Alicyn
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.
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Hi, everyone. Happy Wednesday. Welcome to Alicyn's Wonderland. I hope you all are having an amazing day. Tonight. We have a very special guest. I know I say that every week. But I'm very excited, because Melissa Hutchinson is going to be our guest tonight. And I've had the opportunity to know Melissa and work with Melissa for about five years now. Not only is she an amazing voice actress, but she's an amazing person too. So I'm so excited to start this interview. I'm sure that we probably have a lot of Melissa fans joining the stream. Hi Melissa! How are you?
Melissa Hutchinson
Hi, hey! I'm good. Sorry. I have to show you. I don't I don't think you've met Maple?
Alicyn
No!
Melissa Hutchinson
This is my disclaimer portion of getting to chat with you. Which I'm so happy about is if you hear barking. Yeah. Unfortunately, it's just the Chihuahua.
Alicyn
Okay. Chihuahua’s welcome.
Melissa Hutchinson
It's so good to see you.
Alicyn
Welcome to the wonderland.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yay. Happy to be here.
Alicyn
I know. Does Maple also have a fan page?
Melissa Hutchinson
On Instagram. It's at Tiny Maple Marie.
Alicyn
No. Is that run by you or is that?
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, okay. Yeah. I'm not very well, unfortunately. I am not so great at the socials. So I've been slacking on her page, but whatever she does have one.
Alicyn
I know it is. You always have the best intentions about creating the right vibe for your pet dog or like in our situation. Our trailer has its own social media page.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh.
Alicyn
But I'm always lacking on that as well. But it's fun. Just to have a little side project. That's yeah, for fun.
Melissa Hutchinson
Totally is the… is the lighting. Okay. I'm only asking just because there's one thing that the pandemic has taught me is if you paint your walls yellow. Yeah, it makes for really? Are we allowed to curse a little bit on this?
Alicyn
Yeah. Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
Really shitty lighting. But if I turn it on, but turn this light on. And it's like, so anyways, I just want to double check.
Alicyn
I think you look beautiful.
Melissa Hutchinson
Thank you. So do you. It's again, it's so good. I know. We've been able to actually talk on the phone and communicate with each other recently. It's, it's been good because I've definitely missed you.
Alicyn
I missed you too. We see each other like, every week all the time. It's been a long time.
Melissa Hutchinson
It has. It has.
Alicyn
Well, cheers girl!
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, cheers. Oh, yes, look at that.
Alicyn
It’s very festive. It's actually an apple pie drink? Martini? I'm not sure.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh.
Alicyn
I put sugar on it too…
Melissa Hutchinson
I thought you were going for the kombucha?
Alicyn
I know the kombucha… but we were out.
Melissa Hutchinson
This is just bourbon. It’s like all I had. Cheers!
Alicyn
For everybody else enjoying at home too…
Melissa Hutchinson
Cheers, everyone. Thank you for, for joining. Hi!
Alicyn
Thank you guys for joining. And I can see we have a lot of illicit fans here. So thanks, guys a little bit about this show. It's called Alicyn's Wonderland. This is actually the third incarnation. It started as a web series in 2007. And then it became a podcast and we almost had you on like three years ago. Nothing more than that at this point. And we just rebooted last month. Hi, Sam, as an Instagram TV show. So hello, low hanging fruit super easy to do. And perfectly pandemic proof because we can be talking in our own separate worlds.
Melissa Hutchinson
Totally. Yeah, it's been for all the complaining I do about social media. We like finished that with some positive. It has been really cool. And especially with Instagram, I've actually found honestly Instagram, especially with InstagramLive now has become my favorite platform to engage in and getting to do interviews this way has been really cool.
Alicyn
And you kind of already answered my question, actually. So I'll just launch into that in terms of connecting with your fans now that conventions are off the table and large gatherings for who knows how long? What is the best way for fans to be able to reach out and connect with you?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, yeah, I kind of I answered it. You know, I was actually reading active on Twitter for not really active really active for me my and I was like psyched on it because I was like, Oh, you can you can, you have to very just get to the point you can only say so use so many characters and most pretty good when the pandemic started for some reason I just went into like this mode of like “meh”. I think just self preservation of having to deal with what was going on. So Instagram has been my go to. I'm horrible at my Facebook page, sorry, but I actually do respond to that. I'm on Cameo. So which is basically kind of at this point is taken the place-ish of conventions where people can, you know, purchase videos that I can send them shout outs and love and all that.
Alicyn
Okay, so that's what give me like a 101 breakdown of cameo for those that might not know.
Melissa Hutchinson
well, I mean, it's cool they've actually changed their platform a bit that now people can so people can find you on this app cameo and request a video message from me or whomever else you are choosing to purchase from a cameo it does cost money there is even though like Brad Pitt's on there actually he's not I don't think Brad Pitt's on there, but yeah, it's me. Why would you want to hear from anybody else? I mean, come on.
And you know, they've added a feature where you bait people, the people getting the buying, purchasing the video request, can send videos and you can message which is cool, because I really, what I loved about conventions, and and I know we'll come back is interacting with people, like it's one thing to send out messages of love. But ultimately, what makes me so grateful is the one on one connection.
So they do have it now that you can, for the most part, write messages to each other. Whoever purchases it, you can actually like hey, how you doing blah, blah, and chat? And then yeah, it's been it's been pretty cool. And I try as much as possible with Instagram and Twitter to respond to people and, and send love back. Because I know it's I'm just so humbled. And just again, I use the word Hey, everybody, take a drink, whatever it is, we're grateful for what you get.
Alicyn
What's the word we’re drinking to?
Melissa Hutchinson
Grateful! Ten minutes in, you'll be like, drunk. So yeah, that's been what about you? Like, what do you what are you finding as far as lobbying? Besides doing what you're doing right now?
Alicyn
Well, it's interesting. I mean, I was off social media completely off everything. I know. I just got off. I was working on a screenplay that I wanted to write, and I needed to carve out some time between work and being a mom. Sure. So I'm like, okay, that's probably like 10 hours a week, or maybe a lot more. I don't know, I read. It was great. And I loved I loved being on social media. I didn't miss it. I thought it was gonna I'm so you know, the habit is so ingrained that I thought I would miss it. And I didn't miss it at all. But the hard part was getting back on. I didn't want to be a digital nomad forever.
And I thought that's probably not a great way to get people excited about me working on a project. So I knew I had a comeback. And I just kept delaying it and delaying it. And the only thing that got me excited was the idea of like rebooting this and having something to offer because everything that's going on globally, and what I'm hoping people will resonate with is positivity and love and churn. And how can I how can I bring that when there's a global pandemic, and we're all experienced so much suffering and you don't want to whitewash your personal experience or downplay the experiences of others. So Mike, what can I offer that is like Chad, just changing the channel on that for a little bit.
Melissa Hutchinson
Right.
Alicyn
And so with that, this is what actually got me back on it got me excited. So…
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, no, it's I'm, I'm grateful.
Alicyn
Oh! Thankful
Melissa Hutchinson
That you are doing it. And yeah, it's it's been, there's been several times where I felt like I'm kind of spinning out. And the one thing that is unique to this situation is sometimes you're spinning out and you literally are personally spinning out. I mean, there is the expression that remember that everyone's going through something but during this literally, on the days where I'm like, I just this is just needs to end and I don't understand and you know, and I'm like, Oh, I personally feel so horrible. And then you're like oh yeah, so does like half the fucking world right now. So - or more. So with this platform and what you're doing. It's been a really and other ways of connecting with fans. It's been it's been so helpful for myself and just communally said a word community to expand on this word. Yeah. Where's my script? I just
Alicyn
I just like picturing like a communal box and all of like, things for us to share. But then I just think oh, it has to be for chili. So yes, communal? Yeah, by the way, if anybody is interested in the show happens every Wednesday at 6pm PST, and then the replays are just available on Instagram TV so feel free to, like follow us is. I don't know. I don't know if that's-
Melissa Hutchinson
I think that's it.
Alicyn
I don't know what the what the IG TV people say. But I see a lot of really good questions coming in below. And it's a little more difficult for me to keep up with stuff. So if you don't mind putting it in the question box, then we will get to it when we do like the Q&A portion. So a lot of good questions. Just type them in in the question box.
Melissa Hutchinson
I thought you were telling me to do that. I was like, I don't know how to do that.
Alicyn
Sit back and look great. No, but I did I do like that mix mellow. It said we look like two friends who watch Netflix together on Saturday night.
Melissa Hutchinson
I can't believe we don't.
Alicyn
And my question to you is, righ? They have Netflix Party. What are you watching?
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, what the hell am I watching? Well, it's interesting because I definitely went on like a good old fashioned BBC Masterpiece Theater kick. No. So yes. So I don't know why I know a few series that are new ish ish. So I blasted through Poldark I am totally spacing on the actor's name right now. He was in The Hobbit. He's hot. Let's just be honest. Anyways, so polar boiling hot act from The Hobbit Poldark. It's a really good series. So I after that ended, I was like, What do I watch now and I started watching like, just got hooked into the BBC then watching like Grandchester, there was another series called Sanditon that I watch what the hell else? I re-watched Stranger Things, because it's so good. I feel like there must be something newer that I'm totally forgetting. Oh, the Mandalorian? Of course, that's basically some of the best Star Wars I've seen since since the late 70s. Early. Yes, yeah, I know. I know. I'm totally spacing on like a massively important series that I just watched. And I'm totally like drawing a blank right now. So what it is, but isn't
Alicyn
that what it is? Gives you a minute to draw a blank instead of thinking about everything that's happening globally? Yeah. Yeah. It's
Melissa Hutchinson
been interesting, though. I haven't been I've been in a very so I suppose. You know, I split my time between the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
And when this kind of went down, you know, all of a sudden, his voice actors were like, you know, must have professional broadcast studio. And I'm like, I don't have that. I don't have that if I would ever had -
Alicyn
That’s why you need the Big Box.
Melissa Hutchinson
That's why they pay studio.
Alicyn
Bring me to the studio!
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, I and it was, I mean, if I would have been psychic, I of course would have you know, you know, I live in a small one bedroom apartment up here in the Bay. And I live in a small apartment down in LA and I just, I didn't know this was gonna happen, nobody did. So as long story will get shorter. And so I've been I have access to a private studio with a very good friend of mine who normally makes albums for musicians. So he like. And so I've been like the only actors going in to the studio. And it's been a very fortunate but honestly, instead of like, I kind of felt like when this first tap and I could have fallen prone to like staying inside and just blasting through show after show after show. But I had this opposite reaction of just and here in the Bay Area. So spoiled but I've just like leaving my apartment and heading up into the hills and yeah, basically just hiking and walking and processing for hours.
Alicyn
It's so funny because you and I are so aligned in that way that the only thing that has been freeing is like connecting to nature, getting up, breathing the fresh air and feeling like there's been many times historically that have been super challenging. And these are tough times these are challenging times but when you connect an atrium you're like this tree has been over 200 years!
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, they're fun they're like, yeah, ooh!
Alicyn
And yeah, you know that rotted parts and what sometimes what life is
Melissa Hutchinson
Totally yeah.
Alicyn
A lot of people asking about Clementine will you do a little bit?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, I guess we'll start with season one cuz she was just like a little kid. And that was those were pretty cool times was pretty scary, though. And we'll just go through the ages. And you know, season two happened, thankfully because she was protected by Lee and she learned how to survive. And then she was still not bitten. And in season three, she had definitely gone through some pretty heavy shit. That was her like, kind of badass Dirty Harry phase. And then season four, she got AJ back, and now she's in mom mode. And it's been really cool to try to raise a kid, but also very difficult. But you know what, we're still not bitten. Kind of. I'm not going to spoil that one. Sorry. But I just thought I'd just go through the years climbing through the years. Clemmy through the years!
Alicyn
Amazing.
Melissa Hutchinson
It's, I can't, you know, it's just it's such. I mean, as you well know, in our industry, anytime you get to spend time with a reoccurring and ongoing character of any kind, it's, it's, it's, it's magic. It's why we do what we do is because it's just - what a cool job. And it's just, you know, it's why we do what we do, because we love it.
To get to actually progress in age with this character, this amazingly written character, which I take no claim to people all every line that I said, it's not like they're like I'm prompts and stuff. And what do you think Clem would say? I'm like, Oh, I mean, I do. But I'm not, you know, not a writer working with the writers of Telltale Games, which just was such an amazing mind blowing experience.
And then to have the fan base. All you beautiful people out there as, I mean, just such an incredible community of humans, games industry, I'm definitely not pointing or saying and trying to say anything negative. But, you know, sometimes, people take games in different ways and have different emotions about them. But I just really like I've experienced nothing but love from the community of The Walking Dead fans. It's been surreal, honestly.
Alicyn
And how challenging to have Telltale kind of close up. I mean…
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, that was crazy. That was like, I mean, I was in the recording session, for the final episode of season four when that happened.
Alicyn
In the final episode?
Melissa Hutchinson
We literally the director, Jack Fletcher, who, God, amazing. I don't know if you've worked with him before he's done. He's, I'm sure if you Googled him, you'd be like, oh, yeah. He started the session, not knowing he didn't know that we were going to literally be interrupted midway through with this news.
But he started saying, hey, you know, we normally go in order of the script. But today, I want to start with that final scene. And it's the scene with me and AJ, again, I won't say too much. It was so emotional. And he did it in a way where he was like, he's like, I'm gonna let you, I'm gonna let you just go for it. And just just do a take and see what happens. And we were going through lines, and I did it. And then he gave me this direction. And he was like, Okay, now I want you to read it again, with the knowledge that this is going to be the very last time you are speaking as Clementine.
And I was like, you know, just like, lost my shit. And you'd think that was a magical take. There's probably way too much blubbering in it. I think we went with the take after that. But about 15 minutes later, we kind of you know, moved on and someone came in the room and base he just like he's like, you know, give us give us a minute. We're - I was in LA, they were in the Bay, we're all on Skype, he mutes it comes back on.
He's like, Oh, we need to wrap it up. And I'm like, there's two hours left in the session, like what's going on. And I immediately left and called a friend who works at Telltale and he told me that they shut it literally, we're like, you guys have 30 minutes to get your shit and get out. We're shutting the doors.
And it was just like I was I was I've never experienced so much pain beyond like an actual death of like someone you love or a pet you love. Like it was that kind of pain.
Alicyn
Aww.
Melissa Hutchinson
And not just for myself. I definitely had like, yeah, the fans in mind, obviously. And then these workers who are all of a sudden, like, oh, we live in the Bay Area, and we don't have jobs, and we're gonna lose our health insurance, like a week. Like it was horrible. I laugh now, but it was, yeah, so heavy.
Alicyn
You, as the actor, you are the face of hundreds of people working behind the scenes, doing every single aspect from promotions to boarding to animation and all audio editing and everything. So I can imagine as an empath and to be able to be an actor, you have to be some level of empath and so sometimes it is hard to be in this world, but you've taken on hopes and dreams of a whole lot of people -
Melissa Hutchinson
Right.
Alicyn
And to have to take that in. I can imagine that would be…
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, well, it was I mean, they'd released the first two episodes. Right now someone can probably write it. It's all like, I think the third one should have theoretically almost been out. It was almost out. So that was also just like, you know, we made it that far. I mean, the fact that Skybound… I mean, it made sense. I didn't know.
Alicyn
Did you always know it was going to be five at that point?
Melissa Hutchinson
Like it was for four episodes.
Alicyn
Okay, sorry, four. Okay.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, they and I don't know, I don't know why it never occurred to me. I mean, I… you know, I process I work through it. We all work through it as a community we healed we mourned, we healed and it was like autumn it was like September or something. When I was visiting family in Springfield, Missouri, where I'm from, and I got a call from the Vice President of Skybound games. And I was like, I was about to go out with friends. And when am I gonna answer this? Because I don't know what's going on. So I went out and had a good night. Sorry, Dan. No offense, but I was just like…
Alicyn
He’s not watching this.
Melissa Hutchinson
Why not? I’m going to text him right now. Oh, wait, there's my phone. look good. watch the replay. I'm not seeing him on the stream. Yeah, he so anyways, I whatever. After I went out and saw my friends band play and I'm we're in the Uber home and someone from Telltale Games texted me saying, Oh, my God, still not bitten. Clementine lives and all the things are coming in. And then Robert Kirkman had announced that day at New York Comic Con that that Skybound games was going to finish the series.
And even then you'd think it would have been an immediate like “Huzzah! Everything's good.” But I was like, super guarded. Because I was like, Well, okay, that's, that's great. But are we gonna be working with the original crew from Telltale? Like, it needs to be their story. Like, how's this getting? I was all protective and like in denial, but I think it was two years ago. Feels like it was like 12 years.
Alicyn
Let’s ask the audience.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, I think it was like two years ago. Yeah. Must have been.
Alicyn
Hey Allie 97. So the first two were from Telltale, the third and the fourth. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, thank you, for fact checking us.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, so anyways, it just, I mean, it only makes sense. It's Robert Kirkman. I mean, it says The Walking Dead is his universe. A Skybound games and Robert Kirkman have always been involved Skybound in general. Yeah, it's just funny that it never occurred to me that he'd be the one to like, save it. And I know a lot of people asking yes, I did. So we're let's go back to New York Comic Con, virtual pandemic days?
Alicyn
Virtual pandemic? Not actual pandemic?
Melissa Hutchinson
That he yes virtual pandemic that he did just make an announcement that Clem is somehow going to be involved in the universe so coming back.
Alicyn
Let’s speculate what could be happening. She's got two kids, a mortgage.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah! [laughs] Because mortgages like at this point in the in the zombie apocalypse formed.
Alicyn
Someone is monetizing this.
Melissa Hutchinson
Some there's a president that nobody likes it. Yay.
Alicyn
It's actually a zombie fight though. So
Melissa Hutchinson
right, right. So here are my theories. Please, nobody ever or let me just say right away. I have zero idea. Nobody's reached out to me. I have no clue. My theories. Well, there's three. There's three theories.
Alicyn
You have three are yours?
Melissa Hutchinson
Three that Yeah. If I was a fan, like, what's he going to do? What's Robert Kirkman going to do? I think it'll either be in involvement with a comic book, like her written into a comic series. I don't know. Maybe. Oh, again, nobody take me too seriously, because I don't know what the hell I'm talking about pretty much ever. What would be the best option? is of course something involving like, Siri. Siri, or new with your friend Allie in it, why not?
Alicyn
Hell, yes.
Melissa Hutchinson
You know it. I would definitely push for that. Or, or the show or the show AMC universe. I don't know. Obviously, if that's the case. I mean, that would still be thrilling. But unfortunately. Clem and I, she's a little bit younger than me. I'm a little more Irish looking. I don't know. Yeah, it's just I don't know. I don't know what's going on. So, so to answer people's questions, I honestly don't know what's going on. But he did throw that out. That is legit.
Alicyn
Alright, so everybody can write in and request an animated series.
Melissa Hutchinson
Animated series. Right? Or, or another. I mean, the game is basically plays like an animated series so that I mean, that would be amazing. But I don't, I don’t…
Alicyn
It would be cool. I mean, do you think how far forward have they gotten the universe that with the other with the show and stuff?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, the comment extended. He ended the comic of the show, actually. And how does the season 10 Sorry, I think it's season 10. And I think they announced one more season and they're ending that. But then there's like spin offs happening. There's like a Ric movie and I don't there's all kinds of crazy stuff happening. But I think the series itself is has one more and then they're done something like that.
Alicyn
How about HBO is the last of a series a new character you're playing? Oh, somebody you can talk about?
Melissa Hutchinson
Shit, but he doesn't call me on that one yet. So I did hear there is going to be a loss of a scissors series or something on the HBOs or something. I not involved unless you are a psychic and know something I don't and if that's the case, thank you that excite I did do some like ancillary voices in The Last of Us two that just came out. So like I don't even that's his word. I'm like, I'm just throwing out words that I know that mean anymore. And solar.
Alicyn
This is like the the easiest interview ever. I I wrote all these questions, but the audience just has more. So, I mean, apparently, let's go to the tape. Oh, my God.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah. If someone just said you were that person Abby talks to. Yes. i Yes. Abby, like I'm like a townsfolk, or something where you can like ask me something. I'm like, sorry, Abby. Don't have that today, check back tomorrow.
Alicyn
These are really good questions, but I think we need to start at the beginning. All right. 30 minutes into the interview.
Melissa Hutchinson
Let's do it. I'm ready.
Alicyn
How did you get your start in voice acting? I know. There's a lot of questions about microphones and stuff like that. And all that stuff is easy to find out. If you go to Google and, like George Widom look him up, or just even how to break into voiceover. That type of stuff is pretty easy to find if you Google it, but what isn't easy to find is like the first person accounts of like, how somebody actually did it, because everybody's story is going to be a little bit different. So can you share with us your story?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, as it turns out, and when I was a kiddo, I wanted to either be a veterinarian or racecar driver or an actress. Still want to be a racecar driver. It's up there. Yeah, but
Alicyn
a total side tangent. Did you break the space racers or the space racers party where we had the go kart?
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, yeah, I sucked so badly. It was really upsetting. I was actually emotionally hurt by the fact that I was a horrible, like electric go kart racer. I was like, what is happening?
Alicyn
Yeah, so I for those of you guys that don't know. Well, listen, I were on a TV show called Face racers. It was for preschool focused on STEM learning science, technology. Engineering. Yeah,
Melissa Hutchinson
I was gonna say, I know I'm like, You got this sometimes.
Alicyn
They make it seem but they for the season to wrap party was at like a go kart place. So when Melissa said she wanted to be racecar driver, I thought oh my god, that must have been the best day of your life. But apparently no.
Melissa Hutchinson
No. I mean, I was okay. I shouldn't crap on it too badly. It was it was a lot of fun. I was injured. I was injured. Racing the cars. Like, yeah, knocking around knocking around
Alicyn
some big time. Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, I also didn't know that after you had a drink. They made you stop racing. I only got in like two laps. Because I was like, It's time for a glass of wine. And then No, again, I can't raise them. Like I've already what good thing it anyways. Makes sense. Makes sense. Make sense, makes sense, makes sense? Kids. So I have always had an interest in being an actress when I was 10 years old. I'm gonna date myself here.
Because this is the days when you go into the newspaper and look in the theater, like audition ads. I was living in Maryland, and I was like, I'm going to be an actress. And my mom was like, cool. That's awesome. I found an audition for a Christmas carol. And that was my very first play. I went…
Alicyn
That was one of my first play really my first
Melissa Hutchinson
play. Yes. Literally, with my daughter. It was Prince George's County, Maryland, because my mom was going to law school in DC. So we lived there for a spell. And it was amazing. I mean, at that point, I was just like, I'm going to be an actress. I mean, I've always wanted to be an actress. So with that being said, this will kind of round out to a lot of answers where people are like, Well, how do I get into voice acting? I have a background in I mean, throughout junior high school, I was always involved in drama, drama in school community theater. That's my background, too.
To add to that, though, and how it ended up in a voiceover trajectory. I've always been obsessed with animation and doing voices and trying to emulate the voices I would hear in cartoons and match. And honestly, when the Simpsons came out and like God, it was like ‘89, ‘88 Tracey Ulman Show, and think I was like 12 and I put together that Bart Simpson, who, you know, wow, that's, uh, you know, that's, that's a that's a real that's a woman. And holy crap. She's so good because it's, it's character-y but it's like a good like, boy voice attitude and like the absolutely, yeah, like Nancy Cartwright. Nailed it. And so I was me and my sister would sit around and like, you know, try to get the voice down. And just I've always had a fondness for character work and doing voices.
You know, it's not like I just like and then I studied at Juilliard, and I don't have that I actually kind of fell out of acting my late teens, early 20s and just went out into the world did what? Sometimes, people at that age do. Never great. There's a Grateful Dead tattoo on my ankle right now. Oh, God, I when I was 18 Hey, kids.
Alicyn
I know I always anyways, what if we've met each other when we're 18?
Melissa Hutchinson
I don't know. It would have been amazing. Double, double, treble, double trouble for sure. I can, for sure. Acknowledge that, but the best kind of travel would have been amazing. And then you know, I just did my thing. But honestly, my story is this funny because I when I was at the end, this is not a throw out. So when I was at the BAFTA Awards, but I was at the BAFTA Awards, and there was a gentleman asking me like, “Hey, have you ever thought of, you know, teaching classes for BAFTA?”, you know, your experience how to get into voiceover. And I was like, Well, honestly, I went to high school with my agent, Nate Chico, at stars. Nate in San Francisco. And I had a really good friend who was doing like the tags for sprint, PCS at the time. And and I was just like, man, I was working a job where I was so unhappy. And I just knew in my soul, I was like, I need to get back into acting. This is ridiculous.
Alicyn
What was that job?
Melissa Hutchinson
What was the job she was doing?
Alicyn
That you hated?
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, it was a restaurant manager for pizzeria UNO's. San Francisco. None of them exist. They all closed but they're still it's out of Chicago deep dish pizza franchise. We know it's in Boston know for sure. Yeah.
Alicyn
So you were just like, Okay, what's next?
Melissa Hutchinson
And yeah, I was No, I was no idea. I was really unhappy. I was commuting. I was just doing things that like, you know, look, I I'm gonna be honest, you know, and I used to be in more insecure about this when I was younger, because I was like, Well, I don't want to tell people to not go to school. But I was always an artist. And when I was in high school, I did not do well. It wasn't like a lack of mental capabilities. It wasn't a learning thing. It was, I didn't feel good.
And the system was set up in a way where it never nurtured what I wanted to be doing. I get out of school, I'd go to my community theater rehearsals, and I was like, I'm home. I'm home. So like, college was never a thing with me. I didn't, you know, I, I just had this calling. And I was like, I need to get back into acting. And like, because my friend was doing these spots. I was like, oh, man, I should, I should like, I should get in touch with Nate and ask him if he can give me some advice. So I went into chat with him. It is getting really dark here. I'm gonna turn this on. It may be offensive.
Oh, now I look. Now I look orange. This is - I look warm. Pretend it's a beautiful fire lights. So basically, again, long story short, I went in to talk with him to seek out advice on how to get into the voiceover industry. And because he knows my past, and he has seen me in theater. He was just like, look, start coming in for some auditions. We'll see how it goes. You need to take some beginner classes, because you need to know what to do when you get into a booth. And I mean, I got lucky people. Again, I should probably should have just said I got lucky. But no, I mean,
Alicyn
I think that luck presents itself when there's a combination of talent which you already had and passion.
Melissa Hutchinson
Right, exactly.
Alicyn
Well, you're here and you're traveling there. This, this do you like this? I do your traveling but you know, you were prepared. I mean, but then to see your meteoric rise to the top to then being a BAFTA nominated voice actor within five years.
Melissa Hutchinson
Longer than that it was seven years and to be honest, you know, I have nothing. It's nothing. I do have friends who are like just starting they're like BAM hitting the ground running the first year. doing voiceover and this is when we were going into the studio to record for auditions and stuff but it was definitely it was a slow road in the beginning but then once I started booking and it's funny because my first gig ever was a video game I just started to you know just the ball started rolling and yeah so but I did take classes I did study I studied a voice one in San Francisco I studied with a Taylor Corbeau who I shouldn't teach anymore but I took the beginning classes I took classes with Bob Berg Bergen you know?
Alicyn
He calls you Melissa Hutchinson French. And
Melissa Hutchinson
Whatever. It's not like we go by like, “What’s up, Packard?”
Alicyn
So now I know and I'm sorry.
Melissa Hutchinson
Okay. Did somebody correct you on that?
Alicyn
No, I realized it when I actually read the letters in the middle. Oh, oh, good. Yeah, maybe not the best high school but anyways, yeah. Well, I, I think that it also speaks to your talent. I mean, and being able to do an authentic sounding child's voice is not easy. There's something about not just vocally but the energy, you know, not just teeny tiny vocal cords. Yeah, the way you are acting?
Melissa Hutchinson
Sure. I mean, that was an interesting thing with Clem is involved like Starling. Wow, just dolly you know, she's reading so exciting. It's cartoony, you know, I mean, it's, it's great. It's super awesome character work. But because of how real and heavy the content is, with The Walking Dead, they mean, they were auditioning children for the role. Because they needed it to be you don't want to be playing the serious game in here like, “Gee, golly, Lee, should we kill that Walker?”
You'd be like, somebody killed that character. This is horrible. So it was like, you know, or please. Somebody? Why didn't the casket they didn't care. I mean, thankfully, yeah. Thank you. It was just too heavy the contents to have not saying the kids can't be amazing actors. Obviously, in Hollywood. There's kids that I'm like, Damn, how they pull that off. How's it -
Alicyn
If you're casting children, then you you're required to have the studio tutor for them? They're working X amount of hours, right?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, yeah, and a lot of this was Telltale Games. I mean, independent at this point, they're a tiny indie game company. So none of that was even like on the radar. They were very small. I mean, that's one of the phenomenal success stories of our time is this little indie company that year just killed it with that first season.
Alicyn
Get the opportunity to then partner this is probably not a question for you, but an opportunity opportunity to do that franchise.
Melissa Hutchinson
So before the Walking Dead, they had well, they done other franchises before I mean, they started with Well, they did Strong Bad, which I'm sure that was easy to strong. That's hilarious. Oh, long time ago, they had done the Back to the Future game so that they were familiar with like, you know, contacting the powers that be that make that possible to I think Robert Kirkman was Skybound was also super open to it because he liked what their their platform was the Choose Your Own Adventure, like it was very caught. And when they pitched it to him, I'm sure they're like, Hey, man, we're gonna keep it. The artwork is insane. It's so good. It's like right there with the comic book illustrations. And I think that they were definitely able to relate to him in a way that he was like, if anybody's gonna make this game, it's going to be you guys. So I think he was just psyched because they were so good. There's their Telltale Games were they were master storytellers. I mean, we're I'm I speak as if like they fall like magically gone away and died. They're still out there and they're still doing amazing things with different companies.
Alicyn
Oh, my goodness. Check this out.
Melissa Hutchinson
Your husband doing VR? Oh, wait, no fair. No fair. Oh my god. I haven’t seen since you were a tiny tater tot? How are you guys? Hi, Melissa. Hi. Bye. I know that's crazy. I'm sorry for that makes no sense. I mean, how funny was that? Love it. How generous was that? Is that water? Is that another cocktail? Oh my god.
Alicyn
It’s just water. Yeah. Great. Well, really slowly. Yeah, sorry to interrupt you though. I guess that's it is so that's really interesting hypotheses, I guess that just kind of round up that story in terms of -
Melissa Hutchinson
So to say just this just to wrap that up just the story driven style that Telltale is famous for his why I think Kirkman was like, hell yeah, this is awesome. And of course, he had, you know, a lot of input on it as well.
Alicyn
ago. Was that now?
Melissa Hutchinson
Now? Oh, god, that was so I know. It was like, 2012.
Alicyn
Yeah, I was gonna say, Oh, my God,
Melissa Hutchinson
did I get it feels like 2008. It feels like a million years ago.
Alicyn
Two years? Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, eight years. You mean? It's been a long time. It's been it's been. It's incredible. And you know, it's not like I was working constantly on that there was, you know, a year or two in between the seasons, so fun games
Alicyn
to toys and stuff. Can you hear about any of them? I don't know. The toys. Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, my good. Well, that's, you know, God bless LeapFrog. That's all I have to say, you know, in when I got my start in the Bay Area, one of the toy companies I still work for them. Because I love them. I love the people that work there. I was doing like interactive toys back in the what year may I don't know that early 2000s. Whatever that was. That was you know, a big industry, you know, push the button, A, B, C, you know, like children's interactive toys. So if any of you out there have anything from LeapFrog, there's a great chance whether you like it or not my voice is coming out of that. Whatever it is!
Alicyn
It's kind of funny to think that somebody could have had your toy in the early 2000s And then played Clem later but yeah, so different literally can be the voice that their childhood
Melissa Hutchinson
I mean, yeah.
Alicyn
Through young adulthood they Yes. 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. So many do you have Disco Broccoli?
Melissa Hutchinson
You know what? No, I do not sorry. I mean it seem a little bitter about that. Go brown what's up with that? I have like a T shirt it's not with me it's an LA. Disco Broccoli is in season four of The Walking Dead I wish that Chris was here he's the one that wrote the character disco broccoli there's like these what's the VeggieTales or veggie time or there's like a database here? So this is like this world's version clim finds these action figures that are like you know God I'm totally free to like the other characters besides disco broccoli like you know turn up Peter. I don't I don't know that was horrible like well so you could just go toe
Alicyn
There was a disco broccoli guy in Yokai Watch the trio or something like that you remember that?
Melissa Hutchison
I am vaguely remotes three. Oh yeah, no, I totally was of course we talking about you and I were like one of those three were probably the 375 care which was great. That was not a complaint like Yokai Watch was like we got to work it and like, sink fast. Yeah, it was like we have 12 characters that you need to voice today. Here's what they look like. Okay.
Alicyn
I know I for those of anybody. I don't know if you guys watched Yokai Watch which is airing at Disney XD it was originally from Japan and we played brothers.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah.
Alicyn
Hey brother.
Melissa Hutchinson
Well how's it going? I haven't seen you for so long. I don't know brother where you call us, were you Komasan?
Alicyn
Well, I was Koma-san. You're Komajiro That's right. I'm coming
Alicyn
I was the one that rap Yeah, you
Melissa Hutchinson
were way more hip coma song was like oh my swore like he was like I don't know what's happening. Hillbilly I totally got to rock my like hillbilly Ozarkian roots. Oh, that one? Yes. Yeah.
Alicyn
How old were you when you left the Ozarks?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well,my parents got divorced when I was quite young. So technically my dad and my fam a lot of my family are still there. It's but my mom. So my dad's always been there. I did a lot of hopping back and forth. So I never really left here. I still haven't left the Ozarks. I'm very tied to it in many many ways.
Alicyn
You're mentioning dimensional multi. I am. Yeah, yeah, just by coastal but if it's kind of
Melissa Hutchinson
I mean with my mom, with my mom, we did live on the east coast. And then she moved us to San Francisco in ‘89. So I've been in California since then. But yeah, I've gone back to Springfield to live with my dad. And then I have a lot of friends and connections there. So yeah. Still tied to the Ozarks.
Alicyn
That's amazing. Let's see, it's a lot of questions coming in. Let me check and see, you know, I think this is a really good question from Jeff. So you commute from San Francisco to LA, but they're very far apart from each other? How do you make that work?
Melissa Hutchinson
Hoo. At first, it was a little like, what am I doing? I just still work up in the bay area so much and have clients that are kind of tied to recording up here. And I don't know, it's also been my home since well, 1989, we've established that at first, it was tricky, but I committed. I was like, Look, I need to. And in order. As you know, with La agents, they won't mess around. They're like, are you here? Are you available? Yeah. And the answer needs to be yes. 1,000% all the time. You know, unless you have something literally you're not available. But you can always record your finale studio to say no, I'm going to be looking into that. I mean, obviously right now, it's crazy.
But in the beginning, it was a little much, I just committed to the fact that I'm like, Hey, I'm going to be spending a lot of time on my car. I'm going to jump on the southwest flights and book flights, and then shuffle them around, and be available to be in Los Angeles when I can and and just spend time there because the thing with LA, and I discovered this because even being in the industry, as long as I have been, you know, I walked down, like Hello, I've won the VGA and I'm BAFTA nominated. And it was like wait a minute, oh, shit. This is gonna be difficult. You have to commit to the LA scene, and you have to be there.
So I mean, even in the beginning, if I didn't have work booked, I would go down there and spend time because I'm a firm believer, as I'm sure you are. Sure we've talked about this being in a space and manifesting things to happen. And when you're in a space and you're present, you're visualizing how you want it to be that eventually it will it will happen for you. So it was tricky because there were times rose wanted to take the frustrated route of like, oh man, like, you know, I've committed to living this dual life.
But every time I started to have doubt, and I put my focus, my intention is back together. And my agent would call me. You know what I mean? Like, it's not like I would ever give up on La this is it's where animation is it's where games are. It's where it's where it's where the industry is.
Alicyn
But do you know you’ll ever give up SF forever?
Melissa Hutchinson
SF either, if anything. I mean it's interesting because I've been having this conversation a lot and right now it's like there's no point pondering it because I'm kind of stuck where I am as far as the world being closed down, although they are opening studios in LA more and more.
Alicyn
Today was the first day I was actually in the studio since early March.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, wow. Wow. Yeah.
Alicyn
Yeah. Great to know right. The levels on my own session.
Melissa Hutchinson
Turn down the gain. Turn off the gain! What's the?
Alicyn
That was a perfect but you peaked so do it again.
Melissa Hutchinson
are you gonna call three hours later like okay, so everything we recorded was bad you're gonna need to read it I committed to needing to still have my space for my spiritual health. This is not a I'm going to shit on Los Angeles. But environmentally. I've just always been in Northern California and I cooler weather I'm a redhead people fog San Francisco put it together. LA hot, hot desert. But no, I do acknowledge though, honestly, and and within probably sooner than later that I will have to really fully commit to meet yet.
Alicyn
Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
I'm coming. I'm almost there. My goal and that's what makes it easier is having a community a, you know, a lot of people like: Oh, Los Angeles, it's the worst place ever. But you know what, there are so many amazing people such as yourself that make up this supportive community of people that, you know, it's, it's not such like, Oh, God, I'm gonna like, turn my life apart to make it full time. So it's in the it's an on the horizon. It's just realistically on the horizon.
Alicyn
There is nature if you don't mind commuting to the studios at you know, right but you're earning… commute?
Melissa Hutchinson
386 miles as opposed to like.
Alicyn
Probably better.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah. for miles in traffic, that's okay.
Alicyn
It’s kind of funny.I usually end these interviews after 30 minutes, and we've been going 55 minutes. Oh god, how are you feeling? Because I think still had and I definitely had some questions I didn't get to. So shut up, go, no, no shot. The whole point is that you keep talking,
Melissa Hutchinson
Okay? I'm fine. I'm okay. Totally cool.
Alicyn
Okay, so let's see. I mean, we talked about a lot of this stuff. I was curious, have you been doing? Or are you doing a lot of performance capture or motion capture?
Melissa Hutchinson
I've done a couple of things. And, unfortunately, I think I can kind of talk about this now. Cuz they released it. So I don't know, I did this thing for Oculus, but it was more like the demo because they ended up I think going with an actual, actual child for the voice not offended. So I got to spend the day on set and do I mean, it was so much fun. I wish it was a little more prepared. Because like, I don't know what I'm doing. I mean, I mean, I learned quickly.
And that's one thing that I'm very proud of is I take direction very well and catch on as quick as you can teach me, but honestly, no, I haven't. I haven't been yeah, I've definitely had lots of auditions come through for that.
But I want to because it's the perfect marriage of my background of theater but then still, you know, being physical, and then also with the expressions, but if you want to be 80 year old grandma, you can do that. Or you could be a 10 year old child. So it's such a perfect marriage of voiceover and on camera work. How about you?
Alicyn
What about the memorization though?
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, God, that whole thing? Well, as it turns out, if you haven't been doing theater for many, many years, that muscle shrinks to like, holy crap. How do I even remember who I am?
Alicyn
It's very interesting. I know. Actually, right before the pandemic, I used to do more on camera and produce my own sketches, and I love love doing on camera, but voiceovers just always been more natural come easier. So it's been the path, they pursued more, and I was getting ready to, you know, to more of an on camera push, and then everything has shut down and like, what little muscle that I've worked, to be able to remember and get off book for stuff. And like, I don't even know where that is.
But it seems to me like the voice actors that work a lot in performance capture motion capture, actually started on camera and then came over to bribe like notion. People like that. So yeah, I'm curious to find out more. And that's something I need to do a little research on to see. Do you guys have any voice actors that you love that do performance capture or motion capture, that you'd like to see on the show? Let me know just been doing PCAP classes, virtually.
Melissa Hutchinson
Virtually.
Alicyn
Melissa's here to give you good vibes.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, tails, I know, hey, I get away before Clem now I just do it as just a real fast on the performance capture, or the memorization thing I've been thinking about. I mean, you can obviously take classes in that but as a personal practice of getting some monologues or I don't know, the back of a, you know, box crackers, whatever. And just try to like, remember, I mean, it is it is a little disconcerting how, thankfully the the gig that I had, she was actually going around her house writing things down. That was part of the characters thing.
So I had like cheat. I had cheat script, like on like, you know, fake notepad thing. But no, it was I mean, I still have nightmares where I'm like, about to walk on stage, and I'm supposed to, like be in a play. And I'm like, I don't know the lines. I don't know the lines. So anyways, that makes sense.
Alicyn
And really good feedback. So yeah, maybe you guys can just DM me because I'm, I don't know if I can read that fast. Mark Hamill. Yes. Let's get him on the show.
Melissa Hutchinson
I'll try to help you with that!
Alicyn
Like, subscribe. Hey, you guys. John Bailey just jumped on. Epic Voice Guy. This is our commercial break where I tell you he's gonna be on the show next week and awesome because nobody does better trailer voices than it was. I can't even I can't.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, I would try to do it for you though. I
Alicyn
know. Marky Mark Okay, get Marky Mark on here please. Watson voice actor okay. Yes, Richard Ian Cox. If you guys don't mind DMing me I would be super excited. So But back to the reason the show is somebody really think about Asheville makes a jump let's talk about all the good things -
Melissa Hutchinson
Let’s talk about Ashe.
Alicyn
Ashe.
Melissa Hutchinson
Some of the leaders would say so that's a totally different like genre of gamers. I rarely meet people who are like I love Telltale Games. I'm also a huge League of Legends fan. Yeah, that was that was interesting because it was one of those jobs that in early in my career where you know, riot at that time was in San Francisco Riot Games and burgers gig in LA. They're out of LA and I still I still do ash. I just was in the studio not too long ago. Anyways, it's it was one of these gigs were I think I have like 12, 13 lines total and like four of those lines were like just laughing or, like, you know, making sounds, you know, so it was like, literally, “Take a good look. It's the last you're going to get.”
All those now she's kind of more she does all kinds of things now. She's you know, she's a badass wars the frost arrow warrior. Anyways, frost arrow, sorry, visiting anybody. Arrow frost about three years later, I had a good friend who was like, Hey, we are you the voice of Ashe and League of Legends. And I was like, I don't know what you're talking about. He played it. And I was like, Yeah, that's me. I mean, here's the deal. This is not to take away from the importance of the game or the character, but it was literally like 13 lines, the session lasted under an hour. And I was like, flip out the door.
And then like three or four years later, this game explodes into like tournaments and conventions, like, based around it and like these characters, and my character Ash is one of the first you know, original characters and like a tutorial character. Sorry, I'm getting that wrong. So it was an interesting dynamic of putting not so little my heart was in it. The performance was fun and great to do. But it was just like, you know, this little thing, just showing the different levels of the games industry and someone just mentioned Overwatch is kind of similar probably because in Overwatch, they probably have like a rotating like 20 lines of shooting out like one liners like haha, got my back. I'll get you.
Alicyn
Yeah, you know what I like World of Warcraft was the first game I ever did. And I was with the blood AlphaGo it was a job that I found myself off Craigslist, and then became like, let's go back to this huge things like the female Blood Elf. Well, yeah, yeah. It's just it was a very short, like maybe a two hour session. Right? Yeah. And that, but then it's it comes down to what who plays it? I mean, right? How many people are playing it?
Melissa Hutchinson
Well, that's, that's really cool. And again, with Ashe, it's, super honored to carry on like a character for so many years. I mean, there was a huge time span between recording new content for her. But then in the last, like, four years or so I've been in the studio quite a bit. And they built on her character. And it's, it's, I mean, that's just too cool to be able to reprise a character after that many years. That was way before the Walking Dead. So it's been like 10 At least 10 way. You know, 10 I don't know. It's been a long time. So it's been really cool to, and I have been to like league related events. And it's, it's really it's awesome to see the fan demonium.
Alicyn
Not like Space Racers.
Melissa Hutchinson
I know what's up with that. I love Space Racers. I mean, I guess part of the preciousness of that thing that's yeah, totally with you.
Alicyn
That you?
Melissa Hutchison
Yeah.
Alicyn
It was it was just us. Yeah, it was just us being in the studio with actors doing animation and doing ensemble work was I mean, that was just I had the best time ever. Recording on the first season. The second season. They cut me off you and Yuri. Well, yeah, you guys would go in and do your stuff. And then I come in. I'm like, loser. Darling was recording.
Alicyn
Yeah, we can get you in and out. 30 minutes. Right. That was fun working with Yuri and Yuri Lowenthal and Johnny Bosh, Meyer Mark.
Melissa Hutchinson
Meyer mark. I always want to say wisely, but it's Brisley.
Alicyn
I love him. I know I was actually meant to text Mark, not that he's on social media to be like Melissa and I definitely going to be talking about you tonight. You should jump on you Bradley he's the best he directed Yo-Kai Watch, Space Racers, the Mr. Man Show.
Melissa Hutchinson
I think that's it for a while. No, I did this new thing coming out fairytale forest eventually coming out. It was like I mean just you know, super fun little parts but it was you know Mel Brooks and Jane Lynch and you know all amazing characters keep your eye out that's all I'm gonna say about it was fun. And he directed it.
Alicyn
Yes, that's some good stuff. Mike was they wouldn't have any embarrassing stories to share in the booth?
Melissa Hutchinson
Cod thankfully not too bad. There was one time I peed my pants. No, I thankfully don't have anything too horrible. I there was one actual it was a Walking Dead session and we, you know, we would break for lunch. And I got like a quinoa bowl or something. And I swear to God, this is the problem with VoiceOver people and Roger L. Jackson. I remember lunch or whatever. And he's like, no, no, no, it'll make my stomach. Did I come back? Yeah, you're back. Anyways, I had a quinoa bowl, and then my stomach was like, graer I was just making these sounds where I was like, Oh my god. Oh my god. It was like non stop like, and says the thing not eating lunch?
Alicyn
No, I ate.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, yeah. No, he was just like, I'm not gonna eat lunch because it'll bear. And I thought of him throughout that whole session. I was like, oh my god, this is crazy. Because my stomach I kept having to be like, I'm sorry, guys. Because the microphone to those who don't understand will pick up. Like if you have like a frog in your throat or like your gurgle gurgle in your stomach, it picks it up. So it was like this non stop like, just like [hungry stomach sounds]. Jesus Christ.
Alicyn
Or work with it. Those, make those into zombies.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, I know. I should have been like I Can we come in and lower the mic down to my optimal stomach at this point, because I am putting out some good content, folks. That quinoa!
Alicyn
Someone asked a really good question. Since you like to sing Do you play any instruments?
Melissa Hutchinson
This is where I thought I wish I was more like you. I don't I mean, I can strum a guitar somewhat. And it's a little frustrating and something I should work on because I do love to sing, then people are like, oh, you should put out music. I'm like, Well, I guess.
Alicyn
They're just like, someone that can play for you. You know, I mean, a long time learn guitar. It is a challenging instrument, you can play a little easier. But still, I mean, you can always find someone to play for you.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, that's true. I had and I have collaborated here and there. But it is something that like, I mean, singing beyond the racecar driver, actress veterinarian, being a singer was all it's I mean, that's my background is musical theater. So I do. I mean, I still sing. I sing all the time, but to incorporate that into my career. And I have projects. Yes, and I have, thankfully, but I there's a soul connection to my self wanting to be a singer as well see? Yes, but I don't play an instrument.
Alicyn
Well, life is long.
Melissa Hutchinson
Life. Yeah. Hopefully, thankfully, I believe.
Alicyn
Yeah, gratefully. Yeah.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh, shoot. Well,
Melissa Hutchinson
Maple wants to go…
Alicyn
Take Bodie over there to meet you. What’s -
Melissa Hutchinson
It’s like an hour flight?
Alicyn
Yeah, well, maybe we could work on a duet someday,
Melissa Hutchinson
I would love that.
Alicyn
I would absolutely love that. That would be so fun. We till we've already done it. We should get in the studio. But we could record something live. That would be super fun.
Melissa Hutchinson
That would be super fun. And you're a songwriter, you write. So I'm not saying that I can't or don't but I don't. So you can feel that one.
Alicyn
You know, we just it just comes down to creating the space and clearing your plate to see what comes up. And I bet you could write some amazing songs. The thing is, I think we all set a really high bar for ourselves. And when I, whenever I think about the bar that I set for myself, I think of all the songs that I've written that I don't want to share, because I don't think they're good enough. And I think I'm starting to shift the way I feel about that. Because with social media, I mean, you can put a picture of yourself doing anything and feel like sure, you know, whatever.
So I want to start doing more like songs sketches where it's just like here's, here's something from my heart. That's just a little sketch.
Melissa Hutchison
Yeah.
Alicyn
You know? And not think that it has to come out fully. Fully fleshed out because this medium for it. Let's see. Who do you believe Star Wars squadrons Is that a question for me? I think probably
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah. Hold on, let me Google myself.
Alicyn
I play a leader on the New Republic side, which is Awesome X Wing pilot leader on a nice public side. Yeah. Star Wars.
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, that just came out. Right. Like, yeah, last
Alicyn
week. Yes. Last week. So finally my dad will be proud, he said is J RS Stuart is that that's not just Stuart is it? J are Stuart oh three. Jeff Stewart is an animator and voice actor that actually played Mr. Tickle on the Mr. Menzel met at that. I don't know if that's actually him, or it's just like a similar username. But Melissa, did you ever work with Michael Madsen? That's really cool.
Melissa Hutchinson
No, alas, and unfortunately, especially in the games, the ensemble recordings are, they don't really happen. So Michael Madsen recorded all of his lines separately, never got to meet him. But he did an amazing job. Obviously, it's Carver, so it was cool working with him. He recorded his lines before me, so at least got to hear them piped into my headphones during the recording sessions.
So technically, I worked off of Michael Madsen. But no, I never got to meet him. Yeah, I didn't get to meet a lot of the people that worked in season two, three, and four. Honestly, this is crazy. I'm just going to borrow some minds right now. For the Walking Dead fans. I never met Taylor Parks who plays AJ. That's bonkersville. Like literally that was the closest besides Lee and Clem de Foix and I are amazingly amazing friends. But I never met the actress who plays AJ and she did a phenomenal job. I'll leave it at that.
Alicyn
Some of would like us to brainstorm some ideas for Clementine tattoos.
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh god. I just saw Clem tattoo on Twitter today. It was amazing. Amazing work.
Alicyn
Wow. How does it feel to have someone have a tattoo of your character?
Melissa Hutchinson
Pretty freaking awesome. Somebody actually got one of clementines face and then I had met them in England, in London at a convention. And they got my autograph. Like on top of it. It was pretty good. Yeah, but the portrait work they had done was phenomenal. Got a tattoo idea. I mean, that's clim so like her hat, obviously. Just that her hat is so symbolic. Still not didn't but that's something you're like, what does that mean? Dude, like Well, come on. Still not but I don't know. I don't know. That's a lot. Let me think on that. And I'll try to like respond. Some power somewhere else? I don’t know… That's a lot of pressure a tattoo.
Alicyn
That's amazing. Which Clem moment was your favorite?
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh God, you know, as sad as it was, and as traumatic as it was. It was probably that final episode between Dave Fennoy and myself I might have to unplug my headphones here. I hope I don't screw anything up. But I have to charge my thank you will be still hear me.
Alicyn
Sounds really crappy.
Melissa Hutchinson
It's good. To take these up the final episode of season one, episode five. And again, I won't spoil it. In case people haven't seen it. But that scene between Clem and Lee, God was just one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life in a studio and getting to, you know, feel that emotion as a character. It's shy, it's once in a lifetime. Maybe not once, but definitely just I would say that's probably the most insane insanely like prominent thing I think of when I think of.
Alicyn
Voicing Clem… this question’s come through a few times was there one particular age that was the hardest to Clem to voice?
Melissa Hutchinson
but the only thing that was difficult know her voice is it sits in a place in my throat that's really comfortable. You know, if you if you do like really picture it, girls are like, hey, on the boy, you're like, you're pushing and you're like straining Clem. Like, literally from this age, all the way to this age. She resides in this really comfortable place in my throat to explain it. You probably have it but between seasons one and two, I think TellTale and the powers of be we're kind of freaking out about like, Alright, do we need to show that she's aged and but it's only been a couple of years, but she's lived a really horrible life. And I mean, that process I think I sent them like 16 different versions of what Clem would sound like between being nine years old and 12 years old and I remember people getting in touch with me being like, Hey, this is really important. We got to lock this down like and I'm like, why are you going to recast me? Like what's happening? Otherwise? I mean…
Alicyn
That does happen.
Melissa HutchisonAnd as it turns out, that could have been a possibility. But no, that was the most stressful transition. But it was never like vocally? No, it was just more like locking in. And once I locked into season two, Clem and three, I mean, it just, you know, it just. Yeah. So there's that.
Alicyn
Well, I'm going to just take a couple more questions, and then we're gonna have to round it up, because…
Melissa Hutchinson
Because it's midnight.
Alicyn
It’s past midnight somewhere? Yeah, I did have one more. It's just amazing how many people resonate and feels such a strong emotional connection to the character, which I just have to acknowledge you for that. How, how awesome that is that you can have that reaction in people. So I guess, you know, I think it's really interesting. It's funny, because do you remember the first time we met?
Melissa Hutchinson
Was it not at Raleigh Studios?
Alicyn
Probably, yeah. bass, bass racer, I bought a shirt. And how did you know? How did you get cast on that show? Was that three stars too?
Melissa Hutchinson
I was there stars. Like, yeah, he was. And that was cool. Because I was at that point that was literally at the time where I was wanting to ship down to Los Angeles, and got an audition through San Francisco. And I came down for the callback. And like, that night, I got the call that I got the gig.
And I was like, Oh, my God, like I mean, talk about like, Pivotal, important moment. But I don't think I met you. I definitely didn't meet you that day. I think it was like our first. I'm pretty sure the first session was like all of us together. So I think that's when we met I can't even tell you the year.
Alicyn
Oh my gosh. Guys, that was such a fun show to work on.
Melissa Hutchinson
So good.
Alicyn
Can you tell us anything about projects you're currently working on?
Melissa Hutchinson
Hmm, well, I mean, that's the old boys era. I would but then you'd have to kill me unfortunately. Is there anything? No, I mean, just in the range of things, there was Alexa spot that I got to do, which was cool. So if you ever watched a Lexus commercial, or there's like the super awesome, convertible sports car, and you hear you gotta go, you gotta listen quick. Because my line was literally be back before. And then there's a kid I know before dark. So that'd be back before. Yeah, mom.
Alicyn
The mom playing again.
Melissa Hutchinson
There are some other projects that are coming up. But it's fun. I can't really unfortunately talk about them. But it's interesting because the character work the game work. All of it is amazing. But it's also super awesome to work in, you know, national commercials. So that was a lot of fun.
Alicyn
Yeah. Yes, yes. It seems more and more commercials are demoing, and not necessarily. They're just like demoing everything and testing testing because we just don't know what people are buying anymore. So I
Melissa Hutchinson
I was honestly surprised. This one came out but it was in spur it's an inspirational car out of like getting out it's not not like they're driving into like a cat concert. Where there's 1000s of people. I mean, it was one of these, like, freedom in your own car things but no, with the COVID and all that. Yeah, it's it's been it's been interesting. It's been a weird -
Alicyn
Now and then the way to book it's like we we kind of started talking about the pandemic but just to kind of wrap things up. Do you have any words of inspiration for people that are out there things that maybe have inspired you or words you can leave us with?
Melissa Hutchinson
Oh gosh, I should have prepared for this? You know, I mean, it kind of just throw it back to you know, one of the things that I try to retain throughout my life whether it be with my career or my health or just goals that I visualized for myself, I hate… I don't hate the expression fake it till you make it but there is something to like whatever situation you want to call into your life, whatever you want to do, whatever you want to be inspired by just I have personally found just so important, and and just a huge.
What's the word functionality of how I've gotten to where I'm at, by visualizing what I want writing about it, like just seeing yourself doing what you want to do or being in the space that you want to be in and and just make that a daily practice. And that's been in for mental health. That's been amazing for career that's been amazing. Just just everyday life. It's been an amazing practice that, that I've really put work into adopting.
Alicyn
Yeah. Are there any particular books that you read that got you started on that or any?
Melissa Hutchinson
There? Oh, my God, what comes to mind right now there's uh, cheese… Oh, my God, I can't believe I'm forgetting this hold on this right here in front of me. There's one. Ask and It Is Given. Ah, Esther and Jerry Hicks? Are you familiar with that one? Oh, yes. Yeah, that is definitely one of the I mean, anything that's, you know, you throw out books, like the secret, which I think it's amazing people might shut it down. But I mean, really, we have the power to visualize what we want in our lives.
And if we put that energy in that intention, and paint that picture for ourselves, then it can happen. I am a shining example. Now, I'm not saying that my life is perfect. And I definitely have days where I have to fight my own negativity and and but I've just I've personally found that to be an amazing practice that's gotten me through some interesting times, and some amazing and going forward.
Alicyn
And that is really the practice of focusing on what you want to create in your life instead of focusing on either where you're at, or the negative in the situation, which naturally attracts those good things to you. So totally, yeah, and also a disciple from the, you know, I think even just as a science based kind of literal person at times to both creative spiritual and realist literal. I mean, even from a realist, little - literal perspective. When you create a sense of joy, and happiness and gratitude with your life, then you're bringing that energy every day, you're happy to go to work instead of being like, ah, yeah, bringing that kind of like, judgment towards everything, but I think it's an ongoing practice. Oh, sure. It's easy enough to get off track but…
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah, it again. Yeah, easier. Sometimes easier said than done. And I don't wake up every day, like life is perfect and beautiful. And yeah, I mean, there are it can be a struggle to, I just find that I'm starting especially these days, kids, if you're starting to spin out, just think of anything, anything that makes you happy and grateful like vanilla ice cream, I dog, I mean, just anything if you can flip that switch from going from the negative to just anything this shirt, I love the shirt, whatever. Just say something you know, that you're grateful for. And it's kind of magic how your brain starts to click out of that space of like, oh shit into like, Oh, okay. Got this.
Alicyn
Yeah. Melissa, we could talk all night. It’s been so much fun!
Melissa Hutchinson
I’m heading into the kitchen.
Alicyn
I really have to pee. And I know.
Melissa Hutchinson
This is just what we get for not hanging out for way too long.
Alicyn
No. Well, you know, first of all, when you get back to LA, we should definitely do a social distance. Maybe we can have you back in a few months because people have tons of questions that we haven't gotten to for anybody that's just tuning in this show is called Alicyn's Wonderland. Every week we interview someone that works in animation or video games, everything from show creators to voice actors, storyboard artists, animators, we really take a broad picture of the whole industry. So please, follow me and then my IG TV. We do this every week. So come hang out. We would love to see you on here. And Melissa -
Melissa Hutchinson
Thank you for having me. Thank you everyone that's out there. I love you so much. Seriously, thank you so much for writing in and if I can reach out and hug every single one of you. I would I'm doing that right now. I swear and you too, Ali.
Alicyn
Is it awkward yet?
Melissa Hutchinson
Yeah. It never will be. I love you, too. I will be talking to you soon. And I will see you soon in person and we will cheers and glass all like reach over and like breathe that way. Whatever. However, we'll use those like, tongs to like cheers from six feet apart.
Alicyn
Yes, exactly. I love you girly.
Melissa Hutchinson
I love you too. Thanks, everyone. Hi everybody.
Alicyn
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.