Lets Talk Voiceover - Episode 35 - Mara Junot
Mara Junot is one of those fascinating people you meet that you instantly fall in love with. Warm, genuine, and easy to talk to. Funny, inviting, and personable. And one hell of an actor. Video games, such as Ikora in Destiny 2, Fortnite, World of Warcraft, Mortal Kombat, and Guild Wars 2. She's also highly in demand as a narrative and promo actor: ESPN, CNBC, Lifetime, and others. Oh, and a commercial actor, voicing spots for Target, AT&T, Walmart. And then that strange and wonderful talent as a live announcer for VHI1 Divas, CNN New Year's Eve with Anderson Cooper...yeah. She's got crazy chops.
Randall Ryan
Can it beat my favorite bad movie line from Mel Gibson's The Patriot? Of course, if you haven't seen the movie, and by God if you haven't seen the movie, please don't.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
(laughs) Done.
Randall Ryan
But, it’s pre-Revolutionary War. So he comes up to this woman, he says, “mind if I sit here?”, and she says “Sure, it's a free country…or at least it will be.”
Mara Junot
No, she..uh, uh No she doesn’t! (laughs)
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
(laughing) That’s kind of fantastic.
Brian Talbot
(laughing) Oh, that’s beautiful.
Mara Junot
(laughing) At least it will be.
ThEME MUSIC
Brian Talbot
So Let’s Talk Voiceover, Mara Junot!
Mara Junot
Let's Talk Voiceover.
Brian Talbot
Well, that was pleasant! I like that.
Mara Junot
Excellent.
Randall Ryan
Hi, Mara.
Mara Junot.
Hi!
Randall Ryan
How are you, Mara?
Mara Junot
I'm great! I've been…been…like messing with real estate and games and all kinds of crazy things like…
Brian Talbot
Real estate? Like what? What's going on?
Mara Junot
I'm home shopping. Yeah.
Brian Talbot
(gasps) Cool!
Mara Junot
And in like the worst market in the past 16 years.
Randall Ryan
Well, there is that. There is that.
Brian Talbot
Buy high, sell low! That's what they say. right?
Mara Junot
Literally I think homes are more are 30%...25% more expensive this year than last year. And last year there were 20% more expensive than the year before.
Brian Talbot
See? Going up, up, up. I love that!
Mara Junot
It’s just nuts. It is like, I mean literally looking at one place, in, I think, six hours they had 140 offers.
Randall Ryan
Oh, jeez.
Brian Talbot
Isn't that insane?
Mara Junot
It is so nuts.
Brian Talbot
People who want to sell their house nowadays, they literally go hang out somewhere for one day. They come back with multiple offers over asking at ridiculous prices. The only problem with that is if you're not leaving the area then you have to buy in that market…
Mara Junot:
Right?
Brian Talbot
… and that becomes the challenge, right? So
Randall Ryan
Yeah, that is a problem.
Mara Junot
Yeah, it's nuts.
Brian Talbot
Well that's very cool though. I mean, you know, home ownership, American dream.
Mara Junot
Absolutely, absolutely. So fingers crossed all is going well so far knock on wood. But yeah, this market, you guys, if you're, if you don't need to buy a house right now, do not buy a house.
Brian Talbot
Don't, yeah. Yeah.
Mara Junot
God! Insanity!
Randall Ryan
Other than that, you got a little project that you've been working on of late. Just, you know, something came up, I don't know, it's something,
Mara Junot
Yeah! Yeah, little little project. Um I just,…I am a new actress in a existing role in a very, very popular game, happens to be called Destiny 2.
Randall Ryan
Mm hm.
Mara Junot
Has a teeny tiny little fan base; might have heard of it, but…
Brian Talbot
Nice!
Mara Junot
Yeah!
Brian Talbot
Congratulations!
Mara Junot
Thank you. I'm, I’m like crazy stoked about it. Like I'm, I'm just overwhelmed at the reception that I've received from the fans, ‘cause I kind of was dreading it because this is a long-established role.
Randall Ryan
Sure.
Mara Junot
A marvelous actress, Gina Torres. I'm sure we all know her from Suits and Firefly and lots of other fantastic shows, and she's been established in that in that role for quite some time. And so, you know, I've, I've never quite been in a position like that um in, in a game that was so popular and has such a big fan base with something so established. But everybody has been extremely, extremely kind and welcoming me to the community and, I'm just, I'm just thrilled to pieces ‘cause I kind of was scared I was going to be (laughs) eaten by wolves when, when this happened.
Randall Ryan
Well, yeah, ‘cause any time, almost in some ways it doesn't even matter if they're, if they're good or not and that's…
Mara Junot
Right! You like what you like.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
You know, you get attached to the naturally so, you know, somebody's established a character a certain way and you've been hearing it in your ear a certain way and, no matter how great of a mimic you are…
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
…you're just not gonna be able to capture all of that. So, fortunately, Bungie has been just excellent and you know, has just kind of allowed me to to be me while still trying to capture the essence of the character, Ikora, as much as as much as I can.
Brian Talbot
That is excellent.
Randall Ryan
But that's what they should do because…
Mara Junot
Right
Randall Ryan
…if you try to do what Ms. Torres did…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…first of all, you're gonna fail.
Mara Junot
Right!
Randall Ryan
Because you said you're never gonna be what she is…
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Randall Ryan
…and then what's the purpose of having somebody else.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
That's the whole point of hiring any actor is let them be the actor, let them be. You bring a piece of yourself to what it is or what's the point?
Brian Talbot
Right?
Mara Junot
Exactly. But you know, it is just such a tricky situation because at the same time you want to honor enough of what's already been established and what people have already fallen in love with, right? And so finding one's essence, you know, in a character that's kind of this elusive thing. You know, you're just like, okay, well, how much is it the voice? Is it the, is it just an attitude? It's hard to not get in your head about it. Especially, you know, when you are a musical sort of person, like I am and you know, I am very good at soundalikes and things, and so it's hard for me when I hear somebody else…’cause I do a lot of soundalike sort of work…when I hear somebody else, and I'm used to trying to match, you know, as closely as possible. And so this concept of like, “no, we just kind of need that essence, but be you and bring your own flair to it.” It's just this sort of uncanny valley of weirdness (laughs) for the performer because you're like, you know, am I giving you what you really want?
Brian Talbot
Really? You…you want mine? You…me? Me?
Mara Junot
Right. (laughs) Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Well, and, and the other hard part about that is you don't want to end up being the new Becky against the old Becky from Roseanne, right?
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Or the new Darren versus the old Darren, right?
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
You like Dick York, or do you like Dick Sargent?
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
I don’t know, they’re just different. You know, you gotta bring what you bring.
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Bring what you bring to the ball game.
Mara Junot
So you do play?
Brian Talbot
Uh not that game.
Mara Junot
Oh, gotcha, gotcha.
Brian Talbot
But I watch Roseanne and I watched Bewitched
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
And I spend way too much time watching old TV shows that haven't been on the air for 40 years. So
Mara Junot
That’s a train wreck right there.
Brian Talbot
I got time, I got time on my hands. Okay, I'm just gonna say it out loud. I've got uh…
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
It's really cool when you have that opportunity to take over a role for good reasons and add your own flair to it and add your own touch to it, because it can really, for a player or a viewer, depending on what it is, it can really expand the depth of that character.
Mara Juno
Absolutely. And that's what I hope to do.
Brian Talbot
And I imagine the writers are probably excited because once they get to know you a little bit, they can start to build some of those kinds of characteristics into the character or adapt their writing just a little bit of that character, to bring out some of the additional stuff that you bring to the table. So that's wonderful.
Mara Junot
Right, right. Hopefully that is the goal.
Brian Talbot
Did you get to meet the writers?
Mara Junot
Not in person, but I have spoken with many of them…
Brian Talbot
Good.
Mara Junot
…and the whole team has just been absolutely, absolutely wonderful. I just couldn't ask for a nicer team of people to work with and yeah, it's been a really a nice smooth transition. So.
Randall Rya
That’s great.
Mara Junot
It's exciting. It's super exciting.
Brian Talbot
So do you have any advice if you're trying to replace someone that's existing? Like, um, I don't know, like if I wanted to try and replace Randy.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
Is there something that you should or shouldn't do? I don’t know.
Mara Junot
The inimitable Randy? I mean…
Brian Talbot
Hypothetically, of course.
Mara Junot
It’s so elusive. I just don't know if that's possible.
Brian Talbot
I just I'm just putting it out there for conversation's sake.
Mara Junot
(laughs) Well, first stay up till one a.m. Start there.
Brian Talbot
Note to self: cancel Randy auditions.
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
(laughs) We're gonna cancel the Randy cancel.
Brian Talbot
Uh. Cancel the Randy replacement auditions. Uh, Okay. (laughs)
Randall Ryan
I am sending out a spec for that in the next week or so. So you should be getting…
Brian Talbot?
Are you?
Randall Ryan
Yeah, you should be getting an audition from me because you know, to replace myself.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
(laughs) I get the opportunity to audition to replace Randy on the Brian and Randy podcast. There you go. (laughs)
Mara Junot
Oh, God I love it.
Randall Ryan
But you know, if you could play both sides, just think of it that way. Think of the monetization opportunities.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, no, but yeah, no, no, no. Yeah. Um, yeah, but if you can play both sides, you know? Um…(laughs)
Randall Ryan
Right! Exactly.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
Right! Right. Exactly!
Randall Ryan
You've got this. So now, when you get the script just do exactly that, just don't think about it, do exactly that…
Brian Talbot
Uh huh.
Randall Ryan
…and you should be fine.
Brian Talbot
Uh huh. Uh huh.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
No, no, no. Three in a row. Can you mix it up a little bit? Uh huh. Uh, huh. Uh, huh!
Randall Ryan
I think he's got it!
Brian Talbot
See that was good. That was good. (laughs)
Randall Ryan
Perfect.
Brian Talbot
Oh my gosh, alright. Back to the..
Mara Junot
Dead ringer.
Brian Talbot
…(laughs) back to something that people actually want to listen to. How about that?
Randall Ryan
Oh, that's overrated.
Brian Talbot
So Mara, that's absolutely amazing. But I know that that's not the only thing going on in your world. What else have you been doing?
Mara Junot
Oh goodness.
Brian Talbot
Especially over the last year with all the challenges and changes that people have been going through. I know you've kind of been going like gangbusters.
Mara Junot
Yeah. You know, it definitely has been, of course, just psychologically, it's been a trying past year for everybody. Fortunately I guess, for me ,I'm already quite a bit of a homebody and don't really leave the house much anyway. I mean, I literally cannot leave the house for two weeks and don't even notice. Like between Amazon grocery deliveries and constantly being glued to my booth, it's just not that big of a life change for me.
Brian Talbot
Right? Right?
Mara Junot
Except wearing the mask. But..
Brian Talbot
Lockdown? I got this.
Mara Junot
Yeah, pretty much! You know I mean I started my career in a smaller town, and I have been running my own home studio for over 12 years now, so I kind of was an advantage that a lot of talent, especially talent in big cities like Los Angeles and New York and Chicago, you know, where they're just used to going into studios and only auditioning on their phones,perhaps, or just some sort of portable rig at home that didn't have to be broadcast-quality, they kind of had to start from scratch and the pressure of that. I can only imagine trying to keep everything running smooth.
Brian Talbot
Oh, It has to be overwhelming.
Mara Junot
Oh, absolutely.
Brian Talbot
For people who are talent to now have to understand how to be an engineer.
Mara Junot
Absolutely.
Brian Talbot
But it's also surprising to me how many people didn't already have a home studio set up.
Mara Junot
No.
Brian Talbot
I mean I just, I just kind of figured that everybody had one by now.
Randall Ryan
No.
Mara Junot
No. I mean again, if you're in a major market, especially like Los Angeles where there's studios everywhere…
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Mara Junot
…you just don't have to. And I can understand why somebody wouldn't want to invest in, you know, a $2,000 microphone and then, you know, a $10,000 booth, and…
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Mara Junot
…and all that stuff when you can just go to the session, we have the client pay the studio fee when he's there.
Brian Talbot
Sure. Sure.
Mara Junot
So I get it, but it is a hot mess trying to figure it all out. So I was fortunate in that regard. Business on my end has been really good because I was prepared, in part. I'm sure that's not all, it wasn't all my tech skills, but it didn't hurt anything.
Randall Ryan
No.
Mara Junot
So.
Randall Ryan
No, it doesn't.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
Where I'm kind of with Brian on things, ‘cause I've seen this too, of course. Yeah, we can book that person, but I already know we have to put them in a studio.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Randall Ryan
But there's also a difference that I don't understand. Let's just say you live in Los Angeles. The amount of time that it takes to go from studio to studio to studio to do auditions, if that is what you're doing.
Mara Junot
Mmm hmm.
Randall Ruan
At least having something that is audition-quality…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…at your living space. It doesn't necessarily even have to be final-quality.
Brian Talbot
And that's not hard to do.
Randall Ryan
No, it's not hard to do.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, that's not a super high bar. Right?
Mara Junot
Yeah, exactly. You can get great audio on your, on your iPhone if you're in a quiet enough space. So I think that's frankly what a lot of people were doing. But now. it was like overnight when the pandemic hit, and it's really not fair to the talent to be perfectly honest.
Randall Ryan
Of course.
Mara Junot
I saw a big shift in the demands. It was like, it went from lockdown to “Hey do you have a U87 a and a double wall booth and a this and that?” And it's like come on!
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
It's just kind of crazy.
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Randall Ryan
Well, there is the other side of that, that has also been a problem. Well, you see that with almost anything, right? You see that with all kinds of social issues where something does need to occur, and then there becomes an overreaction to whatever that is. And I think in a totally different way…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…that's what you have here. Like, “ oh well since people are gonna have to be at home, surely you’re tricked out just like it was when you were coming into the studio, right?”
Mara Junot
Riiight!
Randall Ryan
And that expectation is just whacked.
Mara Junot
It’s totally whacked!
Brian Talbot
Yeah, can I hear you on the U87, the 414, and the Sennheiser shotgun, please, right?
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
Yeah, right. And the 421.
Mara Junot
Which fortunately, I have but most talent don't. Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Right. I got a Radio Shack mic. What do you want?
Randall Ryan
Yeah, can go back in your vault? Maybe just for this one session, can you pull out an AKG 414..the 414B, not the C, like…
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, yeah.
Mara Junot
Yeah, it's nuts. I mean, yeah. And it's not as if, you know, everybody's on one page as far as microphones, either. I mean, I've literally done games where, most games they're like, oh you know the TLM 103 or the U87, but I have some developers, they want the 416, you know?
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
And so it's, it's just nuts. What do you guys think in terms of that? Because I hear arguments on both sides. Some people say look, this whole mic debate thing is just long and drawn out and unnecessary, because if you're going to go into a studio, every celebrity is going to be on that exact same damn mic, nobody's tweaking it for their voice and finding the right model and the right this; everybody's either on the shotgun or they're on their U87 or whatever mic they happen to have in studio. So it doesn't really matter. It's just about what sounds good. But then other people are like: “oh no. You need the rejection of the shotgun of the 416 or you need, you know? What do you guys think? Is it ultimately about just what sounds good on your damn voice? Or is there really some big differences that you find it's kind of necessary to make sure that you're close enough?
Brian Talbot
For me personally, I've been using the same mic for 30 years.
Mara Junot
Wow, which one?
Brian Talbot
Uh, the Audio Technica..
Randall Ryan
Mr. Microphone?
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
…4033. It's the original, it's the original 4033.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
And that went through a bunch of iterations and some tech spec changes and all that kind of stuff. But I have the original 4033. And it's funn,y because I was moving from New York City back to Indiana, and I didn't know what I was going to do. So I ended up buying a bunch of studio gear, and I went microphone shopping. So I went to a Guitar Center, Sam Ash, or whatever it was, right? And they literally had like 200 microphones in a room. And so I put on a set of headphones and then I just went around and pushed the button for each and every single one of them and listened to my voice, listened to my voice, listened to my voice on every single one, including the 414 and the 416 and the U87…
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
…and the 103. And, I mean I listened on everything. And I figured out that, for my voice specifically, what I really loved about the 4033 is that it gave me enough bottom end, but I'm not like that deep announcer voice
Mara Junot
Right, right.
Brian Talbot
But it was able to resonate what is down there, and then it was able to take my midrange and really put a crisp edge on it.
Mara Junot
Interesting.
Brian Talbot
And so I'm like, okay this is the mic.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Right? And now, obviously I've gone into studios and used all sorts of different kinds of mics and all that kind of stuff. I still like my mic.
Mara Junot
Right. Right. “And nobody's ever stopped you on a project and said oh we can't work with you because..
Brian Talbot
..you don't you don't have the right mic.!
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
And in fact, I have had comments on even recording from home, right? How clean and what a great sound I can get coming out of my mic.
Mara Junot
Mmm hmm.
Brian Talbot
I mean at the time it was a $400 mic. I don't know what the going rate on something like this is these days, but it's still it's nowhere close to what you're paying for the Neumanns or some of the higher end Sennheisers or any of the other stuff, right? People spend so much time focused on the microphone. Like the tool is gonna make the difference. It's like well why don't you, first of all, spend the time working on your environment, so it doesn't sound like you're standing in your shower…
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
…recording. And then after that, work on your technique, for God's sakes.
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Work on your acting. Work on your delivery, work on your performance.
Mara Junot
Right!
Brian Talbot?
You know what?
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
I have never, ever had someone say “Man, it just sounds like you're on a bad mic.” I've never had that.
Mara Junot
Right, right
Brian Talbot
And so everyone who does this get so obsessed by things like,”well I think I should upgrade to the…” No, whatever.
Mara Junot
Right. I agree. And I've heard plenty of people on the wrong mic for them, I have to say. You know where they’re too sibilant and too bright or you know…
Brian Talbot
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Randall Ryan
And that's usually what the wrong mic is. There are exceptions to this, but it usually takes a characteristic of your voice that you DON’T want.
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
And overaccentuates it. Yeah. so Randy, what's your take on this?
Randall Ryan
Well, you already said it. The very first thing is your environment.
Mara Junot
Right
Randall Ryan
I had a project where, let's just say there was a bit of a disagreement. It was something that was…
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
…that was supposed to be done at a particular studio, and they were doing all of these measurements. They were literally measuring from the actor's lips to the mic, and making and taking pictures and making
Brian Talbot
Oh, my God…
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Wow. Wow.
Randall Ryan
They changed preamps to make sure they were getting the right sound, which…I'm sorry…if you can actually tell the difference between one preamp and another when everything else is exactly the same, God love you. By the way, the people that you're making this for cannot, will not…
Mara Junot
They can’t.
Randall Ryan
..and never will.
Mara Junot
(laughs) Right.
Randall Ryan
Get over your bad self.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
And make sure that preamp catches a very effective “AAAHHHHHH!!!”
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
Yeah! And…so the pandemic hits, right? So they continue this project with people's home studios, and where the disagreement came over…
Mara Junot
Oh, God.
Randall Ryan
…was an actor was in her booth and had her door open, and I could hear traffic noise going by.
Mara Junot
Sure!
Brian Talbot
Wel,l you know, it gets a little stuffy and you need some air flow. So I mean, come on Randy.
Mara Junot
Wow.
Randall Ryan
And so I asked, “Hey actor, is it possible for you to close the door to your booth?” I said “Can you do that?” She said yes.
Mara Junot
Does she normally not??
Randall Ryan
Well, that's not actually the point.
Mara Junot
(laughs) Point? That’s, uh..I’m sorry..
Brian Talbot
Although it's a good side question. It's a hell of a good side question.
Randall Ryan
The same people freaked out because we had changed her environment.
Brian Talbot
You changed the environment…
Mara Junot
Are you kidding?
Brian Talbot
…right in the middle of the record. How dare you change the environment! Well, it sounded like shit before. What do you want?
Randall Ryan
So you're actually so hyped that you want a specific preamp that you shipped stuff to her, but yet, you don't bother to tell her to close the door to her goddamn studio as trucks go by.
Mara Junot
Right. Right
Brian Talbot
Ugh.
Randall Ryan
So sometimes engineers don't know what they're talking about. They went to school, they did stuff. Absolutely agree: Very first, number one thing is your environment.
Mara Junot
Yeah, exactly.
Randall Ryan
First and foremost.
Mara Junot
I’m with you there.
Randall Ryan
A Neumann U87 in the middle of a concrete room is going to sound terrible.
Mara Junot
Oh, totally.
Randall Ryan
Just ‘cause I said it as a joke earlier. a Mr. Mmicrophone in a pristine environment…
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
…is going to sound better than that. Now. I'm not saying that's what you do, but the point being that will sound better.
Mara Junot
Right. Right.
Randall Ryan
So, don't do the first thing.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Well, and actually don't do the second thing either.
Randall Ryan
Well, don’t do the second thing either. Right.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
Don't do, don't do don't do a Mr Microphone I’m in the middle of..
Randall Ryan
Don’t do a Mr. Microphone.
Mara Junot
Darn. I was dusting off my Mr Microphone right now.
Brian Talbot
(laughs) Hey, good looking. Be back to pick you up later.
Randall Ryan
Dusting off? Mine’s just sitting right over here!
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
That’s what I’m talking to you on. What are you talking about?
Mara Junot
(laughing) I know, who knew I could have been using it all this time?
Brian Talbot
See?
Mara Junot
Save me a lot of headache.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, Mara. Um, for this time, can you hook up the Mr Microphone please? That's uh..
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
…we want to make sure we get that, uh, Mr. Microphone sound. (cups mouth) Hey good looking, be back to pick you up later.
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
(laughing) Oh my God…I always sound like this.
Randall
Don't you use the close and play for your speakers?
Mara Junot
Yeah, of course! Of course.
Randall Ryan
Right. Doesn’t everybody?
Brian Talbot
Absolutely.
Mara Junot
But I forgot about the Mr Microphone part.
Brian Talbot
See?
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
No, uh…this is the funny part. I'll have people who know me, right? And they’re like, “I really want to get into, uh, voiceover because, uh, people tell me I have a great voice.
Mara Junot
(laughing) I know!
Brian Talbot
“What microphone do you think I should buy?” And I’m like, well, why don't you practice first?
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
Yeah. Yeah, there’s that.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, yeah, uh, that's a good idea, but uh…what microphone do you think I should buy?
Mara Junot
Oh, God, I know! It is asking a lot though. We…I mean the tech side really, we are asking so much. I mean, already talent have so much on their back with self-directing…
Randall Ryan
You do.
Mara Junot
…trying to interpret the specs; we have to mind read, we have to do all these things. And now, trying to learn Twisted Wave, or some people think they need Pro Tools and all this crazy stuff, and it's so much, it is so, so much. I do not envy anyone who has not had to deal with the tech side before. Because it really is, you're using different sides of your brain too, you know? I mean, you're going from this right brain performance, “I just want to act and do the art.” And then now you're like…
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
You know, you're totally switching gears, and some people's brains just aren't wired that way, to be fair, you know?
Randall Ryan
They're not, but I will say this, in all honesty and fairness: if you are looking at this as a business person, which is part of what your career is, right?
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Absolutely.
Randall Ryan
You're not just artists, you are an entrepreneur who happens to be selling a creative artistic product.
Mara Junot
True.
Brian Talbot
So why would you not?
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
And you don't necessarily have to say, I'm going to go to Full Sail and I'm going to learn to become an audio engineer. This is voice over.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
It is one microphone, it is generally one environment, and you really don't, in most cases, have to truly be an engineer. You can even pay somebody to come and set yourself up and just kind of leave it and go. To have that environment, you're now talking an investment in your career. You know, musicians, if you want to say, “all I want to do is play guitar. Somebody else should provide the guitar.” Who would ever say that?
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
So I also think that the system that has been there in place so far has in some ways been a detriment, because if you learn something about what makes the whole tech work…and it doesn't have to get really deep,…we don't have to start getting in there and going to like, “should I get a dynamic Eq or should I get something that's a static EQ?” You don't have to go that deep. What's a good microphone? What's a good preamp? Is your environment good? How do you set your levels? Do you know what those levels are? That's what you need to know.
Mara Junot
Right
Randall Ryan
And also understand, in the same way as singer has to learn mic technique, you have to learn that, right?
Brian Talbot
Absolutely.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
How is that any less tech, really, when it comes down to it than, do you know where to set your preamp?
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
You are doing the same thing. So, I, I also think that when I hear some actors say, “all I want to do is act” well, that's just great. I'm sure all you want to do is act, and you want your agent to take care of your business side of things, and your accountant and…No. You are an entrepreneur. You are a creative person. This is part of what you have to do. And by the way…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…if you do learn that, the world, because of how technology has changed, is kind of opening up to you.
Brian Talbot
It opens up wide.
Randall Ryan
You can do projects…
Mara Junot
Right
Randall Ryan
…with people in Australia and Europe, and…
Brian Talbot
Absolutely.
Randall Ryan
Yeah, there are challenges with that, absolutely. But, there are also advantages of doing that. So,
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Yep.
Mara Junot.
So true. So, so true. Now it's, it's just kind of learning a language, you know, it's just, yeah, it comes with the territory.
Brian Talbot
You're so lucky because you get paid to talk.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
And, and, and, and engineer, and run a business, and market yourself.
Mara Junot
And interact, and market.
Randall Ryan
Well, no, but… I understand that and I do have sympathy for people who this has been thrust on. Because that's not the way the system has worked, there is a certain amount of, “wow, this is a lot to deal with, right at this moment in time.”
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
And people are asking you for crazy things, and that's not right, either. But at the same time, just like any other business, this is the market. This is what you have to do…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…and this is not the career you have to choose.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
So if you're going to do this…
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
And I think it's just accelerated for some people. But I've had a home studio since the early 2000s.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Right. Same.
Brian Talbot
This should be nothing new to people.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
And with that said, I will also tell you, I recently went in for my first in-studio session in forever, forever. And it was wonderful. It was phenomenal to be sitting in a booth…
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
…talking with the engineer and the client, you know? The client was actually remote, but just to have human contact doing a session and all that stuff, face-to-face with some people and stuff like that was phenomenal. So..
Randall Ryan
Absolutely.
Brian Talbot
I love that. I absolutely love that.
Mara Junot
Totally
Brian Talbot
And I missed tha. And it was so great to be able to do that. But at the same time, I think this is just the minimum bar.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Yeah. And, I mean, now we're getting, too, into…especially in the world of video games…now, it's getting to the part that I dread: a lot of on camera technique, which I have none of. I know nothing about knowing my marks and lighting and all this stuff. But more and more, I'm seeing auditions where they want to, what they call it, the cowboy shot? From your hips up and all this and you got to do all this stuff and they want stuff off book… and I'm like, are you kidding me? And they want it like the next day. And I'm like, this is kind of, I didn't sign up for this.
Randall Ryan
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Mara Junot
You know, I wanted to be a voice actor, not on camera, but sadly that's kinda changing too.
Randall Ryan
Well, we'll see how that goes. I mean, I'm not going to say that it won't, and if it does it's gonna happen over time, but I also think that some of the expectation…we'll see, right?
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Well, the bottom line is they can ask for it.
Randall Ryan
Rrrright…
Mara Junot
Well, and they'll get it. I mean, there's plenty of people who do both.
Brian Talbot
There are some people who can do it, right?
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
And then there are other people who will specialize in in other areas and all that kind of stuff. That's the other side of it. Voice acting has changed so dramatically through specialization that it's insane. I mean, you can make an absolute killing of a career doing nothing but medical.
Mara Junot
Right
Randall Ryan
Right.
Brian Talbot
Right? If you do nothing else, except you're able to pronounce all those goofy, long, stupid medical words, right?
Mara Junot
(laughs) Right.
Brian Talbot
You can make a killer career out of that.
Mara Junot
Absolutely.
Brian Talbot
The specialization keeps getting deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper. Look at all the people that make an absolute killer living off of nothing but political.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Brian Talbot
And you would think, oh, well that's every two years or every four years. Nope. no, no, no, no, no.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
It is a continual cycle.
Mara Junot
Oh, yeah.
Brian Talbot
It's a continual cycle, it never ever, ever stops.
Mara Junot
It’s so true.
Brian Talbot
So the opportunity is not that you'll do everything, but you can find the specialties that fit your niche.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Right? And I think that that's really kind of a cool part of all this.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm. Well, speaking of specialties, the thing that has always fascinated me that you have done that, I would love to hear more about and that is the whole live announcing thing. I know…
Brian Talbot
Ooh…that is a specialty.
Randall Ryan
…a small handful number of, of live announcers, but this is something that you started to do.
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Randall Ryan
And how did that even come about? It just kind of came out of the blue, didn't it?
Mara Junot
Yeah. It really was just kind of a regular audition. I wouldn't even say it's a specialty of mine. I mean, I definitely…I'm fairly comfortable with it. I mean I'm extremely introverted, so the idea of having to, like, be anywhere near visible on a stage is a whole different shebang. But, my first big live announced gig was, oh my God, was that 2014?
Randall Ryan
Was it really that long ago?
Mara Junot
Oh yeah, I think it was 2014, it might have been 2013, but it was for the VH1 Divas Holiday Special…
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
…in Brooklyn, and that was unbelievable. I mean, I'm talking literally some of the biggest divas were on the stage just a few feet away from me. I'm talking Mariah Carey, Patti Labelle, Shaka Khan…
Brian Talbot
Oh my. Gosh. How cool.
Mara Junot
Yeah. It really didn't even sink in until it was all over. I didn't realize I was kind of just in this trance of like, do not mess up, just go, just go with it.
Brian Talbot
Right? That's the hard part about live!
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
You're sitting there and you're just, you're like wet your pants nervous…
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
…about saying the wrong word or flubbing a pronunciation or everything!
Mara Junot
Well, and the best part two is I had done an AirBnB. I've decided I'm never going to AirBnB in New York City ever again for work, because I've done it in the past and I always regret it. This situation, we wound up in some lovely woman's apartment where the whole building, it was like, I don't know, 10, 12 story building. And,, let's just say four stories up or more, there was some smoke detector that was going off…
Randall Ryan
Mmm hmm
Mara Junot
on like the fourth floor.
Brian Talbot.
Ugh.
Mara Junot
But yet, you know, it's those old buildings, you know, like built in 1802 or whatever. So you can hear it just,…
Brian Talbot
Yeah, it’s just cardboard walls.
Mara Junot
Yeah! So you hear it throughout the entire building. So literally, approximately every, I think it was every 30 or 45 seconds..
Randall Ryan
(laughs) Oh God
Mara Junot
…from the time we got there, it was just like, BRRRT! GRRRTT! And so all night I could not sleep. And this is like, I have a big event, I don't do well with no sleep.
Brian Talbot
Ugh.
Mara Junot
And this is my first big life announced for Viacom VH1 and I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. I'm not gonna get any sleep.
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
So, all night we're just fighting the chirp. I'm like burying my head in pillows. I literally had like three pillows over my head. I'm putting in ear buds, trying listening to brown noise and just BRRTTT! BRRTTT! all night. Of course, you can’t get comfortable because like…oh and the radiator didn't turn on. We figured out how to turn the radiator on like at five a.m.
Randall Ryan
Oh, jeez.
Mara Junot
(laughs) Or something, so I'm just freezing, I'm hearing chirps every 30 seconds, I can't sleep. Then the best part. So we finally like get a couple of hours. Like okay, got time to get ready to go for a rehearsal,because we have to do like a little quick rehearsal of a few things. Just kind of how the board's work and, and all this stuff…and we get locked in. I've never been in a situation…
Randall Ryan
Locked in?
Mara Junot
…where somebody can get locked inside an apartment! But this is what happened. Apparently, there were two doors in her apartment. One was covered up with shoes. She had this lovely shoe collection…
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
…and she covered up the second door with this big curtain and all of her damn shoes!
Brian Talbot
Because, why would you need a door? (laughs)
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
I'm like, I'm like, who designs this crap? So she somehow, I guess she had left a note in the instructions. Like make sure you don't…
Randall Ryan
look behind the shoes? (laughs)
Mara Junot
Yeah, I don't, I don't know. So we had no idea there was a second way out. But somehow we managed to like, we twisted the lock and we shouldn't have, and next thing you know we can't open the door from the inside.
Randall Ryan
Oh my gosh.
Mara Junot
It was bolted from the inside, and we don't have a key and the owner is not answering her phone ,and I've got to be at rehearsal in like (laughing) an hour and a half, and we have no idea if and when she's going to answer her phone, if and when I'm going to make it, and how I'm going to explain to my agent that I flew all the way from Colorado to Brooklyn only to get locked in my AirBnB…
Brian Talbot
That is perfect.
Mara Junot
(laughing)…and not be at the actual event.
Randall Ryan
Wow.
Mara Junot
Um, so luckily we were able to figure out that there was a second door. We threw all her shoes on the floor, sorry; bill us whatever, clawed our way out the apartment and like, booked it to Brooklyn. But it was absolute madness.
Randall Ryan
Oh, gosh.
Mara Junot
So just the fact that I was running on no sleep, crazy, frantic frame of mind. It was a whole blur for me, the fact that I got it done. And it really wasn't until I did the last announcement and walked out…the audience is kind of leaving and I'm looking around and I look up at the building and I just realized what had just happened. And I'm like, I just did that, I just made it work. I don't know how I did that, but it happened and it worked.
Brian Talbot
That's fun.
Mara Junot
(laughs) It was an adventure.
Brian Talbot
Of course, the creepy voice of the Saw character coming and going…
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
“Welcome to the luxury apartment, Mara”
Mara Junot
Oh my God, it was a moment, it was a moment of panic. (laughs)
Brian Talbot
you can get out, but you have a decision to make first.
Mara Junot
Live announce, It really is a lot of fun if you want to kind of push yourself into a new uh, I don't know if you're just getting a little bored with sitting in the booth, self-directing yourself, there's nothing to charge your batteries, like…
Brian Talbot
See that's why I do production though. That's, that's the hard part for me. I do production so I can do it over and over and over again…
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
…until I get it exactly the way I want it to sound.
Mara Junot
Yeah. That's the beauty of it, right?
Brian Talbot
And any time I get put into a live position again…I came from radio a long, long time ago and all that kind of stuff, but…I've always gravitated towards production.
Mara Junot
Right.
Brian Talbot
Because the live thing, I just, man, I just, I get tense, I get uptight, I can't relax, I can't enjoy it.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
I'm just, I'm always on edge. But God bless those people who can do that and do that comfortably all the time.
Mara Junot
Right, right.
Brian Talbot
It's a different skill.
Mara Junot
It is a different skill.
Randall Ryan
How much did that spur just being able to do more live announcing? It's like, well you've got this very high profile thing under your belt.
Mara Junot
You know, it's a good question, because I have to say, any time I've done any sort of live announce thing, nobody's necessarily said, oh, I saw your reel or whatever this and that.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
Um, and fortunately a lot of the things that I've done have actually been prerecorded, like I've been the opening announcer 2…3? 2 years in a row, for sure, for NBC New Year's Eve.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
And that I'm able to record in L.A. You know, a few days before the event. And I'm literally sitting on my couch in L.A. watching myself…
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
…”live announce” from New York.
Randall Ryan
I wonder what I'm going to say next!
Mara Junot
Right! (laughs) So it's a lot easier…
Brian Talbot
Hey, 20 bucks says I say this!
Mara Junot
Right!
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
And in fact, just a few weeks ago I got to be the announcer voice for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Awards, the Gladd Awards, the 32nd annual. And again, got to do that from my home studio and we recorded that I think a week before the event. So yeah, fortunately most of my quote unquote live events have not technically been live, which works out great for somebody like me who needs a little prep time.
Brian Talbot
Right?
Randall Ryan
I just thought of a great party trick: invite a bunch of people over to watch an award show..
Mara Junot
Right? (laughs)
Randall Ryan
…and just when you're getting ready to say, excuse me, I've got to go to my booth and just go wander in there…
Mara Junot
(laughing)
Randall Ryan
…and say “No, no, if anybody's in there watching me, I can't do this.” And just take it like it's live.
Mara Junot
That is brilliant! That’s brilliant!
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
I'm so going to do that for the next one. (laughs)
Brian Talbot
Either that or just sit on the couch and watch people, and let them hear the voice and go, “wow, that that sounds like you!” Really?
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
Somebody's gotta die! (laughs) Who is that?
Brian Talbot
That's interesting. Really? You think that sounds like me? No, that doesn't sound like me.
Randall Ryan
That would be another great angle to do it.
Mara Junot
(laughing) Oh, I like yours, Randy.
Brian Talbot
Live announcer parties.
Mara Junot
That’s hysterical.
Randall Ryan
No, no, but you can't come in and watch me. I will completely freak out if anybody's watching.
Mara Junot
Right! (laughs!) And then I just walk out with a whiskey.
Randall Ryan
Yeah, some popcorn or something in there.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, and just keep getting more and more sloshed through the night.
Mara Junot
(laughing) Right?
Brian Talbot
So that by the end, you’re “(drunk) I gotta do one more of these,” and you walk away, you come back and like, “how in the hell did she do that? She sounds so sober, but I know how hammered she is! Oh, my God!”
Mara Junot
(laughing) Exactly. Oh, God.
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
Genius.
Brian Talbot
Kids don't try this at home,
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
Do NOT try this at home. Oh, my gosh.
Brian Talbot
This is a seasoned professional.
Mara Junot
(giggles)
Brian Talbot
Oh my God.
Randall Ryan
You mentioned earlier that you are a musical person.
Mara Junot
Oh yeah.
Randall Ryan
This is a running theme that we have with a lot of people that have gotten into voice acting, that they have a musical background. What is yours?
Mara Junot
Well, I guess…I guess you could say I have some formal background. I mean, I was in Band, you know, when I was younger in middle school and things like that. I played the flute. But I always had a really strong musical ear. I wouldn't dare say I have perfect pitch, ‘cause I've met people who can just, the note comes out and they're like, that's a C sharp, you know.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Whatever. Like, I can't do it like that, but I guess I'm more like a relative pitch person? Like..
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
I can find my C and then, you know, work my way up in my head. So I need a couple of seconds. But,
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
For the most part, I do find that if there is a song that I like, usually more often than not I hear it still in my head in the original key.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm. Right.
Mara Junot
Or maybe half a step off. But I'm always very, very close. So, my mom said I was always like that with music and stuff. I mean, I learned that I could play keyboard by ear and I was like, I don't know, maybe 12, 13. She was like, “yeah, you would hear a song and then you would be playing it back pretty quickly in like a couple of takes.” She makes it sound a little more dramatic than I think it was. I don't think it was quite that good, but I absolutely can pick up on exactly
Brian Talbot
Hey take it; she’s your mom, right?
Mara Junot
Exactly.
Brian Talbot
(laughs)
Mara Junot
Your biggest fan, right?
Brian Talbot
There you go, there you go.
Mara Junot
But I don't want people to think like I'm some sort of (laughs)
Brian Talbot
Prodigy.
Mara Junot
Right! I mean, uh…
Brian Talbot
Mara Junot, musical prodigy.
Mara Junot
(laughs) Exactly.
Brian Talbot
Here she is.
Mara Junot
It's just not that serious.
Brian Talbot
Actually, though, that's got to be what helps you be able to voice match and do all those kinds of things.
Mara Junot
Absolutely, no, I mean..
Brian Talbot
‘Cause it's all the tonal qualities and inflections and…
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Patterns and and everything else and that's all music.
Mara Junot
I think this is kind of one of the unspoken things about voiceover, you know. People will have tons of wonderful websites: how can I get into voiceover? How can I be a better business person in voice over? how can I this, how can I that? But what I really don't see a lot of people mention, and this is a controversial opinion, but I stand by it. I don't believe that an ear can be taught. I've had some people say that it can, but I have yet to meet anyone in my life who was like, I had no musical ear whatsoever.
Randall Ryan
Right.
Mara Junot
Now I can, I haven't heard of that happening. I think maybe if you have a decent ear, you can certainly strengthen it, but I don't believe that you can come from a place and you just don't have any musical sense, I don't think you're gonna get as far as you could in voiceover compared to somebody who has a strong musical ear. I just don't. Because like you said, it is a form of music, whether you're talking about a demo and trying to keep people's attention and making sure that
Randall Ryan
Yeo,
Mara Junot
You know, every spot kind of flows a certain way, like a big song. I kind of see demos, like a big, oh God, what sort of music that we have in the seventies with like the rock operas and stuff?
Randall Ryan
Yeah, a rock opera. Right.
Mara Junot
Yeah, it's kind of like a rock opera, like you want to grab their attention right away with who you are and you want to keep them on that ride and with a lot of shifts. You know, it's like a suite. And that's all musical production.
Brian Talbot
Sure.
Mara Junot
And the same thing, whether you're doing a video game and trying to be some big orc. Just for the sake of maintaining the character, for goodness sake, If you can't hear in your ear that you're slipping out of character, or know how to get yourself back quickly because you don't have that music locked in your head in terms of their age, in terms of the pacing. You know, if they're older, they're going to probably talk a little bit slower or have a certain cadence, especially if you're doing sort of soundalike work, where you're trying to mimic an existing character.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
You really need to have a sense of what is their rhythm? You know, how do they tend to, what is their speech pattern like? And, and then of course commercials and promo, it's nothing but timing. I mean, you better get that down in five seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds.
Randall Ryan
Right
Mara Junot
And if somebody asks you “can you shave two seconds off?” you need to be able to have that skill in your head to know how to do that.
Randall Ryan
Yep.
Mara Junot
And that just is pretty intimidating for a lot of people. I don't think people really, when they think about getting into this business, they're like, “oh, people tell me I have a great voice.” And people may even be great with computers, but then you have to take it to the next level and okay, now can you hear? Because not only do we have to be mind readers and try to be interpreters of whatever the hell the writers wanted in the first place, we have to be able to keep it all straight in our head.
Randall Ryan
Mm Hmm.
Mara Junot
When, you know, somebody says, give me an ABC, that next set of ABCs, if you have to do a second set or a third set or fourth set or a twentieth set, which is going to happen inevitably in a session, you need to be able to remember all those other takes and figure out how to give the next one a fresh set of variety.
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Mara Junot
And so many people just can't do that. God bless. It's a challenge. So that's just something I like to put out there. Nobody wants to hear it. Don't shoot the messenger, don't get mad at me. But I just really think, you know, it’s important.
Brian Talbot
No, I couldn't agree more. Being musical is really important. I mean, a little known fact about me. I was part of the Bay City Rollers.
Mara Junot
Yeah?
Brian Talbot
S A T U R
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
D A Y night! I don't know if that brings back any memories…
Mara Junot
(laughing) Oh, yeah.
Brian Talbot
…but that was me. That was me so
Randall Ryan
Well, except he was part of the Bay City, Michigan Rollers.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
So they didn't, they were a little more regional.
Brian Talbot
We used to sing before the roller derby.
Randall Ryan
Yes.
Brian Talbot
S A T U.R. D.A Y night!
Mara Junot
(laughing) Oh my God.
Randall Ryan
Yeah, it was. But you know, but in Bay City they were the 3rd most popular band there. So,
Mara Junot
Yeah!
Brian Talbot
You know, we were like the Michael Stanley band in Cleveland.
Randall Ryan
The Michael Stanley Band! Right. Well they were more popular, you know? They were…
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
Well in Cleveland they were. They were but they weren't popular anywhere else.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
They were… no now come on now. You were in Bay City and they knew who Michael Stanley was there. He had played…
Brian Talbot
But they weren’t as popular as S A T U R…
Randall Ryan
Oh, now that’s true.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
…D A Y Night!
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
I can still, I can still go into Bay City Michigan and do that and people ask for my gosh, darn autograph.
Randall Ryan
That’s very cool!
Brian Talbot
I kid you not. I kid you know it's very cool.
Mara Junot
That’s amazing.
Randall Ryan
That is cool.
Brian Talbot
Yeah. So…
Randall Ryan
I like that.
Brian Talbot
So well um so this has been really incredibly cool but um, I think we're gonna have to go because it is S.A.T.U.R.
Mara Junot
(laughs) D A Y
Brian Talbot
NIGHT!
Randall Ryan
Hey, I do want to add one thing before we do that just because of what you did just say, Mara.
Brian Talbot
Yeah.
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Brian Talbot
Sure. Oh you're gonna bring it back serious again, aren't you Randall? Damn you. Damn you.
Randall Ryan
You don't know what I'm gonna say. So you don't know if I am.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
You are just making… you are making a supposition….
Mara Junot
He just wanted a chance to damn you!
Randall Ryan
You're projecting your self and your ideals…
Brian Talbot
I know. I am. I am.
Randall Ryan
…onto me yet again. I'm not sending you that audition to replace me. I'm taking you out of that pool. You’re not getting the audition to replace me.
Brian Talbot
I have a perspective.
Mara Junot
Uh oh.
Brian Talbot
I am a talent with a perspective.
Randall Ryan
(laughs)
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. Night!
Mara Junot
Oh my God.
Brian Talbot
(laughs) Oh my God. Okay I'm sorry. Go ahead Randall. Please.
Randall Ryan
(coughs) I digress.
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Randall Ryan
So you mentioned about the music thing and how people need to be able to understand,: can you shave those seconds off?
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
Do you understand timing? Nobody bats an eyelash at that. I mean they may; they may say “I don't know if I can do that” but they accept that. Yet…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…what we talked about earlier with understanding mic technique…
Mara Junot
Yeah.
Randall Ryan
…what a preamp does and everything else. Why is that actually any different? It's all something above and beyond just opening your mouth and talking.
Mara Junot
Exactly.
Randall Ryan
It is part of the skill set.
Brian Talbot
It's part of the job.
Randall Ryan
Some people are better at one aspect of the skill set than another. You don't have to be 100% great at all of it. “I really am good with characters, I'm not good with accents.” Okay.
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
That's okay. But you have to at least have some knowledge of accents, right? Even if you say like well I can't really hold a British accent, or I'm not really good with regional accents. But sometimes just to even really get into a character, you at least have to know how to manipulate that voice…
Mara Junot
Right.
Randall Ryan
…to be something other than just you.
Mara Junot
Right. And sustain it. Remember it. And also sustain it because some people just slip in and out of character or they'll do another character. It's like no, you need to sustain that one character.
Brian Talbot
That’s the trick.
Randall Ryan
Yeah 30 seconds at a party does not mean you've got a great Irish accent.
Mara Junot
Right. (laughs)
Brian Talbot
Yeah. You want to be really good at doing characters? Go ahead, create a character and then stay in that character all day, and sing a song in the character voice without bringing your own voice into it.
Mara Junot
That's the hardest thing.
Brian Talbot
That's one of the hardest things to do. Yeah.
Mara Junot
The hardest thing for me, I've seen actors who can do it when they're like, I'm playing a character who's Impersonating another character.
Randall Ryan
Oh, jeez. Right.
Mara Junot
You know, like Homer Simpson trying to do Spock, you know what I mean?
Brian Talbot
Yeah. Yeah.
Mara Junot
That blows my mind. (laughs) I cannot!
Randall Ryan
Yeah, that's a skill.
Brian Talbot
Yeah, for me, the more basic test is always, can your character sing?
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Mara Junot
Yeah, totally.
Brian Talbot
Can you make yourself sing as the character? Not as you.
Mara Junot
That one’s tricky for me, too. Yeah. I have to say. It is tricky.
Brian Talbot
It’s hard!
Mara Junot
It is hard.
Brian Talbot
It is a lot of practice. It's a lot of work.
Mara Junot
It is.
Brian Talbot
And it's a lot of focus. And if you can get to that point, that's kind of where you need to be able to be if you're gonna do characters or whatever.
Randall Ryan
Mm hmm.
Brian Talbot
There's musicality in all of it. And I think the musicality becomes even more and more important as we separate the people who work versus the people who say, I've got a good voice.
Mara Junot
Yeah, right. (laughs)
Randall Ryan
Absolutely.
Mara Junot
A good voice will only get you so far, but, you know, can you sustain a career? That's gonna take a whole lot more.
Brian Talbot
Exactly.
Randall Ryan
Yep. Yep.
Brian Talbot
We really appreciate the time you've given us.
Mara Junot
Likewise. Thank you guys.
Brian Talbot
It's always fun talking with you.
Brian Talbot
We could talk for hours and hours and hours, but we must be respectful.
Mara Junot
Oh, I understand, I understand. I agree. This was such a blast. So good to hear you guys’ voice.
Brian Talbot
This has been really great. So um, Randall?
Randall Ryan
BT.
Brian Talbot
Mara?
Mara Junot
Hey!
Brian Talbot
Welcome to the club!
Mara Junot
(laughs)
Brian Talbot
Until next time. Thanks!
Randall Ryan
Take care!
Mara Junot
Thanks! Bye!
Randall RyanA
Let's talk Voiceover is hosted by Brian Talbot: actor and all around creative guy. And me: Randall Ryan,
owner of HamsterBall Studios, delivering the world's best talent virtually anywhere. If you have comments, questions, ideas for other show topics you'd be interested in hearing, or you just want to let us know what you think, reach out by sending us an email to BT, for Brian Talbot, bt@letstalkvoiceover.com. Check out our website at www.letstalkvoiceover.com, or find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and you know, just about anywhere else you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. We'll talk again real soon.
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