In ep 191 of “How Do You Say That?!” sponsored by britishvoiceover.co.uk, Tracy-Ann Leith joins Sam and Mark to talk about the right side of caring for a mental health charity script. How can you be empathetic without tipping into saccharine? As it was National Poetry Day yesterday, we have a script all about Mary Shelly, and the very unorthodox things that happened to her husband's body! There's amusement in the script, but also a deep emotional bond. Our wildcards cover the girlguides, a bored museum tourguide, and a guide as to how not to behave on a blind date.

Our VO question this week is all about what producers and directors should think about when they hire a neurodivergent voice actor.

Get involved! Have you got a Wildcard suggestion that we should try or an idea for the show? Send it to us via Mark or Sam's social media or email it directly to [email protected]

Script 1

Trelawny gave the heart to Mary Shelley, and it was found among her things when she died and buried with her at St. Peter’s Church in Bournemouth. So while Shelley’s ashes are over in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome, his heart is in England.

Keeping a physical memento of a loved one was considered pretty unremarkable in the 19th century. And it wasn’t unheard of for a person’s heart to be buried separately to the rest of the body. Chopin’s heart was preserved in a crystal jar (which the Nazis later stole). Thomas Hardy’s heart was cut out to be buried in his hometown of Stinsford, Dorset, but was then part-eaten by a cat.

Script 2

Everyone should have access to quality mental health care, no matter where they live or what circumstances they‘re in. But where do people turn?

Mental health affects everyone, including health-care workers, but finding the right support when you need it in a way you can access it is harder than it looks.

For many people, seeking help means knocking on a lot of doors at a time when their resources are already depleted. Finding no clear pathway, meeting one barrier after another, they often give up before getting the mental health care they need.

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About our guest:

Tracy-Ann is an award-winning bilingual voice actor, based in Montreal, Canada, specialising in commercial and corporate narration. She's worked on various projects for brands like Audible, Yves Rocher, Ubisoft and the Government of Canada. Since her ADHD & Autism late-diagnosis, she has become an advocate in raising awareness for the neurodivergent community.

Tracy-Ann's Website

Tracy-Ann on YouTube

Tracy-Ann's Facebook page

Resources: Click here for the Wildcard Generator and don't forget to think of an action your character can be doing!

About your hosts:

With over 40 years representing major international clients such as Google, Emirates and HSBC; Mark Ryes has been trusted to be the voice for some of the world’s biggest brands. If your business needs a fresh voice to represent you, then make it Mark's British voice. As a voiceover, TV presenter, podcaster or product demonstrator - Mark makes your brand truly sparkle!

Mark's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/britishvoiceovermark

Elegantly British with an intelligent, warm and seductive voice, Samantha Boffin helps creatives and production companies create great audio that really connects with their audience. BBC-trained and with over 20 years of broadcast experience on both sides of the mic, she's created award-winning promos, narration and commercials for companies all around the globe, including the BBC, Sky, Games Workshop, John Lewis, Audible and Penguin Random House.

Samantha's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/samanthaboffin