As Develop celebrates its 20th anniversary, we’ll explore how game dialogue has evolved and examine the importance of cross-disciplinary influences in shaping compelling characters.

Adele Cutting
Soundcuts

A question and answer session focusing on the process of designing action content and coordinating stunt shoots within Game Development, for both cinematics and Gameplay.

Please feel free to bring questions regarding any element of the process - from the key safety requirements developers should expect a coordinator to manage through to the creative elements that factor into producing great action content and the steps developers can take to maximise what can be attained from their capture process.

Session Takeaway

• Clarity - Answer key questions and give practical advice regarding the process of creating and capturing action content
• Action in Performance - Explore how action content is created, what can be achieved and how it can enhance and support Cinematic and Gameplay production
• Safe Practice - How a Coordinator can help developers manage and mitigate risk, allowing them to navigate action requirements safely and effectively.

Nathaniel Marten
Lucky 13 Action Ltd

Session Takeaway

• How to prepare for/as an actor on a Motion or Performance Capture shoot, to achieve the best data; aligned to the creative vision.

• How to prepare a shoot that is both actor friendly and more efficient.

• Acting in the digital realm. How casting directors/performers can help Game Devs achieve the most out of their time in the volume; acting techniques for games.

Gareth Taylor
Freelance & The Mocap Vaults

As video game production increasingly spans borders, casting and voice recording across the US and UK has become less of a novelty and more of a necessity. With this comes a unique set of creative, logistical, and cultural challenges. This talk explores what it actually takes to run successful split US/UK casts, from aligning developers to two very different acting climates to building workflows that don’t fall apart when your team is in a whole other time zone.

We’ll dig into the realities behind contracts, pay expectations, session structures, and scheduling differences, and how to set clear expectations with developers early on so production remains fair, efficient, and actor friendly on both sides of the Atlantic without forcing one market’s standards onto another.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for creating and understanding equitable production pipelines that still deliver one cohesive game.

Session Takeaway

• Practical strategies and ideas for creating equitable production pipelines that still deliver one cohesive game.
• Understanding of where they fit into the pipeline as actors, directors, agents, etc and how best to contribute.
• Better understanding of how game dev pipelines work to be a better collaborator.

Lexington Vanderberg
The Halp Network

Katie Young
Liquid Violet

Kirsty Gillmore
Freelance Voice & Performance Director

The video game performance landscape has evolved rapidly - voiceover is no longer the final stop, and performance capture is no longer a mystery reserved for a select few. Drawing on eight years of hands-on experience representing voice and performance capture talent across the gaming industry, this talk offers a practical, unfiltered look at how actors can build sustainable, future-proof careers in games.

From booking early VO roles to navigating the growing demand for full-body performance capture, I’ll break down what studios are actually looking for, how casting expectations have changed, and where opportunities are expanding fastest. With a roster of actors holding multiple AAA and indie game credits - and a dedicated mocap division launched in 2024 - I’ve had a front-row seat to the shifts reshaping this space.

This session is designed for both emerging actors looking to break into games and seasoned professionals seeking to evolve alongside the industry. Attendees will gain clear insight into career pathways, skill gaps, representation realities, and how to position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly performance-driven medium.

Whether you’re stepping into the booth for the first time or onto the volume for the next generation of games, this talk will help you understand where you fit - and how to move forward with confidence.

Who This Talk Is For

• Actors new to video game voiceover

• Established VO actors curious about mocap

• Experienced performers navigating career longevity in games

• Anyone seeking a realistic, insider perspective on representation and casting trends

Key Takeaways

• How game VO careers typically actually progress

• The rise of performance capture and what it means for actors

• Common misconceptions that hold actors back

• What agents and casting teams value right now

• Practical advice for staying competitive in a shifting industry

Session Takeaway

• A realistic understanding of how game voiceover and performance capture careers actually develop
• Clear insight into current industry expectations and where opportunities are growing
• Practical guidance on how actors at any stage can adapt and build long term careers in games

Natalie Edwards
Nordlings

With several video game titles under my belt as both a voice/dialect coach and a director, my session focuses on levelling up storytelling through authentic accent work, dialect creation, and constructed languages. Today’s projects need more than a great script or stunning visuals—they need voices that resonate and characters that feel real. In this talk, I'll share how attention to linguistic detail not only boosts actor performance but also helps directors and actors choose voices that are truly authentic and inclusive.

Drawing on experiences from personal projects and insights from leading fantasy storytellers, developers, and modern visionaries, I’ll explain practical methods for integrating accent precision into every stage of production. I’ll detail specific techniques for researching and directing accents, offer insight to how creating new languages for fantasy settings can deepen storytelling, and the techniques for learning them as an actor, and demonstrate how this process saves time during performance by streamlining communication before the recording begins.

This talk emphasises the “how”—providing clear, actionable strategies that the audience can apply immediately to enhance narrative immersion and performance quality. The session also highlights the importance of building a comprehensive workflow that connects voice casting, dialect coaching, and overall directing to ensure a truthful, cohesive performance from the ground up. Attendees will leave with a clear blueprint on incorporating linguistic authenticity into their creative processes, proving that when every element of vocal performance is thoughtfully considered, storytelling reaches a new level of engagement and inclusion.

Session Takeaway

• Understand why breaking free from clichés and stereotypes is crucial for immersive, engaging narratives.
• Get clear, practical methods for using authentic, inclusive accents—because every voice should feel real.
• Learn deep listening techniques that capture natural dialogue, bringing your stories to life.
• Explore ways to blend creative and tech insights early on for a truly connected performance.
• Take away a straightforward blueprint for crafting storytelling that’s both inclusive and captivating.

Keith Higinbotham
Voice with Keith

With great casting comes great responsibility. Casting is a key aspect of game performance, balancing character design, performer talent and authenticity to find the perfect match for a role.

Our panel of international experts will explore the creative triumphs and challenges they face when casting performances for games across voice, mocap and performance capture.

Session Takeaway

• Get insights into the casting process
• Discover how to approach castings for different performance types
• Find out what goes into authentic casting and what to do (and not do!) to win a job

Susie Valerio
Soundcuts

Emma Harvey
Harvey Voices Ltd

Daniel Jewel
Jewel Studios

David Monteith
Actor

What goes into writing a script for a game, and how does it differ from writing for other screen arts? How are compelling characters created, and where does inspiration come from?

Join the panel as they explore these questions and take a deep dive into the relationship between writer and actor. Together, they’ll discuss the creative process behind character development and storytelling, and consider whether these disciplines could benefit from closer collaboration.

Sagar Beroshi
The Chinese Room

Vicky Wheeler
Supermassive Games

Daniel Bowditch
Criterion Games

Sally Beaumont
Voice Actor

Amy-Leigh Shaw
Sweet Baby

What auditions get attention? Actors are rarely directed in the audition process so how can they learn what works and what doesn't?
Some game auditions are loaded with lore, character details, and direction. Others have a handful of lines with no context.

Casting people can hear whether or not an actor is connecting to the character, but how does an actor do that? Actors need to craft performances that stand out, so they’re heard above the roar of actors “playing it safe”.
This interactive talk takes participants thru the examination, analysis, and execution of real video game audition scripts, with the intent of catching and holding a casting director's interest and curiosity.

Session Takeaway

Attendees will Learn to

• take an audition document and find a sense of character and scene
• explore actions and emotional states
• play, go off-road, be daring

DB Cooper
DBCooperVO, LLC