VAM 047 | Interview with Steve Blum, Part 2
Welcome to episode 47 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
This week, I continue my interview with my good friend and amazingly accomplished voice actor, Steve Blum. In part 2 of our conversation we discuss how Steve’s musical background helped him improve his acting skills. We then spend some time breaking down the acting process from a left brain/right brain perspective. Afterwards we talk about the importance of truly becoming a character and how it’s not something you can accomplish by just following a recipe. What I appreciate about Steve’s journey is that he has learned all of his lessons from personal experience working in the industry. This gives an authority to his insights that you cannot get from someone who may have studied a subject, but has never tried to do it themselves. I’m sure you’ll find it useful.
If you’d like to learn more about Steve, please visit his website: www.SteveBlumVoices.com
Thanks for listening!
Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #47 Here (MP3)
Constantly shifting gears between thinking and feeling. Practice beats study on this one, I think.
I do want to get into anime because I love it. I love acting, too. I loved it ever since I was a little kid.
Thank you for your time and wisdom. And thanks to Steve as well.
You’re very welcome! Practice always beats study.
I enjoyed listening to the interview. You and Steve are both excellent voice actors. I did get a meeting set up with the Performing/Visual Arts department at the university I am transferring to after this semester. Hopefully they offer some courses relevant to voice acting. Regardless if they do or not, I will have to sign up for one of your upcoming online classes.
Any acting class is relevant to voice acting. Voice acting takes solid acting skills. Chances are they have an improvisational acting class. That’s probably the most directly applicable to voice acting. Good luck and I look forward to working with you online!
Sound’s like a really interesting story and abit of a challenging experience. Is there any chance that i can come to LA and study Voice acting?
Glad you like the interview.
You are welcome to come to LA to study voice acting. I have people come from out of town all the time to study with me.
I was listening to the dealing with rejection podcast and it had some really great advice and was really helpful to listen to for me and i really appreciate it.
You’re very welcome. I’m glad you found it useful.
Hello Crispin,
I just wanted to thank you for offering your knowledge, experience and time to helping aspiring voice actors like myself. Your interview with Steve was particularly enlightening for me since it showed such a different dynamic from your own background in acting. Steve is one of the main reasons why I finally decided to pursue voice acting as a career and it was great to hear about his perspective and insight into voice acting. I also read the book he recommended reading on his website, “Voice Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mic”, by Yuri Lowenthall and Tara Platt. Not only was it fun to read, but it gave me an even better look into voice acting and I would recommend it as well to other aspiring voice actors.
Thanks for recommending Yuri and Tara’s book Voice Over Voice Actor. I agree, it’s a great primer for understanding the world of voice over. I need to build a list of book recommendations on the site soon.
Might I be so bold to suggest taking a look at The Art of Voice Acting by James R. Alburger. Very in-depth. I go so far as to say its like the college textbook of voice acting.
You may absolutely be so bold! I haven’t had a chance to tear through that book, but I know it is highly regarded.
Mentally switching from left to right hemispheres is exhausting work for an actor, especially if untrained. So delicate a process.
I’m really looking forward to next episode, the hardships are always informative.
Much love,
~ Kalyn
Switching brain hemispheres doesn’t have to be exhausting, but it does take practice and guidance to do effectively.
Glad you’re enjoying the interview!
Hi Crispin- I really love when you and Steve are talked about difference between the left and the right brain hemispheres. I’m not sure if you’re remembered at Minneapolis, MN from SGMS 2008, when I talked to you about the visual, auditory, and kinetic skills for the brain- I’m much more visual and also auditory skills because I love art, doing some brain training skills, hanging with good friends, and listening good music. But now, I love doing workout and yoga. I’m really right-handed. The problem is that my left brain is that I have a lazy eye and little bit trouble to understand and memorized the sentences and grammar when I spoke with other people- it’s really uncomfortable. I have a question if you have time- do you think both left and right brain is very important for acting and artists or is it okay if anyone who has mental disability and still have a talent? Thank you so much again and have a lovely day.
I’m not sure how having a mental disability relates to left and right brain functionality. I don’t know enough about neuroscience to be able to answer that kind of question.
However, I’m a firm believer that your beliefs determine your outcome. The person who believes he or she can do something is probably right, and so is the the person who believes he or she can’t.
Ok -I think this quite understandable . I’m really sorry that I ask wrong question, Crispin 🙁 I just thought I found something interesting about the brain hemisphere . Thank you for answers
You didn’t ask the wrong question. I just couldn’t figure out what question you were asking. I’m glad you found out something interesting about brain hemispheres.
Why thank you 🙂 I’m glad you like it
This is a great podcast interview Mr. Freeman and when I checked my yahoo messages. I read your Voice Acting Mastery News letter (I think that’s how you called it) and I saw the book recommendations you put. I thank you for your help and I wrote them down in my notes just in case I don’t forget them. Especially a voice acting guide book from Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Phlatt (I was like wow! I didn’t know they wrote a voice acting guide book). Just simply splendid I really thank you for your consideration Mr. Freeman.
You’re very welcome. Glad I could help.