SONY

Brand

Recording the voice
of the heroine
in "Smurfs",
the day marketing director Melissa's dream came true.

Sony Pictures Animation

Now Loading

Detailed View

A new talent has blossomed in the world of animated feature films. We're talking about Melissa Sturm who, while working as Marketing Director, has participated as a voice artist to the recording of temporary voices for several movies. Brimming with enthusiasm, Melissa talked to us about her two professional passions.

The director casually asked me
if I could help them record emporary voices...

"My job is to act as a liaison between production and the studio and I help prepare all of our creative materials such as the characters, the backgrounds and anything else which we provide for the style guide and end up getting used everywhere. I also interview artists and creative people on how the film was made and then put all the information together in a book format for our "Art and Making of" book series."

These are the words of Melissa Sturm, who works as Marketing Director at Sony Pictures Animation U.S.. Recently, however, she has taken up an unusual "side job."

"One day, I was sitting outside the Scratch (temporary voice track recording) Room and the directors of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" casually asked me if could help them with a girl's voice. I immediately said yes, went into the Scratch Room and read my lines. That's how it all started. After that, I was offered the chance to do the entire film as the temporary voice of Sam. Ultimately, I ended up getting two small roles in the movie: one as a production coordinator and one as a female character screaming, 'sesame bagel!'"

After some minor parts, her big chance finally arrived

"As a result, I got more and more opportunities to record temporary voices for the girls' parts in our movies. And I ended up working as a temporary voice actor for a variety of characters, including Sam in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" and Mavis in "Hotel Transylvania."

And then, she got her lucky break.
"Sony Pictures Animation decided to make a couple of short movies based on the "Smurfs". Katy Perry was approached for the voice of Smurfette but she was busy touring, so I got offered the part instead. It was the luckiest moment in my entire professional life!"

The reward of a voice actor: feeling the passion on the movie set.

Melissa Strum, who is currently pursuing both her professional passions, smiled satisfyingly throughout our interview: "I love my marketing job even if it keeps me very busy. But the temporary voice recording is extremely rewarding and I consider it the cherry on top of the cake. I'm so grateful I got to know the world of animated movies and experience the passion running through it. I really don't know where else I could get an opportunity like this."

Melissa Strum

Overview

  • The director casually asked me
    if I could help them
    record emporary voices...
  • After some minor parts,
    her big chance finally arrived
  • The reward of a voice actor:
    feeling the passion on the movie set

Scrolldown