Welcome to episode 144 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, 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.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

Welcome to the second part of my interview with the award-winning voice actress, Cissy Jones! She’s worked on such games as The Walking Dead, Life is Strange, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, and Firewatch where she won a BAFTA award for her performance as Delilah! Cissy also works extensively in commercials and trailers.

In the previous episode, we talked about how Cissy broke into voice acting. After hearing a radio interview with Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart from the Simpsons, Cissy started researching voice over training opportunities in her own area and jumped into the world of voice over with both feet! Her commitment, organization, and tenacity have served her well! After facing some tough challenges, she eventually established herself as a marketable and successful voice actress in Los Angeles.

In this, the second part of our interview, we discuss what inspired Cissy to become a voice actress in the first place! You’ll discover that while cartoons were the first thing that drew her to voice acting, what really sealed the deal for her was finding out just how many different kinds of jobs there were in all types of voice over! After that, we talk about what it was like for her to work on the game Firewatch and what she learned from her co-star, Madmen actor Rich Sommer. She even reveals a special goal she has, which is to break a big glass ceiling for women in the world of voice over! I think you’ll really enjoy Cissy’s insights!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #144 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 142 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, 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.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

Welcome to the third and final part of my interview with the amazing Fred Tatasciore! Fred is probably most famous for voice the character of the Incredible Hulk in numerous animated incarnations. Some of Fred’s other familiar characters include Zeratul in the StarCraft Franchise, Master Shifu in the animated TV series, Kung-Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, and one of my personal favorites: Soldier 76 in the game Overwatch.

In the previous episode, Fred and I talked about how important it is to have a deep psychological understanding of a character in order to portray them believably as a voice actor. When it comes to being able to play a wide range of characters, Fred finds that truly understanding each character’s psyche is more important than being able to radically change your voice. I definitely agree with him! As we continued our discussion, Fred shared his reasons for becoming a performer. Understanding what motivates an artist to pursue their craft can not only give you insight into their process, but can also help you find the inspiration you need to pursue your own artistic journey.

We begin this episode by talking about Italian Mask Theater and European red-nose clown theater. While these may seem like esoteric performance techniques, both mask work and clown work can lead you to a deeper understanding of different character archetypes as well as how to discover your own voice as a performer. Then Fred and I discuss the challenging world of voice matching celebrities in movies and animated series. We wrap up our talk with Fred’s advice to the aspiring voice actor and the importance he places on getting up in front of a live audience in order to hone your performance skills. It’s a deep and nuanced exploration of the craft of acting that I think you’ll really enjoy!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #142 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 141 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, 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.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

Welcome to the second part of my interview with the amazing Fred Tatasciore! Fred is probably most famous for voice the character of the Incredible Hulk in numerous animated incarnations. Some of Fred’s other familiar characters include Zeratul in the StarCraft Franchise, Master Shifu in the animated TV series, Kung-Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, and one of my personal favorites: Soldier 76 in the game Overwatch.

In the previous episode, Fred and I talked about how he broke into voice acting. I was blown away by both the breadth and depth of his knowledge and expertise! Not only was he developing and refining his performance skills from an early age, but he was also expanding his graphic design abilities and his understanding of animation. Fred has an incredibly well rounded educational background which been invaluable to him as both a voice actor and as a comedian!

In this episode, we discuss how Fred is able to play so many different types of characters. A hint: it has far more to do with understanding the psychological center of a character than it does with producing crazy vocal sounds! Fred and I also talk about what inspired him to become a performer in the first place. I always think it’s useful to explore not only how a successful voice actor applies their craft, but also why they were motivated to pursue acting as a career. When you discover what muse guides a performer you admire, it can help you find your own inspiration as well! So without further ado, here’s Fred!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #141 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 140 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, 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.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

Welcome to the first part of my interview with the incredible Fred Tatasciore! Fred’s body of work is enormous. At the time of this interview, he has almost 700 credits listed on his resume at the Internet Movie Database. The character he is probably most famous for playing is the Incredible Hulk whom he has voiced in numerous animated incarnations. Some of Fred’s other familiar characters include Saren Arterius in the Mass Effect series of games, Master Shifu in the animated TV series, Kung-Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Zeratul in the StarCraft Franchise, and one of my personal favorites: Soldier 76 in the game Overwatch.

Fred is well known for his creature voices, especially the large screaming ones! In addition, because of Fred’s vocal flexibility, he’s also a good utility player, meaning that he can play many different parts when a show or a game requires it. However, it was his standout solo performance as Soldier 76 in Overwatch that really got my attention. I was so impressed with the sensitivity and vulnerability he brought to that character, I just knew I had to bring him on the podcast.

In this first episode, we talk about how Fred broke into voice acting. He had a pretty unique journey! When he was young, he not only spent time recording himself doing funny voices, but he was also pursuing art and drawing as well! During his time in school, Fred was never quite sure whether he was going to pursue an animation career or a voice acting career! Having such a broad educational background enriched his understanding of playing characters immensely and I’m very excited to share his journey and his insights with you! Let’s get started!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #140 Here (MP3)

VAMFR 035 | Interview with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Part 3

Welcome to episode 35 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

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first two parts of Maureen’s interview with the phenomenal Mary Elizabeth McGlynn!

To recap, Mary Elizabeth is an industry veteran who has worked on both sides of the glass as both a voice actor and a voice director. Her acting credits include Major Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Governor Pryce in Star Wars Rebels, and Dr. Maheswaran in Steven Universe. She’s also an accomplished voice director having taken the helm on titles such as Tangled: The Series, Cowboy Bebop, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

In the previous episode, Maureen and Mary Elizabeth had a great conversation about dealing with self-doubt. They also spoke about the importance of using positive language with ourselves in order to combat our internal critic. Then they explored how Mary Elizabeth suffered a significant professional failure and was able to recover from it and get “back in the saddle” so to speak. This lead directly into a discussion of the value of failure and how Mary Elizabeth handled the challenges that came with being a first-time director on Cowboy Bebop.

In this, the final part of their interview, Mary Elizabeth and Maureen talk about how voice directing as a career path currently seems to be more accessible to women than on camera directing and our theories as to why that might be. They also discuss what excites Mary Elizabeth most about the industry right now. Then, Mary Elizabeth is generous enough to share a recent experience that pushed her way out of her comfort zone. They draw their time together to a close by focusing on the importance of storytelling in dark times, and before they say goodbye, Mary Elizabeth leaves us with her number one piece of advice for aspiring voice actors.

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 #35 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 139 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, 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.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

Welcome to the third part of my interview with the amazingly talented and astoundingly accomplished, Keythe Farley! He’s acted on stage, on screen and in front of the microphone. You may be familiar with his voice acting work as Thane Krios in the Mass Effect series of games, the villainous Kellog in Fallout 4 as well as Eruptor in the Skylanders series of games. He’s also voice directed the incredibly popular animated show the Rugrats for the animation studio Klasky/Csupo. He’s voice directed such high profile game franchises as God of War, Call of Duty: Black Ops III and Final Fantasy 15.

In the previous episode, we discussed how Keythe’s passion for storytelling motivated him to become involved in the performing arts. We also talked about his approach to the character of Thane Krios in the Mass Effect series of games.

In this episode I ask Keythe what advice he has for aspiring voice actors. He’s got some wonderful insight on the topic because of his extensive experience directing some of the best voice actors in the industry! We also talk about the unique challenges that new voice actors face when it comes to emoting, which is the ability to allow your emotions to express themselves freely through your body and voice. Too often, beginning voice actors attempt to demonstrate their emotions while acting, rather than sharing their feelings in a more authentic way. This can lead to performances that sound forced or self-conscious instead of being believable to an audience. To help address this, Keythe and I dig deep into some of the most challenging aspects of learning to act, and I’m excited to share the final part of our talk together!

To learn more about Keythe and his VO Lounge, visit his website at:
www.KeytheFarley.com

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #139 Here (MP3)