I Know That Voice

Have you ever wondered who that guy is that says "In a world...." at the beginning of a movie trailer?  Or who tells you the side effects of that medication you are now too afraid to take? Or maybe you never noticed. These people are called voice actors, and they are some of the most famous people you'll never recognize. Director Lawrence Shapiro and voice actor/producer John DiMaggio wanted to not only give the actors recognition, but the craft itself. In 2013, they produced the film "I Know That Voice", a documentary of countless famous voice actors talking about their personal experiences and the career of voice acting in general. It provides tremendous insight into a world that not many know about, or even consider a career at all.

DiMaggio narrates the film as well as gives his own story. He is best known for his roles as Bender from "Futurama" and Jake from "Adventure Time", but his talents expand far beyond that. He is also an actor, stand up comedian, producer and beatboxer. He is extremely passionate about his craft, and cares about the community of which he is he a part of, hence the creation of the film. DiMaggio skillfully tells the tale of the voice actor from the start of voice acting, to the start of their careers, to their daily lives, to the reason why each and everyone one of them has a passion for it.

One of the most fascinating parts of the film is how they explore the concept of fame in the voice acting world. Unless they were speaking like the character they play, or are also a famous screen actor, most people would have no idea who they were. The title of the film, "I Know That Voice", is a comment on the reaction that most people experience when a voice they recognize comes on television, the radio or video games, but they can't pin down exactly who that person is, due to the facelessness and namelessness of the job.

Some of the cast members of "I Know That Voice"

Another interesting point the film makes is the broad range of areas that voice actors cover. Most people think of animated films when they think of voice acting, but it covers so much more. As previously stated voice actors are required for movie trailers and commercials, as well as video games, television shows, dubbed foreign language films, radio, and audiobooks, among many other fields. Each area comes with it's own challenges and rewards, which the film covers in great detail.

As someone who loves to do voices and comedic bits, this film felt extremely close to my heart. Voice acting seemed like a career that only a select few were chosen to do, and was completely unobtainable. After this film, I realized it was like any other Hollywood job, it required three main things: talent, determination, and luck. This film made voice acting real to me, not just something I wondered about after watching "Inside Out" or "Family Guy". Currently, I'm enrolled in a voice and narration class, which I became more inspired to truly learn about after watching "I Know That Voice". Hats off to John DiMaggio and the rest of the cast of this documentary, this one is a must see for anyone interested in the film and television business.

WHY STEVEN KLEIN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Steven Klein is one of my favorite photographers and film directors. As all of you must know by now I am huge fan of the avant-garde and the experimental and Steven Klein exemplifies the kind of artist and film maker that I hope to be one day. In all of his works Mr. Klein manages to combine to both high and low art in order to create commercially viable product endorsements such as the video below which is a advertisement for Lady Gaga's Eau de Perfume Fame. 

Mr. Klein's advertisement has been met with critical acclaim as John Farris from The Anarchist Review points out, "FAME is what Dali/Bunuel's Un Chien Andalou was to the late 1920's, a work of surrealism in which contemporary society is mirrored; a work rooted in the unconscious, and what is FAME actually saying to us in 2012? It is a depiction of the interior world of a celebrity and that fine line of a crack in the golden bowel of their existence. Everyone wants instant fame now and no one needs a particular talent, only a platform to appear. FAME, luxury, sexuality, death: all are the themes of the film, and isolation: for a Star lives a life confined to the work, to the constant publicity, the invasion of privacy, the lure of being Number One and the fear of being Number Two or even less. FAME is about numbers and how much do we get and how much do we give up to be famous. Klein has envisioned a world that could be out of science fiction. Visually he is stating that FAME is concurrent with Artifice. And that the mirror that a Star gazes into is a dark mirror, the void of the Soul, the void of Celebrityhood. Klein is working in the language of symbols. Gaga becomes a statue and thus an icon must be in a frozen status in order to exist, no room for aging, for that be organic matter. FAME rivets as a film and is alluring but the message underneath is chilling. Gaga in her final close up (both beautiful and compelling) is aghast and frightened at the world she has entered, the world of FAME." 

Not only has Mr. Klein shot for Lady Gaga's perfume line but before that he was able to print work for campaigns launched by Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and, Nike. Additionally, Mr. Klein provides regular contributions American and Paris Vogue, i-D, Numero, W, and Arena. Also Mr. Klein has been fortunate enough to work with celebrities such as Madonna, Tom Ford, Brad Pitt and numerous others. He even photographed this...

 Another project that Mr. Klein worked on with Madonna is called SecretProjectRevolution and below is it's manifesto.

  Also here is the seventeen minute short film. I recommend watching it.

This film demonstrates yet another reason why I resonate with Mr. Klein's work. Within the film Madonna lays out her ideas for what it will take for us to live as a true global community we need to actively seek to break down labels that break us apart from each other. Mr. Klein's role in this message is seen through the lens of the manifesto seen above. Klein lays bare that his role as the maker of the film was to create situations in which the viewers unconscious prejudices and thoughts can be dissected and mulled over by the viewer themselves. For his intelligence and innovate ideas of film making, Mr. Steven Klein will always have a special place in my heart as a film maker.