John Eric Bentley, a successful voice actor who provided voices in series like “Naruto: Shippuden,” “Fear the Walking Dead” and Resident Evil, sat in a Zoom call with nine members of the Voice Actors Club at Georgia State on Feb. 20.
“Welcome to Alcoholics Anonymous,” Bentley said. “Nah, I’m just kidding.”
The Panther Booth offers a casual workshop environment for students in the Voice Acting Club. Bentley was once in these students’ place, tirelessly studying and practicing to land his first role.
He started auditioning for six roles a week from home on Voice123, a voice talent website, before auditioning for 20 roles per day.
“I figured out my voice, and I went, ‘Wait a minute. I can produce myself,’” Bentley said.
Bentley’s son, who has a knack for dialects, started recording with Bentley. He then landed one small gig on Voice123, but his next role would be the catalyst for his career.
Bentley was in disbelief when they asked him when he could fly out to Santa Monica because he lived in Los Angeles.
He did not expect what awaited him in the recording booth. He was recording for Dead Space, the iconic video game series that originated as a comic book.
Bentley’s role in Dead Space contrasted his modest past. When he was in school, he went to the club and practiced impersonations as others watched.
“Everybody around me got a show,” Bentley said. “One time, [a] bouncer came up to me and asked why I was pointing at people, so I did my impressions, like, ‘Hey, how you doin’ tonight, girl?’ The bouncer is cracking up, and he said, ‘You can come into this club anytime you want to for free.’”
Bentley progressed from his humble beginnings, but they still influence the roles he takes on. He recently portrayed Barret Wallace in Final Fantasy VII.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Final Fantasy since I was a kid, so it was crazy and kind of surreal to record in that booth,” he said. “I’ve always loved Final Fantasy because, seriously, there’s a Black character who isn’t the first to die.”
At the Panther Booth workshop, students shared their love for Bentley’s work while the voice actor offered advice. He noted that voice acting is for everyone, even those who may think resources are inaccessible.
“You can make your demo reel yourself,” Bentley said. “Don’t ever get discouraged because you think you need expensive equipment.”
Students recited nursery rhymes in the voices of cartoon and anime characters, announcers and TV anchors as Bentley coached them. He spent time with each of them individually, ensuring that they got their voices right.
But to Bentley, “getting it right” doesn’t mean abiding by particular rules.
“I don’t like rules in creative work because I find that in breaking them, and in not falling into this box, we find the best work in the world that you could ever imagine,” Bentley said.
Bentley encourages everyone, even those who aren’t interested in voice acting, to consider their voice’s impact.
“Your most powerful tool is your voice,” Bentley said. “No matter what you do, if you figure out your voice and you know how to use it, you’re golden.”
