I Know That Voice (2013)

Voicework is something you might not think too much about and the only time you will probably see something about it will be a behind the scenes look at a big Pixar or Disney cartoon when famous actors are doing their recording. The world of voice acting is a lot bigger though and this documentary gives a good insight about the voice work industry, its history and its stars. It is much more than just being able to do a funny voice.

The film consists of several themes. It looks at the history of cartoons and how an actor finds his voice. Working in the industry takes a lot of work and many voice actors talk about how they got there and what their experiences were. Some legends in the field get their respect. Pioneers like Mel Blanc had an amazing number of voices and June Foray, who is over ninety, is still recording. Some of the characters they voice are classic, so when the original actor passes away they have to find someone who can do those voices exactly the same way.

The actors make a good point that it isn’t about a funny voice but it really is about acting, creating the voice based on the picture of the character and even changing you body posture to form the sound to fit the character. They also see how the industry is changing and how video games are changing their work as a lot more dialogue needs to be recorded for them.

There is a lot to like about this film. For those wanting to get into the business it has enough information to get inspired, but for those simply wanting to know more about the film is also very entertaining. There are lots of moments where you see the actors do the voices they are famous for and it remains a strange sight to hear a voice of a cartoon character come out of someone who is not that character. These actors might not have the fame of their live action colleagues, but a lot of them won’t be forgotten for giving some drawings a personality that stays with you.