It’s Not All about the Money – Lending your Voice for Free
All it took was an email sent by a brave young The Stanley Parable fan to make an awesome campaign video – voiced by no less than Kevan Brighting himself. Just so you know he happens to be an award winning video game voice actor.
Joshua Todd had only 10 dollars in his pocket, but a bigger ambition to win their student council elections. He thought of making a “game” of the campaign to entice voters and what better way to do it but to have The Stanley Parable game’s narrator voice his video. I wonder how the kid felt after seeing Kevan’s reply.
The short of the story — Mr. Brighting read, recorded and sent the file to one very happy kid. Joshua may have not won the elections, but he is definitely one cool kid for making that video happen. (Just so you know, I would have voted for him… imagine what else he can do!) However, the bigger hero for me in this story, the even cooler guy is Kevan Brighting. It may have been a short recording, but for an accomplished voiceover actor to take some time off to make a young man happy (and possibly make a young man the next school council President) says a lot about how generous the heart of the voiceover community is.
Another amazing voiceover talent who has lent her voice to a more serious campaign is Michele Spitz. Michele who describes her work as “descriptive audio” has recently shared her time and talent in aid to bringing more awareness about people with disabilities. Superfest 2014, The International Disability Film Festival of the San Francisco Bay Area is an annual juried film festival celebrating “cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability culture in all its diverse, complex, and empowering facets.” The festival’s goal is not only provide support for people with disability but hopefully put the spotlight on them. Michele Spitz shares, “There is no reason anyone with any kind of disability should be denied access to the arts. If that person wants to be there and enjoy that event or show, a person with a disability should be able to.” Michele Spitz finds that the most important role she played in the festival was not only to sponsor the festival and some of the films, but to donate her voice to six out of the 11 participating films.
Circumstances why these two voice actors donated their voice may have been for two totally different reasons or cause, but what is true is that voice and talent does not always come with a price tag — It is really the passion to reach out and be the voice for others that resonates.
Have you ever lent your voice to a non-profit or cause? Let us know below in the comments section.
Source: Digital Journal
