Meet Jack Savage | Voice Actor & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jack Savage and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jack, why did you pursue a creative career?
I started looking at voice over in high school after writing an awful podcast with my best friend and creative partner, Justin Ferrell. At the time, I was resigned to pursuing some sort of psychology or medicinal practice, but I was never exactly thrilled by the idea. Honestly, there was nothing I was actually passionate about, despite being adept at most things put in front of me. I met Justin in our high school’s marching band, and he began the long and arduous process of introducing me to more creative endeavors. He was an animator and I was… mostly just confused.

We started telling stories together as a way to pass the time my freshman year, and became the comedy duo of our little cohort, so when a podcasting course opened up my sophomore year, we naturally had to sign up. We wrote up a series of audio plays full of weird jokes and a confusing through-line. We have actually been talking about returning to it to see if we can make it better with what we know now, but that’s beside the point. We found time wherever we could and our styles started to blend to the point we were basically one author.

I remember one time, I was in an English class and, like the awful student I was, could not for the life of me pay attention to my teacher, so I pulled out my school-issued laptop and opened up our script for the next week. Surprisingly, Justin was in the same boat all the way across campus, and we both started working on the most ambitious two-week project I’ve ever attempted: a full 45 minute musical. About superheroes. Like I said it was a mess of a production. But we ended up typing together on the same lines and finishing each other’s sentences like we were right next to each other putting pieces of a puzzle together.

All that to say, despite its many, many flaws, that first project was one of the first times I felt like I was doing something right. I had a passion that ended up making me physically ill and a work ethic that put my moping in the back of the class to shame. While I’ve been talking about the writing, the real takeaway I had from the process was going into a terrible, poorly put together booth with my friends, and saying these weird lines in weirder voices.

I learned what my voice could do and how much fun it was to use. I got somewhat obsessed, and immediately bought a cheap mic and signed up for Casting Call Club. I submitted audition after audition and loved it, even when I was rejected, and there were some mean rejections. But I practiced, using my voice daily to the point I would wake up hoarse. I listened to experts and practiced their lessons, got lessons myself and learned what it takes to be a successful voice actor.

I ended up in a position where I started a new project, one which is still in development so I have to be a little vague, that put me in a position to work as a casting and vocal director. I ended up listening through over 1400 auditions and narrowed our cast down to 6. It was tough work for sure, but the end product was something I am deeply proud of. I, of course, took on as many roles as I could and bounced between commercial, cartoon, audiobook and games, and found myself falling in love with the craft even more. I also got a chance to work as the vocal director for an indie pilot currently in production which you should follow called “The Astra’s Guild”.

In modern news, I was also recently signed by Arise Artists’ Agency, and have finally gotten the chance to audition for some big names. I am also the showrunner and game master for a live-play ttrpg podcast called “As if by Magic” which just wrapped filming its first season.

It took me a long time to reach the point where I can say I’m confident in pursuing a career in the arts like this, but I can’t imagine something more rewarding.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The most important part of my assortment of fields is that I am a voice actor. I’ve defined myself by it for years and have dedicated the past almost decade to making that name stick. I trained my you know what off, which, in retrospect, was definitely more difficult than I give myself credit for. I carved myself a beautiful little niche which comes down to a “point and shoot” mentality. Basically, tell me what you want a character to sound like and I can, at the very least, get pretty darn close.

To understand how I can do all that, it’s probably important to note that I am disabled. I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos which makes my connective tissue not work the way it’s supposed to. I deal with chronic dislocations and a healthy dose of pain, so a normal career was always a long shot if I wanted to keep from crumpling like a ragdoll. There was a major upside though. Because of my cartoonish physics, I ended up with a very stretchy larynx which handed me a near 7 octave vocal range.

On top of that, I ended up getting very focused on linguistic anthropology with a specific focus on accent development. Which is a fancy way of saying I do accents good. I came up with a technique to effectively mimic and sound natural in any accent based solely on the mechanical pieces of your voice. I teach this method as a part-time dialect coach and have helped my clients achieve and maintain their accent of choice without breaking.

As you can tell, even in interviews like this, I’m always looking for work which is the life of a voice actor. There is never a point where I feel like I can stop fighting for my place at the table and to make enough money to feel comfortable. That sounds rough, but honestly, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing. The fight is something I look forward to, and the reward is more fulfilling than anything else I’ve earned.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m not exactly the most keyed in to Atlanta life, but there are some amazing spots I hit up regularly. One of my all time favorites is a restaurant in Decatur called Raging Burrito. I grew up going there and it’s still that perfect place to go when you want a chill, artsy spot with some excellent food.

Another spot is Nam Phuong on Buford Highway. Obviously, I’m no expert in Vietnamese cuisine, but, what I can say is that I practically melt into their pho and froth at the mouth for their bbq pork rolls. I think t I paid twenty bucks for two people the last time I went, appetizer included, and honestly I’d have paid 50 if they asked, please check them out if you’re in the area.

In terms of entertainment, I always love the Fox. If you’ve never been, it is one of the most beautiful places in the city and if you can catch a production there, it’s one of the most magical venues you’ll experience.

The last place I’d recommend is the masquerade. I’ve met such cool people and heard some amazing musicians there. The atmosphere alone is enough to drag you in and make you come back any chance you get.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Justin Ferrell for kickstarting my interest in a creative career and being the best teammate I could ask for

My team at As if by Magic for giving me the chance to tell my weird stories with the best friends I could ask for

Arise Artists’ Agency for taking the chance on a new actor and giving me the opportunity to shine

Instagram: @jacksavagevo

Other: My TikTok is @jacksavagevo

Image Credits
Art by Kit Bussinger