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
Hello, hello, happy Wonderland Wednesday. This is Alicyn's Wonderland, the show that takes you through the looking glass into the wild and wonderful world of animation and video games. I'm your host Alicyn and tonight, our guest is Ezra Weiss.
Ezra is currently directing the English dub of Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir. But he is also an established anime voice actor that has been in the game for many years. He's also, fun fact, a marathon coach. So apparently, if you are a marathon runner and need some coaching, you can sign up and get that as well.
So we're gonna dive in and learn all about Ezra, learn all about the skill set you need to become an animation director and learn more about the different shows he's working on. So why don't you guys please join me in welcoming to the virtual stage, as it were, the one and only Ezra Weiss. Ezra, I’m your hype man. I'm your hype (man).
There's a question box in the bottom here. So if you have questions, go ahead and put them in the box. I will do my best to get to them. I know that we have a lot that came in in advance. So thanks to everybody that submitted and (we’ll) do what we can. Ezra!
Ezra
Hey.
Alicyn
How are you?
Ezra
I'm so ready for this. I've been waiting for a long time. Alicyn, I'm a big fan of your podcast. I love so many of the folks that you've interviewed, I look forward to working and I aspire to working with some of the talent that you have interviewed in the past. I think you do an amazing job. And it is an honor to be here. And thank you for including me.
Alicyn
Oh wow, you're just making me blush.
Ezra
Of course.
Alicyn
(It’s an honor) to have you here as well. I mean, first of all, I just got to give a shout out to your TikToks Yeah, because I love the content that you create there, and all the behind-(the)-scenes stuff you do and all the, you really show people inside your world, which I think is so cool. And you do it in a way that is inspiring and down-to-earth. And I just really love it. So thank you for that.
Ezra
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I have, I had a thought even today of, you know, am I, am I an oversharer? I love to share. I really love to share, like a lot of myself with the world. And I think that's one of the reasons why I was really drawn to just being an entertainer and being a performer and being an actor.
And I just like to share. I like to be, I like to be candid, which I have to be careful about sometimes because we are in a business where projects don't want us to be candid. I, I have a very empathetic heart. And if somebody is in need of an ear or in need of companionship, I'm, you know, very willing to be that person.
And I also think that's something that really helps me out in being the director, you know, really listening to where someone might be struggling with the moment to try and work through that. And when social media came around, and I could just take all of these friends with me and share my life with them. I just, you know, started to enjoy doing that more and more and more and more.
Alicyn
Yeah. Well, I mean, I think you're just diving into the meat of the question that is on everybody's minds these days.
Ezra
Oh. Let’s just, although I am a pescatarian, but bring out the meat...
Alicyn
Beef, the social media beef! It's really the bacon, whatever your taste is.
Ezra
Right.
Alicyn
But yeah, I mean, we are especially those of us that are voice actors, directors working on these projects. (Uhm) there is a certain amount of encouragement to be creating content, but how do you do that in a way that doesn't wrap up your ego or get, you know, just get you in a place where you're, you're detached from the true creation of the work.
Ezra
Right.
Alicyn
I think, you know, I've been on both sides of the table where I'm definitely, like, a little more in, like, maybe the oversharing category right now. Like am I annoying people? But I took a 14 month break and that was great too. But you know, if you're off too long, it gets really hard to get back on and...
Ezra
It depends on what you mean by” get back on” truly, because if “get back on” means numbers, followers numbers, then, then that's a difficult thing. Because, you know, as everybody knows, when it comes to social media, it, you need to be consistent. And the other thing they say about social media is you need to have a niche.
You need to be very specific and you need to really, like target and, and work on that. So for instance, this podcast, it's about voiceover. It's about the art and the joy of bringing characters to life through the use of our voice, which obviously, is our entire instrument, not just solely our voice.
But look at your podcast. You do so much more. You bring out a casting director. You bring in voiceover directors. You bring in voiceover actors. You bring in writers that work on, on animation. You have a great deal of, even within this one niche that you have, you have great variety, and I am all about that. I'm all about that variety. And I've never followed those rules of success that they would teach you in a social marketing class, right?
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
(In a) social media marketing class. So if you go to my Instagram page, my Facebook stuff, you will see my family, you will see my professional, you'll see my running, you'll hear stuff about the deep, deep sadness that I'm experiencing, or the crazy wackiness or the frustration of somebody I meet in Trader Joe's. You'll have weird, random snapshots, you know, of being in the post office, or people getting my name spelled incorrectly at Starbucks, which I absolutely love.
And even though I may feign like I'm angry about it, I love it, who cares. So I'm all over the place. And taking a break, a social media break, is super important. Backing off of the attention that you give to something like that is really important. But here's the thing that I really do connect with, and that is the other person watching our content.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I don't feel like it's just my content, and it's like, I'm checking up on my content. Like for instance, if we are gardeners with our social content…
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
I'm only looking at my crops. I'm looking at my garden of crops, but I'm thinking about the person who will be enjoying them later in the salad. Right? So it's not about, “How are my crops doing? Whoa, what are my numbers like”, you know what I mean? “Why isn’t this targeting right? What's wrong with the algorithm? How do I change it? So I can kind of work the wave and surf the numbers? And what's the”, like...
Alicyn
What’s the weather? What are the bugs doing?
Ezra
Right? All that stuff, but I'm like this, “You know what, whenever they eat that salad, I hope they enjoy it. What I'm making here, I just hope you enjoy it”. It's not about micromanaging the content for the numbers. Because if you look on something like Instagram stories, or on TikTok, it goes by so quickly, and we are accustomed to a place. We are artists, Alicyn, where we create something.
We want it to have some version of lasting power, right? We are, we are either in, you know, great animation projects, or working behind the scenes on them as a director, perhaps, or casting director, and we hope that those shows stick around for generations, right? But all of the social media stuff that we, that we create on the daily kind of disappears, and no one will ever find it again, unless they do a deep scroll.
Alicyn
Unless you said something inappropriate, then some, ow.
Ezra
Oh my gosh, there is that. There's definitely that, yes. There's that whole…
Alicyn
But yeah
Ezra
Like you know, fishing out the canceled stuff. So taking a break is super important. I think it makes you a much clearer and appealing artist when you return. And if the numbers come, fine. And if they don't, I think it's important for anybody to recognize that the numbers don't matter as much as you being a creative person.
Real, real quick, I promise I'll be so short on this. There is one amazing, amazing Miraculous Ladybug content creator and super uber fan who lives in Canada. And she had more followers than I had seen anybody have on Instagram, with, you know, all the Miraculous Ladybug craze. And then all of a sudden, they just banned her account and deleted it.
And I felt sick in my stomach for all that work, all that effort that she put in there, and then they just deleted her account. And I gave her words of encouragement like, “All those followers will come back. They'll find you, they'll come back. Or maybe they were a bunch of robot dummy accounts and you don't need them anyway. But you just keep being you and make the stuff that makes you happy.
And then it will just grow back or if it doesn't grow back, it does”. But you just keep being you because you know and I know that if one of our accounts all of a sudden just gets deleted or we wake up one day, you know, and one of these social media platforms gets hacked and it's all gone?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I would feel sad. I would be depressed about it because I'd be like, “No that, all that!”.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
You know, because we do put a lot of creative energy behind what we are making. But she has gotten back on a platform and she's building back her audience the way that she is. And it's not the same numbers, but, you know, I didn't want her to be completely discouraged and depressed.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
So you know, all of it is just, it's just like everything. It's all temporary. It's all out of our control and just live in the moment, and let's enjoy our conversation tonight.
Alicyn
Yeah. Wooo! There you have it, folks. Yeah. And so, I mean, it really is truly a journey and a lesson in impermanence and in the temporal nature of life, right? I mean, it's, it's just how do we stay more present? You know, when you can't get so wrapped up in what you're doing, or checking back in with how things are doing that you're not present in your life? Because I think we've all probably been there, if you're on social media. What am I doing? I'm writing.
Ezra
Yeah, well, for actors…
Alicyn
What am I doing? I’m scrolling.
Ezra
Right?
Alicyn
And then I’ve been there for like…
Ezra
Yeah, and, and but, um, and and as far as actors are concerned, when you submit auditions, I just saw your TikTok, where you spent 45 minutes on an audition. But if you are an actor, and you are obsessing about, “When am I going to get, when will I hear feedback about my audition”. We're not living for the feed(back). Feedback is nice, and sometimes feedback is hurtful. But we don't, we can't be living for the feedback.
If we're living for the feedback and the acceptance, then we are taking a step far away from ourselves as the artist. As an artist, we have got to put ourselves out there for criticism, critique, praise, or nothing. But we just got to keep putting ourselves out there as artists.
And you know, as, as a voiceover person, the ideal life is please just keep giving me auditions. And when they hit, they hit, but I'm not going to be looking at my inbox from my agent to see if I got it or if there's a callback. That's, what kind of life is that? That's the same as just scrolling and looking at everybody else's stuff.
Alicyn
Yeah, you got to just let it go.
Ezra
Let it go. Go! Let it go. Don't hold it back any more! What did you do? Did you kick your own computer desk?
Alicyn
Kicked my iPad
Ezra
Alright, let's get into the juice. Let's take the bacon bite.
Alicyn
Lifted it. So it's funny because that was such an inspirational thing. And I'm, I'm realizing, well, in my research, I figured, I found out, you know. So you teach tai chi.
Ezra
Oh yes.
Alicyn
You're also a marathon coach.
Ezra
Yes
Alicyn
These are both skills kind of help people stay inspired in the long, in the long run. And so can you talk a little bit about your sports background? It's kind of a weird place to start.
Ezra
Yes! Of course. I was not an athlete at all through high school or college.
Alicyn
You know…
Ezra
Not at all, not (boo). Not at all. Nothing. I mean, I liked seeing sports. I was the biggest cheerleader in the bleachers during high school. I, but of course, why was I doing that? Probably to just get a crowd to look at me being the fool in the bleachers. But um not, I don't understand sports. I never really. I still don't understand sports like football. I don't understand hockey at all. I like watching tennis. I think it's fascinating.
I've finally over the past seven or eight years started to chip away at some of the fundamental rules of baseball but I just don't know it like most fans of any sport know. I like to watch it for the drama. I basically figured out you know, okay, if you're, I don't understand how fouls work in basketball. But I understand the points and who's gonna win. I mean, that makes sense to me.
So I was not athletic at all, Alicyn, in high school, I was very, very invested in the theater department, and, and being a performer. And in, and then when I graduated I spent one year at Sarah Lawrence College, and I devoured their theater department, and wanted to transfer to a more, more strict, structured conservatory program.
And I was seeking out places like Juilliard and CalArts or California Institute of the Arts. And I went there and it was nothing but the physical building of an artist, so voice class, speech class, movement class. Tai Chi was included four and a half hours of an acting class every day, a break for dinner and then a three and a half hour rehearsal at night, and it was just that level of stamina and performance. That was the dream. And I learned tai chi there.
Alicyn
Okay
Ezra
I also, you know, like I said, choreography or movement. We had, you know, all semester long, you're learning how to do a dance, but I liked aerobics. That was as athletic as I got, you know, and as sportsy as I got, but
Alicyn
(aerobics) ‘cause it was so bad.
Ezra
Oh my god, it's so much fun. They thought the only thing it, give me just three Zumba classes to catch up and then Zumba is my jam. But at first I'm like, “What are y'all doing? I can't”, you know, and then once I figure it out, I'm like, “Let's go, let's go”. But when I found tai (chi), it was, it just felt like the right fit. I could practice it, I could. It was slow enough, obviously, for me to follow. It was physical enough for me to feel and it was meditative enough for me to expand and explore, like what all of this could mean.
And it truly is something that the longer I have been practicing, the more it has given me. And it is something that I feel as a true gift for my education that has been with me and will never be taken away from me, no matter what happens in this world. I manage a great deal of stress levels, anxiety, with my tai chi, would not medication, just my tai chi and that practice and it is always, always balancing me out.
So I, so I was, so I excelled at tai chi because I would show up early. I was a teacher's pet, I'm still a teacher's pet. I want to show the teacher that I was getting it. And I really wanted to win the teacher’s favor and we had a very good relationship. And by the time I was graduating, my instructor said you're able to teach this. And I'm like, “What?”, and they're like, “Yeah, you can teach it”.
So I just started practicing at Runyon Canyon, there's a(n) abandoned tennis court there. And I would practice there, and people would come and watch me and I'd, you know, invite anybody who, who did not feel intimidated to practice along. And then I continue to, and I think I'm one of the only people from my graduating company that still practices tai chi. And when someone heard that, they recommended me to Occidental College 18 years ago, and I've been teaching there consistently for 18 years. And…
Alicyn
So you teach the college students?
Ezra
I teach college students, yeah. I teach them like I learned and, and the thing is, the thing is, my tai chi class, Alicyn, is from 12:10 to 1:10, on Tuesdays and on Thursdays. And can you imagine, here I am, I'm a director, I've got a project, it's several months long. And then I have to tell, I have to tell the production manager, “Hey, between 12 o'clock and 1:30, I'm gonna have to bail for like a two hour lunch because I have to teach my tai chi class twice a week”.
Oh yay!,My daughter just got into her choir. She auditioned and she just got in. Yay, we’re screaming, yay! Very good, very excited, hooray, hooray. She just is a, you know, a new student in college. So we're very, very excited.
Alicyn
Yay!
Ezra
So, so it has always been a problem to maintain and sustain teaching tai chi. It has always been important to me. And the thing is, as a(n) independent contracting artist like we are, you kinda sometimes have to keep several plates spinning. And teaching tai chi is a gig that pays very, very, very, very little, very, very little, but I love it. And even though it pays little, it pays, and you need any kind of money all the time.
And sometimes little bits of money can pile up to be enough money for a month or for the semester or whatever. So I don't want to say no with the opportunity. But I also really love the work. And it helps me as a director, because when I come back, or if I'm practicing it through the week, like I do, I'm just happier, balanced, calmer, more present, engaging human being to work with and, and that's of value I can't put any money on.
Alicyn
That's so great that you both recognize that and put it into action. You know, because there's a lot of things in life sometimes. It's easy to see it on paper. Oh yeah, if I get up super early every morning, I'm a much more balanced person. And then we get in grooves where, yeah.
Ezra
Yeah.
Alicyn
Do you have any advice or wisdom that maybe your tai chi or your running for people that find they've gotten off track? Any words of inspiration?
Ezra
I do have. It's a very, very simple, simple lesson. But we always make this mistake in our lives. And we, we try to, whenever we're in a new situation, even if it's a new job and you're working with new people, right? You want to show them how good you are right away. Right? And you may not be ready to be that good, as good as you want to be, as good as your mind says. We've, we hear so many quotes and podcasts and speeches from motivate, motivational talkers that like, “If you get it in your mind, you can do it, you should do it and you”, and they're absolutely right.
And I do not take away their message. But I feel like their intensity behind the message pushes us to try and do something before we are ready. And when we do that, we make some big mistakes. So I always try to instill, go slow until you know, and I don't mean to make it rhyme, it's just coming out the way it is right now, right? But go slowly until you know. And then once you know with confidence, then you can pick up pace.
Think of it as you're trying to learn a new dance choreography, right, and someone's showing you the moves, and you don't know it. And it takes time for your brain to tell your body what to do. But you are trying so hard to like, show that you know it, and you miss a step and you twist your ankle, and now you're out.
Because you went too fast, too soon, and now you made a mistake. If you go fast, you make a mistake. So try not to go so fast so soon. And then, you know, and then other things will come your way. But we're, we’re very, we're seeking that recognition that we're good at it already. So that's one thing.
Now in terms of running, Alicyn, when I was engaged to my beautiful wife, Sabrina, I had so much energy, and the wedding was planned. And we were getting married in New Jersey and living in California, and I did not know what to do with myself. And I wanted to take an aerobics class, because that's the only physical stuff outside of tai chi that I would do. And the gym was under, you know, construction. And I couldn't work out and I was bummed.
And I was in my running, I was in my workout clothes. So when I got back to the house, I parked the car. I'm like, “What am I going to do with my? Do I wash my running, my clothes? I just put them on, but I didn't work out. But they're my like workout clothes, like, What do I do? I can't take them off until they're gross, because that's what workout clothes are for”. So I just said, “Screw it”, and I ran as far as I could go, which was three or four blocks. And I was out of breath. I turned around and I ran back and I'm like, that kicked my butt. I'm gonna do that again tomorrow. And then I started to build that up. And then over the course of the years, I started to get motivated by races and then motivated by metals, which are hanging back there, some of them.
And then I just started to love how pushing my body in a slow and steady way would give me a community of beautiful people, a feeling of success and accomplishment, something that also belongs to me. And that's how I got involved with being a marathon runner.
Alicyn
Yeah, and it's funny. (Do) you teach with a running group?
Ezra
I do, with a group called the Pasadena Pacers in Pasadena, California.
Alicyn
I wasn’t sure if you wanted to share that or not?
Ezra
Yes, of course, I am their half marathon coach. It is a free running club, so anybody is welcome to join. Go to pasadenapacers.org for all that information. I'm their half marathon coach, and the year that led up to the very start of our world closure and the pandemic, I was their marathon coach.
So I was the coach all through the 2019 up to March 2020, Los Angeles marathon coach, and this year, I'm a Los Angeles marathon ambassador. Well, that means I'm sort of representing the city of Los Angeles and the demographic that might be like an older dude who is not an athlete, who's not all about, you know, sort of being cut and being fast and their PRs. I'm just a guy who loves to run. So I guess I represent the demographic of that. That is, you know, just some guy here who (is) sharing his love of running with anyone else who's training for or thinking about running the LA marathon.
And you know, they expect me to do posts and they expect me to do Instagram lives like this. And I have a photoshoot on Wednesday with some apparel and some sneakers from ASICS. So it's all exciting. It feels like I'm a little bit of a sports person, but not really.
Alicyn
Yeah, I think you can call yourself an athlete at this point.
Ezra
I don't know. I would never ever call myself an athlete.
Alicyn
I actually ran a marathon many years ago, but did the whole, I wasn't, it wasn't the Pacers. It wasn’t. Is there another one? No, it was Team In Training.
Ezra
Team In Training for leukemia and lymphoma, amazing organization.
Alicyn
And a yeah, it was really fun and inspiring. And you know, took it from zero to like, running a marathon, which was...
Ezra
Yeah, good for you.
Alicyn
And I thought it would be…
Ezra
It's hard. It's hard. That's why I like to do it because it's very difficult.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah. I mean, so much of it is the mental game. As it, as it is as a performer. So you were saying, so you ended up at that college? Did you say it was California…
Ezra
Oh, Cal Arts. Yeah, I went to the California Institute of the Arts, and then got my bachelor's in acting.
Alicyn
Wow.
Ezra
I have a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in uh, I don't know, even if it's, maybe it's theater. I don't remember what the title is. Probably theater.
Alicyn
And so you graduate and you're in, and then you just end up like stay in Los Angeles to be an actor.
Ezra
Yes Alicyn, that's right. I'm originally from New Jersey. So my whole family's in New Jersey. I'm the only one who really, the sort of pioneer who came out to the west coast all by himself, which was kind of scary and exciting at the same time.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
But I felt a lot of love. I felt like I was so absorbed. I mean, I had so much love absorbed in me from my family that I felt okay. I felt like it was something I could. So I did it, it did it. And I also had a really wonderful girlfriend at the time. And we were just trying to figure it out, we were going to be actors together. And I auditioned for a lot of different shows. One of the first, one of the first television appearances I had was on America's Most Wanted, which was very exciting.
Alicyn
I had a (coach). I’m just getting my...
Ezra
Of course
Alicyn
(My) air conditioning. Whoo, it’s hot in here.
Ezra
Yeah
Alicyn
That’s (a) bit funny.
Ezra
Yeah, yeah. I booked, who knows, I don't know. I know that I think I died in a garage because I remember the garage scene. And then I did a bunch of...
Alicyn
Internet, do your thing.
Ezra
That's right. Find me, find me. I also, I've also always been very passionate about improvisation. That has always, ever since high school, that has always been my thing. I love every kind of version of improvisation.
Alicyn
Uhuh.
Ezra
And I think it's instrumental in your work. It's instrument(al). It's, it's, it's basically like, I mean, as an artist, it's like, “Here's a canvas and here's just a bunch of paints. What are you going to do with it?”
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
Right? Or, “Here's a room with a whole bunch of toys, what are you going to do with it?” Except you have to, as an improviser, know that all of those things live in here, right? And it's not in front of you, for you to take iand to use. But it's all here. So anything is possible. And if you have a playmate who says, “Yes, anything is possible”, then you're going to have the greatest play date ever, which is what my life has always been when I have a good friend.
Someone who says yes to my ideas, and I say yes to their ideas, and we support one another, and we get silly, and we just play make believe. And that's what improv has been. And then it became a little bit more theatrically formal. But it started from when I was a child, and that's how I've always, I've always kept that level of play. And I also teach that level of play.
So I was doing a lot of improv, taking a lot of classes and teaching a lot of classes in LA. And then all of a sudden, my agent was like, “I've got all of these, you know, improv audition shows”, like there was a show called Joe Schmo, The Joe Schmo Show, right? And, and that was like a, it was a reality show, but only one person knew that it was, the only one person was real. Everybody else was improvised actors, right?
So I started to do a lot of shows that were like that, pilots that were like that. And I just started to really get known as being one of the improv guys that would go out for different commercials that were looking for improvisers which they still look for. They want somebody who's quick to think and kind of make up some dialogue. That's a good sort of tag at the end of a commercial or free to riff and to sort of be yourself, and it's a super important. And I still love teaching, I teach improv, two classes almost every week, to adults and to teenagers and to kids.
Alicyn
I did not...
Ezra
On Zoom right now. Oh yes, yes.
Alicyn
Wow.
Ezra
If, if you, yeah yeah. Well, here's the thing you should look up if you want to find an improvised group that I am a founding member of. It's called The Doubtful Guests.
Alicyn
The Doubtful Guys?
Ezra
Guests, guests. That's the four of us. There's four of us. So it is Todd Stashwick, Jason Ades, Sabrina Weisz, and myself. And we are, we died in a terrible brothel fire in 1888. And as ghosts, we are condemned to perform for eternity when an audience shows up.
Alicyn
Oh my god.
Ezra
So when we perform, we perform in the style of what you would expect around the time that we died.
Alicyn
That style of improv, you know.
Ezra
That style of improv with a little bit of contemporary fusion. There's music, there's dance, all of it is improvised. And there's plenty of videos on YouTube to see but I will warn any of your, yourself or your viewers. It is a dirty show. It is what you would call blue in the industry, meaning like it's adult content. It's raunchy, there is a lot of, there’s a lot of 18+ humor there. So...
Alicyn
For grown-ups?
Ezra
Yes, for grown-ups. That's right. So yeah, I love, absolutely love improvisation. It's a huge part of my life.
Alicyn
And you get to work in a play with your wife a lot too, which is pretty amazing.
Ezra
Absolutely, yes. When we get to do that show, it is so much fun to work together like that. It's also, it's a nice feeling to share those pre show jitters that kind of last the week prior to the performance with another person so that you know it, when I do audience warm up for television shows, which for me is a great deal of improvisation.
Alicyn
Yeah, oh wow!
Ezra
Days leading up to a show, I'm a nervous wreck. I mean, I just, you know, I got so many things going in my mind, how is it going to go like how will I get there on time? What if I leave the studio where I'm directing the voiceover to get over there. I have to make sure that I've got all my clothes and my, my bag of gear that I (have). All that stuff. I just start to like checklist in my mind, then I do tai chi and calm all the way down.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ezra
Then, and then I, I, perform the evening of audience warm-up for about three hours or so. And then I come home relieved, relaxed, exhausted, and content.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
And it's a wonderful, wonderful rush. It really is. The whole buildup to the moment, to it’s success. And then to the denouement and relaxing. It's really wonderful.
Alicyn
You have so much energy.
Ezra
But yeah.
Alicyn
It’s incredible.
Ezra
I like to stay busy, I truly do. My father was very much a passionate worker, although he was a businessman and dealt with numbers, but I saw his work ethic.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
And I also saw how he worked too much. So I'm trying to find balance in that regard, so that I don't overwork myself, so I can enjoy my family, I can enjoy my own quality of living, I can enjoy time with friends, and time with you and other you know, moments like this. And time for myself is with also my followers. I find that to be really relaxing and enjoyable when I have lives that I just kind of jump on and sort of share with each other.
Alicyn
Yeah. Awwww! Well, thank you for your time. We appreciate that.
Ezra
Of course.
Alicyn
The audience warm-up, so you’re, you're the warm-up comic on all that. And…
Ezra
That’s right
Alicyn
So how, can you tell us a little bit about that process? That seems so interesting.
Ezra
Yes, I'm happy to share it. It's a very weird job. A lot of people hate it. They think they feel like a comedian is the right person for it. Because you're supposed to make people laugh. You warm up their laughter and you get them used to being where they are, they sort of walk into a studio.
And not only is the studio literally cold, but it's a bunch of strangers sitting with each other. And you want to make them feel a little more comfortable or warm-up the environment. So that when it's time for the sitcom, they're laughing at the jokes. They're not like judging it or distant or, you know, sort of shut off from the experience.
So I am a person who, when I do the job, I really do act the fool. I'm very much like I am on my Instagram sometimes or on any of my stories where I like to engage directly. I”m never ever mean. I don't like being mean, I don't think teasing is a fun way to get laughs out of an audience.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
I think if anything, it makes them on guard like, “Oh, no, don't come here and tease me”. So I always am the one to be teased. I do silly dance moves, which are my real dance moves. They're just silly. I like to create a big, like, I'm like a big party entertainer, like at a wedding or at a bar mitzvah or quinceañera. I'm like that guy to sort of wake up the spot. And I've got a great DJ, and I just try to get interaction, you know, I try to get interaction with the audience. So they feel like this evening belongs to them, which it truly does.
They are the audience. They're super important. And they're excited to be in Hollywood and watch the taping of one of their favorite shows. So I want them to feel special. And that is my purpose.
The show is not about me, the show is about them enjoying that show. And as a professional, the show on my, on, you know, my standpoint, the show is all about the actors, the writers, the producers having a successful taping of the episode that they've worked all week long on.
So I don't want to be too entertaining, because then when the bell rings, and it's time to record, the audience might go like, “Ezra’s show is over right now”. And if they hear that, then everybody on the floor goes, “They like that guy more than us right now?”.
Which you know has happened. You have to learn where the balance is. Likewise, sometimes I'll just step back a little bit and I'll be like, “Okay, let the show do its thing. That's what they're here for”. And they'll be like,”Ezra, come on, get them going a little bit more”. I'm like, “okay”. It's a very difficult, it's a very difficult job, Alycin. It's a very showbiz job. I absolutely love it. I love it.
It fuses everything that I do, performing, being in Hollywood, improvising, making people happy, and having a wonderful time and feeling rewarded by a producer, saying, “That guy's kickin ass up there”. So I love the job so much.
Alicyn
Aww, wow. Yeah, I bet you're amazing at it. Now see, I have to go to a taping of all that.
Ezra
A taping all that up. Uh but I mean, some of your followers may know the Selena Gomez show on Disney Channel, Wizards of Waverly Place, or Demi Lovato had a show, Sonny with a Chance. I warmed up those shows. Austin & Ally’s a Disney Channel show I worked on. I also worked on Cristela on ABC. I've worked on Man with a Plan which is a CBS show.
Alicyn
I worked on that one.
Ezra
All these different shows. You did?
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
There's lots of, lot of fun and they have different warm-up people that they bring in or you know, I was not there.
Alicyn
Okay.
Ezra
I wouldn't know if you were there. I was not there that night, because it was a season finale show.
Alicyn
Oh my gosh, that's amazing. I was, I was a toy called Purr Baby. Purr...
Ezra
Were you a real person or did they use your voice for the toy?
Alicyn
Just my voice, microphone.
Ezra
Yeah. Yep, yep, yep, I totally know how you did it. But you were on set, off to the side.
Alicyn
I was on set, but then they wanted me to stay. So I was like, “Yes”.
Ezra
Did they introduce you?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I mean, while you were doing it, or just at curtain call?
Alicyn
I got to see the crowd and take a bow.
Ezra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, curtain call for sure. But while you were to, see if you were there, I’d be like, “Oh my gosh! Ladies and gentlemen, Alicyn Packard's here. She's doing the voice. Hey!”. I’d be like, “Allison, come over here”. And you'd come up and you'd be like, “Hi!”. I’d be like, “Alicyn! Oh, my gosh, do you know that Alicyn does so many voices? Or do you know the…” What is it, the happy people, what were the, the people one? What's the people show called?
Alicyn
The Mr. Men (Show)
Ezra
The Mr. Men Show! Right, right, right, right. And then you know, I would, I would allow you to show yourself off. And you'd be like, “Wow, this is so fun”. And they are, the audience, they would be like, “Wow, this is so great”. We're like, we're getting exposed to so many wonderful like Hollywood things, right?
And if someone like Alicyn is not doing the voice, then I'll be like, “Look at this camera operator! You know, this camera operator used to work on All in the Family”. And then the older people like, “Wow”. I mean, they're just impressed by people who work in the industry, you know?
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
‘Cause we've all touched shows that mean something to everybody.
Alicyn
Yes, yeah.
Ezra
Which, which, you know, it's crazy that we work on shows like Mr. Men or Miraculous Ladybug, that touches an audience that say, you know, “You, you lift my spirits, you help me escape, you distract me from X, Y, or Z”. And, or “It's a special show. It's my comfort show. It means so much”.
Alicyn
Yeah, it's amazing. And there's so much magic, you know? Even on days where it can feel like a grind. It's like all we have to do is have a conversation like this that lifts you up and reminds you how one in a million even, this career even is.
Ezra
Right, that’s right.
Alicyn
(And) how lucky we are to be.
Ezra
We are. Now I see we have 37 followers that are watching live right now.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
I want those 37 followers. Yes, I see you. I want you to share this live. Let's see if we can double it. Oh, because we're gonna be talking about other things now.
Alicyn
Yeah, it's time.
Ezra
It's time, people. Share the live. Let's go! It's gonna jump off right now. It's time to do this.
Alicyn
Get everybody (here).
Ezra
Let's go. I wish I had my, wish I had my cosplay. Where's my cosplay? I need my, I need my mask.
Alicyn
I don’t…
Ezra
I mean, I have to find it. It's in my son's room, of all places. But I don't want to, I don't want to step away for three minutes to find it and then come back.
Alicyn
Yes, yeah, yeah. Maybe he'll watch, maybe he's watching the live if you're, if you're on there.
Ezra
He's not, he's not even in the house. He's not even in the house. He's doing homework with his friends. Yeah, give me my Miraculous Ladybug mask. That, that's a hard sentence for me to say quickly.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
Yeah,
Alicyn
So uh, yeah, I mean, I know there's a lot of different questions that came in. And we talked a little bit. So you're a voice director on Miraculous Ladybug?
Ezra
Yep
Alicyn
What, what is that like? What are your tasks for directing, voice directing, the show?
Ezra
I'm gonna give you the inside track. Alicyn. This is what happens. As the voiceover director for a show that gets dubbed from French into English, I get to see the episodes first.
Alicyn
Whoa
Ezra
And so you would think I would get to see the scripts first, right? But I don't get to see the scripts first, I get to see the episodes first. And very often, the show is in like hot demand for more episodes, the fans want more and more and more. So when I see an episode, I see (it) partially rendered. Sometimes, it's even an animatic or it's just a little sketches, right? And sometimes I'll see characters that don't have their hair on yet. It's just like they're bald, rigging characters, you know. So I see it in a really raw form. I watch it.
As I'm watching it, I am freaking out because I know that the fans of the show are going to freak out when they see this episode. Very often, I'll see if there's new characters, and then I have to do the casting for those new characters. I think about who are the actors that would best voice this particular character. And then it's time to, then I receive a recording schedule. And it's usually three or four days in a row, three or four days back-to-back, jam-packed with actor schedules.
And it is a grind to get it all done. When we record, we work with a system that's very much like karaoke, and maybe you've worked with its, you may have worked with something called VoiceQ, where it scrolls on the bottom. But we work with a very, it's a very French system. It's called your Rythmo Band. And it scrolls on the bottom and the actors preview the scene so they see the scene that they're going to do, and then we roll the scene again and now their script is rolling on the bottom, and they get to read their script while they're acting in the scene.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
As the scene happens in real time. And the reason I mentioned that, for anybody who's kind of curious, when you do traditional dubbing, you will do usually like one line at a time, or maybe two lines at a time, but you won't act the full scene out. And I think what really helps Miraculous Ladybug out is Cristina Vee, who's the voice of Ladybug and Marinette.
She's, and who was a past guest on your Alycin’s Wonderland show. Yes, she gets to act the whole scene out. And I feel like that really adds a lot of life and heart and character to the overall production. And all of the characters do that. I'm just using Cristina as an example.
And then we'll do that scene, maybe we'll do it again, maybe we'll try a different choice. I'll say, “Here's what's happening in this episode”, because Christina and Bryce, and Keith, all of the actors that are in the show, they don't get to see the episode in advance.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
Sometimes they do get the script, but it's not your traditional script where it gives you you know, like background information and a set up. It's just raw dialogue. So sometimes, based off (of) raw dialogue, you don't really know what's going on.
So when they're seeing it, they're seeing it for the first time. And if we're in the beginning of an episode, and I know where the episode is going, because that's the work that as a director I need to do. I'll say, “Alright, listen, Marinette is going to find out or she's going to make a terrible mistake later. I really want you to emphasize this moment in your dialogue, so that it kind of sticks when they hear it”. And then it pays off later. And she's like, “Oh oh, okay, okay. All right”. And you know, they have to trust me for moments like that. And then later, they’re, “Oh great”.
Or even, even later on, Cristina would be like,”Can we go back and do that moment, because I really now I get it. Now I see the whole arc of what we're doing”. So I get to do that. A lot of my work is get out of the way, because everybody is so talented. I let them always, I let them always find it first themselves.
I'll say, “Here's what this episode is about. So so-and-so’s best friend gets their feelings hurt for this reason, and all of a sudden Hawkmoth akumatizes them, and then they destroy Paris, and the whole formula of the show, and then that's over, right.
Throughout the formula of the show, we also find out like a little bit more character development, right? Like, like, for instance, you lied to your best friend, and your best friend's feelings are really hurt about that. And you guys have to sort of have an honest moment with each other, like a real friend moment at the end.
And like, and that's what the episode’s about, like, “Okay, great”. And then they jump in and they do it, now maybe give a little bit of a direction. A lot of the time, Alicyn, I'll say stuff like, “the lip-sync isn't matching, you're going too fast or too slow in this moment”.
Alicyn
Yep.
Ezra
So just adjust your pace, but everybody is so talented. For the most part that, for them, for the, meaning like their, their acting is there.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
It's just the technical part that we sometimes have to realign.
Alicyn
Of course
Ezra
And then that's the job. And then I'll watch back, to back the episode or I'll work with the the editor engineer and say, “Alright, let's move this a little bit here or there”. But again, they're very, very skilled at what they do. I just have to sit back and let them do their work. So it's, sometimes it's just leading the way, you know. It's sort of saying, “I'm here for you”.
And sometimes, if I, if we're working together, Alicyn, and we've had a history with each other already of working together for a while, and we're all past the pleasantries, right? “I'm so happy to work here, and I'm so happy to work here”.
And we start to share some real stuff like, “You know, I'm really stressed because my pet is at the vet right now, and I don't know what they're going to find”. And I can see that you are preoccupied with that. And I can see that that lays heavy on your heart. I will stop our work, and we will talk about that. Because I don't want you to feel like that needs to be suppressed.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I want you to be a person. And if there's something that's bothering (you) that you need to speak on, let's sit and talk about that. And then once that's out of the way and you feel lighter and better, you'll enjoy doing your work more instead of having to hold back the, you know. It's, it's not that you're leaving it at the door. It's that you're pushing it inside of yourself, right? Leaving your woes at the door? It depends on what they are. “Oh, I can't make carpool on time”. “All right”, that's one woe.
The other woe is” I'm really bothered because I just found out some bad news about a relative somewhere else and I can't be there with them now”. So let's talk about that for a little bit. And as a director, and as a human being, I'm really very much there. And we have beautiful, sensitive, at times, cast and fascinating lives. And it's really important that we check in with each other and connect, and then do our work. And then we all have a great time with it.
Alicyn
I, I love that.
Ezra
Yeah, I love it too. That's always been very special, very, very special for me. The other thing that I'll do and then we'll go to the next question is I will, in your headphones while you're in the booth, I will do the other dialogues so you are responding to somebody?
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
Like I’ll always set it up so you’re responding. It's all about “acting is reacting”. So I want you to know why you're saying what you're saying. And I can deliver those lines because I know the episode now. Deliver those lines the way they're going to be delivered when the actor comes in in a couple of days. And it also helps when all those components are now put together. It really does flow like dialogue should.
Midtro
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
Interesting. And so, and then..
Ezra
Right?
Alicyn
(When) one character is recorded, do they then appear in the..?
Ezra
Yes, once. Yeah, once your lines are done, I don't speak them anymore. They play off of you. But if you're the first person to record on a Monday morning, and it's a brand new episode, and there's nothing there, and you have a scene?
Alicyn
Yeah?
Ezra
I am doing those voices for you. Unless you say “That's really distracting, I don't need that”. And I'll respect that.
Alicyn
Look, Ezra, please...
Ezra
One person, one person has done that.
Alicyn
One person?
Ezra
One person was like, “I don't want (ya)”. Everyone else is like, “Wow, this is really great. Thank you”. Because it's just, it allows you to use your artistic intuition to respond.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah, 100 percent. And then you can…
Ezra
Gets the performance there faster.
Alicyn
And that's even, I mean, the karaoke style. I've only worked on a couple dubs that were like that karaoke style where it’s coming, in your lines a different color than that one. Is it like (that)?
Ezra
Yeah, yeah.
Alicyn
I don't know if it's the exact same system. But it really…
Ezra
Yeah
Alicyn
There's something about that where you can really be in the moment because you're, you're not worried about the script.
Ezra
Right.
Alicyn
And getting the reactions, then you can just respond as you would as per real life. It's pretty...
Ezra
Correct, correct.
Alicyn
So yeah.
Ezra
Yeah, you can act it, you can act it. A lot of voiceover people don't realize when it's dubbing,..
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
It's technical. It's really technical. You got to match lip flaps. You got to try to start and stop at the same time and you're by yourself usually. You can't dub with other people around you. It's just, you know, you've got to just do that one isolated track.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah.
Ezra
So it's really technical and it takes a while. And that's why I say go slow until you know and then you'll be able to go fast. So don't beat yourself up with like, “Ah, I'm screwing up”, because you just keep hitting your head against the wall especially when you see that band go by. I always say it's like that I Love Lucy episode where Lucy's working at the Chocolate Factory and has to wrap the candies, right? Once it starts to go fast, chaos happens.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
And it's hilarious, but it's not for Lucy who's experiencing it. It's panic.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
So you know it can just kind of keep coming at you, keep coming at you and you will just start to suffocate and panic. So it's good to go slow and regulate yourself, know how to do it, and then you'll pick up pace to being a pro.
Alicyn
Amazing, yeah. And so, I mean, you, you've also have worked on the other side of things as an anime voice actor on so many different projects. In particular, people were curious about hearing, well let's, we'll get there actually later. Like what time is it? 8:50 already, by the way.
Ezra
Who cares? We're having a great time.
Alicyn
Okay. Let's stick with Miraculous for now. Yeah, so what is the, what is your average day then, like when you are doing a record?
Ezra
As a, my average day in general as a director is I like to wake up between somewhere 5 and 6 in the morning. When I'm healthy and strong, I'll go out for about a three mile run or so. Then I'll come home, I'll have my always the same breakfast of coffee and toasted waffles with peanut butter and honey.
Alicyn
No way.
Ezra
I'll get our kids via, always every morning, every morning. I will get the kids ready for school, although one’s in college now but I still have Jacob who's home and has my Miraculous Ladybug mask. I get him ready for school and then I'll take him to school. We leave the house around 8:50 or so of, 7;50. I drop him off at school and then I drive to the studio which allows me to get there about a half hour before 9 o'clock so I have time to settle, look over, connect with an engineer, connect with, you know.
I speak to my wife, “How is drop off? how are things going?”, or she's still asleep and I won't even bother. Now it's, has the dog been fed and walked and pooped and all that stuff.
And then, and then nine o'clock. It's usually 9 o'clock to 1 o'clock. We work for our block, then it's an hour lunch, then it's 2 o'clock to 6 or sometimes 2 o'clock to 8 o'clock depending on the schedule. And then, and then it's done. Come home, dinner, maybe, and then, and then maybe a little bit of television. But Alicyn, if I'm sitting down…
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
Watching television, I'll fall asleep. At night, I'll just be like, “Uhh, goodnight”. And then I like to go to bed somewhere between 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock. And of course, throughout all of that, I'm jumping on my phone and you know, posting up a little bit of this or a little bit of that. And then if it's a night where I have (an) audience warm-up, I'll work until about 3 in the afternoon. And then I'll drive over to one of the sound stages, right? One of the studio lots. And then the show usually starts at 5, and the show is usually done by 10.
Alicyn
Oh my God, that's a long day.
Ezra
It's a long day, yeah, it's a long day. And I'll usually get there and take a power nap of about 10 minutes or so. And then have a hot cup of tea and get ready to go.
Alicyn
That's exciting. You are living the dream, though.
Ezra
I do and I do that. I feel really, really lucky. And my family knows that those particular kinds of days, even though they don't see me much, are days that, you know, I that, I really value. And you know, they're happy for me.
Alicyn
And so you started on the voice acting side of things. You've done...
Ezra
I did.
Alicyn
Well and, and started doing a lot of voice acting. How did you then segue from the acting side to the directing side?
Ezra
Right. So after CalArts, I was doing an outdoor play, big family free theater, comedy, silly. And a producer and voiceover director for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was in the audience and said to me, “Hey, you've got really funny, you were really funny, and your voices were silly and funny and all filled with all kinds of accents”.
He's like, “Do you do voiceover?”, and I lied, and I said, “Yes’. And he's like, “Well, great. I, you know, do Power Rangers and here's the number, and call this person and we'll book you for, you know, guest monster”. So I started to do voiceover work that way.
Alicyn
Wow.
Ezra
And that sort of lasted about three or four years like that, just doing one job after another job. And it was not a dedicated profession. It was, I was working a day job. And whenever I would get a gig, which was twice a week maybe, I would arrange, you know, the two or three hours to go and do the job, and then come back and do my normal work. My day job, my muggles job, which I hated.
Alicyn
What was that, by the way?
Ezra
I worked for (1-)800-dentist. I was a(n) operator at (1-)800-dentist.
Alicyn
Hey...
Ezra
So, if you, yeah. It's still, still performing, still working with people because people would call me. I wouldn't call you. And still being very helpful, (I) found people a dentist. It was a great fit for me. I got full time benefits for part time pay (and) for part time hours, and very, very, very flexible schedule and on a call floor with other actors. So we were all covering one another's work whenever someone booked a job.
And then, you know, I started to work regularly at this one studio. And the studio director said, you know, “We have this project. Are you interested in being the voiceover director for it?” And I was like, “Hold on a second”. I mean, I was directing theater and sketch comedy and you know, little film shorts, but I was, I don't know about directing voice. It's different. You know, you're, there's a console, you're on the other side of the glass. I'm not working with a person the way I'm used to. I'm not on my feet. I'm not in the sun. It's a dark (place). It's different for me, you know?
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah.
Ezra
So I said no, and he's like, “I think you'd be really good at it. You should consider it”. I was like, “Okay, I'll try it”. I'm all about saying yes, certainly yes to opportunities. So I said yes. And that's how I started doing that voiceover directing. The project was a success. It had difficult talent behind it.
Danny Bonaduce from the Partridge Family was one of the voices and another actor who was very, very famous in soap operas. His name is Jack Scalia, and he was another one of the voices. And they were temperamental, and they were sort of Hollywood like don't, you know, careful around them and I got along with them well, and they enjoyed doing the work even though they hated having to do the work. But I made it pleasant.
Alicyn
Uhuh, hmmm.
Ezra
So the studio director noticed all of that. I was on time. I was prepared. I didn't create any conflict. If anything, I resolved it. And, and then he just gave me more projects so I started (to) direct a couple of different anime from them, a couple of live action movies. Then that took me to another studio which is Dubbing Brothers.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
And they, they had (a) beautiful major motion picture, foreign motion pictures that were going to be, you know, Academy Award nominees from Sony Pictures Classics, and it was Curse of the Curtain. I forgot already. Curse of the Golden Flower, which was the same studio that did Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I mean this beautiful big epic, you know, dub. I did an anime, an anime movie called Paprika. I worked on another movie called (The) Sky Crawlers. And again, not entirely abandoning my work at (1-)800-dentist yet.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah
Ezra
Because it's just, they're just jobs. Jobs will happen and then they're done. It's just like being involved in a play, right? Like even the original cast of Hamilton, they're like, “Well, I know I'm not doing this forever. I gotta find another gig when this is up, no matter how great it is”, right? So, so it was, it just worked like that until it got to a place and even still, I find myself with big pockets of time with no voiceover, directing work.
And voiceover acting work is even harder to come by, because there's smaller increments of time that you have to string together. If you look at it like this, (as) a voiceover director, I know I'm involved on a project. Tthat's like a big piece of penne macaroni, right? On the, on the macaroni necklace.
Alicyn
Okay.
Ezra
(It’s) a big chunk of time, right?
Alicyn
Uhuh.
Ezra
You, you might be just like one little cranberry for a voiceover session of two hours. Right? I know that I'm gonna be working on a movie, dubbing a movie for seven days, seven work days, and I’m like, “Great seven work days, that's great”. That's income. That's, you know, focus. But if I'm a voice actor on that movie, I might work six hours, six hours instead of 56 hours, you know?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
So I started to think like, maybe I'll put a little bit more investment in getting the directing jobs. And I started to really enjoy being a part of working with all of these amazing people all day long.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
And then the final product is something I'm incredibly proud of, because of everyone's great work that's in it. But I do get jealous of voice actors that say, “I'm the voice of”, and everyone goes, “Oh my gosh, I love the voice of. I love that character”. I'm like, “Hey wait, I direct(ed) it”. And then (they’re) like, “We don't care about you”. And I agree.
Alicyn
True!
Ezra
Great, not. Definitely true. Alicyn. Like nobody is interested in anybody who directed anything. They're interested in, “I'm the voice of.”
Alicyn
Huh, much…
Ezra
And then you go, “Oh, my gosh, you're the voice of”. It's much more, you know, you can identify with that, and relate to that and connect with that. But, you know, that's, that's, that's sometimes some of the stuff that I'm kind of like, “Hey, I wanna. It would be nice to have a role that's recognizable, maybe in a series”, but that's not where I invested my time and my energy.
Alicyn
Manifesting that too for you.
Ezra
Yes, I manifest. I manifest that. But I, what I have achieved are the things that I have manifested.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
What I just shared with you, is a vulnerable truth. That's like, I also, you know, it would be nice if I was, you know, known as that guy.
Alicyn
I think it's gonna happen.
Ezra
All right. I'm ready. I've had experiences already in the past. I mean, I can say.
Alicyn
Yeah, exactly.
Ezra
I can say, “Have you seen this show?”, or “Do you watch that series?”, or “I'm the voice of this”, or “I’ve done that”, and they're like, “Oh, wow”. That's kind of nice.
Alicyn
Yeah. And you are, I mean, you do get to see the project all the way through. And what is it been like working on a project like Miraculous where the fandom is just so huge? I mean, was that a new experience for you?
Ezra
It was a new experience. It was a, it was a, it was, at it, it’s? It's now a new experience for me. At first, it wasn't a new experience for me. At first, I was very familiar with being involved in a show and that show had a big audience. I'd already been familiar with that.
Alicyn
Yeah, yeah.
Ezra
But then the show grew bigger than that experience. The audience grew bigger than that experience that I had already had. At first it was, excuse me, I was very, very surprised when I went to an anime convention. I went to Animé Los Angeles, one of my favorite anime conventions, and it's local for us. And I saw a cosplayer dressed as Miraculous Ladybug. And I flipped. Oh, I ran. I have pictures of it.
So I ran over to her. I'm like, “Oh my gosh, you're dressed as Miraculous Ladybug. What are you doing here?”. You know, that kind of thing. And she’s (like), “I love the show. And I loved it when it was, you know, original, like, there was an anime treatment of it”. And she's like, “I just love the character”. And I said, “I’m the director of the show.” And she's like, “What?”, I (was) like, “Yeah”, she’s like, “Oh, my gosh, I just, can get a picture of you?”. I'm like, “Yes, you kidding? Can I get a picture with you? Right?
And then as the years have rolled out, it has just grown more and more and more and more. And I, I just, I can't believe you know, the audience, the global audience that it has. Now it was always much bigger in every other country.
Alicyn
Oh wow.
Ezra
Except for America. It's, I mean like Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Germany. Huge hit, like unbelievable hit, right?
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
And I'm like, “Oh okay, well I'm glad everyone else is enjoying it”. That's not even our version. It’s not even the English version of it, but I'm super proud of the show's success. But now it's really growing with popularity here in North America. And I found out from the fans, it was because of COVID. People were locked up in their house. They were streaming things and at that point, now we had three seasons of a show that someone can binge.
Alicyn
Right?
Ezra
Kinda like what happened with Schitt’s Creek, right? People were like, “Oh, what's this show? Well, I have the whole show right here, the whole series. I'm gonna binge it”.
Alicyn
Uhuh.
Ezra
And now it's like my favorite show. It won all the Emmys last year and you know, is a really big surprise. And Miraculous Ladybug has fans that are so passionate. They will vote and vote and vote until it wins the popular vote of being a Teen Choice Award for Best New Anime or Animation, which it did.
Alicyn
Hey!
Ezra
And so I mean, you know, I very much respect and honor and recognize the fans of the show. Because you know, that the show wouldn't be doing as seasons five, six or seven if they weren't, you know, demanding it.
Alicyn
Man, that’s….
Ezra
So now, it's totally, like, beyond my expectation.
Alicyn
And, and we have people tuning in for this live. Somebody’s from Pakistan, Mexico...
Ezra
Yeah. Yeah
Alicyn
The Italian...
Ezra
Shout out, shout out. Where are you from, people?
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
I love it. Sometimes I'll do this on a TikTok live or Instagram. I love to see all the different countries.
Alicyn
Let us know. Somebody earlier was in Australia. So it really is...
Ezra
We have some Miraculers in Israel. Some, Australia is a big one. And also Canada. Let's not forget our neighbors.
Alicyn
Yes, Canadian friends.
Ezra
That’s right.
Alicyn
Is there anything you can tell us about that?
Ezra
I can tell you that. Okay, yes, I do, I mean, I can't tell you anything. So you're not really getting anything? Uh oh, are you still there?
Alicyn
Yes.
Ezra
You still there? Okay.
Alicyn
We, okay, we glitched for a second. Actually, before you answer that question. I just want to say, all of a sudden, it was Los Angeles, Florida, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico,
Ezra
Yeah.
Alicyn
Philippines, Finland, Australia, Lebanon, Philippines again...
Ezra
Yep, and they're all here watching?
Alicyn
They're all here watching. Don't mention Great Britain. Guys…
Ezra
Yep
Alicyn
It’s amazing. Thank you for tuning in. See, Ezra?
Ezra
Yep, yeah. Awww
Alicyn
They do.
Ezra
I hope so. I get it. Yeah, hopefully, I'll get some more recognition for some, some of the directors that are working so, so hard behind the scenes. So for Miraculous Ladybug, I obviously can't say anything like of true value, like of true content.
Alicyn
No.
Ezra
Because I'm not allowed to do that. But I do want to let everybody know that like cares about the show, that has been following the show during the season four that we're currently in. I'm not finished with season four yet. We still have some more episodes to do. I do know that the show gets much stronger in terms of the storyline over the next few episodes as we get towards the end and the season finale, which is going to be a two part season finale.
And it's going to be very, very strong in terms of like fan delivery, like you're gonna see so much. And it's going to make them really excited. If they like the show, they're going to love the end run of episodes very much. Yeah.
Alicyn
Yay! Oh that’s so...
Ezra
Yeah.
Alicyn
Yeah. Wow. I know that there are, we’re already actually over time. Do you have a hard out? I should have to...
Ezra
No, I just don't know if this, if Instagram Live will cut you off at any time.
Alicyn
I think it would have been an hour. I think, because I do this every week. They, they give me grace.
Ezra
It gives me more time. Okay, great.
Alicyn
Yeah. But I do want to ge,t have chance to get to a couple fan questions. So Tamar had asked, “Did working as an acting coach for Nickelodeon (&) Disney. How was that? And did it impress your kids?”. So were you an acting coach for the networks as well?
Ezra
Well, what would happen is as an improviser, and being as an improv teacher, sometimes I was asked to work with some of the younger actors that would be on a show. And, and we would run through different games and you know, just kind of loosen up and feel more free about yourself so that you can bring more of yourself back.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
To the set and to the scripts so things just wouldn't feel so stiff and written. So that's pretty much addressing that part. But what was the full question? How is that, what?
Alicyn
Impress your kids?
Ezra
Oh, impress my kids. It did not “impress them much”, to quote Shania Twain. There are times, what impresses them. I think a little bit is like when we would go to an anime convention, and they would see that people are kind of interested in either an anime that I'm voicing in or directing or Miraculous Ladybug.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
But then that kind of neutralizes and they're like, “Oh, we know that this is gonna happen for dad now”. And the only time, I think, it like really matters is when they have someone in their friend circle mention a show or an anime. And then they're like, “Oh yeah, my dad works on that”. And (they were) like, “What?”.
Alicyn
“No way”
Ezra
And then I, yeah yeah, that part. That part is super fun for me to know that that's happening for them. But it was always, always fun for me to bring my kids on set for them to meet Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato and Ross Lynch and all these really great, talented, younger, art, artists and take pictures with them.
They were always so nice to my kids and my kids really loved being around them and seeing that. And I feel like that calmed down any sort of fan, you know, fan sunglasses that they may have with celebrity, like see them as real people.
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
So when it comes to and, and even somebody like Billie Eilish. My daughter Sarah was in an aerial silks class, with Billie Eilish with her mother, who is the teacher, who is very good friends with Sabrina.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
What's that?
Alicyn
She's a voice actor.
Ezra
And they're, she's a voice actor as well, right? And I've had, I've worked with Maggie. I bring her in on some projects as well. And you know, and so she sees somebody who's like such a big superstar as Billie Eilish. But she also like knows who she is, right? So she doesn't get like that crazy, crazy, you know, starstruck stuff. And I feel like that's really good and healthy for the family. And that was a benefit of, you know, the things that I do and the things Sabrina does.
Alicyn
That's very cool. Yes. (osmosisjones)97 wanted to know, What was it like working on Code Geass as Mao?
Ezra
Wow, Code Geass.
Alicyn
Yeah?
Ezra
So yeah, Code Geass. This was an earlier anime title that I worked on. I was already at a place where…
Alicyn
Huge, huge title.
Ezra
I, it's a huge title. I had no understanding of what it meant. I just knew and I'd certainly when I was recording anime at that time, I wasn't watching anime. I didn't. I just knew that you want to me as an actor. So I came in and I was. I, Alicyn, I'm an actor,.I would do whatever you want me (to do) on set, you want me on stage, you want me behind a microphone.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
It's all the same work for me. So it was exciting to just diversify my portfolio with, here's some voiceover work, and here's some on camera work, and here's some stage work. So at the time, I did not understand but I was told that this was a really big title. And, and I just treated the work like I would treat all of the work. You know, I gave it my all and I tried to do my best all the time and listen to what the director Kevin Seymour, who directed it, what he wanted me to do, and, and I loved it.
But I love all of the projects that I work on for the most part. (There was) one project I hated, and that was a video game where I was like a big demon, like the boss-around demon. And I had to scream and shout. Every one of my lines, like shout them and have like, not even halfway through the session. I just hated it so much that I wanted to quit and I said, “This pain is not worth the money, and I don't want to do this job”. But I did, I finished the job. But I hated that job. It was so, so difficult.
Alicyn
Man, I’m so sorry. I think we’ve all,
Ezra
Yeah
Alicyn
I've been in situations where...
Ezra
Yes.
Alicyn
Oh now, this does not…
Ezra
Yeah.
Alicyn
This one's for me.
Ezra
Okay
Alicyn
You worked on Popples?
Ezra
(I) worked on Popples.
Alicyn
I love those Popples.
Ezra
You remember the toys?
Alicyn
My god, I love them!
Ezra
Alicyn, I absolutely. Now that we know each other and I know your voice and your work, you are most certainly on the list for auditions for stuff like that. I mean other stuff as well, other stuff as well. But when there's like, cute, original animation, which that was, original animation, meaning we didn't have any visual yet there was no video yet.
We just had scripts and we recorded from the script. I mean, that is such a show up your alley. And all of the voices were so cute, the talented cast that's on Popples. And then I didn't know this at the time. But for anybody who's still watching that's Miraculous Ladybug. They know that that is a Zag show, right? Jeremy Zag, the uber creator of all of these titles, and Popples was a Zag show and that was before Miraculous Ladybug.
Alicyn
Oh.
Ezra
And I did not know that. And it could be, very likely, that Miraculous Ladybug kind of ‘poppled’ my way by way of Popplesto me, but I don't think it was.
Alicyn
Oh.
Ezra
Because when we had Jeremy Zag in our studio while we were recording Miraculous Ladybug, he looked over at like our trophy case where we had some merchandise of the Popples. And he was like, “Oh, that's my show”, and we're like, “What?”. And he took it out and he flipped it around, and (it) said Zag on the back of it. And he's like, “Yeah yeah, that's my show. It's my show”.
So I don't think he even knows that we recorded Popples at the same studio that we were doing Miraculous Ladybug. But there I was, working on Popples a couple of years before Miraculous Ladybug, and it's really cute. And it's on Netflix, and if you want to see it, definitely go and see it. And I voice a character on there, and his name is Gruffman. So cute
Alicyn
I see.
Ezra
So cute
Alicyn
I couldn't remember him from like the deep, the deep archives, but…
Ezra
I think he's a new character. There's a lot of new characters. I think they just resurrected the names. And obviously the cuteness of the poppling device of like rolling into a ball and popping back out again, and the popping noise. But I think everything after that was brand new. I also, since you're a fan of Popples, OG Popples. I also directed a season of Monchhichi.
Alicyn
Oh! I made my son watch it. Yeah, yeah.
Ezra
What, the new version of the old version? The older version.
Alicyn
The new (one).
Ezra
Oh, you really? Where did you see it? ‘Cause I’m, yeah yeah. Where did you see it?
Alicyn
I saw it I think on Netflix
Ezra
In French or in English?
Alicyn
In English.
Ezra
Oh, great, I'll go watch it.
Alicyn
I don't know…
Ezra
I didn’t even know.
Alicyn
(How many) years, I would say this was probably a couple years ago?
Ezra
Okay
Alicyn
Maybe a year or two ago? Yeah
Ezra
That sounds right. That's right.
Alicyn
Yeah. I, you can check on JustWatch too to see where things are airing.
Ezra
Okay.
Alicyn
Do you use that app?
Ezra
I don't.
Alicyn
Yeah, ‘cause it's funny how things keep getting moving around. I tried to find Yo-kai Watch. It was Netflix and tell everybody, “Where do we see it?”. The fans tell you, “They took it off?”. And then you go...
Ezra
Yeah, and people were worried. They're like, “Where can we watch like Miraculous Ladybug? Where will we be able to watch it?”.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I don't know.
Alicyn
I know.
Ezra
I don't know. They're like, “When is this episode coming out?”. I don't know. I just work on an episode that will eventually come out. But I don't know anything beyond it's recording.
Alicyn
Yeah, wow.
Ezra
But I know they're all anxious to know things.
Alicyn
Yes. Yes. So you guys will have to exercise some patience. This is a question.
Ezra
Yeah
Alicyn
We get asked all the time. There was a member on live that wanted to ask it. Here it is, “What is your best advice for people beginning their voice acting journey?”. And I know that I pulled that question up. But that goes for everybody that asked that question.
Ezra
Yeah, that's a great question. It is most certainly the most popular question, when conversations like this are happening or panels at anime conventions or Comic Cons are, are held. How can I? What's the best advice to get it going, to get it started? And I apologize, Alicyn, if my answer is very similar to many of your guests, or maybe even your own answer that you may have voiced many times.
But I definitely believe that the first and strongest exercise that you should be doing is taking out a book and reading it out loud, and reading it out loud to an audience of children. They'll let you know if you have a voice and a way of sharing and lifting words and telling a story. And if you're able to captivate their attention, and if you don't, then you've got your work to do.
Once you have an audience of kids sitting criss-cross applesauce with their eyes up looking at you and their mouth open because they cannot, they cannot move from that captivating retelling or telling of the tale of Charlotte's Web or of, you know, The Baby-Sitters Club, or any of the books, you know, a Nancy Drew story. If you can bring those words and all of that to life and the voices of those characters, then you know that you are going to be a good match for a career in voiceover work, or even as a hobby in voiceover work. That will teach you to lift the words off of the page.
That will teach you to find the dialogue, to come to life. That will teach you to get accustomed to hearing your own voice and loving it. The biggest obstacle most people have, when you get headphones on your ears and a microphone in your face, is, “That's what I really sound like?”. That's what you really sound like. You should love what you really sound like or you should not do it. Just like if every time you cook food and you eat it, you go, “Oh, this tastes like crap”? Don't be a chef.
Alicyn
Might not be your…
Ezra
If you don't believe in your creation…
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
If you're not proud about it. If you don't want everybody to embrace it, then don't do that thing and figure out the thing that you do want to share (to) everybody. And that could be (what) I like, it gives me great satisfaction to have very neat numbers and accounting.
Boy, if I have a clean accounting book, oh am I happy about that? I'm satisfied and I sleep soundly at night. Great being accounted. If performing and using your voice and your, your creativity, and giving it to an audience, and that audience is captivated. Then voiceover is right for you, and it's not right for everybody.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I loved to read stories. When I was already in elementary school, I would go to the kindergarten class, not even realizing what I was doing. But knowing that I wanted to entertain them.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Ezra
I wanted to have an audience and kids are the hardest audience. They'll run (and) they’ll let you know, as soon as you're boring. They’ll go, “Ugghhh, then you’ll go, “Oh shoot, how do I make this better?”. You'll have all the flop sweat that comedians have, when you have a group of small kids that think you're boring. So practice out loud, go to your library.
When you know, COVID restrictions are lifted, go to the children's section, and say, “Hi, my name is Cheryl, and I volunteer my time. If you do any read-alouds, I'd like to be one of your readers”.
Alicyn
You can also volunteer.
Ezra
And they'll be like...
Alicyn
Reading for the blind.
Ezra
Yep, and (uhm where)?
Alicyn
Reading for the blind?
Ezra
Reading for the blind.
Alicyn
There's one in local to Los Angeles, The Art of Elysium, and they, they do. You can go in and perform for children that are sick in a hospital. Whether you're a musician or an actor, so those are some others. There's lots of opportunities, I think, to help share and develop your talents while helping others, which is an excellent…
Ezra
Yeah.
Alicyn
Ezra?
Ezra
Yeah?
Alicyn
I don't want to keep you too much longer. So let's just do one last question. One or two? That's good. Let's see.
Ezra
Okay.
Alicyn
This is. This, I think, is a really interesting question. Let's see, where did it go?
Unknown Speaker
“Ezra, did you have any advice on avoiding toxicity on social media?” haha. What a beautiful question. And it's a fan of yours to look at the username.
Alicyn
Yes.
Ezra
Yes. So we can't, we can't really avoid that. Because that is what's happening. What we can do is choose to look towards the positive, find a way to really feel empowered by deleting comments that you don't like to see. Or going into your settings, and putting in certain words that you don't want to see that sort of filter those things out.
So that you can kind of just keep your social media comments more, a safer place for you, I do feel like there is a certain level of empowerment that you can have that you can own by deleting and blocking.
And I will share with you personally that I have a difficult time blocking or deleting someone's comment. I feel like if there's a comment there that I don't like, I'll leave it there and I'll let everyone else talk about that comment. That's not my business. My business is what I posted, and that's it.
So if there's a discussion going on in my comments, then there's a discussion going on in my comments. And I don't need to go back and keep looking at something that might trigger stress or anxiety, (or) possible depression.
But I also believe that if someone is just being a troll and being toxic, you don't need to have that in your life, on social media or in real life. And there's ways that we can eradicate that. You can block that person and they don't ever need to see your gift again. They don't get you. You can also do that with real people in your life. There are terribly toxic people in this world, and they may be real close to you.
And you can choose to not hang out with them or not, you know, take up an invitation if they want you to go for coffee or something because, because you know, you'll walk away there, feeling less good about yourself. And I have a hard time saying no, I said several times in our interview together that you know, I'm all about saying yes and opportunities. I'm really there for people. I have an empathetic heart. I really want to listen and be that person who's there.
And if somebody criticizes or attacks me, I feel it deeply. And it's hard to work through but tai chi and running and love of my family that helps balance that all out. Also, like Alicyn did, a break from social media is also very replenishing.
So take time away, block or delete, or ignore them. Focus on the positive for your comments, and I really do think. And also don't give it as much value as you feel like you should. If someone's being toxic somewhere, they're having a terrible time in their own body. And you're not, so you don't have to have their terrible time invade your space.
So just think of them as maybe an upset, selfish, bitter child, because we all have a child inside of us. And sometimes we all operate from that child’s place. And, and instead of feeling assaulted by a powerful toxicity, just recognize that that's just a person in there who’s having a hard time with their child, dealing with how difficult life is for them. And that's not your fault. That's not your fault, and that's not your problem.
Alicyn
Just to add on top of that, and the tai chi, which is very accessible to anybody. There's also a practice called EFT tapping that I use to kind of clear negative energy. It's scientifically proven, you basically are tapping on meridian points. It's free, (there are) videos online.
You tap on these meridian points while you talk to yourself and kind of rout, change, you acknowledge what is negative about your situation or your feelings. And then you transform that into discovering what you're grateful for, what, what's, what's positive about it. And it's so simple, you think it can't really work. But there's apps..
Ezra
It does.
Alicyn
And videos and that's just like another sort of tool in the toolbox to help deal (with) the ever-increasing toxicity that can be viewed or witnessed in our spaces. ‘Cause...
Ezra
Yeah, you know how I don't know. I like to observe as much as possible, like to look and observe things. I like time in a theme park or an airport, and I like to watch the people. But have you ever seen a dog when they either all of a sudden start to bark or you see their hairs like lift up and they start to bark, right? (Have) you ever noticed when a dog does that, when it's, when it's finished feeling that threat? They always shake their body loose? Do you ever see that? Like a dog always…
Alicyn
Yeah
Ezra
Right? Right? They are, they are physically recalibrating themselves. That moment was intense for them, it put them on edge, it lifted their hair, right? It triggered their anxiety and their panic. And then when it was over, they're like, “Oh crud, bbblah”.
And then they're right back to normal again. And that tapping serves in a very similar but a more delicate and precise version of it. But also you can totally shake your body loose. Just shake it, shake it, shake it loose, and you'll, you will feel better because we hold on to stuff in our bodies, right? So want to shake it loose? Yeah,
Alicyn
Well, we've taken (around) an hour and a half of your time. You’ve been so generous, I'm so grateful to have this experience, to be able to, to chat with you. And I think…
Ezra
Likewise.
Alicyn
(the audience have been) grateful too. You have such beautiful energy and leave such a positive impact on your community and the planet. So…
Ezra
Thank you, Alicyn.
Alicyn
It's been lovely, thank you so much.
Ezra
Likewise, likewise. Thanks for including me.
Alicyn
It's like they're, you know, always trying to find which clip you're going to take from the interview. It's going to be this. Anyways guys, I'm going to go ahead and post this interview right after this. So if you miss any of it, you can go back in tune into the replay. Ezra, thank you so much. I think we're going to be off next week actually, because I am going to be at a (place) teaching in a voiceover conference in Dublin.
So I, unless I could find somebody. I mean, it is a voice over conference. If I can find a great guest there, we could do a live. But in two weeks, Tom Ruegger is coming on the show. He is the creator of Pinky and the Brain, and Tiny Toon Adventures, and the original Animaniacs.
So it's gonna be (a) really good interview (which) is actually rescheduled from a couple weeks ago. So I hope you guys tune in for that. And Ezra, you're amazing. Thank you so much. We'll see you soon.
Ezra
My pleasure. All right.
Alicyn
Bye.
Ezra
See you soon, bye. Thanks for watching. Bye Alicyn.
Alicyn
Thank you
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 Alicyn’s Wonderland, please visit us at www.alicynpackard.com. See you next week.