Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
If you’ve ever played a video game, there’s a good chance you’ve spend time in one where Jennifer Hale played a prominent role. This seasoned veteran in the voice acting community was kind enough to answer some of our questions about what it takes to be a voice actor and some of the misconceptions people might have about the work. Needless to say, Hale gave us extremely valuable insight into the inner workings of the industry and some cogent views on AI. Take a look at the interview!
In case you need a quick catch-up, Jennifer Hale has been voice acting in video games since the 90s and has voiced some of the most iconic characters. She played Dynaheir in the original Baldur’s Gate, Commander Shepard in Mass Effect, Samus Aran in Metroid Prime, and most recently took on the role of titular character, Bayonetta.
But despite being someone with such a prominent career, the process of learning and auditioning never stops. Hale offers us an insight into how the pay works for voice actors, noting that one early gig netted her $1200 and even though the game went on to make over $170 million her next pay was still only in the hundreds.
The entire interview is packed full of useful insights that help paint a clearer picture about how the voice acting industry works. Hale also dives into what the whole AI situation means for people who create art. In adjacent news, SAG-AFTER National Board has authorized an upcoming video game strike vote.
If you enjoyed this interview with Jennifer Hale, make sure you check out our other great chats with developers on Shacknews Interviews.