 So what is
actor Tiffany Grant doing after playing a lead in the independent comedy
Laughing Boy ("It's a cross between `Dumb and Dumber' and `Monty Python's
Flying Circus,' " she said) and working as an extra in the conspiracy thriller
Arlington Road? She's recording the part of Ryoko Subaru in Martian Successor
Nadiseco, the odd spoof of giant robot and space battleship shows. Yes,
it's another one of Grant's "bossy" roles in the tradition of Asuka and
Madame President. "It's a real fan favorite with a lot of inside jokes,"
said Grant about the Nadesico series, which often leaves viewers wondering
if they should take the action too seriously or not. |
 English-language
dubbing can be a lonely job because the performers deliver their lines
alone in a booth, with only the director and producer and engineer to deal
with. Grant noted that actors can go through an entire series and never
see each other, even though they have many scenes together - because each
actor has a separate recording session. That's far different from the Japanese
technique of having each cast sit go to a studio for an "after-recording"
where they dub an entire show in the style of a radio play. In original
English-language animation, the voices are recorded first and animators
draw characters to match the actors' lines. In Japan, the animation is
created first and the dialogue dubbed over the finished film. |
 Grant often
is asked about the acting trade, and she answers that it's tough to get
established to the point you can make some money. "There's no way for you
to know in advance how much work you'll get," she said. "If you get paid
for it occasionally, that's great. I don't know very many actors who make
all of their money from acting." Part of the "pay" is the satisfaction
of knowing that fans want them to sign autographs - although Grant stopped
short of signing a toilet seat for a fan who enjoyed an infamous scene
in the first episode of Golden Boy. |
