this past saturday brought us the spike tv video game awards and - before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside - we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. we squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. here's what we learned from the voice of chloe from uncharted 2, and star of farscape, stargate, and more, claudia black..

so you've jumped genres from science fiction television shows to swashbuckling video games. how has that been?

oh, i think it is all one in the same, isn't it? it is all part of the same genre. so i mean for me, it has been a very easy segue into this, and i think it has sort of corresponded at the same time with the industries starting to coalesce, too. you know, the film industry, which is sometimes considered, i think, to be a snobbish cousin of the gaming industry, is now really starting to take notice.

i'm sure the smell of money is helping a bit.

yeah. i mean i think it really came to the floor when van helsing the film was kind of like the launch pad for the game, and the game was sort of more relevant and important, in a way, than the movie.

you've done a lot of video game voices, but was this the first time you did motion capture?

yes, this was my first motion capture experience. i am a huge proponent of it because i think what impressed me about naughty dog's is that they respect and appreciate the magic that occurs over time between the performers. that you can have a great script, and you can have great voice actors in the booth, but you are never going to recreate that incredible alchemy that occurs with people in a room together. and they hired such amazing actors, you know, theater trained, very experienced actors to work together. and also, they were very specific and particular about whom they hired based on personalities because they wanted us to be a really tight knit family. and every single day it was fun. every single day. and i know that games have become a very serious business, but they wanted the levity and the bonding to be the overriding essence on the set.

what is next for you?

well i just wrapped up a little independent film called rain from stars which is written and directed by steven wallace and french stewart, a wonderful comedic actor, and jeremy london, brian krause ... a really lovely cast. it's called rain from stars, and is like 12 angry men meets saw.vga 2009: claudia black talks about our favorite subject, claudia black originally appeared on joystiq on sun, 20 dec 2009 11:30:00 est. please see our terms for use of feeds.




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