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Netflix's Dead End: Paranormal Park Star Zach Barack Interview
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Zuhair and J Scotty are joined by actor, comedian, singer and one of the stars of Netflix's animated series, Dead End: Paranormal Park, Zack Barack to discuss his career and experience working in the MCU as Marvel's first openly transgender actor.
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Interview with Zach Baric: Breaking Barriers in the MCU
00:00:27
Speaker
On another exciting entry of Animation Deliberation, we welcome another industry professional for an interview. We welcome Zach Baric, who is known for being the first transgender actor in an MCU movie with his role in Spider-Man Far From Home. He also stars in the Netflix series Dead End Paranormal Park. We're going to talk about that in much more. Right off the side, we have no control over.
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Zach Baric's Journey: Voice Acting and Imposter Syndrome
00:02:14
Speaker
Welcome back to Animation Deliberation. I'm one of your hosts, Jay Scottie St. Clair. I'm Zuhara Lee. And with us, we have a very special guest. Zach, would you like to introduce yourself? Yeah. My name's Zach Berwick. I am an actor and voice actor, and I am really, really, really excited to be here. Excellent.
00:02:34
Speaker
I've been itching to talk to a voice actor for a while, so we're very excited that you are here right now. Yeah. Well, it's funny because it's the imposter syndrome of it all, where it's like...
00:02:45
Speaker
I've only done like one major animation in my voice actor and it's like, yeah. That's all it takes. I mean, you're credited for it. So I guess it's true. Yeah, surely that counts. And to your credit, you're the first guest to have come prepared with like a professional level microphone. So kudos to you there. Makes my editing process a little bit easier. Good, good.
00:03:11
Speaker
Which is ironic, because the last two people we had work on the back end of things. So you think they'd be a little more with the tech stuff? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm all about appearances. This microphone doesn't even work. I just have this. You know what I'm doing. Nice. That's all it really is. Good stuff. Good stuff. So we are an animation-focused podcast. So we will obviously be speaking at length about Dead in Paranormal Park.
00:03:41
Speaker
Any of our listeners know that we are also big fans of Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So I wanted to just fire off a couple of questions in regards to your role as Zack in Spider-Man Far From Home. Yeah. Cool. So I did a little bit of research because I'll be honest, the character I think it's fair to say is a little bit more of a background role.
00:04:03
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. So I wanted to find out who exactly this character was. And upon doing my research, I found out that the character's name is Zach Cooper, who is actually a character from comics. He's the brother of Harley Cooper, who was a hero known as Guiding Light. She was an electrical and light based powered superhero. So I wanted to ask you, is that information that you came across or did you have to do any research for the role? Um, so it was interesting. I got the,
00:04:33
Speaker
audition while I was working at a production company as a really, really bad and competent intern. I had absolutely no film experience. That was my sort of one little industry connection was I knew someone who worked
Trans Representation and Acting Experience
00:04:49
Speaker
for a production company and I was like, well, just intern. And then it turns out you have to know how to do things. So thankfully I was in town though.
00:05:00
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And they sort of were just like, go audition. And they wouldn't tell us anything about the role. All I knew was that it was for Spider-Man. And so the truth is, I got out there. I didn't know what my character was. I didn't know anything. I mean, they lock it down. I read the script once in a room. And then also, things change so much. And we go so off the cuff that often the sides we got day of or what we ended up saying were not in the script. So it was very.
00:05:27
Speaker
Part of it was just grabbing your moment and stuff like that, but it was my first job, so I had no clue how any of it worked. And I was like, oh, this is chaos. But it wasn't, you know what I mean? Organized chaos, chaos that sort of something really beautiful and very John Watts like an indie director doing a Marvel movie kind of vibe.
00:05:49
Speaker
Sweet. That's awesome to hear because with Feige being so good at keeping things under wraps, it's interesting hearing how it is on the pre-production of it all. I'm just like, this is what you're going to do and we can't tell you why. Yeah, no, exactly. At least you got to know which movie you were going for. I wasn't just surprised you're in a Marvel movie.
00:06:11
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Um, it was so interesting because you get all these things and they're all codenamed. I think our codename was Bosco for the whole thing. And it always felt so bizarre because again, my first acting job and I was like, I don't really know how this works. I don't know how big my role is going to be. And I'll be honest, like you, I, I watched an interview with, uh,
The Role of Comedy in Addressing Sensitive Topics
00:06:36
Speaker
I think it was Timothy Schell and they talking about how
00:06:38
Speaker
in Interstellar, he has this like one monologue and it was like kind of like, he was like, this is my big thing and then you don't see his face for most of it. And it felt like that, not in a bad way, but it was sort of like, I think this is just being an actor. But with the complication of talking about being trans in that, so whenever I was talking about it in interviews, I was like, well, I'm doing what actors do, you know, you pay your dues, you do featured roles, you say a couple lines in a movie, if you're dumb, lucky, like I was, you get to do it in a Marvel movie.
00:07:08
Speaker
And it was, it was interesting because it was something that, I mean, the conversation of trans representation was in the zeitgeist and is still, and still kind of being worked on. So I had to talk about it, but from my perspective, it was like, well, this was just like, you know, my first job. And I was grateful to have been there. You know what I mean? So it was interesting in that way and very bizarre and surreal. That's awesome. Congrats. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Super cool. I'm definitely.
00:07:38
Speaker
I don't have aspirations to be an actor, but I'm still jealous just that you got to experience that and be on set. And you mentioned being on location for the shoot. So I see that you're from Illinois, Evanston, Illinois. I assume that's a suburb of Chicago.
00:07:56
Speaker
Yeah, I'm actually from Glenview. My bio, I was technically born in Evanston and I think that just sort of stuck in my bio at some point. I'll edit that. I'm from a suburb called Glenview, but yeah, more or less like 15, 20 minutes out of Rogers Park, which is where the city starts on the north side kind of. Right around Evanston. So yeah. Okay. And that's where you're still located?
00:08:19
Speaker
I'm actually L.A. based, not for school. And that's kind of how I fell into the acting thing. And I just never left. But my family's centrally located there. Okay. And I see amongst your credits, you're a comedian. So when you were in Illinois and then around the Chicago area, was that kind of an opportunity for you to cut your teeth a little bit? Or did you wait till you made it out to L.A. to start that aspect of your career at all?
00:08:45
Speaker
Well, I came out here for college, so I was a performer in high school, you know, school theater and stuff, but I didn't start comedy until...
00:08:54
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I was like 20 and I was out in LA already, which felt very silly because I took a gap year and I was in Chicago around, you know, 1819 and it would have been such a cool place to cut my teeth. But instead I went to a class at USC with a professor who taught us now how to have thick skin and then we all just got up at
00:09:16
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at a place in Santa Monica and did it. And I found it quite liberating, so I stuck with it. But my dream is Chicago and do some shows, because I'm just getting a few longer ones out here. And it's really exciting. But it's one of those things where Chicago is one of those places that's famous for it, New York as well. And you kind of think, as much as LA is this beautiful palm tree, riddled place that kind of looks out of a movie, when it comes to comedy,
00:09:46
Speaker
The other cities are sort of the center points. Yeah. Is there anyone you kind of look to as an inspiration coming from the Chicago comedy scene? If I'm not mistaken, I want to say the Upright Citizens Brigade is out of Chicago? Well, Second City is their big one. Second City. OK, that's the one. OK.
00:10:03
Speaker
And yeah, I mean, there were so many people that did Second City. It's a little bit hard to name. I mean, a lot of us and all, you know, I think being a fan of SCC TV, like, you know, if I'm not mistaken, like Eugene Levy, Catherine Harris, like that came out of there.
00:10:23
Speaker
So, I mean, it's one of those things where it's like you get to see people do different types of comedy. I mean, you have the like Amy Poehler, Tina Faiza, who do, you know, a certain type of sitcom, and then you have something completely different in Schitt's Creek. And I think when you come from an improv or live comedy stand, you know, stand or background, you
00:10:44
Speaker
I mean, there's like so much room and it creates these incredible genres. Like there's nothing else like what Eugene Levy's done. And I mean, like when you watch Best in Show, the first time I saw that documentary, dry
00:10:58
Speaker
goofy humor. It's like the funniest movie and it's aged like beautifully and it's because the humor is so dry and so absurd that like it can't be bad. You know what I mean? And I think there's something really beautiful about that. So yeah, I'm a huge fan of a lot of folks who came out of there.
00:11:17
Speaker
I think Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick was how I learned that Chicago was such a hotspot for comedy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a phenomenal movie. Yeah. We're mentioning a lot of great ones there. I love The Big Sick. You mentioned Best in Show, but Christopher Guest in general is just awesome. You mentioned Best in Show aging like a fine wine, but even like this is Spinal Tap has just aged so well. Yeah. It's incredible. Yeah. All the Christopher Guest stuff is like that.
00:11:44
Speaker
went did a revisit during the pandemic, during the height of the pandemic, when we sort of first went on lockdown, because my roommate and I watched all shit's creak again, and I was just like, Oh, we got to go back and watch the old stuff, you know, and so it was really wonderful to see like, how, and also that, like, it really spoke to me about the relationships between actors and comedians that like, if you ever apart someone, the way that like, Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy do like, you just, there's something different you get every time you put it together. So
00:12:13
Speaker
Yeah, that's an interesting point. I think comedians are one of the most versatile actors, actually, because you see performances from Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, where they're able to just turn in these incredible dramatic performances that no one ever really saw coming from them. And I know from a lot of the interviews I've heard and
00:12:32
Speaker
you know, a little behind the scenes snippets in here and there. Like for comedians, a lot of times the reason they're able to tap into that and what kind of makes them so funny and why people can relate to them so much is because they're actually like tapping into like a certain kind of sadness and tragedy a little bit and they're able to make light of that. And that's kind of how they process and cope. Can you relate to that at all with your own experiences? Yeah. So when I first started standup, I was really struggling with finding a not voice, like I love talking and
00:13:01
Speaker
I find it easy to make light of myself, but I didn't want my whole shtick to be as much as I love being Jewish and that it is definitely part of my personality. I was like, I can't read the whole thing at my detriment. Or if I do, I want it to be subversive in some capacity. And if I'm really lucky transgressive, you know, something
00:13:21
Speaker
punching up, you know, and I found that the first time it really clicked was our professor, Judas Shelton, who's wonderful comedian, based in LA, she suggested we write something coming born of a painful memory. And it was like, all of a sudden something clicked. And I got to talk about, you know, just like a messy divorce, you know, messy parents divorce, like stuff like that.
00:13:48
Speaker
drug addiction, all the things that felt really true to the way I grew up and stuff like that. And and it felt like empowering. But more than that, I kind of enjoyed seeing that you could give other people permission to laugh at things. You know, I think we see a lot of discourse about folks saying things that
00:14:10
Speaker
whatever folks are like, oh, I don't even like walking on eggshells. And it's like the interesting thing is you can give people permission to laugh at things they didn't think they could laugh at that are almost like uplifting in a weird way. Like, I like being able to tell people, oh, it's really funny that a guy came up to me in the subway and asked me which slur I prefer as a transfer. It was the funniest thing. No one will ever do anything funnier. And if I judge the story to someone without the context of being in comedy, you'd be like, oh, that's horrible.
00:14:39
Speaker
Yes, of course. But on some level, you can't write something like that. Like, you know, I was a couple months on testosterone, like it didn't pass, but I had a deep voice and this guy just like couldn't make sense of it. And he was like, I just want to ask you if you prefer homo or like lesbian. I was like, this is all insane. And also, I hate you because there's nothing funnier than that. Like there's absolutely nothing. Like what color do you think fits you best? So it's one of those things like,
00:15:05
Speaker
We're laughing not at trans people when I saw that story. We're laughing at a man who has the audacity to do that. Right. And his genius comedic timing. But we also, you know, that's the thing we want to laugh at. We don't want to laugh at, you know, so I find that very empowering. And I think it's so fun to like, be observational because you don't have to try hard to find it. Right.
00:15:26
Speaker
when it comes to any marginalized group. So yeah. That's one of my favorite things about like Trevor Noah and Russell Peters is because they're just very blunt with cultures and stuff. And while they do make fun of like, I guess stereotypes, ethnicities and cultures, it's like you're also learning a lot about it.
00:15:44
Speaker
So at the same time, it's like you're being informed, but you're having a good laugh about it at the same time. And I was actually talking to a host from one of our sibling podcasts the other day, because we've been covering Miss Marvel every week on their show, the Marvel Cinematic Universe podcast.
00:16:01
Speaker
And he was like, is it offensive when I do the accent? Or were we like worried about like other people doing like a Pakistani or Indian accent? And I was like, no, like when people do it, it doesn't bother me because they know me and they've had conversations about we literally this whole podcast is talking about Pakistani culture. So it's like, if we've had that relationship and that dialogue of like understanding and knowing where I'm come for, crack all the jokes that you want, because I know it's not coming out of ignorance, it's coming out of
00:16:28
Speaker
you know, fair play. So it's interesting hearing that in other perspectives, because obviously, I'm not going to crack jokes about stuff like that. Right. Well, yeah. So the one that I always use as an example is we I'm trying to think of the exact context, but I was talking to my roommates and we were watching like,
00:16:49
Speaker
I think it was like drag race or something. And someone was wearing like a false nose to do a Barbara Streisand impression. And we were just joking about how like it, it wasn't big enough to be funny. It was like, we were like, it was funny cause we were unpacking the like what size of nose is offensive. And then you have to go almost bigger to be less offensive. Like it was so interesting to talk with like people about like the dynamics of taking pot shots at a community. And it's like, well,
00:17:19
Speaker
The funny thing about it is making fun of people, making fun of it. You know what I mean? There's like sort of an aspect of comedy that allows you to take the piss out of like the persecutor as opposed to the persecuted that I love. That is kind of the interesting thing. But it takes like, you know what I mean? And then also, yeah, developing relationships and
00:17:39
Speaker
and making sure everybody in the room can sense to like certain things. Like, you know, that's kind of part of it as well, because I think it makes us all really comfortable. And then it does, you know, create humor and stuff like that. So, you know, or just like, one of my friends will always be like, Do you think they treat you that way? Because you're Jewish, and it'll have nothing to do with that. And I find that kind of
00:17:59
Speaker
And again, someone would be like, why would you say that? And I'm like, oh, because it's funny. Because it's funny. Either everyone laughed and it was funny or it made everyone uncomfortable and that was funny. And I personally relish that. I love a room that goes quiet. That's great.
00:18:25
Speaker
That's awesome. Yeah. I could see why you could find the comedy scene so liberating. So I really appreciate the healthy perspective and just the kind of dissection there. It's already been a super interesting conversation.
Character Connection in Netflix's Dead End Paranormal Park
00:18:35
Speaker
But I do want to pivot a little bit to the show that we're here to talk about in addition to your career, Dead in Paranormal Park. And I wanted to ask you, it was really interesting to find out how the role in Spider-Man Far From Home, for lack of a better term, and correct me if I'm wrong here, it almost kind of like fell in your lap in some ways.
00:18:55
Speaker
Yeah, it did. So I got, I found out about this manager who worked with trans people through a roommate who knew someone who worked with her. And I met her once and like would send her just emails being like, if you have anything, and at the time she didn't have any trans masculine actors. So every few months I'd get something and you know, she wasn't my official manager, so I didn't get much. So every time I went out for something, I was like, put your heart into it.
00:19:23
Speaker
And I just wasn't getting anything and then like I said it. Yeah, I just was in town at the right time. Okay, and You know and and and on one level it's so fall on my lap. I mean, what are the
00:19:36
Speaker
You know right and ensemble also like I'm so glad I was persistent with her But I have I have to say like that is about as much as it could fall on anybody's lap. So yeah, I would agree You obviously did the legwork but with that in mind I just wanted to ask like this this role with with dead in paranormal Park the role of Barney Gutman and
00:19:55
Speaker
It's obvious that you've mentioned being Jewish, being trans. You obviously relate to this character in numerous ways. Was this something you pursued? Was this something that was offered to you? Were you familiar with the source material? How did that all shake out? I heard about the comics because my agent, Sam Freshman, who's mentioned the best, was really championing me for championing
00:20:24
Speaker
me for a role he sort of reached out and was like, I really want you to get this. And I read the breakdown and I was like, Yeah, me too. You know, I mean, you see Netflix and you're like, Yeah, I gotta do this. And obviously,
00:20:38
Speaker
the relationship between animation and Netflix has shifted some since then. But it is like, it was a project that just like I couldn't possibly have said no to, partly because I'm not really saying no to work ever. But because it was so different than the other trans stuff I'd read. And I was like, if I'm gonna be doing projects where I'm trans, I want them to be
00:21:04
Speaker
nuanced and interesting. And so it was neat because I got to read something that felt really fresh, where like, the plot of being trans was instrumental in strictly, it felt like, I mean, on a metal or on like a, you know, out big picture level, maybe
00:21:26
Speaker
being a sympathetic straight man that people could relate to, which is such a tactful way to get people to sympathize and humanize trans folks because you're not necessarily beating them over the head with it, although you might be entitled to, given the state of things.
00:21:42
Speaker
you're not, you're just being like, oh, isn't it crazy that this is the audience surrogate, you know, like this person, okay, it's really crazy that we're fighting demons and maybe we don't need to go to hell right now. And so like, it was, that was really interesting to me. And then I read the comics right after and I fell in love with them and Hamish as well, who writes them is like brilliant. And I was just pretty much blown away with the way it,
00:22:09
Speaker
approached, I mean, without spoiling anything from the books, but like, because they are different than the show, but there's so much. And I've never like confirmed with Hamish that this was the intention, but so much that feels like, you know, the victors write the history books, like class, like unpacking class and like the way that we perceive good and evil. And, and there's something very queer about that as well, because demons and queerness have often been paired in media. So like, it was really interesting to see how the heroic
00:22:40
Speaker
figures could shift. And yeah, and so I was just really moved by that. And I didn't know what if how similar the show was going to be. But I knew that I wanted to work with Hamish desperately after I read them. I was like, God, I want to work with this guy. He's, he's so smart. You know, so that was really exciting.
00:22:59
Speaker
Well, congratulations. I'm glad it panned out for you. You do an excellent job voicing the character. It seems like it was tailored to you specifically. You just bring the character to life so well. And you talk about him being an everyman and kind of like the way the show just does a great job of endearing you to Barney first. Like you can sense something's not quite right in the home, in the family life, but then you don't get the revelations that he's trans or his attraction to Logan, I think comes a little bit later on.
00:23:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. And I liked that a lot. And it didn't feel like it was like, uh, you know, like for, for show value, it felt like, okay, so we are establishing part of this character, but it's not some afterschool special episode or some like, you know, device for someone else's development. You know, it was, um, this is part of Barney. It's definitely what he's going through. Also, also he is just like a teen in love and who's like super duper
00:23:58
Speaker
bad at flirting. That was the other thing that really drew me to him is that everyone I know who's really into pro wrestling is some of the most fun, campy people. And I was like, I, I know that guy. Like, you know, and I was like, I want to be that guy. I definitely envy Barney's ability to talk to a group of friends though. Like make, make new friends. I was in the middle of that episode when you hopped on.
00:24:28
Speaker
Well, yeah, when I watch, trust me, they believe it's the third episode. So they go through everybody's fears. And I related to Barney so much as a character, because I do think the nuances of what actually goes on in the house are not usually as simple as we love you, we don't love you. Because of this thing, it's more like, OK, we're trying, but are we? The difference between being supportive and being tolerant. And I think that was really neat, but the part I could
00:24:57
Speaker
knock at my head around, I was like, you know, when he just like takes a deep breath and walks through his fear, I was like, you know, man, I think it's really, really cool to see a trans guy do that. Because I think in a room of trans masculine people, and we're all hella anxious. So I was like, this is awesome. And I and I think, you know, when you grow up,
00:25:16
Speaker
and want to look a certain way, maybe you like hold yourself back that we have to work on it. I don't want to project or speak for everybody. That was my experience. And then so seeing that character was really amazing. But I have not completely unlearned all the things that I have learned to like hold in. So it was like, I relate to you. And also I have horrible social anxiety.
00:25:36
Speaker
So I try to take a little piece of Barney with me when I go to a party because I don't know how to do it otherwise. It's actually like the experience that Barney went through early on like that level of character development within just three episodes because he talks about how he is socially anxious and you know he's just kind of chilling on the bus like looking at the weirdo next to him and he's the the dialogue about being in a space where he can just be himself and be open and just
00:26:02
Speaker
Just super comfortable and taking that level of comfortable and just be like these people don't know me like I'm setting the impression right now So I'm just gonna chill and be comfortable and just write that like that was just beautiful to see in like literally two and a half episodes 100% 100% yeah
00:26:20
Speaker
And I'm a big horror fan myself, so I really appreciate how the series finds this balance between the animation style and the characters being super cute and adorable, but then it also delivers on some of the scares. So I wanted to ask you, are you a fan of horror, or while it has this kind of balance, cutesy versus macabre, is there one that appeals to you a little bit more so than the other? Yeah.
00:26:47
Speaker
Well, I love horror comedy, but I do really, really like being scared. So I just started the new Stranger Things season. I'm a little late. I haven't started it. I'm waiting for the boys to be over first.
00:27:03
Speaker
But I just was like, right off the bat, I was like, I'm gonna like this season because it's more it's got more horror in it. I love being scared. I don't know what it is. When I was a kid, I did not like horror. Okay. Um, and I think like, when things got a little tough at home, I was like, Oh, maybe just like nothing is that scary. And that sounds, it sounds very grim. I'm very fortunate to have very positive relationships in my family now. But cool. It was rough.
00:27:28
Speaker
time as I think a lot of people go through when they're shifts and families. But I think that something in me like really shifted were like other things for the first time in my life felt really scary. So I got really into horror and I've always even prior to that really enjoyed
00:27:43
Speaker
Observing things that scare me. I've always been really afraid of octopus and now I'm like fascinated by them. I have interesting heart there Interesting so all to say I love horror like a lot but I do think it pairs very well with comedy for a reason and I Really desire to see more stuff that manages to both Scare the crap out of me and then also make me laugh, but like truly scare me You know what? I mean? Like I I
00:28:10
Speaker
That's my favorite type of horror comedy is something that makes me laugh and then like genuinely freaks me out. And I think it can be hard to achieve that. Yeah, I'm very open about being I'll just be blunt. I'm a little bit when it comes to horror stuff. I mean, you have to like really invite me to go to a movie to see it. I was actually like a little uncomfortable when I started this episode and I was telling Dave Scottie off air is that it reminded me of Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy back in the day.
00:28:38
Speaker
And when that show came on, I was just watching Cartoon Network. I was actually home alone that night and it just came on and I built a fort and I hid in there because I was just so terrified of something as simple as that.
Finding Balance in Horror and Comedy
00:28:50
Speaker
Um, but while I don't actually like go out of my way to watch horror things like, um, drag me to hell where stuff that like was just like the perfect level of horror and then having Sam Raimi doing something like in multiples of madness, like the, the S it's when you have like the creepy horror within comedy or within good storytelling, it's a lot more tolerable, but like horror for the sake of horror. Nah, not my real house one bit.
00:29:16
Speaker
Well, I hear you because, you know, in the Sam Raimi vein, like the old, I think it's the second Evil Dead movie, which I think is technically a remake or it's more or less like the first one, if I'm not mistaken. Because I think there was like the original and then there was one right directly after that. But whatever. Are you talking about Evil Dead 2 or the remake by Fedi Alvarez? No, the Evil Dead 2. Okay. Where the older one. Yeah, but it was.
00:29:44
Speaker
I just really enjoyed it for that exact reason, which is like, it sort of felt like an in-between. And even though I really liked being terrified as a kid, I think something felt different between I am like afraid and I am looking at a thing I'm afraid of versus like, I'm watching a movie to deliberately be scared. So I really relate to both experiences of being a horror fan and then also being a little bit. I have been both and am both. I just sometimes subject myself to misery because I really enjoyed it.
00:30:13
Speaker
Yeah, no, I get that. And I think making it accessible. I mean, that's why of course, because like, you can have movies that are lightly scary, and then you can have movies that are so scary. And I think both of them qualify as for because I think the goal of horror isn't necessarily to always scare. It's also the comment. It's to create horrific scenes or thought provoking. I mean, Ari Aster, such an interesting director for that
00:30:38
Speaker
I love Ari Aster so much. I love everything the man's done. I struggled for the longest time. Do I like Hereditary better? Do I like Midsommar better? And I think Hereditary takes the cake just a little bit for me, but even the short film he did, what was it?
00:30:56
Speaker
The thing about the Joneses, have you seen that one, the YouTube shirt? No. Oh. That was wild. Yeah. Well, and I give him credit. He's put to screen feelings. I've never been able to articulate. At the beginning of Midsommar, when Florence Pugh is really trying to be like something's wrong and nobody's listening, I've been there. I've also been the guy who's been like, oh, this person's going through something and I don't have an exit out of this relationship. Oh, sure.
00:31:26
Speaker
it felt so ineffable, like being like, Oh, the feeling of being trapped in either nobody can hear me or I have to be here for this person, even though it might not, you know what I mean? Like, it's such a specific experience. And I was like, I've never seen it. So and I just think he has like a way of putting upset feelings on the screen that I am so drawn to, I would tell to be in
00:31:50
Speaker
I think he's like a brilliant, brilliant director and writer. And I really enjoy watching something that twisted. But my point was going to be, I didn't experience hereditary, for example, while there are moments that scared the shit out of me. It wasn't anywhere the whole time I was like, I'm scared. It was more like I am in red. And I thought that was interesting, because that was still horrific, even though there weren't elements of jump scares and stuff like that going on. And so I do think that's kind of interesting. Or like my roommate is a really big fan of it and like,
00:32:19
Speaker
doesn't like horror movies at all but that like there's something about the story that's still really
00:32:23
Speaker
felt accessible in spite of that. So I just think it's neat that horror can do that. Yeah, it's interesting because I've been on record on this podcast with my relationship with it. It's been very up and down. I was three years old when the, it had been out for a few years, but the 90s TV movie with Tim Curry, I walked out while my parents were watching it way too young and was absolutely traumatized. And then watched again when I was 18 and kind of had the laugh at myself for being as scared of it as I was.
00:32:51
Speaker
But then when the 2017 movie came out, I just found myself fascinated all over again. I read the book, I wanted to see the movie opening night, and I do think chapter two maybe suffered under the weight and felt a little bloaty and unwieldy, but that first chapter one was just so well done.
00:33:09
Speaker
Yeah, it's the only film or television adaption that I have like really enjoyed. I mean, because I love Stephen King and he's another one where I'm like, I feel a lot of dread sometimes when misery will be like a book that I loved a lot and the movie is incredible Kathy Bates like
00:33:25
Speaker
brilliant. Oscar worthy. Yeah, no, like what a dream role to be able to play like a horror villain and be like, yeah, like the Oscar conversation, like that's crazy. Right. You know, given horror record and the Oscars, especially, unfortunately, because, you know, someone like Tony Collette should have liked, you know what I mean? Justice for Tony Collette. But I just, I really liked it. Chapter one, I also struggled with it. Chapter two, for probably very similar reasons that
00:33:54
Speaker
I felt like there was so much that could have been removed and it would have been quality. But yeah, I highly agree. It's a piece of media that's sort of gone through it in and out. And I'm glad there was something really, really remarkable that came out of it. And also something really, really goofy on several occasions. Right, for sure. So I don't have an easy transition for this one. So I'll just do another hard pivot here. But being that the cartoon,
00:34:23
Speaker
the animated series here, Dead End Paranormal Park takes place in a theme park. I wanted to ask, are you a big theme park junkie? Do you like roller coasters? And if so, do you have a favorite?
00:34:35
Speaker
Yeah. So I, my, I am like the weirdest person about roller coasters. I like them a lot. I've really enjoyed going on them. I, it just depends on the year you ask me, like there are times when I feel so anxious, like because my anxiety, the worst I get it is like around like the way my body feels. So like, uh, and my brother was just teaching me, he's a psychologist teaching me about the vagus nerve and that's where I feel it all. It's like right under my solar plex.
00:35:02
Speaker
Like on a day when I go to a theme park with that I'm like it's not happening today because the whole time I'm gonna think I'm gonna die But when I am in the mood for them, they're my favorite thing in the world I love the way it feels to go off a drop and and most of the time I can still have fun if I'm on them even if I'm feeling a little funky but like I do think that they kind of fall into the horror place of like oh like there's so much weird horrible anticipation, but the payoff is really wonderful and
00:35:30
Speaker
Also, I think I was one of those sick kids who like read so much about like horrible accidents on rollercoaster that I was like, okay, so I'm gonna go on them, but there are certain ones I'll never go, like I'm so picky. But my favorite growing up, so there's a Six Flags in Gurney Mills, which is like an hour, a little less than an hour away from where I grew up, and for some reason, it's been a while.
00:35:55
Speaker
There's a roller coaster called Raging Bull, which used to be the big ride there. I think they've built something called X-Wing that's kind of taken, not Star Wars related, but that's been sort of the buzzy one. But I really enjoyed that ride because it's very just like classic giant steel coaster, like huge drop, and then everything else. And it does the classic fake drop. Oh, yes. I love it. I love it.
00:36:23
Speaker
And, uh, but I love an indoor coaster a lot, like rock and roll roller coaster. One of my favorite rides. Uh, I love Tower of Terror. Um, yeah. And I love Twilight Zone. So that like themed, that's always been like my favorite theme. I'm really glad they kept the Twilight Zone theme in the Disney world one. They replaced it in the Disneyland one though in California.
00:36:43
Speaker
I took my cousin on his first rollercoaster at Universal. It was one of the Harry Potter ones where two dragons take off at the same time, so you pick which dragon you want to ride. My first one was front row, so it's like his obviously had to be. And the amount of times that he tried to sneak away and run in the middle of that two hour line
00:37:01
Speaker
I had to like keep my hand on him to make sure that he goes like, no, we're doing this. And of course he started feeling a little better when like the couple that was getting on with us, like girl was pretty hot. So she wanted to sit in the middle. He wanted to sit in the middle. He was like, okay, maybe I can do this now. It's like, whatever helps.
00:37:21
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So that's the only time that I've been on a roller coaster outside of Virginia, but Busch Gardens, King's Dominion, all the stuff over here. It's like once I finally went, it's like I have to be front row now because it's like that you can't beat that experience. When that was your first time, everything's got to be front row.
00:37:39
Speaker
Yeah. Are you are you based on it? I went to school in Nova, so I did the King's Dominion. Yeah, I'm in the Virginia Beach area, but I was in Richmond for a short time. So that's when I would always do like the Halloween towns at King's Dominion because it was so much fun. And of course, like I just said that I'm a little but for some reason, like going through the the horror mazes like that was so much fun for me. I'd be shivering the whole time, but I don't know. I don't understand my relationship with her yet.
00:38:06
Speaker
Yeah, I get it. I think that's I think that's really universal. No. Yeah, I went to high school and never so I got to go to a few theme parks out there. But I there was also a really cool haunted maze in Maryland that I never really got to do at Calavo Farms that I still to this day want to go do that I have to do but yeah, I'm with you. I am like
00:38:29
Speaker
in and out of whether or not I like it. And some days I'm like, you couldn't make me do a rollercoaster or a thing that scares me. I'm too tired. I'm like, it's all I want to do. Yeah. I'm assuming Nova is North Virginia. Yep.
00:38:42
Speaker
Yes, all right. No worries. As opposed to the sign program. Yeah, you're good. I spent a little time in Virginia myself and in the Maryland area right outside of DC and whatnot. So I myself have been to King's Dominion and Busch Gardens and Williamsburg and all that, but I don't remember specific rides as well. But a couple of things you brought up when talking about that anxiety before getting on a roller coaster, I realized in retrospect,
00:39:06
Speaker
the perfect transition would have been to bring up the Final Destination series and ask if you've seen that because I've got a lot of love for Final Destination 3 and that roller coaster scene. Final Destination 2 always gets the recognition with the log truck and whatnot, which is a great scene. But when you mentioned that you're
00:39:26
Speaker
your brother mentioning the the vagus nerve. I that's one thing I can relate to a lot. I experienced a lot of anxiety, it might not be in the same context, per se, but I do experience a lot of anxiety. And one thing that's really been helping me is, is meditation and breathing.
Managing Anxiety with Techniques and Animation
00:39:41
Speaker
And there's the poly polyvagal technique where you know, you breathe in for four seconds and exhale for eight seconds, and it just really helps you find your center. Have you have you found coping skills like that? Or what are some of your other coping skills?
00:39:55
Speaker
Yeah. Breathing's the big one. I mean, yeah. Cause I was going to say that like, yeah. And for four whole, sometimes hold for eight, like really straight. It's awesome. Like I, that changed the game for me. Cause I was really like, um, I had the first time I learned about it was called a heart math and it was like very like in four out for four. And it was rad, but I liked
00:40:12
Speaker
when I got older and anxiety became more of a central problem like I agree like doing meditative exercises was such a huge thing. I've been really fascinated by some of the practices I've never tried to do but
00:40:26
Speaker
I'm trying to remember the names of them, like Wim Hof and stuff like that. I mean, there are some people who really swear by like the way breathing can like change your capacity to feel things. And I was one of those really obstinate people who was like, and for on my life, like fully believed that physical anxiety existed, but was convinced what I was feeling was a deadly disease. I was like, someday, they'll do a cat scan and be like, you this is why you get like tummy aches and like hives and you know,
00:40:52
Speaker
And then my, and my honest guy, my therapist was turning gray being like, Hey, maybe it's anxiety. And I was like, nah, I'm ill. And, you know, and then one day I was like, well, you know, I'm kind of miserable, so I'm just gonna try it, you know, I'm gonna try some of his suggestions and like get on. And then I found a psychiatrist and got an anxiety medication. And I was like, Oh, um, he may have had a point, you know, so it was body anxiety is one of those ones that doesn't get enough. You know, we've gotten
00:41:20
Speaker
slowly progressively better talking about mental health. But I think the extra step is being like, and that is still a body experience, you know, it's um, and it's one of those things where it took me a really long time to understand that they were so deeply connected. So
00:41:35
Speaker
I didn't value breathing. I didn't value those kinds of exercises for a really long time. And it wasn't because I was like, these doctors are idiots. I was just like, I'm different. There's got to be a specific physical thing that I need to be fixated on right now. Exactly. Yeah. I was like, there's no way. I still remember the first time that I had my first bad panic attack. I was like, these are all the symptoms of a heart attack. I'm actually having a heart attack at 19 right now.
00:42:01
Speaker
or however old I was and then it's just like you think about it afterwards and you like recur that thing over and over it's like there's no way I have this many heart attacks like I should be dead by now it must be something else and then uh no exactly after starting martial arts I think that was kind of like when I started really understanding the importance of breathing uh especially with jujitsu because if you don't have your breathing right like you'll recognize it real quick
00:42:25
Speaker
so like taking those kind of like forced Scenarios where it's like you have to breathe up the wise like it's actually gonna feel like your lungs are crushing because a 300 pound dude is sitting on you so like understanding all of that like you start thinking about like how to use it and how to like intentionally do it and I know this part's gonna sound silly but like one of my friends has been talking about like chakras and stuff a lot lately, so I found a book that was like pretty well written out and it was really fascinating cuz like depending on which
00:42:55
Speaker
chakra you're trying to fix there's breathing practices for that one so it's like if this is an issue in your life and you're having anxiety then you breathe like from your chest more for this and your stomach more from this and like so it's like the exercise is the same as in for four out for eight but it's like focusing on like where you're inhaling and how all that part like changes and it's it's just super fascinating like demon slayer is really adding importance to different breathing how important it is but like whatever it takes to just understand like
00:43:23
Speaker
Hey, just take like 10 minutes out to just sit down and breathe like Apple watches have all the breathing features and it's so hard. It's so easy to get access to just Breathing techniques and it makes such a big difference in people's lives 100% and I'm glad you said the Demon Slayer thing. I am just starting season two, right? But I listen to us for every episode if you want to I will yeah, I I think
00:43:50
Speaker
the fascinating thing is for so long because I'm not unnaturally like driven to athletics or working out or anything. I was like, well, I got to learn all of this independent of that. And I found that I don't have to be like a highly physical person, especially because you know, there's loads of people whose physical ability is buried, but like, that there are ways to isolate
00:44:09
Speaker
where in your body you're feeling things without you know with or without that and like I started working out and I have no by no means a gym head or anything like that but I will say like one of the nice things you were talking about that with your martial arts experience like learning the importance of breath is so massive and yeah I like that's one of my favorite things about demon slayer is I'm like this is just like this is just like you know working through your demons it's so I mean you know but like it's so like yeah breathe through it you know kind of vibes and I really enjoyed it so I
00:44:39
Speaker
I really do think it's really fun that we're talking about this, because it's like, I do think it's one of those things that we all kind of have. And yeah, and I just like the first thing you learn like when you're a kid is like, if something's hot, don't touch it, but you don't want to listen on when you when you get like, you know, a weird feeling under your solar flux, how do you deal with it, you know, sure. But it does feel really basic and very human. And if you have a single bad experience in your life, you know, complex trauma exists, like even if it's really minor, like
00:45:06
Speaker
You might need to learn those tools, you know, and it should be, you know, knowledge, but it is interesting in that way that it takes us time to get there. Yeah. And I have to imagine, and I know from my own experience, having like some familiarity with like breath control has to, you know, feed into your, your voice acting. Have you, have you found that to be the case? And do you ever like try certain types of breathing to enhance maybe a feeling that the, your character is supposed to be experiencing in that moment?
00:45:35
Speaker
Yeah, you know, I'm very physical. So when I'm recording, I'm always like leaping around. I did a song for a show recently, just like one episode I did on this animated show. And the guy who wrote the song was like, we were recording it and he was like, and at one point I was having a really hard time with a note and I like shot my hand up and like hit it. And he was like, you know, you've proven the age old thing that if you raise your hand, you can sing higher, which is bullshit. But it's like one of those things where it's like, sometimes you need to like,
00:46:04
Speaker
sometimes playing pretend is like really true. Like that is like how our bodies work to just sort of the like connection that like, when you imagine you can go up sometimes you like, you know, you kind of subconsciously like get rid of whatever is holding you're holding on to in your muscles that's preventing you from doing sometimes it is in your range and you just don't believe it is. And so in that way, yeah, I'm learning that physicality is such a big part of it. And with Barney in particular,
00:46:30
Speaker
Our director at one point was like, I don't think I've had to instruct people on being squeezed or like pulled as much as I have to do on this show. I mean, there's so much physicality and so many things happening in the show that are so like, so not things that happen in real life because you're playing pretend in your head. And I think it's fun. I have always really wanted to be in a like Who Framed Roger Rabbit style movie because my dream is like,
00:46:56
Speaker
doing the voice and then also like communicating with I like I love the idea of that because like when it comes to like breath and like playing with that like yeah you have to like so be able to be like okay what does it feel like to be this and then also what does it feel like to be like projecting at something this far away from you you know you yell you use this much air when you're talking to someone across the room and when you're doing animation like it would be so interesting they'd give us a direction like
00:47:22
Speaker
okay, you're leaving, so make it sound like you're leaving. And that's so like, that's so, it's so whatever. It's so inane almost on some level. Like what does it mean to like make it sound like you're leaving? Cause I'm not going to walk away from the microphone. They need me to be near it to record, but there is a difference in like bye versus like.
00:47:38
Speaker
Why? You know what I mean? Like, there's such a difference in like, I'm walking away as opposed to like, why, you know, there's so it's interesting, like, those kinds of things are so fascinating. And I love the idea of having to do that, both in person and also like behind a microphone.
00:47:53
Speaker
I don't know what kind of studio questions I was going to ask, but you just like, you scratch the itch of like stuff I was curious about in the room. Yeah. Well, just at the mention of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, I have to ask, did you see the new movie Rescue Rangers, Chippendale?
00:48:09
Speaker
No, but it's because I just like time-wise haven't made this thing I really do because I've seen so many people talking about it and so many like mixed opinions I really I love mixed media. So I think I'll enjoy it But I do I think it's like the funniest fandom because like people online have had such strong responses to some of the like canon of it and I am like really interested in seeing like because apparently what's her name is like married to the
00:48:38
Speaker
fly or whatever. Gadgets married to Gizmo. Yeah, and I was like, this is so interesting to see how people are reacting to it. Just for me, it's not even important. I just feel like, yeah, that's a choice they made. Interesting. You look at it analytically from a creative standpoint, like, oh, I wonder why they did that. But I saw people on my being like, that's so f***ed up. And I was like, what?
00:49:02
Speaker
they were like one of them's a fly and one of them's like a rodent like that doesn't work and I was like why why do you care but also I get it like you know like but I love that people care and so I really enjoyed um so I gotta watch it because I have to have an opinion I trust one of those people who doesn't speak too much on things I haven't seen although I love like reading about something and being mad but I am trying to resist you know the urge
00:49:28
Speaker
Yeah, without spoiling anything, it sounds like you've done a little bit of reading, but I just, anytime I've talked about it, I just have to describe it as like the spiritual successor to Who Framed Roger Rabbit in so many ways of just having, you know, the live action characters with the animated characters. And this, like, we're just a golden age of animation, so they get to embrace all these various animation styles. It's really great as a fan of animation. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I guess that's going to push me to get there faster. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:49:54
Speaker
Well, Zuhair mentioned the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Demon Slayer also came up for my own purposes. This show, I feel stylistically, kind of reminds me of Steven Universe. Thematically, I feel some connectivity to Gravity Falls. But I wanted to ask, what are some of your favorite cartoons? If it's not work-related, what do you just like to tune in to tune out?
00:50:21
Speaker
Yeah, no, I grew up with adult animation pretty early. I was three older brothers. So I was like, whatever they watch. But I also buy them. If if that were a rule I followed, then I would have like a
00:50:33
Speaker
compulsive obsession with Dragon Ball Z, because two of my brothers, I have three other brothers, and two of them are just like the biggest nerds about it, which is wonderful, because I actually really enjoy watching it, but they like, until they were in their 20s, would sit at the table like this and be like, you're dead. And the other one would be like, no, I saw you. And like, it was so stupid. They were like, no, this is based on who's seen more episodes. That's how powerful.
00:50:59
Speaker
one of them had graduated college like you have to have time for that like i don't know it was so crazy but i get it cuz i'm like that with stuff too so i grew up with like. Are the old x-men and then a lot of adult animation and the dragon ball z and some light you know stuff here and there i was like a pretty big fan of avatar when i was on television not done a rewatch although i should have one that was kind of everybody's doing it and then i'm.
00:51:22
Speaker
terms of like the kids cartoons and stuff like I was a huge yeah Powerpuff Girls curves the Cowardly Dog Billy and Mandy like I kind of a odd off-kilter one. I love to network in Nickelodeon particularly our monster the other Nickelodeon yeah invaders and like stuff like that like I really loved the like kind of
00:51:47
Speaker
Vaguely, science fiction-y, or, you know, I guess, hey Arnold, kind of slice of life, mix who knows too. So yeah, you know, I, in particular, Courageous Coward the Dark had a really huge impact on me, and it almost reminds me a little bit of Ari Aster, of the dark being like,
00:52:06
Speaker
There's something very grim about being like, hey, there's something insane happening outside and no one can understand me because I'm a dog. It feels so much like Florence P. being like, hey, I think something's... I know that's like an insane parallel, but I think that...
00:52:20
Speaker
similar part of my brain, you know, activate. Blew my mind with that comparison. I love it. Yeah. I feel like that show is the reason I'm very iffy about horror. Return the Slab. Return the Slab. Oh my God, that's the one that's been that when I was in high school, I remember being like, God, I love that show. I can't really think of the episodes right now. And someone was like, Return the Slab. And I was like, okay, I can really do that. And it was very 3D. Oh yeah.
00:52:45
Speaker
the object, you know, components, like it was so weird, and like freaky, and I was like, Oh, that, like, lives in my brain. And then now I'm like, I had like a late life anime, awakening. So like, full force, prepping one of my favorite questions right now.
00:53:04
Speaker
Yeah, Attack on Titan fan. Love Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Jujutsu Kaisen, like in particular the new stuff. Just finished it, I love it. As well as Slyatt's family, I just got into. Yes! Yeah, I'm really, really liking Spider-Man. Ah, I just made my day, it's so good, it's so funny, I just wasn't expecting that level of comedy.
00:53:22
Speaker
Yeah. I've been watching a little bit of JoJo's as well as... Oh, I watched One Punch Man just to kind of like watch the angle of the satire kind of, you know. And so I really like it. I think it's interesting. I like the like shonen thing, but the slice of life thing is pretty interesting as well. I'll have to watch the like yuri stuff soon because my roommates like it. And it sounds like it was kind of super cool.
00:53:45
Speaker
Yeah, it's been recommended. All right, so here's my big question for you. Yeah. What is your Mount Rushmore of anime? You mean like, toughest to or like, but like biggest bet it best or like if you could carve a character from your favorite anime into a mountain, who would Oh, I see. It doesn't have to be the character. It just has to be the show. I for a second, it's I
00:54:13
Speaker
did Mount Everest in my head and I was like, what is the biggest animal? Yeah. I mean, I think Attack on Titan just has a very special place in my heart because I really like, and so what I just rewatched the first episode recently to introduce it to a friend and the seeds they planted. Like I understand that when you write a manga, that's like a little bit easier to do, but like,
00:54:39
Speaker
Um, I also really like it because the adaptions they've made in the later seasons, um, it feels like they're understanding like how to say something. Like I really like a show that is like mindful of the commentary it's making and it's not like aggressively. So, I mean, there's a lot to unpack there. It's about like, I'm not a side. I don't know. It's like all complex. It's like all very arc in this most season without spoiling anything, but like, uh,
00:55:06
Speaker
on a more like subtle note, like kind of the stuff they do with like Amir and like, I don't know, I just really enjoy that they've like shifted a couple just like minor things like the agency that certain characters have, like who makes a decision and how it happens and stuff is like slightly different. And that feels really intentional. And then on top of that, the way that things have been woven in from the beginning. And part of it is that I think I was just longing for an epic. So I don't know if I'll feel this way forever. But like,
00:55:31
Speaker
my dogs named after Levi. So I just like, I'm a, I'm a big scout, like Levi Ervin kind of, you know, fan, like the, like, you know, give up on your dreams and die. So yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm as of right now, but I am fully aware. So Levi's face is on there. What are the other three? Yes. Yeah, I would say so Levi and then, uh,
00:56:00
Speaker
Gojo, probably from Jujutsu, just because it's like a more recent one. And then I think, ooh, okay. I'm gonna put Nezuka. Okay. Silent heroine, like kick ass, like child, like rocks. And then there's a character in,
00:56:31
Speaker
in One Punch Man, who's not the protagonist. And he's like, okay, so he's a character that is a highly ranked hero, but he's actually like powerfully. He can't like, he's like- Oh yeah, what's that guy's name? Yeah, seeing whatever. But he really likes video games, and particularly the ones that are meant
Anime Influence and Voice Acting Insights
00:56:52
Speaker
for girls. And I don't know why, but that spoke to my soul, that him and then him and
00:57:00
Speaker
what's his name like that they like play video games together and that he plays so that he can win because he's not able to do it in real life and then that why am I blanking on his name but but that one punch man that he like plays because he loses and he can't lose in real life I like love the like I am like I find it mine to be useful
00:57:23
Speaker
It's like, it's King, right? King is the name of it. And I was thinking, they like, they play each other for different reasons, because like, King really likes to like win, because he can. Oh, yeah.
00:57:37
Speaker
Yeah, and it's such a it's a very niche pick. But I think like watching because I've gotten into anime all at once, like a show that is so like meant to be like, it's so ridiculous. And then watching characters who have so much heart in spite of that, like that, like really are like, oh, like I'm trying to find something I don't have.
00:57:56
Speaker
in real life which is such a thing that like video games and media do for people like is so like it really like hit me I was like oh these characters rock cuz like yeah the action is like so much of the show but like I love that they're just like vibing and playing video games and like looking for power in these like little places cuz that feels so true of like I don't know for you guys but like for me that's how I feel about media and and why I made it my career you know and in that like so and like playing an avatar
00:58:24
Speaker
in a game taught me how to know what I wanted to express myself. So I think there's so much value in that. So I think those are my very niche and specific carvings. I guess Levi Lesso, but the others, I was trying to pick something a little bit different.
00:58:42
Speaker
Yeah, video game wise, I was obsessed with RuneScape growing up, but the theater has always been my happy place. You can take me to the shittiest movie, but the idea that you need to have everything off, keep your mouth shut, and just be immersed in somebody else's story for half an hour, and that just living your brain for potentially the rest of your life is just something that's so cool, and that's why I love Star Wars and MCU, and any elongated story, or even that one story is just kind of like, this doesn't even need a sequel, but I just love everything about it, and I love that it gave me the option to think about these things more.
00:59:12
Speaker
But to give you my rush more real quick, if this has been sitting like this for a couple of years, it's always been Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, My Hero Academia, and Demon Slayer. Those have been like my resting floor right now. I think Jujutsu guys in Attack on Titan have like honorable mention, but they haven't quite hit like the level and the capacity and the relatability that like those four shows of hits for me so far. Yeah. And then there's a lot of classics in there. I have to do academia and that in one piece I find really intimidating because of the sheer amount of episodes. But I think like,
00:59:41
Speaker
I at some point I have to bite the bullet because I do really want to get into it. And I think it'll be it's the you have to know certain things to like have conversations with people that are like into the into the medium. And every time I talk to someone about anime, they're like, okay, we'll talk to me when you watch, you know, One Piece Death Note and like and I'm like, okay, fine. You know, don't don't get keep. But also, yes, I will, you know, because I do want to honor the like,
01:00:06
Speaker
There are people who've been doing it for a lot longer than me and I had to sift through to know what the classics were because they became that way because a fandom emerged globally. I loved hearing that Demon Slayer the movie did so well in Japan because I was like, oh, I love animation.
01:00:24
Speaker
getting its due, you know, and I love seeing that in any, you know, whatever subsection of animation it is. Like I thought it was so kick ass that it was like one of the best. The Jujutsu Kaisen movie was so amazing too. Like I'm, I'm so on board with this being a trend of just like kick ass season one's movie to pick it up, get all that money to just have the budget to like animate continuously. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And I wish, I wish we had that kind of thing
01:00:53
Speaker
I don't know if it's unique to Japan, but I wish that animation had that treatment here sometimes, because there are so many shows I wish had the budget that they could.
01:01:03
Speaker
And I, myself, our show included, but like, I wish that like, I know how many hands have to go on to it. Like I've, so now I know firsthand how many, when I, when the show came out, when Dedan came out, I started seeing all these posts from all these animators and I was like, okay, so there's location designers. There's like, you know, I can't even list, there's so many people, there are people who did all the 3D elements. They did like, and there weren't really any in the show, but they still had to do 3D models. They built a fully functioning park, like stuff like that. I know how many people touch a project.
01:01:31
Speaker
So I understand that it is really hard to pay off everybody a lot of money. And I understand that it's complex, but I wish that we valued animation enough to do it because it is just, I mean, we give millions and millions of dollars to these like drama, epics, period, epics, stuff on television. And I just got to say, like, there are animators that have like better storytelling than any live action. Oh, yeah. Sure. 100%.
01:01:55
Speaker
we gave that kind of care and attention, we could do that too. But it's, you know, it's, it's, we have to shift the culture. I'm happy to see like Guillermo del Toro really like going to bat for animation. So I'm really hoping like more big directions.
01:02:06
Speaker
want to invest time into animation that'll hopefully help. Yeah, that's how this podcast got started is that there's so much good animated content out there and like me just kind of like talking to people and like these video calls about it and it's one of those things where it's like you got to overlook the fact that like cartoons are for kids because this is just a medium this these aren't cartoons these are really good stories and started off with like Young Justice and the amazing storytelling that they do and the universe building that they do and then eventually like the
01:02:32
Speaker
who I call Papa Panda, like the head of the Stranded Panda Network was like, why don't you guys start a show on animation? Like, that's the goal of it is like to get people to understand that these amazing stories are out there. Yeah, 100%. Yes, it's what I love about animation. The only real limitations to animation other than budgets and people's preconceptions is your imagination. So
01:02:55
Speaker
It's, yeah, wherever you want to go with it. So you can tell any story through multiple visual elements, voice acting, it all comes together just to create a pleasing aesthetic. So we love it here. And it's been a wonderful conversation. Definitely great to pick your brain a little bit. I do want to be respectful to your time.
01:03:16
Speaker
Yeah, I got one more quick question for you. Back to the studio. So Barney, Norma and Badia have been like my absolute favorite characters. And then I was super shocked to see that Emily Osment was who was playing Courtney. It's just y'alls just do a great job. I don't know how like how else to like break it down. It's just so much fun to listen to the inflections, the conversations, all of it is great. Do you have a favorite person to work with or favorite person to bounce off of? Or it's like when you watch this again, was it somebody like, wow, that person like really killed it on that?
01:03:47
Speaker
So interesting thing because we did it during the lockdown. We didn't really get to work together which was a bummer. And I'm gonna be honest like I don't know with a streaming platform recordings how they do them like I don't know if they do like same room recordings or how they'd normally
01:04:06
Speaker
we got to do a table read together. And I was really, really blown away by everybody. I'm gonna be honest, like, I was the only person in the room where I was like, I don't know why I should be here. And I don't like, make myself small. But I was just like, really, I mean, Alex Brightman is a theater. Like, he's, he's like a genius. Like, he there's a reason why people like rave about him as Beetlejuice. Right. You know, Coco Peru is like, like, long
01:04:33
Speaker
seasoned career drag queen with a massive personality. Odie has done so much animation, has such a beautiful, clear voice, does so much tactful, nuanced acting as Norma, a character that is like
01:04:48
Speaker
has so many specific like idiosyncrasies to like capture. And then like Emily like, okay, that one really gagged me because I was like, like, I was like, I don't know who's gonna play her. Like, I love the comic has to be someone really like chaotic and goofy. And I thought we were gonna get someone like, I didn't know we would get anybody that I would know.
01:05:07
Speaker
or that I like would recognize as playing a role that I couldn't associate. And then they were like, it was Emily Osment. And I was like, what? And then I was like, yeah, obviously that's great. But not hearing anybody else doing it. And I heard, I was talking my only tidbit of background. So Annie, who is our Netflix exec that we, I guess, was working with Hamish and stuff. I didn't really get to be aware of that, but we all watched the show together because not many of us are based out of LA. So when it came out, Cody,
01:05:36
Speaker
myself, a couple other writers, Jen Bartokoff and Mia Rosella and myself, as well as Annie we all watched together. And it was
01:05:53
Speaker
really fun to get some background information like sometimes and it would be like oh yeah we changed the color of that thing because I said it looked too much like a bloody deer fetus or you know like it was really funny to like hear how the conversation were like fights over the small not fights but like passionate feelings about little things that
01:06:10
Speaker
They happen so quickly, and you're like, oh, that's brilliant that you put so much time into it. It makes such a difference if it wasn't there, the show wouldn't be as good. But it just happens like that. Not everybody picks it up. And so one of the ones that made me laugh was when I was hearing about how they casted that part. I guess there was some discussion. And I think one of the big reasons that Emily ended up getting it, in addition to giving a top-tier performance, was she wanted it so badly and was so excited about the character. And you could totally tell when the show came out. And we haven't really gotten to know each other at all, but I would
01:06:40
Speaker
as a fan, following her on Twitter, seeing how much she loved it. Because I was like, you know, when a person has a name like the Ozment last name, you really hope they're going to promote your project. And the fact that she wanted to and seemed to love it so much was really, really cool. Not everybody does that with animation. Not everybody cares. So that was really, really cool.
01:07:01
Speaker
Yeah, it's a great shout out. She's absolutely unrecognizable in the role. So I was blown away when I found out it was Emily Osment. But in my own headcanon, I have nothing to base this on. I just like to imagine, given her older brothers, you know,
01:07:16
Speaker
pedigree for horror with The Sixth Sense. She felt a little bit of pressure to bring it and have a horror representation of her own, and she absolutely kills it, as does the entire cast. Yeah, I thought it was... I think we just really struck lightning. If I get the fortune of doing what I want in my life and producing and writing the way I do, I really hope to one day get to sit in a room with everybody and continue to work with them individually or all together. You never know
01:07:43
Speaker
But these are folks that I like the ones that I've gotten to get to know over social media, particularly Coco and Cody and
01:07:50
Speaker
Um, like we've, you know, developed these friendships where it's like, Oh, I'm really excited to meet you. And when I got to meet Cody, I was so, so delighted that we just like get along and are so similar. Um, so yeah, it's really neat. I, the wonders of social media, I think that's the one part of it. I can say without a doubt is cool. I mean, everything else is all complex and horrible. Or, you know, um, complex is the correct term. And, and, and that, um, so I, I do feel grateful that that came out of it. Um,
01:08:18
Speaker
Yeah, I'm really excited for what's to come. Yeah, speaking to some of your aspirations with the future, with writing, producing, we're definitely very grateful for you giving us some of your time and being here and having this conversation with us. But I do want to open up the floor to you and let you use our platform to let the people know about what you have going on, if there's anything you can tease or if there's anything we can support, drive people to a certain project or fundraiser or anything like that.
01:08:46
Speaker
Um, yes, I can't talk about a few things. Uh, I will share is, you know, I know not a lot of people who do audio books promote them because it's not like, it's not this, it's not conventional acting or voice acting, even like reading a book, but I had the pleasure of working on this, um, audio book formation, Mason Divers. Like it's a young adult, um, queer love book. And I just was like, Oh, this would have been so cool as a kid. So I more than anything, not even don't even have to listen to the audio book by the book.
01:09:13
Speaker
like it is so much fun it's called the feeling of falling in love and it's like really fun main character was like a lot of fun sarcastic um and then yeah i i can't talk about too much i will say i have some upcoming comedy shows um
01:09:27
Speaker
If, if folks are not in LA and I post about them on my Instagram, so that's just my name, Zach Berwick. And if, if folks follow me, I'll post about them and I'll probably be putting the videos up afterwards as well. So I'm super excited to do those. It's been a sex since I've gotten to be on stage. So that'll be a lot of fun. Yeah. Right on. Sounds awesome. Yeah. Well, well, Zach, it was a genuine pleasure. Thank you again for being here. Does your hair, any, any final words for Zach?
01:09:55
Speaker
Yeah, man, just congratulations on your career and getting this far and being able to ride the wave of just something happening to fall in your lap. It's just amazing to hear. Glad you're an anime nerd. If there's ever a time that you just want to get on like just to talk about anime, I'll happily join you on that. Like you're always welcome back here. You know how to reach us. Just hit us up. And if you ever need any any small voice actress for anything, let us know.
01:10:18
Speaker
You got it. This was a pleasure you guys were so much fun to talk to. Very cool. I love talking to people who know a lot about the things they talk about. Not everybody's, but it's neat because you guys obviously really care and enjoy it as well as being experts in it. That's nice. Thank you for having me. Striving experts. We're all working towards it. At the very least putting up an excellent facade.
01:10:46
Speaker
We're off-rods, but... Have a great day. You as well. Thanks again. Okay, so to the listeners, thank you for tuning in to this wonderful conversation we had. Did want to allow a little time at the end for some plugs. Zuhair, any final thoughts or anything you want to let the people know about?
01:11:07
Speaker
Go back and check out our Baymax episodes, because they were so much fun to do. We did our review of Big Hero 6, and then Baymax itself, which was a 6 episodes miniseries. One episode left of Ms.
Podcast Involvement and Promotions
01:11:22
Speaker
Marvel on the Marvel Cinematic Universe podcast. Very sad it's coming to a close, but it's been a delight to talk about. I will also be joining Matthew Fox on
01:11:34
Speaker
Uh, superhero ethics to talk about Ms. Marvel as well. So if you haven't gotten sick of my voice yet, check that out. And then again, with, uh, three, two, three with Reed Murphy to talk about Washington commanders and other sports stuff. And just, it's a delight. If you've heard me coughing a bunch, you can see that I'm really burning my throat out, but it's been so much fun to do. And there's so much to talk about and it really is that season of content. So yeah, tune into all that.
01:12:00
Speaker
right on. It's a little bit lighter for me this week, so I will just point everyone to Stranded Panda, the network, the website StrandedPanda.com. Check out
01:12:08
Speaker
the family of wonderful shows that we have there. And if you like what we're doing here and want us to have guests like Zach back, do me a favor and give us a five-star review wherever you listen to us. We definitely appreciate that. If you can rate us right in review, that's tremendous for our visibility and growth on the numbers. And I think that'll do it for me. So thanks again for tuning in. That's T-double-O in IN. Stay well.
01:12:34
Speaker
Thank you for listening to the Animation Deliberation Podcast, a proud member of the Strandepanda Network. If you would like to contact us, you can email AnimationDeliberationPodcast at gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at AnimationDelib1. For this and other great shows, you can visit Strandepanda.com or join the great community that is the Strandepanda Chat Facebook group at facebook.com slash groups slash svchat. Tune in next time and remember, stay well.
Outdoor Adventures and Fresh Produce Promotions
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Speaker
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Dodge Vehicles: The Thrill of the Drive
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