Voice actor and coach Mike De La Motte Join us as we talk about getting started in voice acting, finding creative purpose through acting, advice for new actors, and the joy of helping other voice actors grow through mentorship.
1. What inspired you to start dubbing?
I’ve always loved impressions and sonic experimentation (as well as film, animation and video games), but it was my time as the lead singer of my former band Glass Divide that prompted me to begin my journey. We were recording a new EP and trying to stay sane during the pandemic, and our long-time sound engineer and collaborator Rico asked me to pull out all these weird and interesting layers of spoken word vocals behind the screamo lines on our latest batch of songs. I’d been feeling this “desire” deep inside me for some time about voice acting and acting, but when I started asking Rico (who had done some work in ADR), he didn’t really give me any guidance. So I started researching everything I could and then eventually started auditioning. My stimulus money actually bought me my first round of equipment. It’s funny because I’ve always been a creative person, but through all mediums, from illustration to music, there was a nagging feeling that I was “destined” for greater things. It wasn’t until I got into dubbing that I realized this was IT.
2. What advice would you give to new actors?
be patient. Take your time. Be diligent and yes, stay organized. But please also…be kind to yourself and give yourself the time and mental space to breathe and grow in your art. There are always other opportunities, always, so you can pass up a lot of opportunities while grabbing the few that really connect with you. Don’t suffocate yourself by having some memorable audition just to chase numbers; becoming a good actor means committing yourself to a process that takes time, focus, and real energy, connecting with what you read, and creating characters worth listening to. We wouldn’t like machines taking over our art, right? So don’t forget to be human 😉
3. What is your greatest success story as an actor?
My greatest success story as an actor is finding this creative outlet and continuing to persevere despite so many challenges until I saw things flourish. To be honest, I had a pretty rough start in life and had to do a lot of hard, internal emotional work on my own to catch up and become a “functional adult.” The arts as a whole have always played a big role in this, but voice acting has helped me heal and grow in beautiful ways while gaining the opportunity to give back to others in the process. I regained some of my childhood in playing some of the characters. Watching my stepson enjoy something I helped create is very special.
4. You also coach! tell us about it
I do! Coaching is something I just started doing this year and it’s been an amazing experience for myself and the voice actors who have joined. While I initially started with a basic approach that worked for me, my teaching methods have adapted and evolved a bit over time. These are ideas left over from my time as a martial arts instructor, but in teaching, I am also learning from them, coming up with new ideas and methods to guide reading. Having to communicate and take direction quickly and quickly, especially with students from different disciplines and abilities, really helps build those fast-twitching mental muscles. I’ve also been delighted to see that in many cases the voice actors I’ve worked with have been shortlisted and booked using these methods, which is very satisfying for everyone. Their victory is my victory.
5. What things did you discuss with other actors during the course?
Most of my focus is on character work and crafting better auditions, both from an acting perspective and a marketing perspective. I think auditions are a great place to look because once you book a role, the skills you learn from taking the short side and extending it into scenes where the character is fleshed out will definitely help you in your work. When it comes to marketing, it’s all about taking into account the experience of the casting director, who, after listening to hundreds of auditions, may have his ears ready to fall off and make bold choices that will make your work stand out. Voice actors have a lot of freedom during the audition process, and there’s a lot of creative room for you to pitch a character that’s interesting to you and your audience. The bottom line is: You don’t get paid to go to all these auditions; Why not find a way to have fun recording them? Making the process fresh, fun, and exciting is also about developing habits that keep you engaged and prevent burnout.
6. Where can people support your work?
follow me Xso stay tuned! I participate in and provide links to some ongoing productions and games. There are also a number of upcoming pilots, including parts in Jack Detective, Hard Case and Alfred Around the World, which I’m excited to share 😀
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