How I became Theo

    

    A lot off you probably know that I play Theo in the upcoming storyboard pilot and final college project of animator Madi Williams, but do you know how I got there. Let me tell you the incredible story of how I became Theo. 

    So I follow the animator Madi Williams. I found out about her through the studio that she interns at, Pencilish. I found out about Pencilish through The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast which is also where I found out about the school Madi goes to and where one of the brothers, Tom, teaches, Lipcomb, which is a Christian liberal arts college. One day I saw a post on her Instagram that honestly changed my life. It was a casting call for people to send in auditions for her project, Redcapes, a storyboard pilot that took place in medieval times and was about these crime fighters called the Redcapes and the show focuses on the two off them, George and Dorcas. George, who is super tough and no nonsense but has a soft side, and Dorcas who is literally the complete opposite and is like a "5 year old in a 20 years old's body". She's sweet, honest (a little to honest), goofy, and immature. I wasn't to interested in voice acting though. I liked doing voices and it said on the post that "even if you have the tiniest interest in voice acting". So I gave it a whirl and auditioned for the character Theo, who's real name is Theodore but his friends call him Theo. He is 17 and is a shepherd. I went with him cause he was around my age and a young teenage boy. They didn't really give a description what the show was about then but I really wanted to give it a try! I think it was like a week later or maybe even less where she got back to me and said thank you so much. It took awhile for her to get back to me. You know what's funny, I said "I wonder if she's gonna get back to me about it" and that very same day, she did!! That's God right there!! She asked me to do a second audition that was for the more emotional scenes and I thought she said with a mic this time. She also sent me the script for the pilot (and by the way guys, its AWESOME, your in for a treat!!!). So I ordered the mic but she told me that was if I got the part, that you could send in the audition the way I did last time. So since I was getting the mic anyway, she told me I was cast as Theo!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!! I was SPEECHLESS!!!! It honestly was the greatest day off my life.

    So a few days later, I met Madi on zoom to talk about tech stuff but honestly, a lot off it was just us getting to know each other and geek out over animation. Madi is such a sweet, creative, talented, patient, and funny person that was an absolute pleasure to work with. So a couple days after that, we did the recording and it didn't take any time at all. Just 40 minutes. Cool thing about the recording, was that Madi recommended for voice actors to eat green apples. After the call, I go upstairs and there in the little fruit bowl in the kitchen, WAS GREEN APPLES. I immediately looked up at God and said, "You knew!"  The recording was SOOOO much fun!!!! It was also pretty exhausting because I put a ton of energy into the character and I was emoting a lot. I was sweating when I was done!!! 

    I ended up becoming very close with not just Madi, but with the other animators at Lipscomb and Pencilish. There's a lot I have meant in the past few months, I lot more then the Pencilish one I did. Its doubled that now!! They all have been not just incredible mentors, but also wonderful friends. I've shared with them some off my ideas and they have all been very supportive. I even shared a script to Madi and another animator I know Joel for critiques and they where huge helps and happy to do it. They are all amazing people that I look up to.

    Just a few days ago I actually did re dos for some off the lines. The first time I did the lines, I did it in my room cause I didn't really have a good closet to do it in. I mean I had closets, but they had tons off stuff in them and I thought it would be cumbersome. Maybe I'm just lazy guys Lol. There was one room I thought would be perfect for it and that was the storage room in the basement, but the boiler thing made noise from time to time so that wasn't gonna work. So I thought the easiest place would be my room since it was downstairs away from everyone, and my mic doesn't pick things from far away which was good since they where working across the street and it didn't pick up any off it. After recording, workers came to do work on the basement and they put a closet in there!!! So when I went to do redo's, I knew that closet would be perfect!!! All I had to do was move the bookshelf in there and it was perfect!!!

    Know with the release in just a few days, I reflect on this once in a life time experience and I am just so thankful. This has literally been the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I've always wanted to get into animation and this opened so many doors into that industry. I got to do a voice for a character I love, I got to meet incredible people, and I could tell through it all, God was there. God was there when I was wondering if Madi was gonna get back to me a month after I sent my audition and then she did, he was there when there where green apples for my recording, he was there when the closet was put up in the basement that could be used for my recording. He put these incredible Christian animators in my life as mentors and friends. God is at work and has been opening these doors and I am SOOO grateful for that. I hope I get to play Theo again to!!!! He's such an AMAZING character that holds a special place in my heart. I feel like I get him, I relate to him. This is gonna sound bias but he's my faviorite character. He's also SUPER funny but unintentionally, like me!!! He also I think is a FANTASTIC role model. He shows people that even though he only has one arm, he can do SOO many amazing things and can do everything everyone else can. It doesn't slow him down at all!!! Also, he is a kind, friendly, and loving person. Whenever I am frustrated with something now and I want to swear, I would say "Theo wouldn't say that!" also cause God wouldn't want me to do either but you know what I mean. Theo is also a Christian!!! Yeah!! That's right!! A Christian!! A lot off the little comics Madi would do with Theo in them have Theo saying something about praying and stuff like that. Honestly, we would be best friends if he was real!! He does feel very real though!! Even when I talked to Madi, she told me that she thought she was talking to Theo!!! I am so honored that she thinks that!!! Its gonna be so surreal seeing it and here my voice come out off someone that isn't me! I'm nervous to see what you all think off the voice I did for Theo in Redcapes when it comes out, but I'm also excited to see it!!!!  I am so excited to see where God takes me next.