GameSoundCon 2024

Los Angeles, USA

Sensitive Content: Capturing Dialogue with Challenging Themes in The Quiet Things

From childhood cancer to mental health to coming-of-age journeys, narrative-focussed games are a perfect medium to tell personal stories through captivating voice performances. But how do we approach capturing performances for dialogue-heavy chronicles which are based around sensitive and heavy content? And how do we endeavour to portray emotionally raw stories and complicated characters, as honestly as possible, without causing trauma to actors and members of the voice production team?

The Quiet Things is based around one of those stories. Developed by Silver Script Games and based on real diaries written by founder Alyx Jones, this autobiographical narrative game tells the story of Alice from the ages of 8-19 and her experiences with childhood abuse, self-harm, mental health, attempted suicide, homelessness, grooming and sexual abuse. The game has a deep focus on storytelling through audio and the themes are primarily communicated through diary entries, sound design and dialogue. 

This presentation will explore how a micro-indie studio with limited funding has approached the daunting task of casting and capturing authentic voice performances for an autobiographical game where emotional and often upsetting themes are a core part of the narrative. Through gameplay videos it will explore the ways in which Alice’s story was told and the emphasis on dialogue and sound to convey the story. It will also cover the impact that recording and working with the dialogue has had on the voice production team and the measures taken to enable them and the actors to work with challenging themes without compromising their mental and emotional well-being. 

The Quiet Things is still in development. Due to the nature of the themes discussed, this talk will have clearly signposted content warnings for child abuse, sexual abuse and grooming, self harm, depression and suicide.

Attendees Takeaway 

- Insight into how dialogue can be used as a core mechanic for an indie game

- How to approach and structure voice recording sessions for game projects that deal with sensitive and emotional material, including working with child actors

- What to consider when casting characters who experience considerable trauma in a story, and complex characters who have challenging qualities e.g. abusers

- The mental and emotional impact of working with dialogue with challenging and upsetting themes and how to safeguard the mental health of actors and production team members

- Working with wellbeing coordinators in recording sessions

- The importance of transparent communication when dealing with heavy themes

- How to get excellent VO performances for your game on a micro-indie budget