The process of construction of oral expressiveness in the cinema: dialogues with speech and language therapy

Abstract

Introduction: As well as being the object of study of speech therapy, oral expressiveness is the primary tool of film actors, along with body expressiveness. Aim: To understand how oral expressiveness of a movie character is built during the production of a film in order to create new perspectives in the work of these advisory professionals. Method: using a qualitative research design, interviews were conducted with six actors, six directors and a sound editor, experienced in cinema based on the following questions: "What do you think about voice and speech in the movies?"; "Do you think that there are difficulties related to voice and speech in movies? If yes, what would be?". The responses were recorded and transcribed and subsequently analyzed using a thematic framework and discussed in dialogue with theoretical aspects of speech therapy. Results: the construction of oral expressiveness in film goes through several stages, including prior preparation of actors who might have formal or informal knowledge, interference by directors and professional advisers such as cast preparers, singing teachers and speech therapists and interference of audiovisual technologies and editing. There is great diversity in the training of professionals who work in cinema, suggesting the need for schools and training methods that are specific to acting in cinema. Technological, environmental, climatic, financial and aesthetic variables interfere in the work of the actor. The main objectives of oral expressiveness for a cinema actor, in general, are understandability, continuity, organicity, verisimilitude and aesthetic. Conclusion: It was possible to develop a line of reasoning that enabled understanding the process of building oral expressiveness of characters and list a few challenges and difficulties where speech therapy can help.