NK Interviews Voice Actor Steve Blum!
What if you were given the chance to speak to the voice behind practically every damn game you have ever played and every cartoon you have ever watched? If you are one of the lucky few in the nerd blog business you jump at the chance. Lucky for us we were given the chance to interview the voice of Wolverine and Cowboy Bebop’s Spike Spiegel, Steve Blum. The man has done more beyond his most recognizable voices and if you want to check out this extensive list check out his IMDB or his Wiki page. We here at the Nerdiest Kids would like to thank Mr. Blum for the opportunity and time for the interview! Check out what he has to say! If you want to learn just a bit more about Steve check out his website here.
What lead you to a career as a voice actor?
A very happy accident, actually. I was working as a driver / production assistant / mailroom slave for a sci-fi horror film company by day, crappy R&B musician by night. The head of the mailroom asked me to try out for a “Japanamation” dubbing project he was casting on a weekend. We all screwed around with voices in the mailroom, but I was the only one there who wasn’t an actor. He said if I got hired, I’d be paid 7 bucks a line and fed at least two meals per session. I had rarely been paid for anything creative, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
I was naturally able to sync with the Japanese lip flaps, and hired for 26 episodes on a show called “The Guyver.” I had to learn to act on the job. I just watched the other guys and copied what I though would work for me. Eventually I found my own voice and started building on that. Not only was I incredibly lucky, I had nothing but time. I did on-the-job training for the next 20 years. It’s only in the last few years that I actually began to feel like I know what I’m doing!
How is the casting process like for a voice actor?
Busy. I do more auditions than pretty much anything else in my life. I have an agent now, so most of the auditions come in the form of emails. I record them in my home studio, usually late at night - and email them in the form of Mp3 files. Sometimes I do go into casting offices and do it live. It’s more fun to do that, but the driving is a killer.
On some shows we get callbacks, so in that case, I’d come to a studio and redo the audition live for the casting executives making the decisions. I enjoy the process. My friend (the great voice actor) Jack Angel once told me that the “Audition IS the job” – the booking is just the gravy.
Who or what were some of your influences that lead you to voice acting?
Because I had no ambition of becoming a voice actor, I had no intentional influences originally! I’d say the guys I noticed early on though would include Mel Blanc, Bob Bergen, Bill Farmer, Charlie Adler, Don LaFontaine, and Frank Welker. Though I didn’t know their names at that time, I loved their work. Since then, most of my colleagues have become influences! The talent out there is astonishing. I’m awed and humbled in some way in every session I work.
With each high profile character you tackle do you feel pressure from fans or from yourself to get the voice right?
Yeah, I always have that in the back of my mind. Particularly with Wolverine, Green Goblin and Starscream. Their fanbases are devoted, massive and very intelligent. The legacy is rich in those franchises and I take the responsibility of performing those roles very seriously. I know I can never please all of the fans, so I have to listen to what’s most important to them, then do what feels right and organic for me. Most times if I do get hired, the match is there naturally, so I don’t have to worry too much once we’re in the booth. The casting people, producers and directors are almost always fans of the franchise anyway, so I can rely on their expertise to make sure I’m getting it right.
Do you find any differences or similarities when approaching voice work for a video game compared to animated work?
Acting is acting, but what is different is the speed with which we are required to perform. We always need to be efficient in the booth. Time is literally money to the producers. Games typically move at a VERY fast pace, simply because we have to sometimes cram 600-800 lines in on a 4 hour recording, as opposed to less than a hundred (per person and usually WAY less) in a group recording.
For both, I have to always be aware, and ready to shift or adapt to something completely unexpected at a second’s notice. New parts are always thrown at us with no preparation, so we always need to be ready for anything. I like the intimacy and privacy of solo recording (games and Anime), but there’s nothing like the fun and alchemy a cast setting can inspire.
What is the thought process for finding a voice for each character?
For me, it happens fast. I rely heavily on instinct. I see a picture or hear a description, and my 5-year-old make- believe mind kicks in and spits out an appropriate voice pretty quickly. It may not be the voice they choose, but there’s always a few more brewing right behind it. I will do my research when a specific affectation or accent is required, but that’s only if I have the script in advance. Most often that’s not a luxury we have.
Is there one character that you have not voiced but have been wanting to voice throughout your career?
I’ve always loved the voice of Goofy and can do a fair version of it, but Bill Farmer is so brilliant, I wouldn’t do it justice anyway. I’ve been so lucky with the roles I’ve been given, I tend not to lust after particular characters, especially because my friends are the people currently voicing them! I believe if it’s the right time it’s the right time. And most of the time, unless it’s a case of celebrity stunt casting, the voice talent is so good out there, my take would not be an improvement. I’ve never had anything but good wishes for anyone getting a role who does it with heart.
Was there ever one character you voiced in your career that made you think “Hot damn, I’m really playing this guy!”?
One character? MOST characters!! The key component in my creative process is investing myself fully in every character, so I’m grateful to try on pretty much any character’s skin. I always have to find something about the character that excites me. If I didn’t feel that way, I should be doing something else. That said… the big, iconic characters like Starscream, Wolverine, Gobby, etc., fulfilled some latent childhood fantasy once I got in the booth with the other actors and read the scripts.
I’m still humbled by getting to work on those roles. I think all of us do on those shows! In anime, I had no idea how iconic characters like Spike (Cowboy Bebop) or Vincent (Final Fantasy VII) would become, so I didn’t have the schoolboy jitters at the time of recording. Now, when I go to conventions and feel the love for those characters, I’m humbled and honored that I was part of something that great. Still get chills.
What entices you more in a script, playing an antagonistic villain or a more subversive intelligent bad guy?
Heh heh, I like depth. While antagonistic, snarky asses are a source of immediate satisfaction and fun as hell to play… - the darker, deadlier, more perspicacious predators who have the patience to plan and not show their hand, give me layers to chew on as an actor. So I’d say, depending on the day… both fun.
How did you get involved with the new Transformers: Prime series?
I was originally brought in for a callback based on an emailed audition through my agency. I read again for the producers and eventually booked the gig. The creators of the show, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Duane Capizzi and Jeff Klein were directly involved with casting and still have a very active hand in the production of the show. Their wealth of expertise and knowledge of the franchise is a powerful vehicle to deliver their passion and love for these characters to the small screen. They’re very cool, approachable guys too. It’s a rare and wonderful thing for studio execs and I can’t tell you how much the cast appreciates that.
Steve answers your questions!
Futurama4Life: Do you have a favorite character or show you’ve done voice work for?
They’re like my children. How do you pick one? I suppose it’s the one I happen to be thinking about that day.
Christinaeats: How does it make you feel to be constantly associated with Spike when he’s done so many other notable characters?
I’m deeply honored to be associated with Spike and always will be. The other characters can never take away the fact that Spike and Cowboy Bebop represent one of the most powerful benchmarks of my career and of my life!! I have the audio wave file of Spike saying “Bang” tattooed on my arm! A potent and constant reminder of my humble beginnings in the industry and of the incredible fans who support Anime as a valuable and magnificent art form.
Omega: Do you find it more or less enjoyable to watch an animation or play a video game you have voiced?
If I could game, I’d probably have a different answer. Never took the time to develop that skill set. I LOVE the look and feel of the games from what I could absorb vicariously through players and YouTube, but it’s always fun to sit down with some popcorn and watch a show too. Unfortunately, I rarely have time to do either.
TechieMike: What character have you voiced has been the most challenging for you?
Technically, I’d have to say Wolverine. The placement of his voice in my throat is painful when he’s fighting. The pain is worth it though. Hey Wolverine can heal quickly, but it hurts every time those claws snikt out from between the knuckles. Least I can do is endure a sore throat and busted lungs once in a while. Sometimes ya just gotta take one for the team.
Nevera: What are some of the training methods you go through to get each voice right?
I’m not a classically trained actor, so vocal and acting coaches may cringe when I tell you that for me, it’s 90% instinct and 10% preparation. I do warm up first though, with vocal exercises and facial stretches. I do my research when I’m allowed the time and information to do so, and ultimately I rely heavily on my directors to dial me in. They know the big picture and are funneled the information from everyone involved in the project in front of and behind the scenes. Hopefully they can convey that to me in the booth, so I can understand it and flesh it out vocally.
Something I’ve been concentrating on lately is the phenomenal talent and insane amount of work that the writers, artists, engineers, animators, directors, producers, composers, musicians and all other crew contribute to these productions! My part in the grand scheme is tiny by comparison. I don’t know if that awareness will noticibly affect my performances, but it gives me the perspective to honor their work in everything I do. They rarely get the accolades they deserve, so in my quiet way, I can salute them with every session.
