Finding talented celebrity impressionists, to do audio reads of the Marvel Transformer Comics and profiles.ics

[Dan EL]

Hey, everyone.
Been busy researching these past months, no progress on Bob scanning his documents currently.

I've been doing much thinking about his profiles though, and an idea struck me, though it's feasibility is up for debate.
Since so many of his character's had their names and personalities modelled on famous individuals and pop culture figures, Optimus Prime, being a Lincoln/Superman mix, and Ironhide/ Robert Ironside as examples.

Would any one like the idea of gathering money and attention, and hiring celebrity vocal impressionists to voice various Transformers, in audio plays of the old Marvel comic material. Or even more ambitiously, in stop motion recreations of selected comic stories, using the vintage toys themselves.

Who wouldn't want to hear a good impression of Christopher Reeves, reciting ''Freedom is the Right of All Sentient Beings'' from his profile?

Further more, in a situation where there are several actors who inspired a character, have multiple short readings aired together for comparison, and allow audiences, and Bob Budiansky himself the option to vote and comment on who they find the most fitting as the characters.

I know many hear The Transformers with their Sunbow voices, but this idea can bring the characters closer their core archetypes, and broadening their popular appeal. It can help prevent the brand from relying purely on a limited nostalgia for Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, by giving the franchise a foundation and broader sense of history.

[Joseph Bardsley]

This is an interesting idea. Thanks for the update!

To confirm, are you proposing that folks get involved via Kickstarter, or something else, and raise money to hire celebrities to voice TF characters? Or folks who can convincingly imitate these celebrities?

I love the idea of involving Bob himself in these proceedings. What would the audience for this be? A Web distribution plan? Something else?

Exciting, and happy to share ideas about this.

Joseph

[Dan EL]

No, not a KickStarter campaign currently,  unless necessary.
  Most of the celebrities we'd want are deceased,  so we'd be looking for gracious, voice artist sound alikes, who'd volunteer their time.
Whether famous VA's like Maurice LaMarche, and his uncanny impressions, or people whose skills are under the radar
It's unlikely though, we'd be able to get actors like Zachary Quinto, for Prowl, as an example.
  but still, we can keep our minds open and put feelers out.
As examples  of what we'd be looking for.
For Optimus Prime, we'd be looking for any actors who can do quality impressions of George Reeves,     Lee Berger,  and Christopher Reeves
In Megatron's case,  actors  capable of playing Terrence Stamp's Zod,  Phillip Pine's Colonel Green, etc.
Each choice would be reading dialogue from the comics, 
Transformers issue 1,   AfterDeath,  etc.
We'd record a track with each potential impression,  as a voice compare, to release on Youtube.
The public, including Budiansky would be free to offer their opinions on the choices
Which would help finalize the cast.
After enough voices have been chosen, then we'd progress to making full  audio reads of the  comics, At such a point when more serious vocal commitments are required, then we'd explore Kickstarter, and whether we'd need to pay any voice salaries.
After enough audio files are created,  they can be shared, and used for stop motion videos,  fan animation, maybe even inspire Hasbro.