Q & A With Eric P. Sherman, Adventures in Voice Acting

If you’ve ever wondered how to break into voice acting, or are simply curious how actors bring your favorite anime characters to life, you owe it to yourself to check out Adventures in Voice Acting, a documentary exploring the voice acting industry. We recently sat down with Bang Zoom! Entertainment President Eric P. Sherman to learn more about the film, part of which will be screened at New York Anime Fest 2007. Here’s what he had to say.

PopCultureShock:Tell us a little bit about Adventures in Voice Acting. What can the average anime fan expect to learn from watching this documentary, and how will that enhance their appreciation of their favorite series?

Eric P. Sherman: We tried to make this film so as to create the feel of having a back stage pass, or access to a movie set. We tried to make it a pretty intimate experience for the viewer. We’ve worked on a lot of anime series, and I think it was important for us to really know and understand these talented actors, so they would be willing to open up to us. I think this was very important during filming, and it allows the viewer to learn not only the techniques these actors use, but the motivation behind what they do, and how they have accomplished all they have.

One thing aspiring voice actors should know is that these actors make it look (or sound) really easy – but it isn’t! The fact that it appears so easy and natural should clue the audience in to just how talented these folks are. So when you watch ADVENTURES IN VOICE ACTING and then watch anime, in either English or Japanese, I think audiences will hopefully have a greater appreciation for the voices of the characters they hear and a respect for the craft. It will be a more visceral experience.

Industry veteran Michelle Ruff (Bleach, DearS, Girls Bravo, MAR) in the studio. Michelle is one of 75 actors to appear in the final cut of the film.

PCS: Who can fans expect to see in the documentary?

ES: In ADVENTURES IN VOICE ACTING, Volume 1, fans can expect to see some of the most acclaimed and notable voice actors working in anime today. They include Steve Blum (Spike in Cowboy Bebop), Crispin Freeman (Alucard in Hellsing), Vic Mignogna (Edward in FullMetal Alchemist), and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, a renowned voice actress who is also a prominent ADR director. There are other facets of voice acting covered in this volume, but anime is definitely a focal point. Volume 2, which is forthcoming, is going to focus on voice acting for games, and volume 3 will be more about original animation. There are over 75 personalities featured in the final cut of the film, and as well as casting directors and voice directors. There is no shortage of informative and candid interview footage from professional actors across the country.

There’s also an insightful segment on up-and-coming actors. Voice actors with little to no experience at all, just on the cusp of breaking into the business themselves. They talk openly about their personal journeys and I think this gives encouragement to those who are just thinking of getting into the business.

PCS: American fans frequently note differences in voice-acting styles between the Japanese original and the dubbed versions aired in the West. What do American actors have to say about these differences?

ES: Japanese voice actors have a way of using breathing techniques that are different from their Western counterparts. In my opinion, the Japanese actors are often more concerned about what’s between each line of dialogue than the actual dialogue itself. It’s a subtle thing, but to me it’s a big difference, and I think some of these nuances and techniques have slowly made their way into English language dubbing of anime. This is a natural progression, since our goal has been to remain as true as possible to the original Japanese dialogue that we’re adapting into English. Not in all cases, but definitely a majority of them.

PCS: Your website suggests that one of the target audiences for Adventures in Voice Acting is aspiring voice actors. What kind of background/training do they need to break into animation and video games?

ES: It says it in the film around 20 times at least: take acting classes! Get yourself some training as early on as you can. Get into classes and workshops–not only to learn the craft of acting, but also, to start networking. These two go hand-in-hand. It’s great to be passionate about anime but knowing acting as a discipline and also as a business will definitely be what sets the successful ones apart. This may sound trite, but it’s true. It’s not just what you know, but it’s also who you know.

PCS: What will you be screening at New York Anime Fest?

ES: Episode One which is the first 23 minutes of the film. It’s a world premiere sneak preview event. The reason for this is simple. We’re not done with the rest of the film yet. We’re close, but we’re looking at another month or so in the editing room and then looking at distribution options. The film is divided into several “episodes” and we’ll be showing episode one in its entirety. This takes the viewer from the very basic “What is a Voice Actor?” all the way up through “How did you break into the business?” These questions are really at the very core of the film, and they are answered here, but in several different ways in the film. And in later episodes, actors and casting professionals give their own very thoughtful, personal nuggets of advice on what you should do if YOU wanted to do this for a living.

PCS: What kind of extras will buyers find on the DVD?

ES: Voice actor bios and personal messages to their fans, vocal warm up exercises, and mini-studio tours (behind the scenes footage).

Selections from Adventures in Voice Acting will be shown on Saturday, December 8th at 12:00 PM in the Live Action Screening Room at the Jacob Javits Center. Eric Sherman will be on hand to answer questions after the screening.