¶ Intro / Opening
Hi , I'm Daniela . Welcome to my podcast . Because Everyone has a Story , the place to give ordinary people's stories the chance to be shared and preserved . Our stories become the language of connections . Let's enjoy it . Connect and relate because everyone has a story and relate because everyone has a story . Welcome my guest , lea Sacran .
Lea is a true cosmopolitan , born in Switzerland with Mediterranean , eastern and Western roots . She's a multilingual and fluent in English , german , swiss , german and French . Lea is a natural storyteller who has worked as an author , copywriter , screenwriter , actress and narrator or voiceover . Her voice is versatile and globally flavored .
I had a fantastic time learning about Lea's story . Her life is a series of extraordinary artistic adventures , guided by curiosity and a love for friendship and connections . Lea's experiences across various artistic settings highlight the serendip world of voiceover , discussing the importance of rhythm and voice care in the wide range of opportunities in the field .
She even created her own books and audiobooks called Gusta and Gusto , emphasizing the deep connection between storytelling and family . So let's enjoy her story . Welcome Lea to the show . Yes , welcome Lea to the show . Yes , hello .
Daniela , I'm so glad to be here . Thanks for inviting me .
I am very excited that you're here all the way from Switzerland , because you have a story to share . So tell me why you want to share your story .
I think stories are everywhere they're in the streets , they're in the sky , they're in our dreams , they're in our hopes . Stories is something where all human beings touch upon , and I'm an author and a voiceover , so storytelling , it's my job , my form of expression .
Yes , how much fun and you're very creative if you have to create stories .
Yes , absolutely yeah . It's quite interesting also because , since I'm a small child , telling stories or playing with Barbies it was always a form of telling stories , inventing things how I wanted them to be , and so slowly actually , I evolved into me being a storyteller .
Coming first from with a strong musical background , I actually wanted to become a musician at first . I studied the piano at the conservatory in San Francisco .
Lea , tell me then . Would you say that your story starts when you were little , or when does your story start ?
When I was little , and then it passed actually through music as a passion and then I went on to the theater Uh-huh .
And so , as a music , what were you playing ? What instruments ?
Oh , it was a classical formation because I actually wanted first to become a pianist . I would play competitions , all the terrible beautiful things like Chopin , where you have to be very fast , be in the flow , let go . Then it went on to my theater , in the opera , in dance and all visual arts .
So music actually was a very important step because also in storytelling or as a narrator , it is so important that through the voice you can communicate feelings , but not just communicate them , but you feel them and through your voice the other people also hear them and can be part of a story . I see .
So how old were you when you started piano lessons ? Four oh wow , yeah , I was like one of those young talents you try to push and you never felt like it was more of a chore than actually something fun , Because you know , if you were four and then you probably had to take a lot of classes and you were really kind of forced to be disciplined .
Yeah , yeah , yeah . I mean this is a story of its own , but it was . You know , you get somehow like into a trance when you like practice five hours per day the piano . And when I was 16 , then I went to the conservatory , I had a great but very strict teacher , but it is , the pressure is very , very high . Then I proceeded with the theater .
Ah , then just moved to the theater . Yeah , because the pressure . You need to be at an emotional state to deal with such high pressure .
I would say and then , how do you know that you like the theater ? Well , you didn't have time . No , I didn't .
I actually didn't , but the people wanted me to go into the theater . I was at an art school at the time in San Francisco , the urban school , and where were you born ?
I was born in Switzerland . Okay , in Switzerland . And then ? So how did you decide to go to San Francisco ?
My parents they moved there , they work there , so that's why we went to California and I have a lot of family also in the States and you were 16 when you moved , yeah , so how was that ?
that change of culture ? Well , the States .
It was always a dream for me and then , all of a sudden , I was there and the dream was over , because it was like you go to school . You don't have anymore this dream , the imagination . But it was a great time .
I think there are moments in life , if you're aware of possibilities , it is great to take the steps in the moments where you actually are aware of your potential and of your possibilities .
Well , it sounds interesting . It sounds more like you had a fantasy to go to the States , yeah , and then , once you get it , maybe it wasn't exactly how you thought . Yeah , and then you were , I don't know . The fantasy was gone . That's why I think fantasies should stay yeah .
And storytelling . It's all about fantasy . I mean , you know it was a great experience and I love to look back to the States and I love New York . I you know it's one of my favorite places . But it was just a passage in my life . But I think it was a very important passage in my life Also , leading me actually to become a storyteller .
I went to the theatre and later on I also studied in Paris I was at the Lecoq School , and then I worked in state houses and I worked at the opera , I worked in the free scene . So it was very valuable also , you know , to integrate all the different changes and impressions within my life as an actor .
Then it was a great form also to come into voice acting at a certain stage of my life .
But were you very clear of the path that you wanted to go to , or it just happens that you came across people who were guiding you , Because you know , you went to San Francisco and then you went into Paris .
I was guided in some ways by people's suggestions and I was very curious to discover the world , I see . But it was not that I had intellectually in my mind the clear goal at that point . It just kind of led me into that direction . But it is the pathway I want to take me into that direction . But it is the pathway I want to take .
But I was only aware of it later on that this is actually what I want to do when I was like in my 20s I was not fully aware of also the possibilities I had . I just kind of went with the flow .
Interesting , yeah , so you went with the flow and also I assume you had talent for all people .
I make new friends , so the friendship was actually in the center , which always brought me again into storytelling and into the theater , but it was not . I have the goal of being in the visual arts , so I'm going to make friends to get into there . It was , oh , I can make , they want me to be there and then I can be their friends .
It was the other way around . You build a relationship first Because of the relationship which I enjoyed or the friendship I joined projects . Often you know some people . They are very like , orientated . I'm going to connect with these and these people . I'm going to network because that's my goal .
I want to be on that stage or I want to work with that agency or I want to be in that production . It was the other way around . I saw everyone as a human being and the potential friendship which could evolve you met people through being in this world .
You met people through being in this world , then through building relationship without any interest . This is how opportunities came across .
The interest was a friendship . Yes , yeah , without I want to do , but at the time it was the passage through friendship that actually gave me the awareness of what I want to do , and so I was in the right field .
I like the word , the passage through
¶ Traveling Through Stories
friendship .
The passage through friendship , yeah , could be a great title , couldn't it ? My Becoming Through the Passage of Friendship , okay . My Becoming of a Voice-Over and Storyteller Through the Passages of Friendships , yes . And connections , right and connections .
And actually my last audio book , the slogan is Connecting Hearts and Generations , which I can tell you , maybe , later on about . So it is always the connection which is important , yes it is very important .
It is very important to me too . It doesn't have to be strong connection that I want to be with you every day , but that connection with you I feel like , oh , I would love to have coffee with you later . Great . So what happened after San Francisco ?
Yeah , afterwards . Then I was back in Switzerland and then I went to Paris to study theatre at the École Jacques Lecoq and I went to London and there I studied dance , actually at the Laban Centre , which is now called the Trinity College of Music and Dance , and I did more theater . I was also at Philippe Gaultier and then I worked in Basel , in Switzerland .
Again , I went back to Switzerland , I worked at the theater and I also had possibilities to work at the opera , and then at some point you get married and you have children and you know it's very difficult .
Also if you have small kids and you are sitting in the theater every evening until 11 o'clock looking at the stage , you know you need to find different ways how to yeah , and it's also good to be a moment just , you know , with the kids .
I always wrote since I was a kid , so I always kept writing and I then also had the possibility to work as a script writer and I did a lot of promotional videos interesting , brilliant from all the things that you've done .
obviously , the one that you're doing now , that we're going to talk in a moment , is your favorite , but other than that , do you always saw everything good about every piece , or there was one that you really liked most between being a pianist , an actress , an opera ?
I think it's the whole story . You know , like a pearl necklace in a romantic way I could describe it . I think it's the whole story with the different parts .
You know , it's like traveling , traveling through this planet kind of thing , and obviously you always have moments which you I hope everyone in this world or people that's what I wish for for everyone that they have moments they really enjoyed and they felt well and at home .
And then there are other moments where you feel challenged , and then there are moments where you get to know yourself and there are moments where you get to know others and I think , everything . You always go . If you write , you always go back and then you gradually progress .
Yes , it's like a spiral , so you always take some things , some experiences with you which you had and you progress with it on your pathway . So obviously I mean the music . It's a very important aspect for me , also as a voiceover , and I have a good feeling of rhythm . I hope so .
I mean it would be bad if I wouldn't , so how did you get to where you are now ? Then Voiceover .
At some point I also went back to university to get a second degree as a counselor Also good if you can give something to the world .
But how do you come up with that Like counseling , that's like so different from what you were doing ?
Yeah , because it was important to me to have a second stand also in life . Through counseling I actually got into the situation of having a job where I was very unhappy . I really didn't feel comfortable and I worked with children who had visual impairment . That's the point which brought me then to voiceover . It's really interesting .
Then I saw a job in the library for people with visual impairments that they were actually looking for voiceovers to tell the stories , and this gave me the idea . I thought , oh , that would be interesting , why not ? And then actually this whole journey then started off .
So how was that ? Did you apply for the job , and then ? What is it that you needed to do ?
I did apply for the job . I made a recording and I had also friends from the past who work also in the theatre and I had the possibility that they gave me their material .
I was not sure if I'm the right person for specifically that place I actually was interested in other forms of storytelling but it actually brought me into what I'm doing now , so I'm very grateful for this .
And how long did it take you to figure out that you what you're doing now ?
I actually , I think you know , when I worked also as a script writer for these promotional videos , I mean I did over 100 of these films I already , then already casted the voices . I did the whole production , I created the scenes , I did everything .
You know what had to be filmed , the whole storyboard , and I casted the voices often also , but I never had the idea that I actually could be the voiceover , but I was already in there without actually knowing that at some point I will be in front of the mic . And what does it take to be a voiceover ?
A voiceover you can , you know , for e-learning or for audio books , or for publicity , or for documentaries , or to be a dubber . There are many possibilities , you know , as a voice actor . So if you ask me what it needs to be a voiceover , I think it's very important that you take care of your voice , that you hydrate , that you drink a lot of water .
Me personally , I also go to the gym because I hear it in my voice . When I've been at the gym , I know that I'm going to drink one and a half liters of water , which is already a great thing to do for my voice . I use my abdominals , which helps me also for my voice . I think you hear so many things in the voice of a person .
Interesting the voice of a person Interesting . Radio was before TV , a kind of art that was developed . You hear on the radio stories right , Absolutely .
Yeah , in old times storytelling was a form of information maybe you know , before the radio even and you would travel from village to village and you had some people I don't even know if you called them actors at the time but they told the story of the village , what happened there , and they travel to the next village and they say we're going to tell you the
story of that village . So storytelling was a form of transporting information . So storytelling was a form of transporting information . And then , as you say , obviously through the radio yeah , it's a very good point where then , actually through the voice , you listen to the news .
So , lea , then now . So you start to do the voiceover , working for somebody else . But then something else happened you decided to be your own storyteller .
Yeah , I have two audio books which I wrote and I actually heard the podcast of a guy which was a very nice story many years ago and this was the father who traveled a lot but he always told his daughter the goodnight story , apparently . But then when he traveled they really had a problem because the child didn't want to go to sleep without the stories of .
So then he had the idea to through a podcast . It was very in the beginning . He would tell the story and send it to his wife and she would then beside the bed say , oh look , daddy sent us when he was traveling for business . Then I thought , oh , that's lovely . And actually through him I thought , oh , goodnight stories , it has such an important .
There's this ritual connection , goodnight stories . It's also very important . You know the connection between parents and kids . You sit beside the bed , you tell the story and I thought I'm going to write a story about unicorn . But then all of a sudden I wrote a story about rhino .
And then these stories they just came to me there is also a unicorn in there and the stories they kind of just develop and I wrote them down and then I made an audio book and they're called Gusto , and Gusto . I can get it everywhere on Audible and it's been published as an audio book by Blackstone Publishing and Spoken Realms .
And how did you decide the name ? I didn't . I just thought oh , they're called Gusto and Gusto . I didn't sit and think what name could I give it , it just came out like that .
Yeah , wow , and the rhino too .
You know , for seven years I always gave courses in creative writing where we developed stories . I had a group like of seven people for seven years . Wow , how romantic , I just got away with it right now . I always say don't sit down in front of a blank paper and take a pen and say , now I'm going to start the story . Yes , that's what you hear .
You know , it's really a form where you can block yourself , just be inspired . I could write a story about my headphones just because they're here . Once upon a time there were some headphones and they heard everything . I thought . You know , it just comes to me . You can take an element of anything and it can be an inspiration .
And you know , just you make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride Fascinating .
That's more interesting than saying picking a paper and have a yeah obviously I would be blocked if I could never write a story .
By deciding I want to write a story , I can say , oh , I should write a story , and then I look around what there is . Actually the things tell you the story . That's an interesting point . It's actually yeah , Everything you see in life is a message .
You could look at it in that way if you wanted to , and if everything is a message or a form of something which wants to connect with you , again we have the connection . Then just enjoy the ride and look where it takes you .
So you are also kind of spiritual . Yeah , I know everything . You're really funny . How many books have you written with the character of Gustav and Gustav ?
It's 12 stories Gustav and Gustav . It's in English and now we're translating it into German . It's already translated into German .
With your voice , you're doing that .
I'm doing it with two other speakers because I have different roles in there , and we're going to do it into German With your voice . You're doing that , I'm doing it with two other speakers because I have different roles in there , and we're going to do it in German and I'm also negotiating with Spanish . Those stories it's for everybody .
It's about personal development . Also , it is about standing up for yourself , going through crisis , being aware of new possibilities . And these two rhinos , you know they are like , very humanized . You can identify with them . There's this humorous aspect , how they look at things .
There's this one story where the question is she's taking a hippo workshop because Gusto , her friend , he doesn't have the time , and so she's kind of disappointed . Right , the rhino lady , gustav , and she's going to this hippo workshop , but the hippos they don't have a horn , and the hippos , they look at her like something's wrong with you .
You're not like we are . You need to get rid of your horn , otherwise you're never going to be a true hippo .
So you know , there she gets into a challenging situation what she should do , and also self-doubts and who knows I'm not going to talk about , but you know , those are kind of , with these stories actually situations we also encounter , many people encounter in life .
Then the second audio book I did with my daughter also , gustav and Gustav , with commentary , where we actually in interludes between the stories we talk about the stories together reflect also upon personal experiences which mirror some also of the situations of Gustav and Gusto , and we talk about it from the perspective also from different generations , my daughter being
in her 20s and me being past my 20s .
Yeah , that's very good to connect generations instead of separate them because they're different or we don't understand them . I think it's always good to connect them so that we can learn from them and they can learn from us , rather than always the older generation thinking , oh , they have to .
All these young people have to learn from us , when it's never the truth , yeah , and also you know we'd spoken reams , we talked about it and they gave me this inspiration also about connecting hearts and generations . Really it's hitting the spot of the story , but also of why stories . It's about connection stories .
It's about connections . I had one episode where I interview five different 20-year-olds because I wanted to see how they saw life from graduating from high school to university and what were their expectations and disappointments , and I thought , okay , in 10 years I will record again to see how they have changed . Oh , wow , that's cool .
Yeah , I believe that my kids are great teachers . Meeting all the kids , I was really impressed how much wisdom they had . I was very happy to share it with their parents , which I knew the parents some of them and I was like here look what a smart child you have .
Yeah , so I'm glad that you're doing that with your daughter and giving that perspective of different generations or we're not aware of , and I was very happy when she said I want that role .
It's like a decision someone takes and connecting generations and connecting passion .
¶ Exploring Life, Change, and Laughter
And so what else do you do in besides the books , the audio books and translating it from English to German and hopefully in Spanish too and other languages ? What else Are you having more plans , or you just let it flow , because always things come to you .
I do have certain plans . I like to work also on publicity , to work on global campaigns . I think it's very interesting also where you know you different languages . I love documentaries , for example . It's all a different work . Reading an audiobook doing publicity , there's a different drive to it . Dubbing for a film it's something else , it's another energy .
You all do it with your voice . I love this versatility also .
And then Lea , how is artificial intelligence going to affect your job ?
From my feeling . I think it can make certain things maybe easier . The human voice you can say , oh , maybe later on did you take AI or did you take a human voice , and then you say I took a human voice . You know , I really wanted this luxury . So it's becoming like , ooh , I had the luxury for a real human voice .
So it could actually become a marketing strategy . Maybe I don't know , it's just something I thought about and I talked with a friend about it recently , putting another spotlight upon the human voice . As you know , I'm wearing the diamond , I see .
It would be nice , you know I'm wearing the diamond . I see it would be nice , you know , to meet opera speaking Spanish and German and Italian and versus just English and then listening to other voices .
I think in that part , I think would be nice yeah , I understand this wish also , you can be afraid or you can say , okay , maybe it's actually going to be a tool to contribute to a better of whatever I'm doing , and some things will be maybe eliminated , but other things will be added that could help .
One thing it's always movement and change . Over all these years , we're going with the change and every change brings questions and brings fear . Obviously . I'm trying to learn what is needed nowadays , but stay loyal to yourself , also to your personal development . There are just some things where you stay rooted .
You're being awake to see what's changing in the sky , but you're not losing your ground and , in the same time , not to be hard and not to move at all , just to find this balance of hearing your soul and going with the development of the contemporary world .
What you need to learn , which tools to , maybe as a job , maybe as a hobby , maybe it starts as a hobby and becomes a job . We all human beings I believe we have such a great potential to try to help people . We also have the responsibility towards ourselves to nourish our potential .
It has to do with self-respect that in some form you express yourself and use potential you have .
Yes , and I feel that having that attitude , the being curious and accepting what is coming , you know , for me , I know it changes , I will complain a little bit and then I will be like accepting it . I know now that this is my style and so I'm okay , but I always , I'm always very excited about change and I'm curious about what's coming up .
Things are evolving all the time .
Yeah , music , art , yeah , that's how you you know you stretch yourself a little further . I think Audrey Hedburn said this one I always try to stretch myself a little further , meaning , as I understood it , to push yourself in a good way and also to perceive things in different forms , to know your attitude , but to progress also in your understanding .
Lea , I want to ask you something out of different . What is your favorite color ?
It's the colors of the rainbow , yeah .
That's funny , and so what is something silly that you do something silly ?
yes , I never do silly things . That's my problem . I , I I mean this , you know , sometimes I should just do silly . You don't do silly things . I'm surprised . I'm very reflected . Yeah , sometimes I reflected yeah .
Sometimes I would . Is that a Swiss thing that we can blame too ? No , it's a life thing .
One of these life things . You know , everyone has his story , Right ? Do you do silly things ?
Yeah , I'm sure I do silly things . Well , I like dancing , but I'm not a professional . I love dancing too . I always dance in the kitchen . There you go . That's why you're a good cook . No , no , no , no . That's why I dance because I'm not a good cook and because I don't like the kitchen as much .
So the only thing I can do is put some music and dance to make it a bit more entertaining . Usually it's Latin music . I really like that . I don't know if that's silly . I think that's mostly just a thing that I do .
But I laugh a lot . I laugh a lot , okay , but I don't think that's silly , I think that's healthy .
That's necessary . Yes , yes , that's necessary . Yeah , I like to make people laugh , but I don't necessarily do it on purpose . I just , you know , when I tell stories , I sometimes exaggerate it to make it even funnier , exaggerate the feeling , just so that it makes it all like more ridiculous . So that's another silly thing that I do . Anyway .
So , lea , thank you so much for having this conversation . Thank you so much . Yeah , I appreciate that . Whatever you share with us seems to me you have a fascinating life and many more years to come , with more fascinating things that happening to you . So thank you again for for your time . Thank you and keep in touch .
Of course we will keep in and we will put in the show notes all the information about how to find your story from Gustav and Gustav .
Thank you and have a lovely evening .
Thanks . I hope you enjoyed today's episode I am Daniela and you were listening to , because Everyone has a Story . Please take five seconds right now and think of somebody in your life that may enjoy what you just heard , or someone that has a story to be shared and preserved . When you think of that person , shoot them a text with the link of this podcast .
This will allow the ordinary magic to go further . Join me next time for another story conversation . Thank you for listening . Hasta pronto .