MASTER OF VILLAINOUS VOICES (#122, JAN 2011)
Corey Burton is Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ go-to guy for the voice of villainy. His vocal talents have given life to characters as diverse as Count Dooku, Cad Bane, and Ziro the Hutt. Words: Jonathan Wilkins
Star Wars insider: How do you get into character i before recording?
Corey Burton: I scan the script for an overall “feel,” hearing how it might possibly sound in “the mind’s ear,” and establish rough mental images that tell the story. I do a bit of warm-up to open up the vocal range that will be required for the character that day—usually with a bit of singing and various noises or [by] belting out familiar character phrases. Naturally, over the years, with constant use, the vocal range becomes permanently expanded and seasoned, so there is hardly any need for thorough workouts anymore. But without some kind of warm-up beforehand, that first scream or vocal stunt of the day can wipe out the tone and texture of your voice—possibly for days to come. It’s just like any athletic activity—you have to be mindful about staying in shape to avoid lasting damage.
You’re known for playing villains in The Clone Wars. What makes for a good villain?
A good villain has a mix of every kind of human expression, from the most sincere and noble sense of purpose to our most tragic frailties. They harbor a pain and resentment for one reason or another—which they often mask with smug celebration of their powers—and vary from wildly theatrical to eerily detached. I have played good guys, just no recurring characters for this series. But, as most actors will tell you, it’s much more fun to play villains.
Cad Bane is very much based on the Western movie archetype of the “hired gun.” Which actors inspired his character?
I’ve been saturated with Western films and radio lore all my life. Bane was specifically designed to evoke the Spaghetti Western gunslinger as popularized by Lee Van Cleef. The influence of Peter Lorre was George Lucas’ suggestion, as I understand it, delivered in classic Western outlaw style. I’ve drawn from a few contemporary soft-spoken heavies, along with shades of Humphrey Bogart and maybe Robert Mitchum. I play him like a transplanted European immigrant in the Old West who has adopted the dialect of the place. He’s an extremely cinematic character.
In “Evil Deeds” (note: 3.08 Evil Plans) you have scenes with C-3PO. Given that Anthony Daniels records his performance from London, does this make a sense of interaction challenging?
Cast members usually record together, but in the absence of an actor, we make do with our imagination or mimicked read-ins from another cast-mate. Sometimes Dave [Filoni] will set up our cues with his own loose impression of the missing player. We’re mostly used to solo recording in feature animation work anyway, which is why having a sharp-eared director is essential in making pieced-together interchanges sound believably real-time in the finished soundtrack.
Some actors are sympathetic to their characters’ point of view. Do you think Cad Bane is evil or simply making his way in the universe?
He’s ultimately a dispassionate realist doing a dirty job for his personal survival and enrichment. It’s like he’s choreographing a ballet to complete his missions with heartless grace. His cool, unflappable demeanor overrides any shame that could arise from the cruelty and destructiveness of his methods. He’s just what his benefactors ordered, and nobody does it better.
When you read the words “an awesome fight ensues,” is the battle described in detail in the script?
Sometimes there is a detailed outline, but with non-verbal battle scenes I don’t try to remember all the steps to be produced on screen. I’m only concerned with specific action points to vocalize during the initial recording session. If more complex vocal choreography is called for, we’ll do that “to picture” once the basic animation is cut together.
Are you ever surprised by the completed animation?
I enjoy being surprised when a finished piece of animation hits screens. It’s better to let yourself be transported by the fully-produced presentation, and not allow memories of the session work to shatter the suspension of disbelief.
Did you try any other voices for Ziro the Hutt before settling on the Truman Capote style?
I think there were a couple of other suggested vocal models to try. Of course, Capote had a famously “funny” voice, so I do try to avoid sounding completely silly. But Ziro is a spiteful buffoon, and if the voice inspires a few snickers amidst the dramatic adventure, it only helps underline the darker aspects of the story with contrasting comedic punctuation.
Is it a challenge to play scenes where you are playing two characters talking to each other?
Once the characters are well established, it feels natural to converse between them, even if you’re playing more than one in the same scene. It’s only difficult when the character voice isn’t fully baked yet, and you’ve got to keep reminding yourself what you sounded like in the last take as you alternately perform the other role.
Did you ever anticipate that you’d play a love scene with Sy Snootles?
No—that was just another of the regular surprises that seem to show up in each new script. Who knew?
How much of your own interpretation have you put into Count Dooku?
George Lucas had Dave Filoni relay his wishes for the voice cast to make the characters our own, stressing the importance of playing the role rather than trying to precisely match the voice of the original [live action] actor. What you hear is still based on Christopher Lee, but the actual performance comes purely from my personal sense of his characterization.
The sequence in which Dooku is training Savage Opress is reminiscent of Yoda training Luke. Was it fun playing the “dark side” of Yoda?
I think it’s just a natural master/ protégé training relationship: straightforward instruction peppered with surprise challenges and pointed efforts to trip up and pull the rug out from under the student. It was fun to show Dooku’s paternal impulses seeping through the intimidating lesson plan he [gives Savage] to turn Savage from apprentice to warrior.
Does Count Dooku have any redeeming features?
He’s extremely well-mannered, eloquent, orderly, and tidy down to the smallest of details, and outwardly patient—even as he commits incredibly dastardly acts. He’s always impeccably groomed and stylish, too! He’s classy and ingenious. And he’s remarkably fit for his mature years.
Do you think Dooku knows or suspects Anakin’s connection to the dark side?
Of course. I doubt there is much he wouldn’t at least sense in the infinite matrix of the Force.
VOICES OF EXPERIENCE
Corey Burton learned his trade working with legendary voice actors like Hans Conried (Captain Hook and Snidely Whiplash) and Daws Butler (Yogi Bear among others). What kind of advice did they offer and how has it been useful?
There was literal advice—like, “They are not ‘voices’; they are characters.” Daws would state that he only had a handful of different voices, but a nearly unlimited range of characters he could build using tone, texture, and placement; attitude, accent, pacing, and expression. The character is the star. We use our vocal talents to transport the character off the page to the ears of the audience. So, while we may create an identifiable sound for a character, the voice comes from the writers’ imagination, and we do not own our character voices. Aside from those basics, a great deal came from advice-by-example: seeing how they conducted themselves and how they related to the work and fellow performers. Daws equated us with jazz musicians: We develop our talents and techniques and assemble to make great music together. We do it for the love and appreciation of the words, characters, and stories, in the company of deeply admired fellow creative artists. It’s great to be a part of something that can magically transport and inspire audiences for generations to come. If you’re lucky, you can make a decent living as well!
