What are you going to do when you graduate? Everybody gets asked this question. And I am annoyed by it more often than not. But in fact, it is a good question, a question worth thinking of as the end of my studies is in sight. I will definitely not become a teacher who has to deal with nerve-racking children every day. And I will definitely not become an office clerk who has to sit in front of the computer for eight hours a day. Not everybody is naturally gifted with the patience to teach annoyingly rebellious teenagers. Not everybody is naturally gifted with the ability to look at a screen for hours (I easily lose my nerves when the computer doesn’t do the things I want it to do).
So what am I going to do then? When I was watching TV the other day (no, not the Soccer World Cup), I realized how fascinated I am by the movie industry. Not only because watching TV is one of my favorite activities. I am very interested in how this gigantic industry works, how movies are produced and what is involved in it. While I was watching The Simpsons, I was wondering which words were used in the original English version. Because of course in German and many other European languages every foreign-language movie has to undergo the complicated process of dubbing. Finding the right words in each language is a highly elaborate and fascinating task. So maybe one day I’ll be one of those famous German voices of English movie stars. One of the voices you immediately recognize when you hear them. If you want to argue that this isn’t a job that will change the world, please read on (believe it or not, even Arnold Schwarzenegger has a German voice actor).
You have to agree that there are movie lines that have made lots of movies unforgettable. You immediately know which film it is when you hear the lines. Famous movie lines that come into my mind right away are: “Beam me up, Scotty” (Star Trek), “Here’s looking at you, kid” (Casablanca), “Luke, I am your father” (Star Wars), “My name is Bond, James Bond” (James Bond) and “Run, Forrest! Run!” (Forrest Gump). And I could go on for pages. Even without being an actor, you can be in such famous movies – as a voice actor. Manfred Lehmann, for example, might not be a familiar name to you, but you immediately identify him when you hear his voice. His rough, masculin voice is perfect for the movie quote that became so popular: “Yippie yah yei, Schweinebacke”. I guess this saying became even more popular than Arnie’s “I’ll be back”. In case you don’t know who I’m talking about, I’m talking of the voice actor of Bruce Willis in Die Hard. I am sure that if you know several Bruce Willis movies, you recognize his German voice everywhere because it is so concise. And in case a different dubber is used, you are irritated and want to hear Lehmann’s voice.
I really like Bruce Willis and his movies (yes, even his action movies) because he’s a great actor. But in my opinion the voice plays as important a part other as the acting performance. Because the voice is one of the most distinguishing features of a person. In addition to recognizing a person by their face, you recognize a person by their voice. Even though I like watching movies in English now, I started out watching movies in German. Even though I like knowing the original voices of American and British actors, I first got accustomed to their German dubbing voices. It is important to find dubbing voices that match the actors and their parts. I dislike it when a dubbing voice doesn’t fit the character and thus destroys his authenticity. Just imagine the negative effects it would have if a well-built action hero like John McClane (alias Bruce Willis in Die Hard) had the same voice as SpongeBob. The same goes for the striking appearance of another well-known actor – Bud Spencer. His German voice in movies like Banana Joe or They Call Me Trinity is unforgettable. It is the incredibly low voice of Wolfgang Hess. The lowest I’ve ever heard. Such a voice adds authenticity to the performance of somebody like Bud Spencer and goes perfectly with the colossal tough guys Bud Spencer portrays.
These voices show that it is possible to make a significant contribution to the world with dubbing movies. Sooner or later I might visit you in your living room as the voice of a movie star. Not in the form of Bruce Willis, obviously. But maybe in the form of his daughters or other up-and-coming actresses, becoming part of the never-ending movie industry.
The End
Or as Arnie would say
“Hasta La Vista, Baby”
So what am I going to do then? When I was watching TV the other day (no, not the Soccer World Cup), I realized how fascinated I am by the movie industry. Not only because watching TV is one of my favorite activities. I am very interested in how this gigantic industry works, how movies are produced and what is involved in it. While I was watching The Simpsons, I was wondering which words were used in the original English version. Because of course in German and many other European languages every foreign-language movie has to undergo the complicated process of dubbing. Finding the right words in each language is a highly elaborate and fascinating task. So maybe one day I’ll be one of those famous German voices of English movie stars. One of the voices you immediately recognize when you hear them. If you want to argue that this isn’t a job that will change the world, please read on (believe it or not, even Arnold Schwarzenegger has a German voice actor).
You have to agree that there are movie lines that have made lots of movies unforgettable. You immediately know which film it is when you hear the lines. Famous movie lines that come into my mind right away are: “Beam me up, Scotty” (Star Trek), “Here’s looking at you, kid” (Casablanca), “Luke, I am your father” (Star Wars), “My name is Bond, James Bond” (James Bond) and “Run, Forrest! Run!” (Forrest Gump). And I could go on for pages. Even without being an actor, you can be in such famous movies – as a voice actor. Manfred Lehmann, for example, might not be a familiar name to you, but you immediately identify him when you hear his voice. His rough, masculin voice is perfect for the movie quote that became so popular: “Yippie yah yei, Schweinebacke”. I guess this saying became even more popular than Arnie’s “I’ll be back”. In case you don’t know who I’m talking about, I’m talking of the voice actor of Bruce Willis in Die Hard. I am sure that if you know several Bruce Willis movies, you recognize his German voice everywhere because it is so concise. And in case a different dubber is used, you are irritated and want to hear Lehmann’s voice.
I really like Bruce Willis and his movies (yes, even his action movies) because he’s a great actor. But in my opinion the voice plays as important a part other as the acting performance. Because the voice is one of the most distinguishing features of a person. In addition to recognizing a person by their face, you recognize a person by their voice. Even though I like watching movies in English now, I started out watching movies in German. Even though I like knowing the original voices of American and British actors, I first got accustomed to their German dubbing voices. It is important to find dubbing voices that match the actors and their parts. I dislike it when a dubbing voice doesn’t fit the character and thus destroys his authenticity. Just imagine the negative effects it would have if a well-built action hero like John McClane (alias Bruce Willis in Die Hard) had the same voice as SpongeBob. The same goes for the striking appearance of another well-known actor – Bud Spencer. His German voice in movies like Banana Joe or They Call Me Trinity is unforgettable. It is the incredibly low voice of Wolfgang Hess. The lowest I’ve ever heard. Such a voice adds authenticity to the performance of somebody like Bud Spencer and goes perfectly with the colossal tough guys Bud Spencer portrays.
These voices show that it is possible to make a significant contribution to the world with dubbing movies. Sooner or later I might visit you in your living room as the voice of a movie star. Not in the form of Bruce Willis, obviously. But maybe in the form of his daughters or other up-and-coming actresses, becoming part of the never-ending movie industry.
The End
Or as Arnie would say
“Hasta La Vista, Baby”
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