Solarmax20 wrote:I'll talk as loudly as I want now, and I'll be heard. The reason is you're misunderstanding some things about companies and dubbing and how they control our mouths. Just because I was in the original DBZ, doesn't mean I liked it or supported it artistically. We were all frustrated with the old powers that be at Funimation, and for those of you who have never worked in show business professionally, which I would say is, all of you, you may not realize that many companies stance on gag orders is this. "Shut up or be fired."
So...from a completely objective standpoint...what you're saying is you can't be trusted with regards to any positive comments about a show you're currently contractually bound to. I mean, I'm not going to go digging, but I'm
positive you've given interviews and the like wherein you said positive things about DragonBall Z...and now a decade later, give or take, you're pulling a 180 and declaring that your hands were contractually bound.
You can see how this presents a problem, I'm sure.
And BTW, while it may be a safe bet to say the vast majority of us haven't dealt with show business on a professional level, it's
slightly asinine to make a blanket generalization that none of us have. Besides, gag-orders and NDAs extend far beyond show business. I work in the health care industry for instance and I've encountered them quite often with regards to contracts and settlements.
Also, I have a LOT more experience, writing, dubbing, directing and acting in anime than I did when I recorded DBZ the first time. That was my first acting audition. I understand Japanese culture, voice acting, adaptation, the differences between japanese and english significantly more, and, as far as music is concerned I have vast experience in that area, so when I tell you the music will suck, aside from your own subjective experience, I'm pretty qualified to talk about the
suckiness of music or not.
This interests me and I'd love to hear more about it. I've been a musician for 21 years off and on, playing drums and guitar primarily. I'm self-taught and believe I have a good ear, so I'm typically able to discern the good from the bad (and not solely based on technical proficiency, à la Yngwie Malmsteen). While I'm admittedly not a huge fan of your voice over work, I always welcome the opportunity to hear about someone else and their studies/love of music. It would probably help me develop a greater respect for you as a person overall.
Of course to each his own at the end of the day. I will be silent about my opinions no longer. We did the best we could with DBZ with some really really crappy decisions that were made by people, who in my opinion, not only had zero artistic talent and experience, were also trying to appease american audiences to make money because perhaps they thought the Pokemon formula would work for DBZ. If America wasn't so uptight about things and parents didn't allow the tv to babysit their children, perhaps more shows would come the U.S. and be uncut. At the end of the day, I am, and have always been a freelance actor, and just because I work for a company doesn't mean I support their decisions. This is the first time I have supported Funi's decisions publicly, and the staff at Funi is now amazing. It's a completely different company.
Have a nice day.
-Sean Schemmel
Alright, allow me to make a simple counter then.
I appreciate your need to maintain employment and not be outwardly hostile towards FUNimation "back in the day." I fully understand that FUNimation made many poor choices and that you had little or nothing to do with them. I also respect that you have grown as an actor and in fields that correlate to that. I'm happy that you feel you've become more cultured. And yes, America has a strange view when it comes to television and the role it plays in raising children. I agree with you 100%, as I think almost all of us would.
The problem is your approach, in my opinion. You'll note many of your peers who have been in the industry much longer have a decidedly greater amount of couth. I'm not busting your balls but I do feel like you've come out here basically to completely waive any responsibility you had with regards to the old dub, grandstand about how much experience you've gained and how much more knowledgeable you must therefore be than any other member of this community.
And, in all honesty, to me this is the same tone you had ten years ago in interviews and on Planet Namek's website. I think that's my chief concern here. Your experience in a multitude of facets of the industry hasn't served to humble you, but rather to give you ammunition to assert a sort of superiority over the fans you depend on for your livelihood. Maybe it's just me, but that seems...not too bright. And I'm assuming that's why most of your colleagues in the industry don't use the same "nuclear missile to kill a house fly" approach. People who already have some sort of bias against you aren't going to be wooed by an approach like this, if anything you might have people on the fence decide to jump onto the side against you because you come off as arrogant.
After all, remember that your presence here was apparently provoked by a single member who will realistically have no bearing on the overall opinion of how your performance is in this or any other show. Most would see this and realize that his comments will fade in obscurity, save for among those who already shared his opinion. So, why give him more publicity?
I look forward to seeing Kai for myself. Best of luck with this and your future roles.
