Voice Actor Interviews

• There are a few interviews with the talented voice actors of Digimon, please click on the link to read.
  
  Jeff Nimoy
  Steven Jay Blum
  Wendee Lee
  Derek Stephen Prince
  Melissa Fahn
  Colleen O'Shaughnessey
  Joshua Seth
  Mona Marshall
  Michelle Ruff
  Melodee M. Spevack
  Michael Reisz
  Dave Wittenberg
  Lex Lang
  Richard Epcar
  Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
  Neil Kaplan
  Dave Mallow
  
  Jeff Nimoy
  
  

  His name is synonymous with Digimon - every Digi-Fan knows it, and knows it well. But there are a lot of misconceptions about Jeff Nimoy, and he has recently reached out to get in touch with the fans to clear them up. He was kind enough to answer some of my questions
  

  Chris McFeely: You are known as both a writer and a voice actor - but which was your first love? Which do you prefer doing now?
  
  Jeff Nimoy: Actually I prefer to direct and produce.  I directed almost every episode of Digimon for the first two seasons, after taking over for Wendee Lee, and Michael Sorich, who both did excellent jobs.  I enjoy directing, because it's a very collaborative effort.  You deal with every aspect of the show, and you can really shape it in a creative way, whereas with writing you usually do it alone or with a partner, and in acting, you only deal with the director.  But I prefer acting to writing.
  
  CMcF: When did you decide you wanted to build careers for yourself in these areas?
  
  JN: I needed a job!  I started out strictly as an actor, but eventually a producer asked me to write something I was performing in.  He then asked me to produce something, and eventually direct something.  It just sort of snowballed from there, and I'm glad, because as I mentioned earlier, I enjoy being a producer and director much more than I ever enjoyed acting by itself.
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the Digimon series (in both acting and writing capacity)?
  
  JN: Originally I was asked to just do a voice on the show.  I had done a lot of voice work for Saban, so they knew me.  I think I was considered to play the part of Matt, but Joshua Seth had too many roles, so they gave me Tentomon instead (which Josh originated).  I also played a lot of smaller roles in the beginning, like Izzy's Dad.  Anyway, the producer of the show then was a good friend of mine, Rita Acosta Majkut.  She needed writers, and she produced a show I was the writer and executive producer on in the past for Fox Kids, so she asked me to write a Digimon script (#14).  I had actually already talked to the then network executive on the show Terri O'Malley (who was also on my production team for that same show Bob and I did, called "Chimp Lips Theater") about writing on Digimon, but I turned it down.  Then one day, Wendee Lee went on her honeymoon, and Michael Sorich had another commitment, so Rita asked me if I would direct for a week.  During that week, Rita got promoted to Development, and Terri took over as producer.  Because Terri and I had worked together before, and she knew me as an executive producer, producer, director, actor, and writer, she felt more comfortable with me running the show, because I had the experience Wendee and Michael didn't.  It was nothing against them, they did a terrific job.  It was just that Terri wanted someone who could do more, and she knew I could handle the work load, along with my business partner, Bob Buchholz.  The writing started around episode 14, and the directing started somewhere around episode 30.
  
  CMcF: As one of the major writers in both series (particularly the second), it's safe to assume you are familiar with many, if not all, of the characters, therefore I can be a bit more detailed with my questions than I have been with others I have spoken to - first of all, is there any one episode that you are personally fond of, above all others?
  
  JN: Both mine, and Bob's favorite episode is the one from season #2 with the Roachmon brothers, which we voiced as well.  Also, because Mimi made a return in it, and we liked the first season characters better.
  
  CMcF: What of the characters? Is there a character that you consider your favorite (not limited to those you have played)? Are there any characters at the other end of the spectrum, who you disliked writing?
  
  JN: I liked Joe the best (I think Bob did too).  He was just so fun to write for because his personality was so defined.  I didn't dislike writing any character (and I know a lot of your readers expected me to say Davis, but I loved Davis, and I loved Veemon even more), but I didn't like it when a character only grunted or growled for two years and all of a sudden he had to speak a monologue.  We'd have no idea what his character was, and we'd have to invent something.  My favorite villains to write for were Puppetmon, and Etemon. I liked directing those characters as well (played brilliantly by the often used David Lodge and Richard Epcar).
  
  CMcF: As a voice actor, who would you consider your favorite character to voice?
  
  JN: I hated Cherrymon! We went through three actors and the network didn't like any, so I wound up playing him, with a sort of Marlon Brando lisp. It was too hard to talk, and he had tons of dialogue!  Some of my favorites were Ken's teacher, but it never got on the air.  They replaced me with Robert M. Klein.  They thought I was too funny (whatever).  Also, I loved Floyd the barber, in the movie (a tribute to the Andy Griffith show).  But of course, my favorite will always be Tentomon, the one that started it all for me (which Robert Klein also replaced after I left the show around episode 99).
  
  CMcF: Here's one that I'm curious about - what is the story behind your partnership with Bob Buchholz? When your name appears - as a writer, a voice director, a story editor - it is always alongside Mr. Buchholz's. How did this partnership come about?
  
  JN: Bob and I were in a comedy group together called the LA Connection. He was a writer on the cult show "Mad Movies," which was a show that took old movies, and replaced the dialogue with a new comedy soundtrack.  They also dubbed old movie clips on the Alan Thicke show, "Thick of the Night."  Anyway, when I joined the group, Bob was head writer (even though someone else took credit for it).  Bob and I really clicked as a writing team, so when I got my first producing job, I asked Bob to join me as a full partner in my new production company.
  
  CMcF: How did it come about that you and Mr. Buchholz evolved from writers and voice actors to the story editors and voice directors?
  
  JN: As I said, Terri asked us to play a bigger part in the show when she became producer.
  
  CMcF: I'll fully understand if you do not wish to answer this question - but what was the reason behind your departure from "Digimon" towards the second season finale? Can we assume from this that you will not be appearing in any capacity in the third series?
  
  JN: That's a good assumption.  I just didn't agree with all the policies and decisions on the show at that point, so it was best that we parted company when we did.
  
  CMcF: Do you believe that you have been cast in other roles (I believe you've worked on "Gundam 08th MS Team" of late?) as a result of notoriety obtained from working on other popular shows like "Digimon" (or vice versa), or was each assignment independently secured?
  
  JN: Each show was separate.  I have gotten writing, producing, and directing jobs as a result of my reputation on Digimon, but all the roles I played were residuals of my acting career (the people that were casting just knew me).  I turned down a lot of dubbing work as an actor, because producing et al takes up so much time.  But I show up every now and then, like Wolfwood in Trigun (which I almost had to pull out of because the Digimon movie schedule was so grueling).
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors seldom watch the shows they work on - does this hold true for you? I'd imagine that you don't really have to watch the shows, having written them, and having directed the voice actors.
  
  JN: Sometimes I watched Digimon to see what the final mix sounded like, but I stopped because it was too frustrating.  I was always thinking, "I wish I could re-record that line," or "I wish the music was different there," so I stopped.  But I remember almost every line ever recorded.
  
  CMcF: It's a fair thing to say that voice actors receive little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are your views on this? Do you like the anonymity?
  
  JN: Dubbing is so much harder than acting in original animation.  I can't believe that these actors are so grossly underpaid for what they do.  In original animation, a famous actor speaks into a microphone, and says the line as fast or as slow as they like, with all the freedom that their acting skills allow.
  In a dubbed series, an underpaid, unknown actor, has to say exactly what is written, as fast or as slow as the character on screen is speaking, PLUS, they have to match the emotional power under extremely constrained circumstances.  They should be the voice-over stars of Hollywood, not the folks on the Simpsons.  Not many actors can do it well enough (and fast enough, which is always a budgetary concern) and that's why you see the same actors working the dubbed series over and over again.
  
  CMcF: Writers of cartoons also tend to receive considerably less appreciation than other writers - what do you think of this?
  
  JN: It's a living.  It doesn't bother me.  I think it is harder to write a movie than it is a cartoon, so it should get more consideration.
  
  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other cast members of the shows you work on?
  
  JN: I am friends with almost all of them.
  
  CMcF: What would you say to those who aspire to be voice actors? Or those who seek to break into the writing industry? There are a lot of Digimon fans out there like that, judging from the huge amount of Digimon fan fiction that exists.
  
  JN: It's a tough business, and in order to succeed, you have to know someone in the business (this goes for all aspects of showbiz).  So if you don't know anyone who can get your foot in the door, MEET THEM!
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  JN: I'm a huge baseball fan, and I love film as well.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations?
  
  JN: I'm like a sponge.  I'm a historian of the entertainment industry and I've learned something from everyone.
  
  CMcF: ARE you actually related to Leonard Nimoy?
  
  JN: Yes, we're third cousins.
  
  CMcF: What can we expect to see/hear from you next?
  
  JN: Bob Buchholz and I just finished work on another dubbed series called, "Mummy Nanny," a comedy animated kid's series, however, I don't know when or where it is scheduled to air on American television.
  
  CMcF: Well, I'm out of questions. Thank you very much for all your time and patience, and for answering in such detail!

  
  

  Since giving this interview, Jeff has shut down the e-mail address he was using to communicate with the fans. To the fans, he says:

  Dear Digimon Fans,
  
  Thanks for all your wonderful questions.  I'm glad I was able to give you a behind the scenes look into the making of the first two seasons of Digimon. Unfortunately, I don't have any more time to answer your questions, so I have to shut down the address I created for you. I apologize to those of you who didn't get your questions in by now, but I hope you understand.
  
  It was great hearing from you all. Remember, NO MORE RUMORS! Good luck to you all.
  
  All my best, Jeff Nimoy
  
  Steven Jay Blum
  
  With a huge number of characters voiced across seasons two and three of Digimon, fan-favourite Steven Jay Blum quickly became one of "the" names to associate with Tamers early on, providing the voices of three major players in the series, and writing numerous episodes. Blum - whose voice can also be heard in the roles of DarkScream and W.A.R.S. on "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" and Tom the Robot on "Toonami" - took the time recently to answer the many questions I had.
  
  Chris McFeely: On Digimon, you're known as both an actor and a writer. Which do you consider to be your favourite to do, and why?
  
  Steven Jay Blum: Definitely acting. I get to express every possible emotion and body sound through a cartoon face - and get paid for it! How can life get better than that?
  The process itself of ADR writing can get very tedious. Shows like Digimon allow for a good amount of creativity, but are also very involved. We're never quite sure what's going to happen in future episodes, so we have to take great care not to write ourselves into corners. We continuously have to be aware of the evolution of the characters and how the other writers in the team have executed that in their scripts. Fortunately our producer and director are very knowledgeable and available to us when we get stuck!
  
  CMcF: When did you decide you wanted to build a career for yourself in acting?
  
  SJB: Officially, about 4 years ago. I've been doing voice work for over 12 years now, but it took a long time to build the confidence to try it full time.
  
  CMcF: When did you get your "big break" into the industry? What were you doing beforehand?
  
  SJB: I guess I'm still waiting for it. It was a gradual process. I started in Anime - just got lucky. One day a friend asked me to see if I could loop in some silly voices on a new show from Japan - and I never stopped working since! I've held all kinds of crazy jobs, but the last one was as the head of marketing for a Sci-Fi film company. I was actually at that company for 14 years in several departments!
  
  CMcF: With season three, you've been elevated from a voice actor to one of the dominant writers of the season. How did this come about?
  
  SJB: The two are very different animals. One really didn't have much to do with the other except for the fact that acting helps me to understand some of the subtleties of language and the importance of avoiding diphthongs. I have a pretty good sense of what syncs and what doesn't - that helped too. I had to submit scripts from other shows just like everybody else.
  
  CMcF: Is there any connection between your position as a writer, and the fact that you voice three important characters in the series (Guilmon, Yamaki and Kenta), or were those jobs assigned separately?
  
  SJB: Very separately. I auditioned for the parts in exactly the same way as all the other actors. Kenta just sort of happened when he showed up in the story. It was an on-the-fly kind of read that I did during a Yamaki session. Yamaki was the only one I was originally cast for. Guilmon came later too. He was a tough one to cast. We actually had to backtrack episodes to record him.
  
  CMcF: Out of the many, MANY voices you've provided on the series (you're right up there with Derek Stephen Prince for sheer number of characters voiced), who would you consider your favourite?
  
  SJB: I love them all and I'm very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work out every muscle in my throat between them, but I'd have to say Guilmon. His sense of vulnerability, loyalty, trust and general joy of life are qualities I respect and try to emulate in my own life.
  
  
  CMcF: In season two, most of your voices had a similar tone (Poromon being the exception), but in season three, you've totally moved beyond what you did in season two, with a remarkably different range of characters. But if there was one other character in the show who you would like to be able to voice, who would it be?
  
  SJB: Season two would have been Veemon. Loved that little guy. In season three, hard to say... I was very happy with the voices I landed. I got all the ones I wanted. Maybe Beelzemon/Impmon. Nobody could have done it better than Steve Prince, tho.
  
  CMcF: As a writer, is there one episode, or maybe one character, above any others, that you particularly enjoyed writing for? Anything you didn't?
  
  SJB: Kazu, Rika, Terriermon and Impmon. They all had such high snot factors. I used to giggle to myself in the middle of the night writing for them. Seth Walther killed me with some of his dialogue for those guys. I had a hard time with Renamon sometimes. I really had to hold back. She was just so cool. I guess that means I'm not.
  Calumon took me a little while to catch on to, but after a while, writing for him became like playing with a puppy. Just a bouncing little ball of innocence and unencumbered joy.
  
  CMcF: The writing of season three is, on the whole, somewhat darker than that of past seasons. Do you think that it is perhaps going over the target audience's heads a little bit? Does having a childish character like Guilmon help keep it more on their level?
  
  SJB: Yup. Sometimes it even goes over my head! I've learned a lot from the show. We did our best to preserve the integrity of the real life situations - even if they were sometimes harsh. Characters like Guilmon certainly helped me to digest a cartoon that incorporated and even embraced the dysfunction that we all experience.
  
  
  CMcF: Can you comment at all on the possibility of a new Digimon movie? We know that some existing movies have been translated into English by Saban, before the ABC Family takeover. Has said takeover affected the possibility of a new movie in any way, good or bad?
  
  SJB: It's definitely a possibility. Sorry. Does that help?
  
  CMcF: Ever had your face or voice recognised by anyone when out and about?
  
  SJB: Not the face. I like being anonymous. Occasionally, someone will recognise my voice. Nobody's made a huge deal about it.
  
  CMcF: Would you say you have obtained work on other projects (in any capacity), as a result notoriety derived from previous high-profile work, or would you consider each project to be independent?
  
  SJB: A lot of my work happens by referral within the industry, but I still audition like most voice folks. The awareness factor definitely gets me into auditions, tho. My agent has been very helpful too. I really should test the market with a little self-promotion. Thanks for reminding me!
  
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows, what are you opinions of them?
  
  SJB: It's hard to catch everything that airs. I record when I can. Many things show up on video, but in most cases, we don't get copies of them. I buy or rent some of my stuff once in a while just to check in. There are always shows that I'm proud of and just as many that I watch and go "ulgghhh." I don't have a lot of time to watch anyway. It can get embarrassing when confronted by fans that know 100 times more about my character than I do. I usually don't see the script until seconds before recording and rarely get to play off of other's performances, so I have to rely on the director a lot for context. Unless I see the show when it comes out (or I'm writing for it), I have no idea what happened except for my scenes.
  
  CMcF: It's fair to say that voice actors are offered little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this?
  
  SJB: I love what I do. How many people can say that about their jobs?
  The fans responses are plenty for me. As long as they enjoy it and my peers respect me, that's all I can ask. I love the anonymity factor. That's the main reason I don't do on-camera. My private life needs to stay private. I never have to worry about not looking right when I'm in public. I'm a shorts and t-shirt kinda guy.
  
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have you for those out there who aspire to be voice actors? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  SJB: Whew, that's a toughy. It ain't easy, my friends. Above everything, listen. Listen to voices that you think are within your range naturally. Start there and record yourself. Any recorder will do. Listen to yourself and get used to how you sound on tape. You may be surprised at what you hear. Write down dialogue that you enjoy - from cartoons, commercials, movies - and give it your own spin - on tape. Pass it around to friends and family - especially kids, and get their input. Read for schools - in character voices for practice. When you get a tape together that you think is good, (no more than about 2 and a half minutes - with short bits of each character) have an agent listen to it and critique you. Take classes. Contact working voice actors and get their input on what you do. If you do get auditions and gigs - BE RESPONSIBLE! Show up on time and with a good attitude. Most importantly, have fun!!!
  When I got into the industry, I was told not to expect to make a living at this. But I do. It's possible.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?
  
  
  SJB: I find inspiration in many places. Anyone that does what they do well - from musicians, to doctors, to car wash attendants - if a person cares about what they do and they do it to the best of their ability - I admire that. It's a formula that will always work. I'm inspired by the simplicity and complexity of nature. By the blunt honesty and caring of my girlfriend. By the love of my family and friends. By the greats in the industry. By the performances of my peers.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry who you would like to work with in the future?
  
  SJB: I just worked with one of my heroes - Frank Welker. He's one of the "it" guys for me. Wow, there's so many that I've met, but not yet worked with…Charlie Adler, Maurice LeMarche, Bob Bergen (we've worked opposite one another on shows, but never in the same room), Rob Paulsen, Joe Alasky, Hank Azaria, plus Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Mike Judge, Tress MacNielle, Billy West…
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  SJB: Sleep. I love music. I play some guitar and am learning hand percussion (I'm becoming a drum circle junkie). Art, animals, anything outdoors, love to cook and eat.
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  SJB: Just did a couple of episodes of "Scooby Doo." I'm in the new Disney flick "Lilo and Stitch" coming out in June, still playing "Tom" for Toonami on Cartoon network and have a bunch of pilots and films that I can't yet talk about. Did a couple of Havoline radio spots with Mario Andretti and a Bud commercial recently - those should be playing by now too! Just about to start on Digimon season 4. See if you guys can figure out my characters on that one!
  
  CMcF: Any final words you'd like to impart to the fans?
  
  SJB: All I can say is thank you. Thanks for your loyalty, thanks for getting the jokes, thanks for supporting my habit!!!
  
  Wendee Lee
  

  What *hasn't* the ubiquitous Wendee Lee done? As a voice director, an actress, a writer/adaptor, and more, her work stretches across "Dirty Pair," "Magic Knight Rayearth," the classic anime "Akira," and "Cowboy BeBop," in her well-known role of Faye Valentine - but to we Digimon fans, she's best known as the voice of 01 T.K. (and many others), as well as one of the voice directors behind the first season of the show. She took some time recently to answer the many questions I had.

  Chris McFeely: For Digimon, you're known as a voice actress, a voice director, and on other projects, in addition to these, a writer/adaptor... but which of all these things would you consider to be your favourite?
  
  Wendee Lee: Well as I always say, I am an actress first - I started out as an actress as a child and have been an actress ever since. But don't get me wrong - I LOVE directing too!
  
  CMcF: When did you decide you wanted to build a career for yourself in this industry?
  
  WL: I always knew somehow there was a place for me in animation. The mystery was simply how to get started. Once a momentum began building I knew it was something I would continue to do forever.
  
  CMcF: When did you get your "big break" into the industry? What were you doing beforehand?
  
  WL: Good question - I would say my actual 'big break' was getting my first film role and my Screen Actors Guild card, which is very tricky in itself. That made me feel like I had legitimately become an official 'working actress' and very proud. Up until then I had been a full time performer in a Theatre Dance company.
  
  CMcF: How did you branch out from the area you started in, to the other areas in which you now work?
  
  WL: It was a very natural progression for me. I was still dancing, and teaching dance to supplement my acting career and began moving into choreographing stage and video productions which eventually led to directing theatre for many years. I've always had strong leadership skills and knew I would make a good director. After successfully directing theatre for so long I knew I could also direct in my field of animation if given the chance. The truth is there are many things I do in my field and always have had a hand in several different creative endeavors at once.
  My formula for success was to diversify as much as possible.
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the "Digimon" series? When you were approached for the series, was it to work in an acting or directing capacity? Whichever it was, how did you come to work in the other capacity on the show?
  
  WL: I actually began as the shows primary director. I directed all of the original casting sessions and was also asked to audition for the series. After 'passing the audition,' as it were, I won the role of TK.
  
  CMcF: Of the numerous characters you've voiced on the show, which would you say was your favourite to do?
  
  WL: Tk - He's my all time favorite boy voice (of the ones that I do).
  
  CMcF: If there could have been one other character on the show that you would have liked to voice, who would it have been?
  
  WL: Mimi -  She was such the perfect type of character for me. I just loved all of her self-absorbed characteristics and knew I could do a great job with her mannerisms and ultra feminine style.
  
  CMcF: Have you done any recording for the third, current series of the show?
  
  WL: Yes - Don't ask me which episodes, but I'm doing several small 'cameos' so to speak. I guess some of them develop into bigger roles at some point.
  
  CMcF: Have you ever had your voice (or your face) recognised by any one when out and about?
  
  WL: Ooo! No one's asked me that before. Not outside of personal appearances or conventions for this stuff - I have
  been recognized for other acting work though.
  
  CMcF: Would you say you have obtained work on other projects (in any capacity), as a result notoriety derived from previous high-profile work, or would you consider each project to be independent?
  
  WL: Up until not too long ago I would have said each project is rather apart and independent of another - However, I just did a pilot for the Cartoon Network which was written especially for me based on my performance as Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop. Quite an honor!
  
  But in thinking your question I should also say that most of the directing and writing work I do is based on the quality of previous shows I've done.
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you?
  
  WL: I'm ashamed to say yes... Truth is most companies don't provide us with copies of our work and often we are quite busy moving onto the next one once they've completed.
  
  In my case as a director, I usually attend the mixes of the shows I'm doing so I get to see everything start to finish.
  
  CMcF: It's fair to say that voice actors are offered little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity?
  
  WL: I love the anonymity - (My husband loves it even more!) Actually, I'm a rather private person outside of the work arena. But I also love having contact with the fans.
  
  I do wish there was a bit more recognition for voice actors. It seems the only time the media gets excited & interested in what we do is when a star name is attached to a project. And unfortunately in most cases they are NOT voice artists. There's much more to voice acting then simply speaking into a microphone...
  
  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other actors in the shows you work on?
  
  Yes, actually. Many of us have been working together for several years and I have grown close to many of them.
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have you for those out there who aspire to be voice actors? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  WL: You can't simply 'become' a voice actor - It is a division of overall acting. If you aren't a serious actor, voice acting is out of the question. In many cases we are working much harder to creative vivid, emotional, complex, interesting  and intriguing characters with fewer tools, or rather with our hands tied behind our backs, so to speak. It's like running a marathon race by only 'visualizing' the track. Sometimes it's much easier to get up there on stage or on camera and have your whole person to physicalize the part. Just conveying these things with ones voice can be far more challenging - But hey, many of us are in it for the challenge!
  
  Having said that, if you are still crazy enough to want a life of insecurity and rejection = acting, then the first thing you need to do is to figure out a way to 'afford' it. Acting costs money; there are classes to pay for, wardrobe, photos, workshops, tapes/cd's... It's VERY expensive.
  
  So you must find a line of work that you enjoy and can tolerate to; 1) fall back on, and 2) support yourself as an actor.
  Once you're on your way you must build your resume by doing plays, commercials anything you can get to build up your credits. Then it's time to study voice acting (expensive! $$) and have a voice tape or CD made (even MORE expensive!! $$$$).
  
  Next you need an agent. Not an easy feat either! Then once you've got all of the above you have to BE where the work is - Hollywood, New York or elsewhere. The work is NOT gonna come to you. And living in a big city costs plenty!! So say good-bye to everything in your world that you know and love cuz acting is gonna break you down and break your heart long before it'll make you rich & famous.
  
  Sound tough? It is! And that's the god honest truth. But I wouldn't dissuade anyone from pursuing their dream - I sacrificed for mine and it worked out somehow.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?
  
  WL: Great question - My life is so beautiful now. I'm in a great place and feel loved and appreciated - And first and foremost I must say my inspiration comes from my beloved husband Robert. We have a beautiful life together and he supports what I do completely. Without him the rewards would mean far less to me.
  
  I find great inspiration in so may things; spirit, nature, goodness, justice, a creative environment, positive feedback, compassion, children, travel, love and life to name few. My role models are obscure; poets, dancers, musicians, philosophers, great artists. People who do good work and take pride in what they do. People looking to make a difference in the world rather than exploit their 15 minutes of fame. 
  
  I guess it's not a black & white answer for me.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry who you would like to work with in the future?
  
  WL: I would love to work with some great animators & produce an original project or two. I have a few ideas up my sleeve but not sure where to begin...
  
  Of course I would also love to work with any of the great artists of our time; Sir Anthony Hopkins, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Ulman to name a few - Hey! A girl can dream a little, can't she?!
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  WL: Well, I really don't have a tremendous amount of spare time, but there is balance. 
  
  I like to cook, I'm a vegetarian and big animal advocate, love films, love our organic garden, been spending loads of time remodeling and improving our home which has been fun and creatively rewarding, write; poetry, lyrics, music & script ideas, TRAVEL my absolute favorite thing to do, visit with friends.  I used to do a lot of sewing and bead work, but both require a fair amount of time. I write music with my husband which is a blast. Love CD shopping & treat myself to shopping for fashion whenever I can - Still love glamour!
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  I'm still working on Love Hina, of course Digimon, Kenshin, Vandread, Vampire Princess Miyu, Mini Goddesses, Gatekeepers, Mysterious Play  and a few new ones; Samurai Girl (Real Bout High School), Kurogane Communication, GTO, Brigadoon, Kikaider, Ran, and a brand new one I'm starting next week for Bang Zoom! called X. Also Mon Colle Knights is still airing on Fox, (USA) in which I play 3 roles; Batch (the bad guy) Ms. Loon, the wacky teacher and little Love star. At least that show is free!
  
  Also I just started this really cool interactive game called ".Hack". It's gonna take like a year to record all of it.  And for the little kids I've got an ongoing educational web game called "Alfy" at www.Alfy.com - I do like 5 different roles on that one.
  
  CMcF: Any final words you'd like to impart to the fans?
  
  WL: Thanks for your support! Check out my website, which is still under construction, but will be finalized soon (I hope...) and stay in touch! The website will have an ongoing list of current projects, appearances, samples and whatnot.
  
  CMcF: Well, that's everything! Thanks for your time!
  
  WL: You're welcome!
  
  Derek Stephen Prince
  
  Interview#1
  Interview questions by Susanna

  QUESTION 1: How do become different characters, eg when you have to voice someone who?s either angry, very evil, upset, etc, (mostly scenes that are hard to do) what?s your way of doing that? Do you really have to act, even though only your voice is recorded?

  ANSWER: As for whether I have to really act, I'd be in trouble if I didn't. When you're in front of the camera, you can use facial expressions and body movements to help the audience know how you feel. When you're doing voice overs, the ONLY thing you have is your voice. If you can't convince the audience of the joy, turmoil, confusion, love, pain, anger, etc and whether those emotions run deep or if they're just temporary, if while you're doing it you're outside and it's cold, or whether you just got finished running and are catching your breath, then you shouldn't be doing voice overs. You have to convey all of that and more if you're going to be believable. Add to that when you do animae, you're not creating a voice from scratch and have to match the mouth flaps that have already been drawn, and you have to have one very technically expert voice over actor. Sometimes when you're meant to do this, (dare I even suggest born to do it), a sixth sense occurs where you know the character so well, that you don't even preview what the character says, just let the tape roll, and are able to nail it so that what you recorded matches exactly what the mouth flaps are. That's one reason why a lot of directors like using me: I can't always nail it without watching, but a lot of the time I'll just do it the first take, with all the emotions and humanity that a character needs to make him/it believable.
  
  One psycho thing about the way I work is that I try to think like the character. If I try and get into his skin, these emotions I normally wouldn't think of by rationalizing it as an actor, come to the forefront.

  QUESTION 2: Is it true that you go into this room with a huge mic and everyone watches through the windows?
  
  ANSWER: Yes, it's true that people watch you through a window. 9 times out of 10, only the director and engineer will be on the other side. Occasionally, the producer or some guest visitors will be there as well.
  
  The microphone really isn't that big.  
  

  QUESTION: It must be so awesome for your boys to be watching digimon, and seeing YOU on it!!

  ANSWER: Yeah, it’s fun. Tyler, my 5 year old, turns to me and says “The emporer is NOT a nice man, daddy”.

  QUESTION: There’s a question i’ve always wanted to ask, but keep forgetting, if you remember that digimon interview thing you did a while back, you said the most memorable moment is that scene when the emperoer lost his armor and has a break down, that must have been really hard cos it takes REALLY GREAT acting, how did you do it?

  ANSWER: If I remember correctly, I just capitalized on the angst I had from when my grandma had died. It was a couple years prior to that, but I think that, combined with me really getting into the role, it’s almost like I had Ken inside me. Like I WAS him. I know that sounds kinda scary-like Stanislavski-but it worked.

  Interview#2
  With one of *the* largest number of characters voiced across all three seasons of "Digimon," Derek Stephen Prince is fast becoming a big name with the fans. Quite likely the most popular voice actor on the show at the moment, he took some time out of his busy schedule to answer the multitude of questions I had.
  

  Chris McFeely: When did you decide you wanted to build a career for yourself as an actor?
  
  Derek Stephen Prince: That's a loaded question, but I'll try to be brief. I actually started when I was 10. I appeared as an extra on a short lived show called "240 Robert" with Mark Harmon. I did a lot of stage work through elementary and high school. It was after high school that I felt I wanted to be an actor and went to college for Musical Theater at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh (where people like Ming Na, John Wells, Steven Bochco, Blair Underwood, Jack Klugman and Ted Danson graduated - just to name a few). I went to New York for 2 years and did summer stock and tours, and wound up back in California where I grew up and landed my first big TV gig as a co-star on the first season of "E.R." where I played a rookie fireman. I also appeared on a couple episodes of "Saved By The Bell".
  
  CMcF: How did you break into the voice-acting industry? What were you doing before you got your break?
  
  DSP: After ER and Saved By The Bell, things were slow. I took a voice over class at the SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) Conservatory, where many actors can take free classes to sharpen their skills. I never really got into voice-overs. I had an introduction to it in college, but nothing major. The person teaching was Bob Bergen (voice of Porky Pig and Tweety Bird). He gave us two pieces of material to read. After class, as we all were leaving, he stopped me and asked if I had a demo tape. I had no idea that you needed a demo for voice-overs, and I only had my on-camera demo. He said that I showed a lot of talent and I should take professional classes. His was the first I took. At that time, he was doing a show for Saban called "Eagle Riders". I got to sit in and see first hand what Anime was all about. That prompted me to take a couple more classes and make my first demo (I'm currently on my third). Then I contacted casting at Saban and said that if they were ever looking for new talent, that I'd be happy to send them my demo. The Casting Director asked what I was doing the following day, and asked if I'd like to go to an audition. I said of course, tried out, and wound up being cast as a regular on "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers," my first professional voice-over gig.
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the Digimon series? You play a huge number of characters, but were there any others that you auditioned for?
  
  DSP: After being on MMPR, that set me up for other shows that Saban produced and auditioned for. Some I got, some I didn't. For Digimon 01, I actually wasn't brought in for the auditions. I was asked by the casting director, Paul DiFranco, whom I had never worked for before, if I was interested in doing a guest character (DemiDevimon). I was actually referred to him by someone else at Saban. I said yes. He then learned that I could do a Peter Lorre imitation, and got the role of Digitamamon. It wasn't until halfway through that season that I actually auditioned and got the role of Piedmon.
  
  CMcF: Speaking of roles... who would you say has been your favourite character to voice? There have certainly been a lot of them, so I don't know if you'd be able to pick just one...
  
  DSP: I've done a lot, but I would have to say that so far, the most fun and the most rewarding role has been The Digimon Emperor/Ken Ichijouji: The Emperor because he encapsulated evil, and Ken because of the arc he made as the Emperor to becoming a DigiDestined.
  
  CMcF: At the other end of the spectrum, were there any characters you found to be a strain to voice?
  
  DSP: I found it challenging to voice Paildramon and Imperialdramon, because when you record you do it by yourself (for Anime). Often, Paul St. Peter did his part first so I had to listen really good to match all his inflections in the way he said his lines.
  
  CMcF: If there was one other character on the show that you'd like to be able to voice, who would it be?
  
  DSP: If you're referring to the second season, then I'd have to say Mummymon.
  
  CMcF: You're currently voicing Impmon on the third season of the show. A question that is on a lot of fans' lips at the moment is - will you be voicing Impmon's Digivolved form, Beelzebumon? Maybe you should shed some light on his American name?
  
  DSP: First off, the American name is Beelzamon. Yes, I am voicing him. I actually just did his first line which is at the end of Episode 131. At that time, noone knew what he was supposed to act like, or what his personality was, so we just took a shot at it and did 3 or 4 interpretations. 133, the next episode he's in, where there is more detail to the character was in the process of beign written so we had nothing to go on. When I initially did Impmon (whom you may harken to sound a lot like DemiDevimon) I auditioned for it. They wanted someone who sounded like Joe Pesci. Well, anyone who's anyone knows that if you want Pesci you go to me. When we were voicing the Digimon CDrom game, we had to come up with something for Beelzamon, because he is featured in it, so the director and I thought it would be funny/cool to do a bad-ass New York type. So if it doesn't work out for the series, then you'll at least get to hear Beelzamon as if he was a hardcore Sylvester Stallone. :) This interpretation didn't look like it would work when we got to see a picture of him for the first time.
  
  CMcF: As one of the "bigger" names in Digimon, with THE largest number of characters voiced under your belt, do you find your voice is ever recognised when you're out? I'd imagine that any younger relatives you may have reacted well to finding out they're related to the voice of Veemon!
  
  DSP: I have not yet been recognized as any of the characters I've portrayed. If someone was a huge fan that I bumped into, perhaps they'd be able to tell I was Ken, because he is the closest to my actual voice. To actually hear what my "real" voice sounds like, you can go to www.voicebank.net, click on House Reels, then my agent - Tisherman - then Promos, then Men, then me. I'm listed as Steve Prince.
  
  
  CMcF: Do you think you were cast in other Saban projects as a result of your popular work on "Digimon" (or vice versa), or was each assignment independently secured?
  
  DSP: I owe everything I was considered for at Saban a direct result of my involvement with Power Rangers. If I hadn't done a series regular on that show, it's likely that I probably wouldn't be involved with Anime as much as I am.
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows, whatare your opinions of them?
  
  DSP: I often try to watch the shows if able. If I really like an episode, like "Piedmon's Last Stand" from season one, I request a tape for my files. I feel that some of the shows I work on, particularly the current season of Digimon, are way too dark for kids to watch and have a hard time understanding why they get approved. But hey, that's why they have test groups and network people to handle that. I just do my job, and enjoy it. :) Sometimes, I feel that the post production music overshadows the dialogue. That seems to be a running area that I'm nit-picky about. Perhaps, when Disney takes over in 2002, that'll change.
  
  CMcF: It's fair to say that voice actors receive little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity?
  
  DSP: I come from an on-camera background, so I wish that I was recognized more, but I like the rewards of being acknowledged by the peers I work with, because that's pretty much the only people that would recognize me anyway.  The one variation from that, was when I was asked by a benifit organization to donate an autographed picture for a charity event, because they liked my work as Ken/Digimon Emperor, which is how I AKA'd it.
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have for those out there who aspire to be voice actors? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  DSP: Don't. Seriously. If there's anything else you aspire to do, or like to do, do it. This business is very hard to get in to, harder to get a job at. But if you must, then be sure that those who are in the business and have the experience to give you sound advice, let you know that you can compete against the thousand of others out there who are making a career for themselves. It always seems like there's never enough work for those who want to get started, but if you have the talent, drive and determination then you'll make it. Just look at me.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in the industry, in life, in anything?
  
  DSP: I owe a lot to Bob Bergen for lighting the spark in me to pursue this industry. I owe a lot to Karen Carter, a casting director for Saban, who loved actors enough to take a chance on me in bringing me in for MMPR without even hearing a demo, and let me try out for a series regular, which I booked. I owe a lot to Scott Page Pagter and David Walsh, who as the Director and Engineer for MMPR, developed my talent from not knowing squat about dubbing, tbecoming one of the better actors out there who can really do it. Finally, I owe a lot to the various other directors out there who constantly think of me and reccommend me for projects. They keep me working! (In particular, Wendee Lee, Michael Sorich and Richard Epcar.)
  
  As for aspirations, I hope to work as much as Jess Harnell, Frank Welker, and Jim Cummings.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry that you would like/hope to work with in the future?
  
  DSP: The above mentioned, as well as any celebrity actors that do voices for cartoons (movies mainly)
  
  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other voice actors on the shows you work on?
  
  DSP: The above mentioned directors, as well as Brianne Siddall, Richard Cansino and Steve Blum
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  DSP: I like computer games. I am currently studying to be an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Expert) to configure networks in business offices. Once I get my degree, I will have more stability in my chosen field as regular work. Let's face it, no-one who is doing anime is making a fortune at it, and all shows must come to an end sometime.
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  DSP: I'm currently working on "Mon Colle Knights" as one of the leads, Mondo. Also working on a yet to be released CGI project from Japan called Zentirx. Can't say a lot about this project, because it's under wraps, but it looks like it will be interesting. Especially since we are providing the voices before it's animated with computer graphics! Not your usual anime, nor the fact that it's CGI.
  
  CMcF: Any final words you'd like to impart to your fans?
  
  DSP: Thank you all for thinking so highly of me. It feels good to be recognized. The voice over industry is a family, so if anyone out there is SERIOUSLY thinking of getting into the business, I would be happy to speak with them via email to give them whatever advice, support or encouragement they'd need to help them make it.
  
  DSP: And thank you Chris, for your time and dedication you have put into this website. Thank you also for quickly acknowledging and addressing my concerns. Much appreciated. It has been a pleasure being interviewed by you, and I wish you much luck in all your endeavours!

  Since giving this interview, Mr. Prince has shut down the e-mail address he was using to communicate with me.
  

  Melissa Fahn
  

  Interview with Melissa Fahn by Chris Moeser

  Her voice just seems to sprinkle sugar, spice, and of course everything nice, but this Wicked cast member has more to her then a sweet voice, she has dreams. Melissa Fahn is far from her home of Santa Monica, but has made the journey for a very good reason. Fahn is making her Broadway debut and a dream come true in Wicked. Not new to the stage or even television, Fahn provides voices for such cartoons as Digimon, Cowboy Bebop, and Invader Zim. With her young playful voice and child like smile she fits very well into Oz. Through out animation land Fahn has become a very hot item, but now it is Broadway's turn to meet this rising star.

  Coming from a family of entertainers, she seems to be at home in the spotlight. With a love for performing, she has accumulated a rather large list of stage credits from around the country. From Maria in West Side Story in Denver to Maryanne in Gilligan's Island, The Musical in California, Fahn has taken up residence on stage and it looks like nothing is going to move her. Private training and constantly being on the job has provided her with the environment to cultivate her talent. "[I'm] not trained in the classical sense," she said. "I went to one year as a dance major at Cal State Long Beach, but I started working and doing musical theater when I was really young like 12 or 13. My parents were very supportive. I was always in dance classes and would have a private singing coach. I was fortunate in that way, but sometimes I miss that university environment and sometimes I wish I had gone."

  With the dreams of the stage and screen bebopping through Fahn's head, the choice to take the next step had to be made. Moving out, finding a job, and auditioning were next on her agenda. She was looking for stardom, but had no clue something would find her. "I had moved out of my parents' house when I was younger and got a job as a receptionist in a postproduction commercial house," she said. "So I was working one day and a voice over casting director who worked in the next building over came by to drop off some demos of voice actors for a TV spot. I accept them from her and she said, 'you have a really interesting voice. Have you ever done voice over?' I said, 'No, not yet'. She said, 'I want you to make a tape, anything, you can read from a magazine. Just make a tape and bring it over to my office...' A few days went by and I hadn't done the tape and she called and said, 'we just so happen to be auditioning for the new voice of Betty Boop and I want you to come in.' I went in and met them. Then they called me back. I sang "I Wanna Be Loved By You," read some dialogue for them, and I got it. It was a complete fluke. It was a wonderful, wonderful break for me."

  Providing a voice for a character has endless possibilities, but can also be a channel to bring new things to the surface. In supplying the voices for her list of characters, Fahn believes it pulled more of herself out, bringing to life things she had always wanted to be, do, or say. She believes hearing her own voice come out of Rika of Digimon or Gaz of Invader Zim seemed to create some changes. Changes that brought about a realization of what and who she is and mostly what she is capable of. Maybe in her case, life imitates art. "It is thrilling and also really gratifying to know I can let myself go, to be free and create apart of me. I think all of my characters have a little bit of me in them. It is a wonderful feeling." As she finished she let out a laugh. This child like laugh seemed to bounce around the Starbucks like if it was playing at a playground. Fahn has this energy about her that seems to fill the room, and you cannot help but have it rub off on you. Always smiling and laughing, she is the type of person you cannot help but smile back at. A smile will arise across your face. You have no control over it.

  Fahn provides the voice for some head strong and off the wall little girls. For example, Edward on Cowboy Bebop is a young brainy vocal girl hacker that hangs around with bounty hunters, but one character stands out for Fahn, one with which she seems to really have a connection with. "I think one of my favorite characters is Rika on Digimon," she comments. "That character came along at a time in my life that I was doing a lot of growing and discovering about myself personally. Rika is kind of traumatized and heartbroken. I was able to put a lot myself into her. I channeled my heartache and growing pains that I might have been feeling at that time into her. I liked Rika because she was really gutsy and a brave little girl. I was able to become a little braver and stand up for myself a little more. At the same time I was doing Gaz on Invader Zim. Gaz is an angry sort of dark character that takes no shit from her older brother or Zim, but I like Rika a lot. I am proud of her."

  From its beginnings of a two-and-a-half hour first act when initially preformed in workshop, Wicked needed some time and changes before making the jump to Broadway. Changes seem to come in the form of rewrites and cast changes. No one is safe when you are trying to make a hit musical, not even the leads. "I saw three or four Nessaroses, two Elphabas, two Glindas, three Wizards and three or four Madame Morribles and each time you have to believe that they are not lacking talent, they just have a different vision of the way a character goes and you just have to say ok. There were three solid cast changes and I didn't understand at first but when I saw them I understood completely."

  After a lot of hard work and sweat, the show received the call and she and the show were going to Broadway - The Great White Way was now just a few steps away. "Throughout rehearsals we all had a feeling it was going to go. When we got word, it became almost otherworldly. O my god, this is really going to Broadway. It was pretty amazing. It was something I had always wanted. When I heard we're going and you're going, it really solidified something in me. That Broadway is possible even from the west coast. Maybe I'm extremely lucky and everything lined up right for me, but it was really really exciting. It was a dream come true for not only me but for my family as well."

  Broadway is a long way from California. So far that everyone could not tag along. The people that supported her and cheered her on had to stay behind when she embarked on her dream of Broadway. She was met with the challenges of cast changes, leaving behind her family, and putting a hold on her career in voice acting to move closer to Broadway, but she kept all of them with her, in her heart. "It was very difficult. I just got married a year and a half ago. I have had to be separated from my husband for extended periods of time. I also left behind my brothers and their little babies; I'm an auntie now. I miss them so much. Also career wise, you have to say I am going to go do this venture, I'm going to be back. Please don't forget me." Halloween marked opening night for the show, but mostly a dream come true. "I think I cried at the curtain call," Fahn said. "My parents and my husband flew in for opening night. We were all a mess, we were all crying. So much of this is a dream of my parents and my brothers because of what we all do. I'll never forget opening night."

  This dream come true became a target for the city's critics. They began digging their pens into the show. Mixed reviews began surfacing in papers throughout the city, but this did not worry the cast and particularly Fahn. "The critics have problems with certain aspects of the book and music, but we already felt how the audience responded to it. We had already gone through San Francisco and there we had standing ovations every night and were always sold out, it kinda charged us and told us not to worry about the reviews."

  Even though many pay to be entertained by the cast of wicked: the musical, one could never have guessed the actors get a kick out of watching the audience. "A couple of weeks ago, there were some girls in the front row saying every line and singing every word. I don't think they know that we can see them; it sends the giggles through the cast. As soon as one gets it, it tends to spread."

  New and exciting projects are out on the horizon for Fahn, but she takes it one step at a time, living by the motto, "Really really believe in yourself and give yourself a solid foundation. If you have a solid planting, I think anything is possible." So clear the way, Melissa Fahn is here to play.
  
  Colleen O'Shaughnessey
  
  This interview is, for me, a particularly exciting one, as it is one that I have sought to conduct from the very beginning of this website.  Michigan native and comedienne Colleen O'Shaughnessey stood out in her role as Sora on Digimon, but seemed to drop off the anime radar a little afterwards - though you might have picked out her voice in a certain little movie called Spirited Away. Well, now she's back on the small screen in Nickelodeon's Danny Phantom, with new anime projects including Zatch Bell. In an interview that's unique for me in that it began with a phone call, she took some time to talk with a happy fanboy.
  
  Chris McFeely: When did you decide that a career in performing was for you?
  
  Colleen O'Shaughnessey: I had never heard the term voice-over until I was in my senior year in college.  (I went to the University of Michigan and studied Psychology and Musical Theatre.  I had planned on using the two degrees to segue into music therapy, but the performing sort of took over.)  I was leaving a dance class and discussing an exam with a classmate and was apparently doing some kind of a voice, because our instructor ran over and asked if that had been me talking.  I was embarrassed and apologized, explaining that the voices just come out, I don't even realize I'm doing it.  Always, growing up, I would give voices to babies or animals...she interrupted me and said, "No, you need to do voice-overs".
  
  I had always loved animation.  I grew up watching "The Wonderful World of Disney" every Sunday night and "The Muppet Show", cartoons on Saturday morning, but it never occurred to me that that was somebody's job.  So, I began my quest to become a voice-over artist.  My ultimate goal was to do a Disney animated feature.  I wanted to be the next "Little Mermaid".  I was pretty fed up with musical theatre by then, so I had no desire to go to New York.  LA was the place for animation, so off I went.  I had a friend that owned a tape duplication business and started working for him.  Anyone that came in with a demo I plied with questions about v/o - agents, casting directors, demos, etc.  One of my boss' friends made demos, so he gave me a deal, I took a couple of classes, shopped my tape around and got an agent.
  
  CMcF: What was your first step into the professional world? Was there a “big break” or was it a gradual process?
  
  CO: My first professional acting step was in the Peanut Butter  Players, a children's luncheon theatre group.  Theatre for kids, by kids.  I started it at 12 and continued through high school.  We did  productions like "Snoopy", "Cinderella", "Pinnocchio"... we served the kids lunch and then did the show.
  
  [After I moved to LA], I won't bore you with the whole path, but it took me about 4 years to book my first job. It was a reporter Barbie book and I played Skipper.  Shortly after that came the "Kids From Room 402", followed by "Digimon".  Still haven't done my Disney feature.  Well, I was in "Spirited Away", but additional voices is not quite mermaid material.  The quest continues.
  
  CMcF: Tell us about your work with the Social Extortion improv group. Has comedy always been in your veins?
  
  CO: People have always told me I'm funny.  I come from a long line of users of sarcasm.  My mom says I perfected it, though.  When I first moved to LA, I joined an acting class.  I wanted to do everything - on camera, commercials, v/o, of course.  My instructor JD Lewis was always challenging us to face our fears and made us each do the thing that scared us the most.  For me, it was stand up.  So, I took a stab at it.  It went surprisingly well.  I could always see myself doing sitcoms, I didn't want to join anything as intense as the Groundlings, (I don't know if you're familiar with the Groundlings.  It's basically a comedy school.  It's very structured - start at beginning level, no matter your experience, move your way up.  Lots of popular funny people have come out of the Groundlings - Lisa Kudrow, Will Farrell.) so I joined an improv group called The Empty Stage.
  
  I started performing after a couple of weeks.  It was a lot of fun.  One of the guys I performed with, David Koff, was starting his own group called Social Extortion and he invited me to join.  He wanted to do improvisational plays, at first with some social commentary, getting ideas from the audience that had to do with things happening in the world.  I did it for a while, then took some time off to have my first baby, Connor, who was born on St. Patrick's Day, which I know is not as big a deal in Ireland as it is here.  (I actually performed hugely pregnant a couple of times.  Added to the funny.)  When I returned, David had changed his idea to doing an improvised sitcom.  I thought that was an amazing idea.  We developed characters and the audience would provide the topic for each weeks' "episode".  Parts of it worked, parts of it didn't.  The group ended up dissolving, I got pregnant again... (Miss Maggie, who will be one tomorrow, March 3rd)
  
  I'd like to get back to it some day.  I think it helped me a lot with voice overs.  Improv frees you up, gets you out of your head, so you don't think, you just do.  It's great for commercial copy, where you're given a little more license to ad lib.  I tend to be an over-thinker, which doesn't work for me as an actor.  I'm at a point, now where I just do it.  I read the copy through once or twice, just to figure out what's happening in the scene, then put it down until I have to read it on mic.
  
  CMcF: To turn briefly to Digimon… how did you come to be involved with the show? Simply a case of auditioning and getting it?
  
  CO: Pretty much.  I auditioned for several different roles and ended up getting Sora.  It was a different animal for me.  I had never done dubbing before.  I had done some looping with a walla group, but never had to be precise with dialog.  I had to learn along the way.  Fortunately, I was a quick study.  To me, dubbing is far more difficult than an original show.  You have to get the line within a certain amount of time and in a certain amount of flaps, while maintaining the intention or emotion of the scene.
  
  CMcF: What were your impressions of Sora? Did you try to bring anything of yourself to the role, or did you take anything away from it?
  
  CO: I liked her spunkiness and her humor.  I think I always bring a little of myself to every role I play.  For Sora, I think I brought my sarcasm and a little bit of smart-alec.  Whenever people have asked me to do her voice, I always feel a little funny, because she's very much my natural speaking voice, just pitched a little higher.
  
  CMcF: Although her role in the second season was considerably reduced, Sora still turned up, a little older. Did you employ any vocal tricks to make her sound older? Did you feel that personality changed as time went on - would you agree she seemed to lean towards being more "girlish"?
  
  CO: No tricks, really.  I may have pitched her down a smidge, but for me, it's more in the attitude of the character.  She was a little more grown up, more experienced, so I played on those things.  She wasn't exactly bossy, but she did show the new kids the ropes, a bit.  I think the girlishness came from the age.  She was growing up, in her pre/early teens.  It's almost like she was just trying the girly thing out to see how it felt.
  
  CMcF: After Sora and Tai's interaction in the first season and especially the movie, was it a surprise to you that in the second season, Sora wound up dating Matt?
  
  CO: I agree that there was a romantic interest in Tai and I was surprised that she wound up dating Matt.  Maybe she was trying to make Tai jealous.  I guess you'd have to consult the writers on that one.  It's a pretty typical scenario, though.  So many shows make you wait for the romantic payoff you're hoping for.  Sexual tension makes things interesting.
  
  CMcF: Now, turning back to a wider look at your career - what are you favourite kinds of roles to play? Any that you dread?
  
  CO: My favorite kinds of roles are the silly, quirky, off the wall ones with lots of personality.  I don’t think there are any characters that I dread, I pretty much love to do anything in front of the mic.  I guess the only thing I dislike is when a director either doesn’t know what they want or doesn’t know how to tell me what they want, which doesn’t happen very often, but when it does can be very distressing.
  
  CMcF: Across the face of your career, is there any one role, or several roles, that you could pick out as your favourite(s)?
  
  CO: My absolute favorite role was Polly from The Kids from Room 402.  She made me laugh and other people, too.  She was smart and silly and oblivious.  I’ve had a chance to sort of steal from her twice with new characters I’ve created.  I did a pilot for Cartoon Network that will hopefully get picked up where I did a Polly-ish boy with no lisp and I’m working on a show for PBS called the Zula Patrol in which one of my characters has a Polly flavor.  I really like playing Jazz on Danny Phantom, too, mostly for her attitude and sarcasm.
  
  CMcF: As I understand it, a lot of voice actors don't always see the finished versions of shows they work on. How do you react to see the finished product, not just involving voice-acting, but in anything you do?
  
  CO: I’m more used to it now, but it was very strange for me in the beginning.  I think Digimon was the first one to air and it was especially weird to hear my voice coming out of a cartoon.  I know a lot of actors that can’t watch there own stuff.  You’re always your own worst critic.  I have a harder time watching on camera things that I do than v/o.  I guess because there’s so much more to critique – hair, make-up, clothes, Do I look fat?  Do I look stupid?  I actually like watching the animation that I do, though.  Lots of times I’m surprised at how it sounds.  It always sounds different in your head.
  
  CMcF: It would be fair to say that voice actors recieve comparatively little appreciation for what they do, beyond niche followings in certain fan communities. We've talked a little about the technical differences in dubbing, but what about personal - what are you opinions on the anonymity generally inherent to the profession?
  
  CO: I think it’s great.  You get to be creative, silly, have an outlet for your craft and (if you’re lucky) make a decent living (some get to make huge livings) and also be able to leave your house without being hounded and scrutinized.  When I get to the point in my career where hounding would even be an issue, I’ll probably appreciate it even more.
  
  CMcF: Have there been any incidents behind the mic or on stage that you'd rather forget? I imagine (and correct me if I'm wrong!) that improv could lead to a few of those...
  
  CO: Yeah, I can think of few times doing improv that I just wanted the stage to open up and swallow me.  You get stuck and nothing comes out.  Nothing worse than complete silence on stage or a bit that just doesn’t work when it’s supposed to be funny.  I can only think of one time behind the mic that makes me cringe and it’s more that I’d like to go back and fix it rather than forget it.  On Juniper Lee (new Cartoon Network show) they cast me as the Puss Goblin for one episode.  I was really excited, because I don’t get to play goofy characters on that show.  I had an idea in my head and it’s not what they wanted and we worked on it throughout the session, I took all of their notes, but I just never felt like I got anywhere close to getting it right.  I wouldn’t be surprised it they re-cast it at a later date. 
  
  CMcF: Have you ever found your face or voice recognised when out and about?
  
  CO: No.  I did have a kid follow me around a birthday party when he found out I played Jazz, though.
  
  CMcF: This is the old itch of a question that you just can't permanently scratch - what advice do you have for those who aspire to a career in the voice acting industry?
  
  CO: Find your niche.  Know your strengths, weaknesses and instrument.  Steal from everyone and then make it your own.  Develop characters not funny voices.  Know that what works for someone very successful may not work for you.  Ask questions.  Absorb the answers.  Be persistent without being a pain in the ass.  Take classes.  Take risks.  Grow a thick skin.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations in your work...
  
  CO: Mel Blanc, Jim Henson, Frank Oz.  I grew up on Disney, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and Saturday morning cartoons.  I found out that was someone’s job and said sign me up!  On a daily basis I get inspiration from the people I work with.  They are some of the most talented individuals in the industry and I often find myself in awe of their range and consistency.
  
  CMcF: ...in your life, or in anything that you do?
  
  CO: My mom – she was an amazing mom (still is) and is an exceptional woman.  If I can do half as well with my kids, they’ll turn out alright.
  My kids – they are the two most fantastic humans I have ever had the privilege to meet.  They inspire me daily to be a good person and to be better at everything I do.
  
  CMcF: What are your children's reactions to your shows? Do they have trouble believing that it's their mom's voice coming out of the characters?
  
  CO: My son watches Danny Phantom every once in a while.  It’s regular time is too late for him, but it airs in the afternoons sometimes.  He loves it.  He knows it’s mommy’s show, but I don’t think he quite gets that it’s my voice.
  
  CMcF: It strikes me that children have never really come up in any of my past interviews, but as I think about it now, it must be an incredibly rewarding feeling, having your toughest, most discerning audience waiting for you when you get home and knowing that they love it.
  
  CO: Very true.  I actually can’t wait for Zula Patrol to air, because it’s the perfect age range for Connor.  And he’ll learn science stuff, too.
  
  CMcF: Are there any names in the industry that you aspire to work with? What's a dream project for you?
  
  CO: I have been extremely fortunate to work with most of the top v/o artists in LA, as well as some celebrities.  I feel very honored and lucky to be included in their circles.  My dream project is a full length feature where I voice the lead as well as sing.
  
  CMcF: What are you currently working on?
  
  CO: I am currently working on Danny Phantom.  I play the part of Jazz (right).  It's airing on Nickelodeon.  I have two new shows on Cartoon Network - The Life & Times of Juniper Lee, the role of Jodi, set to air here in June and Zatch Bell, an anime show Jeff Nimoy is directing. I play the part of Suzy. [I'm also playing] Zeeter and Wizzy on Zula Patrol [on] PBS in the fall, [and] a couple of guest roles on Bdaman. I don’t know which network [it's airing on].
  
  CMcF: What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  CO: Hopefully, some pilots I’ve done will get picked up and I’ll book some of the call-backs I’ve had recently.
  
  CMcF: What's your spare time filled with?
  
  CO: What’s that?  Hee hee.  Kids, play dates, the dog, laundry... fun stuff.
  
  CMcF: Any hobbies or interests?
  
  CO: My new favorite thing to do is pilates.  If I had more time and money I’d do it every day.  I love to read and do cross word puzzles.  I love to read to my kids and laugh with my kids.  I love going to the movies with my husband and nights out with the girls.
  
  CMcF: And what of the future? What does Colleen O'Shaughnessey want to do that she has yet to?
  
  As I said before, I want to do a full length animated feature.  It is my absolute, ultimate goal, career-wise.  I would also like to be the lead in a series.  I’ve been one of the leads, in lots of ensemble-type shows, but I want my character to be the pivotal, this show is about this character character.  That might sound a little ego-centric, but you asked, so there it is.
  
  CMcF: How about outside your career?
  
  CO: One of [my dreams] was to swim with dolphins and I just got to do that on my trip to Mexico.  It was pretty amazing.  I want to go on safari in Africa, take a whale-watching cruise in Alaska, go white water rafting in Colorado, ride in a gondola in Venice, see Rome and Florence, pretty much all of Italy.  Don’t hate me, but I want to go to the Highlands in Scotland.  (I’ve seen most of Ireland and absolutely love it.  That’s why it’s not on the list.  I’ll definitely be back some day.)  I’d like to learn another language.
  
  CMcF: And lastly, any final words for the fans out there?
  
  CO: Thanks for watching and thanks for being fans.  I am always surprised and touched to receive fan mail. Someone took time out of their day to write to me and let me know they enjoy what I do.  That is ever amazing to me.  It validates my work and I am very humbled by and grateful for that.
  
  Joshua Seth
  
  How did you get the part of Tai and Motimon?
  Well, I auditioned, of course, but I also had the advantage of having voiced the role of Hutch for the animated series Honeybee Hutch which was produced by the same people who do Digimon. I auditioned for several roles, but the producers seemed to think that my natural personality lent itself to the role of Tai the best ;-)
  
  Is it fun doing voice work for the coolest show on TV?
  Oh yeah! It's great work if you can get it, beats working for a living.
  
  How do you relate to your charecters?
  I'm probably a lot like Tai. I'm very aggressive, maybe too much so at times, but that's who I am.
  
  What's your favorite line and episode?
  I like the episode where Tai goes home for the first time and the episode where Kari gets sick because those were the parts where I got to do the most "acting".
  
  Do you wish they kept the same charecters in season 2?
  Well yeah, sniff-sniff. But it's not like Tai's gone or anything. He's just graduated to being more of a voice-of-wisdom.
  
  What's it like working with Micheal Reisz, Wendee Lee, and the other voice actors?
  There all great people, but we don't really work with each other. The show is voiced one actor at a time, in a little sound-proof recording booth, with guidance from the people in the master control room.
  
  Your favorite charecter?
  Tai, of course! And Pumpkinmon, 'cause he got a raw deal! Also, it's fun to voice Motimon and Pabumon even though they don't appear very often.
  
  What was your favorite cartoon show growing up?
  Hmmm.....I didn't really watch TV as a kid. I read a lot. I still create most of my voices by reading fiction out loud.
  
  Do you own any of the Tai action figuers?
  They have those!
  
  Are you excited about the movie coming out soon?
  Very! We're recording it right now. In fact, I'm off to do a session just as soon as I send this email. Later!
  
  Joshua Seth's Aka Tai's 10 Steps to Voice Over Success
  
  "How do I break into voice overs?"
  I get asked this question a lot. Whatever the answer is, it isn't merely to "have an interesting sounding voice." It takes a bit more than that. And with that in mind, the good folks at Animation World Network have asked me to elaborate. So here goes, in no particular order:
  
  Be an interesting person
  You can only create a character up to the limits of your knowledge and imagination, and probably not even that far. So how anybody who's not an interesting person to begin with could expect to breathe life and color into a character that heretofore only exists in black and white is beyond me. Be an interesting person, full of life and curiosity and questions, and you will be able to find all those qualities in the roles you hope to portray.
  
  Train your voice
  Imagine a pianist banging on the same half octave, wearing down the same four keys, all day long and you'll begin to understand how most people treat their voices. The human voice is a beautiful and dynamic instrument. You must treat yours well if you want it to perform. Recording sessions typically last several hours and there can be several sessions in a day, so clarity and stamina are essential. There are many ways to train one's voice: breathing exercises, singing lessons and Alexander Technique are good places to start. I include the Alexander Technique because the voice is an inseparable part of the whole body and so anything that furthers one's own understanding of how to move and breathe correctly is beneficial for the voice.
  
  Read out loud
  I know of no better way to put into practice all the above-mentioned training than to read out-loud. I read fiction, drama, screenplays, magazine ads, just about everything out loud for at least an hour a day. It's important to assume the roles you're reading, not merely to recite them. If you actually dramatize what you're reading, you will begin to accrue a well rounded cast of characters rather than the usual repertoire of imitations and impersonations. Even now, I find that the characters I portray in this way often find their way into auditions and roles of all kinds. There are certain archetypal characteristics that recur over and over, regardless of the type of story that's being told. Even a commercial tells a story. So read out-loud and get comfortable with being a storyteller.
  
  Voice acting is acting
  In fact, I think of voice overs as one of the purest forms of acting possible, because you're focusing all of that creativity through only one mode of expression. You can, and will, be anything. It allows for a range of interpretation that's creatively liberating and endlessly stimulating. Think of it as acting, pure and true, and you'll free yourself to perform with everything you have inside: just don't get so carried away that you forget about the mic.
  
  Know the marketplace
  Watch cartoons and listen to commercials. Seems simple, but the people you'll be auditioning for have worked on these projects and they can contain clues as to what they'll be looking for in the future. Get to know the names in the credits and the styles associated with those teams of people.
  
  Be able to direct yourself
  An actual direction I've received: "There was a bit too much blue in that take. Let's do it again and better, OK?" You can't always rely on your director to have a clear idea of what he wants you to do, and even if he does, you can't always rely on him to effectively communicate that idea to you. Better to have developed a critical ear and a certain objectivity toward your own work. After all, you're hired to get the job done; and when it comes right down to it, it's your performance that will be judged not how you arrived at it. There are some great directors out there, and this is in no way meant to disparage the value of their work, merely to inspire you to develop the capacity to compliment their insights with your own.
  
  Be a student of life, not a student of classes
  "Show business is the business of show," said the wise old teacher to the wide-eyed student as he took his money and prattled on into the night. There's no end to the classes you can take as an actor: voice, dance, speech, movement, improvisation and on and on and on. There's certainly a value to proper training, but you must have a clear idea of what your goals are and take it as your own responsibility (not the teacher's) to achieve them or it will all become nothing more than an endless stream of high priced information. You learn from everything in life, but to be a student of life, you must apply those lessons to a larger goal.
  
  Set goals
  It's often said that life is about the journey and not the destination. Bullshit! If you don't ever bother to determine where you're headed you'll only wind up going in circles. Take a little time each day to think about where you're going. Where do you want to be in 5 days, 5 months, 5 years, 50 years? Write these destinations down and revise them from time to time. It'll save you from having to go through a midlife crisis in order to figure them out.
  
  Think of yourself as a business
  You are a piece of meat. Or a can of dolphin-safe tuna, if you will. You are a product and you don't want to spend your shelf life unconsumed. Every product needs good packaging, placement and marketing. Every product must fulfill a need. Who needs you? Why? How will you call attention to yourself and keep it there? At a certain point in your career, these become questions for your agent, manager and publicist. In order to get to that point, you need to answer them yourself.
  
  Know thyself
  It all comes down to this: all you can give to anyone else you must first be able to give to yourself. Be good to yourself. Have respect for yourself and you'll have respect for your profession. Take an interest in yourself and you'll find an endless fascination in others. Everything is a reflection of you: your mindset, your outlook, your desires, your fears. Believe it when someone says that this business is hard to break into and it will be. But know in your heart of hearts that voice acting is in your future, and act accordingly, and the future may be closer than you think.
  
  Joshua Seth is a voice over actor with the Arlene Thornton Agency in Los Angeles. He trained at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he holds a BFA with honors in Film as well as Philosophy. He can be heard as "Tai," the starring role in 20th Century Fox's animated feature film Digimon the Movie. Arlene Thornton & Associates: 818-760-6688.
  
  Mona Marshall
  

  If you haven't heard Mona Marshall's voice in your lifetime, then a) you must have been living in a cave, and b) you've been missing out. With many starring roles stretching back many years, some of Mona Marshall's credits include "Magic Knight Rayearth," "Eagle Riders" and "Trigun" - but that's only a small sampling. From doing various roles in classic cartoons such as "Transformers" and "Rainbow Brite" in the 80's, Marshall has continiously moved upward - recent work includes "Rurouni Kenshin," the ever-popular "Love Hina," and guest voices for "Rugrats," "The Mummy" and "Jackie Chan Adventures." One can also hear her in the roles of Sheila Broflovski and others on the infamous "South Park." And of course, to Digimon fans across America, the UK, and where ever the heck else they show the American version of the show, she's known as the voice of Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi, and also Terriermon and his evolutions in season three of the show. But acting as whole is just one of her many skills. She took some time in the middle of her busy schedule to discuss her work with me.

  
  

  Chris McFeely: I'm having trouble deciding where to begin... so I guess I'll start where I always do. Tell us a little about yourself. When did you decide you wanted to become an actress?
  
  Mona Marshall: I've wanted to perform as long as I can remember. My mother used to tell me I sang before I talked. Apparently, I would stand up in the back of our car leaning against the front seat (before the days of protective child seats) humming and making up songs. I was a lonely kid and I used to come home from school go downstairs to the basement, put on recordings and sing and act out the lyrics. Later on I began to realize that as a performer I could reach out and touch an audience, especially when I began to perform my own songs.
  
  CMcF: We more... er... "mature" Digimon fans can remember you from our childhoods, with your work on such shows as "Rainbow Brite" and "Transformers." But what was your first job in the industry? How did you get your "big break," so to speak?
  
  MM: I was a student of the late, great Daws Butler (the original voice of Yogi Bear, Quick Draw Magraw, and Captain Crunch to name a few out of so many) and one day he announced they were having auditions for a radio show which he would be directing, based on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I am also a big Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes fan, so I went to the audition somewhat familiar with the story line ("The Speckled Band") and style. I won the job and found out when I got the script that the part of the maid needed a Scottish accent. I worked really hard listening to tapes of Scottish accents and went in prepared, but slightly intimidated in the company of Edward Mulhare and Ben Wright. Ben and Daws were wonderful and supportive.
  
  CMcF: Now, let's focus on a Digimon for a few questions... through what events were you approached for the series? How did you end up getting cast in the role of Izzy?
  
  MM: I had just finished doing the role of Oliver Twist for Saban's Adventures Of Oliver Twist and was brought in to Saban to audition for various characters for the first season of Digimon. Apparently, they liked they way I read the part of Izzy.
  
  CMcF: What were your impressions of Izzy as a character? He held the "honour" of being the older kid who appeared most frequently throughout the second season of the show - were you happy to keep performing him? Did you feel his character changed at all, as time went on?
  
  MM: Izzy is super cool and a lot of fun to voice. He is intelligent, but not snotty, although he does get a bit impatient. Geniuses tend not to realize other people don't understand things as easily as they do. I totally enjoyed performing Izzy the second season. To address his "getting older, " I deepened his voice and made attitude more mature. That, along with the writing, made his character work.
  
  CMcF: Currently, you're voicing Terriermon in the third season of the show (reprising character's role after "Digimon: The Movie"). He's something of a happy-go-lucky character, quite a contrast to Izzy. What is the difference in roles like for you? Which would you consider to be your favourite character to perform?
  
  MM: There is a substantial difference in the two characters. They are both challenging and fun to perform, but Izzy is more straightforward. Terriermon has a wry sense of humour, and yet, he can also be silly and childlike. One of the most difficult aspects is keeping the Terriermon voice the same as he digivolves into Gargomon and Rapidmon. The attitude is more confident and assertive, but that's all they wanted changed. Izzy is certainly one of my favourites, but I honestly enjoy voicing a variety of characters. Each one is different and fun in its own way and bringing them to life is a wonderful natural high!
  
  CMcF: What are your impressions of the third season of the show compared to the previous two? Terriermon is one of the season's more light-hearted characters, but the general plot and tone of this season is considerably darker than anything that's gone before. Do you think it's perhaps going over the target audience's heads a little? Or does having a fun, playful character like Terriermon make up for this by giving the younger audience members something to relate to?
  
  MM: This season's writing has more layers, which lends itself to targeting a wider range. The show seems to be doing okay in the ratings, which indicates that the audience is still enjoying it. Keeping characters like Terriermon on the lighter side definitely helps.
  
  CMcF: Moving off of Digimon again, to return to your other views on the industry and your own career - the variation in the roles you have performed and the shows you have worked on over the years is tremendous (you don't get much further apart than "Digimon" and "South Park"!). Which, of all your roles across your career, would you consider to be your favourite - your most memorable?
  
  MM: I tend to love whatever character I'm playing at the time. I've done some villianesses like the demons in The Adventures of Jackie Chan that were delightful to perform. Izzy is high up on the list, because he was bright and cared about other people and he had an interesting relationship with Tentamon. Two of my very favourite characters are Rusty the Fox and Bearbette the Bear from The Chucklewood Critters original animation series, which is currently running throughout England and the rest of Europe. I also wrote 26 songs for the show and was the story editor, so I had some real input. The show manages to get across character building in different situations as part the growing up process in an entertaining and creative way. Very different from Digimon, but lots of fun and really positive stuff for kids. We're hoping it will get to the USA one of these days.
  
  CMcF: Ever had your voice recognised by anyone when out and about? You're quite distinctive!
  
  MM: Actually… no. While the voices I do are quite distinct, the reason I can do so many characters with different voices is that my own voice is not particularly recognizable.
  
  CMcF: Having performed so much within the industry, would you say you have obtained work on other projects as a result of notoriety derived from previous high-profile work such as "Digimon" (or vice versa), or would you consider each project to be independent?
  
  MM: Most projects are pretty independent. Although producers and directors usually want actors with experience (except when they don't), which is good for me. However, if you work for directors as one type of character, they may not realize you can do anything else, even with a good voiceover CD demo. Each audition is an opportunity to show what I can do, and that's fine with me as long as I get a chance.
  
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors and actresses rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows you work on, what are your impressions of the finished products?
  
  MM: It is difficult to find the time to watch these shows, mostly because my life is busy and the process of doing the show is more important. When I do actually watch, I am often amazed at how remarkable they turn out. There is so much involved, so many various aspects of creativity: writing, producing, music and editing all working together to make a good finished product.
  
  
  CMcF: It's reasonable to say that voice actors and actresses are don't get a lot of public appreciation for what they do, and instead have more cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity that seems to go hand-in-hand with the profession?
  
  MM: It's much more fun to have my characters well known, than to have me well known, except when it comes to casting. I like being able to help children because of my work. I was asked by Fox Family (now ABC Family) to present an award for ANIMACTION, and event designed to help middle school kids create public service animation shorts. This year the theme was anti-smoking and the groups did an absolutely amazing job. I was thrilled to be part of them being recognized for their work and creativity. I also read to 3rd graders here for Rolling Readers, a non-profit organization, which encourages kids to read, and they think it's neat that I do cartoon voices. However, I use different character voices when I read to them. The kids are sooooo bright and hungry to use their imaginations.
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have you for those out there who aspire to be voice actors or actresses? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  MM: First make sure they study acting and improvisation. Being able to cold read is essential, however there are several people with dyslexia who have done quite well in voice over. That's because they can ACT. I started out years ago to become a "serious" actress. After earning a degree in literature I took courses in theatre arts, improvisation, singing and dance. Every thing in life can give me an idea. I still like to observe others and listen. That really helps me to "find" characters. I also am an old movie film buff. I have used many of those old characters from the 1930's and 40's as a basis for new characters for my work. Also the better I feel about myself as person who tries to be caring and considerate in my work and in my home, the easier it is to go on audition after audition and enjoy the process, even when I don't get the job. So learn the basics of acting and work on being a healthy human being as well.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?
  
  MM: Certainly, professionally, Daws Butler was a real inspiration. He cared so much about his students and he always demonstrated how quality and enjoyment go hand and hand in any creation. My action teacher Bob Board and my singing coach Dr. Charles Lindsley were also very inspiring and gave me the basics for good acting and singing. On a more personal level, my husband Sal Iannotti, my dear friend Jo Williams, and my music partner, Carol Anderson have given me and continue to give me inspiration just by the way they lives and in they way they support me as an actor, artist and person. Then there are people like Cherie Wescott, the third grade teacher at McKinley Elementary school where I read to 3rd graders once a week. She is so caring and really knows how to get the kids involved and excited about learning. There are so many inspiring people and situations out there, if we really take the time to observe. I have two friends who left their respective industries (writing and counselling) to teach middle school. It pays less, is much more challenging, but the difference they are making in kids lives is significant.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry who you would like to work with in the future?
  
  MM: Any individual who brings their talent, care, imagination and a good attitude to a job is someone with whom I'd like to work.
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  MM: I read to children and also enjoy reading myself. I write stories, poems and songs, and do pen and ink work on almost everything from eggs to wood furniture - I design bookmarks and sell them to raise money for books for kids at some of the schools here for Rolling Readers. I also enjoy walking and playing with my dog Betsy (a rescue) and vocalizing (really) with my cockatiel. I also exercise and vocalize almost daily and enjoy spending time with my husband and friends.
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  MM: I'm working on two Disney films, "Spirited Away" and "Treasure Planet," and also on the anime series "Ran," and another one Wendee [Lee] is directing. Within the next year I hope to again mount my one-woman musical "A Life Is A Celebration… Potholes and All," and I have just completed a book of meditations with drawings which I hope to have published a workbook or journal others could use. [I'm also] working on a
  project with Carol Anderson. She's busy playing keyboards and assistant conducting the L.A. run of "The Lion King" at the Pantages in Hollywood, so when we both can grab some time, it's a BIG DEAL! 
  
  CMcF: Any final words you'd like to impart to your fans?
  
  MM: Thank you so much for the support and I am delighted that you enjoy the show and my work. I wish all of you success in whatever you choose to do.
  
  Michelle Ruff
  
  Interview #1
  A fan-favourite actress among anime fans, Michelle Ruff - aka Georgette Rose, her mother's maiden name, which she freely admits to using as her pesudonym - has leant her voice to many high profile shows, such as "Lupin III," "Gundam 08th MS Team" and ".hack," to name but a few, while on Digimon we know her as the voices of season three's Lopmon/Antylamon, and Zoe and her Digimon forms from season four - her first animated TV roles. Recently, she shared her thoughts on her work with me.

  Chris McFeely: When did you decide that you wanted to build a career as an actress?

  Michelle Ruff: Back in Chicago. I started doing theatre improv at Second City and Improv Olympic and got an agent. I was doing it part time, then I moved to L.A. and decided to go for it all the way.

  CMcF: How did you get your start in the voice-acting world, or more specifically, your start in the anime dubbing industry?
  
  MR: I met someone who I was doing voiceover with and he had me come in on a project he happened to be directing. He was kind and patient enough to work me through the technical aspects of dubbing and I brought by acting skills and my musical intuition. That was my first. Then I started looking for the work. I had a demo tape and I sent it to some companies. I went in for auditions. At first, I didn't book anything. Then, all of a sudden, I was in.
  
  CMcF: How were you approached for the Digimon series?
  
  MR: The third season, I was brought in by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn to audition for Lopmon and Antylamon and the fourth season, I auditioned for Zoe and got the part. Mary Elizabeth knew my work from other projects, so that's why she approached me.
  
  CMcF: Zoe was easily your biggest role in the series, in the show's fourth season. What were your impressions of her as a character? Did you try to bring anything of yourself to the role, or take anything away from it?
  
  MR: Zoe was very girlish. My friends always tell my I'm such a girl, so she was perfect for me in that way. The Italian was just silly fun. I also tried to bring a soft side to her at time because I felt she needed that balance in her character.
  
  CMcF: As is the case with the other human characters in the show, the voices of Zoe's Digimon forms are similar, yet subtly different, from her normal voice. Did you do anything in particular to differentiate them?
  
  MR: I aged her a few years and made her a little tougher and cooler.
  
  CMcF: What is Digimon to you? It's natural and understandable for actors and actresses to view it, or any project, as "just more work," but what's your take on it?
  
  MR: Digimon, as with any project, is an opportunity for me to work my acting muscle. Mary Elizabeth was a great director in that she demanded good acting from me. I couldn't fake it, even if I wanted to or didn't feel like it that day. It was also a step up for me in my career - that was the first show I did that actually aired on TV. I was thrilled when I booked it, especially since I had auditioned with all the actors in town, who I felt were the best around. It gave me a confidence boost.
  
  CMcF: When you joined the show, it was as Lopmon toward the end of the third season, as it entered it's particularly dark phase of storytelling. Did you find your subsequent fourth season performances contrasted with your previous roles in the third season? Which did you enjoy performing more?
  
  MR: I enjoyed the third season because of the contrast in the two character I played, but I think I enjoyed the fourth season more because I was there, recording every week, so I got more attached to the characters and the story.
  
  CMcF: And to round out the Digimon questions with a simple, fun one - got a favourite character on the show, besides Zoe?
  
  MR: Oh boy. I don't want to hurt anyone's feeling. I think during recording the character I would hear that would make me laugh the most was the train with the funny German accent. I don't remember his name, but he would always say, "Mein liebshen!" You know who I'm talking about?
  
  CMcF: Certainly do - Angler the Trailmon. He's one of my favourite characters from the season too.
  
  CMcF: To take a wider look at your acting... what are you favourite kinds of roles to play?
  
  MR: I just got to play "the sassy girl" in a live action film called "Attack the Gas Station." I had sooo much fun with her. I never get cast as the bitch or the girl with a bad attitude, especially since I'm so the opposite in real life. So I would have to say that's my favorite role to play.
  
  CMcF: Any roles you WANT to play, but haven't yet had the chance to?
  
  MR: I can't think of any right now. I've pretty much done them all... oh! I know! I'd like to play a nerdy girl. But I mean, like a REAL nerdy girl. I doubt any of my clients would go for the vocal character I would want to do, though. I've tried it in a couple auditions, but I never book them.
  
  CMcF: Across the face of your career, is there any one role, or several roles, that you could pick out as being your favourite(s)?
  
  MR: Fujiko Mine from "Lupin III," Miki Koishikawa from "Marmalade Boy," Lady Meow from "Tsukikage Ran" and Chi from "Chobits."
  
  CMcF: Have you ever found your face or voice recognised while out and about? How did you react?
  
  MR: Nope!! That's the beauty of doing voice work!
  
  CMcF: It's understood that many voice actors don't get to actually watch the finished versions of show they work on. What about you, do you try to catch shows that you've been in?
  
  MR: Yes, if they're airing on TV, I will. I'm in a show that airs on Cartoon Network starting this Saturday (5th June 2004), "Rave Master." 8.30pm. I play Elie.
  
  CMcF: Have you ever had any experiences behind the mic that you'd rather forget?
  
  MR: I'm sure I have, but I can't remember them. :)
  
  CMcF: This question is the one that just keeps being asked and doesn't go away, I'm afraid. :) Do you have any advice for those who want to enter the voice acting industry?
  
  MR: Yes. Take an acting class. And take an improvisation class. Contrary to popular belief, voiceovers DO require acting skills. That's first and foremost. And improvisation is an excellent skill to have. Improv, improv, improv!!! Then if you still like it, take a voiceover class and find someone to help you put a demo tape together. I always recommend calling an agent in your local town to find out who they recommend for teaching. And while you're at it, ask the agent what they require for submission to the agency as far as voiceover actors go. Comprende?
  
  CMcF: Who or what would you cite as your inspirations in your life, your work, in anything?
  
  MR: Wow. That's a good one. Ummm... my inspiration in my life is pretty simple. The actual gift of life itself keep me going. Each moment that I have is precious so I do my best to make the most of each one. In my work... well, I will set a goal for myself and will do whatever it takes to get there. And I'm always grateful for every audition and booking I get. I'm so very fortunate to be doing something that I love that's so fun. It doesn't really feel like work! That alone inspires me!
  
  CMcF: Is there anyone in the industry that you'd hope to work with in the future?
  
  MR: No, not anyone I can think of.
  
  CMcF: What do you get up to in your spare time? What hobbies and interests do you have?
  
  MR: Well, I lovvve to travel. Spain and Italy this summer. On a day-to-day basis, I really love being outside in my garden, playing in the dirt with flowers and stuff. I hike, run and exercise on a regular basis. I love shop - a little retail therapy never hurt anyone! I used to fuss over my animals, but I recently lost both of them, one to coyotes and one to cancer. But I'll probably adopt some doggies in the fall. And I love music and going to concerts and going out to dinner with my friends! I think that's everything!
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  MR: I can't talk about show that aren't released yet, sorry. As mentioned, "Rave Master" debuts this Saturday on Cartoon Network. I'm doing "Ai Yori Aoishi Enishi" over at Bang Zoom (love them!). "Marmalade Boy," "Last Exile," etc. I have quite a few projects that I'm working on that haven't been released yet. So you'll have to wait and see!
  
  CMcF: What does the future hold for Michelle Ruff? What do you want to do that you haven't yet done?
  
  MR: I would love to do original animation. I've done a couple of things and it's sooo fun. You work as an ensemble group with the other actors. So that's my goal right now. Other than that, I'm pretty darn happy with my life and my career.
  
  CMcF: And finally, any closing words for the fans out there?
  
  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!! Without the fans, anime wouldn't exist as we know it. Your role in anime is just as important as anyone working on the production side, so again... grazie!!!
  
  Interview #2
  For reference, all questions asked by Anime Dream will be identified with AD, while Michelle Ruff's responses will be identified with MR.

  AD: How did you start voice acting, specifically anime dubbing?

  MR: I started working with some directors doing looping and voice work for film and TV shows. I just asked to be remembered when projects came up they could use me on. Richard Epcar, Steve Kramer and Mike Sorich all started bringing me in and basically trained me to do anime.

  AD: Can you name some of your various anime voice roles?

  MR: Currently, I am playing Fujiko in Lupin the 3rd. I am playing the mom and resident newscaster in Speed racer on Nickelodeon. I am playing Zoe in season 4 of Digimon. Miyao in "Tsukikage Ran". The rest you guys probably remember better than I do.

  AD: Were you a fan of anime before you became a voice actress?

  MR: No. I didn't even know it existed. But I certainly am now.

  AD: Which character that you have played most resembles your own personality in real life? Which is your favorite?

  MR: I think they are all facet of my personality. I think I'm most like Miyao from Tsukikage Ran. Though I consider myself to be a bit of a dork and I know Miyao is too.

  AD: You tend to be cast as young, spunky characters. Is this a natural quality of your voice or something you have to get in the right zone for?

  MR: It's definitely the natural quality of my voice. I think for the most part Directors will cast people in roles that they hear a specific quality in their natural voice. Some characters are definitely a stretch and those are usually the most challenging and fun.

  AD: One of your most memorable roles that put your name in the minds of most fans has to be Kiki Rosita from Gundam 08th MS Team. How did you approach that character? And what do you like about Kiki?

  MR: I liked Kiki because she was a bit of a Tomboy. That's a part of me that I don't get to show too much in my real day to day life. So it's fun when I get to play that kind of character. I think the way I approached her is the same way I approach all my characters and that's from a very physical place. Not too much logic and thinking. Almost like when I was a kid and had no blocks when it came time to play.

  AD: What is one role that someone else got, but you wish that you could have taken a crack at?

  MR: Well, there have been a few and I don't want to say because I don't want any of my fellow voice actor friends to be offended.

  AD: Do you watch the shows that you have parts in before you record them?

  MR: Not usually. But I did for Miyao. Because she had SOOO much dialogue.

  AD: What was it like to hear your voice coming out of an animated character's mouth?

  MR: It's really cool. I love seeing a character come to life and being the one to give it that breath is an amazing process.

  AD: Do you ever feel like you are being typecast as the cute tomboy roles and wish you could play a more feminine lead?

  MR: Actually, I've been playing more feminine leads lately. I think I've become more versatile in my vocal range over the last year. It's fun to play the femme fatale.

  AD: And on a related subject, so far you've only played the nice girls: a "girl next door" type. If given a chance, would you mind playing the role of a bad girl?

  MR: Oh yeah. I love to stretch. And I never get to play the bad girl. Although Fujiko is a bit naughty and she's definitely a fun character for me.

  AD: Have you acted on TV shows, movies, or in a theatrical production? If so, do you want to pursue that part of an acting career?

  MR: I do voice over for TV and Films. I did theatre in Chicago (Improvisation). But I have no desire to do on-camera acting. I'm actually so busy with my voice over I wouldn't have time.

  AD: What kind of preparation do you normally do for a role? On average, how much time do you spend a week recording the given role?

  MR: Prep time is usually none. I go in see the character. Hear the Japanese version. Play with the voice and work with the director. Then we record. Some roles are a few hours a month some are a few hours a week. It depends on how big the part is and what the schedule of the production company is.

  AD: How much time do you spend a week recording for anime, on average? What work outside of voice acting do you do?

  MR: On average right now, I record about 10 hours a week doing anime. I also work doing voiceover on CSI, Scrubs, Smallville, Boomtown, etc. as well as commercials and original animation. I don't have any other source of income besides my voice acting.

  AD: When playing a lead role, how long does a recording session last?

  MR: They vary. Digimon will book me in 2-4 hour time slots every week. Other companies will book me for 8 hours (which is really hard physically and on my vocal chords).

  AD: Other talented VAs has turned out to be superb directors (Lia Sargent, Bridget Hoffman, Wendee Lee). Are you interested in directing?

  MR: Yes. I think directing would be something I would really enjoy. I've actually discussed it with a few companies. I think it's just a matter of time before it happens.

  AD: If I recall correctly, you're in the upcoming Tsukikage Ran (Carried by the Wind). What can you tell us about the show, and how have you enjoyed performing in it thus far?

  MR: I played Miyao. It was a blast. Miyao was all over the place vocally and emotionally. It was the first time I could actually have a bit of range with a character. She is a goofball with a good heart. And I really did have fun with her. We're actually done recording her. The director I worked with, Kevin Seymour at Animaze is amazing and really gave me the freedom to bring what I felt the character needed to the role.

  AD: Recently, a popular voice actress from another company damaged her voice while doing a particularly spastic character. Have you heard of this, and if so, has it affected your performances and warm-up techniques? Mainly I'm concerned about this in relation to Miyao in "Tsukikage Ran," who *is* spastic.

  MR: I haven't really had a problem. I usually drink lots of hot water and warm up for about a 1/2 hour before session.

  AD: When recording lines, how much is verbatim and how much is improvised?

  MR: It's 100% verbatim.

  AD: Is there any upcoming anime work that you are allowed to divulge?

  MR: I think I already divulged. There are a few projects I'm sworn to secrecy on. I think they'd hunt me down and kill me If I actually talked about them.

  AD: And finally, do you have anything you'd like to say to your fans?

  MR: Just Thank you for being so devoted to anime. Without you guys, I'd probably be working in a restaurant flipping burgers. (which is fine, but I prefer doing what I love!)

  Thanks go out to Michelle Ruff for taking the time to respond to our question

  Melodee M. Spevack
  
  To describe the career of Melodee M. Spevack as anything less than diverse would be selling her short. Theatre performances, live TV roles and animation and movie voicework are but a few of her skills, as she has also worked in production, direction, writing and casting capacities on many projects. Furthermore, in addition to being Vice-President of the California-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation, Spevack is a talented stuntwoman who has trained with the best - so it's clear that this is one lady who ain't just a pretty face! To we Digimon fans, of course, she is best known as the voices of Birdramon, Garudamon and LadyDevimon. She took some time recently to talk with me about her work.

  
  

  Chris McFeely: When did you decide you want to build a career in this industry?

  Melodee Spevack: I've been involved in performing to some extent or other since I was a child. The basic problem was that I wanted (as a child) to be an archaeologist, a paleontologist, an astronaut, a world traveler, a jockey, an athlete, a dolphin trainer and quite a few other things it would twist my brain to try and list at this point. Realizing that I could never do it all, I figured getting a chance to play as many of them as possible would be my best shot at overall dream-realization. Besides, actors get paid to have serious fun...

  CMcF: What was the very first area of the industry that you worked in? How did you get your big break into that area?

  MS: Theatre, absolutely. That's where it all should start, in my semi-humble opinion. It's like tightrope walking without a net. No retakes, no editing, no "we'll fix it in post" to fall back on. Just you, some lights, and a mass of people expecting you to take their breath away. Everything else came later.

  I'm not sure there was a "big break" where theatre is concerned. You are driven to get on that stage and make it happen or you aren't. Stages themselves are usually available, if in unexpected forms from time to time. I've done classics (studying in London was a big plus there), danced on a cruise ship, survived live stunt shows, been a professional cheerleader and bellowed to the masses at several Renaissance Faires. Stages are where you find them.

  If you're really sneaky about asking maybe I'll tell you how a production of CORIOLANUS in Los Angeles led me into stuntwork, which led me into voice work...maybe.

  CMcF: How did you branch out from the area you started in, to the other fields in which you now work within the industry?

  MS: Rats - now it WAS sneaky to make me tell the tale with the very next question.

  CORIOLANUS - the first show I did in Los Angeles. In the course of a perfectly respectable Shakespearean audition (I thought) I ended up with a role never before played (don't ask) that armed me with a sword and had me running around in a few scraps of chain mail. The people I came to know in the course of the swordfighting in CORIOLANUS ended up working on Universal's live CONAN show, which I became part of as their original "Red Sonja". That started the stuntwork aspect of my career. In a strange twist, another member of the CONAN cast was Michael McConnohie and through him I met several voice folks and so it began. Add to this ANOTHER classical-type theatre piece in which I met the legendary Tom Wyner, who later gave me my first voice job.

  While all of this and much more was taking place I became involved with TV production and picked up my first associate producer credit on a series for THE SILENT NETWORK. That led to several other AP positions in feature films and industrials.

  The beauty of this business is that you are not restricted to any one aspect of it.

  CMcF: Falling into a career like that must be a rewarding feeling.

  MS: Rewarding, yes. Occasionally painful, but like they say in skydiving "It's not the fall that hurts...it's the sudden stop". Same in any career, no?

  CMcF: To focus on Digmon briefly - were any of the roles you performed inspired by anything or anyone in particular?

  MS: Birdramon owed something to Rodan, I should think. Garudamon, who was a kachina and very distinctly male, was a major stretch and vocally quite demanding. Quite a challenge. He left me with a deeper voice for some time after each recording session.

  CMcF: Everyone considers Garudamon female, despite the masculine appearance, what with starting out female in Biyomon and Birdramon, and having a female voice actress. But it's *very* interesting to know you actually played the character as male!

  MS: Lady Devimon was tremendous dark fun. She derived completely from my own personal evil side and was delicious. Crusadermon gave me a chance to play with the classical aspect of my background. I love that words like "methinks" were allowed to creep in for her. The poetic, evil warrior carrying a rose while destroying entire worlds is an image I can't help but enjoy - like Cyrano gone bad.

  CMcF: In a similar vein... despite only being featured in three episodes, the character you portrayed that is most popular among fans is easily that of LadyDevimon. Was your portrayal of her influenced at all by her rather... uhm... questionable appearance?

  MS: Okay - I touched on this in the last question, but let's have a look at Lady D.
  
  She's quite the character, no question, with an image calculated to get the attention of the male observer. A powerful, sexy, evil (and loving it) kind of gal. I thoroughly enjoy this sort of role - they are unabashed fun.
  
  Did her appearance affect the performance? Bet on it. Sometimes we come in to create a new character with minimal background information. We usually have some idea if they are good or evil and the general type, but until we see them our concept remains malleable. You must get a visual on the character before it all starts to gel. As soon as I saw Lady D, I started to purr. Ohhhhhhh yes - this was going to be intense fun. And it was. The only trick was keeping her within the parameters for a show the kids were going to watch. We lost her all too soon for me as well, by the way. I was just getting started. Grrrrrrr....

  CMcF: As I said, LadyD carries quite the fan following for a character limited to three episodes. She grabbed both the male and female viewers.

  MS: Gratifying to know, of course...and perhaps I helped a bit. Overall I think it was the wardrobe, however. Can't lose with that garb.

  CMcF: Now, a few more specific questions about some of the areas of the industry. As a stuntwoman, what's the most dangerous stunt you ve ever had to perform?

  MS: Telling my mother what I was doing...WAY the most dangerous thing I've ever done.

  Okay, okay...

  Hanging from a helicopter over a canyon was interesting, as was wire-flying over a two-story high newspaper printing press. Nothing like looking down from either of those two positions to make you reconsider your career choice. Personally, I loved every minute of both, but it does make you think.

  CMcF: Any interesting stories of stunts that didn't go as planned?

  MS: I've been pretty fortunate in that regard - stories of that kind tend to give "interesting" a whole new meaning. On one film I do recall that I was a passenger in a car (stuntman driving) that had to pull out of traffic into the oncoming lanes and do a few tricky maneuvers. Night shoot. Imagine our surprise when we pulled out as planned and had a car coming directly for us at respectable speed in tight traffic- a car that wasn't supposed to be there at all. The driver, who was not a stuntperson, had a truly memorable, (bordering on "interesting") expression on her face. We were boxed in with nowhere to go but directly into the front of her car - and minimal time to react in any case. Fortunately the stunt drivers beside us saw what was happening and had the presence of mind to open up a spot for us to veer into at the last moment, pretty much scraping paint. That was an attention-getter.

  CMcF: To look at your acting: in addition to the roles you've already described, what kinds are your favourite to play?

  MS: I love roles with depth and complexity, whether dramatic or comedic. Recently I've been cast as intensely dramatic types and they are always intriguing. I just played a lady in 18th Century Mexico dying of cancer who is forcing her daughter into a convent in a last, desperate attempt to save her. That sort of thing is always an emotional journey of discovery.

  CMcF: Any roles that you dread?

  MS: Badly written roles. It's not unknown to be given a character that even the writer didn't understand or care about, believe it or not. But faced with such a case, you crank up the actor in you and make it work for a living. If the writer didn't deliver the goods, it really becomes up to us to find the life in there somewhere. That's where we get to earn our keep and, believe me, it is not anywhere near as easy as it looks.

  CMcF: Across the face of your career, is there any one, specific role that you could pick out as your favourite of all time? Could you even *pick* a favourite?

  MS: Not a chance. I've enjoyed so many of them for different reasons. Some for the challenge, some for the fun, some for the sheer rapport you develop with the character over time and others for the impact they have had on your life.

  CMcF: Ever found your voice or face recognised when out and about?

  MS: Occasionally. The thing about being primarily a voice actor is that you can still have your anonymity - same with stuntwork... nobody sees your face.

  When recognition occurs, however, I believe it is part of an actor's job to accept the response with grace and gratitude. We generally work in dark studios, sound stages and on remote locations without much response on site. Sometimes we forget the impact our work can have on the people who see and appreciate it, something of an occupational hazard, perhaps.
  
  If I could send a message to those fans who do the recognizing, it would be to remember that sometimes we are taken by surprise by the realization that our efforts have meant so much to you. You are why it all happens, we are merely some of the tools by which it happens. We are in this together, fans, actors and the whole industry - none of us can exist without the others. We're all on the same team.

  CMcF: As far as voice-acting goes, I understand that many voice actors don't get the chance to see a lot of the work they do. What about you? How do you react to seeing a finished product not just in voice acting, but in anything you do?

  MS: Sometimes we see the finished product, often we don't (at least in voice work). Some work just vanishes into the ether and you're never certain if it was ever seen by anybody, which is a genuine shame when you enjoyed the role and wanted it to be a success. How we react obviously would vary with the quality of the project. Some things you are proud of and others you'd just as soon not remember too clearly for too long.

  I am always interested in seeing the final result of anything I have worked on, regardless of the outcome. Even the ones that are - at best - embarrassing can be educational. What did you do wrong? What can you do better next time? Were you really giving it all you could or just, as we say, "phoning it in" that day? We are in a constant learning curve and can always be hit with the realization that some things work, others don't, and still others used to work but have lost their effectiveness. We need to be brutally honest with ourselves about these things if we want to continue to grow as performers.

  CMcF: Well, now, something you said there - "others you'd just as soon not remember" - is interesting lead-in to a question I hadn't thought of before now. Are there any experiences you've had on the stage, behind the mic/camera, etc, that you'd rather forget?

  MS: Most of them are best left forgotten, believe me. In general, though...

  In the case of voice work, we can be asked to give a character several different interpretations at the audition. We comply, smile and leave. With true actor survival strategy, we often put the audition out of our minds and move on to the next item on the agenda. Sometimes days, weeks or even months can pass before we hear the results, if we ever do. If you are not cast you generally hear nothing, so after a while you assume they "went another way" (superb euphemism, isn't it?) and put it out of your mind completely.

  Now, picture the phone suddenly ringing - you've been cast in a project so ancient you barely remember it at all. You arrive at the studio and are told that they do not have the original tapes from the casting session as a reference, you are to "just do what you did at the audition". Oh dear. They can't mean the audition six months ago where you gave them five different interpretations of the character, none of which you recall any more, can they?

  You bet they can, and they do. At this point we will fade out on the scene of the hapless voice actor having a bad day at the office. Suffice it to say that these are among the moments we often hold less than dear.

  CMcF: You'll have heard this question a million times, I'm sure, but it's the old chestnut that doesn't go away what advice do you have for those who aspire to a career in the voice industry?

  MS: Stay in law school.

  Oh, all right... I'll be good and talk about it. Here's the deal, folks. This is a tough, demanding, fickle and tricky profession. If you enjoy a steady income and like to plan your life ahead - don't do it. If rejection is something you take personally and get hurt by - don't do it. If you can possibly do anything else with your life and be happy - don't do it.

  That having been said, if you think you can handle living life on the edge (emotionally and financially) and really feel you have ability... welcome to our world.

  First - do your homework. Train with a good coach, or several. This is not about doing amusing voices for your friends at parties, this is a profession like any other. WORK! Get a solid, professional director to help you create your voice demos. Don't do it yourself - you're not that objective. Record the demos and get them professionally edited, design the artwork for the boxes, get the artwork printed, get the demos reproduced in sufficient numbers, package them, then start getting the demos out there while continuing your training.

  Tired yet? All this costs serious money, by the way... make sure you have the wherewithal to finance getting your career off the ground. Remember, you are starting a business and that is a full-time, expensive gig with no guarantee of ever seeing any return.

  Do research. Where are the voice agents near you? Studios? Ad agencies, even... where are they? Who is the correct contact person at each for talent? All this is your responsibility to discover - no one will do it for you. Now get your slick, pro-quality demos to those targeted people... then get experience. Take any job that gets you into a studio, even if it is not acting. Interning (i.e. working for free) is one way to do this. Watch, observe and learn, learn, learn...

  You will probably be "paying dues" for a long time as you come to terms with how it all works and get to know the people involved. Be patient, be persistent (without being a pest - neat trick, too) and stay with it.

  Hitting a local lottery is also a good idea...

  CMcF: I'd just like to say here that it's always a pleasure when someone is so honest about this kind of work. It's enlightening for people who want to enter the profession to see you be so straightforward, so honest about how hard what you do really is, and I think it's great for them to learn what kind of a struggle it is. A bit of cold, hard realism never did anyone any harm.

  MS: Truth. And the job itself is NOT glamorous for the most part. You're alone in a studio doing scenes with other people you never see. I'm not always even sure who is playing the role I'm doing the scene with.
  On-camera work consists of waiting...and waiting...and waiting. Then you do scenes over and over in a (usually) highly artificial setting loaded with lights, cables, and people loudly reworking the technical aspects while you try to maintain focus and concentration. This is work - difficult, emotionally draining and often quite intense. Rewarding, of course, or we wouldn't do it. But easy? Not usually. And glamor during the process of creation itself can be hard to spot. With luck that comes later. Anyone who wants to do this had better be in love with the challenge and fascination of the work itself, not the glitter.

  CMcF: Well, now, there's no need to totally crush the spirits of all those aspiring actors out there... ;)

  MS: You can't crush the spirit of born actors. They will follow the path regardless of what anyone says or does.  As a breed we tend to have trouble with reality.

  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?

  MS: Inspirations...well, in a general sense I would say anyone or anything that struggles against the odds and won't take no for an answer. For example, I've always been amazed and awestruck by people who have lost limbs and subsequently decided to take up marathon running or similar endeavors. You know these folks have gone through incredible emotional and physical pain, been told by everyone "it can't be done" and still they go on to accomplishments most average people will never attempt. Perhaps a little overcompensation can be found in the mix, but they still had the fire and the will to overcome everything - even their internal demons - and achieve something outstanding.
  People of this stripe are often among the most "alive" spirits on the planet and thoroughly inspirational.

  For similar reasons I have the greatest respect for salmon.

  CMcF: Is there anyone in the industry that you'd hope to work with in the future?

  MS: Alas, some are beyond reach. I would have reveled in the inspired madness of working with John Barrymore or Groucho Marx , for example. A little "take no prisoners" wit and insanity goes a long way. Katharine Hepburn - class act from top to bottom, wish I could have done something with her at any time in her career.

  Now you've got me thinking - I try to learn from every experience and there are very few people I'd not want to work with, but some of the real draws might be:

  Peter O'Toole - one of the last of the pure breed of brilliant madmen (and I mean that with complete affection - what a character).

  Mel Gibson - always admired his intelligence, depth and humor.

  Rowan Atkinson - PROVIDED he plays a serious role. Wouldn't that be incredible to watch in action?

  CMcF: I don't think I've ever SEEN him in a serious role. It'd be incredible just for the rarity of it...

  MS: Closest I think he came was playing the straight man (more or less) in a few Blackadders. Betcha anything he could do it, though...there's a good deal of intelligence behind those eyes.

  Billy Connelly - and why not? I suspect he'd keep things endlessly interesting...

  Sigourney Weaver - I did some of her vocal reactions on ALIEN: RESURRECTION, but we never met. I've always found her interesting to watch and would love to actually be on screen with her.

  and far too many others to go into (in terms of actors).

  As far as directors are concerned, I would love to work with any and all of them who can "speak actor" fluently. It's tricky when a director has trouble conveying their concepts to the cast, even more so when they don't seem to try. Some have an amazing ability to communicate with the actor within, and it's a pleasure. Suddenly everything flows easily, even when the demands of the role are intense.

  CMcF: Did you feel that communication was at work on Digimon?

  MS: I had on-camera and theatre more in mind with my response, but it does apply to voice as well. The most effective voice directors can also convey what they want with a word or two.

  A brilliant director can provide more effective guidance to an actor with a word than a clumsy one can do with a tirade, club, whip and chair.

  CMcF: Now there's a mental image!

  MS: Grrr.

  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?

  MS: I love travel and will go almost anywhere anytime if I can. I made my first trip out of the USA at the age of 15 and went around the world, which was one incredible experience. We saw places you just can't get to these days very easily, like Tehran.

  Back home I am devoted to my spoiled-rotten Arabian horse, with whom I do endurance riding. He has done 25-and-35 mile races and I have gone as far as 50-milers. These rides are done at speed over some wild terrain and not for the faint of heart, but intense fun. For the animal activists among the readers, the horses are constantly watched and evaluated by vets as the ride progresses and are pulled from competition at the slightest sign of trouble. The riders are on their own...if they are semi-vertical and/or conscious they keep going.

  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?

  MS: Watch for the release of ARGENT SOMA - I am "Commander Ines" (right). As mentioned earlier, keep watching DIGIMON for the appearance of "Crusadermon". If you go to film festivals, watch for me in CLOISTERS, SPEECH 101 and the sc-fi film 30:13.

  CMcF: What does the future hold for you? What does Melodee Spevack want to do that she hasn't yet done?

  MS: Professionally I hope the future holds constant and interesting work for the rest of my life - I'm the type that wants to die in harness, completely healthy, at a disgustingly advanced age. I'd like to do more on-camera work without giving up the voice aspect of my career.

  What do I want to do that I haven't done yet? Hmmmm...

  1. I want to go into space. Not kidding there. I want to ride the Shuttle or whatever replaces it.

  2. I want the time to learn another language really well. I'm still working on English.

  3. I want more adventures. There are horseback groups that ride among the animals in East Africa; there's whitewater rafting in New Zealand; there's ALL of Australia (never been there) to explore. There's a camel trek I heard about in Mongolia or Tibet that sounds amazing. I want to see the Galapagos and Komodo Island. We live on an incredible planet and I'd love to go everywhere and do everything.

  4. I want to ride on a manta ray and touch a whale shark. I do scuba dive, but those images just haunt my imagination. Wow with bells on...

  5 and onward - to be determined as life progresses. I'm sure there will be more.

  CMcF: And finally, any words for the fans out there?

  Stay with us - keep enjoying what we do, which gives us the reason and the means to continue. Talk to us - let us know when we're on target and when we've taken a hard left into The Twilight Zone (it happens). Most of us love to hear from you and those that don't need to "get a life", right? Seriously, your input and support helps us to keep going in this marvellous madness we call The Biz. My thanks, love and gratitude to you all.

  Michael Reisz
  

  As one of the three proverbial "lost sheep" that Captain Janeway made a pet project in the sixth season episode Good Shepherd, Los Angeles native Michael Reisz turned in a charming and charismatic performance as hypochondriac Crewman William Telfer. Taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with fans, Michael talks about his guest appearance on Voyager, voice-acting, and what to eat for breakfast in the Paramount commissary...

  In addition to his guest role on Voyager, Michael has appeared in a recurring role on the daytime soap opera Port Charles, is an accomplished stage actor, having appeared as Devin McFallen in Space at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Ah, Wilderness! at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, and Kirby Fenton in the revisionist The Merry Wives of Windsor at the MET Theatre. Reisz is also an accomplished voice actor, voicing Yamato "Matt" Ishida in the Fox's English-language version of Digimon: Digital Monsters and the upcoming Digimon: The Movie as well as appearing in Jumanji, Godzilla, and Men in Black.

  LOWER DECKS: Were you a Trek fan, before going to read for Billy Telfer?

  Absolutely. I've always been amazed at Trek's ability to create a compelling, entirely different world on a weekly basis. In addition to Voyager, of course, I was a big fan of TNG as well as DS9. In fact, whenever I go up for roles in Shakespearean pieces, Armin Shimmerman is kind enough to coach me. He's an expert with Shakespeare.

  Did Armin give you any advice on guest starring in a Trek series?

  Armin and his wife Kitty Swink, who has also appeared on Trek, were wonderful. They gave me great stylistic tips. Most importantly, though, Armin also told me which was the best oatmeal to order at the commissary early in the morning.

  What appealed to you most about the character and the script?

  What was neat about Billy and "Good Shepherd" overall was that the story was primarily character driven. You had good, but fallible people forced into a difficult situation. You saw the friendship between Billy and Celes, the tension Harren had with everyone, and Janeway's intense interaction with crew members that you don't always see. I also loved the fact that Billy could be funny. Playing the hypochondria scene with the Doctor was a hoot, and by the end of the week, all of us?Kate, Zoe, Jay and I, along with Director Rick Kolbe and the whole crew in fact?were cracking up and having a blast.

  Had you worked with special visual effects before, and did you find it difficult, or easier than you expected?

  I had never worked with effects like that on film. I recently worked on the West Coast Premiere of Tina Landau's SPACE at the mark taper forum. In that context, special effects of both sound and lighting were extensive and fascinating to work with. But if you're talking about the bug in my neck, nope, never had that before. What they can do at Trek with both makeup and computer effects amazes me. One thing I really took away from my stay there was how hard EVERYBODY works and how absolutely committed everyone is as a team to get the job done well.

  Who was most enjoyable to work with on your week on Voyager: Kate Mulgrew, Bob Picardo, Zoe McLellan, or Jay Underwood?

  You know, we all had such a great time that honestly everyone was terrific to work with. I had long admired Kate's work?I saw her at the Taper in The Aristocrats years ago?and was thrilled to work with her, as I was with Bob Picardo. Both were so generous and kind that they made everything easy. As for Jay and Zoe, they were the best possible team I could have worked with. One of the AD's, Yumiko, started to call us the Three Musketeers because we would just be hanging out together the whole time. I've seen them at subsequent auditions and such, and there is still this total bond. They are great. I also want to point out that everyone one the set, from the higher ups on down, was remarkable. It truly was one of the nicest, most fun sets on which I have had the pleasure working.

  Any chance of us seeing Billy again, next season?

  I hope so, because it was truly one of the best jobs I have had.

  In what direction would you like to see the character taken?

  I don't think Billy's fears have completely evaporated and I would love to see him and the Doctor working together?maybe something that totally grosses Billy out. I also wonder if that thing in his neck left any traces or eggs or something that went undetected. Could be interesting. The fact that the three guest characters left a mark is really a testament to the writing staff, don't you think? That the writers have introduced individuals whom you would like to see develop is really terrific.

  What was your best experience on the Trek set, what was your worst?

  Best?Two things. First, working with that cast and crew was unbelievable. When you are a guest on a show, you often expect to be treated kindly and with respect, but as the visitor that you are. With Voyager, everyone welcomed us with open arms as if we were regular parts of their family. Merri Howard would come down and visit, Joe Menosky (who wrote the episode with Dianna Gitto) was always there, and everyone was always so friendly with us. The crew, who gets there before us and leaves after us, was incredibly welcoming, and the regular cast members?especially Kate Mulgrew?were remarkably generous. On our last day, Rick Kolbe and the whole crew took a moment to stop and thank us as we were leaving. They gave us a little round of applause. That never happens! (Well, not to me anyway!) I'm still blown away by everyone. Second: It was such a kick sitting in the Delta Flyer and walking about the ship. I mean, how much fun is it to pretend to be flying a spaceship as part of your job. I am a lucky and thankful man!

  Worst? Waking up at 3:30am to get to the set and get in makeup and wardrobe. Thank G-D Billy was human. Ethan Phillips is superhuman!! But it comes with the territory, and I would do it again in a nanosecond. 

  You have extensive credits as a voice actor, as a series regular on Digimon, and on other popular animated series. Did you find it difficult to learn to act solely using your voice, often without other actors or even finished animation to react to?

  Animation is fantastic. Actually, I didn't find it hard at all and I don't really know why. I just sort of took to it. I do know that some of my friends feel sort of tied down when they only have a microphone, but I actually find it somewhat liberating. In animation, you can be anything. I've played everything from a worm, a football hero, an army sergeant, to a million other things and it doesn't matter what you look like. You also don't have to shave and you can work in your sweats, so that's pretty great too. It gives you permission to be as childish and as goofy as you want, and it lets your imagination soar. I have to say, Matt on Digimon is a really fun character to play.

  In the animation industry, many stripped animated series have the voices recorded first, and then the voice performances are synched to the final animation.

  However, with Digimon having been produced in Japan as Dejimon adobench?, I imagine that you had to "loop" in your character's dialogue to existing footage.

  What was the most difficult aspect of working in this method?

  Digimon is a "dubbed" series, while other animation is recorded first and then animated to the voice. When I did episodes of Jumanji, Godzilla, Men In Black and such, those were recorded first and animated later. Personally, I find dubbing work much more difficult because you have to create a believable character, while matching the lip flaps. You are incredibly constricted in what you can say and how you can say it. With "original animation," for want of a better phrase, you have the luxury of creating the character as you see it. The unfortunate matter is that there is a big hullabaloo brewing now in the animation industry over dubbing contracts versus original contracts, but that's another story for another time.

  How did your involvement in Desktop Films' digital short film from "Guy Planet" come about, and what do you see as the future of short films on the Internet?

  A director friend of mine, Maria Burton, referred me to the director of the pilot, Alex Stein. We met and decided to go ahead with the project. It was a great experience because it allowed us to create a show in an ever growing medium and the crew was wonderful. Entertainment on the internet, I believe, is going to be the wave of the future.

  Who has been your favourite director to work with, on stage, on television, on film, and in the animation industry, and why?

  It's hard to pick out favourites because each person teaches you something new and I have been fortunate to work with great people. On Stage, Tina Landau is one of America's premiere, up and coming (I think she's already here) Directors and Writers, and working at the Taper was a milestone for me, so she's the tops for many reasons. On TV, Rick Kolbe was great to work with on Voyager. He creates amazing shots and facilitates a wonderful atmosphere. On Film, I haven't really done that much film yet so I don't have a wide selection, but Jay Kamen comes to mind. He's one of the best editors in town and is now breaking into directing. Animation, again, they have all been good, from Michael Sorich, Bob Buckholtz, and Jeff Nimoy on Digimon to many others. I guess the person with whom I have worked the most and truly am in awe of is Susan Blu. I worked with her on Jumanji, Godzilla, and Men In Black and she can do anything! You have to see her in action to believe it.

  What can you tell us about your role in the upcoming Tiffani Thiessen horror movie spoof I Know What You Screamed Last Summer?

  It's a really funny spoof and my thing was very last minute. In fact, you won't even see me. I am the voice of the Vice-Principal that booms jokes over the PA system throughout the film. Doug Blake, the producer, is a friend and he asked if I would do it. John Blanchard is a very funny director and the project cracked me up, so I said sure. Everyone should see it. It's funny.

  What has been your favourite performance (stage, film, or television) thus far?

  That's hard to say, because I have liked them all, but 3 really stand out for me.

  The first is Billy on Voyager. Like I've said a million times, it was truly one of the best jobs I have had. The character, the script, the cast and crew?all of it added up to an amazing experience.

  The second is Devin McFallen in SPACE at the Taper. Working on a new play with one of America's premiere directors is an experience I will never forget. The play was very experimental and that added to the excitement for me. Plus, it had been a dream of mine to perform at the Taper and I couldn't believe it when I first set foot on the stage. It was surreal for me, as that was the theatre that my parents took me to as a child.

  Finally, Richard in Ah, Wilderness! at South Coast Repertory. Again I got to work with a wonderful cast and crew, and it was the first time I was the lead of a big show around which everything centered. That was a big break for me and I will always be grateful to SCR for giving me that opportunity.

  What projects are you currently working on, that we have to look forward to in the coming year?

  Well, there are some things in the works, so keep your fingers crossed, but until the contracts are signed, I hesitate to discuss them. What I can talk about is Digimon: The Movie for 20th Century Fox. We are recording it now for an October 6 release. I will still be playing 14 year old Matt and it looks terrific.

  If you could play any role, in any medium, what would your dream role be?

  There are so many, that it would be impossible to pick one.

  What is the single most influential advice as an actor you ever received, and what advice would you pass on to actors just starting out in their careers?

  Life is far too short not to be passionate about what you are doing. If you love this profession, then always study, always approach it as a business, and always treat people with respect. It's a wonderful, frustrating, uplifting job and I am honored to be a part of it.

  Thank you, Michael, for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with the fans!

  Dave Wittenberg
  
  Writing, comedy, radio, acting, voice-work - the inimitable Dave Wittenberg has done it all. To Digimon fans, he's known as the voice of Henry Wong, as well as the Sovereign Ebonwumon, and the Monster Makers' ally, Johnny Beckenstein. When I was finally able to get in contact with him, much to my surprise, he suggested an actual on-line chat, rather than simple e-mail. Naturally, I was more than willing - and here's the result.

  
  

  Chris McFeely: So, let's see, what should I begin with...?
  
  Dave Wittenberg: Whatever's clever, as they say... What do you want to know?
  
  CMcF: Hmn, well, now that I've a bit more control over this whole process (never done an actual CHAT before!), I think I'll begin with:
  
  DW: Wow... no pressure... tick, tick, tick... :-)
  
  CMcF: It'd be something of an understatement to say you've done a lot. But what was your first love? What did you first decide you wanted to build a career in?
  
  DW: Good question.
  
  DW: I’ve sort've had a really blessed career path. I seem to start out doing one thing and at some point it naturally branches into something else.
  
  DW: Originally I wanted to do film and TV as every actor does. And to some extent I still do, but... I got into radio early in my career and I really loved that. It was a great way to put together a couple of things I really love: voices, comedy and loud music.
  
  CMcF: What was your first job in radio?
  
  DW: As luck would have it, the first job I ever had in radio was doing goofy stuff on a friend of mine's college show... I only did that twice I think. Then I walked away from it entirely for three years or so until I wound up doing voices and impressions for another friend's show. Only this time it was on WBCN in Boston, which is a huge heritage rock station, and I was gettin' paid...
  
  CMcF: It's not often you can say you're getting paid to have fun, I guess.
  
  DW: Exactly! I am constantly amazed that people will actually give me money to fool around...
  
  CMcF: So, what was the next step up after WBCN?
  
  DW: I did that for three years, then a station out here in LA hired me to do their evening show and moved me across the country. They gave me a contract, but 9 months into it they decided to switch formats to Spanish... And uh, yo no habla...
  
  CMcF: Ditto that. I could tell you what my name is and what colour shirt I'm wearing, but that's as far as I go. /:)
  
  DW: Yeah, other than "How much for the burrito?” and “Take me to the embassy!" I'm outta luck...
  
  CMcF: What was the next move?
  
  DW: Are you just cutting and pasting your half of this conversation? ;-)
  
  CMcF: Er... no? /:)
  
  DW: lol
  
  DW: I got into the internet radio revolution for awhile and that was by far the greatest music oriented job I've ever had. Corporate radio is such a disaster in the States, what with payola and consultants telling you how and when to play any given song... At the internet station I could play Fatboy Slim into Al Green into Parliament into KMFDM as long as I could make it make sense... Very difficult to return to terrestrial radio after experiencing that kind of freedom.
  
  CMcF: Yeah, I know a guy who has one'a those stations, I've done a bit for one before.
  
  CMcF: Of course, it was a review of a Transformers toy, so I *don't* think it's quite in the same league. /:)
  
  DW: It all counts to me.
  
  CMcF: Okay, now, let's see... what was your "big break" into the voice acting industry?
  
  DW: I got into games, actually. That was my big entree into the industry...
  
  CMcF: What games?
  
  DW: I've done voices for dozens of games at this point. Most notably for Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 and 3, and hmm... lemme think... I also did Kelly Slater Pro Surfer, and a number of upcoming games I'm not allowed to talk about.
  
  CMcF: Ah, mum's the word (I'd hazard a guess that .hack might be one, but we'll say nothing).
  
  DW: *hums quietly avoiding eye contact*
  
  CMcF: Allrighty, now, let's talking about the writing. How did you get started in that industry? Did it branch from the acting, or vice versa?
  
  DW: It sort of evolved independently. I've always been a writer. Both as a comic and just in general... I've sort of always been interested in literally every job on any given production.
  
  DW: But as far as professional writing goes, I used to write freelance for Bill Maher' Politically Incorrect, Dennis Miller and Craig Kilborn. I didn't get to write my first Digimon until well into Season 3 which is a good thing, because I had a lot to learn...
  
  (Chris's note - Dave wrote episode 3.46, "When Is A Mon Justimon?")
  
  CMcF: Well, that's a nice tie-in, as well focus on Digimon for a little while now. Through what circumstances did you get involved with the show, and get cast as Henry? Simply the normal story of "went in and auditioned?"
  
  DW: Sorry to spoil your aspirations for something more, but yep. Went in and auditioned and they liked what i did.
  
  CMcF: Well, we can still wring a little more from that. ;-) Did you audition for any other characters?
  
  DW: Well, when I went in, as I would imagine when Steve Blum or Brian Beacock went in, they had me read for all of the main male characters. I read for Takato, Henry, and even Guilmon. Each of them was very, very different, (obviously) so it was up to the casting folk to figure out which one I'd fit... if any.
  
  DW: I give all the credit in the world to the producer and the casting people who made some wonderful choices in casting.
  
  CMcF: If you *could* have played any other character in the show (not just limited to the main ones), who would it have been?
  
  DW: Hmm... I love Guilmon's innocence. He's so big and so strong, but so wonderfully kind hearted. I have to say that Steve Blum did an amazing job voicing Guilmon, though, so having heard the work he did with the character, I personally don't think anyone could have done it better.
  
  DW: Wow, some writer I am... nice run-on sentence.
  
  CMcF: Now, to tread the fanboyish waters a little - what were your impressions of Henry as a character? Did you try to bring anything of yourself to the role?
  
  DW: A lot of what made Henry who he is sort of evolved organically while I was in the booth recording him. Mary Elizabeth, our wonderful director and Terry Lei O'Malley our marvellous producer had definite ideas of Henry's personality. But they really let me play around and discover some great facets of his character.
  
  DW: I love his "heart of a lion" sensibility. He, like me, believes that fighting is such a last resort. That you should be able to talk things out and settle differences like intelligent people. But when push comes to shove and people he cares about are in danger, there's nothing he won't do to protect them. I like that.
  
  CMcF: Y’know, I reckon that’s somewhere among the best answers I’ve had. :-)
  
  DW: Well thankyouvery much as Elvis Presley and Johnny Bravo might say....
  
  CMcF: Ooh, Johnny Bravo. Y'know, I think it was better without Pops and Karl, and before Suzie's head got made that weird shape it is now...
  
  DW: lmao... I have to agree with you.
  
  DW: But he's still nowhere near as cool as the Tick.
  
  CMcF: That show never got shown here enough. But I think we'll be able to do without the live action version...
  
  DW: I will never understand what happened with that show. It only aired here for half a season. Only 13 were made, I think, and poof, off the air it went. But it has the BIGGEST cult following of any show I've ever seen... except Digimon.
  
  CMcF: The animated or live action Tick?
  
  DW: Animated.
  
  CMcF: 'Cause I'm pretty sure there were two seasons of that. I must look that up...
  
  DW: www.imdb.com
  
  CMcF: Oh, yeah, right, the site that said Doug Erholtz voiced Henry! ;-)
  
  DW: Really?! Hmm... *note to self: IMDB goes on "the list"*
  
  CMcF: *L* Well, they don't say that anymore.
  
  CMcF: Now, here's one I've not asked anyone before: What is Digimon to you? I know that many actors view such a show as "just more work," which is, of course, normal. But what's your take on it?
  
  DW: Digimon is... (why do I feel like this is one of those pageant type questions?) ...To me it's more than just another show. The fervor that the fans follow it with. The way that important lessons of life are dealt with sort of just below the surface. And the sheer fact that so many people can see it in such a broad range of countries makes it such a bigger deal than your average anime...
  
  DW: Plus, the status of the show, being a Saturday Morning Cartoon makes it a dream come true for those of us who used to watch Bugs Bunny et al. And on top of that, as if there needed to be more, you simply get the chance to work with the best in the business. This show brings together an incredibly talented group.
  
  CMcF: Did you have any previous knowledge of the show before you came on board with the third season?
  
  DW: I have to be careful to say that I certainly knew OF it, but I didn't know much about it.
  
  CMcF: Would be hard NOT to know of it, I think.
  
  DW: lol true enough
  
  CMcF: Well then, you might have a different perspective for this next question compared to some of the others I've asked.
  
  CMcF: What were your impressions of the third season? It was considerably darker and deeper than anything that had been seen in the previous two (a much-more seriously oriented dub helped bring this across all the more) - do you think maybe some parts went over the target audience's heads a little bit? Or does a character like, say, Terriermon, Calumon or Guilmon, with their childish innocence and appeal, give the kids something to relate to?
  
  DW: I suppose it went a little deeper than the previous seasons, but I think if you look at the way it's written and produced, there are going to be parts that go over the head of the younger viewer yet reach the older one. It definitely had an element of seriousness that the previous seasons didn't. Characters like Terriermon and Calumon and Kazu and Kenta tend to keep things pretty light though.
  
  CMcF: And hey, the kids got naked.
  
  DW: There was that!
  
  CMcF: Have you done any recording or writing for the fourth series of the show?
  
  DW: I understand the fourth season will be even better than the third!
  
  CMcF: Apparently, it’s particularly light-hearted, to contrast with Tamers' seriousness. Any thoughts on that?
  
  DW: I think each season has a different twist than the others. I wouldn't be surprised if the fourth season had more of the fun goofiness of the first two.
  
  CMcF: Well, this time around we have kids that turn INTO Digimon themselves.
  
  DW: Now who among us wouldn't want to have that little skill?
  
  CMcF: It's the "fighting-for-my-life-stuck-in-another-dimension" aspect that doesn't appeal so much to me. ;-)
  
  DW: I think fighting for my life doesn't appeal to me much in ANY dimension. Sounds like a great deal of sweating would be involved. Especially since I can't turn into a Digimon... or can I...?
  
  CMcF: One final question to round up the Digimon-related ones - have a favourite character on the show, besides Henry?
  
  DW: Well, not one, but several. I think Rika is great. I love her snippy little comebacks and her fiery spirit. I also think it's great that she wasn't afraid to grow a little bit and realize that she needed Takato and Henry as much as they needed her. And I do love Terriermon. Terriermon gets to say so many of the things that I'm thinking but can't say.
  
  CMcF: Now, see, I love Terriermon, but I'm not so fond of Rika.
  
  DW: See, the show has a little something for everyone!
  
  CMcF: I've personally never had any lost love for the introverted, alienated character archetype.
  
  DW: Hmm... yeah, but when it's a girl it's cooler.
  
  CMcF: There's that whole "marketing" thing. The girl must be hardcore so the boy viewers will like her.
  
  DW: Nice use of the word Archetype, by the way
  
  CMcF: Heck, I'm makin' it up as I go along, I could have used that completely incorrectly and probably did and I'd still be happy if it *sounded* good! ;-)
  
  DW: Well in that case, you doubly succeeded!
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows (or play the games) you work on, what are your impressions of the finished products?
  
  DW: I love to watch the shows. I'm just a fan of anything animated. I'm always amazed at what happens when we leave the booth and the sound editors get to work. And then the real magic, the composers put music to a scene and it just brings it to life.
  
  CMcF: Fan of anything animated, eh? Have any current and/or long-time favourite shows?
  
  DW: I'd say Bugs Bunny is number one. But the Simpsons rates a close second.
  
  CMcF: It's been rather a pity about the dip in quality the Simpsons storylines have suffered in recent years, I feel.
  
  DW: I think anything that if runs that long, and keep in mind it's the longest running animated show in history (it may even be the longest running SHOW in history), you're bound to start losing something...
  
  CMcF: True, true. I think it might be good for it if it actually did come to an end, as they've been suggesting lately. I'd die happy if they made a movie, though.
  
  DW: If you look back on the greatest seasons of the Simpsons, Conan O'Brien was actually the head writer for most of them.
  
  CMcF: I wish I paid more attention to that sort of stuff on shows *other* than Digimon. ^^;;
  
  DW: It's never too late.
  
  CMcF: I'm sure there's a list of it all somewhere...
  
  CMcF: It's reasonable to say that voice actors and actresses are don't get a lot of public appreciation for what they do, and instead have more cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity?
  
  DW: I love the anonymity. There's a real downside to being instantly recognizable I suspect. I think most of us just do this because we love it.
  
  CMcF: Ever found yourself recognised at all, when out and about?
  
  DW: Yeah, and it's kind of nice. Especially when people are complimentary. It's always nice to hear that people like what you do, no matter what your profession.
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have you for those out there who aspire to be voice actors? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  DW: I would say refer to Steve Blum's answer on this one. It pretty much sums it up. I'd love to elaborate, but he really hit the nail on the head.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?
  
  DW: I'm most inspired by my family, but as far as people those other than me may know... I'd say Robin Williams. Great improv comic. Billy West and Rob Paulsen are the very best in the world of voiceovers... There's something to learn from each of them, I'm sure.
  
  CMcF: Paulsen, I love - grew up with him, what with him being Raphael on the Turtles, which was, of course, a staple for me.
  
  DW: Yeah. He has really had a marvellously diverse career. I've gotten to work with him on one occasion and he is utterly amazing and humbling to be in the same room with.
  
  CMcF: I can imagine... but, as for West... I dunno, I'm not so sure about him. I liked him as Doug in... er... Doug. But... there's something about him that I can't quite put my finger on.
  
  DW: Billy West will live forever in my heart because of Ren and Stimpy.
  
  CMcF: I never saw as much of that show as I would have liked. Bad scheduling over here. That might have something to do with why I’m not so attached to him.
  
  CMcF: Which is not to say that West's not GOOD, or anything, of course. /:)
  
  DW: lol, of course.
  
  CMcF: Similar kinda vein - are there any individuals in the industry who you would like to work with in the future?
  
  DW: I would love to work with Frank Welker. He's truly a genius. Maurice LeMarche... Hank Azaria would be a blast to work with either live action or in an animated show.
  
  DW: Oh, Dennis Leary and Owen Wilson are also charter members of my "people you'd kill to work with" list...
  
  CMcF: And speaking of future work - what can we expect to see from you next? What are you working on at the moment?
  
  DW: I just did some TV voiceovers for Activision O2, which is their X Games division. I've got a number of game projects on their way out... Also some TV and Radio campaigns for "The Who." In addition, I was blessed enough to get to work on the Cowboy Bebop movie. Lots of other things in the works!
  
  CMcF: Ooh, Bebop. That will excite a few people.
  
  DW: Wait till you see it. Amazing.
  
  CMcF: Doesn't hold much sway for me, unfortunately, as the show isn't on TV here, and when I was just in the US recently, I was only able to see half an episode of the show before the jet-lag kicked in. /:)
  
  DW: Well, I have a sneaking suspicion you'll get your chance to behold the movie.
  
  CMcF: Basically, my Bebop experience = ten minutes or so.
  
  DW: But ten good minutes, right?
  
  CMcF: Er... well, I remember they involved Faye trying to take a shower, so, yeah, that seemed good. :-)
  
  DW: LOL, point taken!
  
  CMcF: But, say, speaking of movies - what's the good word on the possibility of a new Digimon movie?
  
  DW: I honestly haven't heard. I would think, though, that the time for another film is ripe, since it's been a couple of years...
  
  CMcF: You and all of the fandom.
  
  CMcF: We're all just hoping, however, that it'll be better made than the first, which cut up the first three Japanese movies, and pasted them together, re-writing the third one's plot entirely and cutting out more than a half-hour of footage.
  
  DW: Yeah... I would imagine that along the way in the editing process some decisions were made that may not have been ideal. But that's true of most anything that has to be reimagined for a US audience.
  
  CMcF: Rounding it up now, penultimate question - What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have? Besides animation, of course, as we've already covered that pretty well.
  
  DW: I'm a crazed sports fan. I love to take in a baseball game whenever possible. I also love to play guitar with a few friends of mine. Not nearly well enough I'd want anyone to hear it though... I also love doing stand-up. Not so much a hobby but definitely something I'm constantly playing around with...
  
  CMcF: And lastly - any final words you've got to impart to your fans?
  
  DW: Yes. Wear sunscreen. Brush AND Floss. Don't chew tinfoil. And above all, thank you. Thanks for being as into the show as the people who make it are. You have to realize that everything that goes into putting that show on the air is done with you in mind. We're constantly trying to give you something you haven't seen before along with all of the things we know you love. But thanks for letting us entertain you. Without you, I might've wound up working at the gas station, like my mom always dreamed I would.
  
  CMcF: Well, that's me out of questions. You have any you want to ask ME?
  
  DW: Only that I've really enjoyed chatting with you, and I hope the other fans that read it enjoy it too. Thanks Chris.
  
  CMcF: Well, now, that's not technically a question. *grins*
  
  DW: lol... not technically, no.
  
  DW: It has been a pleasure Chris, truly. Thanks for taking the time and effort to track me down!
  
  CMcF: It's been a pleasure for me too. This is the first time I've ever done a chat, as I said, but I've always wanted to. I just didn't think it'd work, you know, time difference, and all. So thank you.
  
  CMcF: Perhaps at another time, we shall discuss the cultural relevance of the Powerpuff Girls.
  
  CMcF: Or... perhaps not. ;-)
  
  DW: OH yes we will!
  
  CMcF: Well, allrighty then! Wish the movie would hurry up and get over here. Monkeys, super heroines, monkeys, robots, monkeys, devastation and *monkeys.*
  
  DW: Don't forget the monkeys!
  
  Lex Lang
  
  Lex Lang is one of Hollywood's most sought after voice actors, and is revered as one of the premier talents in the industry by anime fans nationwide, having voiced some of the most popular characters in modern anime.

  Chris McFeely: Which is your first love, music or acting?

  Lex Lang: Originally it was acting, but then I realized that in music you get to express your own ideas and words, not those of someone else.

  CMcF: When did you decide you wanted to build yourself a career in these areas?

  LL: At the early age of 5 years old.

  CMcF: How did you break into the music and voice acting industries?

  LL: It took some time, but without a doubt I could not have done it without the support of friends and magical people like Sandy Fox (another great voice actress).

  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the "Digimon" series?

  LL: I auditioned like all the other actors did, but my start with Saban entertainment happened like this: One of my friends back then (seven or so years ago), a girl named Amy Jo Johnson, was playing the Pink Ranger on the show "Power Rangers" and she introduced me to one of the voice producers for the show, who put me on what they call a walla session (where you do the background voices for the people in the street and in stores and restaurants, etc).
  After that I got to do one line or two during that season (as Louis Kaboom), and the following year I landed the parts of Rygog and Lerigot in the movie "Power Rangers Turbo". As a result I played them both in the following season of "Power Rangers Turbo" the TV show. The following year I got the part of Ecliptor on "Power Rangers in Space," among other parts. After that it was audition, audition, audition - and a little luck.

  CMcF: You're well-known as WarGreymon, perhaps the most popular Digimon from the show's first season, as well as playing Omnimon (with Kirk Thornton) and Rapidmon in "Digimon: The Movie." But what other characters did you voice on the series, beyond bits and walla?

  LL: I have done a lot so it is hard to keep track, anytime you hear a monster that has a really throat ripping deepness to it, it's most likely me.

  CMcF: Some think you were SaberLeomon in season one - is that true?

  LL: I don't remember. Possibly.

  (Chris's note - It has since been confirmed that Paul St. Peter voiced SaberLeomon.)

  CMcF: Also, it is generally believed you voiced BlackWarGreymon in the second season - is this correct?

  LL: Yes.

  (Chris's note - It has since been confirmed that Steven Jay Blum voiced BlackWarGreymon. Evidently Mr. Lang got his roles mixred up in answering this question.)

  CMcF: Of the characters you have voiced on "Digimon," (however many that may be), which would you say is your favourite to do?

  LL: I really enjoyed doing them all.  There was one episode this season where I got to play a game show MC - that was really cheesy, it was a lot of fun.

  CMcF: Have you done any recording for the third (current) season of "Digimon"?

  LL: Yes, I played a snake monster and a talent agent.

  (Chris's note - the snake monster is Sandiramon, the snake Deva, and the talent agent is Rika's mother's agent, Tsugai)

  CMcF: Will you be reprising your role as Rapidmon for his appearances this season?

  LL: Unknown.

  (Chris's note - It's since been proven that Mona Marshall voiced the character in season three.)

  CMcF: What other shows can we hear you on at the moment?

  LL: http://www.lexlang.com/voc.html has all my current credits.  "Prime Time Glick" (the new Martin Short show) is one of my favorites.

  CMcF: Your work extends over several animation studios - do you believe that you have been cast in any roles as a result of notoriety due to popular work on other shows, or was each role independently secured?

  LL: Some of each. A great deal of my work comes from producers referring me for a part, and then of course there's audition, audition, audition.

  CMcF: It's fair to say that voice actors receive little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What is your view on this?

  LL: I feel blessed to have this job.

  CMcF: Do you like the anonymity?

  LL: I don't mind it, although sometimes I have the privilege of being the guest of honor at animation conventions, etc.

  CMcF: Perhaps as a musician, you are not as unknown as others...

  LL: Tell your friends about my music!

  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors seldom watch the shows they actually work on. Does this hold true for you?

  LL: Yes, it's hard to catch the shows and go to work at the same time.

  CMcF: If you do watch the shows you work on, what do you think of the finished products?

  LL: Most of the time I'm pretty impressed with the final product, after all the music and effects have been added.

  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other cast members of the shows you work on?

  LL: Yes, we play cards together once in a while or socialize.

  CMcF: What advice do you have to those out there who aspire to be voice actors?  Or, indeed, what would you say to anyone who wants to get into the music business?

  LL: Same for both - if doing that sort of creative work gives you pleasure, by all means follow your dreams.

  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time?

  LL: Roller blade, go to the gym, watch TV or DVDs, write music.

  CMcF: What hobbies or interests do you have?

  LL: I enjoy having an occasional cigar, I love going to the movies, playing guitar, spending time with friends and helping others.

  CMcF: What can we expect to see and/or hear from you next?

  LL: I'm spending a lot of time promoting my latest CD. I also created a new song to help the victims of the NYC terrorist attacks - go check it out and buy the CD, all proceeds are going to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

  CMcF: Well, looks like I'm out of questions! Thanks for your time!

  Richard Epcar
  
  The career of Richard Epcar is a varied one. He has written and directed television shows from "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," to the American incarnation of "Power Rangers" and other live-action Saban shows, and done the same for the English language versions of such movies as "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman." He has also written and/or directed the English language versions of many animes, including the current "Mon Colle Knights" and "Transformers: Robots in Disguise."
  His live action acting has spanned movies ("Memoirs of an Invisible Man"), television ("General Hospital," "Days of our Lives") and theatre, while his voice work can be heard in many places - in the ADR tracks of many popular films, including "Independence Day" and the recent blockbuster, "Gladiator," as well as in many popular animes, such as “Fist of the North Star,” "Trigun," "Macross," and as Bateau in the modern classic, "Ghost in the Shell."
  To us Digi-fans, however, he's the voice of both Myotismon and Etemon - ironically playing the most popular and most loathed villains from the series. He took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some of my questions.

  
  

  Chris McFeely: On “Digimon,” you’re known as a voice actor (and a director, according to your website, though this is news to the fandom), while on other anime shows, you’ve written and directed. You’ve also written, directed, acted and handled ADR in assorted live-action series and movies as well – but which of all these is your favourite to do? For what reasons?
  
  Richard Epcar: It’s hard to say which is my favorite because I enjoy it all. To be honest with you cartoons are easier to do than live action because it’s easier to do the lip-sych on cartoons. The fun thing about cartoons is that you can be ‘big’ with the characters where as in live action you generally have to match what the original actors are doing. And yes I was one of the original directors of ‘Digimon.' I directed many series for Saban, but was only credited on a few. The reason for that is that whoever is directing the pilot or first few episodes of a show is whose name is on the credits. Even if they are no longer with the show. Once the credits are cut-they keep them the same credits throughout the series, basically because it’s cheaper. But unfortunately a lot of work that I had done for that company was never credited, which is why you didn’t know that I directed the show and that I did the voices of Myotismon, Etemon and Apemon and others.
  
  CMcF: When, and through what circumstances, did you decide you wanted to build yourself a career in this industry?
  
  RE: Well I started out as an actor and I still consider myself an actor. I also consider myself a director and writer. I think all of my creative stuff comes from the same place. I’m really fortunate that I’ve been able to channel my creativity in a number of ways. But back to the original question, and that is, I’ve always known that I wanted to be an actor and in this business. I was always in plays throughout school, when I was growing up. So in a way I guess I was lucky, because there was never any doubt in my mind that I was going to be in this business.
  
  CMcF: When did you get your big break into the industry? What were you doing beforehand?
  
  RE: I’m still waiting for my big break, the one that will catapult me into on-camera fame. I have been very fortunate, however. I came to L.A. in the early Eighties, (I’m sure some of you reading this are going, “I was born then!”) anyway- I had a couple hundred dollars in my pocket, from selling my drum set, I didn’t know anyone out here, but I knew that I was going to live here. As I said I was very lucky. I only had to do a ‘straight’ job for a few months and then I got into a Rep Theatre company. There I met my wife, Ellyn Stern, and she introduced me to someone who was dubbing a film into English. They asked if I could do that, and being an actor, I said, “sure”. Well I got the lead and I really took to it. You can either dub or you can’t, and generally musical people can (remember I said I was a drummer?). Anyway from there I did a ton of voice work and then one day a studio had a feature length cartoon that no one in town wanted to do. They asked me if I could do it, and being an actor, I said, “sure”. So I wrote and directed it and changed it completely and made it funny and it was a big hit called, ‘Captain Schnauzer’. The company that did that had a series called ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ that wanted to do for the Family Channel, but they wanted me to do it, and being an actor, I said, “sure”. And it just continued on. The next film I did into English was ‘Cinema Paradiso’, the movie won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, and ever since then I have not stopped doing this work. I just finished 3 Academy nominated films, and I have 3 more to do before the end of January, which is next to impossible. That’s another thing, I’ve got a reputation for not only doing these films well, but also fast.
  
  CMcF: How did you branch out from the area you started in, to the other fields in which you have worked within the industry?
  
  RE: See above. I still act on camera and on stage. As I said I do a lot of things that I feel are connected. The other cool thing is that DreamWorks, Universal Pictures and UIP have asked me to supervise foreign dubs of their films. So last year I spent 6 months in Europe. I was working on the German dub of ‘Gladiator’, and I also supervised the mix at Pinewood Studios in England (down your way I believe) and I did ‘Chicken Run (the Hebrew, Norwegian, Polish version) ‘Galaxy Quest’ (the German version) and ‘El Dorado’ (the Norwegian version). I had a great time traveling all around.
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the “Digimon” series? As I said above, it was not previously known that you had directed any episodes during the series – when you were approached for the series, was it to actor direct? Whichever it was, how did you come to work in the other capacity on the show?
  
  RE: On ‘Digimon’ I was asked originally to direct. As I said before, I had done a lot of shows for Saban, and they asked me to do it-so I did. I left ‘Digimon’ because of the DreamWorks projects. When I left I was replaced. When I returned, they had this character Myotismon that they thought I would be right for. Actually one of the jobs I did when I first got to town here was, I played ‘Dracula’ at the Universal Studios Show ‘Castle Dracula’. So basically Myotismon is my ‘Dracula’ without the accent. But he looks like Dracula, doesn’t he? Then they asked me to do Etemon, which is really me doing Elvis. I had so much fun doing him and I got to sing - I was very sad when that character ended because I really loved doing him. That’s probably one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had behind the mike. The funny thing about him was when I was in Israel doing ‘Chicken Run’, they were dubbing ‘Digimon’ into Hebrew. When they found out that I was Etemon, they went nuts.
  
  CMcF: You’ve only been identified as two characters – Myotismon and Etemon (and their respective other forms) – on “Digimon.” Of course, judging by the size of your credits list, you’re a busy man, so I don’t know that you could answer this question – but if you can remember, have you done any other voices on the show previously?
  
  RE: I have been in now and again to do various voices on the show. The only other one I remember doing is Apemon. And the only reason that I even remember doing him is because I did a promo for Fox television and they wanted Apemon. You have to remember that I’m doing stuff all the time, like a lot of these guys, and after years of this stuff, a lot of it starts to blend together. There are characters that stick in your mind, like Myotismon and Etemon because they were so much fun, but as I said, you do a lot jobs, then you move on to the next one.
  
  CMcF: Have you done any recording for the third, current season of the show?
  
  RE: Yes I have been there several times to do some characters - unfortunately I can’t remember who they are. Sorry.
  
  CMcF: Now, as to the directing – when did you direct for the show? You have never been credited as in any capacity in the show credits, so asking you is the only way to find this out.
  
  RE: Yes as I said earlier, I basically co-directed most of the first season.
  
  CMcF: Have you ever found your voice (or indeed, your face) recognized by anyone when out and about?
  
  RE: Yes - sometimes people will say they recognize my voice. I was at Twentieth Century Fox and I was auditioning for a TV part and I asked directions from someone and the guy started rattling off my credits. It was kind of a shock. He also asked me for an autograph and it was a really nice thing. The other time was when I was on ‘Days of Our Lives’ for a long time and people at the market recognized me. It was fun. I think it’s nice, when people want to let you know that they liked something you did.
  
  CMcF: Would you say that you have been cast in - or obtained writing or directing work on – other projects as a result of notoriety derived from previous high-profile work, or would you consider each project to be independent?
  
  RE: It depends. There’s no question that sometimes working on one show will lead to another. Or that a contact that you’ve made somewhere, will lead to something else. The dubbing world is really pretty close knit. So those of us who work a lot are pretty well known to the people who do this a lot.
  
  CMcF: It’s my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows, what are your opinions of them? As a writer and director, perhaps watching is not as necessary for you – Jeff Nimoy previously described it as “frustrating,” as it can make you wish you had done things differently.
  
  RE: Well, I can appreciate what Jeff means. There’s always going to be things that you wished you had done better or different. If I can see something that I worked on, sure I would like to see it. Generally I’m too busy to watch something on TV. The films that I do, sometimes they give me a copy after we’ve finished and yes I will watch it. Saban did something really nice with ‘Transformers’, they gave us copies of the shows we wrote. They had never done that before, but it’s great, because now I can see them.
  
  CMcF: It’s fair to say that voice actors receive little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are your opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity that seems to go hand-in-hand with the job? Or does being on camera appeal to you more?
  
  RE: Well, I like it all. I really enjoy doing voice work because you’re not limited to what you look like. You can do all sorts of characters and that is really fun. But would I like a huge on-camera career? You bet!
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have for those out there who aspire to be voice actors? How should they go about making their way into the industry?
  
  RE: Well, I think that you have to move to L.A. True, some work is done in New York or Canada, but I still think the bulk of it is done here. If you’re serious, you have to train. Take classes with reputable teachers, who are recognized by the industry. Make demo voice tapes and then pound the pavement. Meet as many people as you can and audition for everything that you can, and keep training and working towards your goal.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry that you would like/hope to work with in the future?
  
  RE: Voice wise I’d like to work on 'The Simpsons’ because it’s so well written, and ‘Actionman’ because I’m right for the bad guys. There are several shows that I’d like to do - as for individuals that I’d like to work with, I’d love to work with Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, I’d love to work with Sam Neill again, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, there are many more. I just want to work with good people who enjoy what they do, are professional, and are fun to work with.
  
  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other voice actors on the shows you work on?
  
  RE: Yes definitely. We all pretty much know each other. Most of them are wonderful people. I also know a lot of them because I direct and see them, where as when you only act, you don’t always see the other actors.
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  RE: I still play my drums. I’m in a band right now and when time permits, we get together and play and that is my therapy. I also like to work out - that is important to me. I collect James Bond stuff.
  
  CMcF: What are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  RE: Right now I’m working on the movie ‘Iron Monkey’. It’s a great film, a lot of action. I have two more lined up right now and Universal called to see if I’m available to go overseas again. Cartoon wise I’m working on several cartoon shows including ‘Mon Colle Knights’ and a very funny cartoon called ‘Mummy Nanny’ for Bob Buchholz and Jeff Nimoy, it’s so much fun because they’re letting me do ten different voices, and the show’s hilarious.
  
  CMcF: Any final words you’d like to impart to the fans?
  
  RE: I would just like to say thank you to the fans. If they like something that I do, that makes me happy. I have a lot of fun working on ‘Digimon’ and shows like it. Don’t get me wrong it’s also a lot of hard work, but I really love it and I’m really fortunate to be getting paid for something I love.
  I wish you all a wonderful New Year, one that is peaceful, safe, healthy, prosperous and fun. All my best to all of you.

  Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
  
  Story Edtior and director of seasons three and four of Digimon, the voice of various characters including Pajiramon, Rika's mother and the voice of Digivolution, and also director of the acclaimed "Cowboy Bebop," it would be an understatement to say that Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is a busy woman. It's taken a while, but her interview is now complete!

  
  

  Chris McFeely: You're known as a director, a story editor and a voice actress on Digimon, but which do you consider to be your favourite to do? For what reasons?
  
  Mary Elizabeth McGlynn: I must say each compliments the other. I don't think I would be as good a director without the experience of voice acting some of the characters. At least I know what pain I put the actors through when they're behind the mic. Also, the story editing is invaluable. I get to go through the script line by line at home so when I get in the studio I know exactly how the arc of the story needs to be told. Since we record the actors one at a time, I need to know how the episode will sound in my head before we get into the studio. That way the characters sound like they're talking to each other and not just acting in a void. But to answer your question, I love directing. The process of creation between myself and the actors is an amazing experience, and when it clicks there's no better feeling of satisfaction.
  
  CMcF: When, and through what circumstances, did you decide you wanted to build a career for yourself in this industry?
  
  MEMcG: When I was in college I was premed. Thought I could be a brain surgeon or something. Yeah, right… Anyway, one day I got lost on the way to the computer lab and walked into an audition for Hamlet. On a whim I auditioned for Ophelia and got the role. The next month I changed my major to Theater. I went on to graduate school at SMU for acting and moved out to California afterward to try my luck in L.A.
  
  CMcF: When did you get your "big break" into the industry? What were you doing beforehand?
  
  MEMcG: I came up to L.A. after a summer season at "The Globe" in San Diego. My on-camera career started out with much success, but soon dwindled to "the abused girlfriend/wife who get rescued by the hunky leading man". I must have played that character 5 or 6 times in a row. But it was Xena: Warrior Princess that really changed my life. While shooting in New Zealand, the horse my character was being hanged on by a mob of angry peasants reared up and rolled on top of me. Poor "Cher" (the fateful horse) dislocated my knee cap and pretty much imobilized me for almost a year. After that I started doing more and more voice over work. I'm going to have to find that horse and thank her some day.
  
  CMcF: How did you branch out from the area you started in, to the other fields in which you now work within the industry?
  
  MEMcG: "Cher" the wonder horse. After working a couple years as a voice over actor, Yutaka Maseba and Kevin Seymour called me up from ZRO Limit Productions, a production company who does some of the best English dubs in the country. They had this crazy idea that I might like to direct and that was it. I "retired" from my terribly brilliant (emphasis on terrible) on-camera career and never looked back. I always loved the ADR process. It's a controlled environment where you're only restriction is the amount of flaps a character uses to deliver his or her lines. As long as the actors and I remember that the distance between two points is infinity, the sky's the limit in terms of creativity. And here I never thought I would have any use for math as an adult!
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the Digimon series? How did it come to pass that you were chosen to be elevated from voice actress to the position of voice director and story editor on the show, following the departure of Jeff Nimoy and Bob Buchholz?
  
  MEMcG: I was already doing some second directing for Saban when I got the call to go to the studio where Digimon was recording. I thought I was just filling in for the day, when Terri Lei O'Malley walked in and offered me the job to finish Season 2 and direct all of Season Three. The circumstances surrounding Jeff and Bob's release from the show were unknown to me at the time. I had no idea they were going to offer me the job. Apparently, Terri had seen me direct a session of auditions for a series at Saban and she was also familiar with my work on "Cowboy Bebop". Digimon came to me as a total surprise.
  
  
  CMcF: Of the various voices you have provided on the show, which is/was your favourite?
  
  MEMcG: How can you beat the voice of Digivolution? The original had a male doing the role, but I really thought it should be a woman, and luckily Terri agreed. In Season 4, I also get to voice the "D-Tectors", this season's digivice. I won't give anything away about her true identity though. Pajiramon was fun. It was my homage to Kate Mulgrew.
  
  CMcF: If there was one other character on the show who you would like to be able to voice, who would it be?
  
  MEMcG: I loved Renamon. Her attitude rocked: so cool and confident, but man could she kick butt! I also loved her relationship with Rika. Mari Devon was superb in the role. I also thought Arukenimon from Season 2 would be fun to voice. Funny, she too was voiced by Mari Devon. I'm a huge fan of her work. I'd say I would have liked to voice Rika, but 1, I don't have the range, and 2, I couldn't hear anyone but Melissa Fahn doing that role. She is a wonderful actress and we were lucky to get her. Heck, we were lucky to get all of our actors.
  
  CMcF: As a story editor, do you have a favourite episode from any season that you've worked on that you like above all others? What about a least favourite?
  
  MEMcG: I think "Kazu and Kenta's Excellent Adventure" was my favorite. Seth Walther is an amazing writer and he really out did himself with that one. We laughed through the entire recording session. My second favorite would be a Season 4 installment written by Steve Blum. I think you'll know which one I mean when you see it. Just look for Whamon! I don't have a least favorite episode. Season 3 dealt with some pretty heavy issues, especially by the end of the season, and all of our writers did an amazing job with the subject matter.
  
  CMcF: Same goes for characters - is there any particular character from any season that you're fond of more than any other? Any characters that annoy you?
  
  MEMcG: Hmmm… let's see…. Takato, Henry, Rika, Guilmon, Terriermon, Renamon, Kazu, Kenta, Leomon and of course Jeri. Bridgette Hoffman was outstanding! She had to come in and cry every session and she brought the emotion of the show to a new level. I loved how this group of misfits banded together. Their relationships with eachother were genuine and that's rare. The only character I got tired of was the D-Reaper. By the end of the season I just wanted to laugh again, but that darn D-Reaper wouldn't go away!
  
  CMcF: As a voice director, do you ever use the original Japanese voices in the show as reference when selecting English voice actors for parts?
  
  MEMcG: Not really. I think the casting decisions are based on characterization. For instance, in Season 4, our Neemon doesn't sound at all like the Japanese version. Michael Sorich, who is also sharing the directing duties with me this season, brings a whole different, wacky vibe to the little guy. And Brian Beacock (who voiced Takato last season) sounds nothing like the original Bokomon, but what he does with that character is hysterical! Paul DiFranco has been the casting director for most of the Digimon run and he's the one to thank for bringing us all these talented actors.
  
  CMcF: Do you think being Story Editor enables you to do your job as Voice Director better?
  
  MEMcG: Oh yeah! After story editing a script I know the episode inside and out. Since the actors don't get to read the scripts before we record them, it's up to me to guide them through the plot and character arcs. I love story editing. It's the best homework I can do before I get in the studio.
  
  CMcF: The "goofiness" factor (read: jokes, puns and modified scenes which weren't in the original) which was highly prevalent in the first two season of the show was seriously reduced in the third season, which has made the fandom at large very happy. Would you consider this a direct result of your involvement? Is it more to do with the different writing styles of the new writers on this season? Or was it a specific instruction from "upstairs"?
  
  
  MEMcG: Terri had a lot to do with the modification of the humor this season. She directed all of us to stick to the translation a bit more. With Season 3's subject matter, I think that was a wise decision. Much of the plot didn't really allow for that kind of humor. Also many of the pop culture references were reduced, if not eliminated. I think it kept the audience in the world of the show rather than tying us to a specific time reference. Also, I thought the humor the Japanese had incorporated in the show was terrific and translated to American audiences well, so why change it?
  
  CMcF: This might be one of those grey areas you can't talk about... but what's the word on the possibility of a new Digimon movie?
  
  MEMcG: I know there's something out there, but I don't know what will be done with it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Personally, I'd love to revisit Takato and the gang.
  
  CMcF: What's your attitude to the Saban "philosophy" of dubbing? By that, I mean the way that Saban's scripts are always written and modified to appeal to a mainstream audience, rather than the larger faithfulness to the Japanese scripts that is more prevalent in animes that aren't televised.
  
  MEMcG: Well, Saban let us keep Season 3 of Digimon pretty faithful to the original. Personally, I think we got lucky! But you must realize, this is a business. If they're going to air anime on a major network, the network wants to make sure they'll find an audience. Much of the anime that stuck strictly to the Japanese never made it to the American market except of video and DVD. Although, thanks to networks like Cartoon Network, the WB, Fox and ABC Family, anime is finding a larger audience. Many of the shows now being aired are true to the original. I think that's because of shows like Digimon and Pokemon. Even thought many fans feel like they were radically altered from the original, their popularity opened the door for everyone else.
  
  CMcF: Ever had your voice recognised by anyone when out and about?
  
  MEMcG: Only when people found out I worked on Digimon. Once they had the reference they would say "Hey, you're the voice of Digivolution! Cool!" Although, it's kind of hard to work in "Matrix Digivolution" into a conversation without people looking at ya funny!
  
  CMcF: Would you say that you have obtained work on other projects as a result of notoriety derived from previous high-profile work, or would you consider each project to be independent?
  
  MEMcG: I think most of the work I've gotten has been because of Cowboy Bebop. That show led to Digimon and that led to everything else. I owe Yutaka and Kevin a lot!
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors rarely watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows, what are your opinions of them? As an editor and director, perhaps watching is not as necessary for you - Jeff Nimoy previously described it as "frustrating," as it can make you wish you had done things differently.
  
  MEMcG: I watch every episode of every show I direct before it goes to the mix stage. That way I know if we've missed anything or need to redo lines for continuity. Yes, sometimes it is frustrating, only because I want everything to work and sometimes it doesn't (usually due to my directing). But most of the time it does work and I'm thrilled. Watching the episodes is the only way I can learn how to improve as a director and story editor.
  
  CMcF: It's fair to say that voice actors receive little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What are you opinions on this? Do you like the anonymity that accompanies the work?
  
  MEMcG: I think dub actors have the hardest job in the world of animation. They have to deliver over and over again in a seemingly constrained environment. Delivering a line brilliantly is hard enough, but to make it match to acquired animation is a whole different story. I've had many original animation actors come in and say how much more difficult the ADR process is in comparison. The group of actors I work with are the best in the business and they never get the recognition they deserve. (Nor the pay!) On the other hand, being anonymous is a freedom few would give up. You don't have to worry about how you look or what you're wearing. You can walk into a studio and get the chance to play a character that you never would were the show not animated. It's my understanding that the Japanese v/o actors are treated like stars. I wish the American actors were as well. They deserve it!
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have for those who aspire to work in the industry?
  
  MEMcG: Practice, practice, practice! Oh, wait… that's how you get to Carnegie Hall.
  I think the best thing you can do is listen. Listen to everything: radio, tv, movies, your crazy neighbor, whatever. Then start imitating them. Experiment with your own voice and see how far you can go with it. Billy West [voice of Ren and Stimpy, Doug, Futurama's Fry] carries around a small tape recorder with him and records voices into it all day. Build a library of voices you can do and then get them recorded. Send out the tape, take classes and above all don't give up. It's a blessing to actually get paid for doing what you love.
  
  CMcF: Who would you cite as your inspirations, in life, in the industry, in anything?
  
  MEMcG: My parents have always supported me with undying enthusiasm. So have my sisters and especially my husband. He's the rock in my life, making me laugh when I take myself too seriously and encouraging me to be myself and trust my instincts. Plus, the man can keep me in stitches til I can't laugh no more! In terms of the industry, Mel Blanc is a God to me. Tress MacNeille is a genius as well as anyone who's ever worked on The Simpsons. My parents brought me up on Spike Jones, Monty Python and Warner Brothers cartoons, which explains my rather twisted sense of humor.
  
  CMcF: Are there any individuals in the industry that you'd hope to work with in the future?
  
  MEMcG: I'd love to work with Steven Spielberg, that's if I could ever get over the endless babbling I'd more than likely fall into if I ever met him. I'd love to work on another Watanabe/Toshihiro/Kano project. The three of them have raised the bar when it comes to animation, Japanese or otherwise. I'd also love to work with Hugh Jackman, but that may be for other reasons… is my husband going to read this?
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  MEMcG: Watch Hugh Jackman movies. Just kidding! I'm really sort of a workaholic which continues to surprise me. (I was so lazy as a kid!) When I actually find some spare time, I love going to matinees. There's something about sitting in a semi empty theater in the middle of the afternoon. No candy wrappers, no guys behind me reading out loud any bit of text that comes on the screen, just the sound of Dolby Digital coming at you from every angle as the opening credits role. Beautiful! I also love playing poker with a group of other anime directors. We all get together and laugh at each other for a few hours every month or so.
  
  CMcF: Aside from Digimon, what are you working on at the moment? What can we expect to see from you next?
  
  MEMcG: I was fortunate enough to direct "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" this summer and just came back from it's premiere in Times Square. What a learning experience! Aside from that, it's back to Digimon, Season 4.
  
  CMcF: And finally - do you have anything you'd like to say to the fans?
  
  MEMcG: Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thanks for your incredible support and your advice. I would visit Megchan's message board every Saturday last season to see your reactions. Your words were so helpful and a constant reminder of who we were creating this show for: the fans. Keep it coming! We are listening!

  Neil Kaplan
  
  Neil Kaplan is a man who is close to his work - a light-hearted, friendly guy who loves what he does, and does it well. What else need be said?
  

  Chris McFeely: When did you decide you wanted to build a career for yourself as an actor?
  
  Neil Kaplan: Well, I have ALWAYS wanted to be an actor. I decided back in 1993, that what I REALLY wanted to do was voices for cartoons.
  
  CMcF: How did you break into the voice-acting industry? What were you doing before you accomplished this?
  
  NK: Well, my FIRST V.O. job was in NYC back in 1987 (where I was studying musical theatre). I did character voice drop-ins on WCBS-FM. Before I came down to Los Angeles in 1994 I was working on a local (award winning) television shows in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the "Digimon" series?
  
  NK: I had done quite a bit of guest voice work for the kind folks at Saban since 1995. They have a list of actors that they frequently call in for auditions. So, they called me, I read, and I got the job.
  
  CMcF: You're well known as Hawkmon, Halsemon and Shurimon, but did you voice any other characters on the show, beyond bits and walla and growling monsters?
  
  NK: Well, I did the voice of "Thank you for visiting 'Meow Dot Com'," in the Digimon movie, as well as the nutty teacher yelling "finished!" (a personal favorite of mine!) I was also the voice of the Russian & Austrailian Gennai lookalikes that were featured toward the end of season two. I was just added as the voice of Indramon (a bad guy!) for season three.
  
  CMcF: There has been some recent speculation that you may have voiced Oikawa...
  
  NK: Oddly, the name rings a bell, but I do not recall. Sorry!
  
  CMcF: Tall guy, purple skin, possessed by Myotismon, only showed up in the last dozen or so episodes?
  
  NK: No, I was NOT Oikawa.
  
  (Chris's note - it's since been identified that actor Jamieson Price performed the role of Oikawa.)
  
  CMcF: Another character question: it's generally accepted that Lex Lang voiced Aquilamon, Hawkmon's Digivolved form, but I wanted to check with you and see if you actually performed that role.
  
  NK: Well, Lex may be a nice guy, and I might even say he is a friend, BUT... he sure as heck did NOT do Aquilamon! That was ALL me, and yes, it was me as (half of) Sylphymon too!
  
  CMcF: Woah, that will surprise a lot of people! In that case, here's something I've been wondering about: how was the recording for Silphymon (and the other DNA Digivolved characters) done? Did you record your lines separately, and Edie Mirman had to match her voice up with them (or vice versa), or were the two of you working in the studio at the same time?
  
  NK: One of us would record the dialogue, then it was up to the other actor to match it.
  
  CMcF: Did you do any work on the show's first season?
  
  NK: I did not work on season one at all. Not even bits & walla. If you want to hear more of my work, check out "Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue." I was the voice of the very evil Diabolico. Heck, they didn't even add any effects to my voice for that show!
  
  CMcF: Once you were affirmed as the role of Hawkmon, did the roles of Halsemon and Shurimon go hand-in-hand with that, or did you have to audition for them separately?
  
  NK: Well, I was not just given them until after the show's director & producers realized how versatile I am.
  
  CMcF: Of the voices you do on "Digimon," which would you say is your favourite character to do?
  
  NK: Easily, it was Hawkmon... he is quite a charcter, very oppinionated and full of life!
  
  CMcF: Have you done any recording for the third (current) series of Digimon?
  
  NK: As previously mentioned, I JUST recorded my first episode as the evil purple pony, Indramon.
  
  CMcF: Your current 'big' role is that of Optimus Prime on "Transformers: Robots in Disguise." As someone who grew up with the Transformers, what is playing the role of such a classic, famous character like for you?
  
  NK: I LOVE playing the big red guy! Yes, it does have a special feeling playing a character that i knew from my younger days! I can only hope he sticks around for awhile! It is also nice to play a charcter that is just FLAT OUT heroic!
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the RiD series?
  
  NK: Again, the producers called me in to read for the roles of the "sidekick" villians. I did NOT get offered any of those parts, but they did call and offer Optimus . So, I gladly accepted.
  
  CMcF: Do you think that you were you cast in other Saban projects such as RiD as a direct result of your popular work on Digimon (or vice versa), or was each assignment independently secured?
  
  NK: Each show is CAST independently. But, if you do a good job and show versatlity on one show, they are more likely to want to bring you in again for a look on the next show.
  
  CMcF: It's rather accepted that voice actors get little appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings. What is your view on this? Do you like the anonymity?
  
  NK: I love being anonymous! Besides having fun, being creative, and using my talents to earn a living, it is the best part!
  
  CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors seldom watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you? If you do watch the shows, what are you opinions of them?
  
  NK: I try to watch EVERY show I work on. That way I can listen to my work & that of my fellow cast members. If it is dubbed animation (like Digimon & RiD) we record seperately, so you never know how the rest of the show sounds. If you do standard animation, you want to see how the animation brings it ALL together. I love watching what I work on. And to be honest, I have been very pleasantly surprised by RiD!
  
  CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other cast members on the shows you work on?
  
  NK: I have become good friends with Michael Sorich (a voice actor & director), Peggy O'Neal & Brianne Siddall (both are voice actresses) and on RiD, I was already friendly with the great Bob Joels (X-Brawn), and the fantastically talented Wally Wingert (Sideburn)!
  
  CMcF: What advice do you have for those who aspire to be voice actors?
  
  NK: Practice, be patient, and have a way to earn money while you struggle!
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or interests do you have?
  
  NK: Well, I am a member of Jewish Big Brothers. I also read for the blind on occassion. I love to go river rafting & go to Vegas! But mostly, I LOVE my work! If they would let me, I would do it 365 days a year!
  
  CMcF: What can we expect so see (hear?) from you in the future?
  
  NK: Who knows? I wish I could tell you! Such is the life of a voice actor. If you like the show, drop a letter in the post to the good folks at Hasbro.
  
  CMcF: Well, those are all the questions I have! Thanks again for your time, sir!
  
  NK: It has been my pleasure. Thanks for all of your kind words and compliments!

  Dave Mallow
  
  After a successful career as a radio personality in the midwest and NYC, Dave Mallow moved to Los Angeles in 1984 to pursue a career in voice acting that has included commercials, film dubbing, looping, narration and voice characterization in countless cartoons and provided the daily intros and voice of Baboo in "The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" for Saban Productions. I very recently exchanged words with Dave, known to us Digi-Fans as the voice of Angemon, Upamon, Gekomon and more, and he was more than happy to answer any questions I had to ask about his work.

  
  

  Chris McFeely: When did you decide that you wanted to build a career for yourself as an actor?
  
  Dave Mallow: I was a bouncer at a small, Chinese restaurant, when one day I met a strange, Chinese woman with a Swedish accent, who wore off-the-rack, discount jeans... no, wait a minute... that's somebody else... let me start again:
  
  The dream started at a 3,000 watt radio station in the Middle West... forget it, too pretentious... ahem...
  
  I've never aspired to on-camera or stage roles, so I've always differentiated what I do from the work of your basic actor-clone. While it does comes down to acting ability, the term I would choose would be 'voice artist.' After twelve years as a disc jockey/air personality, it seemed a logical progression to segue into commercials, narration, post-production voice work for film and television... and that's also when film dubbing raised it's nasty little head. It was soon after I relocated to Los Angeles in 1984. I both credit and blame a guy named Steve Kramer for helping me get started in the wild and woolly dubbing world. We shared a commercial agent and he suggested I drop a tape at a place called Intersound. They had recently finished work on “Robotech” and were gearing up something new.
  
  CMcF: You used to be a radio personality in the Midwest and NYC - tell me about that. How did you get the job? What did it entail?
  
  DM: My father had been in radio and television. It seemed like a pretty cool job to me (and no heavy lifting!), so I'd wanted to do that from very early on. Like most in that industry, I got a part-time job at a small station and worked my way up. Many 'jocks' become nomads, moving from one station to another. I'm fortunate in that my second and final move was for on-air work in New York City. It was the stereotypical WKRP in Cincinnati sort of work. I've known a few Dr. Johnny Fevers along the way. Read the news. Introduce the traffic girl. Play the record. Read the live commercial. Give the time
  and weather. Turn on the radio; they're everywhere! I did everything from progressive rock to adult contemporary, 'mellow rock' to... (bowing my head in shame) ...disco. Hey, a gig's a gig.
  
  You get a chance to learn a little bit of everything... copy writing, sales, production. It was good training. That lead to more responsibility - music director and program director.
  
  CMcF: Following on from that, how did you break into the voice-acting industry?
  
  DM: The first step beyond an on-air shift was learning the ropes in the area of commercials. Made a demo tape. Got an agent. Went on auditions. Met casting directors. You do what it takes to become a known commodity and hope for the best.
  
  My first taste of voice acting, as mentioned, was for Intersound studios... dubbing anime. When I started in the mid 80's the general route was to beg your way in to do 'bits and walla' and then if you showed promise, you were eventually hired to do a continuing character.
  
  The logical step from there, while continuing to do voice work, is to become a writer/adapter and voice director. I learned from the best and the accent was on perfect lip-sync. It was tedious and time consuming work. The process hasn't really changed. There are few short-cuts. As a writer, you're given a tape of the project/show and a literal translation from the language in which it was originally recorded. You disappear in hiding for a few days, stop bathing and answering the phone as you comb through the tape second-by-second, noting the time code and finding English words that will not only be story-appropriate, but also match the lip movement. The easy part was then going into the studio to direct the piece. By comparison to the homework, it's almost like a vacation. Well, after some 150 different projects and episodes, I grew tired of the sheer tedium involved, pulled away from that and really haven't looked back. I much prefer to be a hired-gun who comes in and voices his lines and leaves. I still have the greatest respect for those who continue to put themselves through the work involved with adapting and directing, though. I know how difficult it really is. Hey, can you pass the Visine??
  
  CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the "Digimon" series? How did you end up getting cast in the role as Angemon?
  
  DM: I've worked on Saban shows since they started to buy foreign products, re-do the audio tracks and market them. The first show they did was “Macron I” and I got to play a character with a name (Jet), instead of the bits and walla world of 'Pilot 1' or ‘Truckdriver B.’ There's been a succession of shows since, but “Power Rangers” really put things in a whole different perspective. As for “Digimon,” I was called in to audition... and Angemon (among others) got a voice.
  
  CMcF: How often were/are you called in to work on "Digimon"? What is a typical studio session like?
  
  DM: On average, once a week. Sometimes we'll work on more than one episode at a time. That depends on a variety of factors. A typical session is pretty much the same for everyone. Each actor is booked for a specific time, signs in and then goes into the recording booth, awaiting instructions from the director. Aside from the 'bits and walla’ (crowd stuff) sessions, actors work alone and only see the 'loops' or separate sentences/reactions, etc. that he/she has to do. The time code has been noted by the adapter, so the engineer knows just what frame the character opens his/her/its mouth. The actor hears three 'beeps' in the headset, knowing that it's 'showtime' on the beat of the fourth, but imaginary 'beep.' Having quickly memorized what's necessary for that single 'loop,' you're watching the screen for your character (essentially quickly searching for that mouth). If what you've done suits the director, you move on... otherwise, you try, try again, until you get it right. It has always amazed me that this process even works at all. You don't perform with any of the other characters and vice-versa, yet it all eventually sounds like one, flowing scene. Part of the fun is doing action sequences without previewing them. We call this 'playing the screen'... and trying to come up with just the right grunts, groans and reactions as they play out. Some actors are quicker than others and it's more involved than you may think. You're doing a number of things at once.
  
  CMcF: Once you were affirmed as the voice of Angemon, what was the process behind your getting to play further characters in the series, such as Gekomon and Upamon?
  
  DM: Sometimes you'll audition again... sometimes the producers/directors know you well enough to just cast you without making you jump that hurdle again. Basically, if an actor is versatile, sufficiently talented, has proven professional and reliable and is easy to get along with, they keep getting hired. Economics figures into the picture, too. We're paid one fee, but may do multiple characters. If you have a character that may only have five lines in a show, it makes good money sense to have you do another character or two, as well. Never underestimate the power of the bottom line.
  
  CMcF: You are very adept at disguising your voice, so, if you can remember - did you do any voices other than: Angemon, MagnaAngemon, Seraphimon (in the movie), Pegasusmon, Gekomon, Upamon, and the season one narrator?
  
  DM: Yeah, I did. I wish I could remember their names and there were a few grunting and roaring monsters in among the mix, too. Most of us work for a number of different companies. We're jumping from studio to studio and character to character. It's easier than you would imagine to get lost among the different names and voices... especially if the character only was around for an episode or three.
  
  CMcF: Of all the voices you've done on the series, which one would you say is the character you most enjoy doing?
  
  DM: The weird ones... Gekomon comes to mind. Upamon is fun, too. Honestly, Angemon is a pretty dull guy, who doesn't say much and repeats himself. That's said with a smile, but the quirkier characters allow for more creativity and leave you feeling like you've brought something different into the mix.
  
  CMcF: Something that a lot of fans noticed was that during his appearances in the latter period of the second season, MagnaAngemon underwent a noticeable change in his voice - some likened it to sounding like a "geezer." Some suggested you might have had a cold that day. Can you shed some light on this? Was it the result of a decision on your part, an instruction by the voice directors, or a slip of the tongue (voicebox?)?
  
  DM: "Geezer!!???" Alright, let's step outside and I'll have my bodyguard tune up your kneecaps!!! I honestly don't recall if MagnaA started out one way, then evolved or if he always had the breathy 'Clint Eastwood' thing going for him. Decisions on voices are always a collaboration between actor and director. We 'throw something out' and see if it's accepted, rejected or subject to fine-tuning. Choices are generally made very quickly... time is money. If I'm not mistaken, the MagnaA thing was purposely designed to differentiate him from the other incarnations of the character. Wasn't he a horse part of the time, instead of the Angel dude in lycra pajamas?? To set the record straight, my voicebox does not slip... and what I do with my tongue is none of your business. A cold? Don't you know that actors never get colds? Actors with colds don't get paid to work!
  
  CMcF: Do you think that you were you cast in other Saban projects as a direct result of your popular work on Digimon (or vice versa), or was each assignment independently secured?
  
  DM: All of the above. Given a chance, you prove your worth over time and never stop proving yourself. The nature of this business means constantly rotating management, producers, staff, directors, etc... each of whom may have no idea of who you are or what you've done last week or last year. We'd like to think that we each have something unique to offer and will be remembered the next time around. Bribes and free massages don't hurt, either. ‘Need your car washed??’
  
  CMcF: One often gets the impression that voice actors are offered rather little appreciation for the work they do. Of course, there are exceptions like Dan Castellaneta and other such Simpsons actors, for example - but what are your thoughts on this?
  
  DM: By it's very nature, we're unseen and unsung. The biggest names in the voice field (such as Frank Welker, Don La Fontaine and Harry Shearer, etc.) are totally unknown to the general public, who hear them on a DAILY basis. Sure, we all have egos or we wouldn't be able to show up behind a microphone, but then we don't have to dress up (although bathing is encouraged) and it beats working for a living. The truth? We're all working stiffs who want to bring home a paycheck at the end of the day. All the rest is icing on the cake. It continues to surprise that there are fans such as you guys, who keep track of us and care one way or the other.
  
  If there's a consensus among actors, though, it has more to do with the pay scale relative to the voice first pre-animation/non dubbing than it does with notoriety. Of the two, the Screen Actor's Guild dubbing rate is on the lower end by an exponential figure. They also get the annuity of residuals when the work is repeatedly shown. Dubbing requires a unique talent. Thankfully, not everyone can do it well, but there are economic constraints that impact this end of the business.
  
  CMcF: Do you have any advice for those out there who aspire to be voice actors?
  
  DM: Don't quit your day job... and always signal your intentions in traffic, whether you're in a car or not!
  This is a very insecure business and the odds aren't really in your favor. I would only suggest pursuing a career such as this if you can't NOT do it. You have to really want it. Then, do your homework; read anything you can get your hands on about this corner of the acting game. Take voice over and animation workshops. Approach someone who makes demo tapes and work with them on creating what best displays your ability. The next step is finding an agent who believes in you (most of us have agents, but the second part can be elusive). An agent is the conduit to auditions and the rest is all up to you. There's a LOT of competition. While there are those who make livings in smaller markets, you really need to relocate to where it's happening... either New York, Los Angeles or perhaps Chicago... and then it comes down to networking, making contacts and friends and hoping for the best.
  
  CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What interests does "the voice of Angemon" have?
  
  DM: Music remains a passion. Love the 'art rock/progressive' stuff. XTC, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Crowded House, Mike Oldfield, Yes, older Genesis, Flower Kings, Ben Folds Five, Joe Jackson. Used to play in a group and still mess a bit with bass guitar. Love films and have a surround-sound set up and hard-disk video capture and DVDs. The more independent, character-driven dramas and darker comedies hold my interest. Offbeat comedy is a major pleasure... Fawlty Towers, Martin Short, Robin Williams, etc. I have a home in the Hollywood Hills with a great view - which my cat allows me to think of as my own... and I enjoy upgrading and improving it. Spending about six hours a week doing yoga, have amazed myself that I've stuck with it for more than ten years. Just got a new AudiTT coupe sports car, which is very cool to drive... I'm pretty low-key. Not much of a party animal. Not into sports or clubbing. And I spend far too much time writing email and surfing the web.
  
  DM: My fingers are tired. Can I go back in my cage now? Oh, wait... it's almost time for Oprah!!