Speaker 1:
0:12
This is the Wait For it Podcast.
Speaker 2:
0:14
Hey, collective Con Eric from the Wait For it Podcast here with Sean Ashmore, one of our special guests for the three-day weekend here in Jacksonville, florida. Sean, I know that this is day one, you're just kind of getting your feet settled, but how are you doing coming in today?
Speaker 3:
0:28
Yeah, doing great. I'm excited to be here in Jacksonville. I've never been here before, so that's kind of nice. And yeah, the con has been fun. Everyone's really nice. So, yeah, I'm excited for a good weekend.
Speaker 2:
0:36
Whenever you're coming into these things. Obviously there's so many things that you are known for X-Men, animorphs, the Boys, and that's just such a little sliver. I'm so curious when you're coming to a convention like this, when you get a chance to peek around, are there any fandoms that you're looking for as a fan of shows, media or anything in pop culture that catches your eye?
Speaker 3:
0:55
I'm a big. I grew up reading comic books, so I'm a big Marvel fan. I also really like, so I always enjoy like kind of bumping into artists and also I just love the community of all the guests that are here, like so often I'm like, oh yeah, I'm a big Sons of Anarchy fan. It's like, well, ron Perlman's here, you know. So it's like, and I've got a chance to meet him before, but I always enjoy those interactions, like hanging out with people that worked with or had a chance to meet them, that I'm a fan of myself and, most importantly, I love the environment at cons, like it's a positive energy. I love meeting everybody that's here to celebrate the fandoms that they love and it gives me a kick to talk about all the stuff that I've done over the years with people that have enjoyed it.
Speaker 2:
1:37
Absolutely, and I know a lot of times you've got you know panels this weekend to talk about your previous roles. I kind of want to talk about the now with you and kind of talk about you've done so much and expanded your career. I'm very curious is there a meaty role, whether it's in a pop culture universe, or just the role itself, maybe a certain type of character you've yet to play? That's on your bucket list?
Speaker 3:
2:00
Yeah, I want to make a Western.
Speaker 2:
2:02
Okay.
Speaker 3:
2:02
Yeah, I love Westerns. The Good, the Bad bucket list yeah, I want to. I want to make a western. Okay, yeah, I love westerns. Um, the good, the bad and the ugly is like one of my favorite movies. I love the? Um, you know, clean eastwood leone uh, you know that, that specific genre of western. So, yeah, I would love to to do something like that. I've never really had the opportunity, so if I were to, um, pick a genre to work in, I'd love to do something like that they do say every movie is a Western and I'm starting to believe that.
Speaker 3:
2:28
Yeah, yeah, that's a valid. I want to be in horseback though, you know yeah you want to be in it.
Speaker 2:
2:32
That makes sense. My last question for you. I'm always very curious for people like yourselves. You always come to the conventions. You're meeting so many different people when you get back to the hotel. You get back home.
Speaker 3:
2:52
You need that time to decompress what's that go-to movie show book, that media that you kind of pick up or you tend to go to in those moments where you need that break. I love to get lost in like a TV show or a film, and I tend to like thrillers, I like horror films, I like genre stuff, okay so.
Speaker 2:
3:08
Anything that's caught your eye recently, like in the past year.
Speaker 3:
3:12
Oh man, now you got me on the spot, I know. Oh, dude, this should be very easy. Well, actually, you know, I was just reminded of Blue-Eyed Samurai on Netflix I love that, you know. And Samurai on Netflix I love that, you know. And I love animated stuff as well, so that was something that I was completely caught up in. I cannot wait for another season. Also, let me think I actually just watched last night, when I got in. I watched Venom, the Last Dance, which I hadn't seen before, which is super fun.
Speaker 2:
3:38
You gotta complete it.
Speaker 3:
3:38
Yeah, I like, but yeah, I'm a big. I fell in love with and I think I wanted to get into film and television and performance because I'm a huge fan of movie, films and television, so I'm a big consumer of that stuff.
Speaker 2:
3:54
Yeah, I love to hear that You've got a long weekend ahead of you here at Collective Con and I just want to wish you the best. Hopefully everything goes smooth. It will, and I really appreciate the time. Thank you.
Speaker 4:
4:05
Hey everyone. Phil Barrera, with the Wait For it podcast and Collective Con here with our guest, could you just take a moment to introduce yourself to our audience and what you do?
Speaker 5:
4:13
Sure, hey, I'm David Wenham and I'm an actor and I've been in well a number of things up there. Yeah, probably Lord of the Rings, van Helsing 300, a few things.
Speaker 4:
4:25
Just a few things that you guys may have heard of. So how has your weekend gone so far here at Collective Con?
Speaker 5:
4:31
It's been great. I've loved being here. The people have been absolutely fantastic. Yeah, very hospitable. It's been fantastic, great, great.
Speaker 4:
4:40
Happy to hear that. What's it like having fans of all ages, people that have grown up with the films that you've been in, and then also new fans, younger fans that are finding your work for the first time?
Speaker 5:
4:50
That is interesting, the fact that it's sort of a generational thing. With things like Lord of the Rings it's like that is an evergreen project because well, obviously the books to begin with are pretty extraordinary pieces of literature and then the films.
Speaker 4:
5:10
Films that peter made are pretty. They're classic films.
Speaker 5:
5:11
They're they're films that are going to always stand the test of time. Years from now, those will still be there, right as far as that's right as yeah. After we've gone, phil, people will still be watching exactly.
Speaker 4:
5:16
Do you have a excuse me, after all this time, do you have kind of a uh, a character archetype that you're more drawn to? I hear a lot of people you know villainous roles are more fun and a little bit more layered. Do you go either way as far as those?
Speaker 5:
5:29
In terms of favorite type of role, I don't really Whether it's a villain, whether it's, like you know, a man with a good heart, whether it's comedy, whether it's drama, I don't. As long as the character is written really well, that's going to have a good indication as to how successful the character is going to be. Gotcha, gotcha.
Speaker 4:
5:46
Well, we thank you so much for your time. Please let our audience know where they can find you and all your work.
Speaker 5:
5:50
Where they can find me. Basically, just search my name on Google and then you'll see whatever work you'd like to watch.
Speaker 4:
5:56
David, thank you so much for your time, really appreciate it. Thank you so much Collective Con for hanging out. Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2:
6:01
It's Eric from the Way Forward podcast here at Collective Com with David Hayter, the man himself, talking about everything pop culture. And of course, when we say pop culture, one of the people that come up is Snake. I got to ask that question right off the bat what is it like playing that character and specifically for that, every time you are brought on to do that voice, what do you have to muster inside yourself to get to that place, to do that character?
Speaker 6:
6:27
Good question. Well, first of all, playing the character is pretty damn good. As far as what I have to do, I have a bug on me. Just like Snake Eater, I should have eaten it. It was planted Right. What do I have to muster? You know, the first game I did was 27 years ago, so it's now a part of me. In fact, the older I get, the sneakier I sound. So it doesn't take a lot to muster it. It's just um being in the booth reading a new script. I mean, that's inspiration enough and I can tap into my inner snake and off we go.
Speaker 2:
7:06
I love that and having that character be a part of yourself is such a great thing after all these years. I mean, you're kind of symbiotic in that way and I love to hear that. I'm very curious because not only do you do things so amazing in the booth but also from a writing perspective. I'm just really curious anytime I meet somebody with that dual ability. What are the key differences from when you're trying to get into the mindset of walking into a booth portraying a character and then also from a writer perspective, having to be involved in that creative process? What is the biggest challenge maybe for you between those two things?
Speaker 6:
7:40
Well, the challenge is always getting people to buy your scripts and get your movie made.
Speaker 6:
7:43
But as far as skills go, I mean first of all to be a writer, you have to read a lot, you have to write a lot, you have to really develop those skills, in the same way that you have to with acting or voice acting. But the process I find because I started as an actor I find it similar in that as an actor, I read the script, I imagine how my character would act, I develop it and figure it out. As a writer, I just play every character in my head and I imagine them stepping into this world. What are they facing, what are the obstacles, what do they want, what are the issues? And it's kind of a similar process. I mean really the process of both of them, despite all the skill and all the work and all the practice, is just what you played when you were 10 years old, when you were pretending to be Wolverine or or, or snake or or whatever. It's just that, that ability to imagine and play and and um, and put yourself in the position of another person.
Speaker 2:
8:44
Yeah, yeah and that's a great segue to my last question for you. I'm always very curious. When you were such an integral part of people's childhood, young adulthood and all of that, what was that franchise and or character for you at that age, or growing up? Even now, what kind of stands out to you in pop culture as a fan of the medium?
Speaker 6:
9:05
The most significant one was raiders of the lost ark. Um, harrison ford, steven spielberg. You know, I was watching raiders when I was 12 and this electricity ran down my spine. I was like that, whatever they're doing, I want to do that. Um, so that's what made me get into the business. And also, uh, the x-men comics. I was just such a fan and I loved those characters, like, like family and, uh, when I had the opportunity to work on the movie, I was prepared because of my love for them. So, um, you know, and star wars and just anything else you know guys my age would love. I was a big pop culture guy.
Speaker 2:
9:44
Excuse me that was just like Snake. Was that another plant?
Speaker 6:
9:49
I think I might have fox dye. No, it's just allergies.
Speaker 2:
9:52
No, I love that. I love that. Well, you're here in Florida, so that's what we've got. We've got weather and allergies Welcome to Jacksonville but we've also got a bunch of amazing people that you're going to meet. I can't wait to see what you bring to the weekend, and thank you so much for the time.
Speaker 6:
10:05
Thank you, thank you and hey, all of you, you're pretty good.
Speaker 4:
10:13
Hey everyone, phil Barrera with the Way 4 Podcast, here with my guest. Please take a moment to introduce yourself and what you do.
Speaker 7:
10:19
Hi there, my name is JB Blanc. I'm an actor and a voice actor. I play Vander in Arcane, Caustic in Apex Legends, Kano in MK11, and a load of other stuff.
Speaker 4:
10:31
Absolutely, and I talked to you about this last night as far as your performance and what Vander has meant to me and so many other people. I have a daughter as well, so watching that relationship grow, now that the story has come kind of full circle, how are you feeling and how do you know what's your relationship with that character as well?
Speaker 7:
10:48
I mean, it's one of the most important things I've done in my career. I think it's just. It's very rare that you get a series that's been so deeply thought of, so deeply considered in the making of it and detailed characters drawn beautifully. The artwork is very special. The relationship with the fans is extraordinary. I mean, this really did affect a lot of people, and you never know when you're going to do something, whether that's going to be the case and then when it turns out that way, it's kind of it's amazing.
Speaker 4:
11:14
It's a lot of fun Definitely be the case, and then when it turns out that way, it's kind of it's amazing. It's a lot of fun, definitely, and you know there's always so much pressure as well when it it's related to another. You know, ip yeah, that people are so very passionate about it, but you've brought in fans that don't really know anything about the game into this universe and left them wanting more. Did you know anything about league going into this or did you kind of just learn as you got involved?
Speaker 7:
11:36
I did because I played a character called Brom in League for many years, but I had no idea, you know, when they were putting this together, I thought it would be something that League players would need to be involved in or you'd have to have played League to watch it but as it turned out, it was a complete standalone. I had a lot of friends who'd never seen and never knew anything about league, a lot of fans who didn't, and, uh, and I think that's a testament to the consideration and the thought that they put into it. You know, um, they were very careful to show enough easter eggs for people who were fans of league, um, and to introduce a whole new story. And, of course, v Vander doesn't exist in League. Warwick does, which is a completely different character, and there's no spoilers here, and so I thought that's a real trick. You see a lot of video game adaptations that don't work, and I think this one was very much a winner. I mean, we knocked Squid Game off the top spot at Netflix, so that must be saying something.
Speaker 4:
12:37
Absolutely. That's definitely saying something. I spoke with Jason last year and talked to him. So sorry to hear that. I spoke with Jason last year and talked about his character and I asked him is he drawn to more complex, like villainous characters and, as far as portraying them, do you have a specific type of character that you are more drawn to?
Speaker 7:
13:01
Villains are always more fun. Yeah, that's what I hear a lot. If you're going to play a good guy, I like to play a kind of scarred good guy, a guy with maybe a checkered past, and I think that's been a lot of my career. I seem to be specializing in father figures who meet unfortunate ends, which I don't really like because the checks dry up.
Speaker 7:
13:20
There will be a role in Disney for you eventually, though, but it's you know. Vanda's more complex because he's got a violent past and he's someone who's come through something. He's conflicted, he's a forced parent. He's not really a parent, but he's kind of taken that job on. So that's always interesting. But in general nice guys don't have as much fun and so the villains are always more complex to play. The trick is that a villain doesn't really know he's a villain. He's just trying to get his knees met like an angry toddler who spits out their food when they don't like it. So villains generally are more fun because they're more complex. They're usually often better written. The hero characters are kind of, you know, it's just to kind of stay on one level, which isn't as interesting to play sometimes absolutely well, jb.
Speaker 4:
14:02
Thank you so much for the time please let our audience know where they can find you and all your work.
Speaker 7:
14:06
I'm on all the socials. You can find me at the JB Blunk or at Blunky JB or on Blue Sky as Blunky Pants. I don't know why it just happened that way Might have been my kid, I don't know but great to meet you. Thank you very much for coming by.
Speaker 4:
14:21
You as well. Thank you so much, thanks so much. See you guys, see ya. Hey everyone. Phil Barrera with the Wave 4 Podcast and Collective Con here with our guest.
Speaker 8:
14:36
Can you please take a moment to introduce yourself? And what you do is Mia Sinclair-Ginness. I am a voice actress. You may know me best from playing Powder in Arcane's in.
Speaker 4:
14:40
Netflix's Arcane on Netflix, absolutely so. How has your weekend gone so far? How has Jacksonville been treating you?
Speaker 8:
14:44
It's been great. Everyone is so nice, everyone is super supportive and there's some amazing cosplays here.
Speaker 4:
14:50
Yeah, oh yeah, absolutely. That's one thing we're always blown away by. Every time we come here. Have you been doing a lot of the, a lot of conventions, a lot of shows traveling around?
Speaker 8:
14:58
Um, yeah, in the last couple of months I've been trying to do at least like one a month, just because I love meeting people. I love conventions, because it's truly a safe space for weirdos and you know, I am included in that and it's like it's unlike anything else in the world.
Speaker 4:
15:13
Yeah, I always compare it to a high school reunion that you want to attend because you get to see people you actually want to see oh my God, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely, and I think what a lot of people are surprised at whenever they meet voice actors is you guys don't get to see each other. No, we don't. So how is that? Seeing your castmates?
Speaker 8:
15:29
That's another thing that I really love about conventions. I didn't get to record with any of my castmates, so doing conventions and getting to see all of my wonderful arcane people and beyond is always like my favorite thing, especially, you know, we're all staying in the same hotels, we get to go out to eat afterwards and we all get to do, you know, fun stuff like this. It really is so wonderful. I haven't seen JB in like four years, so this is like our reunion and it warms my heart.
Speaker 4:
15:56
It's my favorite love that, love that so much. Yeah, what's it been like to be part of this fandom? I'm sure there was a lot of pressure coming in there. A league obviously has a very well-known fan base. What was it like, um, coming into this? And and how has that fan base, kind of like, treated you since you you came in?
Speaker 8:
16:11
I mean, the fan base has been nothing but supportive. Obviously, in any fanbase, in any fandom, there are going to be, you know, certain toxicities. But what I really love about the Arcane fanbase, it is truly one of the most supportive, kind fanbases I've ever seen. I think going into it we knew it was going to be something big. We knew that leak had this huge, you know fan base and it was really really intense. But I don't think we ever could have predicted how you know worldwide it was going to become. And I remember we were all um at the season one premiere and we watched it go live on Netflix and we watched the site crash, we watched it shut down and I think in that moment we all kind of realized that this was going to be bigger than any of us could have ever expected yeah, that that's crazy.
Speaker 4:
17:09
So, um, yeah, I tell I told this to Jason last year like Arcane. A lot of people are surprised when I tell them Arcane is my comfort show, like I put it on really at any time, but like just because there's so many layers to this, the characters are so well-written, the performances are outstanding, so you know we put it on at any time. Most important question yes, who has the best chicken tender? Who has the best fast food chicken tender?
Speaker 8:
17:31
Okay, so let me lock in for a sec. So me and my best friend Kim, who's over there, we are we are chicken tender connoisseurs, if I may. Um Canes, I am a Canes girl, I love Canes and I love their coleslaw I also really love. There is a bar and restaurant in New York City where I live called hi Berniebernia Bar and Grill. Their chicken tenders and their honey mustard is phenomenal. Hibernia is the best restaurant in New York City. It's my favorite thing in the world. So, yeah, that's what I think.
Speaker 4:
18:05
Interesting. Okay, yeah, we are finally getting a Cane's in Jacksonville, but it's like all the way on the other side of town from here. But do you agree that Cane's is very sauce dependent? I love.
Speaker 8:
18:17
I definitely do think Cane's is super sauce dependent, but I do think that their tenders are already like super juicy and well made, as is. That I can do with or without the sauce. Plus, I love Cane's, but I'm not the biggest Cane's fan or the biggest Cane's sauce fan. Okay, I can take it or leave it. I can take it or leave it, yeah.
Speaker 4:
18:34
The most important thing is covered here, of course. Yeah, obviously At CollectorCon. So please take a moment to let everybody know where they can find your work and anything else.
Speaker 8:
18:41
Yeah, so you can find me on Instagram at Mia Sinclair Janess. You can find me on TikTok under the same handle. I am not on Twitter, but yeah, you can watch Arcanes.
Speaker 4:
18:58
Season 1 and 2 on Netflix and you can watch Disney Junior's Fancy Dancing on Disney+. Thank you so much for taking the time. Thank you, and thank you so much for joining us. Hey everyone, phil Barrero, with the Way4Podcast here with Collective Con guest Lucian Dodge. Lucian, how are you doing here today?
Speaker 9:
19:08
I'm doing very well. Thank you very much.
Speaker 4:
19:09
Good, good, it's so exciting to have you here. Please take a moment to introduce yourself and let everybody know what you do.
Speaker 9:
19:16
Oh sure. Well, my name is Lucian Dodge. I'm a voice actor, sometimes a script adapter, voice director, typically for anime, video games, anything that anyone wants to hire my voice for. Pretty much, and it's fun. Absolutely, I'm game for it.
Speaker 4:
19:35
Yeah, I'm curious when I speak to voice actors was this something that you knew was a goal of yours? Did you discover that voice acting was an avenue you could, you know, tackle later?
Speaker 9:
19:46
Well, it was a bit of both. I mean, I, I, I didn't really even know that this world existed until I was in my mid-teens or so. It actually came about from watching anime. I kind of recognized a voice and a light switch came on and I realized, oh, there's people who do the voices of these characters, and how does that work and who are these people? And a million other things, and it kind of spurred a whole bunch of research. But then, once that happens and I kind of started to really do a deep dive on it, I realized, wow, this is really, this is a lot of fun.
Speaker 9:
20:27
I had been doing theater and stage acting and school plays and kind of local productions, school plays and you know, and kind of local, local productions, uh, but this was kind of like almost like an evolution or extension of that. Um, getting to play all these characters and and just creating them with my voice and playing sort of to the, the, the, the minds. What is it? The, the mind's ear? Is that the expression? Uh, I'm gonna be getting that backwards. Um, but uh, yeah, I just really took to it and from that point I was like, yeah, this is, this is the thing I want to do so in in a lot of regards I did know pretty early on in my life, you know, that this is what I wanted to do and I just kind of set everything in motion to to that happen.
Speaker 4:
21:16
It's so funny I mean so many of the origin stories when it comes to a lot of VAs is theater, it's stage acting. So I know a lot of people will come up and ask where do I start when it comes to voice acting? And it seems like an answer we get a lot is an acting class. Is that correct?
Speaker 9:
21:32
Sure, because I mean, the most, most important thing, the most important tool you can have as a voice actor is to be a really good actor. If you don't have the acting, the, you know, the voices are really fun, um, and and casually, you know, they're great party tricks. If you do a spot-on impression or something, or even like a halfway good impression, uh, it's fun, but it's not, uh, you know, without the acting engine behind it, uh, you're not going to be able to sustain any kind of uh, you know, significant career as a voice actor. So, yeah, so, so, yeah, I would. I would concur, acting, uh, classes is is really important. I think it's funny.
Speaker 9:
22:16
My answer has kind of evolved and shifted as far as where do I start? Because sometimes I get asked that here and there and I would say as far as where to start, is to just do it. What I mean is I assume that if someone is interested in voice acting, there's a reason they enjoy the voices, the character voices or the scenes in their media. So just start there and just start voicing those things that you enjoy. Don't worry about the business side of it just yet. That'll come about eventually. Just start working on your tools and again, that comes first through just doing it and figuring out what this does, what you can do with it and having fun with it.
Speaker 4:
23:16
So just start there and when it comes to the business side, I feel like when you start networking, a lot of that will come together as well. So I just started my VA journey, so I'm in classes now and I think one thing that really surprised me is just how many you can go out there and find somebody who's casting for a fan cast or a web series or something along those lines. So I think that's what you're talking about Go do it and just go give it a shot, and then you know, you kind of go from there build those relationships.
Speaker 9:
23:42
Absolutely yeah. And you know, yeah, don't worry about it. You know you don't need to be in. You know the Hollywood, you know feature film, whatever, like that's down the road. Just worry about doing it for fun first and yeah, the rest will kind of you'll figure out the other details. And yeah, and all the networking, yeah, because everyone else is kind of. You know the people who are starting out in animation or you know audio design or whatever. You know they're all kind of in that same sort of starting level with you. So they're just trying to figure out ways to express themselves, put out works and do good work.
Speaker 4:
24:28
It's a whole ecosystem. The writers need you, the storyboard artists everything.
Speaker 9:
24:35
We all need each other, especially when you're so, if you can, if you can build, you know, a nice little network with those people coming up through the ranks, working on your craft together, helping each other out. You know we all need each other. We know we actors we need good directors and writers and animators, and you know, and vice versa, to make the whole production work.
Speaker 4:
24:57
So yeah, Love that Well, lucian. One more time, please let our audience know where they can find you and any of your work. Sure.
Speaker 9:
25:04
Well, you can go to my website, which I am on and off. Good about updating. Sometimes they get a little lax. But you can go to LucianDodgecom L-U-C-I-E-N-D-O-D-G-E, and I am on various social media here and there it's usually Luciendodge. Just want to try doing a search for me. But yeah, it's mostly those avenues we'll get Lucien tagged.
Speaker 4:
25:30
Thank you so much for your time here today at Collective Con. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2:
25:33
Thanks, guys, hey everybody at Collective Con. I'm Eric from the WayForward Podcast. This is KJ Tang. You may know him and obviously we've got three days for you to enjoy the convention. But I'm very curious, just kind of jumping right into it. You're known for so many roles, obviously within anime. I'm always very curious whenever I talk to voice actors, looking at things from a different perspective perspective. What is it like going into the booth with all these different characters and what do you put into the characters yourself? I'm always curious what is that core of each character? That is cagey.
Speaker 1:
26:06
Well, I mean, that's, that's a really fun question, like I think. As actors, right, our, our primary job is to give you, the audience, something about the character of voicing that you can empathize with, right, because we're all these weird social animals. We all have a lizard brain that can tell if someone's kind of being disingenuous, right? So the best thing an actor can do is to allow themselves to really feel what this character's going through and, as long as those feelings are genuine, any human can pick up on those feelings and be like, oh, I remember when I was sad, you know, I remember when this happened to me. So whenever you hear something that really makes you actually feel something, then the actor has done their job and put a little bit about with themselves into the character you know that genuine emotion.
Speaker 2:
26:49
And you know in addition to that, a lot, of, a lot of times I find whenever I'm working on a project or trying to be creative, there has to be that passion. I'm just so curious from a pop culture standpoint and this can be from anime and beyond what is your passion, your fandom, that you kind of lean towards? That has maybe either influenced your performances, your roles or what you're interested in when you're seeking out a character to perform as yeah.
Speaker 1:
27:14
So when I was a little kid, the whole reason I got into acting in the first place was when I got to this country. I learned how to speak English by watching the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. Right, my first word ever was cowabunga. I didn't know what it meant, you know, and my dad didn't know what it meant. It's a fun word, right, it's a fun word. So you know, that kind of started me off. Because of that show I took theater, you know, and because of theater I ended up in voiceover. So technically it was the Turtles that got me started in the voiceover path. But if you're asking what fandoms I'm into, just generally, I'm a giant like Magic the Gathering player. Right, I love magic. You know Me and my wife compete at Evo for fighting games, you know. So that's another big passion of ours. Yeah, dude, we're a Street Fighter family. So you know, I haven't won any Evos so far.
Speaker 2:
28:00
But fingers crossed, you know what I mean Definitely using the crying line in those wins.
Speaker 1:
28:04
Oh my goodness right. Can you imagine?
Speaker 2:
28:11
But I would also like, as we wrap it up, I would love to ask you as well, when we're talking about everything that you're kind of enjoying and you're getting into with these characters um, what is a role, like a meaty role that you've yet to attain? So maybe that bucket list role, or have you already achieved it? What was that character, um?
Speaker 1:
28:25
you know I, I I don't have too many, like I'm in a position where I can't really ask for too much. You know, like it's like you're just glad, you know I, I'm so happy I got involved with berserkerk. That's one of the ones that I got really, really excited about Berserk in my opinion, such a legendary series. You know, in my mind, no better manga than Berserk. So that was one of my big bucket list things. But for stuff I really want to look forward to in the future. It sounds a little dumb, but like two things Right. One a little more serious than the other One. I love Child's. Play the horror movie.
Speaker 1:
28:55
I would definitely take a crack at Chucky one day. You know that little ooh, I love him. He's so funny, chucky, right. And also I want to voice a Roomba. You know little vacuum cleaners. No, seriously, seriously, imagine, imagine the little Roomba hits the corner and you just hear me be like ow. Like you know he cleans up your Cheetos and he's like, damn, you live like this. You know what I mean. Like, I feel like that would be a lot of fun. I would love.
Speaker 2:
29:19
You know what it is. It's just a matter of like you got like a horror icon and then a Roomba.
Speaker 1:
29:23
It was just a little startling Different passions. You know I love that no-transcript.
Speaker 4:
29:44
Hey everyone, phil Barrera from the WayForward podcast here from Collective Con in Jacksonville Florida with David LaBrava. David, how are you doing this weekend? How's your Friday going so far?
Speaker 11:
29:54
It's going fantastically, as you can tell.
Speaker 4:
29:58
Well, super excited to have you here. Sons of Anarchy, one of my favorite shows of all time. And I just want to know after all this time, people are still continuing to find the show for the first time.
Speaker 11:
30:12
What's it been like to interact with, of course, the OG fans and the new ones. You know the show is like an enigma. It's a worldwide show, like these days. When the show started, social media was not giant. It wasn't the way it is now today. Now you sell a show and they'll say is that a United States show or a worldwide show? Meaning like, for instance, one of my favorite shows, sopranos, is a United States show, meaning people in the United States will identify with that show.
Speaker 11:
30:40
This particular show is about guys wearing patches on motorcycles. That is everywhere. It's in Slovenia, hungary, everywhere. Show is Germany, bali, thailand. It's everywhere. So I think it's that alone is like you don't, 10 years later and we're doing a panel and it's wall to wall. You're not seeing that with a whole lot of shows. And I think your question was Olga, it's definitely when the show was on. It didn't matter who you asked have you seen the show? Yeah, I've seen that show. No, it's like you sort of I get a lot of my parents watch that show or I've heard of that show, or, if they're in the right time frame, you could usually see who dug the show and the older people like the show has. It's older people. Like the show has its own lore, right, you know, like, probably you didn't know I'm Fat Bob. On the FX Network site there's Fat Bob's blog. I'm Fat Bob.
Speaker 11:
31:40
I also wrote Hands, episode 10 in season 4. So people would write what does this mean? What does that mean? I'd be like it means whatever you want it to mean. It's a television show, bro. You know what I mean, um, but I I think, uh, you know, like, like frank says frank sinatra, without you we're dead. And it's amazing the resurgence, what we're going on 10 years. I think it's amazing how it gets passed on and people say things to me like you still catching the sound, got to check with the sound man. You still go out of your way to watch my film Street Level. Street Level it's on Amazon Prime, emilio's in it, a lot of people in it, at any rate.
Speaker 11:
32:29
Yeah, I think the fans are amazing and the fans know things like they, they search things out, they build their lore, they, they do all that which made the show super special. I think another thing, like, uh, those patches on these shows everyone's giving gifts, wrap gifts, they're all giving gifts. You're giving a gift. He's like, quit banging the microphone on the thing, click, click, click. I'm keeping getting that. On this show every department would be like Sons of Anarchy electrical Sons of Anarchy, construction, transportation and all of a sudden people didn't have to take two, three, four, five years of their life to wear this patch. They could go buy it in the store or work on the show and that is like. You know, I've ruffled some feathers. Other people thought it was fantastic, but there were so many special, unique things that went along with the Sons of Anarchy and that whole empire. I think that got number one down.
Speaker 4:
33:42
I mean over time again just to. I re-watched it last year from beginning to end, for the first time since it had ended, and still just so very visceral and important, even in 2024.
Speaker 11:
33:57
We were so groundbreaking way back then. Every year was something else and he really pushed the envelope. Do you remember? I think it was either season three, one of them opened with a school shooting, yep, and there had been a school shooting in the off season. Right then, and it's me and Tommy and Charlie, and we're riding around on the bike, we're riding around the school and it was a break. And I said to him, to Charlie and to both of them, I said to him, to Charlie and to both of them I go, man, this is kind of strange, don't you think? Kind of close to home for a lot of people. And these guys are like this is the job, this is the deal, this is the art, this is what we do. This particular showrunner is pushing these envelopes, but yeah, it was a groundbreaking show, it was an incredible.
Speaker 11:
34:49
I made the best friends of my life. I used it like film school for seven years, made a film and, yeah, what a trippy little thing it became. It really did it's. I've been to like 30 countries every year. Before the show, I go to Thailand and after the show to go to Indonesia. After the show, I go to Indonesia and I would land. I'm in the customs in Thailand. You're walking in and you can see that thing of when people know who you are, they're thinking where do they know who you are? I'm walking up and the guy's like, oh yeah, autograph. I'm like the show here is so very big here, very big here, and then I realized that there's motorcycle clubs on a huge level out there riding Harleys. Yeah, so you know, the show is translated into their language and no wonder they're all tripping out. It was sure it's kind of interesting, you know, it's cool, it's.
Speaker 11:
35:39
I don't watch a whole hell of TV, this show, I'd rather write things. But this show, speaking of which shameless plug, my new, my new book, trust Issues. Go get a copy. It's an audio book also. It's about a biker with his chick. She cocktail waitress in a strip bar. She wants to dance. He won't let her. He breaks up the whole bar, gets arrested, gets out, trades his bike for a haunted 51 Chevy and goes after her. It's awesome, yeah.
Speaker 4:
36:08
What's the character?
Speaker 11:
36:09
question number three.
Speaker 4:
36:11
I just want to know what's happened to you over years, you know, and just over time people telling you people telling you what that character meant to you yeah, it's amazing when people will walk up crying.
Speaker 11:
36:24
I'm like don't cry, please don't cry here you can have a free sticker, but please don't cry, don't cry.
Speaker 11:
36:27
And the show had a profound effect on a lot of people will walk up crying. I'm like don't cry, please don't cry. Here you can have a free sticker, but please don't cry, don't cry. And the show had a profound effect on a lot of people. Like I'm going to take a wild stab at it, I would say I was going to say eight, five out of ten people, not the massively rich people, five out of ten of the normal people from the street. I not the massively rich people, five out of ten of the normal people from the street. I'm a tattoo artist. They know someone in a club. They have a cousin or somebody in a club. Their cousins, girlfriends, friends, brothers, dad is in a club. Somebody's in a club, and not just any. There's so many clubs, bro. There's, like you know, the Detroit Wheels. There's nine of them.
Speaker 11:
37:05
If you're a man on a bike, you put a patch on your back. You're a badass in your own mind, that's for sure. It changed my life on such a level. It taught me film. I made a movie. I was already writing, but look, I'm here across the country meeting people that are into some art that I was part of, and that's a blessing. That's a cool thing. You know there's good and bad in everything. You know you lose a lot doing these things. You have to devote an incredible amount of time. Seven years you ain't late one time. You don't miss a day. Charlie came to work in walking pneumonia. You don't miss a day. Charlie came to work and walking pneumonia. You don't miss a day. You just it's a dedicated thing to do. You lose a lot. You can lose a lot. It's possible to lose a lot. I lost a lot, but I gained some things and, yeah, they had a profound effect upon life. Tell me a bunch of new skills and now I apply um yeah, I, I mean uh, again, just kind of the uh.
Speaker 4:
38:20
You talk about the uh, the sacrifice for the benefit of us, the fan uh, you know, we're just so appreciative of that, so so thank you, but uh, we uh, just to kind of wrap it up, you already talked about the fans.
Speaker 11:
38:29
We'd be dead yeah.
Speaker 4:
38:30
Uh, to wrap it up, you know you already talked about trust issues. What else? Anything else you want to plug here or let everybody?
Speaker 11:
38:36
it's an audio book. It's on Amazon prime. All I know, my movie networks. I try not to say things until I'm doing them. You don't want to attract negative energy to your thing, but yeah, I'm always.
Speaker 11:
38:55
You know, just, I'm writing 2,000 Words a Day. I'm in my fourth novel now. Third one you can't do this alone, so there's a team of people in LA. You've got to find people that believe in your writing, that want to work with you, that are into putting forth the effort, because once you write, you've got to put your producer hat on and find the money to make the movie, which means you have to find people with money who are willing to invest and hopefully it's people that see your vision. Not only I want my money back, I want my, my 20%. You know like, yeah for sure, the investors want their money back, luckily for me. And well enough, I just want to make a movie. I just I'm working on. I'm working on something I'll never see.
Speaker 11:
39:42
I'm writing these books for 400 years from now that somebody can read. Have you read La Brava? You know that's what I'm doing, but and I'm digging the road while I do it I guess it definitely opened a lot of doors. You know, I wasn't trying to be on television and you ended up on television. I never knew how big it was to last. I didn't. I don't really watch a lot of television.
Speaker 4:
40:07
How many shows have a legacy? But to even be on seven seasons is huge.
Speaker 11:
40:14
Except for Law and Order and the Simpsons, people have done it in like five or six or something. The guy with the camera is going stop standing up and down. I thought you've done this before Somebody. Talk to the guy. That's what it's about, you know, just laughing, having fun. Hey, best job ever had you roll up.
Speaker 11:
40:38
You got up at 4 in the morning so I could leave my house at 5, so I could be on set at 520, race my bike there when, like, this guy's ordered an omelet, I'm have my coffee and then they're like okay, check it out, here's a machine gun, there's your bike. We're going to kill these six dudes from this way. Then we're going to kill them that way, then we're going to get coverage while we kill them and then we're going to cook you a great lunch. Imagine the job I was in, that ambush in the warehouse, and one of my brothers calls me up and says what are you doing? I go we're about to ambush these fools and cut them down with machine guns and he says what are you doing? Saying that on my phone, I'm like everybody who's listening to us knows I'm on TV bro.
Speaker 4:
41:22
Well, david, thank you so much for taking the time. It was so nice meeting you and, again, huge fan of your work and the show. This is David LaBrava here at Collective Con. Hey everyone, phil Barrera with the Wave 4 Podcast and Collective Con here with our guest. Could you just take a moment to introduce yourself and what you do?
Speaker 10:
41:35
Yeah, theo Rossi.
Speaker 4:
41:37
Theo, how's your weekend going so far?
Speaker 10:
41:39
Very well. Thank you so much for asking.
Speaker 4:
41:41
I have a very important question for you how John Cena heel turn in his final year.
Speaker 10:
41:46
I don't know. I mean, I think it's a good way to go right. Kind of interesting. I like listen. I love a good heel turn. I'm a big fan of a good heel turn, especially when the audience doesn't see it coming. But it'd be interesting if that's the way he truly goes out. I feel like they're setting up kind of a redemption arc.
Speaker 4:
42:03
I believe so too. I think maybe somewhere towards the end he's going to come back and realize like okay, this is not what I really wanted to do and we'll get that send-off.
Speaker 10:
42:12
Yeah, because they're not letting him go out as a deal?
Speaker 4:
42:15
Absolutely not.
Speaker 10:
42:16
Not after his whole career as a babyface.
Speaker 4:
42:18
Yeah, but like you said, when something is truly shocking, like that's the peak of wrestling.
Speaker 10:
42:22
That's why we all watch had to make sure I asked sean michaels yeah, I mean, I mean sean michaels doing the. The kick anybody on the turn piper's pit. You wanted to see things that don't that you're not expecting yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4:
42:35
Um, I do want to tell you juice is one of my favorite characters of all time. I went back and re-watched the show, uh last year and uh still very much love that character. What's that character meant for you? And also, what does it feel like when people come up and also tell you how much juice meant to them?
Speaker 10:
42:48
I mean, I think they're all masochists because it's hard to watch him, uh, no, I mean honestly, uh, uh, that changed everything for me. I'm so incredibly grateful. I love doing these because I get to see all these guys. I mean, we talk every day. Anyway, even though the show ended almost 10 years ago, we're still like as tight as we've always been, but it's um, that really is the beginning of it all.
Speaker 10:
43:09
I feel like I learned it was kind of like going to college, right. It was like that was the beginning, even though I'd done 50 different tv shows as guest stars, co-stars. You know, I started as an extra. That tv show kind of changed everything for me and it's laid the groundwork for everything that's ever happened in my life. That's how I met my wife, that's why I have my kids. It's like, let you know, I went right from that to do a couple movies, then luke cage and like everything just started from that show. So, uh, yeah, I just I love, I love that people loved you so much and I think that, especially over the years, they've kind of seemed to understand him more for sure.
Speaker 4:
43:44
Yeah, absolutely watching in 2024 it was a totally different lens than watching it back. You know, 10 years ago, like you said, and David was completely you know, just talking about just the longevity of this and how crazy it is people when you had shows that lasted seven years 13 episodes, six months in between, weekly shows.
Speaker 10:
44:14
Those people become part of your family, so you kind of hold on to them longer, as opposed to the model of like just binging a show and then it's over and you kind of don't really remember it where I think that people have a direct attachment to this show. I can't tell you how many people that I meet at these that are like. I used to watch this with my dad, who's no longer with us, or I remember being in college and me and my friends on teller Tuesdays would sit around and like watch it. So there's like a memory attached to the viewing experience and I just think that that's something we're kind of missing yeah, yeah, I, I absolutely agree.
Speaker 4:
44:50
Um, I want to ask you so that if this shirt came in right before this convention and you we're having a good conversation a little bit earlier as far as, like, the marketing of cloverfield and how insane that was, do you think something like that can be done again, like now with the way social media would have?
Speaker 10:
45:05
to be so savvy to do it right because somebody would give it away. We're so big on like the spoilers now it's like we're always trying to find something out. Yeah, that to trick people, the way blair witch did like we talked about, and what cloverfield did with the myspace pages and we shot the trailer before we shot the movie. It's like I don't know if you can do it anymore. You'd have to be real tricky to do something in a viral sense. Even batman with uh when he was playing the joker, they did all this like cool viral marketing. I mean, maybe we'll see. I'd love to do something kind of, but you would have to not know the actors. You'd have to not know who's involved, because that was the trick with those you weren't really familiar with. That was the trick with those you weren't really familiar with. Any of the actors in it you weren't really familiar with. You know uh, what? The situation wasn't a monster, what was it?
Speaker 4:
45:56
what it was, we deal with aliens yeah, and that's, I think, what made people so the appeal of it all yeah, and also just not showing clover until you know you got to go to see the movie first and all that you know. You get trailers where you know there's just so much in them now and then it being shaky cam.
Speaker 10:
46:12
There was like these things right outside the theater that said like you could get sick. And you know people love that, like you know one of my buddies who does Terrifier. I remember there was an article when Terrifier first came out.
Speaker 4:
46:29
It was like there were people throwing up in the theater and people like what and now they want to go because of the kind of thing that comes long legs. Did something similar to that with their, with their marketing as well, with like people's heartbeats and stuff like that so it's cool that.
Speaker 10:
46:36
so I think, anything to get, we're trying to get people's attention in this kind of five second society that we're in, where we don't really pay attention to things months uh much. So it's like what they did was really what Matt did and JJ, that's way ahead of the time, yeah for sure.
Speaker 4:
46:52
And to bring it back to wrestling.
Speaker 10:
46:53
that's why, whenever we are truly surprised by things, it's that's why when me and Taker, when I just did Taker's podcast, I kept saying we got to stop kicking out of finishers.
Speaker 4:
47:02
Oh my gosh yeah.
Speaker 10:
47:04
Kills me Maybe at a mania. You can kick out a finisher once. You can't be kicking out of finishers at house shows.
Speaker 4:
47:10
We can have a whole side conversation about kicking out of finishers. Theo, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate you. It was a pleasure. Thanks so much. Thanks so much for watching, thank you.
Speaker 1:
47:28
This is the Wait For it Podcast.
