ENI Interviews Dino Andrade; Scarecrow From Batman: Arkham Asylum
posted by Outsiders in ENI_TV at 05:24 PM on 2009.08.30
Your current project is The Batman: Arkham Asylum video game. Tell us about it?
To begin the project is being backed by some pretty serious folks for example the VO director is Collette Sunderman who is responsible for the VO direction on such major shows as Clone Wars, Megas XLR, Dextor’s Lab and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends just to name a few. Also the script was penned by Paul Dini who is no slouch either. As for the game itself I can’t give away any of the major plot points (Paul Dini would have me whacked) but I can tell you that what I’ve seen is absolutely jaw dropping. There are sequences that we all were positive were cut scenes and they all turned out to be actual game-play. This thing is simply stunning. The platforms (PS3 and X-Box) have quite simply been pushed to their limits. If ever there was an excuse to buy either platform Arkham Asylum is it.
How did you get involved with the Batman: Arkham Asylum project, and how did you land the role of Scarecrow?
I auditioned. Funny enough I received the auditions while I was attending the last day of last year’s San Diego Comic-Con. In fact I was chatting with PvP creator Scott Kurtz when the email with the audition popped onto my PDA from my agent. The auditions themselves where recorded a few days later when I got back to LA and I must have read for close to 20 characters. The two primaries being The Joker and the Scarecrow although I don't know why since Mark Hamill was reprising the Joker - I mean why on earth even bother with other actors when you can get Mark Freakin' Hamill??!! I was also cast in the secondary role of Lunatic #1 (or some other name equally generic). Basically random lunatics who run throughout the game to scream, rant, rave and attack Batman. I would hear Collette in my headphones saying: “Okay now you’re jumping on Batman! Now you’re biting him!” “Now he’s punched you!” And the whole time I’m vocalizing – so for a secondary character Lunatic #1 was a lot of fun. The Scarecrow on the other hand was completely scripted – and Collette and Paul knew exactly what they wanted so there was no improvising here. On that note, I can’t say enough what an absolute thrill it was to work with Collette.
What type of research did you do to prepare for this role?
I was not sent an advance copy of the script so I immediately dusted off my old copy of the Morrison & McKean Arkham Asylum graphic novel on the off-chance the game was based on it. I also reread Batman: Vampire as book 4 features a pretty wicked interpretation of the scarecrow – what with the severed fingers and such stitched to his costume. It also didn’t hurt that I Have Batman Begins on DVD.
This year you have done some great stuff such as Guitar Heroes, the new World of Warcraft expansion and now working on the Arkham Asylum. Are video games a new direction for you or do you want to do some more commercials or maybe some more television or movies?
Yeah video games are pretty new for me. My goal was always animation for television and theatrical features. Even the commercials I’ve done seem to be all character work. In fact I’m also the voice of Pop of Snap, Crackle and Pop for all the Rice Krispies radio and TV spots.
I did just do my first major supporting role in a feature called “Kamlu” which I’m told will be released on DVD in the US and theatrically overseas. On the other hand my experience with television has been at times annoying. For example, I was cast in the lead role of Martin in a pilot of the same name for the Cartoon Network Adult Swim block. My co-star was Dominic Keating from Star Trek Enterprise and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was also cast as the lead villain of Morae for a pilot for NBC entitled Ring Force Five. These were two major series leads and in both cases neither show wound up getting picked up by the networks. That can make you grind your teeth at night.
Can you talk about any other Video Game projects that you are working?
I recorded the Death Knight Gnomes for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King as well as the Gnome Mimmeron for the recent Lich King patch. This project was directed by Bridgett Berdine who also directed me in Guitar Hero for the DS. This was one of the most secretive projects I’ve ever done! We were given no scripts, no sketches. All we got to see were our individual lines in a notebook that was not allowed to leave the recording booth. Then while recording we were given only the vaguest direction as to what was going on in the individual scenes. Scott Kurtz, who is an avid WoW player, asked me to describe my scenes so he could find me. I had to say that even if I was legally allowed to tell him, I couldn’t because I had no idea!” Seriously, I’m going to have to play Wrath of the Lich King just to find out.
Can you talk about any other projects outside of the video game world you are working on?
First and foremost would be the continued expansion of SoulGeek. For those who don’t know, aside from my voice work I am also the creator and founder of SoulGeek.Com which is the fastest growing all-geek dating and community website on the net expanding at a phenomenal rate of 1000 new members a month world-wide. The creation of SoulGeek was chiefly inspired by the loss of my Wife of ten years who passed away in November of ’99. She was voice actress Mary Kay Bergman whom by the way voiced Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in Batman: Subzero so my being cast in Arkham Asylum is that much more special to me. Mary Kay was without a doubt one of the biggest geeks you would ever hope to meet. Then there's my own life-long love of sci-fi, horror, fantasy and animation. We at SoulGeek work extremely hard to provide an awesome service and keep it affordable because helping fan-guys and fan-gals find the kind of love I was privileged to share with my late wife is something very near and dear to my heart. You might even say it’s become a “calling.”
Can you give us any hints to anything you might be working on soon but can't really talk about?
Hmmmmm…. Well let’s just say the Scarecrow isn’t the only villain I’ve voiced this year for a major game – and when I say “major” I’m not exaggerating. It was kind of surreal to go to this year's San Diego ComicCon and see 2 big presentations for upcoming video Games (one being Arkham) that legally I couldn't even talk about. All the while I was giggling with glee, secretly knowing that I'm a major villain in both of these games.
You have done some online series and voice acting for some shows that started out as comic books. With the new Batman: Arkham Asylum game being based upon the Batman series, how into the comic book scene would you say you are?
My father was an amateur pin-up artist and my Mother loved Mexican vampire flicks. As a kid I stumbled across a Warren edition of Vampirella from the late 60’s early 70’s and there it was, the two worlds of my parents smashed together and I was hooked. My love of comics began right then and there. The gothic Vampirella art of Jose Gonzales lead me to other great gothic artists from Alfredo Alcala to Berni Wrightson. I grew up on Creepy, Eerie, Ghosts, Weird War Tales and so on. Eventually I discovered the work of Gene Colan on Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula and that lead me into Superhero Comics, most notably SpiderMan, Iron-Man, Fantastic Four and X-Men. Gene then moved to DC to take over Batman and the Dark Knight soon became my favorite comic-book hero of all time. My second favorite would have to be Iron Man – not surprising really since they’re pretty much the same guy. Tony Stark is basically Bruce Wayne if Bruce had gotten himself some therapy. I guess that’s why I like Batman more – the damaged scary-guy has always been far more interesting to me. Most recently I’ve really enjoyed the Batman : Gotham After Midnight series, Neil Gaiman’s Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? and earlier in the year I enjoyed Marvel’s Secret Invasion series – did anyone else notice the Howard the Duck cameo in the battle of Central park in issue 7? That just made my day.
Is there any comic books or video games you would love to play a character from in the future?
For me the Holy Grail would have to be The Joker. I really love playing villains and the Joker would simply be the dream job. I have always loved Mark Hamill's, and I was just mesmerized by Heath Ledger’s interpretation. I for one am thrilled that he won an Oscar for that stunning performance. I don’t know if I could ever match an interpretation as brilliant as either, but I would dearly love the opportunity to try.
Ego-check time! Who do you think plays a better Scarecrow? You or Cillian Murphy who played the Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in both the Batman Begins and The Dark Knight movies?
Are you kidding? Me, of course…sheesh.
Okay, seriously Murphy was awesome and creepy as hell. However, the interpretation of the Scarecrow in those films is as radical a reinterpretation of the original comic book counterpart as Ledger’s Joker. By the same token the Scarecrow I was asked to play was yet again another radical reinterpretation as envisioned by Paul Dini – I don't want to spoil the game for anyone but let's just say the two performances really aren’t that comparable.
Any last thoughts?
Sure, Richard Hatch is now part of the SoulGeek.Com family so like next week I’ll be joining him at his booth in the ballroom of stars at this year’s Dragon*Con in Atlanta. So for anyone who’s going, please drop by and say “howdy”! I’ll be the guy in the SoulGeek T-shirt who sounds a lot like Pop from the Rice Krispies.
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How did you get involved with the Batman: Arkham Asylum project, and how did you land the role of Scarecrow?
This year you have done some great stuff such as Guitar Heroes, the new World of Warcraft expansion and now working on the Arkham Asylum. Are video games a new direction for you or do you want to do some more commercials or maybe some more television or movies?
For me the Holy Grail would have to be The Joker. I really love playing villains and the Joker would simply be the dream job. I have always loved Mark Hamill's, and I was just mesmerized by Heath Ledger’s interpretation. I for one am thrilled that he won an Oscar for that stunning performance. I don’t know if I could ever match an interpretation as brilliant as either, but I would dearly love the opportunity to try. 
