SYNOPSIS
This interactive session is for parents and their young performers to learn more about on-camera work and voiceover
We have assembled an exceptional group of industry professionals that will share their insights about a host of topics including representation, training, auditioning, performance, home recording, technology, current industry trends and other related details.
There will also be a Q+A with the audience, so come prepared to ask questions and get the answers that you seek.
REQUIREMENTS
This is a session for parents and their young actors. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in order to attend. .
PANELIST'S BIOS
Ania O'Hare, Senior Vice President of Television Casting and Talent Relations - DreamWorks Animation Television
Ania O’Hare, Senior Vice President of Television Casting and Talent Relations - DreamWorks Animation Television, is the three-time Emmy award-winning Casting Director for DreamWorks Animation’s television division, where she oversees the casting decisions for more than a dozen current and upcoming series. Projects that O’Hare has cast include Charlie Kaufman’s Orion and the Dark film, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Guillermo del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia trilogy & Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans film, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Dragons: The Nine Realms, Trolls: Trollstopia, The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib, Fast & Furious: Spy Racers and Archibald’s Next Big. She has won 3 Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special” for her work on All Hail King Julien (2014), The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015) and Tales of Arcadia: Trollhunters (2016).
Prior to joining DreamWorks Animation, O’Hare worked with some of the top industry drivers in the casting community including Denise Chamian, Francine Maisler and Amblin Partners’ Leslee Feldman on features such as the Transformers; Transformers: Dark of the Moon; Transformers: Age of Extinction; Pain & Gain; Eat Pray Love; and the DreamWorks Animation features How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda.
Maria Estrada, Voiceover Casting Director and Voice Director
A native Diegan, Maria started taking dance classes and performing in countless musicals at San Diego Junior Theatre. Then on to USC’s School of Dramatic Arts, dancing in Parades at Disneyland, and on to New York City. Fate stepped in and she joined the animation community as a casting and voice director for the past 35 years.
She was part of the team that started Universal Cartoon Studios and MGM Animation. Freelancing for the past 25 years, she is proud to have been part of the creative teams for Back To The Future, American Tail, The Pink Panther, Bubble Guppies, Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, Robogobo, Kindergarten the Musical, and Playdate With Winnie the Pooh.
Melissa Berger Brennan,, Sr. VP, Young Talent: Voiceover - CESD Talent Agency
Melissa Berger Brennan is the Senior Vice President of the Young Talent Voiceover at Cunningham-Escott-Slevin-Doherty,(CESD), a talent agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Founded in 1967, CESD has been one of the most prestigious and popular agencies for commercial and voice over talents as well as a pioneer in the theatrical representation of young talent in all areas of the entertainment industry.
Her clients have voiced roles in animated movies, with leading roles in CAT IN THE HAT, INT YOUR DREAMS, INSIDE OUT 2, ELIO, THE TWITS, MOANA (1 & 2), THE WILD ROBOT, THE GOOD DINOSAUR, BIG HERO 6, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 & 3, PEANUTS, KUNG FU PANDA 3, PEABODY AND SHERMAN, HAPPY FEET 2, and RIO 1 & 2, to name a few. Animated series regulars include leads in the TINKER BELL franchise, MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR, PHINEAS AND FERB, JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS, LOUD HOUSE, PETE THE CAT, STEVEN UNIVERSE, SOFIA THE FIRST, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, ADVENTURE TIME, LION GUARD, DOC MCSTUFFINS, JAKE AND THE NEVERLAND PIRATES and LEGEND OF KORRA,.
Her clients have also voiced many games, including the leads in STAR WARS: JEDI: FALLEN ORDER and STAR WARS: JEDI: SURVIVOR, GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK, several installments of GRAND THEFT AUTO and FINAL FANTASY, as well as numerous television and radio commercials. They’ve been in the ADR loop groups for major feature films and television series, live action and animated. Many more animation and game credits are not able to be listed at this time, as they are confidential until announced.
Melissa studied theatre and acting at the University of Michigan and holds an MFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts, and spent 23 years in the Theatrical Department at CESD representing actors for film, television and theatre.
