I would need you to read some words aloud to help me with the accent and basically just have a chat about life, nothing too personal but enough so I can do justice to your 'character'. 

This work will remain within the school and will be anonymous as far as your identity is concerned. It's a lot of work for me but hopefully a bit of fun for you and a chance to share your voice! I would be eternally grateful for any response on this, any questions please do ask.

Kind Regards,

Ciaran


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)




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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Boston accents are pretty tough to imitate. Jeff Bridges tried it in "Blown Away" and it was horrible. He said he use to ride with a Boston cabbie, have a couple beers and that was his "speech training"


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

The words that will help you nail it are burglar and smuggler. Think burglah and smugglah.


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## GARDA (Dec 30, 2003)

Ciaran_87 said:


> This work will remain within the school and will be anonymous as far as your identity is concerned.


As anonymous as the Boston College Belfast Project Tapes were?
Sorry, your request appears fun and harmless enough. Good luck with it.
Just don't promise something which you'll have zero control over, that's all.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

pahapoika said:


> Boston accents are pretty tough to imitate.


That's something that all the Boston born actors who dropped their accents and now have to put one on haven't figured out yet.


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)

24 straight hours of watching the Departed and you should be good to go.


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

The worst attempt of a Boston accent was the blond shrink in The Departed. The best I have heard was Jeremy Renner's in "The Town". I work with a few guy that are from that part of town and they even said they thought he was a native.


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

Appreciate all the replies! I don't doubt the difficulty of the task I've set myself haha... but would still really appreciate anyone who's up for giving me some of their time. With regards to anonymity, the work will only be performed live within class, it won't be filmed and by all means I don't have to use real names etc. Won't get into the accent vs dialect debate haha - my "accent" teacher does a lot of "accent" coaching, including "accent" reduction in the US, you guessed it, Boston is a popular one, especially for anyone who's looking to go into politics apparently.

Grateful for all of the responses, still holding out on someone offering a bit of time . I promise you can laugh at my attempt to do it justice... let's hope I fall more into Jeremy Renner territory.

Cheers.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Its SUPAH simple..........Replace all your r's with h's. And all the the double ee words with ah
example:
Hey deah, come heah and have a beah ya phukkin queah!


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

HistoryHound said:


> That's something that all the Boston born actors who dropped their accents and now have to put one on haven't figured out yet.


+1 Thought Mark Wahlberg went a bit over the top in the "Departed"

I tell people the Boston "R" is like when the doctor tells you to open your mouth and say "ahhh"


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

These are all gold dust for me, thanks guys. Does anyone know someone who fits the bill who'd be up for a short Skype chat? Still hanging onto hope as this forum has been really helpful and responsive. 

I've been looking at different neighbourhoods and how there are subtle differences in accent between them, if I was specific and went for a particularly neighbourhood e.g. Southie that helped avoid an inauthentic 'generic Boston' accent, which neighbourhood would you recommend?

Thanks again.


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

You could try Bill Bratton. He's got a pretty strong Boston "accent" and seems to like being interviewed.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

LA Copper said:


> You could try Bill Bratton. He's got a pretty strong Boston "accent" and seems to like being interviewed.


Awesome 



Ciaran_87 said:


> These are all gold dust for me, thanks guys. Does anyone know someone who fits the bill who'd be up for a short Skype chat? Still hanging onto hope as this forum has been really helpful and responsive.
> 
> I've been looking at different neighbourhoods and how there are subtle differences in accent between them, if I was specific and went for a particularly neighbourhood e.g. Southie that helped avoid an inauthentic 'generic Boston' accent, which neighbourhood would you recommend?
> 
> Thanks again.


You might want to check out one of the many college and universities here in Boston. I'm sure they have online forums with willing locals to help out.

This is a LE site. Could be wrong, but don't see many willing participants .


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## felony (Oct 24, 2014)

You're going to log into skype with this guy and I am sure the first image you will see, is some swinging dick on your monitor. Why post this crap on a police forum? Just visit the city and talk to people.


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

felony said:


> You're going to log into skype with this guy and I am sure the first image you will see, is some swinging dick on your monitor. Why post this crap on a police forum? Just visit the city and talk to people.


I live in England... I'd truly love to visit Boston but I feel like it's overkill/expensive for this particular purpose haha. 
The reason for posting on a police forum is threefold: 1) the occupation is of interest to me and one I have great respect for 2) Thus I'd like to use a genuine police officer as my case study for my work (and law enforcement is a common casting suggestion for me) 3) I feel like the chances of me getting "some swinging dick" on my monitor is reduced considerably when I'm dealing with decent, public servants.

Sorry you feel I'm posting 'crap', I know acting/film/tv/theatre isn't in everyone's interest especially on a forum that isn't dedicated to it - I don't mean to ruffle any feathers I just want to make a respectable effort at what I'm setting out to do rather than caricature the accent and the profession.

Cheers.


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

Also starting to realise the Skype element of this request might have creeped the shit out of some people haha - I'd be happy with an audio only situation if it makes life easier/less internet predator-y.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Ciaran_87 said:


> I live in England... I'd truly love to visit Boston but I feel like it's overkill/expensive for this particular purpose haha.
> The reason for posting on a police forum is threefold: 1) the occupation is of interest to me and one I have great respect for 2) Thus I'd like to use a genuine police officer as my case study for my work (and law enforcement is a common casting suggestion for me) 3) I feel like the chances of me getting "some swinging dick" on my monitor is reduced considerably when I'm dealing with decent, public servants.
> 
> Sorry you feel I'm posting 'crap', I know acting/film/tv/theatre isn't in everyone's interest especially on a forum that isn't dedicated to it - I don't mean to ruffle any feathers I just want to make a respectable effort at what I'm setting out to do rather than caricature the accent and the profession.
> ...


Too bad you can't visit. Most people really like Boston. It's supposed to be one of the more "European' cities in the USA. If you do play a cop don't forget "public servants" are suspicious by nature.


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)

You should also remember that when a citizen tells a police officer " I pay your salary" that officer is obligated by law to take off their chapeau and bow their head.


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

felony said:


> You're going to log into skype with this guy and I am sure the first image you will see, is some swinging dick on your monitor. Why post this crap on a police forum? Just visit the city and talk to people.


A bit pessimistic, don't you think? The OP seems like a decent guy just trying to do his job. Not everyone's a "whacker" as some folks on here like to call them, there are still good people out there. They're the ones we all took that oath "To Protect and Serve."


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

Anyone from Southie willing to give the poor chap a call before the rest of these salty phukkahs turn him into one of those phukkin BLM queahs? We'll change your MC title to Good Will Ambassador to England.
If someone here steps up, you've gotta promise to do your research and not phukk up the uniform when you play a Cop, Ciaran. It pisses us all off...


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## Drinkthekoolaid (Nov 1, 2011)

Pahk the cah in havahd yahd!


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Drinkthekoolaid said:


> Pahk the cah in havahd yahd!


If i had a buck every time someone said that when traveling out of state


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

It's right up there with "Don't shoot me!" 
We'll forgive it this time, koolaid. "Once...ONCE!"


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## Drinkthekoolaid (Nov 1, 2011)

LGriffin said:


> It's right up there with "Don't shoot me!"
> We'll forgive it this time, koolaid. "Once...ONCE!"


Haha


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

pahapoika said:


> If i had a buck every time someone said that when traveling out of state


Same thing since I've been on the job out west. That and, "Have you been to Fenway Pahk?


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

Appreciate you guys keeping the dream alive haha, you're still the most responsive people out of about 15 other Boston/MASS forums I've tried and I appreciate it.


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

*This woman does a decent job teaching it. Better than a few others on YouTube who cahn't do shit.*


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Kilvinsky said:


> *This woman does a decent job teaching it. Better than a few others on YouTube who cahn't do shit.*


She does a much better job at it than a lot of other people. plus easy on the eyes too


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## Ciaran_87 (Apr 17, 2015)

Kilvinsky said:


> *This woman does a decent job teaching it. Better than a few others on YouTube who cahn't do shit.*


Thanks, appreciate the steer. Had to do my first improvisation today and shamefully had to BS a bit because I still don't have a character study... I think I used the words "park", and "start" in 45 minutes of improvisation more than anyone would ever use them in an average week.


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

And Comedian Steve Sweeny pretty much sums up the Bostonians mentality, He's great.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Just don't confuse it with a Maine accent


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