Meet Kerem Erdinc | Voice Actor

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

Hi Kerem, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up as a young boy born in Pittsburgh, PA in the 1990’s, video games, cartoons, comics, and animated films were released at an ever-growing rate of frequency and quality, so I think I was born at just the right time to be mesmerized by the vocal performances of legends like Mel Blanc, Kevin Conroy, and Keith David, as I deep dived further and further into these mediums of fiction. In grade school, I began starring in school plays, discovering I was energized by performance art. Whether it be behind a microphone, or in front of an audience, I loved to put on a show.

I was an only child from a close-knit Turkish family, where everyone pursued traditional career paths, so I always felt a self imposed responsibility to follow in my family’s footsteps, yet I couldn’t reconcile letting go of my creative dreams, so I opted to follow both paths simultaneously, studying hard to become a businessman, while always keeping one foot in the creative world.

Keeping that creative world door cracked open led to friendships and opportunities I could never imagine. By college, I was telling myself I’d put my creative endeavors to bed if I didn’t continue to see better results every year. At the same time, my inner voice would goad me on, daring myself to dream big. In the end, I didn’t quit, and realized I am my most authentic self when bringing characters to life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d say, at least in the past fifteen years, voice acting, as a profession, has exponentially expanded. There are so many pockets in the world of voiceover which people can explore and thrive in, as voice actors. I’ve had the good fortune of voicing cartoons, video games, live action dubs, commercials, museum exhibits, audio books, and even toys! Voice acting is a hyper competitive space, and rejection is a major element. Acknowledging that your career won’t follow the same speed and trajectory as your peers is the toughest lesson to learn in any creative field. It’s easy to cave into feelings of envy, frustration, and self doubt. Dealing with such feelings healthily is what I believe the toughest challenge is for an actor who transitions from a hobbyist to a professional.

My solution was to always treat voice acting as what it is down to its purest form, tuning out any thoughts of accolades, roles to get, agencies to join, social groups to be in, or milestones to cross. While those things can be important components to a successful career in VO, they are not what will make a better actor, so I never focus on them more than I need to. Voice acting for me, is just the most fun thing I could possibly do with my precious time. Roaring as dragons, scheming as assassins, and shouting battle cries as superheroes in a booth is when I feel most alive. Approaching voice acting with such unguarded enthusiasm, I was able to devote my energy solely to honing my skills, and delivering the best performances I can be proud of. I see every line of dialogue, no matter how good or bad, as an opportunity to showcase a good idea, and it’s far easier to pull those good ideas from your, “acting utility belt”, if you’re in a positive headspace. A great character read is merely an amalgamation of good ideas, and the more good ideas you can record in an audition, the more callbacks you will get. It is not an easy path to follow, there are no shortcuts on my route, but if you actively commit to viewing your craft as something only meant to bring you joy, you will never lose sight of why you do it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living in Orange County, with Los Angeles and San Diego only an hour away, I can always find something interesting to eat, visit, see and do. Orange County has some great food and beach spots so I’d probably start with some of my favorite Mexican, ramen and sushi spots along the coast (Javier’s, Kopan Ramen, and O Sushi being some of my favorites), followed by some paddle boarding and some rest and relaxation by the beach. In Los Angeles, I’d show off KoreaTown, since KBBQ and karaoke is always a surefire hit. My favorite time to go to San Diego is during Comic Con. All of downtown San Diego comes to life and is filled to the brim with people that like all the things I like, all day and all night!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been so many friends and family that have consistently given their support to getting me to where I am today, I have never been a one man show. My mom, grandparents and aunt have been my most dedicated supporters. There wasn’t a single moment where I felt they didn’t believe I could be an actor, and that consistency is a blessing I know is special, that only a few lucky people are blessed with.

A group of friends the creative world brought into my life was the production group of amazingly talented filmmakers at Ismahawk in Las Vegas, led by their fearless leader, Danny Shepherd. Everyone on that team are passionate and gifted creators in their own right, but they come together and support each other, creating amazing things. I’ve had the pleasure of working with them and in the process, built friendships I treasure.

Website: https://www.keremerdincvoices.com

Instagram: @keremiswhelmed

Twitter: @keremiswhelmed

Image Credits
Kerem Erdinc