Creek Wilson: Navigating the Acting Scene

Ever thought about growing out a beard to land the perfect role, or how your unique quirks could be your ticket to stardom? Creek Wilson, the man behind the Mariner Ghost in "The Haunted Mansion," joins us for a candid talk about the idiosyncrasies of the acting world and the unexpected opportunities that come with embracing your distinctive features. We get personal as Creek reminisces about his daughter's pushing towards the big screen, the invaluable advice from acting vets like Danny Trejo, and the camaraderie he's found with colleagues including Rosario Dawson. It's an episode stitched together with life lessons, both heartfelt and humorous, from the trenches of the Nola film scene.

As we peel back the curtain on the acting industry, you'll discover the rip-roaring excitement of live performances and the raw energy of improv classes. Creek and the guys swap stories about the challenges and triumphs of entering the field later in life, proving it's never too late to chase your dreams. This chapter is not just about the laughs and applause; it's a masterclass in resilience and the art of learning from the seasoned professionals who grace the stage and screen.

Investing in yourself takes more than just commitment; it requires strategy and sometimes, a bit of sacrifice. In this episode, we break down the nuts and bolts of what it means to truly invest in your acting career—from quality headshots to the not-so-glamorous hours in training and travel. We also venture into the digital realm, discussing the allure of voice acting, the thrill of potential video game roles, and how fan conventions open doors to new worlds of opportunity. Tune in and be inspired as we chart the course through an actor's life, replete with studio stories and the dreams that keep us reaching for the stars.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, I'm Creek Wilson and I am excited to be on the Nola film scene. And yes, I am a somewhat yeah actor, or try to be. I am known for the haunted mansion playing the Mariner Ghost. Ha ha, ha, ha ha.

Speaker 2: 0:20

Nola please.

Speaker 3: 0:27

Hello, welcome to Nola film scene with TJ Play-Doh. I'm TJ and, as always, I'm Play-Doh.

Speaker 2: 0:33

Welcome back to Nola film scene. We're here with Creek Wilson today. Creek, thank you so much for joining us, glad to be here.

Speaker 3: 0:39

Those mellow tones of Creek Wilson. We had a conversation about a week or so ago talking about different subjects, and I swear Creek, I'm gonna write a Western, just so I can hear that voice in it. I know you've done some and other things, but fabulous, fabulous.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Actually I have a movie that is in post-production and the guy he's a fellow actor, director, writer I called his name, y'all would know who it is and he's actually wrote a Western and he said I've got a part in it and then I'm going to narrate it. So he heard my voice as he was writing it for the narration.

Speaker 3: 1:17

You get into people's heads, I will admit, in the best way, my friend.

Speaker 2: 1:22

I hope so. That's awesome man.

Speaker 3: 1:25

I grew up loving the Haunted Mansion In the nicest way. I'm jealous of you that you were in it, but I love that you were in it While Disney World opened in 1971, I went there in 1975 and also they released an album, kids. That Was what Vinyl, the big records, were, and there was a story in the song of the Haunted Mansion, ron Howard and this girl kind of walking through it. You had to go to us all the good stuff. So by the time I got to the Haunted Mansion I walk up to those gates and I see it Every time. It hits me. It's like I'm home. I love the Haunted Mansion.

Speaker 1: 1:52

You're going to make me cry and I love the movie.

Speaker 3: 1:57

We couldn't talk about it because it was came out during the strike and I really wanted to promote it.

Speaker 2: 2:00

I'm just glad everything settled. The first episodes we did we had to kind of talk around stuff and be careful not to get anybody jammed up talking about specifics while the strikes were ongoing.

Speaker 1: 2:11

Yeah, it was tough when the Haunted Mansion premiered July the 28th and I think it was July the 14th, two weeks before our premiere and we did not even get to do the red carpet or talk about it, and it was in my contract that I was going to be a part of all of that. Yeah, man.

Speaker 2: 2:29

I hate to hear that. That's awful.

Speaker 1: 2:32

Well, you just take it as it is and move on. Yeah, got to fight the good fight.

Speaker 3: 2:36

I'm not friends with Rosario Dawson but I did get to talk to her through Galaxycon and I met her in person at the Clerks 3 premiere. Such a great lady.

Speaker 1: 2:44

So cool. She is very, very nice. I cannot express how nice the cast, the crew, the director, justin Seaman, rosario Dawson, tiffany Haddish, danny DeVito, lackey Stanfield they treated me like an equal.

Speaker 2: 3:03

Which you are. Wow, that's really good to hear. My experience my limited experience has been pretty positive. People have been very, very welcoming on set.

Speaker 1: 3:11

I have not had one bad experience. Actually, my first big film that I filmed was, oh, maybe nine years ago, and I've worked with some Oscar winners and I've worked with some great actors and Everybody has been extremely nice to me.

Speaker 3: 3:28

Yeah no divas yet. No, I'll help you. I'll be the first diva we ever work together. Well, let's say when cuz it's gonna happen, my friend, it will happen.

Speaker 1: 3:44

Some of the products.

Speaker 3: 3:45

I was looking over them. We have a ghost. Yes, I had heard about the production of it. I had stopped working backgrounds like okay, and I flipped us. That was a really good movie.

Speaker 1: 3:52

Well, it was for my 10 seconds of fame. I was on set for 16 hours. But Christopher Landon, the director one of my coolest moments in this business. I talked to him for a good while about our fathers and he wanted to know about mine and, as y'all know, his father was Michael Landon. So I heard about Michael Landon as a dad, not a big movie star Wow, mm-hmm. So that was cool, very cool.

Speaker 3: 4:19

That is cool. I'm jealous of his hair, but anyway.

Speaker 2: 4:24

Creek. One of the things we ask our guest is what got them inspired to get into the entertainment industry. What led you down this path of being an actor?

Speaker 1: 4:34

Well, it's an interesting story I did. I started doing theater in college and Then, with several years, I was not in theater, didn't do any of it. But when my daughter, who is now 26 years old Her name is Cameron when she was 15, I decided I would quit work and I had done six or seven local theater projects and she had watched me and all of them growing up. So when it was April the 15th actually 12 years ago I went in. I was been on my motorcycle, debating back and forth what to do, and I've raised my daughter by myself Since she was a year old. Till she went off to college, me and her mother had gotten divorced and I got custody of her, which was my greatest Accomplishment in anything is being a dad. But we're taking these little short trips and vacations. So I decided we're gonna take a summer and travel. So we traveled for summer and hung out together. School started. She was turning 16 years old, her birthday's in August. So she looked at me and she goes daddy, I'm tired of you walking around with your nose up my ass. You need to do something. Get a job. I said well, who's gonna hire a 50 year old man? She goes well, why don't you be an actor? And she gave me the inspiration to be an actor. She goes, I've seen you do all the theater. She had a chance to do a little series that was in New Orleans gonna be filmed. But she decided to stay in school a couple of years before this because she wanted to be in the medical field and now she's a nurse. Long story short, she's the one who kind of gave me my Inspiration. The guy that helped her get to her spot two years before kind of took some head shots in a man.

Speaker 1: 6:17

I did some background. First background job I ever did was left behind and baton Rouge with Nicholas Cage. And Then I did a couple others just to see what it was like on set. But I had a bigger goal. You know, if I'm gonna play football, I want to be the best quarterback out there. If I want to be in country music, I want to be Garth Brooks. You know, somebody that's big, you know, yeah. So I had the better expectations and I said, hey, I like this. And started taking lessons from Some of the greatest character actors around New Orleans Jim Gleason. I took from Lance Nichols, jerry Katz, jeremy London there was several that I have taken and Gary Grubbs, and everybody teaches different things. You just put them in a big old bucket, stir it up and you've got some jumble, lie, gumbo and you pull it out and you put it all on yourself and you make you who you want to be. Yeah, so that's where I came into the acting world and I haven't looked back yet.

Speaker 3: 7:20

I've not regretted your inspiration was your daughter, basically kicking you in the ass into the field.

Speaker 1: 7:28

And she never lets me forget it.

Speaker 3: 7:32

Oh, did you like that paycheck Daddy? That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 7:38

So what else do we want to talk about?

Speaker 3: 7:40

I've got a question. You recently started improv. Yeah, yes, we've been talking about that. What was your inspiration to get into improv at this stage of your career?

Speaker 1: 7:48

Well, I'm always liking to get out of my comfort zone. Yeah, improv is getting out of my comfort zone.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Yes indeed and started out in my career while I was living in Hattiesburg, mississippi, and I was traveling to New Orleans I'm still based out of New Orleans. I wanted to do improv but I just never had the opportunity to do it. And when I got up here, I've actually Tim Casper it's a troop that they have called Gladys in Birmingham, alabama, and me and Tim he's one of the three and they're teaching the improv in Birmingham and me and Tim did a Hooters commercial in North Carolina about four or five years ago and that's how we met and just started talking. We actually filmed a movie in Birmingham with Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and, as I was coming on set and he was going off set first day of filming, run into him and found out he had his classes going on and I said, well, heck, I'll just jump right on in if you'll let me. And so I'm in 101 improv.

Speaker 3: 8:49

I'm not stepped up to 301, like y'all.

Speaker 1: 8:53

But tomorrow, today's Monday, wednesday night, we have our showcase and nice for the end of class. So February class to start back up, and I'm going to go back through 101 one more time and then before I step up to 201, so I've got a long way to go.

Speaker 3: 9:10

Nothing wrong with that. I did improv for actors level one, two and three, which, level three, had to pause because of the pandemic. And then, after we finished that, a year later, in 2021, a new was improv. David Hamilton started offering workshops, so it was still level one, but it was all day instead of spread out over the month level one, level two, and then he offered the full level course of just improv and I took it all. So I totally understand stepping back, and this is where I am. I want to take this again, and there's nothing wrong with taking it over and over, because you can always learn something new. It's always a new experience. And then I just joined the teaching staff for level zero. I'm the introductory teacher and you know hopefully you know one day I'll be like level one and start making a little scratch for it too. But mostly it's just having fun and, like you said, stepping out of your comfort zone. And it's great for auditions when they throw a script at you and I don't know anything about this. Bam, you just go.

Speaker 1: 9:56

Yeah, that's what. That is One of the main reasons I wanted to do improv. Help me think quicker on my feet.

Speaker 2: 10:02

That's right. That's right. It definitely helps with that. I looked into it. I've mentioned it before, but I started it to get over inhibitions, with showing vulnerability For the very thing you said at the beginning stepping outside the comfort zone and improv definitely was that for me.

Speaker 2: 10:18

I didn't do a lot of theater coming up, I did just a little bit school and church plays. I didn't do any in college and the first showcase, when we were in the green room, I thought, ok, I'm a little nervous, what if I can't think of something to say. But the minute we lined up to go out on stage it was over, the nerves were gone and we just walked out there and played and just had fun and our set was, I think, about 20 minutes long and standing off to the side, they turned the lights on and off to let you know that the set is over and I was ready to go again and it ended and I was like, oh, it's over, it was so much fun. I don't know if I'll ever be in a troupe and do improv or not. Maybe I don't know, but right now I'm just having fun learning it. I've got one more level to go at Anubis and it's definitely helped me overcome getting out of that comfort zone.

Speaker 1: 11:09

For sure it does, and each one of them of the three Tim, he was in the ground links in Los Angeles and the other two learned in Chicago and the other one learned in New York and when they get together, it's just like they're three people one person and they put on a great show. Yeah, I'm hoping to get there one day.

Speaker 2: 11:28

That's awesome, creeke. You and I were in the same show I did. I had a background role in Twisted Metal, which episode.

Speaker 2: 11:36

I was in episode one, okay, and I was in the scene where he pulls up to the gate at the very beginning. I remember that that show was actually what got me started on the path of doing principal work. I had done a handful of background and I knew that I wanted to do more. I just didn't know that it was possible. I didn't know how to break into it. One of the actors that day kind of started offering me some encouragement and I started taking classes and getting into it from there. That was a fun project. It was a small scene. It was a short scene but it was a lot of fun. I value the time that I spent doing background. Even though it wasn't extensive, it was a good opportunity to see how the machine works on set and all the stuff. I'm still fascinated by all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes and when I'm not busy and not doing something, I'm watching and looking and just trying to soak it all in.

Speaker 1: 12:27

And I do that every time I'm on set. Also, I hate being stuck in my trailer or my honey wagon and I like to be right there and I ask the director hey, can I stand behind y'all? I'll sit over here and be quiet. Just let me sit and watch y'all, do y'all's thing and make the match, yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:42

I think it helps me as an actor to see what they're looking at, see what the director is doing. I think it helps me in other settings to kind of understand their side of things Right, and just to understand how everything works. There's nothing like it.

Speaker 3: 12:57

Yeah, we all started off as viewers and I think we've all come into this field later in life. You know what I mean. I started my late 40s. You started mid 40s. Td is about the same. I in some ways hate that I didn't start in my early 20s. But if I wasn't where I am now emotionally personally I'm married, now I'm more settled I'd be a totally different person. I might have burnt out already, so to speak. So what would you say to either your younger self or even just a young person getting into this about the field that like a tip or trick that they wouldn't know?

Speaker 1: 13:30

Well, first of all, like I tell a lot of people, younger and older, that you have to take the time, the money and invest in yourself. And if I could start all over, I would take lessons for two years before I ever even thought about auditioning or getting an agent or anything, because I can look back on my old first auditions. I said it took me like two years and I actually probably auditioned over four or five hundred auditions, whether it was one word, one line, two lines, you know whatever it took me that long to get an audition. But I should have waited and taken lessons first and really honed my craft or learned what it was like to film in front of a camera. It's different than theater, because you're speaking out, you're throwing your hands out, you're reaching to the last section, the last row, with everything you know. You have to tone it in and Gary Grubbs actually helped me get to that point. But take your time and invest in yourself. Invest in the time to get to where you want to be.

Speaker 3: 14:38

Yeah, that's great advice. That's great advice, that's right. And if you can't afford to get into lessons, YouTube or find a book every day, find something for your career.

Speaker 1: 14:47

Well, let me go back when you said if you can't afford it, everybody can afford it if they really want to do it. Hell, at one time I was going out to the bars on the weekends, you know if I didn't have my daughter. So you know there was a hundred bucks. I was taking a date out. That was a hundred and fifty bucks. You know you can cut out what you want to cut out and take that money and invest in yourself.

Speaker 1: 15:10

So that's what I ended up having to do, which was hard, but I made my mind up to do it and that gave me the money because I guarantee I started off and I probably spent $15,000. And that was some of my savings. That was including traveling from Hattiesburg, mississippi, to New Orleans two to three times a week for lessons, plus your lessons, plus your headshots, professional headshots, plus have the work on my car, you know, change the oil. I include all of that into that $15,000. But for about the first two years I spent about 15 grand but I had to cut back on stuff to be able to do all of that. So it's really all what you want it to be. You know with your own life and what your goals are.

Speaker 3: 15:57

Right, yeah, that's right. But I always say, like, right now, if I lost my job, I couldn't afford my classes, but I can keep studying, I can find a way. This is the termination. Never stop. There's so many things against us to get a role People around us in the friendliest way. Did you make any money yet? No, you're just doing a hobby. You know? Okay, all right, but I'm still going. You know what I mean. Oh, there's some scams are out there, whether it was an agent or a teacher, and that's a setback. So, no matter what happens, you have to decide. That's what you want and don't let anyone or anything stop you, including yourself. Truth. You know what I mean Because it's there some days when you go what am I doing? Oh, man, I got all these bills. Oh, I got this. So it's a pipe dream and you have to take that negative voice and you just squeeze the hell off and say, just shut up, I'm going to do this. You know, keep on fighting.

Speaker 1: 16:42

Well, my mother is 94 years old right now, so let's go back when she was about 84. I can remember her telling me you need to get back in the real world, get you a real job. Quit following this stupid dream. I mean she was blunt, but when I showed her my first paycheck, you know, for like one day's worth of work, she's like wow. And then, for when I showed her what my paycheck and I'm not saying this bragging, I'm saying it very humbly because I did sign a contract. It was a low tier, very low tier contract with Disney when I did the haunted mansion. But when I told her what I was going to make, you know, for three months but really working maybe nine or 10 days, she's like wow, you're an actor. And that was the main one besides myself, that I had to convince was my mom. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:31

Yeah yeah, there's always going to be naysayers, but you just have to plug on. I see all those expenses that you mentioned, and even working for free in the very beginning doing short films, films that friends are making. I see that as an investment. It's a time investment in the career and its experience, its learning, its improving.

Speaker 1: 17:49

Well, when you say that if you get with somebody that's good with a camera, has good lighting, good sound, good editing team, one thing I will say never do is pay for somebody to write you three one minute scenes for a demo reel and pay them 600 bucks because I did that and it was a waste of time and a waste of money and it didn't do me no good. But if you get in with a student films and stuff and sometimes you can take those clips from the student films and say, hey, I just made $200 because there's a nice little clip for a demo reel, yeah, it's clear, the sound's perfect, you know, it hit right on the nail. So you can actually say you made two or 300 bucks right there when you get that clip.

Speaker 3: 18:34

Yeah, I just want to look at things. Totally agree. Yeah, I have a student film. I have a 48 hour film and a short film. All I did for free and they're all in my reel Going in a longer film didn't get paid in it for anything and I feel very confident in my reel now and it took me years to get there.

Speaker 3: 18:50

Some of my acting sucked, not the ones in my reel. Now, could I be stiffer? Could there be nothing going on inside of my head even more? No, it was pretty dead inside and I totally agree with you. For me it was not paying somebody, it was let's go do it and then you're not to pay me. But if you want to give me lunch, that's fine. But my reel I need the footage and I'm careful. It's IMDB credit, it's resume and reel. That's all I'm shooting for.

Speaker 1: 19:14

Absolutely. You sent it to me and it was excellent. Let me say thank you, thank you.

Speaker 3: 19:21

Hopefully that one comes out this year. I got a few that have been on the back burner and the thing with short films any film when it's just us, you know big money involved in it so it takes a long time post production. Some of it I'm like it's out, yeah, get to share.

Speaker 3: 19:32

Now, that was like I can't tell you. But anyway, thank you sir. Thank you Coming from you. I take that as a big compliment, since we're coming up on the end of the year and this one will be released in 2024. And I always try to do two part questions in a way, or give you a choice. So what is your new year's resolution for yourself, or like a goal? I want to be in this type of film, like a dream role, or what do you see for yourself in the next year?

Speaker 1: 19:58

I cannot say what it is, but there is a big movie that I audition for with a big time producer. It's going to be out. They're going to film in March, from March to July. And I did get a second not a callback but a second redo from the director telling me I needed to do a certain accent. He gave me some tweaks and directions for me to do and I did it the best I could and I had to hire a dialect coach because I was serious about it. Now that is my goal being that particular movie. Now, whether it happens, I can already say that I had two very blessed opportunities. First one is the first audition. The second one the director liked my audition and gave me a redo on it, gave me more time. That is my goal and is to be in this movie or another big franchise movie Such as the Haunted Mansion, and also they're going to do a second season of Twist and Metal and I hope they bring Mr Slam back.

Speaker 2: 21:06

That'd be awesome.

Speaker 1: 21:07

On his way back from Los Angeles, he's got to stop at the nut house and see Mr Slam one more time yeah that's right, excellent.

Speaker 2: 21:16

So I wanted to ask you, since you and I have similar looks you shortened up your facial hair a little bit. I've gotten mixed feedback early on. A lot of people have said that they like my look and that it would serve me, and I've had some detractors say well, I'm going to be limited in what I can do. I don't have a shortage of it's not bragging, but I mean I do get auditions and early on I was wondering if it was going to impair that and I decided that if it did, you know, if I couldn't get auditions at all, then I would start maybe altering my look a little bit. But have you had any detractors?

Speaker 1: 21:51

No, actually I got the Mariner Ghost on my looks because you know my beard was real, you know was out, not as big as yours, tj, but close to it. But mine curls up and I try to straighten it and it'll still curl within another hour or two. Justin Seaman, the director, walked over the first day. He goes hey, is that God? It's real, I'm going, yeah.

Speaker 3: 22:13

I heard it too, you know. I mean he ain't done it.

Speaker 1: 22:15

Yes, you are limited to do what you're doing. In January of last year, right before my new headshots, my hair was down about right here and I did cut it shoulder length. It has grown back in the last year. I'm not going to re-cut it, but I did want to do something different with my face so they could see more of my face instead of the bushy Plus. I got tired of the big bushy beard personally. But if somebody pays me $65,000 for a movie that's my amount I will cut my. I shave my head for 65 grand and that's on top of what I get paid. That is what is going to cost me to lose everything. Yes, I am limited into what I do. I just wanted to get a different look. You know I can get it this way and within a month I can have a pretty good full beard. You know, if somebody likes me and books me, you know I, within two weeks I can have my face covered up. We grow fast.

Speaker 2: 23:13

Yeah, mine too. I thought about shortening it a little bit, because sometimes I get stronger actions like whoa, that's a big beard, and sometimes people are scared of me to say anything to me, but I don't know. I think for now I'm going to keep it as is.

Speaker 1: 23:26

Well, keep it as is.

Speaker 2: 23:28

I need to keep it as is for one project until that's over with.

Speaker 1: 23:31

Well, it's easier to cut off than to grow back, that's right.

Speaker 3: 23:35

And quick. As we talked with our mutual friend Hick share me, yeah, no, yeah, our first guest we were discussing what it would take to shave the beard and you jumped ahead and got the question before I could say it, which is awesome, so, but I think you even topped his quote, but your beard has already landed you bigger roles.

Speaker 2: 23:50

Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3: 23:51

So it's more valuable to you. Hicks is too, I think. And again, I'm a tiny bearded guy so I'll go for sag. It won't be a one word thing. If the role is sag and a decent amount and it takes me about three or four months to grow a somewhat good beard back, I'll do it. But other than that, if my wife finally gets fed up with it because she doesn't like the beard that's kind of the hint behind it. But yeah, I'd go less than 65 to any producers listen out there. But you know I ain't cheap either.

Speaker 2: 24:17

So let's see, I got you.

Speaker 1: 24:19

Well, and see, I don't have a wife to worry about, it's just me, Thank God.

Speaker 3: 24:24

Nothing wrong with that. Each to their own.

Speaker 2: 24:26

Yeah, that's right. I'm fortunate my wife does not want me to cut mine, my hair or my beard. At least I've got that support. It might be a different story if she was adamantly against it, but I think she's just gotten used to it because I've had it for so long.

Speaker 1: 24:39

Ella looks good. Both of y'all also look good, Thank you.

Speaker 3: 24:42

Thank you, a wise bearded one.

Speaker 2: 24:47

I keep getting asked what my dream role would be and I kind of struggle with that. I had some ideas earlier on, and one that I've had in the back of my mind is to play a hitman or something you know mobster. But mobsters are usually kind of clean cut so I didn't really know what the opportunities would be. But I had an opportunity last weekend to play a hitman in a multimedia marketing campaign, so that was kind of fun. I'm still trying to explore and see the options that I have.

Speaker 1: 25:17

Well, just so you'll know, you will not get to play a doctor or a lawyer or the leading man. Right, that's right, and you just take that from my experience.

Speaker 2: 25:26

I'm okay with that, and I knew coming in that some of those weren't going to be an option. Even if I shaved my face, I wouldn't be a leading man, and I'm okay with that.

Speaker 1: 25:35

Well, I'm 61 years old, so you know I've got the bags under my eyes. But Danny Trejo told me we did a movie with him down in Baton Rouge Badasses on the Bayou, oh yeah, and I made the comment about getting my bags out and having plastic surgery. And he goes. No, don't do it. And he was like 69 or 70 at the time he goes. I got to retire. One day Somebody's got to take my place and I've made boo-coos of money on the bags. I had some of the guns nearly 80 years old now. Wow, and he's still going strong.

Speaker 2: 26:07

Yeah, I didn't realize he was that age.

Speaker 1: 26:09

He's probably in his late 70s right now. Wow, it still looks good and still healthy.

Speaker 2: 26:15

Yeah, yeah, he carries it well, he does.

Speaker 3: 26:19

He's coming to New Orleans in January of 2024 in the Comic Con, which leads us into a certain subject. You're entering to where I want to be. You're going on the circuit, man.

Speaker 1: 26:28

I am. I have my first one in Cary in Mississippi. It's a small one, it's the Cary of the Comic Con and that's January the 20th I'm hoping to do this year and then work up to the bigger ones next year. Yeah, I've got Enos, who is Boy Scooby-Doo for the last 25 years and he's a DJ down in Baton Rouge. He is going to be at this Comic Con also. So you know, there's one big name that I know of. I hope I get a booth beside him. And you know people don't spend all the money on Scooby-Doo and spend a little bit of money on me.

Speaker 2: 27:01

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 27:02

But I'm looking forward to it. I have another one booked in Texas in April. In between I've had a handyman job up here in Alabama where I live. You know, keep me from being bored and make a little extra money in between acting gigs, and I don't want to sling a hammer, no more. So you know, I'd rather be doing the Comic Cons a couple of days a week and you know, and have fun meeting people.

Speaker 3: 27:24

You are preaching to the choir, my friend, because I'm usually on the other side.

Speaker 3: 27:28

I'm not big on autographs, getting them. I like photo ops, and so, like the four Hobbits from the Lord of the Rings are coming, I always come up with an idea. There are people who dress as perfect stormtroopers, like the 501 Troop. Their costumes are picture perfect. I don't ever have the money for that, but I come up with, you know, funny ideas. So picture the four Hobbits and I'm getting us all ring pops the old candy. So everybody's got the ring Right. I do fun stuff. Sam Raimi came to town last year, bruce Campbell is coming this year, and I put on a fake script that says Evil Dead goes to Mardi Gras. So Sam Raimi is holding it up. I've got the little old director's megaphone. My friend Jim Vest has got the clapboard, you know what I mean. So they'll put take 48 on it. You know what I mean. So I come up with something fun like that. So when, these days, I'll find out what kind you're at and I'll come up with something for you too.

Speaker 1: 28:14

I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 28:17

Which project are you going for? Like what character of yours?

Speaker 1: 28:20

Actually I am really going with the Mariner Ghost from Disney, the haunted mansion, but I've got eight by tens and that's my main thing I'm going with. But then I do have, you know, the twisted metal, the we have a ghost and Red Dead Redemption to voice several characters in it when it came out.

Speaker 2: 28:40

Oh, that is so awesome. We both Brian and I, both want to do voice work.

Speaker 3: 28:44

I've seen your new banner, craig. It looks awesome. Well, thank you. How would you find, when you're doing voiceover Because I have not done much stage, not much theatrical work Do you find theatrical and voice acting similar, or what similar traits do you find in those?

Speaker 1: 28:58

I never really thought about it. I have a booming voice anyways. So I have to. Really, when I do a film you know cause you got your lab under your shirt right here and you have to tone like this I have to tone it down and I'm still, you know, really wanting to boom it out. That's just me.

Speaker 1: 29:17

When I was doing the Red Dead Redemption to, we did it in New Orleans in a studio and I was in a little three by three booth with two screens a screen up here with the words, a screen down here with the action going on, but it was more like stick people, not the characters. I had a band around my head and a rod sticking out with a camera coming back at me to get my lips. Yeah, so I, you know that was the only time I've ever done that and I stood there and I had just gotten over laryngitis, so I hadn't been able to talk for about four days and I knew this was coming up. So I just, you know, laid in on the, the gym being the honey and peppermint too and I'm not promoting Jim Beam or drinking or anything like that, it was medicinal purposes.

Speaker 1: 30:08

But when I was in there, the director was outside the glass door and I'm in the booth and spent four hours and then by the time I got out of there I could not talk again. I barely made it through the recording, but I had more of a raspy voice. So you know it was like this and I was. You know I do a lot more like that. It felt kind of like Popeye's, but anyways, it was fun.

Speaker 3: 30:31

Yeah, awesome Doing the video game, did you have to do all the grunts and the groans and the yells?

Speaker 1: 30:34

Yes, loud soft medium.

Speaker 3: 30:37

How long of the session was that? The last hour, the last half hour?

Speaker 1: 30:40

About the last hour.

Speaker 3: 30:41

Yeah, that's what he about the video game recording. Do it on a Friday, because it's going to rip your throat out and you can go back to work Monday.

Speaker 1: 30:48

Right.

Speaker 3: 30:48

Yeah, and what I had heard from different teachers was because it's just your voice, you got to forget your face and, like the theater, almost be bombastic, to be loud, like you said on camera, because it's right in your face and your mic. It's going to be quiet, it's going to be still to a certain point, depending on the role. But theater and in the comic, stop there, villain, you know you've got to be loud and bombastic and convey it all the emotions with your voice.

Speaker 2: 31:08

That is true. Where did you have to go for the studio for that session?

Speaker 1: 31:12

You know I cannot remember it, but it was an old church cathedral where the studio is down in New Orleans. I got you Over in the French Quarter, sweet, but I cannot remember the name of it, but it was beautiful. You know the church on the outside and then you walk in and you had all the boosts, the studios and everything else where they turned it into a recording studio, right.

Speaker 3: 31:33

I wonder if they use any part of it like the echo you know.

Speaker 2: 31:35

I'm waiting to hear if I booked my first voice over right now. I just got a message back from the casting director. I'm hoping that I booked it.

Speaker 1: 31:43

Well, I hope you book it also.

Speaker 2: 31:45

Video game is the goal. I want to do a video game really, really bad.

Speaker 1: 31:48

Well, they have not asked me to do another one, so you know they will.

Speaker 3: 31:54

They will Creek. It's been a blast talking to you today. We've kind of known each other on social media and we've liked each other's posts, but to finally get to talk to you and see you in action up on the big screen, it's been thrilling to talk to you today. It's been great and just thank you for coming on, sir.

Speaker 1: 32:07

Well, thank y'all for having. I was really, really enjoyed it. Same here.