Norm Izard | Voice Actor / Actor

08.26.25

Please note: This interview was originally recorded in June 2025. Due to some unexpected events, it's release was postponed.

Dawn Cochran: I think we're live. Alright, so why don't you tell me who you are and a little bit about yourself? 

Norm Izard: Alright, sounds good. Thank you for having me. My name is Norman Izard. I am an actor/voice actor. I'm not full time in either one. I also have a full-time day job as a water employee for Niagara County. I've been acting for just about a year. And voice acting, probably a little over four years. With training in both. 

DC: You got into voice acting four years ago? Why don't you tell me a little bit about that? How you made that decision, how you discovered that was a thing you would be interested in. I want to know your life. 

NI: I think it's something I've always kind of been interested in. I just didn't really know what it entailed. It's one of those things, like, it's something you love to do, but you didn't know you know how to do it for a living. You only knew about the big names out there. So my sister actually referred me to a voice acting coach that she had worked with about 10 years earlier, and I finally decided to reach out to the guy. So I reached out to him and he's a local Boy Scout. She doesn't character development and I started working with him. And from there I started reading everything I could. Watching videos, reading blogs, reading books on voiceover, doing the whole thing. Immersing myself. I got some coaching from a great group in New York City and I worked with them to create my commercial demo and I've been on a bunch of pay to play for platforms where you can audition for a lot of different things. And I've gotten quite a bit of work. 

DC: Nice. So how do you find the jobs? 

NI: Now there's a lot of different ways. Locally, I've had some friends that own local businesses that I’ve done some work for them. My little brother owns a small radio station and I do a lot of spots for him, and in trade, they let me do my own commercial on there for myself. There's platforms like voices.com, voices123, and all those types of things where you can actually pay a fee for the year and you have access to a lot of auditions. And I've gotten quite a few jobs off of those. I got the video game job from them. Got some corporate jobs and commercial jobs. A lot of different ways. My coaches even send me some jobs my way. And then there’s just networking with other people. That's how I got an acting. I was networking for more voice over jobs. 

DC: Do you have to have a lot of fancy equipment to do voiceover work? 

NI: Not as much as you think. You just need a decent computer, doesn't have to be anything fancy, a fairly priced microphone. You don't have to spend millions of dollars. Some recording software, which you can get some great programs available for free. Or you can pay for some, and that cost isn’t that crazy either. And you're pretty much set from there. I mean, obviously, if you want to get better at it. doing a little bit of coaching... that will cost you some money too. 

DC: Yeah. Yeah. So my uncle actually got into some voice acting. Ah man, I don't even remember when. Probably four or five years ago, same as you. And he used to be an actor. He used to live in LA and was doing the acting gig when he was younger. And now he’s a professional, smart man so he's like, ‘Well, I can't keep doing the acting stuff.’ But yeah, he's doing voice acting. So, I do know a little bit about it, but you know. I always want to know more. 

NI: It's amazing how many people... Since I've gotten into doing some acting and I meet more and more actors all the time, they're always asking me about it! Because they've always been interested in it. And then there's been a handful of them that have been doing both right along. 

DC: Yeah, it seems like it's a really good opportunity because you don't have to travel. You can stay at home, record your bits and well, I would assume, get paid. 

NI: Exactly, yeah. You can travel if you want, just like in film. You can go out and do free things too if you want to. There's definitely plenty of great opportunities out there. You have anything from audio books, which I've done a few of those, to people’s phone messages. You can get paid for doing people’s phone messages! Obviously commercials, radio, TV. All those different things that you see on the Internet. All those UGC commercials that have voiceovers on them, anything that has a voice over it is a voice over job. 

DC: I almost wish that this was a podcast and not a webzine type interview, because I want the people to hear your voice. 

NI: Well, we can do that later. 

DC: Yeah, I'll have to figure that out. I do have some of my podcast equipment still, from when I did have a podcast. But it wasn't really an interview-based podcast. But either way. So you were networking, and that led you to actual acting? You said was about a year ago? 

NI: Yeah, it was the Actor’s Expo down in Buffalo. 

DC: Oh yes, I went to two of those. 

NI: I saw people talking about it and I figured I would go down there and see if some of these acting folks might need a background voice. You know, maybe a TV in the background, or a radio in the background, or even a narrator for any of their film things. So that was my intention. To go get some voiceover work and obviously network with people. When you go to those types of events, you always end up kind of meeting one person you hang out with the whole day. So that happened with me. This girl, Kristen. She was presenting there. I think she had a booth and everything. She does modeling, and acting, and she was like my buddy for the day. And every time we ran into each other, she’d introduce me to somebody else. She's like, ‘Oh, you should meet this person. Oh, you should talk to this person.’ She's like, “Oh, you have to meet this person?” And one of them was a casting director who does some voiceover things. So we connected on that and then she approached me and asked “Hey, would you consider doing it on camera?” And I was like, I suppose? I always thought that I had a face for radio. But she explained they always have commercial spots, and other types of things that they call for, for somebody with my type. She said  “You could be a biker, or you could be the friendly uncle. You could be a lot of different things.” I was like, “Sure I'm game.” And then soon after I found an acting coach and took some lessons. And networking with other actors and kind of just starting to dip my toe in the water. 

DC: What acting coach did you work with? 

NI: I worked with Frank Rossi. He has classes out in Lancaster, NY at the high school out there. You did a weekly class. It was beginners acting class. 

DC: I took the beginners acting class. 

NI: It was pretty good. I got a lot of great information out of it. And then he does advance stuff too. But the way my schedule works is it's so crazy, it's been tough for me to do the advancements. So I'm still looking to do some more advanced classes, and I want to get into some improv stuff too. 

DC: Oh yeah, I think improv is really fun, but I also think it's really hard, because... How do I describe this?... Like my brain? I feel like I am very witty and quick when I'm not thinking about it. And when you're in the improv like class setting, you're obviously thinking about it. So then my mind just goes blank, like I have to be outside of this setting. 

NI: You know, I thought the same thing. I thought the same thing. So I finally went to an improv class just a few weeks ago. And it's exactly the opposite. They don't want you to think about it ahead of time at all. They want you to react right then.That's the whole point of it, and using that using that quick witt of yours. 

DC: How do you make your...? How do you how do you make your brain do that? 

NI: Well, we'll just the way the same way you're doing it right now. Like for instance, if I said to you “Give me an animal name.” 

DC: Michelangelo. I cheated. That's my foster dog's name. 

NI: Yes, but that's a totally outside of the box answer. Which would be funny as heck in an improv situation. Because somebody would expect you to say like “cat” or “elephant.” You said Michelangelo. They're gonna be like “What?” And you're like, well, that's my cat. You know, that's my dog's name. But that's improv. That's you reacting very quickly, you know. I only took one class, so it's not like exactly like I can explain it, you know. 

DC: So off topic, I have a couch I call the cat couch. It's this little leopard print seat for putting your shoes on. But I call it the cat couch and Michelangelo is now standing on it. So I had to take a picture of it. Sorry, I knew he was going to interrupt this interview. 

NI: That’s fine. So I have a sound studio down in my basement that I built, and I just put a little bench next to my chair for my cats to sit on, because they like to come in here and hang out while I'm doing voice over. As long as they’re quiet, I let them. So my my one cat Elston was actually just in here a minute ago and he was trying to get up on my lap. I had to keep pushing him down. 

DC: So do you have the soundproofing and is it a room that you built with 2x4’s and drywall and everything or? 

NI: I think that's exactly what it is. So I put drywall up. It's basically an 8x6 room. Basement wall which is underground, which is nice so that gives you some natural soundproofing anyway, and I double insulated the walls and put drywall on the whole outside and then inside I have a combination of moving blankets and actual sound acoustic foam. To you know, keep the sound from bouncing all over the place. 

DC: Nice. 

NI: So I've got some foam in the corners and on some of the walls. I actually just put a new door in with a window so my wife could actually peak in and see if I'm recording. And I'm gonna put some soundproofing on that door too. 

DC: You could put a little light on there that says on air! 

NI: She actually did buy me a little microphone light that I can just flick a switch. 

DC: Oh, that's so funny. When you are doing your voice acting recording, are you doing it with headphones on? Or is it just door shut in the room? Talk to me about your setup. 

NI: So when I first started, I was always doing it with my headphones on, and I would have the door closed and in the winter time, I would even turn the furnace off for a while just so I didn't have that noise creeping through. But I have learned from my coaches that it's actually better to do it with your headphones off. You really hear yourself better. You don't get that muffled weirdness in your head, because you know how you hear your own voice when you talk? 

DC: Yeah. 

NI: You want to hear that, but when you have headphones on. It's different. Doesn't sound the same. 

DC: Oh, see, I was under the impression that you wanted headphones on. Interesting. 

NI:  So was I. 

DC: Interesting. 

NI: But there's probably a school of thought out there that thinks the headphones on are the thing. It's like, you know, is your butter on the right side, upper bread side, yeah. 

DC: That's true. I feel like everyone has their own opinion on how to do things, or their own preferences, I suppose I should say. 

NI: Exactly. But yeah, most people have told me that headphones off is the way to go. And then the other thing is to have as much natural movement as you can. Express yourself with your arms. When you're doing voice acting, you wanna do that as much as possible because it actually, strangely enough, shapes how your voice comes out. 

DC: Really. Do you stand? 

NI: I do stand. Sometimes I sit for like longer things, like a book or something like that. 

DC: Oh yeah, yeah. 

NI: So I have an adjustable microphone arm that can go up or down. For instance, if you were to shrug your shoulders and then tell somebody about your dog, you might be telling them a sad story. But if you have your arms up in the air in an excited sense, you're gonna be telling them excited story in your voice and your body... 

DC: Language. 

NI: Kind of. 

DC: Yeah. 

NI: Yeah, they kind of talk to each other without you knowing it. And it really does come across in your voice because obviously with voice acting, they can't see you, so you really have to have everything come across with your voice. 

DC: That is a whole world that I've never even thought about. Wow. I'm going to ponder this for a while now, because when I do my interviews, I am just sitting on my couch like a bum. I wonder if I stand up, I would have a different mood. A different... hmm I have to see. 

NI: I think if you stood up, you would probably come across very differently for an interview. It's probably pretty casual most of the time, so sitting is probably fine. 

DC: Good. Yeah. 

NI: But if you were trying to really express something, like happiness or anger or whatever. Just standing up can give you a lot. 

DC: Ah, new update. Michelangelo just tried to take the cat bed. Oh, this guy. He just wants my attention, is really what's going on here. I've never been on the phone with him before. 

NI: That's a pretty good thing, though. That's great. 

DC: Oh yeah, he is. He is available for adoption. 

NI: Well, I have more than I can handle right now so. We started off with one cat and now we have 6. 

DC: Ohh right. Yes. 

NI: Into outside that we take care of as well. 

DC: Yes, we have discussed your outside cat colony, wait, not colony. But you know what I mean. Didn't you build something for them? 

NI: I built the heated house for the two heated houses. 

DC: You are just a jack of all trades here. So what it is when you got into actual physical on-camera acting? What was your first thing that you did on camera? Was that the one you were telling me about with Kristen. 

NI: The first thing I did on-camera, I got hired for a commercial with Roswell Park and the Buffalo Sabres. I didn't know anything about what it was. I actually got the job by networking with someone on Facebook. Friend of a friend. And I went down to the arena, and we were doing a commercial right on the ice and in the box. Rob Ray from the Sabres was there. So that was my first acting job. 

DC: That is so cool. How many things have you done so far? 

NI: Yeah, not a ton. I did a commercial out in Rochester and a nice studio out there. And I've done. Let's see 3 films so far. One of them kind of working on with somebody that I know. 

DC: Two of them we have worked on together! 

NI: It was a nice surprise walking into the Punch Andy set and seeing you.  

DC: Let's talk about the premier for Please Seat Yourself, or Realm of Reality I think is the technical title. How was your feeling seeing your work on the big screen with an entire audience? 

NI: You know, it was really weird because, you know, I thought we might be able to see it before everybody else, so we could kind of get our own reaction. So it was really interesting seeing it for the first time with everyone else. I didn't know what parts of my scenes made it on there. I didn't know which takes they picked, and that kind of thing. And unless they show you, you don't really know how you look on that particular camera angle. So it was pretty cool. I was thinking stuff like “Maybe if I had done this, or maybe if I done that.” You know? You always think that along the way. But I was pretty happy with it. I got good reactions from my family there with me and then friends. Of course. So good reactions. And I don't know, it was really exciting. It was just nice being part of the whole process and I'm glad they let me be a part of it. 

DC: That was my first time seeing a film of mine on a large screen without seeing it prior as well. And the entire time I was so nervous. And then when I watched it, I was like, wow this is great. 

NI: You know what? I was a little nervous too, but then yeah, same. Yeah. And you did great. You really did. You did wonderful. 

DC: So did you. 

NI: I especially loved when you're bebopping in your car. That was hilarious. 

DC: Well, when we were filming that scene, that was like my favorite scene ever. I mean, not because... 

NI: I'm assuming you were doing voiceover with your headphones on. You know. 

DC: So I don't even think I was actually listening to anything which is the funniest part. I was just... I just had my headphones on. 

NI: Just the voices in your head. 

DC: Yeah, I just had my headphones on because those headphones didn't plug into my phone. So I was just making up a song in my head and drumming to whatever. I have no idea. I forgot all about that. I mean, we filmed it in November and that's so funny. I forgot all about that. Yeah. You know the things that you don't even think are significant until you see that you're like, oh. Wait a minute. I didn't -- I wasn't doing -- I wasn't listening to anything. 

NI: I remember one time Jo comes up to me when I'm sitting at that little counter in the restaurant there, and she says “So where are you coming from?” And I started talking about my day. She's like, “No, I want your character?” 

DC: Ohh that's so funny. 

NI: It was hilarious. I'm like ohh yeah, that makes more sense. 

DC: Yeah, Jo is a really amazing director. I think I had more interaction with her, and her developing like the character, or not developing, but kind of guiding the character than any other director. Which? 

NI: Well, I didn't have a lot of experience doing that type of acting before as far as that goes. And I thought she did a great job with that. We had a call previously where we talked about the character and she wanted me to think about like. His life, and like all this, all this background for him. So I could kind of channel all of that and she was really great at talking me through that. 

DC: Yeah. In Frank's class, he also kind of talks about that. Like coming up with a back story and you're what does it? What does he say? You're who? What? Where? I can't remember this was five years ago. 

NI: Yes. 

DC: But why? Yeah. 

NI: Yes, it was all of those things. 

DC: Yeah. Like what were you doing right before this? Yeah. What were you doing right before this scene? And you know, how are you feeling? But yeah in this. 

NI: It all informs how your character’s moment, like your character is struggling to make ends meet and she's dying to get that order out. My character was in a really bad mood for, you know. He was drinking and being mad at his wife, you know. 

DC: Yeah, it was. 

NI: Totally different places they gave them. 

DC: So I I loved. I loved that line, though. You're like she's gonna leave me? I'm leaving her! 

NI: I love the mumbling under my breath.  

DC: Yeah, it was so funny. Oh, we shouldn't ruin it for everybody. Too many spoilers, but. It was really fun. So what do you see for your future? You wanna keep with voice acting? You wanna definitely immerse into film acting? Do you want to move to Hollywood? I'm just kidding. 

NI: So it's really hard, I mean, cause I've dedicated so much time to voice acting already and I have my website, I have my demo, I'm working on another demo. Some fairly successful with that. I’m not at “have to quit my day job” yet, but I love doing it. I got to do a thing where I was the voice of five different Muppets for a live action Muppet movie. They kind of thing. And I love doing it. 

DC: Oh, is that for Buff state? 

NI: I could do that all day. No, no. It's actually for someone totally across the country. Basically like Bible stories for daycare schools. 

DC: Gotcha. Interesting, that's pretty cool. 

NI: But they have like, super fancy Muppets, and they built miniature sets that they're gonna put on blue screens. It looks like Ancient Greece and Rome. Well, that stuff it was made. 

DC: So you did 5 different characters?? 

NI: Yeah. And they liked one of my characters so much they kept writing new lines for him because he was kind of like the Comic Relief guy. 

DC: So how do you come up with the different voices? And how do you remember them? 

NI: Well, it's interesting. So if they kind of give you like an idea of how you know some background on the character, you can start filling in some of the blanks yourself. If those were all difficult characters, you didn't want to go too off the wall with them. Just it wasn't like you're going to be Grover, you know? 

DC: Yeah, yeah. 

NI: So I do agree that great growth. But if it like for instance, I did a video game in this past year and they sent me a picture of the character they gave me the background of the character. They also told me what he was going to be doing during his scenes and they told me every single character he was interact with and how he felt about them. And it really helped me decide what to do and it was a it was like 1/2 man. Half Raven character, so it was, you know, I got to do some fun things with my voice. So I sent him a few different versions and they liked one of them and picked it. So I'm gonna be in their video game. You never know what they're looking. Hopefully you connect with the with the copy. That's whole thing connecting with it, just like the acting the connect with your character. 

DC:  

Yeah. 

NI: You know, if you can make that connection and you can make other people feel that connection. Then you got it. 

DC: I don't know if I could do. I don't know if I could do that like a like character voice acting. I feel like I would, I mean, not even over the top. But I feel like I would forget how I'm pronouncing things or the. You know the pitch or the? Pronunciation of words or whatnot. 

Speaker 

It's. 

NI: Yeah, it's, it's not as. Hard as you think because kind of like once you get into it. You kind of you're you have almost a muscle memory for that character. Like when I did my first audiobook, it's like 18 different voices and it's 15 or 18 out of I forget. But I there was no way I was gonna remember those characters like 4 chapters download Rd. 

DC: Great. 

NI: So I recorded like a sentence or two for every character. And then I would use that sentence to get me back into that character's voice. And then I would read the new part. 

DC: So I've listened to audiobooks and. I have noticed that the audio books I listen to the the reader doesn't really change their voice for different. Characters. They're kind of just. Well, they're kind of almost just reading it to you. They're not really acting it out, but. 

NI: That's that's the way it is. More often and. It's so much. Easier to do than what I did that time. 

DC: Yeah. So is there a difference like people do say hey? I want you to do each character or they say just read this. 

NI: Yeah, sometimes they do. Ask whether we do different characters. They might even ask for like a a male and a female reader. You know to do to do to different parts. 

SpeakerHmm. 

NI: More like. I I was just getting into it at the time. So when I did my. Audition. I assumed that I had to do different voices of the character. So that's how I. Auditioned and they gave you the job. Which which is scary enough meant I. Had to do the job really hard. 

DC: Right, right. You're like, wait, what did I get myself into? 

NI: For every hour of the book, you probably had three to four hours of. Fixing things. 

DC: Wow, yeah. 

NI: You know. Then you know that's unless you have someone that does that stuff for you. Which I don't. So but but yeah, so if you audition obviously with different characters or if they ask for it. 

DC: Right, right. 

NI: Then that's what. You would have to do. But you can kind of pick and choose what you're gonna do. You know, somewhere just from the first person, like a self help book is always gonna. Be that same person's voice. You know, you might, you know, raise your inflection for something more exciting or something more somewhere. You know, obviously don't account a lot of, it's just like you know. Slight little things where you just, you know. You raise your voice in the end. Instead of saying “I went down that tunnel.” You can say “I went down that tunnel.” 

DC: Yeah. Do you have you ever booked a job that you didn't like? 

NI: Yeah, I think I have. I've I've booked some jobs that were like. A little more difficult than they. They came across and it's strangely enough, it's usually the the ones that pay the least that that are the most difficult to work with the people. 

DC: That's funny. 

NI: They'll they'll want like. They constantly want you to like, you know, redo takes or things like that. Probably the most difficult one I've ever done is. I had to do it live. The library with another studio, so I have a connection in my house called Source Connect where I can hook up with another studio. I can record it in my studio, but they actually studio quality sound in their studio. So they were recording as well and I was working with a director. 

DC:  

Oh, interesting. 

NI: Of producer. And then I had like 3 people that we're representing the clients. All listening at once, so they could all give me feedback. 

Speaker 

Wow. 

NI: And it was medical, so it was medical and I had to pronounce a. Lot of medical words. And it was almost like a like a tongue twister sometimes. You know, the way they wrote it. But I practice it at that time, and they were they. Were very happy with it. And that's one of the one of the places where improv comes in handy is like. You know, hey, give me 3. Takes is. Usually they'll say give me 3. It'll give me an ABC or something like that. 

Speaker 

Yeah. 

NI: You have to do it three different ways. You know, right after the other three different ways. Either you can change like. I'm gonna emphasize this word. I'm gonna telling this word down a little or whatever. There's a lot of different things you can do, but you know. 

DC: Yeah, I I think I struggle with this 3. 

NI: Having all of those people listening to you, you know. 

SpeakerYeah. 

DC: That's crazy. So. 

NI: And then. Turn this sound off and you don't hear them for a while. So they're discussing and of course in your. Head you're updated. They hate it. They hate. It, but when they come back. They say this is great. Can you do the next? Line like this one too. 

DC: Oh, that's terrifying. 

NI: You know. 

DC: So you work full time as well. So you just find jobs on the West Coast, I'm assuming because they're they're probably available when you're home. 

NI: Well, the beautiful thing about voiceover is they don't care what time you record. So I've gotten home at like if I work 2nd shift like I'm gonna do next week. I can get home at 10/30 11:00 and I can record an auditions and send them. They don't care when you do it and if somebody needs me to be alive with them from a recording. I just set it up within my schedule somehow. You know like. If I'm working nights, I just schedule it for during the day. If I'm working during the day I schedule it. So I've done. I've done things with Canadian companies. I've done people with California. I've done things with I did that medical one was for somewhere overseas. It was like Norway or something. 

DC: Oh wow. Interesting. 

NI: Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's it's pretty cool. You can actually audition for things anywhere in the world. Right. I plenty of things overseas where they want an English version. 

DC: Oh, and you know, I never even thought about that before. See, there's so many things you don't think about until well. Until we have this conversation. 

NI: Yeah, one of my friends. Does she does? Telenovelas. She she does. Dubbing for telenovelas. She makes a good living doing that. 

DC: Intel resting. 

SpeakerWell. 

DC: Hang on one second. 

NI: Yeah, she just does the English. 

DC: Sorry I have to. Redirect the boy when he's. Being a dingus. Come here. I don't know if I don't. Not to derail the conversation, I don't know. I don't know if he had a house before. Obviously he was a quoted as a stray. I mean, he's he's pretty good though, so I would assume he used to. Have a house. But sometimes he doesn't understand what is a toy and what is not. 

NI: Well, yeah. I mean, you'll you'll get things that you know that he's gonna stick to. But he's probably he's gonna review things too. 

DC: Yeah. Uh. 

NI: My wife brought home a nice little like, you know. Those bowls of fake looking fruit that are made out of like Wicker and all that kind of stuff and. 

DC: Oh yeah, yeah. 

NI: And the cats tore it to shreds. I got home the one day and it. Was like all over the living room. 

DC: Oh, no. Yeah. 

NI: Before she gets home. 

DC: They thought it was toys. 

NI: Oh, we have two of our kids. We have we actually adopted from outside. They were born to the cat outside. We adopted one of them out and we had we adopted these two out. But they didn't want to keep them for two weeks. 

DC: No, jeez. 

NI: They were left. They weren't lappas right away. So you brought him back? 

DC: Isn't that so ridiculous? 

NI: So we're like well. We're not setting these kittens out to different houses. So we kept them. 

DC: Yeah, man, we could have a whole nother conversation. That has nothing to do with arts and entertainment about animals. 

NI: Right. 

DC: Let's see. So. You live in Niagara County. Which I mean it's, you know, it's Western New York. It's it's I'll consider it part of Buffalo. What do you like about Buffalo and the surrounding areas and? What do you think about the? Arts and entertainment space here. 

NI: So things I love about Buffalo is, you know, first and foremost. We have amazing people here. Everybody and not everybody, but there's so many friendly. Nice. Really good people in Buffalo, you know that if you're pulled over to the side of the road. Three people will stop and stay. Any help you know even though you have AAA on the way or whatever. They'll still stop and see. And yeah, I've made amazing. Friendships over the years, because I I grew up here. I grew up in Kenmore. And. I think the city is it. If we have an amazing restaurant that would people the food in Buffalo. It's good to know where you can get just just about any kind of food. Any ethnic food you want the try anything you want here. Obviously, the pizza and wings are amazing. I think they're better than Chicago or New York or whatever. Blah blah blah. So as far as the film industry, I think Buffalo's like have the cusp of being really big. I mean, it's the last few years. It's really grown in some nice little spurts, and I think the word is getting out that we have something to offer. We have older architecture, we have, you know, great spots even if you want to do something like rural. We have cute little communities like East Aurora and Lewiston. Where you can shoot things. And then we have, like, amazing. You know, city buildings like City Hall and the old post office. And there's so much to offer here, and there's there's a lot of local actors. So they could really draw some nice principles from the local actors if they wanted to. Rather than always bringing people in. And I think there's no shortage of people that want to be background too. Because people just want to be a part of it. That that sound studio dot a Buffalo I did a a film there this year with that. That Mario Lopez Christmas film. 

DC: Ohh yeah. 

NI: The place is amazing. The place is great. They they they had built up the our beautiful set inside and they had the catering and all the professionals there. Everything was like clockwork, you know, it was super smooth and I. I I think Mario Lopez was so happy that he's going to be coming back and producing a movie with his son's here in Buffalo. 

DC: Yeah, I did hear that, so. 

NI: So it seems everyone that comes wants to come back. 

DC: Good. That is lovely to hear. I don't really do background, not to sound like hoity toity or whatever. But you know, usually background is during my work day and it's not really worth it to me to take off from work to just be background. 

NI: And I and I totally get that. 

DC: Yeah. 

NI: For me, doing some background work is really to watch what everybody needs to do to complete a good piece of work. So watching them shoot. An American family film, you know, watching all of the ins and outs of what they made the actors do. How they set up the cameras, how they ran the whole production was eye opening for me was wonderful. 

DC: Yeah, it is a really good experience. 

NI: So being background for that was really just to immerse myself in the culture. And then doing some background for local things, it's sometimes just help people out. Like the film you're doing right now. 

DC: Oh, Punch Andy. Yeah. 

NI: I'm doing that background and I'm obviously gonna be able to learn something. But I'm also going to meet more people locally and I'm helping someone get their stuff out there, when I have the time. With my crazy schedule, sometimes I'm available during the day, sometimes I'm available at night. If I'm available, I will help somebody out. And I've been able to audition for even a film in California. And I got a call back for it and I was really happy that I was even being considered. You know. 

DC: So what was that like? Where do you use backstage? Do you use actors access or you just? 

NI: I use both of those. And I think the other one I use is Mandy. But I think I get more voiceover from that. 

DC: Uh, I never heard of that one. 

NI: Yeah, that one was through actors access. So I actually did the audition, you know, I sent in an audition, and then he had me do a live one with the director and a producer and they actually had me reading with three other people. So we did that live through there. They have an online service. I can't remember what it's called, but it's right through the site. So you could actually do like live auditions with people. Which is nice and they schedule it. You have a waiting room, they tell you like how much time before you're going to be on camera and you just had your camera and lighting and and when they're ready to go. They they. Here you go. 

DC: Sorry, distracted by this dog again, man. Mikey G. I don't know. I'm calling him Mikey G but. His new name now? Uh. 

NI: You'll have a million names for it by the end of the day. 

DC: I know I think I like jello. I don't know. 

NI: Everybody likes jello. 

DC: I lost my train of thought. We talked about Buffalo. o sorry, I lost my train of thought. 

NI: I can tell you a couple other things that I do outside of acting too.  

DC: Absolutely, yeah. 

NI: I'm a Big Brother volunteer. I've been working with the same kids for about 8 years. Yeah. 

DC: Wow, I haven't thought about what Big Brother in I mean... They talk about it in high school, but I haven't thought about Big Brother in a long time. You're making me think of so many things today. 

NI: So it's a pretty amazing program. I recommend it. They always need volunteers. I know that women tend to volunteer more than men do. So they always need more men than women, but they always need women too. And they have a green program. And uh what? Three years ago, I donated a kidney, three years ago this month. 

DC: So for the people who are unfamiliar with Big Brother. Can you describe what it is? 

NI: Oh, so Big Brothers. It's almost like exactly what it sounds. So you they have kids in, like throughout like Buffalo? Erie County, Niagara County, that don't have a great family life. They might have a single parent home, or they might even be in a group home and they don't have like a strong either mother. You're a father. Figures in your life and they need someone to tend to spend some. Time with these kids. And you can go do fun stuff with. Them and he kinda. Just teach them how to be. You know, he's he's you teach them how to be. More you know along the way. Like my little brother, I I've taken him to so many things. I can even tell you we've gone to the Fort Darien Lake and movies and hiking and four Wheeling. We've done all these different things, but every single time we do. One of them. There's some kind of lesson in there, you know. Like, maybe we talk about his school work, or maybe we talk about his friends or what's. Going on at home. Sometimes it'll be like, hey, what color car do you like? And then we'll start talking about cars. And I'll say hey. How much money? How much money? Do you think it takes to buy a car? And then we'll talk about what kind of job do you need to have the car like that? You know little things like that to get them thinking about the future. You know, and that's why I that's one of the. Ways I approach it. And part of. It is just given a positive robot will just spend the time with them. You know, having fun. 

DC: And you said you have the same little brother for three years or did I misunderstand that? 

NI: Eight. Oh yeah, I started when he was seven years old and he's in high school now. So yeah, it's usually it's not that long, but we kinda are stuck together. 

DC: Eight years. Oh wow, And he lives in the city? 

NI: Yeah, he lives in Buffalo. He's moved around a couple of times. And now he's actually going to the performing arts high school and it's pretty cool that I get to talk to him about all the stuff that I'm doing with my voice acting and acting and I want to try to set it up so he can go visit some sets and things like that. 

DC: So does your family interact with his family? Like, do you start being like, how does that work? Or it's just you and him? 

NI: Most of the time it's just the two of us. We've had some small overlaps like I got annoyed to his graduation. So I went there and I spent the time with his family and I've met his family because every time I come to pick him up, there's always his mom and some of his siblings are there. I've had some interaction for things like that, and some bigger events like we went to like a thing at the the ballpark. It was like a big stunt show and some of my family was going to. So he did actually get to meet some of my family there. 

DC: Oh, that's cool. 

NI: But I never schedule anything where he's going to my family party or anything like that. They want it to kind of be like one-on-one time. 

DC: Yeah, yeah. 

NI: And part of that is because. They actually screen you, and they didn't screen my whole family.  

DC: Oh yes, that makes sense. 

NI: You know. Big Brothers although. They well, they half would. Probably half you know. 

DC: Yeah, yeah. 

NI: But yeah, it's a great program. They give you ideas for outings. Sometimes they'll come up with tickets for things like shows or Bills games and Sabres games that they'll offer out to, you know. Like a first come, first serve. Kind of thing. 

DC: That's really cool. Yeah, it's again. Great way to get back to the community, yeah. 

NI: And it's so rewarding. And I get as much out of it, hopefully as he does, you know. And he's a good kid. 

DC: Nice. Well, that is really lovely. Is there anything else you want to talk about? Anything I didn't ask you that you thought I should? Any shout outs? 

NI: Let's see. Well, I'm also a kidney donor. So anybody out there that's ever considered donating blood or an organ or anything like that go for it? I did that three years ago. 

DC: Oh, we did. Talk about that. Yes. Wow, that's incredible. You just do it all, don't you? 

NI: A little bit of this, a little bit of that. So if anybody's ever considered doing anything like that and they want somebody to talk to about it. You can always watch my little video on YouTube or you can call me up and I'll talk to you about it. 

DC: Yeah, I can point them in your direction if you want to send me your website. After I can link the website to your interview as well. 

NI: Yeah, sure. Yeah, I'll send you my socials. That's cool. I'm gonna shout out to all the actors in Buffalo that are helping each other out. And there's so many communities now, there's online groups and people meet out at bars or they invite each other to be in eachother's movies. And people are just connecting and helping each other, making recommendations for coaching and shout out to everybody helping each other. You know, the more we help each other, the stronger community we're gonna be. And it's pretty great. 

DC: Yeah. And the more opportunities, big or small, will arise. 

NI: Yeah, just hanging out with you guys on set, you know. We talked about so many different things and who you coached with and what kind of things you do to memorize. Which nobody likes to memorize, but people were giving each other tips. 

DC: No, no. 

NI: And it just makes you grow and it gives you another perspective. You know. 

DC: Yeah. And a different perspective I think is super important in any aspect of life. 

NI: Yeah. And you connect on the other things too. Like you know, I follow you now because you're doing all the donation stuff and you're volunteering. 

DC: Oh boy, yeah. It's a lot of work. 

NI: I knew it was going to be more work than you realized. 

DC: Which is OK. I mean, it's completely fine, yeah. 

NI: But God bless you for doing it. That's amazing. You know. 

DC: Yeah. Yeah, we have. 

NI: So talking about giving your community that you're not only going to help all those animals. But you're probably going to find homes for some of them. And those people are gonna be happier and live longer because of those animals, so. 

DC: Oh yeah, we had a huge event yesterday and we raised $10,000 for the shelter and six dogs got adopted. 8 cats got adopted and. And one foster... guess who that was? 

NI: Let's see. Let me guess. 

DC: But yeah, it was amazing. Man, I'm in so many. I'm in too many communities, I think. 

NI: That's the tough part. Like you know, even doing just the voice over and acting at the same time, there's so many different emails you gotta deal with and try to decide. Am I gonna try for this? Are we gonna try for that? It's tough, you know. And plus, I'm Vice president of the Union, so I got those emails coming too. 

DC: Oh my goodness, you really do do it all. 

NI: So all these things you know. Ohh, I'm on that board for a youth camp. I'm a busy guy. 

DC: Well, that's amazing. It's so good that you still have time to do the Big Brother thing on top of everything that you know. That is like a I don't want to say a hobby. But you know what I mean. Like you have. You're still doing amazing things. 

NI: Yeah. 

DC: OK. So we are at 46 minutes. All right. Thank you so much. And if anything comes up, I'll just text you if I need clarification on anything. I'll put your socials on there and I hope to see you on set soon. 

NI: Super cool. Sounds awesome. And hey, if you ever need a reading, if you ever need a reading partner for repaired or something. Let me know. 

DC: Absolutely. Oh, that's yeah, that is a great. I I often don't have reading partners, so yeah, I'll take them actually. 

NI: In the morning. 

DC: Well, you I'm your girl. 

NI: There you go. 

DC: Alright, take care. 

NI: It will make us both better if you like. 

DC: Yeah. Thanks, bye. 

NI: Thank you.