| AD: |
How did you start voice acting, specifically anime dubbing? |
| MM: |
I started out acting for stage and film, but was mostly earning my living as a teacher
in a private school for child actors. One of my students was in a VO workshop taught by
the late, great Daws Butler (Voice of Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, and many other Hanna
Barbera characters). The student's mother encouraged me to take the workshop, and Daws
was a wonderful teacher. I loved being able to act out characters without being limited
by my age, type, or even sex. Then one day this director who knew Daws had auditions
for the Harlock anime series. He wanted to use one actress who he already knew for all
the female parts, but the client liked my voice for the little girl. I had never dubbed
before, but I am a singer and musician, so I was good at it. I just remember looking at
the time code and watching the picture and hitting the loops. The rest of the cast just
assumed I had done this type of voice work before. |
| AD: |
You tend to get cast as young boy, Are you happy with that casting choice? And is it
more challenging to play a male character or a female character? |
| MM: |
I really enjoy playing the parts of young boys, maybe because I'm a tomboy. I like
getting into that consciousness and making the character come alive. Both male and
female characters are challenging and fun! It's more about the character, than the
character's sex. |
| AD: |
Is there any role model in your real life, where you can get
inspired for playing young male characters? |
| MM: |
Early on in my acting career I learned to study people. Children especially are
fascinating. I toured doing children's theatre before my VO work really took off, so I
leaned to appreciate the wonder children have in relating to the world. For the last 9
years I've been a volunteer for Rolling Readers. My classes have ranged from 2nd to 4th
grade. Interrelating with these students when I read and help them to learn continues
to be a wonderful inspiration. |
| AD: |
What would you consider your best performance in an anime dub? |
| MM: |
I've done too many to choose. Each performance has its own challenges, but some of my
favorites are the strange, ageless killer boy in one of the Cowboy Bebop episodes, Ran
in Tsukikage Ran, Motoko in Love Hina and of course Izzy and Terriermon and now Lucemon
in The Digimon Series and the boy in .HACK. |
| AD: |
Which roles do you remember as being especially difficult, either performing or
auditioning for? |
| MM: |
Actually, the word "difficult" really doesn't apply. As I said earlier, each role has
its challenges, but that only makes the work fun and exciting; for instance, Ran's
scenes when she had been indulging in her favorite drink: Sake, or conveying
Terriermon's attitude when he digivolved from sweet looking creature to mega Rapidmon
without changing the basic voice. |
| AD: |
Was there ever a specific role you wanted to get, but didn't get? |
| MM: |
There have been many, but mostly in original animation. |
| AD: |
How did you enjoy playing Ran in Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran? What was your
first impression of the character? |
| MM: |
I really enjoyed playing Ran. She is a strong character, with lots of levels to act and
thanks to excellent direction by Kevin Seymour and outstanding writing by Mary Claypool,
my work on the part was a joy! |
| AD: |
What do you like most (and least) about Ran? And if you have
a choice, would you want to live like her? |
| MM: |
In real life terms, I didn't like the fact that she got drunk. But as an actor, those
were great scenes to play. I liked the fact that she was a strong woman and a martial
arts expert. In that regard she was a good role model. I think the character has an
interesting life, but no, I would never chose to live a life like Ran's; I much prefer
my own. |
| AD: |
Have you worked on mainstream productions? i.e.: Disney, Hanna
Barbera, Dreamworks, and other non-anime productions? |
| MM: |
I have worked on many non-anime productions: Jackie Chan, Rugrats, The Mummy, etc. You
can probably find some of them listed if you type my name in Google. The Kids Ten
Commandments is one of the recent projects I had the privilege to work on. I played one
of the leads, Ephraim, a young boy, and Hanna, a girl goat, and Miriam, an old lady.
The writing was superb, and I got to sing some wonderful songs. The people were a
pleasure to work with and the DVDs are entertaining and educational. |
| AD: |
If so, what is the biggest difference between anime and non-anime productions? |
| MM: |
By non-anime projects, I assume you mean original animation. Each is exciting and
challenging. With anime you have the picture and you dub in the words, acting to
picture. With original animation. you might have a drawing and a short description of
the character and most of the time the writer's script which describes the action. The
rest is up to you and the director. |
| AD: |
And on a related note, have you acted on TV shows, movies, or in a theatrical
production? If so, do you want to pursue that part of an acting career? |
| MM: |
I have performed VO on TV shows and movies: Spirited Away, Treasure Planet, Catch Me If
You Can, Ghosts Of Mars, etc. and toured for many years with The L. A. Moving Van and
Puppet Company and in my own one person original musical A Life Is A
Celebration...Potholes And All, but as far as performing on camera today, I really don't
pursue it. VO takes up much of my time and I also am working on several writing/music
projects for children, which I hope to have produced. I also create artwork under the
name MALKI which is selling locally. |
| AD: |
What work do you do besides anime dubbing? About how much of your work time is spent
doing anime dubbing in relation to any other jobs you may have? |
| MM: |
I do original animation and commercials and many educational projects and CD roms and
games. I do toy voices and puppets also. Every week varies, so sometimes I do more
dubbing and other times more of the rest. |
| AD: |
If I recall correctly, you lend your voice in number of video games. Including, Brave
Fencer Musashi for Squaresoft and .hack for Bandai. Is there any significant difference
between anime and video game voiceover? |
| MM: |
The biggest difference is in anime you have to match mouths. In video games you have to
complete the phrases in a certain amount of time. I use my imagination and create my
characters' worlds in all VO projects, but with anime the frame of reference is already
there, in all other VO, I am seeing it in my mind as I perform it. |
| AD: |
How did you feel and think about doing .hack the video game? And, did you see the game
or perhaps even play the game? |
| MM: | I really like this character. He had lots of levels to play. He could be tough or
sensitive and he had a lot going on inside of him all the time. I don't have a Play
Station (I keep meaning to get one); I also have done voices for Rachet And Clank for
Insomniac Games, so it's probably a good idea, but when would I have the time to
play????!!!! |
| AD: |
Did you approach this role differently than any other anime? |
| MM: |
No. |
| AD: | Do you have any desire to venture into writing, or perhaps directing? |
| MM: | I have written original animation (The Zoomer Crews First Christmas, and other
projects), poetry, songs for stage and animation (The Chucklewood Critters), and a
children's read aloud book and am currently working on two animation ideas. I have no
desire to write for dubbing (but have great admiration for the writers who do it well)
or to direct. |
| AD: |
What is your opinion toward Anime in general? |
| MM: | When it's great like Spirited Away it's an absolute joy to watch. Like any art form,
there are many levels. I enjoy voicing it. |
| AD: | Is there any upcoming anime work that you are allowed to divulge? |
| MM: | There are quite a few, but I'd rather not speak of them. |
| AD: |
Do you get any feedback from the fans? And do they recognize you just by your voice? |
| MM: |
I did get some e-mail when I was doing Izzy on the first 2 seasons of Digimon. Usually
people don't recognize my voice because I do so many different voices. One of the
things I like about VO work is the variation and anonymity. |
| AD: |
On a related note, have you ever been invited or considered attending, one of the many
wacky anime conventions? |
| MM: | As of this time, I have not been invited to an anime convention. I would consider
attending one if it would be helpful to people, especially children. |
| AD: |
And finally, do you have anything you'd like to say to your fans? |
| MM: | Your support is greatly appreciated. I love what I do and I work hard at it. Knowing
that it gives pleasure and excitement to you makes my work even more joyful. Thank you! |
