• Interview

Interview: Andrea Romano on what makes a good voice director

Shacknews met up with Andrea Romano of Batman Beyond fame to learn about the daily work life and challenges met by working voice actors.

Kevin Tucker

July 22, 2019 5:00 PM

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Voice actors provide the audible anchor that makes animated films and TV series so enjoyable, but the work can be tough. Shacknews was able to catch up with Andrea Romano, whom fans may recognize for her work in Batman Beyond, at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 to learn about what it takes to be a voice actor or a voice director, including inside details about of the more obvious mistakes and misconceptions involved with working in the voice acting industry. Check out our interview in the video below.

While there are plenty of fans who are well aware of the work that goes into voice acting, Romano has a rare insight into what makes for an ideal voice director:

"First of all, you have to love actors, truly love actors and their process," Romano said. "They go through a lot every day, just like we all do, [whether] it's trying to find a parking space or trying to find a slice of pizza at lunchtime, and then they have to find that inner life they they bring out that's specific to them, to get a really special performance.

It's a job that takes dedication to the craft as well as the ability to reach a creative space, despite the pressures of a normal working life. Beyond that, the other requirements are perhaps more obvious:

"You have to be knowledgeable in acting terminology," Romano continued, "and [show] kindness."

Of course, the voice acting industry itself has changed over time. According to Romano, the increase in interest for animated programming has resulted in a larger pool of talent and growing opportunities for exciting roles.

"I was always grateful, as [the voice acting industry grew], and more and more talent wanted to come and work, because the larger the talent pool, the better chance you have of getting a really special show," Romano said.

For more interviews with top celebrities and voice acting talent, plus in-depth coverage of the hottest conventions across the video games industry, be sure to follow Shacknews and GamerHubTV over on YouTube..

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.