Petr Glantz: An interview with the voice actor behind Deadpool and other video game characters

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Petr Glants is one of the most sought-after voice actors in Russia. He is known for his versatile talent, which extends to both film and video games. Petr has voiced numerous iconic characters, including Deadpool from superhero films, Jack Krauser from the Resident Evil 4 remake, Arno Dorian from Assassin's Creed Unity, and Adam Smasher from Cyberpunk 2077. His work in both the gaming and film industries makes him one of the most popular voices in the country, attracting the attention of both fans and professionals.

At Comic Con in Astana, we met with Petr Glantz to discuss his experience in video game voice acting and other aspects of his career. During the conversation, Petr shared his impressions of working on projects in the gaming industry and talked about the challenges and opportunities this field offers.

Voicing for foreign projects today is a complex task. The voiceover industry faces numerous challenges that require attention. Firstly, there is high competition, which challenges professionals not only to perform their work well but also to find unique approaches to each project. Secondly, differences in language and cultural nuances can create difficulties in conveying the original concept. Also worth noting is the need to comply with copyright and licensing, which sometimes becomes an obstacle to work. Overall, voiceover professionals continue to adapt to changes in the industry, striving to provide high-quality content that meets modern requirements.

The state of voiceover in the industry is a pressing issue. There are no problems with voiceover, as new players are emerging to fill the vacant positions. The departure of large international companies has led to gaps in the film and gaming industries. However, this has created an opportunity for import substitution, which is a natural process. New companies and projects are filling these niches, fueling the development of local content and improving voice-over quality. Thus, despite these changes, the industry continues to adapt and evolve.

News has emerged about the creation of a Russian console. This development is attracting the attention of both developers and players. The console promises to compete with its foreign counterparts, offering unique features and localized content. The development of a domestic gaming platform could contribute to the growth of the Russian gaming industry and support for domestic developers. The console is expected to be targeted at the Russian market, improving game accessibility and increasing interest in local projects.

I agree, such moments are rare, but they represent a unique opportunity for startups and projects that might not normally thrive or even emerge. In uncertain times, an enterprising businessman can effectively use the situation to take their project to the next level and achieve success.

As an actor, I have many opportunities to work. We do official voiceovers and dubbing for domestic video games, and we also collaborate with large American studios, which interact with me directly through the Adobe Acrobat Sign electronic document management service. They send me the voiceover materials, and I do all the work myself, earning four times more for it. I am completely satisfied with this process. Voiceovers in Russian remain in demand, as Russian is an international language and is needed not only in Russia.

Recently, we have been working on several interesting projects, each of which brings unique challenges and opportunities. We focused on developing web applications, optimizing the user experience, and implementing modern technologies. Our team also actively researches new trends in digital marketing and SEO to increase the visibility and effectiveness of projects. These efforts are aimed at achieving maximum results for our clients and improving their market position.

My upcoming projects include a film based on the Borderlands game, which is officially released in Russia. It's a wonderful film that will be a summer blockbuster. In the project, I voice a mechanical character, originally voiced by Jack Black. I was delighted to see the film's booth at Comic-Con, which confirms its popularity and audience interest.

We are also actively working on the new Deadpool film. Disney's CIS division did a tremendous job, ensuring high-quality translation and dubbing. The translation turned out to be quite complex, with many references and nuances, which makes it more interesting compared to previous films in the franchise. I'm taking part in one of the dubbing versions, and I'm pleased to know that viewers will be able to see the film in different dubbings, compare them, and choose the one they like best.

The process of voice acting in games has its own unique characteristics that distinguish it from film dubbing. In games, voice actors must consider interactivity and unconventional scenarios. Unlike films, where characters follow a predetermined script, games often require adaptation to different plot directions and player interactions. This requires actors to be flexible and able to improvise.

Deep immersion in the role also plays a crucial role in the game dubbing process. Actors must not only convey the character's emotions but also adapt their performance to various game situations. Each character can have a variety of reactions to the player's actions, so it is important not only to understand the character's personality but also the dynamics of the game.

Among the less obvious aspects is the need to work in a studio with motion capture technology, which allows for more natural character movements and emotions. Actors often collaborate with other participants in the process, such as sound designers and scriptwriters, which adds additional nuance to the perception of the role. It's important to remember that voice acting in games is not only working with text but also creating a unique sound image for the character, which makes this process especially interesting and multifaceted.

For me, it doesn't really matter what exactly I'm voicing—a game or a film. My experience began with dubbing video games, and I got used to working in this field from the very beginning.

Experienced actors who have been working in film voiceover for many years often find it more difficult to adapt to new roles. I remember how professionals with deep and expressive voices, already reaching mature age, recorded voiceovers for video games. Characters in games were often described very briefly, for example, "Soldier number 13, 40 years old." In such cases, the actor would begin asking questions about the character: who his parents were, whether he had a wife, what illnesses he might have suffered. These details not only helped to deepen the understanding of the role but also to give it uniqueness and believability. This approach to character development makes voice acting more rich and interesting for the audience.

Creating a unique character requires a vast amount of information, which is often lacking in games, with the exception of projects like Cyberpunk 2077. Typically, the player is given only a preliminary illustration of the character, and the task is to make them unlike millions of other game heroes. It is important to develop unique traits and characteristics that will be inherent only to this character, to distinguish them from the rest.

I understand that your main character can be diversified with different traits. For example, one character might be slightly deaf, another might stutter, and a third might have a hoarse voice. This can sometimes lead to overkill, but it feels quite natural in the gameplay. In cinema, such techniques can cause dissatisfaction among viewers, who will consider them unnatural.

Games featuring a large cast of similar characters often use the same voice acting for multiple heroes. This allows developers to reduce content creation costs and speed up the development process. This approach helps maintain a consistent sound style, but can lead to a decrease in character uniqueness. Repeated voice acting can also affect the player's perception of each individual hero, as the lack of individuality makes them less memorable. It's important to find a balance between conserving resources and creating a unique gaming experience for users.

Working on video game voice acting often evokes mixed feelings in me. While I haven't encountered outright copypasta in this area, I've always been surprised and sometimes irritated by the amount of effort required to convey sound effects. This is especially true for screams and various vocal expressions, such as grunts. I understand the need to record character lines, but duplicating sound effects seems unnecessary. Each character is cast with an actor with a suitable voice. For example, a suitable actress is chosen for the voice of a little girl. However, why should she repeat sounds already recorded by the original actress? This creates unnecessary difficulties and increases production time, while the focus could be on unique lines and the character's emotional expression.

The sound designer was with the original actress, and they had more complete information about the scene. The script calls for a "cry of pain," but it's unclear what kind of pain is being described. Perhaps the character was kicked, or had a shiv stuck in their eye. The ambiguity in the description of emotions creates difficulties in interpreting the scene and requires a more precise approach to deciphering the character's feelings.

Improvisation in game voice acting is an important aspect of the work, which can sometimes be necessary. While the script serves as a framework to maintain the integrity of the plot and characters, true professionals often find ways to add unique elements and liveliness to their lines. This can include unexpected intonations, changes in voice timbre, or the addition of additional phrases that make the character more realistic and memorable. It is important to remember that the art of voice acting requires both following the script and the ability to adapt to the situation. This balance helps create an engaging gaming experience for users.

Improvisation is rarely taken into account in the modern voice acting process. Today's working conditions don't allow for the same creative freedom as they once did. In the past, when games were pirated in the country, voice actors could easily extract lines from games and voice them in the order they were presented. Your line would come first, then another character's response, and so on. This approach ensured natural and dynamic dialogue, but in today's reality, this method is no longer relevant.

Official voiceovers often feature only the character's lines, without the necessary context. However, the translator adapting these lines has a complete understanding of the situation. If you decide to change the sentence structure or formulate a thought differently, it may lead to a discrepancy with what your colleague writes. It's important to keep in mind that context plays a key role in creating a high-quality translation. It can significantly affect the perception of the character and their lines, so it's crucial to maintain unity and consistency throughout the voiceover process.

Acting in video games isn't always of the highest standard. For example, in Korean MMO games, the original voice acting is highly emotional, which can be unusual for our perception. In such cases, dubbing allows us to adapt the sound to our listening habits, providing a more comfortable perception of the game.