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Interview With George Masswohl
Mega Man Legends Station was very fortunate to receive a positive response in our request for an e-mail interview with George Masswohl, the talented voice actor who plays the role of Barrell Caskett for this fantastic series! Posted 2004/02/20
fab: Having visited your web site, it's obvious you have had quite a career in the theatre. Do you do much voice acting as well, or was this sort of a departure from your usual work?
George: I do a bit. I have participated in a few animated projects in the past and I have a pretty regular job doing some voice work involving various accents for some documentary series on the History Channel: "Turning Points" and "Frontiers of Construction".
fab: How did it come about that you got the part of Barrell Caskett?
George: It was through a routine casting session. I came into the studio and offered them my interpretation of the character (based solely on the words on the page). the director asked me to try a few different things and we had a match.
fab: When you began work on this role, did you have any previous knowledge of the popular Mega Man series, and also more specifically, had you heard anything about Mega Man Legends itself?
George: Nothing whatsoever.
fab: Were you given much information on Barrell's character before you started work on his voice, or did you have to learn and adjust as you went?
George: The animation artists were present and ran video of the game for me as I worked. So I could see what Barrell looked like. Also, about 2 years went by between the first version I did and the next so they simply played back what I'd done before so that I could recapture some of the same qualities the second time around.
fab: Were things pretty much set in concrete or did you have any flexibility and influence in shaping Barrell for the North American version of the game?
George: Only from the standpoint of creating the voice.
fab: I've heard of many cases where voice acting is done with little to no interaction between the various actors and actresses. Did you get to know or meet any of the others involved in the cast? And if so, how was it to work with them?
George: That is sometimes true but there were several of us in the booth together for Mega Man. It's always better to have the others there to play off of.
fab: In the first Mega Man Legends, Barrell is played as sort of an eccentric old man and loveable member of the Caskett family. In Legends 2 he his given a somewhat more dignified and serious role as he and Von Bleucher returned to Forbidden Island and dealt with the situation following. This was much more in keeping with the official descriptions of Barrell. To me at least, your voice acting for him seemed to change in the second one and express the alteration of character. Did you sense that at all as you were working, or was it just coincidence?
George: As I mentioned before, some time had passed between sessions so I was certainly a bit older (more dignified?) but I'm sure the creators must have had that sort of evolution in mind for him.
fab: Of MM Legends or MM Legends 2, do you remember one as a more enjoyable experience than the other for you?
George: To be honest, it was quite some time ago now. I really enjoy this type of work though.
fab: I know it's been awhile since then, but do you perchance recall a particular scene that you enjoyed, or do you perhaps have a favorite line that you did?
George: Sorry, I just don't remember!
fab: Did you get the chance to see your work in either game after it was finished? And if so, was there anything in your performance you wish you could have changed?
George: I have never seen it. Hope you like it!
fab: How much difference is there between the true voice of George Masswohl and the voice of Barrell Caskett?
George: Well, I'm a 36 year old man, so probably quite a bit. There are some sound files available on my website: iamGeorge.com the online home of George Masswohl They're from my CD "If I Were King". I'm a singer as well.
fab: As fans, we always keep alive the hope that our beloved Legends series will someday get a third installment. Did you enjoy playing the part of Barrell enough that you would reprise the role in Legends 3?
George: I would be honoured to reprise the role if the opportunity were to arise.
fab: Do you have any further comments or reminiscing of your own to add?
George: I'm amazed to know there's such a community of MM devotees out there. It's nice to be appreciated!
fab: Having now shared with us your experience as the voice of Barrell, perhaps you wouldn't mind following up with a little bit of information about yourself, not in reference the Legends series?
George: It's all right here! iamGeorge.com the online home of George Masswohl
fab: Mr. Masswohl, I very much appreciate you taking the time to share this with us. On behalf of the site and the entire online Legends community, I thank you with all my heart!
George: My pleasure. Thanks for asking.
fab: Having visited your web site, it's obvious you have had quite a career in the theatre. Do you do much voice acting as well, or was this sort of a departure from your usual work?
George: I do a bit. I have participated in a few animated projects in the past and I have a pretty regular job doing some voice work involving various accents for some documentary series on the History Channel: "Turning Points" and "Frontiers of Construction".
fab: How did it come about that you got the part of Barrell Caskett?
George: It was through a routine casting session. I came into the studio and offered them my interpretation of the character (based solely on the words on the page). the director asked me to try a few different things and we had a match.
fab: When you began work on this role, did you have any previous knowledge of the popular Mega Man series, and also more specifically, had you heard anything about Mega Man Legends itself?
George: Nothing whatsoever.
fab: Were you given much information on Barrell's character before you started work on his voice, or did you have to learn and adjust as you went?
George: The animation artists were present and ran video of the game for me as I worked. So I could see what Barrell looked like. Also, about 2 years went by between the first version I did and the next so they simply played back what I'd done before so that I could recapture some of the same qualities the second time around.
fab: Were things pretty much set in concrete or did you have any flexibility and influence in shaping Barrell for the North American version of the game?
George: Only from the standpoint of creating the voice.
fab: I've heard of many cases where voice acting is done with little to no interaction between the various actors and actresses. Did you get to know or meet any of the others involved in the cast? And if so, how was it to work with them?
George: That is sometimes true but there were several of us in the booth together for Mega Man. It's always better to have the others there to play off of.
fab: In the first Mega Man Legends, Barrell is played as sort of an eccentric old man and loveable member of the Caskett family. In Legends 2 he his given a somewhat more dignified and serious role as he and Von Bleucher returned to Forbidden Island and dealt with the situation following. This was much more in keeping with the official descriptions of Barrell. To me at least, your voice acting for him seemed to change in the second one and express the alteration of character. Did you sense that at all as you were working, or was it just coincidence?
George: As I mentioned before, some time had passed between sessions so I was certainly a bit older (more dignified?) but I'm sure the creators must have had that sort of evolution in mind for him.
fab: Of MM Legends or MM Legends 2, do you remember one as a more enjoyable experience than the other for you?
George: To be honest, it was quite some time ago now. I really enjoy this type of work though.
fab: I know it's been awhile since then, but do you perchance recall a particular scene that you enjoyed, or do you perhaps have a favorite line that you did?
George: Sorry, I just don't remember!
fab: Did you get the chance to see your work in either game after it was finished? And if so, was there anything in your performance you wish you could have changed?
George: I have never seen it. Hope you like it!
fab: How much difference is there between the true voice of George Masswohl and the voice of Barrell Caskett?
George: Well, I'm a 36 year old man, so probably quite a bit. There are some sound files available on my website: iamGeorge.com the online home of George Masswohl They're from my CD "If I Were King". I'm a singer as well.
fab: As fans, we always keep alive the hope that our beloved Legends series will someday get a third installment. Did you enjoy playing the part of Barrell enough that you would reprise the role in Legends 3?
George: I would be honoured to reprise the role if the opportunity were to arise.
fab: Do you have any further comments or reminiscing of your own to add?
George: I'm amazed to know there's such a community of MM devotees out there. It's nice to be appreciated!
fab: Having now shared with us your experience as the voice of Barrell, perhaps you wouldn't mind following up with a little bit of information about yourself, not in reference the Legends series?
George: It's all right here! iamGeorge.com the online home of George Masswohl
fab: Mr. Masswohl, I very much appreciate you taking the time to share this with us. On behalf of the site and the entire online Legends community, I thank you with all my heart!
George: My pleasure. Thanks for asking.