Hello, Welcome to the world of Dueltaining. First off let me get off by stating that Dueltaining is no walk in the park and whether you know the game or not it is very important to try and keep the entertainment aspect, through tone, pace, and chemistry with your fellow talents. (Etiquette) Just remember to always show active listening, great communication, and try to step out of your comfort zone. Once you feel confident you can start working on accents and characters, and even make personas. 

 

To enhance the pace and tone of your story or scene it is very important to actively listen, and communicate with your partner. To actively listen it requires you to hear before speaking. A good tip would be waiting three seconds, and also paying attention to your partner's face to determine they are done speaking. Doing this will heavily boost your chemistry. Another great tip is communicating before a duel or scene, and making sure all parties involved know what will and is going to happen (even rehearse if needed).This will make it so everyone is on the same page, and provides a smoother scene. (in regards to dueling I'd recommend doing two duels if you have time, one for entertainment, and one for fun.) Try not to talk over each other. This is what is known as steamrolling. We all want our part to be heard, and so do our viewers, and when watching footage back you miss key details in the story. This is where practice and communication helps.
 

A great thing about the WDF Format is that it is very similar to a Tabletop RPG like D&D, or Warhammer. You make the story, so as long as you and your opponent agree on the rule set, or cards you'd like to use, it is completely up to you how to run it. Another great idea in regards to dueling is that you may only have 1 attack per turn directly, or your Boss monster has to deal the finishing blow; it helps things drag out longer for story aspects.. Communication is key once again, for instance if you know you're going to go up against a (level 100 Charizard with a level 1 Weedle) you know what to expect. This format is strictly so you and your opponent can make a story, it is not even about playing the game. It is about harnessing your inner entertainment, and providing your audience with something fun to watch.It is important to know your cards so id recommend when playing for entertainment if you don't know your deck (DO NOT PLAY IT LIVE). I’d recommend getting with the buddies and practicing, and rehearsing the deck first. If you play with an unfamiliar deck there tends to be a lot of dead spots, and it completely kills the LIVE. No one wants to sit there for 10 minutes while you read your cards. Viewers go down, and it also causes your partner to lose the entertainment, and completely kills the scene. 

 

LIVE and Dueltaining Etiquette is very important. In regard to going LIVE remember that your screen is others that you are LIVE with and vice versa. Please be aware of background noise. We understand not every noise can be suppressed however, it will improve the quality of the LIVE. Things like TV, music, people ect. Can be heard almost clearly, remember when going on video it will pick up all video, and mostly all the audio. It is wise to put your phone on “do not disturb,” for it could also generate noises. A great practice to show dueling etiquette towards your opponent is when starting the game, or looking through the deck it is respectful, and customary to properly shuffle, and cut the deck in half (and on camera obviously). 

 

One BIG piece of advice I will give any new comers, and those here still. Avoid talking about the “FIVE on LIVE” this could include (Politics, Religion, Gender, Sexual Themes, Personal Info) The best piece of advice to to keep this stuff out of your live streams and keep as neutral as possible. It is true we are entitled to our own free speech, but remember with the ability to have a platform to speak on use it wisely. What you say and do you will be held accountable for, so remember that you are an influence, and in regards to your fellow duelists and actors your actions could affect other duelists, or people you interact with so keep that in mind. 

 

You can provide a more enthusiastic LIVE even at an amateur level. Even if you can't do a cool voice or dress up you can still show you care. Standing up, and annunciating your words without mumbling helps. Having a well lit, and clean space will provide you with a positive acting space, Also being able to see if you fit in frame nicely helps brighten, and center your LIVE. Even if you can’t do a voice if you just talk normally, but with passion behind your voice you will provide a more engaging stream. You don’t need to dress up but I would recommend trying to try and find something at least nice to wear or be creative with your closet. (“All it takes is a suit and tie”). I really would recommend that people step out of their comfort zones. Work on different emotions, being happy, sad, angry, work on lines that could be related to your duelist. Say you were running Magicians you could make up battle attack lines like “DARK MAGICIAN BLACK MAGIC ATTACK!!!” or “RED EYES INFERNO FIRE BLAST!”oh wait that's what they are? Silly me. Just work and craft your character, and not every character needs to be on a god-like level to stand out. Hero or Villain, or Anti-Hero it’s your choice. For instance I’ll talk about my process. I personally work at a Haunted House. I didn't think I’d love the Skull Servants, but I had never played them before this. I took my knowledge of the Haunted House and fused it with a Zombie Deck. I didn’t think I’d be able to craft a more elaborate story. 

 

Theater Exercises, and stretches are really good things to do before going live try singing, or practicing Low, and high voices. You could also practice tongue twisters to practice clear speech patterns, and not mess up lines basically working out you tripping on your words. It is good to practice improv, and work on acting skills constantly in order to get better you must rehearse. There are theater games which could be played to boost the level of your  skill in regards to quickness, and wit. Projection

 

In conclusion, once you feel more confident in yourself, and your abilities things will flow so much smoother. Just remember communication is KEY, and be actively listening to your partner. Try to step out of your comfort zone, and remember that it is important to practice and rehearse. Keep your LIVES free of drama, and overall just remember that it is for entertainment, and to have fun.