Eric Stuart, retired from Voice Acting?

Ishtar · #1 10-14-2009, 09:24 PM

Eric Stuart, known for originally voicing Brock and James in Pokemon, Seto Kaiba in Yu-Gi-Oh!, etc. seems to have retired from voice acting to focus on his music career. He has recently moved to Nashville, TN, according to his site. What recent voice over work has he done recently, besides Gourry in Slayers Revolution? Maybe he'll occasionaly still do voice over work when visiting NY for family and friends, but it certainly looks like he's mostly done with that line of work.

Neo Ultra Mike · #2 10-14-2009, 09:32 PM

Well so long as he's doing something he likes and is making money from it that isn't much of a problem. He may of been in a lot of 4Kids dubs but he was a pretty decent VA (yeah may not of had the best vocal range but better then some other 4kids VAs. And hey not many people can say they have the range to go from James to Kailba) and will always be remembered for his preformences in Yu-Gi-Oh and the original Pokemon seasons. And maybe a couple of other spars roles between them.

I'm hoping for a Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged special where Kailba talks about his VA quitting and say he said "Screw the rules to the man because he's got music" or something like that.

**Light Lucario** · #3 10-14-2009, 09:33 PM

Well, he still provides voices for minor/background characters in 5D's. I can always tell when he's voicing a character now. I could understand why he would want to focus more on his music career since that is his main profession. As I understanding, voice acting was secondary compared to music anyway and he was a musician before a voice actor.

I may send him an email asking about this, but I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy. Besides that, I'm kind of nervous to do that anyway, despite sending him an email once or twice before.

FUNiOP · #4 10-14-2009, 09:35 PM

I don't watch many dubs he's in since most of them are 4Kids, and I never thought he was that great an actor, but I know he has a lot of fans, so this sucks for them. It was obviously his choice and he felt that this would be better for him, so good for him.

D Dubbs · #5 10-14-2009, 09:45 PM

He's also the ADR director for GoGoRiki (which he's done a pretty good job on, IMO), but other than that and occasional voice-overs for 4Kids promos (and of course the above mentioned roles), he hasn't been getting much work. I can see why he would retire. Seems like voice acting jobs in New York are pretty scarce these days.

LDEJRuff · #6 10-14-2009, 11:34 PM

And if Eric Stuart's not voice acting, who's going to voice Bastion Misawa for season four of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX? (I hope 4Kids picks it up during English-dub production of 5D's.) Still, it makes me a bit disappointed.

Rolling Cloud · #7 10-14-2009, 11:40 PM

Uh, he doesn't show up in season 4.

River26 · #8 10-14-2009, 11:44 PM

While I acknowledge his reason to retire. I'd think that this would also open more options for FUNimation. Since the new season of Slayers is now in their "homecourt". And that possibly someone from their inhouse studio would be voicing Gourry.

Like perhaps we can see a new season of YGO 5Ds being recorded by FUNimation *shrugs*

PC! · #9 10-14-2009, 11:48 PM

Welp, if that's what he wants to do, then more power to him. He was a good VA, and I hope his music career brings him continued success.

Ishtar · #10 10-14-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by River26

While I acknowledge his reason to retire. I'd think that this would also open more options for FUNimation. Since the new season of Slayers is now in their "homecourt". And that possibly someone from their inhouse studio would be voicing Gourry.

Like perhaps we can see a new season of YGO 5Ds being recorded by FUNimation *shrugs*

Uh, Slayers Revolution was already announced as a NYAV Post dub, and Eric Stuart was confirmed as Gourry. FUNimation owns the rights, but they outsourced to NYAV Post so they could use most of the original cast.

CyberCubed · #11 10-15-2009, 01:08 AM

I wonder if he was still playing Brock/James in the current Pokemon season, would he still retire? Makes you wonder.

Looks like all the original Pokemon voices are moving on.

The Wolverine · #12 10-15-2009, 01:14 AM

If this is true, I wouldn't be surprised...

I mean, I like his VA work a lot, but I love his music. I know others who feel this way as well... plus he's gotten some really darn good endorsements regarding his music... Nils Lofgren, Paul Rodgers, Ringo Starr and Peter Frampton just to name a few famous musicians that like his stuff.

I wrote in my review of his last album that it should have been the one that got him radio play, and Eric liked seeing that. So, I say if he wants to quit his VA work and concentrate on his music career, it doesn't bother me. And honestly, he can actually start touring now if this is indeed true.

The Overlord · #13 10-15-2009, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by River26

While I acknowledge his reason to retire. I'd think that this would also open more options for FUNimation. Since the new season of Slayers is now in their "homecourt". And that possibly someone from their inhouse studio would be voicing Gourry.

Like perhaps we can see a new season of YGO 5Ds being recorded by FUNimation *shrugs*

Does Funi pay more then 4Kids?

**TheVileOne** · #14 10-15-2009, 01:30 AM

I think he also played Hi-Tech in GI JOE: Sigma 6

Ishtar · #15 10-15-2009, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Overlord

Does Funi pay more then 4Kids?

No, FUNi pays their voice actors a lot lower than 4kids. 4kids actually pays pretty well in comparison.

Rae78 · #16 10-15-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ishtar

No, FUNi pays their voice actors a lot lower than 4kids. 4kids actually pays pretty well in comparison.

How much does each company pay?

macattack · #17 10-15-2009, 09:36 AM

FUNimation pays the standard non-union rate for voice actors: $60 an hour. Believe it or not that is not a lot of money when you consider how quick it takes for one actor to wrap up his/her lines for an episode.

I don't remember 4kids' rates but they went into the hundreds (thousands?).

Your standard union dub is in the low thousands like a grand or so per episode. This includes material like Naruto, Eureka Seven, and Cowboy Bebop.

I kinda wish FUNi would pay their actors a little more considering the general high quality of FUNi dubs. They wouldn't lose so many of them to LA if they paid higher rates. Then again considering the economy and the state of the industry . . . it may not be a good business decision to do that.

But it is disconcerting for FUNi because they've pretty much been transformed into a proving ground for voice actors and I'm not sure they wanted that to happen. Carrie Savage is really the only VA who moved to Texas out of LA instead of the other way around and that's because FUNi gives her a ton of work when LA wouldn't.

Ishtar · #18 10-15-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rae78

How much does each company pay?

I've heard from a friend of mine who knows quite a few of the New York voice actors well that 4kids apparently pays around $100 an hour, which is actually not bad in comparison to the typical $60.

Taekmkm · #19 10-15-2009, 10:21 AM

If FUNI actually puts shows on more accessible TV channels, they could pay Union like Viz or Bang-Zoom.

Rae78 · #20 10-15-2009, 05:41 PM

$60 vs. $100 per hour might be a sizable difference, but when you compare the cost of living between Dallas and NYC, it might as well be $60 vs. well, much less than $100. Maybe around $10.