Email. That’s how Legion began. Actually, that’s how all my voice over auditions and jobs begin these days. (Oh, I feel a random aside coming on…)
There was a time when voice over actors only met their audition copy at the agent’s office before they went into the agency booth to record. And TV/Film actors had to actually drive to the studio a day or two early to pick-up their sides. I came to LA at the tail end of those days. Then faxing became the wave of the future (odd that the casting process always lags ten years behind technology).
But back to that email. An audition for the role of Legion in a video game called Mass Effect 2. Sadly, I’m too busy to lose myself in virtual worlds and so I had no idea I was about to tango with another major video game (I’m still blown away by the loyal fans of Resident Evil 5). The script required a HAL-esque voice but with a little more range in later monologues. I recorded it, emailed it, then forgot about it. It’s my motto with auditions – lottery tickets as toilet paper – wipe and discard… Did I just write that?
Luckily it hit (as in, didn’t stink? No, D.C., leave the metaphor alone). I then had the great pleasure of working with one of the best voice directors in town, Ginny McSwain, over at the Technicolor Studios in Burbank. Legions’ scenes were spread over 3 or so sessions and I relished being the original voice of a character for a change! (So much anime is replacing the Japanese voice but matching the quality, or, as in the case of Resident Evil, I had to channel several previous actors! [see more here about RE5]). The final voice is heavily filtered. At first I thought I was lost in the effects, but after listening to it some more, I actually dig it.
Another treat was hearing about the cast (Seth Green! Jennifer Hale! Adam Baldwin! The awesome Courtenay Taylor [hey, lady! "Hi" to you and Reagan!]). I hoped I’d run into one of the best modern film/TV voices in the lobby - Martin Sheen! No such luck, though. (Last time I saw him was in 1989 when he and Ned Beatty were my celebrity partners on “Win, Lose or Draw“… We lost.)
I also recorded a smaller role as a Krogan/Berserker. Still haven’t found a video of him, but hopefully I will soon as the voice is the complete opposite of Legions! It would be a nice addition to my reel… (Yeah, I’m sorta fishing for any help on this… I have a signed video game for the person who comes through! … I have no shame.)
[UPDATE: I'm not in Dragon Age anymore - see here for details.]
Then the nice folks at BioWare cast me without an audition for Dragon Age: Origins as a spirit named Justice. A nice and emotional role. Also directed by Ginny McSwain. And also a wonderful experience. Ginny directs her VAs to be natural, nuanced and grounded emotionally. She is, indeed, an actor’s director.
Of course, my sessions were for the PRC (yeah, have no idea, you tell me!) so all the major recording had already passed, thus, depriving me of any possibility of running into Tim Curry! One of my actor idols (for his sheer versatility) who is responsible for my skipping college and going straight to drama school.
So, a few weeks after I finished the jobs, another email arrived. This one from a fan of Mass Effect letting me know how huge the game was and wanting to know everything about the role and my career… Then a uneasiness crept up from behind my head and wrapped around my Adam’s apple… Will Resident Evil fans and Mass Effect 2 fans play nice together? Or will they hunt each other down like Collectors and zombies? Oh dear… I’m afraid my FaceBook page is about to get bloody.
Both Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins have been released, allowing me to release myself from that persnickety NDA!
Get new blog updates via email:
Voice Over Services:
More Words From My Arse:
- Video Game Nirvana
- Albert Wesker Died For My Career
- An NDA Ate My Voice Over Blog
- The Bipolar Voice Over Career
Which one was Pac Man?
?
Great job on Legion! ME2 is a good game made great by wonderful voice acting. Given you can carry your characters between games (this is part two of a three part trilogy), I suspect you'll be voicing him again. It's interesting that a good voice talent paired with a good director can allow natural-sounding dialog despite not having real-time interaction with the other voice actors. I've always been fascinated with that dynamic in animated features. Once again…great work on Legion and I'm looking forward to your next work.
Thank you, Wes! And good to know I may be back in ME3!!!
Next to Tali (Liz Sroka) was in both ME1 and ME2 and will be in ME3,
Legion is one of my favourite characters and I suspect he'll be back in ME3 with maybe even more dialog.
I truly hope you get the time to play Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, my advise is to avoid any romance in ME1 and pursue Tali in ME2. In any case exhausting all dialog options with Tali (and Legion) reveals a lot of the Geth background.
It is odd, but Legion feels more "human" than some of the human characters in the games, very subtle emotions in Legion, a cold robotic tone would have ruined the character, so would a too human voice. You managed to find just the right balance.
You have easily surpassed HAL, nice work.
Wow. Thank you Roger! Though HAL will always be the apex of excellent AI voice over!
I look forward to finding time to dive into it and will avoid romance at all costs!
Just finally had my first run in with Legion this morning. Excellent work, D.C.! The voice talent in this game is top notch, and was part of recent events that have inspired me to dust off the shelved dream of pursuing voice/theatre/film/tv work professionally. Which lead to a google search of voice demos to glean from example while I attempt to assemble my own, very rough first effort… which lead me to your site! Kismet, or just really solid SEO?
While I'm not as spry at 28 as I was 10 years ago and have accrued quite a few more responsibilities along the way, I'm hoping I can make a solid go at it and finally get back to the goal of living my passions. Thank you for your great work, as well as keeping this insightful and humorous blog! I'll be checking in regularly, and as I go over your body of work I realize I've been admiring your talent for quite some time. So know, that when in need I'll be summoning your powers as well as my other long time favorite, Cam Clarke.
/gushing.
Thank you, Mike. And best wished on your pursuit. It's hard, but it doesn't matter if it comes from a place of passion. Perseverance is the key…
I'll play nice with for you D.C!
I beath the first Mass Effect and wasn't drawn into like with other games, so I had almost decided not to get the second one. Then I heard you voiced a playable character, so I said what the hell. At least their casting good for this game.
I bought the game and was not disappointed. He was bad ass. You get to voice all the cool characters. The first time you run into him and he snipes that guy behind your character I was like "oh yeah he's staying in my party." I like the dialog with him and thought it was funny he referred to your character as Shepard Commander. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but there was something soft about his character. It made me want to hug him and not hate the Geth.
I remember he died on my sister's file It was so sad!! I was mad at her, cause she didn't level him up! He owned ass at the end on mind though. He succeeded at every mission I gave him.
Yes! You wanted to hug Legion! That's one of the best compliments!
Hey D.C.!
Wow! You've come a long way since The Beethovens and getting mugged outside the Gene Dynarski! Great work! Great website! Great blog! What a freakin' VOICE! Quality all around! Cheers, my friend!
Warmest,
Bill Livingston
Holy Crap! A voice from my past! Thanks for the bad memory and nice words!
Hope all is well with you, sir!
I have no idea who you are (appologies). But I just finished Mass Effect 2 for the second time and I took Legion with me on every mission possible and after beating the game took them for a trip around the galaxy. And I tried to fish out every line Legion has to say about anything whatsoever.
I simply LOVE that kind, intelligent and wise machine(s). In fact I'm sitting in front computer right now reloading save games and talking to Legion again.
Half of my thanks will go to the writers of cause but the other half is to you.
I wish I could get Legion on my team earlier in the game, wish to hug him, dance with him and exonerate their people before the Council (Hope Mass Effect 3 will provide)
Thanks for your part in bringing to life such a wonderful creature.
Hear you in Mass Effect 3
I have no idea who you are, either…
No worries, if I thought I was well known, I'd just twitter my inane thoughts and diet tips!
Thanks for the kind words. My fingers are crossed I'll be in ME3, as well.
Thanks for giving us a great voice for Legion ^^
Legion and Jack are two of my favorite characters in ME2, and I really hope that they, and the rest of the squad, will return as crew of the SR-2 in ME3.
Also, you had some of the best lines in the game, and you delivered them perfectly (… There was a Hole…), and that contributed to make Legion one of the best characters ever. EVER. (OF ALL TIME!) Thank you for making the game even more memorable, and I hope you (And Legion) return in even greater capacity in Mass Effect 3.