Terri Douglas - Inside the World of ADR for Animated Feature Film | AW11

What is the most fascinating thing about cartoons? Is it the animation, the characters, or are the voices behind the characters the most important part? I guess we can all agree it’s a little bit of everything. We’ve talked about the creation of animated films, the experience of voiceover artists, and the magic behind storyboarding. But have you ever heard of ADRs and loop groups?

To tell you more about this interesting aspect of film and animation, we turn to industry veteran Terri Douglas. Terri, if you don’t know her yet, is one of the most amazing people you will ever meet in the world of animation. She has voiced numerous characters, she cast hundreds of ADRs and loop groups, and she has started her own ADR voice company. She has experience on top of experience. After personally working with her in one of her loop groups, I can say with confidence that she is one you need to listen to. Luckily for us, she talks about everything in this episode of Alicyn’s Wonderland.

Show Notes:

[2:38] How Terri began her journey into the world of animation and video games.

[11:45] A general overview of ADR and loop groups.

[25:24] How recording ADRs and loop groups have changed over the course of the pandemic.

[34:15] The highlights of Terri’s career.

[43:07] Terri’s list of favorite roles.

[47:58] Q&A with Terri during the live IgTV.

Follow along with Alicyn's Wonderland on:

Instagram: @Alicyn

TikTok: @alicynpackard

YouTube: Alicyn Packard

Twitter: @Alicyn 

Transcript :

Intro Welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland. I'm your host, Alicyn Packard. Join us as we journey through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole into the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games. Hey, do a girl a favor, and please subscribe to this podcast and go on iTunes and leave us a good review. If you like the show, please help spread the word. It really helps us to get heard by more people. Thanks so much. Alicyn Hi. What's going on everybody? Happy Wednesday. Welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland, the show that takes you through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole into the wild world of animation and video games. Thanks everyone that's joining live. Today we have our host, our host is me, Alicyn Packard, and our guest is Terri Douglas. And I first met Terri and when we were on, I was on her loop group doing the Emoji Movie. And Terri has so, hundreds, literally hundreds of credits, doing ADR for animated movies, a lot of feature films, television shows, you name it. So I'm really excited to bring her on the show today. Everybody, please welcome, Terri Douglas. Here we go. Hey, Alex. Hey, HypeMedia. Hi, Terri. Terri There you are. Alicyn Yes, you're perfect. I love, I love your background. It's so beautiful. Terri Oh, thanks. It's just a screen, so. Alicyn You've got a cute little nook. Well, welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland. Thank you so much for joining us. Terri How are you? Alicyn I am great. It is so good to see your face. Terri You too. Alicyn It's been a while. Terri I know, I know. Isn't it been strange? The last year and a half, it's just been strange, so. Alicyn Yeah. And I'm really curious to see how the ADR world pivoted through a global pandemic. And you know, everybody previously, well, we'll get there. Let me, I want to kind of start at the beginning with you because I know you've been working in this business for so long. I was mentioning on my stories that I think you probably have more ADR feature film credits than anybody else in the whole wide world. Like, is there a Guinness record? Have you looked into that? Terri No, no. I think I've done about 65 animated features. I don't know, I'd have to count them. But it's been quite a bit. It's really a forte, I love working on them. It's so much fun. Alicyn It's so interesting. Now did you know when you were young that you wanted to use your voice as a living? Terri You know what? It came around when I was a kid. I used to watch cartoons, and I would imitate them or imitate commercials or animals on commercials or birds or whatever was going on. And it kind of came around that that was something I was really interested in, although I thought I was going to be a lawyer and then that changed. Alicyn Did you go to school? Terri For that I did, I went to college and went to school, business school, and with that at Cal State Fullerton, thought I was going to head to law school and then I kind of veered off into voiceover world, and it kind of happened fast. Alicyn Wow. So what did your parents think when you're like, this lawyering thing, seems it's not working out? What did they, were they on board? Terri Well, actually, my mom thought I should go into real estate. And Alicyn You would look great on a billboard, though. You know, I gotta say, I would love to see your face on one of those benches. Terri But that just wasn't me. You know, I've sang it down since I was a kid. I've done a lot of voiceover, you know, as a kid, doing various things and singing. And my very first voiceover job, when I was a kid in high school, was working on the storybook ride at Disneyland. And I got to narrate the storybook ride going all the way through Mr. Toad's little village there. And it was so much fun. One summer I did that, I sat on the little boat, my cute little dress and my knee highs and my little microphone and narrated to all the boat, and then I'd have him really going and it was really fun to watch the crowd get, you know, really wound up and interested in what I was talking about. And they all clap at the end. And sometimes I would get boats that didn't speak English. And that was a lot of fun because making them laugh and respond was even more of a challenge. So that was my first voiceover job. Alicyn Wow. I mean, that's the type of stuff that's just so amazing to think connect the dots and see how it all came about. So do you grew up out here in Los Angeles or Orange County? Terri I did. I grew up in Orange County, and I have lived in Los Angeles, lived in Orange County, you know, traveled back and forth for family and friends. And so I'm a native Californian, and wanting to be in the business I think started with me since I was a little girl, and I got to see the Brady Bunch perform when they were older and they had left doing the show. And I was Alicyn The television cast of Brady Bunch? Terri Yes, the original cast when they were older. They went on a tour and they sang and danced. And I sat in the front row and watched him sing and dance. And I ran home and said, Mom, that's it. I know what I want to do for a living. I want to be an actor. So she says, Well, you got to have a screen test. And I said, Okay, so I ran upstairs got the phonebook out and look at vendor screen. It was actually a screen door company, but I didn't get it. And I called one up and said, Hi, my name is Terri Douglas, and I need a screen test. And then he paused for a minute and he said, Honey, you got to go to Hollywood for a screen test. And I said, Okay, bye. I hung up, and I ran downstairs and I announced to my whole family. I got to go to Hollywood and get a screen test. Alicyn Oh, my God. That is so good. He's like, Pam, we gotta change our name. Wow, you must have been such a precocious and a charming little child. Terri Oh, well, thank you. Actually, I was a little quiet. But I was very silly and fun to be around. And very, very, very easygoing. And I loved listening to people's voices. And this is, I think, where all the looping started. And I had an aunt that had a very resonant, unusual voice and some other cousins, just, just different sounding voices. And I started then listening to voices. And I would be so annoyed, like in the old cartoons, remember, the old Flintstones, where you just see a tongue kind of moving in the mouth out of time, that used to always freak me out. And so I started watching cartoons as a kid, and I just loved them. I just loved the characters and that everybody was performing. And so it kind of started there when I was really young, being able to hear voices, which has helped me today. I'm very musical. I've played the flute and piano since I was nine years old. So, I can read and write music and I sing. And so for me, I have an ear for listening to voice matches and things like that. And all just sort of came together as one career kind of, boom, one day. All the little elements, here I am. Alicyn So did you have some favorite shows or cartoons that you loved growing up? Terri Oh, I don't know. I just liked them all. I would watch, I was more into watching the old Bewitched, and Gilligan's Island, and I Dream of Jeannie, and all of those really fun shows. And I think learning characters and learning how, like, I Love Lucy, you can go back and watch all of her shows. But though there are some amazing characters, people who are amazing characters, and studying those as a kid by watching those people in the old movies, you know, really helps you today as a voiceover performer. So I always tell people, you know, go watch old movies, go learn about the old actors and, and what they did in their characters and personalities, because of a lot of them can be useful in your voiceover work today. Alicyn It's very interesting, too, because you see, you see the characters and the note that comes back from casting a lot of times is grounded performances. But in comedy, everything is still a bit, it's larger than life. And that's where a lot of that funny comes from. So finding a character that is still a big personality and a big character but grounded, you know, you can really see that in old sitcoms, like I Love Lucy, like, you know, if I saw a woman like that, in real life, do that, like, wait a minute, but within that context of that world, it's like, it's just yeah, feel so good. Terri Exactly. Alicyn So you played flute, you're very musical, what age did you move, make the move to Los Angeles? Terri I got married in my 20s. And we moved up to LA. And that was my early 20s. And that was my big Get to LA moment was and be able to audition and try out for things. But I was really so wrapped up in being a paralegal for entertainment law, and doing that sort of work at that point. But I was recording and singing. I had a band in my early 20s. Alicyn Oh. No way. Terri But, some things happened and derailed us, it was very sad. But I had had all of that still in me so much that I couldn't get rid of it. I couldn't shake it. And so I had ran into a looping coordinator who has since passed away, so it's very sad. but as she heard my voice, I went to Bob Bergen, what did you do? It was SAG conservatory, I was able to see Bob Bergen speak in the SAG conservatory, which is free, and a lot of fun. And I went and sat and listened to him talk about animation. And then he mentioned looping for like, four minutes, maybe two minutes. And I went, What? I bet sounds interesting. And he says, don't worry, nobody can get in. Don't bother with it. And I thought what? And so boom, here I am. So I took on that challenge. So I really actually found out about looping and all that from Bob and his workshop, and the looping coordinator at the time who said, Oh my gosh, you sound like a kid, you sound like a real teenager and then Wham, I started working and it just kind of took off until I started my own group and then here we are. Alicyn When did you start your own group? Because that's a big step. Terri Yeah, in 95-97, in that period of time, we started. Yeah. So it's been a long time, it's gone really fast. Alicyn Was that challenging for you in the beginning to make that transition to having your own group? Terri It was really fun working with the loop group I was working in. But I think that with my skills, vocally, and hearing things, as well as being super organized, and creative, that for me, I thought, I have this other vision of how I would like to do this. And so for starting a group was a lot of fun and exciting, and just taking off and doing, it just kind of happened fast, and you have to learn fast and learn on the road quick, what to do about things, but it just kind of came together naturally, I had the ear for it, and the voice work behind it, and the casting work, I had worked as well, when I was younger, and a casting office for commercials and models and all sorts of things. So I'd had a lot of experience doing that working in casting. So this all sort of came together with all the skills. Alicyn You know, sometimes it's like taking that leap of faith to get to the next level is scary. And it takes a lot of courage and it can be really uncomfortable. Did you find in the beginning that it was challenging? Terri Oh, yeah, it's very challenging starting a business of your own, you know? Especially when you don't know everyone. And there's already established people doing what you want to do, how do you get in there? So just one by one job after job, you learn and you grow, and you keep getting asked to do more work until it keeps growing. And so yeah, it can be very frustrating as well. I don't advise people to go run off and start loop groups. I think you're more lucrative today working for everyone than trying to do it on your own. Alicyn Uh huh. Yeah. Plus, I mean, Terri's already got most of the gigs in town. So, yeah. So for those of us, the people on this, that maybe are not familiar with how looping and ADR works, could you just give us like a general overview? Terri Oh, sure. So when when you have a film, let's say a feature film, and we'll say live action, in the background, you see all the extras running around? Well, they usually just have a production mic. So they're picking up the production sound. And what happens is they need to have things clear, we might have airplanes flying by, you know, where you have Indians and soldiers running around in the background, all of a sudden, a plane goes flying by. So now we have to put in voices again for the extras in the background, so that you don't hear the airplane. It needs to be on a separate track and not married to the production track. So we do a lot of fixes in that area as well. Or you might hear us at the airport. So they will do a scene in an airport. And we will be the flight, people saying you know, Flight 43, now boarding gate six, all passengers, please begin pre-flight boarding. So yeah. So all of that starts to get recorded and put into the film where you wouldn't have heard it when they were recording it. So we now have to go back in and add those things. Sometimes a lot of actors and actresses can't make it to do all of their ADR. So there might be a line missing here or there. Or they may not be able to scream, which is the case with a lot of actresses. So I'll bring in girls or myself who scream really well, and we'll take over dying or screaming and breaths and efforts for a lot of people. A lot of actors need that. So we'll fix the tracks in those ways as well, or will fatten tracks. So maybe the background it only had maybe 40 extras that they need to sound like 500 or more. So, I'll bring in a loop group onto a stage, a big recording stage. And we stand on the floor in front of the big screen, we have microphones on the stage, and behind us is a glass window. And usually the editor and the recordist are all back there. The ADR supervisor will be at this on the stage telling us what they would like. And then we stand on the floor and we record to the picture. So we're watching the film as we do it, so that things will go into sync. And that they make sense. And that we know what we're looping or talking about. And sometimes with animation, we don't always get to see something. We see drawings, sometimes we'll just have little stick figures running around, you know, or they'll say we need 10 seconds of you guys being at a party, you know? And they'll tell us what kind of party. So then we all start talking like we're at a party with each other. And then there's a lot of technical things that go about being on stage, and how we make the sound sound like it's traveling and moving, and the different ways we record the sound. Alicyn It's so interesting. I think one of the most interesting things that I discovered about looping is the more you know about the, if you're coming in about a particular industry, the better, the better you are, the better equipped you are, the better the production is. Meaning if you're looping for a medical drama, you're kind of expected to know all the jargon that they would say in a hospital. So that's pretty interesting. Terri Yeah. So with my loopers and knowing ahead what the film is, if there was you know, per say, medical, then I would send them a vague email, with their research list in there of everything they need to know, you know? Whether we are dissecting brains, or we have forensics, or whatever's going on that day in the film, you will need to come up with stuff because it is not scripted for us, unless it's a specific PA or a specific announcement or something in the film that the director or the writers want in there, then they'll write that for us. But generally, it's us bringing it. We, I might say, you know, I need a 10-second weather report, you know? Make it Sunny, you know, all these different things, and my actors will write. So being a looper isn't just a voice actor who shows up on stage and is given a script. We literally have to be kind of like college students and go out and research, research, research. Try to say that fast. Bring in our research so that we can speak like we can launch space shuttles, that we can, you know, drive a tractor, you know, whatever it is. So all of those things play. And that also sort of says how I am going to cast who comes in that day versed on how they can, if they could do those things or not. Alicyn And so what resources do you recommend for people doing research for their loop with gigs? Terri Well, when I first started, we'd have to go to the library. We divide up the work, and we'd have two weeks to go do research, which is really funny. Now, today, I might call you and say, Hey, I have something for you in two days, or can you work tomorrow afternoon. So basically, you hop on the internet, you do a lot of research. And I always think it's really great if you know, people in the field. So I have a cousin that's a paramedic out in Virginia. So I called him up and said, Hey, Ted, you know, what happens when a guy has got a heart attack and you show up? You know, so, and I'm writing like crazy, taking all the notes on what he's going to say at the scene. I've even taken a forensics class to learn what they say about blood spatter going on the wall, you know? So, we try to do it as accurate as we can. And yeah, so there's a lot of research. So if you know people in the industries, you know, that might be in there, I knew a rocket scientist, which really came in handy because I had to launch a pod and fly through space one time. So like, those are words that are gonna come to me. So Oh, yeah. looper is someone that knows a little bit about everything, and can find great information and research and deliver it on the stage, very real and naturally, as if it were right there on the picture that that actor on the screen said it, that it's just naturally, it doesn't stick out. It just melts into the picture as part of the film. Alicyn And you have to take a lot of people to lunch. Thanks, cousin Ted. Yeah. So you, I mean, you have hundreds of credits, you know? Clearly, ADR and looping is such an important part of filmmaking, both animation and live action. Do you think is there a difference between I know, you also loop for video games. And so what is the main difference between looping for a film and looping for a video game? Terri Well, a film might be more days. And usually we'll go eight hours at a film because there is a lot of work in a film. And it could be days, and days, and days of work to get a film done in a background where a video game is generally four hours, four-hour sessions, and I might only need just one four-hour session to cover it or maybe two. So we can do them quicker. For the video games, a lot of it is very specific. So generally, it's soldiers, Alicyn A lot of soldiers. Terri Everybody fighting, everybody fighting and yelling and it's soldiers, you know, or it can be space it which has been a lot. We've had a lot of those lately. And so that will juristic who comes on to those projects as well, who has the voices for those. But a feature film, I believe is more in depth with the work because we have to do the research or I do actually of what is the theme of the show? Do I need a ton of foreign language people? Or are you know speaking languages or doing accents or kids? So it's a bigger variety of people that are needed generally for film. Alicyn And how big is your database of talent? I mean, if you do foreign language, and animation people, and. Terri I have 1000s in my database, so yeah, I tried really hard to use, you know, a very mix of people, different people, kids always change ages. So I have to look for new kids, they're not always going to be that seven to nine year old, you know? They start to grow up, so whatever category I'm looking for, that's how I plug people in. So I have a huge database of foreign talent as well as American speaking talent. Alicyn And does Loop Troop, your ADR casting agency, do you guys have a particular niche? It seems like you have your hand in a lot of different pots? Terri Yes, I think my niche would be animation for sure. I love it as a voice talent as well. I love doing animation and characters and kids and all sorts of crazy creatures and fun things. So that's a big interest for me. And so I've tapped into that pretty well. I also have a group of animation talents such as yourself that come out and play. And we have formed, you know, really amazing stellar loop groups out there with amazing talent on the stage. And so that's pretty different. So I would say that's probably one of my favorites. But I do a lot of Star Wars movies, which are a lot of fun. A lot of Marvel and Star Wars movies in space and having a wonderful time at doing those. Alicyn Yeah, I mean, you're on Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker, A Star Wars Story Battlefront to the video game. I mean, you go in deep, and Pixar and so really Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars you kind of work. Terri The Marvel, and yes. And we also loop a lot for DreamWorks with the Trolls. And all of these cute, yeah, those five movies. So I, it's pretty spread out, and Smurfs. And so it's been a lot of fun working for all the studios and all the different directors and everybody puts so much energy into their work and into their movies. And it takes so long to get films out. So it's really, it's, it's fun at the end, that's when I come in, you know, when it's pretty much locked in, it's ready to go, then we can put our looping in there. And everybody's pretty much stressed out. Working pretty hard to get them done. Alicyn It's always amazing to, at least the shows, the movies that we worked on Toy Story and Emoji. I what, I remember is just how grateful everyone is. And you think we are just this teeny little piece of your giant production. And you know, your team's been working for years on this film. And they're like, thank you so much. And it's such an amazing experience to be working with the team and working on the set. And it's so fun. And then yeah, just being able to improvise and think quick on your feet is something that I feel it scratches an itch that scripted televisions don't always. You know, it's like, oh, yeah, you're thinking fast. Like, it's almost like, I don't really play sports. But if I did, I would like insert a good sports analogy here. It's like playing ball or something, you know, like, Terri, you know. And then you guys, if I remember, you know, you have different things like a doughnut, and different ways that you move around the stage to make the voices sound like organic movement. Can you talk about that? Because I think it's really interesting. Terri Oh, sure. And one thing about improv, it's really imperative if you want to try looping, that you are a really good improviser. Because as I said, it's not scripted. You have to go home and write things yourself. Or sometimes you're handling something that's scripted. But you definitely need to be an excellent improviser. Because we are asked to do some of the craziest things that you can imagine. And you really need to be able to go there, you need to make it real, and you need to go there, and you need to be able to play, and so you don't want to be locked up. So you definitely want to do that. And I'm sorry, what was your question? Alicyn Oh, yeah. So improv, yes, crucial element on the stage. Yeah, sorry. The Terri dancers. Terri Yeah, so we do something called a donut, so we'll have the microphone right here. And we have the actors walk in a circle in front of the mic like this. So it's recording a string show you sideways here. So what happens is, it sounds like the sound is traveling bytes, giving a Doppler sound. So it sounds like it's moving. So when the editors placed that in a film, the sound sounds like it's moving past the camera. Because if you have a camera focused on people at an airport, and the crowd is moving past the camera, you want the crowd to sound like they're moving. So yes, an editorial, the genius editors know how to pan all that and do it. But it's really great when we can add to that and make this sound really sound like it's moving. And we do all sorts of really fun things. A fun movie, we did Enchanted. There was a big ball thing where everybody was dancing. And we were out on a huge soundstage and, recording stage, and we all coupled up and we danced, we all waltzed, and you know, did all the fun things. So we all danced with everybody on you know, on the stage and start dancing around just like they were waltzing. And it sounded amazing. And it was so fun because everybody was like, This is the funnest day I've had. Like in, ever, because we're dancing, you know? So sometimes we get to do really crazy fun things like that. Alicyn Was a, were dance skills required on that cast? Terri No, no. You just hold on and dance in a circle. Alicyn That's so fun. So for somebody that hasn't done looping, what requirements are there to become a looper? Terri Well, like I said, I really think that you need to, you need to really want to do this. Looping isn't something you just get into for the money or that it's fun, you won't get hired, you really need to be something that everyone needs for their roster to hire you. So it's really important to have your improv skills, be able to do great research skills. And if some people are technically inclined in certain areas, I have people who are actual doctors and nurses and who have been in wars and who are soldiers that I've, all different walks of life, people who are now actors, and so it's really important to let someone like me know that you have a background in something, you know, as well. But being able to do your research, being able to come up with the things that you have to say always being happy, you know, be fun, come to the stage excited to be there, or now since we're online, you know, be awake, you know, have a coffee and get online and let's go. We record virtual now. So it's a whole different world and dynamic for people now, because you can live in different areas, you don't have to all live in LA. So it's really opened up to a lot of people. Alicyn Let's talk about that. Because that is, it was such a huge shift for every industry. How, how did the pandemic directly affect looping for features, or looping in general? Terri Yeah, for everything, even voiceover, everyone was a bit stunned at first. And so we thought, well, wow, we're gonna have to figure this out, there's, we have to record because they will only allow one actor on stage, you know, at a time. And so it's since changed, we can get three or four sometimes on a stage, if they've had COVID test, and everybody's in their own little boxes, but then I can't be in front of them directing them, because then they're breathing on me. So I have to be on zoom. So we have all different kinds of ways we've come on that but I, I've had a great experience working with Matthew Wood, who's a wonderful editor of Skywalker, and he is really a genius. He has come up with a way to take source connect and connect like 12 of us, connections all together, and we can all hear each other at the same time. We were all on zoom so we can see each other we can see picture, and so we can loop to it. Finally when we first hook up in the morning so that we're able to all see each other and wave and you know, hey, your hair's down to your waist, what happened? But you know, Yeah, wow, look at the roots, you know. So we all have fun being able to say hi, it's kind of in our our own way to reach out and touch someone. So that we have been doing pretty much everything that way through source connect and working at home. And a lot of people scrambled in the beginning to get home setups put together that didn't have them set up. So I had one because I'm a voiceover talent as well. So you know, a lot of people had to run out and get a good mic and get a recording program, get their computer, get a booth set up, be able to record at home and know how to do it. So that was a learning curve at first for a lot of people but the people that really wanted to do it snapped up and got it done. Alicyn Yeah. MaxTheMiddlemen says that Terry knows her stuff that's leader in the game. Terri I love Max, I haven't seen him in a while. Alicyn Susan, Trisha, Max's a guest on the show back in the earlier incarnation, like, several years ago, SusanTrish, Trish says amazing. Promo Hey, guys, this is Alicyn Packard. Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to let you know that if you like the show, please, please, please remember to subscribe to this podcast. And leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps us to get heard by more people. Thanks so much. Alicyn So do you think as more and more people are getting vaccinated, there will be any kind of return to stage? Or do you think this is the new norm? Terri I think for the video games I've done, a lot of them would like to stay virtual. I think a lot of them get more work done quicker than having to go to a stage and have everybody out there when they can do it quickly this way. Editors have had to learn new ways of editing, you know, 10-12 tracks, then making it one, instead of one, all of us on one track. So there's been a learning curve there. I think that with the COVID vaccination, you know, it's still not 100% safe. So I'm not sure what's going to happen, I think you'll see some things start to open up. But then again, not everyone's vaccinated. And there's some people still scared to go out on stage. So it's still a little bit like, Huh, I'm really not sure what's gonna happen. I think it's gonna take still a little bit while longer before that would open up where I could have, you know, 12 people out on stage together. Alicyn Yeah, yeah. And so just to double back on that you also before the pandemic, you were pretty active doing workshops. Justine Huxley says your workshop was so helpful. And that shows working with you. Workshops was a much more integral part in, you know, training people to come up as well as, you know, teaching people and people always curious to learn more. Is there any kind of virtual workshops happening or any future plans for that? Terri You know, what I was going to start doing virtual loops sessions, kind of the end of last year, as we got going on over the summer, and then I had so much work, I literally couldn't do it. And I had to be able, to be able to do my voiceover career as well as looping. And so I just couldn't do it. There was just so much happening. But I am going to do some, I know everybody keeps asking, because we have a new way of looping now virtually, there are a lot of things that need to be discussed and people need to try and there's a lot of new questions. There's a lot of new ways that we loop now virtually, that's very different. Even if I send you to a stage like igloo and we have six people out all on their own stages. There's still a protocol for how we do that. So I will do, I will do a seminar. I just got to get it together. It's just a little busy, though, but I will, we'll get back into it. And I love doing it because I meet such wonderful people and you know, get to see new talent and what they can do. And it's a lot of fun. Alicyn Yeah, it's, so do you find that on a scale of, you know, certainly some sessions are, are easy, and we just connect via Source Connect. But it sounds like this might be more technical or intense than your average recording session. Do you think that's true? Terri Yes, I think you, there is a learning curve for you first to set up your studio at home. As you now, to get that set up. And then I think learning to use Source Connect and making sure you're recording correctly. For the sessions I do, we don't really have to record our own tracks, we do with video games, and we will send that backup track in to the editor. So they have a backup track. But a lot of the times it's just a direct feed that they're picking up our track. But you do have to watch your game, you have to make sure all of a sudden you're not peeking in too loud. A lot of people who have tried to do some loop group things together, virtually, they are on bad mics they have, they're not watching their games, things are hot, the editors can't use the tracks. So it's been really critical for me with my group to be really cognizant of that and make sure it's not happening. And so we've kind of come up with ways to be able to pinpoint when people are peeking and do things over and over until you know it stops. But yeah, there's a learning curve, I think for sure. Alicyn Do you think it's made your job more stressful? Terri It did at first. It was like, Wow, what are we doing here, but now it's very easy if I'm in the routine of it. And you know, and it works really well. So and also if I send people out to stages, and we're all in you know, different stages recording, that's a different way of recording as well. So everything's just different, I think, I think being okay with accepting that it's going to be different for a while, will be better than everyone saying, you know, we've all got to get back on the stage together. I don't know when that's really going to happen. It'd be great. But I just don't know when. Alicyn So yeah. And there's probably nobody does, right? At this point, it's all so and how often, how quick is the turnaround range from when you loop the movie to the movie then being released? Terri Well, generally, I come at the end when the pictures locked. So they're not going to make more picture changes. Because if we loop something and they change the picture, then they throw it out, they've wasted their money. So we come in at the very end, when everybody is, you know, racing to get things done. I've had situations where we've recorded things, and the editors literally stop and take tracks and quickly send them in as fast as they can to get them cut in the film. So we're at the end, probably three weeks to a month, we're probably right at the end as it's getting mixed in and the picture gets mixed, and it's done. And it gets shipped out. So it's, it's towards the end. But sometimes I've done shows where we've had to be in early. I've had some animation work features who have wanted to have us come in and loop early, so that they had something to draw to. And they had fun characters, little incidental characters they needed voices for so I brought people in to play all these fun characters. And they would animate to that. And then the next time we would come in and see them, it will be drawn in up there and have more of a world together. So it's been a helpful technique to for the animators as well to have us come in early. Alicyn So is it I mean, is that different than scratch? Or the voice is actually going to remain in the picture, you just might be redoing it and still the same characters voicing? Terri Yeah. A lot of scratch voices get replaced. In case they're not in the Union. Or maybe they really want something different. Or maybe one person did 10 voices, and they want to change it. So that will get replaced. I do a lot of recasting there. I do a lot of incidental character casting as well. So for the animated features, if they, you know, they have a role, you know, towards the end that just has a few lines or one line or something. I'll cast those for them as well as for the loop group to do as well. Alicyn What have been some of the highlights of your career? Terri Oh, wow. Disney's been such a dream to work with. I mean, I just skipped down the street when I'm on the lot because it's just, it's you know, it's a childhood place that I worked in, you know, at the park and so Disney's really been a dream. Frozen, I think was the first real huge animated feature that was just, you know, a shocker to see it on the stage and how amazing it was and the music and just everything in it. You felt like I'm really doing something here today. This is, you know, this is a film that's going to live on so things films like those I think are really, you know, uplifting. And having our first job at Pixar, and working on Coco and, you know, The Incredibles Two and working on these movies, you know, we're going to stay around for a long time and your kids, your grandkids and theirs will keep watching these movies. I think that's really a highlight for me is films that you know, are going to be around for a long time and you just feel like, Wow, that's a destiny movie. You know, you've accomplished something. Alicyn Yeah, yeah. I mean, the legacy behind some of these films, do you know anything about the history of loop groups and who looped Snow White and who looped Cinderella? Was that around early days of Disney? Terri I do, I didn't do those then, I believe the first one I've been told is the first loop was done on Jaws back in the 70s. So I think Walt grabbed people to do things in the background that were placed, then I don't really know for sure. But I do have a connection to ask that. But I think jaws was the first one to loop I remember actually seeing Jaws in the theater with one of my darling, lovely friends, Elise. And we literally jumped out of our seats in the theater. But who would have thought then seeing a movie and listening to it and then thinking when you grow up, that's what you're going to do for a living? You know what I mean? Work doing the looping is like what? So that's, that was really fun. But yeah, it started a long time ago back in the 70s. Alicyn So I mean, I just kind of think that's such an interesting Testament is like there's, there's a through line in sort of every interview we do that when people are following their dreams, and following that the source of their life, they end up kind of fulfilling this ultimate dream that they didn't even know sometimes was the dreamer, was the, you know, destination? Terri Yes. I mean, I think I knew as a child, I really wanted to be in the business. So I really was trying so hard to go into law school or you know, be a lawyer, but I just was dropped so into entertainment, and voiceover and singing, that, that I just had to go follow that direction. And I think you kind of know, deep down in your heart where you really want to land and what you want to do. But it's, it's hard to pursue it. It's, there's so many nos, and there's so many issues and problems that come up. And you just have to keep fighting and do as many as you can and do the best that you can. Every time I take on a film. I know I'm going to have to spend hours and hours and hours and hours and hours casting and things together and people together and getting to the stages or virtual recordings. And so it takes a lot to just you don't just boom, do it. It's done. You know, it's a lot of work. I can't let people down. So they're spending 30,000 - 40,000 - 50,000 on ADR and I have to deliver. So there's pressure in that way. But it's it is really it is really amazing and heartwarming, I guess I could say to say yes, I'm doing a dream job. It really is a dream job. And I'm so grateful. And I'm grateful to everyone that hires me, and I'm grateful to the talent that I work with. They're, they're so fun. And they you guys keep me, you know, laughing and going and you know, I have some gems that I would love to put on my charm bracelet of you guys and carry around with me because it's just, it's just such a wonderful day. And it's so amazing, too. I've had Tom Kenny on stage, I've had some really big actors on stage and to just sit there and watch him perform. And you're, you know, you just, it's amazing. It's amazing to see a lot of the really amazing people work and to be in the same room with them is just really a guest. Alicyn Well, I think it's it's really it, it I think I speak for many of the people that you work with that your gratitude and your generosity shine through and to what you do is also very stressful. I mean, certainly I can only imagine the pressure that comes when people are finishing up a movie, very expensive, unsure how it's going to land and the pressure that you must be experiencing as a result of that. But your gratitude and your kindness is something that is in your DNA. And I think that we're all very, you know, people are grateful that to have that warmth, and that kindness, especially you know, when we're all doing something that can can get a little challenging at times. Terri Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Thank you. Alicyn You're welcome. Breaking about the charm bracelet. Do you have a charm? I want to see. Do you have a charm? Terri Oh, no. I don't have it on but I'm just saying like, I feel like you guys, I could make you like into little charms and carry around. You guys make me laugh. It's so much fun to see you perform. And you know when you were doing the firewall in the Emoji Movie, so if no one has seen that you better go see it and listen for Alicyn. But I mean, you blew them away at the mic. You know that voice came out that, everything you did it was just, it was phenomenal to watch it. I'm sitting like yeah, go get 'em. Alicyn It's so funny, Terri too because like certain you know, and I think if Max is still on, he can speak to this, like some of us voice actors that are starting to get on tik tok and share, like, the thing that we just do, you know, that's sort of just in our DNA and that thing that we do, and then to see people reacted to positive way is kind of surprising. Whereas like, you know, when you go to a surgeon, you're like, Oh, my God, you can do brain surgery. And they're just like, yeah, this is just, it's fun. It's it's kind of we're used to being behind the scenes. And then to see that the people that you can really brighten people's day with just doing your thing. I don't know, it would be interesting to see some more. I mean, you can't you're under NDA so often, but to see kind of your work and what you know, a little peek into what you do, I'm sure people would be very curious to see that. Terri I need to start posting a little bit more of a bit. I'm so busy secrecy. And you know, I find out the endings of movies and go home and go, I can't say anything. So yeah. So it's hard, but I will try to post now that things have kind of calmed down just a little with getting us all together here virtually, but post more about some fun things that are going. Alicyn Yeah, I think people would love to see that. So for anybody that is just tuning in from Terri's side and might not know what this is. This is Alicyn's Wonderland. It's a weekly interview show where we go through the looking glass into the world of animation and video games. And every week we interview everything from show creators to voice actors, ADR, we're learning about last week we had David Shair, a storyboard artists come on. So we're learning about how cartoons and video games are made from the bottom up. And next week's guest is Ryan Crago, who is the creator of Arlo, the alligator boy, an animated feature for Netflix. It's a musical and it's amazing. It just came out a few weeks ago. And it's also going to be a series so tune in next week for that. I also want to point out down at the bottom there is a little question box circle. If you guys have questions for Terri, we're gonna wait. We'll save time for about five minutes of questions at the end. So if you guys have any questions, go ahead and put them in the box now. Let's see. Let's see. I mean, I'm just so blown away. Despicable Me, Raya and the Last Dragon, Star Wars Squadrons video game, Frozen 2, Curious George, Secret Life of Pets, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Law and Order, Malifecent, Disenchantment Mandalorian, Wanda Vision. Have you had any top projects you wanted to talk about? Or any of the shows that were the most fun for one reason? Terri Well, I think some of the dancing on stage is always really fun. Anytime we get to really get out of the box and do something fun. Like that is been a lot of fun creating creatures for the Star Wars. A lot of fun. Alicyn How did that work? Terri Yeah, I had to audition for the director as well for some of the things that I have voiced. And, you know, I think when we get to do other than just standing and doing walls for a background scene, when we really get to perform and do the incidental characters and the bigger things, that's when I think everybody gets excited and the fun rolls in. Alicyn Yeah. Can you tell us about some of the fun roles that you've done? Terri Oh, sure. Um, so I was one of the voices of the caretakers and one of the Star Wars movies. You know, they look like little nun frogs running around on the island. Yeah. They asked me I know, you wouldn't guess the voice with what that voice was. Alicyn Can you do the voice for us? Do you remember? Terri It's very deep and loud. So I also replaced one of the little boys that's in the last Star Wars movie. It opens up with the one with Ron Howard when he directed it, yeah, so. I'm his, the part of the little kids voice. It has a British accent. He's a thief running through the village in the beginning. And so there's all sorts of fun things that I've stuck my voice of mine into. It's been fun. Yeah, I think a lot of highlights. Frozen was really a standout for a lot of us and the Pixar films, it just everything. It's kind of funny. It's kind of like you can't pick one because everything is just great and fun. What people are making these days you know, Moana was amazing. It was amazing to see my, my lovely talent on Coco. You know all my Spanish speaking talent. All the natives they were all there. And oh, they were so much fun. And everybody had such a great day. And so I think I can't pinpoint just one but I will at some point, everybody always asked me what's the one show, I'm just like, I don't know yet. Alicyn And you also, you cast Apex Legends? Terri Yeah. Alicyn So talk to us about that. Justine's been on the show. Elle was on the show. Elle Newlands, Justine Huxley, who are both actresses that are in Apex Legends. Very, very wildly wildly popular video game. How did that come about? Was that, because you cast the principles as well as ADR? Terri No, just Apex Legend doesn't have ADR so it's just all principle cast. So I cast video games. I cast the principles on it, I've done probably 35 games now, I think something like that. And so I've been doing that for years. And that's a lot of fun casting the principal voices. And so Apex Legends is a lot of fun because all the characters have different accents. You know, they're from different areas of the world, if you look at all the characters, so going on a big search for someone Scottish, I knew right away that Elle would be fabulous in this role. So I put her up to the creatives for that, and I was so glad when she got it. So but yeah, so I look very hard. Just so you guys know for voiceover actors that are listening to me, I'm always looking for foreign languages and accents and things that you do. And you can always run to my website, and go to the contact area. And you can fill out a new actor form and just send it because it comes as an email or email me through the website. So you can tell me what you do and all the things you do. And I do search for it, because I will search through there for people. It's the TerriDouglasADRvoicecasting.com I know, it couldn't be longer, but that's my screen credit. It's a long one. So anyway, um, yeah, so actors should really keep checking in there. And sometimes I post now on the website, right now I'm looking for native Colombian-Spanish speakers. So if I try to open up as much as I can to help other people to reach out to talent, that I don't know, that we'd love a chance at doing it, you know, so I will post in there and the casting call area when I am looking for people. But Apex Legends is a great game. And it's a great team that puts that together. And it's really fun to see the challenge as they're growing and growing. And they do more and more and more seasons of it. Alicyn Yeah. And do you find since they are a little bit more of a behind the scenes capacity, have people been flocking to you in droves as well? Or are you kind of flying under the radar? Terri Oh, to be casting for that? Alicyn For Apex. Just the fans that there's so, you know, that there's a lot of fans of the game and I'm wondering, are they finding you out? Not yet? You're like, Ali, don't blow me up. Terri Yeah, I have had people find me they sent me emails that they love to be in the game or, or you know, or other movies, they will find me and send me emails and things I get them from across the world. So it's been interesting. I thought, well, you know, I did that. That was pretty fun. So it's fun when they reach out. It's really great to see fans really love the games, you know, or the other phones or what Alicyn 30 million players or something. Something like, it's mind blowing. Well, I want to save a couple minutes at the end for questions. Do you mind for my Instagram stories, do you mind just saying I'm Terri Douglas, you know, and then please watch Alicyn's Wonderland or something like that just for me. Okay, thank you. Terri Do right now? Alicyn Yeah. Terri I'm Terri Douglas. Please, please, please, watch Alicyn's Wonderland. She's amazing. And I love her. Alicyn Thank you. Okay. Oh, that's so interesting. And please let us know when you, if you are going to offer the virtual loop group because I'd love to share it with people and somebody else was asking do you have an E-blast for workshops? Terri So, I put my announcement for my workshops on my my page. So you can go to TerriDouglasADRvoicecasting.com, so go to the website and under seminars, and that's when I'll post when we'll have one. Right now itt just says there's nothing coming up so so when I get ready to do it, I will put it on there. And there's also a PayPal link there so you can quickly grab a spot. They fill up super fast like within a day so if you are interested in you do see them try to grab one. And I tried to make it very affordable for everyone and not a moneymaker. It's something that I really want people to learn. And if people want to learn they've never done it, they're scared to death, do it anyway. Because this is your area to learn. It's your time. It's your chance. So take it. Alicyn Do you work with children at all, to kids today? Terri I do. I hire kids all the time. So the youngest one I've hired was about two years old. But yeah, but I hire kids all the time. So I'm constantly looking for kids. I have wonderful kid loopers, they do such a great job. They blow me away when they are up at the mic, and the things that come out of their mouth they're so funny. So yes, I use them on a movie Luca for Pixar that's coming out, right? Alicyn Oh, that looks so cute. My son's best friend is Luke named Luca so we're definitely, they will be probably comes out the day graduates from preschool. So I have a feeling we'll be going to see it on opening day. Terri Yes, and I do kid seminars. I'm not sure how to do that virtually yet, but we might do one. But I do do kids seminars. It's a, it's great to get them learning because they really, you need to know what to do when you're on the stage. You can't just show up to a stage and never have looped you need to know how to walk around on this stage of what we do and the terminology and you need to try it, you need to try to voice match someone you know we'll show you a simple principle on screen and have you tried to voice match and put the lines back in or change their voice, and I do it for you Animation characters as well, which is a lot of fun. Alicyn That's so fun. Oh, somebody, Susan, just put a link to your. Terri Oh, thank you very nice. But I promise. Alicyn So we did talk, I mean, most of the questions that are popped into the box, I mean, this is you know, you're not the voice of Poppy on Trolls. Did you have any other fun little characters on Trolls? Trolls is such a fun movie. Were there any Trolls that are memorable? Terri Oh, I've done fun stuff on Trolls, played a ton of little characters in the background from flowers to birds and the card that opens up and emails surprise or whatever it was. But yeah, so I'm kind of all over that place and little characters and funny flowers and you know, really weird sounds and stuff. So that, that movies a riot. It's a lot of fun. Alicyn That's so fun. And then. Okay, so we did talk pretty extensively about how to get into looping. So we're not going to revisit that question. But if you missed we kind of peppered in throughout. So feel free the replay. I'll go ahead and post it afterwards. And you can go and access the replay. Now, we talked a lot about work. But I'm curious to how in this industry, which is, you know, there's no business like show business, how do you keep yourself inspired through the challenges of that pop up? Terri Well, I love what I do, just so it's, it's, I think the love of your craft and the love of what you do. I love the people I work with. I love the people that hire me. They're just so fascinating. And that talent that I hire, you guys are just so much fun to work with. So I think I'm just inspired by, oh, it's a new project, and it's a new experience and new people and coming to the table. And so that's inspiring. For me, I love my home and hanging out with my Tootle pomeranians and my husband and so I try as much as I can. I'm an oil painter. I love to paint and do fun things. And yeah, so yes, I try to do a lot of things I watch, you know, different shows and TV and movies and try to stay informed. Alicyn Yeah, I'm sorry, what was that you cut off a little bit? Terri Oh, I think when you love what you do, each new show is so inspiring that you know, it sparks you to keep going, you know? Keep your own. Alicyn That's beautiful. What kinds of things you like to paint? Terri Oh, yeah, so. I started painting quite a few years ago, I paint like the old master, so I don't paint water, my paint is photorealism. So I'm like a Dutch master with its like adjusted canvas. It's very slick. So like Rembrandt, you know, that type of thing. So painting like the old Dutch masters with the flowers, and my favorite subject is always roses. I don't know why. And I've painted a lot of little kids on the beach, and all sorts of things like that. So I need to find some more time that I can finish my paintings. Sorry, I need to get time to do that. Alicyn Oh, sorry. Terri Like you're like casting at night. So it kind of takes me away from doing the fun stuff a little. Alicyn Got it. Well, you've been so generous with your time. And this has been great to hear all about exactly what it is that you do in the world of ADR casting, and we're so I'm so grateful to have you on the show. Terri Well, thank you, Alicyn. It was fun to chat with you. It was nice to see you. Alicyn I know. It was so good to see you. I hope you have a beautiful day. And thanks, everybody for tuning in live. We'll see you next week for Ryan Crago. Okay. Thanks, Terri. Terri Thank you. Bye bye. Alicyn Bye. Outro Thanks for tuning in to Alicyn's Wonderland, where we explore the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games. Please remember to subscribe and leave us a review. For more episodes of Alison's Wonderland, please visit us at www.AlicynPackard.com. See you next week.