Adam McArthur - Yuuji Itadori from HBO Max's Jujutsu Kaisen!

Adam McArthur – Interview

[00:00:00] Melissa: This is spoiler country and I’m Alyssa searcher today on the show. I’m excited to welcome voice actor, Adam MacArthur. Welcome to the

Adam McArthur: show. How you doing?

Melissa: Doing

Adam McArthur: pretty good. How are you doing awesome. I am doing great. It is a, it’s been a very busy week. And I’m so glad to just like, take a moment and connect and have a awesome combo.

Melissa: Awesome. Yeah, me too. It’s been a busy week as well. It’s funny how we’re, you know, in a pandemic still, but yet I feel like we’re busier than we were before.

Adam McArthur: It’s definitely, I agree. It’s definitely a weird, it’s like, I’m not leaving more, but I’m doing more in my house. Yes.

Melissa: Exactly. Yeah. It’s almost like being home is like having us create more projects and more work for ourselves,

Adam McArthur: you know?

Yeah. Yeah. I have a, I have a new rule of work. Only happens in the office and not like in the living room. I don’t want it to just, you know, I don’t want it to spread everywhere. I want, [00:01:00] I want to keep it where it belongs.

Melissa: That’s smart. Good idea. I’ll just try that. And mine’s in the living room, of course.

It’s everywhere. It’s hard. Marinades. Yeah. Well, you have such an interesting career. You’re a voice over actor and also, but you’re a martial artist as well. There’s such a dichotomy between the two, really, when you think about it, right? Like you have the voice stuff, which is all just, you know, standing place for the most part.

And then you’ve got the martial arts staff, which is very physical, you know? How did you, how did you get into voice acting? Cause I read that you had been doing martial arts since you were young.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there’s the two of my earliest memories were wanting to do martial arts and wanting to be an actor.

I don’t know where these things came from. I’ve literally, I, I, I just say I was born wanting to do these things cause my earliest memories are wanting to do both of those things. I finally was able to start acting when I was 16. My parents put me in an acting class. I started martial arts when I was 11.

But, you know, I sort of fell right away into voiceover. I did [00:02:00] a lot of on-camera commercial. I did some independent like movies. I grew up in Northern California. So in San Francisco, I did some independent movies and stuff, but really, I mean, I’ve always loved cartoons. Voiceover was really sort of where I wanted.

My career to head. And thankfully I got started right away up in the Bay area. And then I moved down to LA in 2003. And again, sort of just picked up where I left off. Got an agent right away and started, started working.

Melissa: Yeah. Yeah. Now has your study and practice of, cause you do Kung Fu right?

Hmm.

Adam McArthur: Fu and judo are my two like base martial arts. That’s where I started. Yeah. Oh,

Melissa: cool. Awesome. How has that played? No pun intended, but has it played a role in your, you know, your acting career

Adam McArthur: at all? Definitely. Yeah, definitely. Actually. My, so my marshal, my seafood, my martial arts teacher his son is plays a huge role in my life.

Mentor, teacher, friend. And [00:03:00] he always took me under his wing and gave me a lot of special attention and a lot of special training. And one of the things he always said to me was somebody has to book these jobs. Someone has to do this, so it might as well be you. And you know, through martial art, like tough rigorous martial arts training, you know, you learn perseverance, you learn what it’s like to be uncomfortable in certain situations.

All of these things have helped me Stay in this career live in Los Angeles on an individual like job level, like, you know, booking each roles it’s helped. But overall I think, you know, one of the hardest parts as an artist is not just buying into the whole starving artist thing. Like, Oh, I have to, you know, I have to like, Put everything I have into this and it’s all or nothing and all this stuff.

I just never really subscribed to that. I figured, you know, I could have my cake and eat it too, I guess I could say. Yeah, a lot of the wisdom, a lot of the [00:04:00] philosophy from martial arts has definitely been applied to my life and my career as an actor. And I, and yeah, I mean, perseverance alone is people always ask me, like, what’s your.

Piece of advice for somebody who wants to be an actor. I always say, just stick with it. Yeah. Cause if you’re here the longer you’re here. You’re going to meet more people. Finally, someone will be like, Oh yeah, Adam, he’s been around a while. You know what? Let’s let’s bring him in for this audition. And then you don’t get it and they bring you in for another one.

You don’t get it. And then they bring you in for another one. Cause now they like you and they know you that you’re reliable and you’re going to do good work. And then you get one and then, you know, you start your career. So yeah. Perseverance is. It’s huge. That’s

Melissa: cool. And I’m sure it teaches you a lot of discipline as well, which goes along with all of what you just said.

And and, and I know, you know, I have friends that are in the business then, you know, being nice and likable and polite and reliable is really you know, speaks volumes. I think in that industry.

Adam McArthur: Yeah, it’s a look, every aspect, whether you’re doing voiceover on [00:05:00] camera movies, TV, whatever it is, it is a massive collaboration.

You are working with a team. There, this is a team sport, so you have to do things that set your teammates up for success, which means you make them look good. At their job. So if you’re walking into a casting office, you got to make them look good. They brought you in. So they’re putting their neck out for you, which means you got to make them look good to whoever they’re reporting to, you know, so yeah, I really, I will say, like, I feel like my career took a turn.

And leveled up when I started thinking of it like that, when I started thinking of it as a tea, as a tea, you know, it also helped because I, I don’t have anxiety auditioning anymore. It’s not like I’m worried how I’m going to look, am I doing good? Am I, you know, am I right for this, whatever. It doesn’t really matter.

It’s I go in with the mindset. All right. How can I make whoever brought me in? How can I make them look good? What kind of choices can I make to make them. You know, [00:06:00] make them shine and it’s, it’s a, it’s sort of a refreshing take on it. I think for myself, I agree. There’s a lot of pressure, you

Melissa: know? Yeah.

That’s an interesting perspective and I haven’t heard that’s yet. I haven’t heard anyone. You know, look at it quite like that. So that’s really, really cool and interesting and a really good piece of advice for anyone listening. That’s wanting to break into acting. That’s a good way to take the pressure off yourself as well.

So you don’t get that anxiety. Totally. Yeah. Yeah, of course, because you know of your martial arts and you have acting experience have you ever, cause I didn’t see this listed, but have you ever done any stunt work or have any interest in doing stunt

Adam McArthur: work? I haven’t, I haven’t actually done any stunt work.

Well, okay, hold on. I take that back. There was one time, one time I did done work and I booked a state farm commercial. This was, I mean, this was a long, long time ago. But I booked state farm commercial where essentially the commercial was, I was pulling up to the front of an apartment complex. I was driving like an old Honda [00:07:00] civic, pulled up in front of an apartment complex and I check my hair out in the rear view mirror.

I picked flowers up off the passenger seat clearly.  that I’m there for a date. I opened my car door and a van drives by and knocks my card or off. And then the shot is of me leaning out of the car, like, Oh, and then it’s like state farm, you know, we protect you when you’re an idiot, basically. Right. So I did my own stunt in that commercial.

I’d like everybody to know that, Oh yeah. I sat in the car while the Carter was getting knocked off. My, my Agents and managers at the time, reamed me for that one, but

Melissa: I’m sorry. Yeah. You know, it’s funny as I actually think, I remember that

Adam McArthur: commercial. Yeah. They showed it. They showed it a lot. They did.

They showed it a lot. So good job. Yeah, no, I have a lot of friends who work in stunts and it is man. It is an incredible. Part of the industry, and I think it’s a much, like they don’t get as much recognition as they should for [00:08:00] what they do because man, you have to stay at peak physical condition all the time.

And you’re putting your body and your health on the line for work. And so, yeah, I, I mean, deep down secretly, I would love to do stunts. But I just, I also just don’t want to get hurt. I’ve been, I’ve been hurt, you know, throughout my martial arts career and, you know, I don’t know, getting old. Yeah, no, I

Melissa: feel like well, you know, as far as well, not maybe doing stunts, do you have any interest in doing like live action films where you’re using martial arts, you know, but you have trouble.

Of course, you know, but yeah. You see, you know, a lot of movies now it’s so popular in mainstream, you know, commercial blockbusters, you’ve got things like, you know, fast and the furious and they’re all using different types of, you know, mixed martial arts. Is that something you, you would be interested in as well?

Adam McArthur: Totally, absolutely. Yeah, for sure. For sure. I’m actually, I’m producing, I’m an acting in a short right now for [00:09:00] a a short film competition with some friends of mine. And it is going to be, it’s going to be very action packed. So yeah, definitely. Definitely. Yeah. The only other thing that I’ve done with martial arts on camera was.

Another commercial and it was 4:00 AM PM. Like the mini-mart and I was pretty much like making fun of martial arts. So

it wasn’t what I had always hoped and dreamed up. But right here we are, you know, Yeah,

Melissa: exactly. And you know, it’s funny as I saw on your your Twitter, you, I, it made me laugh so hard. You said something about Cobra, Kai, that it should be called Cobra cry, you know, because of that aspect. And I just literally busted up laughing because it’s so true.

I mean, you watch that. I watched the movie when it came out and and now watching the show it’s. It’s great. Right. I mean, it’s just so, just reminds me of, you know, the old days

Adam McArthur: for whatever reason, too, you know, like going through a tough year, like 20, 20 being stuck at home, like there was something so comforting about watching [00:10:00] Cobra, Kai, for me, where it was like, I mean, th the karate kid, literally the karate kid, power Rangers, three ninjas surf ninjas, like these movies.

Defined my childhood. And so getting to watch Cobra, Kai and the nostalgia and stuff, literally, anytime they flashed back, I’m sobbing on my couch watching the show because I’m so ridiculous. Oh, I love it. Yeah. It’s it’s. It’s

Melissa: awesome. It’s awesome. Yeah. And I love, I love how they’ve switched everything around to like where Johnny Lawrence is, you know, the hero now.

Totally,

Adam McArthur: totally. And they’re so good. I mean, when I first, when I first started the series, I was like, Oh man, it’s kind of like these guys haven’t acted. Since these movies came out, I was like, Ooh, what’s going on? And then, you know, like every episode after that, I’m like, this is intentional and it is amazing.

And I love. Every second of it, like, ah, I hope that I, at some point get to meet these guys. Well, you

Melissa: could be on the show. I mean, with your background, even

Adam McArthur: though [00:11:00] you heard

Melissa: it here, we’re going to try and get you on. It totally well now getting, you know, getting back to your voice acting, you know, what is, what is the biggest challenge with being a voice actor for those of us who have no clue how to do any of that?

Adam McArthur: Yeah. That’s a good question. Hmm. What’s the most difficult part. I mean, again, it just sort of takes a long time to get your footing in this industry. It’s a really sort of tight knit industry. You know, the people who have been in it for a long time are on a lot of things. And they’re really well known because they’re incredibly talented.

Yeah. So, you know, breaking into the industry is, is, is difficult. But again, if you’re here for long enough and you’re constantly practicing and getting better but on a technical level, It depends. It really depends on the job. There are so many different parts of voiceover and the voiceover industry You know, a lot of what I do is promo like [00:12:00] voice of the Disney XD.

Yeah. Yeah. That’s awesome. The anime that I’m on right now is dubbing. So it’s like, you know, a project, a show that’s originated in another country. You’re bringing that over. So you’re dubbing that there’s so much that goes into that. I would say the hardest part is probably going into a project.

With very little information. This happens often because the process for a lot of stuff that requires voiceover video games, cartoons, all this stuff, the turnaround time, because of how much work goes into it is pretty long. So, you know, like I have stuff that I worked on a year and a half ago, two years.

That’s not even out yet, but I still can’t talk about that by the time it’s announced. I’ll probably forget that I was, my agent would be like, Oh, Hey, don’t, don’t forget you and this, and I’d be like, I was. Right. But those projects are kept under such tight wraps that when you go in, you’re really heavily reliant on your voice director and [00:13:00] sometimes that’s tough.

You know, you have to, it’s sort of like blind faith. You have to trust that they’re using the tools that you’re bringing to the table to get what’s going to serve as the project, the best. In the end and you might not have any idea if that is the case or not. So for me, that’s been, that’s sort of been the hardest part is you know, finding myself in those moments and just.

Letting go, having fun, giving them a wide range of options and, and hoping that it, that it works out.

Melissa: Cool. Well, again, speaking of the video games you’ve done voiceover work for two of my favorite franchises, which is final fantasy and far cry among others. Yeah. So how is, how is that different when you like, do you approach it differently when you’re going in for a video game versus rather, you know, a television show?

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Well, what’s really cool right now with video games is they’re so cinematic. Hmm. And the acting required for a video games is actually really similar to what you would find on camera. So it’s, you know, it [00:14:00] can be more subtle. It’s a lot more grounded. It’s not typically super cartoony. And yeah, video games are crushing it.

They’re telling these amazing stories. So, you know, and again, especially video games, video games are probably the most secretive of all. Oh, yeah. On different areas of voiceover. So yeah, so yeah, so it is, you kind of just got to bring improv helps a lot, a lot with video game work because you know, being confident as in improv skills brings in, you know, you bring an openness to the project and to the session and all that.

So you’re alone. How to you allow yourself to play. To find things you know, when you’re delivering lines that you might not have context for that can ultimately give them different options down the road when they’re putting together this giant thing that right. All the individual components had no awareness of the other.

And you need stuff to work together. So yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s, it is a little different, but it’s a lot of fun. [00:15:00] Yeah.

Melissa: Video games. The there’s like the speech options, you know, where, you know, the character, the player interacts with the character and then there’s, you know, three or four different, you know, options that the character can respond with.

So I I’m guessing you have to record all those different. Possibilities as well.

Adam McArthur: Totally. Yeah, that’s the, that is the nice part of video games is they typically, when you’re working on a video game, you’re working multiple sessions and you know, thankfully a lot of these jobs are going through the union now.

And yeah, the, the rules are taking care of the actors, vocal chords, cause a lot of video games are super strenuous strenuous and hard on your vocals. So, yeah, but yeah, they’re video game sessions are fantastic.

Melissa: Yeah. How, how many hours do you typically spend, like currently right now on your current show?

Like per day? Recording.

Adam McArthur: Oh man. Well, I’m on two shows right now and one of them. Okay. So one of them, I record probably about four hours a week, [00:16:00] the other one, the other one. But that will be a weekly thing through like, may. Another one is 10 episodes and they’re trying to get them done quickly, probably in five weeks.

And I’m recording about 12 to 16 hours a week on that project.

Melissa: Oh, wow. That’s a lot. How do you keep your, your voice protected, you know, your vocal chords, like what is your kind of regime that

Adam McArthur: you do? Yeah, for me, the thing that affects me the most or helps the most is sleep. I just have to make sure that I’m getting good rest.

And my body has not betrayed me. It is, it has healed me and helped me overnight. I mean, I had, I definitely have a most of what I do is sort of in like a youthful range. So I’m not necessarily getting to like, Deep deep and gruff and Graley, which can be really damaging and hurtful. And I’ve, I’ve done so much stuff in the range that I work in that Yeah.

I dunno if it’s like, I’ve gotten giant muscles on my vocal, but, but yeah. [00:17:00] Typically, unless there’s a ton of yelling, which sometimes there is it’s not, I don’t struggle too much with that, but if I don’t get a good night’s sleep, that’s when that’s, when stuff starts, you know, I start noticing things.

So I always try and make sure after a strenuous session. Okay. Yeah, I’m getting, getting myself

Melissa: some good restaurants arrest. Okay. That’s great. Yeah, it’s important. You got to take care of that if that’s like, you know, your tool, your career,

Adam McArthur: you know? Yeah, totally.

Melissa: Yeah. So your, so let’s talk about your current one of your current shows, you’re the lead on Jude.

So I keep wanting to say that you did see us so bad as to Gito Kaizen.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Talk to

Melissa: you guys then. Yeah. Okay ahead. I was like, let me not butcher this name. And that’s on HBO. Tell me what that show’s about and who you

Adam McArthur: play. Cool. So, I voiced the main character of that show. His name is UGE to Dory.

It, this shows an anime. So it’s from Japan brought over. I am the English dub of UGA and Oh man, this show’s incredible. So if you are listening to this and you’re like, Oh, I don’t really like anime. Maybe you do. Like, if you, [00:18:00] if you like anime, you’ve heard of jujutsu Kaizen. If you’re thinking about trying anime out.

I highly recommend the show. It’s sort of got everything. It’s, it’s this like supernatural horror comedy. It’s got elements of everything. It’s, what’s called a shown in anime. So you follow like a hero protagonist, but basically Yuji Yuji is just a good boy. He is a sweet kid who, whose grandpa passes away and he promises his grandpa that he’ll always help people.

And. That’s basically his driving motivation through this crazy world where we have sourcers who Just like these normal people who have powers and are basically trying to exercise curses that plague the city essentially. So there’s so much more, this shows it’s like the beauty about anime is the stories are so rich.

There’s so much like you get backstory for each character. The lore is really rich and full. Yeah. It’s it’s, [00:19:00] it’s incredible. So I highly recommend checking it out. Yeah, that’s it. And like you said, it’s on HBO max. And it’s also on crunchy roll, which is an enemy streaming service.

Melissa: Yeah. I don’t know much about anime, but I have, you know, watched it from time to time when I was younger.

And I did watch the first episode of your show. And I thought it was really engaging like right away or hooked, you know, into the story. And it’s very visually beautiful as well. You know, the art direction is absolutely gorgeous. You know, so, so what was that like? You know, collaborating with all of these, you know, and you were dubbing and, you know, it’s this existing show.

And so did you get to work with any IVIG, the original creators of it? Or is this just sort of like, you, you got the rights to it. I mean, how does that all work?

Adam McArthur: Yeah. So Doug is really interesting. So, no, I don’t, I have not met the creators of the show. I haven’t met any of the original voice cast that, you know, thankfully we have things like Twitter and stuff like that.

And so you try and connect with these people who. Oh, you all have this like similar tie, [00:20:00] but no, basically, you know, when they, when they send a show off to be dubbed in whatever language it’s sort of taken on by whoever licenses it here, so crunchy roll licensed jiu-jitsu Kaizen, and then they’re responsible for producing the English dub.

And it’s, it’s honestly, it’s been really interesting. The process has been interesting and it’s also been very challenging because. There’s so many different elements that go into making dubbed anime, dubbed anything really good. And it’s hard. It’s really hard. You have to not only translate stuff that, you know, it’s almost like.

Trying to translate inside jokes and make them make sense for a broader audience and give them context, but still have to match timing and how the mouth’s are moving and stuff like that. It’s, it’s a really hard, so,

Melissa: I couldn’t tell it was dubbed, to be honest, I

Adam McArthur: had no idea. Cool. I mean, yeah, they’re the, the, the writer of jujitsu Kaizen, as far as like the timing and all that stuff is doing a fantastic job.

And that’s, you [00:21:00] know, also where the voice director come in, comes in and, you know, you have to tweak things. And when I’m in the booth, what’s different between this and say like an original animated show where I’m like creating the character or we’re, you know, we’re working on like a current series or something like that.

Is I am watching. What I am. So I have a script in front of me, but I’m also watching the scene. So I have to kind of keep my eye on my script as well as looking at my character. So I’m timing out and then just filling in. Whatever line it is to the right timing. So then, you know, they can shift it around and the engineer helps a lot with that too.

If it’s not quite like lined up, but you pretty much have to make sure you’re saying everything in time and, and all of that. So yeah, it’s it is it, it totally is. And yeah, a lot of the people who are putting this one together are incredibly talented and I’ve worked on many, many great shows. A lot of my cast mates are.

Fantastic. Incredibly talented actors kg, Tang, and then Yacko Robbie Daymond. So [00:22:00] many, so many more, but yeah, these people are, are insanely talented. I, I feel very, very fortunate to be in such good company with these, with these Federal actors and industry pros. Yeah. Yeah. It

Melissa: seems like a pretty big cast.

I mean, just in that one episode, I saw a lot of different characters.

Adam McArthur: Yeah, totally. That’s that’s another thing about anime is there, there’s no shortage of characters and if you just watched episode one, by the time you’re in like episode 13 and 14, there’s like. There’s probably three or four times as many people.

Oh, wow.

Melissa: Yeah,

Adam McArthur: totally, totally. But it’s also cool because they take their time and each person you learn about each person and what makes them unique. It’s so fun. It’s so fun to get into anime. I mean, I, I came to anime pretty late in life also. And yeah, some of the stories are just so. Incredible. You know, one of the things that always stood out to me about animation was you can tell stories that can’t be told in live action.

That’s essentially why you use that, you [00:23:00] know, format. That’s why you use animation and anime. Like took that and like ramped it up one more step. Like it, it, the stories that are being told are incredible. They’re there are animators at this point that are on top 10 or top 20 lists of greatest shows of all time, including live action shows like breaking bad and all that.

Wow. So, yeah, I highly, I can, I can give you my recommendation lists, but jiu-jitsu Kaizen is, is definitely a really good one. Yeah. Yeah.

Melissa: And it’s, it’s really popular. I mean, obviously it’s on HBO, so it’s, you know, a lot of people are seeing it. And how many seasons are there so

far?

Adam McArthur: So far we’re just, we’re in season one.

Yeah. So yeah, so far we’re just in season one and yeah, I haven’t heard yet. What, what will be. Happening. However, you know, it’s all based on the Monga, which is like the Japanese comic books. And that is super far ahead. So there’s enough material here and it’s, you know, the Mongo is going to be continuing.

So I would assume there’s going to be more, but I don’t know. [00:24:00] Haven’t heard yet.

Melissa: Yeah. Okay. Well, we’ll have to just keep watching, keep an eye. Yeah. I keep an eye out and stuff. So the other show I want to talk to you about that you’re really well known for is you know, dizzy, Xes star vs the forces of evil, where you played Marco Diaz, which is a huge, you know, fan favorites.

I, to this day, people still love that character in that show. What was that experience like and, and how. How did that change your career? If it, if it did at all?

Adam McArthur: Yeah, totally. I mean, yeah. Star was my first like big series, regular role on a network TV you know, network channel and all that. It was a total unicorn experience.

It was amazing from the time it started till even now. It’s still amazing. I’m still, I still am so thankful. Every day that I get to, that I have gotten to work on that show. Yeah, it was, it, it was just cool. The creator of the show, Darren Nipsey, she’s amazing. You know, something she did from the very beginning, like a lot of people who worked on star [00:25:00] and the crew their jobs OnStar were a promotion from wherever they came from.

So everyone was kind of starting off on this, like. Foot of just like being lifted up. And it was a total top-down experience, meaning like, you know, that just trickled down to all the areas of the show. It was, it was like, it’s so hard for me to describe how amazing of an experience was. It was like bottled joy going into my sessions every week.

And everyone was amazing. All the directors of the individual episodes, the writers even the studio we recorded at this amazing studio in Burbank called out loud audio. Cool. They are fantastic. So yeah, I think, you know, I think anytime an actor gets a show, a four season show that was relatively popular under their belt.

It helps their career and stuff like that. I mean, I had a lot of amazing opportunities. I got to travel and, you know, do lots of different conventions and appearances and no fun. You know, [00:26:00] arguably that’s how I am the current voice of Disney XD. I was, we were doing marketing for star. So I got to meet all of the marketing team for Disney XD.

And then I was able to get an audition to be the new voice of the channel. Wow. And you know, I’m still doing that. I’m still doing that to this day. So, you know, yeah. It definitely changed a lot of things. I feel like Disney is like my family, you know, all, all the people we just recently had, we had through CTN, we had a star vs.

The forces of evil reunion. And so yeah, over zoom, of course, of course. Yeah. But we all got together and it was just like, I dunno, I, I, I love these people. They, they. Like saying that if my family is not an understatement, I feel like they’re my family.

Melissa: Well, that’s nice that you have that kind of comradery.

And even though the show isn’t on anymore, you’re still keeping in touch and still hanging out.

Adam McArthur: Totally. Yeah. If any of them were like, Hey, can you do this for me? Or, Hey, I have this idea. Can you, I would literally drop anything and help any of them at [00:27:00] any moment because they’re all just so sweet. So sweet, such great

people.

Melissa: That’s so cool. And it must be interesting, you know, to be the voice of, of Disney. XD and you know, like, that’s your voice when there’s stuff being announced and you know, it comes on. Does that like weird you out? Do you like forget sometimes when you’re watching?

Adam McArthur: No. No, I don’t know what it is. It doesn’t weird me out at all.

It’s sort of like, I mean, I sort of take this like big brother approach, even on my social media and stuff. Like WinStar was on, like, I had a big brother sort of vibe with the fans even where, I mean, I like to mess with people and joke and like poke at them and have fun, but ultimately it’s just, you know, I, I really do just genuinely love everybody and want everybody to have fun and be happy and all that stuff.

So, It’s sort of like the same, like, I mean, because it is me you know, it’s my normal voice like the more announcery version, I guess you could say, but, but it is like this sort of big brother sounding telling you what’s coming up [00:28:00] next on the show. So I don’t know. It kind of just leans into to everything that, you know, I started across the board.

Yeah.

Melissa: That was the the type of job where you record a bunch of stuff like ahead of time. And then you got a break from them or is it an ongoing thing where they’re like, Hey, we need to come meet you to come in next week and do

Adam McArthur: this. Yeah, it’s an, it’s an ongoing thing. So basically like, anytime they cut a new promo for a show.

So like, for example, I just I just, this week did like four different. Spots, you know, spots around like commercials or whatever. I did four different spots for duck, the duck tales finale. So DuckTales is ending on Disney XD. They’re having a big 90 minutes series finale. So, you know, they cut a bunch of different promos to, to put out there for the marketing and all that stuff.

So, yeah, I’ll just get booked in the cool thing about this one is I was actually doing these from home. Right before the pandemic. So I was already kind of doing them from home, but these are quick little, usually like 15 or 30 minute sessions, but I have a few a [00:29:00] week. And yeah, it just depends on whatever, whatever they’re marketing at the moment, it could be like, you know, around the holidays, it could be something for the holidays.

Yeah, a new show that’s coming and yeah, that’s

Melissa: fine. I mean, it sounds like you’re so busy, you know, you got so much going on. My hats off to you. Thank you. First of all. And then you mentioned you, you have another you’re on another show. So can you tell me about what the other show is that you’re on?

So

Adam McArthur: I actually cannot tell you yet. Yeah, again, it’s one of those like, voiceover caveats. I can’t tell you. I don’t even know if I can tell you where it’s going to end up. It’s going to be. It’s going to be on a streaming service. We’ll say that arrows go down and it’s actually alive. It’s going to be a live action dub.

Okay. Yeah, it’s going to be, I don’t know, really, to be honest, I don’t know what else I can say about it. But it’s a really heartwarming, charming show that I’m very excited for people to watch. I think it’s going to be. I think it’s going to be a really good one. That’s cool.

Melissa: Do you can you tell us at least like when it will be announced or when it’ll be released, if

Adam McArthur: I would tell you, but I don’t know.

[00:30:00] I’m just an actor. They don’t tell me anything.

Melissa: Right. You’re just the actor,

Adam McArthur: the actor. So funny.

Melissa: Well, you know, I was looking at your tech talk which is hilarious, and you’ve also got like a bad-ass. You know, martial arts video or you’re on the, like a wire with a sword and everything. That was really cool.

Me and my boyfriend were leaking out last night and he was like, Oh yeah. But so do you think the voice acting cause you know, fuck, I’m still trying to figure it out. I don’t really get it, but a lot of people do a lot of dubbing on there where they’re talking over, you know, like a scene from a movie.

Have you done anything like that on your tech talk yet?

Adam McArthur: I haven’t done anything like that. Yeah. I’m still trying to figure out the stuff that I’ve had. That’s kind of gone viral has all been animation related. So I’m probably going to have to, I think the way Tik TOK sort of like corrals people is whichever video kind of.

You know, hits its stride or goes, you know, quote unquote, viral on there. If you keep [00:31:00] making that kind of content, it sort of helps you build your audience that way. So yeah, so there’ll be some more, I have some other idea, like some other voiceover themed ideas coming, so. Yeah, that’s, that’s probably going to be the direction I’m leaning most nice because

Melissa: I just felt like you would totally like you’d rock that.

Great. Thank you. Yeah,

Adam McArthur: I think it would also, I just think it would be super fun, so yeah, I think it would be, I would have a lot of fun doing

Melissa: it. Yeah. Nice. Awesome. I do want to talk more about your martial arts training. I’m curious. So what, what is it it’s belts and Kung Fu as well, like in other martial arts?

Like what belts are you, what level are

Adam McArthur: you at? Yeah, so we have so in kung-fu we have sashes and most of the time for like traditional Kung Fu schools the school itself will have its own ranking system. So, you could, it’s sort of similar to like what most people are familiar with, like, you know, black belts and Brown belts and stuff like that.

The colors are slightly different. But I’m essentially like the equivalent of like a [00:32:00] fourth degree black belt in traditional Kung Fu I have, I have a red and black sash. And then I am a first degree black belt in judo. And then I have a second degree black belt in a contemporary Kung Fu or whoosh.

Ooh. Wow.

Melissa: That’s incredible. Now you’ve competed and tournaments and things like that.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Yeah. Many times. I grew up in competition. I probably competed heavily until I was about 22 or 23. So it’s been a little while, but yeah, the first, like, 10 years of my martial arts career, I was competing very, very heavily.

Okay.

Melissa: And have you, have you ever had to use it outside? Like for self-defense or anything like that?

Adam McArthur: I have, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s that, it’s sort of a side of me that I dunno, I don’t actually really talk about it very often. I think I like, I I’m a very unassuming person. Like I said before, you know, I like, I like everyone happy and having fun and I don’t, I don’t, you know, I don’t go around by any means, like looking [00:33:00] for any kind of trouble or anything like that.

But I was picked on a lot in high school and then even in college, I had a few experiences where yeah. I had to defend myself and yeah, I. I I’m very grateful that I have that I’ve had martial arts experience. Otherwise, th those, those could be very scary times. I think if you don’t know what to expect or what it feels like to be in those, like fight or flight kind of mode, you

Melissa: know, those situations.

Yeah. I know. I always laugh because you know, a lot of A lot of martial artists actually don’t look like what you would think they would, you know, in the movies, for example. And it’s always the unassuming, like you said, you know, and I just would laugh. When I’ve had friends, you know, that are, that are pretty skilled swell.

And, and they get picked on in a bar and you’re kind of like, Whoa, like maybe take a step back, like, you know, never know who you’re picking on. Right. We never know if that’s true. Maybe don’t be a bully.

Adam McArthur: That’s the mess. Never know. This is also why it’s really good to just love everybody and want everybody to have fun because [00:34:00] you never know.

You never know.

Melissa: That’s so funny. I never been totally in a completely different traction that I wanted to ask you about is I believe you and your wife have a photo booth business.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Yeah. We have a A photo booth rental company. I started it in 2011 actually, before I even knew her, I started it.

But yeah, I started it in 2011. I wanted to have something that was sort of non entertainment industry related. And yeah, again, I didn’t want to subscribe to that starving artist. So I was like, you know, I don’t, I just start a business. I can have a business that I can run that provides incomes that I don’t have to stress about booking, acting work in order to survive.

And it would make it more fun to go on auditions. Right. Less pressure. And yeah. And I’ve had it ever since it, it we’ve rebranded and evolved it over the years, but yeah, for the past, Gosh, five years. It’s It’s been called the booth in bus company. And we do photo booths and we have photo buses.

So I have [00:35:00] two 1970s era Volkswagen buses with photo booths built inside our nice so those are super adorable. Very like mid-century chic super popular. They’ve got that like California vibe. We do a ton of weddings. We do a ton of corporate events. Pre like COVID we were doing about 250 events a year.

We had five employees.

Melissa: And sounds like you got in on it, right. When that, cause it’s kind of become really popular. I feel like in the last, you know, 10, 15 years sounds like you got in right. When it was booming,

Adam McArthur: sorta got in like right when they were telling people like, Oh, this is getting popular. You probably don’t want to do it.

But I was like, eh, now you’re not doing it. Very good. So I’ll just, I’ll just make sure I’m doing it better than you. And then Thankfully, we’ve got a great product. We’ve got a just a great system in place. And even though, you know, 2020 was awful for the events industry, you know, we were able to take really good care of our clients because the businesses run in a way that allows us to Yeah, you can take care of the employees and [00:36:00] all that stuff throughout, throughout 2020.

So I feel, I feel very proud of that. I think to be honest with you, my, my proudest accomplishment in regards to the business is employing people that, that to me is like, I don’t say this as like a Pat on my back or a toot my own horn thing. But like, when I think about it, it’s like, wow, these people are relying on me to generate income, to help them survive.

Like they are. I am their employer. They, I am giving them a job that is, I don’t know why that just like, I’m very proud of that, you know, to be able to create a project product to help people make a living and you know, provide for their families and stuff like that. I think it’s, yeah.

Melissa: Yeah.

That’s a big responsibility and it’s, you know, it’s awesome too. Yeah, provide work and jobs for people, even if it’s on a smaller business scale, which is even more important, I think for small businesses to thrive, [00:37:00] especially now.

Adam McArthur: Totally.

Melissa: Yeah. Yeah. It’s cool. Now, do you do all the props and everything when you, when you rent your photo or when someone rents your photo booth?

Yeah. So funny hats and

Adam McArthur: things. Totally. So we, we I’m like, I’m kind of a prop snob at this point. Like I hate feather boas and I hate hats and even masks. So we have like, we have like vintage kind of tangible things. Like I have this like really cool trumpet. I have like a, like an old, like, Oversized game boy.

I have like a LA like a long Flamingo in there. So I like to, I like to curate kind of like unique, quirky things that aren’t super, like, you can’t just go get them at party city. You know, I like, I like them to be a little bit more unique and kind of, and, and. Less is more, you don’t really need a ton of stuff, but the focus should be the amazing people in the photos.

And if you’re taking, if you’re taking really good pictures, which we are if you’re taking really good pictures, then you want them to be of the people. You don’t want [00:38:00] stuff all over their face. I can’t tell

Melissa: you how many. Of those photos I have in my, in my house. That’s awesome. That’s awesome. Other Bella’s like big glasses and they’re hilarious.

And you know, you’re usually pretty drunk when you get in there. Of course, you know, and that’s part of it. But yeah, I remember when I, the first time I ever encountered one of these photo booths was, was that a bridal fair? I used to work at a spa long time ago, so we do the bridal fair circuit. And I remember.

Thinking, wow. This is such a genius idea. And then probably six months to a year later, they were at like every wedding I went

Adam McArthur: to. Yeah. They’re literally at, it’s kind of just like one of those things. It’s like, okay, I’ve got my caterer. I’ve got my DJ now I need my photo booth. Yeah. Yeah, totally. Exactly.

Melissa: Now are you so. Company is based in the LA area. Yeah. So we’re

Adam McArthur: based in LA. We have an office here in Los Angeles. I also have a sister office out in the Riverside area that services like Palm Springs, inland empire Temecula San Diego for me. And then yeah, our LA [00:39:00] hub is Yeah, like South mid city area.

And then yeah.

Melissa: Hey, and what’s the website. So people go

Adam McArthur: check it out. www.theboothandbuscolikecompany.comtheboothandbusco.com.

Melissa: Perfect. Yeah, I’m sure. You know, as we all start to, you know, slowly get back to normal and people, I know I have friends that postponed their weddings, you know, because of safety reasons.

Of course. Yeah. So I’m sorry, this is going to be in demand, you know, once, once everyone’s okay. Feeling comfortable enough to resume their event plans. Yeah. Are you prepared for that? Like having maybe an onslaught of orders in the beginning

Adam McArthur: going to come back? Like yeah. People, I mean, typically we book out like, Six months to a year in advance.

And because of the way it’s worked, we’ve rescheduled probably 75 or 80 events from last year to this year. So we’ve already got an onslaught. Wow. [00:40:00] We’ve already got an onslaught of events and yes, the inquiry we’re getting, like, I don’t even know, 20, 20 to 25 inquiries a day for events. So yeah.

Melissa: That’s cool.

I think, yeah. I mean, I feel like the economy is going to, you know, cause that’s, that’s a lot of concern on people’s minds is, you know, Oh, what’s happening to our economy with everything. And I feel like it’s going to come back even better just because we’re all so tired of, you know, not partaking in the things that we used to and going out and eating and drinking and wine tasting and having events.

So I feel like when it does become, you know, safe and healthy for everyone, I do think, I don’t know, maybe it’s optimism, but I do think the economy is going to just really

have

Adam McArthur: a huge film. I’m an eternal optimist as well. So I’m with you. I think I, I can’t wait. I really can’t wait. I’m excited for it to, yeah.

I’m excited for it to all get back to normal.

Melissa: Yeah. Well, and then, you know, there’s always a [00:41:00] silver lining for everything. I mean, being on a show, that’s on a streaming network, like HBO, max, we, you know, you must have felt some sort of increase in viewership because of the pandemic, you know, on the flip side of things, because everyone’s at home and watching television.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. I mean, yeah. I definitely think like people are super hungry for content and you know, they’re looking. And all the places like, you know, the streaming services and social media and all that stuff. So, yeah, I think it’s definitely at least for voiceover and stuff. I think it’s a good time to get eyes on projects and,

Melissa: yeah.

Nice. Yeah. Well, before I let you go just to find question, what is your favorite martial arts

Adam McArthur: movie? Ooh. I

Melissa: know there’s a lot. I’ll tell you, my mind is on

Adam McArthur: doc. Oh, awesome. That’s a great one. Yeah. Tony jaws. Incredible. Okay, so this is, you said this is a fun, fun question. Yeah. It’s not fun for me.

There’s too many answers to this

[00:42:00] because I have so many different sides of. Martial arts movies and that I don’t put in the same category, for example, one of my all time, this, this, like, if you’re a true martial artist, you’re probably be like, Oh my God, that’s what you picked. But one of my all time favorite movies and what makes a movie?

My favorite is usually nostalgia. Free ninjas is one of my all time favorite. Okay. Nostalgic. Martial arts movies. But if we’re talking about like a legit martial arts movie, right. I feel like drunken master too. It’s gotta be towards the top of my list. Come through hustle. Yeah, that’s a good one is probably equal to, if not, maybe a little bit more, we’ll say, I’ll say who hustle.

Melissa: Okay. Not, not entered, not enter the

Adam McArthur: dragon, not enter the dragon. Although, fantastic

Melissa: movie. I know. You’re right. There’s there’s a lot. There’s too many.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. Yeah. Rumble in the Bronx. I can watch anytime rumble in the Bronx is on. I will watch rumble in the Bronx. Right. Actually fun fact some [00:43:00] of the people who did the English dub of rumble in the Bronx, one of the guys, one of the guys in the English dub rumble in the Bronx is the voice director of jujitsu Kaizen.

That’s cool. I had an total geek-out nerd moment when it, so it comes full circle,

Melissa: right? Totally. Totally. No, but I get the nostalgia thing because we were watching like bloodsport the other day and the movie, the movie is not that good. Let’s be honest. But, but like the,

Adam McArthur: the trends when we first

Melissa: saw it.

Yeah. And the fighting and stuff, I remember watching him like, What did we like it this month? But wait, what happened? Yeah,

Adam McArthur: totally. Totally. Yeah. Like, yeah. There’s all those like ones that are so bad now. American Ninja kickboxer and then like, I don’t know, what was it? Kickboxer three or four with where?

What’s his name? What’s his, but Cody from step-by-step was now the kickboxer.

Melissa: Do you remember? Oh my God. Yes. I remember that. I was like, what’s this? His name’s like Sasha it’s from thing. I think

Adam McArthur: I honestly couldn’t even tell [00:44:00] you

Melissa: step-by-step

Adam McArthur: for me too. And I was like, what? He’s the kickboxer okay.

Yeah.

Melissa: Well usually it was always like dolphin lung grin was, was in the right way. Yes, there is always like the villain. But yeah, that’s right. I had some completely forgotten about. The step-by-step guide being in that movie. That’s hilarious.

Adam McArthur: I love all those old movies. I mean, I could literally watch them anytime.

Just pop them on and I’m happy. Yeah.

Melissa: Yeah. I kind of wanna watch them tonight now. Well, thank you for coming on today. This has been a lot of fun. You’re super, super nice. And I’m loving your show. Like I said, I’m not sure. I don’t know that much about anime, but I watched the first episode. I really liked it.

So I’m going to, I’m going to keep watching it and so nice.

Adam McArthur: Thanks. Yeah. Thanks for checking it out. I appreciate

Melissa: that. Yeah. And you know, good luck to everything you do, especially with the business. I think that’s awesome that you’re, you’re juggling so many different projects and. So come back anytime and you have to tell us, you know, in the future about your secret project, that you can’t talk to me.

Adam McArthur: Yeah. I’ll make sure I’ll make sure you [00:45:00] guys know.

Melissa: All right. Everybody listening, go to, go to H speed. Oh, and Chuck out do Jude though. Kaizen. Right now it’s streaming first season. Thanks so much, Adam.

Adam McArthur: Thanks so much for having me. Appreciate it.