Where should I advertise auditions for the Xanadu dub?

[SamIAm]

The Xanadu English dub-project is getting close to liftoff.

Getting enough skilled actors and actresses to make this work is going to be tough. I desperately want to avoid scraping the bottom of the barrel and begging you guys at the 11th hour to get takes from your in-laws or whatever. Achieving a decent overall result is going to require spreading the news of the dub auditions far and wide, and I'm hoping you can help me with this.

First of all, the project is going to have its own (modest) homepage, so getting the word out is mostly going to be a matter of spamming the link together with short, sweet, somewhat tailor-made introductions.

I am going to post on here, RHDN, Voice Acting Alliance, the Somethingawful Creative-Commons forum, 4chan (gulp), the HG101 forums, and maybe spam Assembler, Sega-16, shmups.com and Nintendoage to start with. Where else should I post?

I believe it would be in our best interest not to post in the forum of any official Falcom site, or that of any affiliated localization company. While I would guess that Falcom wouldn't mind our fan-translation, I don't want them to be in a position where they have to choose whether to actively condone or condemn it.

Are there any big Ys fan forums? What about places for people who like the kind of old-school PC games that Falcom used to make? Given the non-profit, pro-sharing nature of this project, I don't think folks would find anything too terribly offensive about a spammed link even if the forum was only marginally related.

What I'd really like to find are bulletin boards for actors, or student actors. I'm sure that in practically every town, there is at least one theater troupe full of talented people who would get a kick out of reading a few lines for a fan-project like this.

I might make a craigslist ad to post in the art/media/design section of a few big cities.

If you know anyone personally, I dearly hope you'll be willing to pass the word along when the time comes.  O:)

But yeah, any suggestions? 

[HuMan]

I half heartily recommend the double-edged sword that is YouTube. There's a small percentage of true voice talent there, the trouble is finding such actors/actresses and whether they'd be willing to work on a video game project.

[SamIAm]

I suppose it couldn't hurt to send someone on youtube a message if it looked like they would be good. It's not very efficient, though.

I see that there is a reddit for voice actors, so that's one more place.

Thanks!

[technozombie]

If you want to spread the word throughout the gameing-verse then you might consider posting to neogaf

[SamIAm]

Good call! I've never posted there, but I've definitely heard of it. Thanks!

[technozombie]

Its hard to get an account if you dont have one already. You should apply for one now.

[ashrion]

Really necessary?
I do not like anything when voices in the original language is translated into other.
I have not played many games in English by the filthy overdubs, as snatcher games are unplayable MegaCD just for that, apart from being a bad cutreport.
Because only a subtitle can not do and longer, their original voices, with good Japanese players are the ones that have to have the game.
It is much more effort and for me is to kill the game.
All English speakers you have the obsession that everything has to be in English, and that to me is a lack of respect for original work.
I played and completed many jrpg in Japanese, and I'm not dead.
Work in zeroigar is perfect...
jrpg list destroyed by a pathetic voice-overs, usa-uk is immense, really after all the great work, will do that?
It is my opinion, not have the slightest sense to do so, I want the game to their original voices, I do not care even but are subtitled intros and only has the game, but destroy these two games with English dubbing, it seems incredible and horrible.

[deubeul]

I thought the same before playing the Ys 4 english translation.

Now I'm confident the Xanadus dubs will be top notch quality, knowing Sam's hard work, his love for  Falcom games, and his will and talent to be the most respectfull possible to the original work.

However Elmer, if the subs insertion on SGX/SCD combo you evoked in another thread is doable without not much work, it would be more than awesome!!! 

[SamIAm]

You will have two choices:

1. Use the dub.
2. Print out the script and read it while you play.

Subtitles are impossible on this hardware and with these two games. There are no resources to do it with.

I would much rather do subtitles myself. It is much easier for me. However, I want people to be able to play the games without using a paper script.

EDIT: I just saw deubeul's post.

Thanks, man.

Elmer will have to comment on SGX subtitles. However, it seems that the cutscenes may not be consistent enough in formatting for it to be an easy job.

[BigusSchmuck]

You could always ask Joe to see if he's interested. I'm sure his Macho Man impersonation would go over real well. Not to derail this topic any further, but how was subbing done in Dracula X?

[deubeul]

Elmer will have to comment on SGX subtitles. However, it seems that the cutscenes may not be consistent enough in formatting for it to be an easy job.

Far for being a problem. How could one be picky, we're about to be able to play two, not one, TWO of the best RPGs of the PcE in english!! (sometime I still  not realize that it's happening )

[NecroPhile]

You will have two choices:

1. Use the dub.
2. Print out the script and read it while you play.

Or  3. Saddle up your high horse and play the original game as-is, unsullied by some crazy english speaker.

Seriously, this guy can go pound salt.  What kind of asshole pops into such a thread and automatically labels Sam's fine work as "filthy, disrespectful of the original, pathetic, and horrible"?

[PukeSter]

There is definitely some interest in this translation on 4chan's /vr/ board. Lots of Falcom and PCE fans there.

[CrackTiger]

ashrion is still mad that elabit kicked out of his facebook group.

[LostFlunky]

Really necessary?
I do not like anything when voices in the original language is translated into other.
I have not played many games in English by the filthy overdubs, as snatcher games are unplayable MegaCD just for that, apart from being a bad cutreport.
Because only a subtitle can not do and longer, their original voices, with good Japanese players are the ones that have to have the game.
It is much more effort and for me is to kill the game.
All English speakers you have the obsession that everything has to be in English, and that to me is a lack of respect for original work.
I played and completed many jrpg in Japanese, and I'm not dead.
Work in zeroigar is perfect...
jrpg list destroyed by a pathetic voice-overs, usa-uk is immense, really after all the great work, will do that?
It is my opinion, not have the slightest sense to do so, I want the game to their original voices, I do not care even but are subtitled intros and only has the game, but destroy these two games with English dubbing, it seems incredible and horrible.

Ok, so this isn't for you.  It's not like they are going to replace all existing copies of this game with the dubbed version... Ride your penny farthing home - bu-bye.

[DeshDildo]

There's a guy on this forum that could probably get Ron Jeremy to do a few lines.

[sirhcman]

The Xanadu English dub-project is getting close to liftoff.

Getting enough skilled actors and actresses to make this work is going to be tough.

I am going to send you a PM about a girl who might do it.. I think she has done some voice acting before

[LentFilms]

You can also directly contact amateur actors/actresses. The way the Ys IV dub got a lot of its talent was from sending emails to people, telling them about the project and inviting them to audition while suggesting what kind of roles you'd think they'd be good for based off their demo. We didn't contact any high profile actors, mainly people who do parody dubs or other fan stuff, and not a lot of people responded but I think we got some of our best actors/actresses by asking directly.

I think you should definitely ask Sonicshadows and Haushinka to reprise their roles as Arios and Ishtar. They both did a great job in the old dub and did some great work in the Ys IV dub as well.

[DildoKKKobold]

I have a friend who has an incredible range of voices he does, and they are really good. He'd probably be totally down to contribute. Bishop of Bishop Bros. Probably the nicest person you could ever meet.

[spenoza]

Racketboy would be a good place for this, but make sure to put it in the Creator's Corner subforum. It'll end up there, anyway, cause I'll probably mod it there.

[NightWolve]

Looks like you covered the known places like Voice-Acting Alliance which is where the 2nd and 3rd Ys IV dub directors I met turned to. That place wasn't as well known when I first tried to get it done with Justus J, and we just hit the Ys forums, about it, along with Justus' friends, which is how we got the actor for Dogi. Too bad his girlfriend at the time didn't finish Karna, as I liked her much better than the replacement BurntLasagna found years later.

Anyway, all the best!

[NightWolve]

What's his rate again, $100 bucks per line ?

[LostFlunky]

Pretty much. Hah. Not sure if his agent would insist on more since this is something that would be distributed on disc or whatnot... And the attention it would bring to the project might be unwanted.  But damn that would be funny.

Bring Ron Jeremy into it and I start siding with ashrion...

[NecroPhile]

Bring Ron Jeremy into it and I start siding with ashrion...

Indeed.  It'd be funny, of course, but he'd be a better fit (so to speak) on a translation of Hi Leg Fantasy or Steam Hearts. 

[SamIAm]

There's a guy on this forum that could probably get Ron Jeremy to do a few lines.

There's a cocaine joke to be made there somewhere.

Anyway, there aren't any parts that someone with his voice could fill.

Sorry Ron.

I think you should definitely ask Sonicshadows and Haushinka to reprise their roles as Arios and Ishtar. They both did a great job in the old dub and did some great work in the Ys IV dub as well.

I'll be contacting them, definitely.

Hasn't Haushinka done professional work before?

I'll still be opening up all parts for auditions. For one thing, I think it will encourage more people to send in takes in general. There won't be a fix in, either; when it's over, I'll give each part to the person who seems most suited to it.

However, there is a very good chance that we'll be using some of the same actors and actresses from the old dub. 

[sirhcman]

The Xanadu English dub-project is getting close to liftoff.

Getting enough skilled actors and actresses to make this work is going to be tough.

I am going to send you a PM about a girl who might do it.. I think she has done some voice acting before

and.... I got busy at work and never sent it I just did now though!

[elmer]

The Xanadu English dub-project is getting close to liftoff.

Excellent!!! 

However Elmer, if the subs insertion on SGX/SCD combo you evoked in another thread is doable without not much work, it would be more than awesome!!! 

The advantage of a potential SGX dub, is that there's all this extra RAM, extra VRAM, and extra sprites available that the game knows nothing about, and so won't interfere with.

But it would still be a major hack to get it working in the game.

The biggest issue is that each of the visual sequences uses 2 different methods for controlling the overall sequence timing, and there's only one of those that I could sensibly hack into. That could make the subtitle timing a bit iffy, and bad subtitles that drifted off-sync would be terrible.

And anyway, apart from ashrion, most folks (IMHO) would prefer to have an English dub if it's done well, and I have total faith that SamIAm will do a great job of it.

You will have two choices:

1. Use the dub.
2. Print out the script and read it while you play.

Yep, that's always been SamIAm's goal. If you don't want to hear English voices in the game, then you'll just be able to install the English text patch without the dub.

Subtitles are impossible on this hardware and with these two games. There are no resources to do it with.

That's exactly the problem from my POV ... where is the memory supposed to come from for the graphics for the subtitles, and how are they going to be displayed without breaking Falcom's original timings for the cutscenes???

I can see how it *might* be possible with the extra hardware of the SuperGrafx, but I really have trouble believing that it's possible on the base PCE.

I would much rather do subtitles myself. It is much easier for me. However, I want people to be able to play the games without using a paper script.

Honestly, I'd probably prefer subtitles, too. That's how I prefer to watch most foreign movies, unless the dubbing is done exceptionally well (like Cowboy Bebop).

I'll do a little more research, but I really don't hold out much hope.

[esteban]

ASIDE: I just rewatched Cowboy Bebop over the summer...wow, it really was so much fun. It held up better than I thought it would (I was worried that I had oversold it...)

[jtucci31]

I can't believe we are at this stage! This is so exciting. It may have already been mentioned before, but I know the game will probably call for a ton of different voices. If you can get each unique voice for all that would be pretty sweet!

If there's anything that is non-actors can do, I'll gladly pitch in

[SamIAm]

If we don't get anybody to double-up whatsoever, then there are 58 parts. 30 male, 28 female.

Maybe only 1/3 of those have more than two or three lines total, however.

[Psycho Punch]

If my spoken english wasn't hilariously bad I'd sign up.

[OldRover]

I don't have the greatest recording equipment but I'd offer my voice to this project. I can do a few vocal styles and accents; not really a professional but have a little bit of experience in voice acting.

[esteban]

I will borrow my brothers gear to record Le Voices for all of the male prostitutes (i.e. all the male roles) in Xanadu I & II.

I like to specialize.

[spenoza]

I can see how it *might* be possible with the extra hardware of the SuperGrafx, but I really have trouble believing that it's possible on the base PCE.

I'll do a little more research, but I really don't hold out much hope.

It would probably require someone highly efficient in Hu6280 with access to the original programmers' documentation (or WAY too much free time for disassembly). So, yeah, practically impossible even if not technically so on the base PCE.

[elmer]

It would probably require someone highly efficient in Hu6280 with access to the original programmers' documentation (or WAY too much free time for disassembly).

Hahaha ... yep, how else do you think that we've come this far! 

Even with the documentation (which is all out there), it all still requires hours/days/weeks of disassembling and understanding what the game is doing in order to actually change things without breaking everything.

It's a much more time-intensive process than actually writing the darned thing in the 1st-place.

So, yeah, practically impossible even if not technically so on the base PCE.

It's basically a resource-management issue for every single different camera-cut of every single cinematic, boss-fight, and voice-over in the game.

For every one, you have to ask ...

• Do you have enough VRAM left to display the subtitle sprites?
• Are there enough unused sprite SAT entries left to display them?
• Is there a place on the screen that the subtitles can go?
• Is there enough RAM left to add all the new code/graphics to do it?

And then, for every single one you've got to figure out how in the flow of the code, all of those resources could be put together to hack in the end-result that you want, including actually getting the subtitles to change and sync up with the existing audio.

You've also got to figure out whether what can be technically achieved would actually be visually pleasing, and worthy of the game.

Finally ... subtitles in this kind of a game are, IMHO, actually more of an intrusion than a dub.

You're changing the look of each screen, and distracting the the player from what it is that the original creators actually wanted you to pay attention to in the cutscenes.

Don't forget too, that if the game had been localized back-in-the-day, they'd definitely have recorded a new set of English-speaking actors for a US release.

*******************

So, after all of that ... I think that there may actually be a way to technically get subtitles displaying on a regular PCE in all of the Xanadu 1 cutscenes and boss fights that I've looked at so far.

But, and this is the killer, I don't think that there are enough free resources to make them look good (in my opinion), and the amount of work required to even seriously test out the practicalities is pretty immense.

I wouldn't want to display the subtitles over the top of existing graphics, that's too intrusive (IMHO), and doing so would kill the possibility of doing fully anti-aliased subtitles, which are the only kind (IMHO) that would look good-enough-to-use here.

Putting subtitles below the main screen would actually bump it up off-center, and make it look too high whenever the subtitles are not displayed.

Although the visual cutscenes are displayed in a letterboxed format, the boss fights are not.

Seriously ... the more that I look into this, and the consequences of trying to do it, the more that I come to firmly believe that the dub is the proper way to go. As much fun as it's been to figure out the technical puzzle of "Am I smart enough to do it?", that doesn't mean that it should be done.

Even if you don't have faith that SamIAm and the fans here and elsewhere can put together a good English dub (and I really do have that faith), then with a dub, it could always be professionally re-done at any time if there was the funding to do so.

I know, and I'm sure that some other folks here know, a couple of companies that would be happy to take on the work, if it were a commercial "paying" job, and if it had the legal go-ahead from Falcom.

[jtucci31]

Oh hey you know what, I have a friend that has recording capabilities. I have a microphone but it's sub par at best. Depending on when this is actually needed, I may be able to join in