Bronycon's over, but there's still some news that hasn't made its way here yet!
Here's a little info from two more of Bronycon's press conferences, namely, John DeLancie's and Cathy Wesluck's.
John DeLancie
When comparing this Bronycon to the last one you attended in 2012, does it seem like things have changed in the way it presents itself?
-John noticed this year's con was distinctly more organized than the 2012 one, but had been so busy moving from panels to press conferences to autographing that he hadn't had any real chance to explore it all.
Is there any chance you'd voice a character in MLP besides Discord?
-He doubts it. Unlike some of the other VA's, John believes his voice is too distinct to truly sound like an entirely different character.
Can you tell us anything about your other Season 5 episode?
-John was, of course, not allowed to legitimately answer this question, but was happy to tell us instead that it had a lot to do with the glue factory.
What similarities do you notice between trekkies and bronies?
-The fandoms serve the same purpose; they're a place for people who may be breaking the typical social mold to gather. There was an unexpected female following in addition to the male one when Star Trek was on air (and Star Trek: The Next Generation was actually brought into existence by a woman), just as there is an unexpected male one for MLP.
How does Bronycon differ from a Star Trek con?
-Definitely the community. John says he's never seen people singing and dancing and generally having such a sense of brotherhood with those around them at a Star Trek con, but it's commonplace at Bronycon.
Is voice acting for video games different than for tv shows?
-Not really, John claims. The procedure is usually the same. He did tell us about some of his recent voice work in video games, including a role in Starcraft and as Q in an upcoming Star Trek game called Timelines.
What caused you to start using Twitter again?
-John took a long break from Twitter, and actually didn't start again of his own choice. The staff of one of his voice work projects told him to be involved with it again, probably for promotional reasons.
What's your opinion on the rumor that William Shatner may be a guest on MLP?
-John seemed surprised to hear that the show staff had already approached Shatner about it. He sees Shatner regularly and promised to talk to him about it next time they were together. Perhaps he will convince him to agree to a role?
Cathy Wesluck:
Has modern technology changed the routine at all for voice acting?
-Auditions are often done from a home studio or even just with a mic set up while traveling if necessary. There is often no director available for auditions and the VA must come up with their own context. Cathy admits to stopping by studios she's worked at before to do quick recordings if she's on the road. She's also quite experienced with editing software and often edits her own auditions.
Has your voice changed over years of voice acting?
-Cathy has been doing VA work for quite some time, and has found it has become much easier to slip into even strange voices. She also says the natural change that has come with aging and practice has made it great for narration.
Do you have any special voice acting techniques?
-"Being" the character helps a lot. You can't think about the acting too much; you have to imagine yourself as the character saying what he'd say, not as a voice actor speaking for him. This can often include posture and gestures of the character as well. Cathy even does this when playing the voices of inanimate objects.
But how do you "become" an inanimate object?
If Cathy is voicing something inanimate (she used a tomato as an example), it has no initial personality, so she ad-libs for a while until she can develop a persona for it in her head, and then uses that as her mindset for voicing it.
Spike has fallen victim to some of the same faults this season as he has in the past. Do you believe he still has room to grow as a character, or has he hit his stride?
-"Don't confuse what has happened in season 5 with what's still to come."
-Cathy can't imagine any character would fail to keep growing in personality; otherwise, they would become stagnant and boring. She expects Spike will continue to change. She's looking forward to seeing it happen and truly hopes the writers will give Spike the chance.
Do you watch all the episodes of the show you're in?
-Cathy tries to watch all the episodes when she gets time (not usually when they premiere), but loves to see the voice work become a finished cartoon, not just with ponies but with all her shows.
Other comments about the direction the show and fandom have gone?
-Cathy couldn't help but say "I told you so". She predicted in 2012 that MLP would have a major impact on marketing decisions of other brands, as they realize boys' and girls' shows and merchandise don't have to be so clearly distinct. Many examples of this change have appeared in recent years, many as a direct result of this fandom, and she's thrilled to see them.
