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Answerman - Are Dub Crew Members Taking Over Voice Actors' Jobs?

Maybe they are more hands off in Texas dubs, but Japanese were definitely involved in the casting of the new Sailor Moon dub. And I'm sure other California dubs have had the Japanese exercise veto power over casting decisions, but it could be case by case.

Maybe they are more hands off in Texas dubs, but Japanese were definitely involved in the casting of the new Sailor Moon dub. And I'm sure other California dubs have had the Japanese exercise veto power over casting decisions, but it could be case by case.

Wow. Is this something that happens regularly in the US? I worked in the dubbing industry for a number of years (not anymore though but I was production manager at a dubbing studio) and I've never heard of actors working other jobs in professional dubs. Sure, I've known an actor who had a sort of one-man dub service where he had a small studio at home where he would record stuff for a couple of steady clients (these were usually commercials that he could do a lot cheaper than if the clients were to hire a studio).

But I've never heard of something like an actor also handling the script in any capacity other than performing it, or doing any other non-acting task... let alone production using someone who is not, by profession, an actor, to act in a dub as something other than walla (unless it was absolutely necessary, which is how I ended up in a number of dubs/voiceovers in tiny minor mob roles). Never mind the person then not getting paid for it. What.

(I've also never heard of time stamping dub scripts unless absolutely necessary, but I suppose that can be chalked up to different dubbing traditions...)

I have to think Justin knows a few things after being in the industry for 20 years. If you're going to call him and various other industry figures a bunch of liars, why not come out and give it to us straight?

I don't think anyone's said that the licensors approve casting based on similarity to the Japanese. Japanese involvement with dubs can have wildly disparate results, as seen with cases like FLCL (good) and Love Hina (...not so good). Licensor approval of dub casting may not deliver the results you desire, but that doesn't invalidate its existence.

I understand organic growth in one's career, I went through something like that as well. But what I was referring to was what the article seemed to suggest, that dubs regularly have the actors also doing other jobs in the same production, such as being the actual producer or director or handling the script in some way - and for monetary reasons? When we had "monetary reasons" at the studio we cast cheaper voice actors, used actors in multiple roles, etc. The idea of dubs regularly casting say, the sound engineer or the director just because they're already there so why not jump in and do a role... that's just completely alien to me. Also it doesn't seem like a very good idea to me since it severely limits the actor pool at casting's disposal.

Yes, I know. But I would think that production of movies and dubs have changed a little since the silent film era when budgets, procedures, tasks, techniques, equpiment, etc. were wildly different than they are now. Hell, dubbing itself has changed immensely in the past 30 years. Also, nowadays this is usually not something that is budget related (unless you're doing a super low budget independent movie).