Barbara Weber-Scaff a.k.a. Ulrich Stern (and Kiwi )

[oddsgrlfriend offline]

So what does she use as an excuse to get off work? (You don't need to answer that, Barbara)!

Actually, not even being 8 1/2 months pregnant kept me from going to work so...

I didn't know you were having a baby! Wow! Congrats! Are you going to name it after a CL character? That's be really neat!

[Ulrich Stern. offline]

Really? It's done in Asia? I found these pictures of the "creation room" where the computer animation is done a while ago. It's really neat. They actually put on suits to map the character movements. Just like in The Lord Of The Rings. Here are the pics, I think they're ok since they're not fan art.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1818/temp18nl.png

http://www.codelyoko.fr/images/modelise1.jpg

http://www.codelyoko.fr/images/modelise2.jpg

[kiwi offline]

Something that I was curious about that David Gasman wrote about in his thread is the literary bible for the show. Have you seen this, and what is it exactly ( other than the obvious answer that I know)? is it like a three ring binder, or is it more of a actual book? if you have looked at it, how long is it?

I've never seen it, but I've seen Bibles for other series and games I've worked on and they are impressive. It's usually a huge file or book in a binder with all the characters in different poses, plus the places and things (ie Xana, the monsters etc. ) in descriptions both visual and literal.

[kiwi offline]

So what does she use as an excuse to get off work? (You don't need to answer that, Barbara)!

Actually, not even being 8 1/2 months pregnant kept me from going to work so...

I didn't know you were having a baby! Wow! Congrats! Are you going to name it after a CL character? That's be really neat!

I actually had the baby 7 1/2 months ago. Her name's Audrey. It's not a great idea to name your children after characters that you do in a cartoon or film because ... well I'm sure you can fill in LOTS of reasons

[TB3]

Hehe - naming a child after a character in a TV show you love would be a bit worrying, but if I ever have a daughter I've actually put down 'Aelita' as a posible middle name.

And that motion-capture picture cracks me up, though it does seem to say on CL.fr that they've abandoned motion-capture - I can't read french but the world 'adandone' underneath the picture does imply that.

Out of curiousity Barbara, what can you remember from the first recording session, if anything at all?

[kiwi offline]

Hehe - naming a child after a character in a TV show you love would be a bit worrying, but if I ever have a daughter I've actually put down 'Aelita' as a posible middle name.

And that motion-capture picture cracks me up, though it does seem to say on CL.fr that they've abandoned motion-capture - I can't read french but the world 'adandone' underneath the picture does imply that.

Out of curiousity Barbara, what can you remember from the first recording session, if anything at all?

I remember that it was at a studio way out in the suburbs, where we luckliy never had to return to! i also remember that Odd was played by Chris Cavalero, and Sissy by the lovely Christine Flowers. They both had to leave the series when they couldn't be in Paris for different professional reasons...Chris went to sing in japan, as I recall! I remember meeting Mirabelle, also, for practically the first time, and getting to know her, which has been absolutely wonderful.

[oddsgrlfriend offline]

So what does she use as an excuse to get off work? (You don't need to answer that, Barbara)!

Actually, not even being 8 1/2 months pregnant kept me from going to work so...

I didn't know you were having a baby! Wow! Congrats! Are you going to name it after a CL character? That's be really neat!

I actually had the baby 7 1/2 months ago. Her name's Audrey. It's not a great idea to name your children after characters that you do in a cartoon or film because ... well I'm sure you can fill in LOTS of reasons

Guess I"m a little outdated. Woops! Audrey's a very nice name.

[Shi_Min_Xi offline]

So what does she use as an excuse to get off work? (You don't need to answer that, Barbara)!

Actually, not even being 8 1/2 months pregnant kept me from going to work so...

Sounds like a tough job there... Well at least we know you're dedicated to your job! I agree, Audrey does sound nice...(keeps that thought in back of mind....) I have a question...If I'm not mistaken the characters' mouths move right...? So is it hard to be able to talk while making sure their mouth is moving correctly?

[kiwi offline]

So what does she use as an excuse to get off work? (You don't need to answer that, Barbara)!

Actually, not even being 8 1/2 months pregnant kept me from going to work so...

Sounds like a tough job there... Well at least we know you're dedicated to your job! I agree, Audrey does sound nice...(keeps that thought in back of mind....) I have a question...If I'm not mistaken the characters' mouths move right...? So is it hard to be able to talk while making sure their mouth is moving correctly?

There is a "band" with our lines written on it that moves underneath the image at the same speed as the film, and the words are written "in place" which means if we read the words as they hit the end of the band (a lighted bar usually marks this spot) we can read the lines pretty much in synch with the mouths as they move. This technique is widely used in Europe, but not so much in the US.

[Ulrich Stern. offline]

I think I've noticed that from season one to season two the lip movements of the characters look more like their speaking in Engilish now. What do you think?

Also, I'm going to ask a question similiar to what Scorpigeist ask one of the other VA's. Have you ever done the voices of any other cartoon characters other that Code Lyoko, and who were they?

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions at once, I just have so much fun doing this.

[kiwi offline]

I think I've noticed that from season one to season two the lip movements of the characters look more like their speaking in Engilish now. What do you think?

Also, I'm going to ask a question similiar to what Scorpigeist ask one of the other VA's. Have you ever done the voices of any other cartoon characters other that Code Lyoko, and who were they?

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions at once, I just have so much fun doing this.

You're very observant. in Season One the "guide voices", on which the animators base their drawings, were done in French, and for Season Two, in English (by me, actually, and another actor named Doug Rand. Unfortunately for Season Three they might be planning to do the guide voices in French again.
As for other cartoons, it's a pretty long list, but unfortunately not many have made it to the US. One that did however, quite a few years ago, is called Calamity Jane. It was a Warner Bros production, and I did the voice of Calamity Jane. the drawings were very stylish.
Other cartoons (which you probably never heard of): Funny Little Bugs, Funky Cops, Cedric, Martin Morning, Tristan and Isolde, Cartouche, Cosy Corner, Bricks and Brats, and most recently, the Invisible Man, the Odd Family, and Friends of the Forest...among others! One of my favourites was a short 20 minute cartoon feature called Harold Pebble, with drawings by the famous French cartoonist Sempe, which apparently won an Emmy award!

[TB3]

Ah - David's mentioned the guide voices on his thread - pity about the lips being resyncronised to French though - I'm actually really interesting in VA work though - its the kind of career where you have to excell at your art, but rarely get any appreciation (aside from us of course).

And I'm interested in you doing the guide voices Barbara (does that mean you have a few months to think over how you want to play the performance in the fianl dub) - and if you havn't recorded any yet that would mean the actual animation of Season Three has yet to start as well?

If you can't answer that then sorry I asked - best wishes to you and the family and also (if you see him), Mr. Rand, since he seems to have the most thankless job of all.

Cheers!

[Ulrich Stern. offline]

°_° Wow, you've done all those other shows! Amazing! I've heard of "The Invisible Man", and "Funky Cops". When I went out to the Moonscoop website thay had all kinds of ads for those shows. In fact, I found a video on that site about how they animate the shows and combine 2D with 3D, Code Lyoko and The Invisible Man were both on that video. Are Funky Cops and The Invisible Man as interesting as Code Lyoko, and do you work with the other VA's from CL on those shows as well?

[TB3]

Just reading your thread Ulrich Stern - you might be interested to know CL owes it's existence to Funky Cops.

For disco-scenes in Funky Cops Antefilms purchased some motion-capture equipment to use for the choreography and as an animation reference - when the show was finished they decided to create another show to make use of the gear. Garage Kids was developed with this in mind, and then of course that led to Code: Lyoko.

[Mewberries151]

As for other cartoons, it's a pretty long list, but unfortunately not many have made it to the US. One that did however, quite a few years ago, is called Calamity Jane. It was a Warner Bros production, and I did the voice of Calamity Jane. the drawings were very stylish.
Other cartoons (which you probably never heard of): Funny Little Bugs, Funky Cops, Cedric, Martin Morning, Tristan and Isolde, Cartouche, Cosy Corner, Bricks and Brats, and most recently, the Invisible Man, the Odd Family, and Friends of the Forest...among others! One of my favourites was a short 20 minute cartoon feature called Harold Pebble, with drawings by the famous French cartoonist Sempe, which apparently won an Emmy award!

I am rather intrigued by "The Odd Family" What kind of show was that, and what type of character did you voice in it? ^_^

[FormicaArchonis offline]

Other cartoons (which you probably never heard of): Funny Little Bugs, Funky Cops, Cedric, Martin Morning, Tristan and Isolde,

Oooh, how Arthurian sounding. I'm already interested. (Pokes Google.) Dang. Search results have way too low a signal-to-noise ratio for me to find anything.

Although, I did notice a CD single in the results. "Elle Donne" by someone who just happens to be named Barbara Scaff. Ever heard of it?

and most recently, the Invisible Man, the Odd Family, and Friends of the Forest...among others!

Those ring a bell. Admittedly it's only because Matthew Géczy mentioned them before.

I am rather intrigued by "The Odd Family" What kind of show was that, and what type of character did you voice in it? ^_^

If you remember as much of French class as I do, Mewberries, you won't understand this. But at least there's pictures!
http://www.tvfrance-intl.com/tvfi/1_programme/fs_show_prog2.php?cmd=search&id_prog=30082

[Mewberries151]

I am rather intrigued by "The Odd Family" What kind of show was that, and what type of character did you voice in it? ^_^

If you remember as much of French class as I do, Mewberries, you won't understand this. But at least there's pictures!
http://www.tvfrance-intl.com/tvfi/1_programme/fs_show_prog2.php?cmd=search&id_prog=30082

Ah! Thank you for the link! From the looks of that paragraph, it seems like it's one of those "disfunctional family that somehow ban together to get through things (with hilarity)" kind of storyline, which is cool. ^.^ Which character did you voice in that, Mrs. Weber-Scaff?

[Cassius335 offline]

Just reading your thread Ulrich Stern - you might be interested to know CL owes it's existence to Funky Cops.

For disco-scenes in Funky Cops Antefilms purchased some motion-capture equipment to use for the choreography and as an animation reference - when the show was finished they decided to create another show to make use of the gear. Garage Kids was developed with this in mind, and then of course that led to Code: Lyoko.

Interesting tidbit, but I still don't like Funky Cops...

[kiwi offline]

°_° Wow, you've done all those other shows! Amazing! I've heard of "The Invisible Man", and "Funky Cops". When I went out to the Moonscoop website thay had all kinds of ads for those shows. In fact, I found a video on that site about how they animate the shows and combine 2D with 3D, Code Lyoko and The Invisible Man were both on that video. Are Funky Cops and The Invisible Man as interesting as Code Lyoko, and do you work with the other VA's from CL on those shows as well?

Well David Gasman directs the Invisible Man, and the team for that show is Matt Gezcy, Mirabelle, Paul Bandey(alias Franz Hopper)and occasionally Allan Wenger, along with yours truly. The US version of Funky Cops, for reasons purely "union",(SAG, etc.) changed our voices and used other actors who live in the US. Our version is heard almost everywhere else. I played the FBI girl sidekick in that one, with David Gasman playing Jack, and Thomas Pollard playing Ace.

[kiwi offline]

I am rather intrigued by "The Odd Family" What kind of show was that, and what type of character did you voice in it? ^_^

If you remember as much of French class as I do, Mewberries, you won't understand this. But at least there's pictures!
http://www.tvfrance-intl.com/tvfi/1_programme/fs_show_prog2.php?cmd=search&id_prog=30082

Ah! Thank you for the link! From the looks of that paragraph, it seems like it's one of those "disfunctional family that somehow ban together to get through things (with hilarity)" kind of storyline, which is cool. ^.^ Which character did you voice in that, Mrs. Weber-Scaff?

We really like that cartoon; the animation is great. I do the voice(s) of both of the twins!

[kiwi offline]

[quote="FormicaArchonis"]

Although, I did notice a CD single in the results. "Elle Donne" by someone who just happens to be named Barbara Scaff. Ever heard of it?


I'm impressed, you have uncovered my secret identity! I am the selfsame barbara Scaff that sung several very soupy sticky sweet radio candy in the late 90's in France, one song of which is "Elle donne",

[kiwi offline]

Ah - David's mentioned the guide voices on his thread - pity about the lips being resyncronised to French though - I'm actually really interesting in VA work though - its the kind of career where you have to excell at your art, but rarely get any appreciation (aside from us of course).

And I'm interested in you doing the guide voices Barbara (does that mean you have a few months to think over how you want to play the performance in the fianl dub) - and if you havn't recorded any yet that would mean the actual animation of Season Three has yet to start as well?

If you can't answer that then sorry I asked - best wishes to you and the family and also (if you see him), Mr. Rand, since he seems to have the most thankless job of all.

Cheers!

I'm not sure if they've started yet, but I do know that we haven't done any guide voices in English, yet, if ever.

[FormicaArchonis offline]

Although, I did notice a CD single in the results. "Elle Donne" by someone who just happens to be named Barbara Scaff. Ever heard of it?

I'm impressed, you have uncovered my secret identity!

The discovery was unmitigated luck, I assure you. Now, finding a large copy of the cover, that took a little bit of effort.

I am the selfsame barbara Scaff that sung several very soupy sticky sweet radio candy in the late 90's in France, one song of which is "Elle donne",

It's a living.

[kiwi offline]

Although, I did notice a CD single in the results. "Elle Donne" by someone who just happens to be named Barbara Scaff. Ever heard of it?

It's a living.

and a fun one at that!

[Stonecreek]

So, if you sing very well, how come you have not been asked to contribute this talent to Code Lyoko? It doesn't have to be through one of your characters (Kiwi singing!?), but it'd be nice to hear.