VAMFR 016 | Interview with Mela Lee, Part 1
VAMFR 016 | Interview with Mela Lee, Part 1
Welcome to episode 16 of the Voice Acting Mastery: Field Report podcast!
You can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:
http://www.vamfieldreport.com/podcast
In this episode our newest correspondent, Maureen Price is thrilled to share her interview with the multi-talented voice actress, vocalist, and songwriter, Mela Lee.
Mela’s roles in anime include Rin Tohsaka in Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Yuki Cross in Vampire Knight, and Erika Karisawa in Durarara!! Mela also plays Tikki in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. She has provided background voices on shows like Gotham, True Detective, and The Good Wife. Mela is also the vocalist and songwriter for her band Magnolia Memoir.
Maureen is so grateful to Mela for taking the time to share her insights on her voice acting journey.
In this episode, Mela talks about her entry into the entertainment industry. She had many ups and downs along the way as as she did her best to balance her voice over pursuits with her career as a financial analyst. Maureen and Mela also discuss the importance of cultivating a community of support and the power of being your own advocate. Lastly, Mela shares the evolution of her work as a vocalist and songwriter and how all of her many passions found a way to coalesce into a career path she molded for herself. This first section of the interview is full of great insights!
The VAM Field Report will be released on the 1st Wednesday of every month so stay on the look out for it!
Download VAM Field Report Episode #16 Here (MP3)
Ahh! Mela Lee! She is a precious soul, a friend of mine had her record a small video for me when she was at a California con, I forget which one.
I know Mela from Miraculous Ladybug, and she does a fantastic job. Tikki is so warm and optimistic and cheerful just like her actress. Much love to her.
Great job on the ep, Mareen! Beautifully done. Can’t wait for more.
Thanks for listening, Kalyn!
Hi Crispin I wanted to ask a question that maybe you could address in a future podcast. I am 16 years old and from the Bay Area, I really want to pursue voice acting but there’s one thing that’s holding me back from fully committing to it and devoting my life to it. What if it doesn’t work out? At the moment I have my life planned, I will join the Navy as an officer and be an IT, after that I will look for jobs here in silicone valley as a programmer or IT in general. At least I thought I had my life planned. Now that I have found this wonderful world of voice acting and just pure awesome I really want to do it but what happens if nothing works out? what if you cant land a job? what if no matter how hard you try nothing goes right? what can be done as a backup plan? a safety net?
Hi there Carlos. I’m the comments moderator for the Voice Acting Mastery website, as Crispin has been incredibly busy with his schedule. He’s very sorry for the long delay in responding.
As a voice actor myself, I understand the fear you have in committing to a serious career in voice acting. As an actor, you must constantly audition and market yourself for work. Once you’ve booked a job, sometimes you might only record it in one session, or if you’re lucky, will be scheduled for multiple recurring sessions. It’s the complete opposite of a traditional, stable part-time or full-time job. It is, in fact, a lifestyle. If you’re persistent and prepared as a competitive actor, however, you will find ways to not only support your freelance lifestyle, but also enjoy the process.
As Crispin and many other veteran voice actors advise, it’s useful to have some type of day/night job that allows you to be available for auditions and voiceover jobs when they come up. That way, you can still have some form of income, while being flexible with your schedule to practice and book voice acting.
You may want to ask yourself if that kind of lifestyle is truly what you want. It is not by any means a stable or easy way of living when you start out, and it’s not for everyone. But if you’re determined, then you’ll pursue voice acting with whatever it takes. I hope that helps you on your journey!
This offered some great insight! Mela Lee is phenomenal and I’m always so comforted to hear that everyone has such different paths. Also, great job on your report Maureen, you asked great questions and it’s clear that you’re a vo professional. Such a great voice, effervescent and excellent interviewing skills. Looking forward to more of your work as a field reporter and vo artist! Nailed it!
Hi Taj,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such kind words! I really appreciate that. And, of course, thank you for listening! Stay tuned for part 2.