We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jake Johnston. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jake below.

Jake, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have always been fascinated by performing in any way. Watching movies was, and still is, a form of escapism for me. As a kid, I would find myself lost in these worlds on the screen, and wish that someday I could do something like that, and I could contribute to helping someone else out there feel the same thing. I started early on, performing small parts in school plays and with the school choir. Once I hit high school, the bug really bit! I participated in 8 productions during the 4 years. My favorite is probably during my sophomore year when I was cast as “The Cowardly Lion” in a version of “The Wizard of Oz”, which we just named “Oz!”. To this day, 20 years later, I still have people coming up to me asking about my time as that character!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I first got into the entertainment industry in a much different way than others usually do. I started in 2004 in the world of independent professional wrestling, and I spent over 14 years traveling the roads, talking on microphones, announcing to live crowds of various sizes, while also developing the skills that would lead me to where I am now. I’m incredibly proud of the work I put in during those 14 years, and the many memories I made along the way.

With voice acting, I was always fascinated with the idea that someone could bring life to a character with just the power of their own voice. It was something I always wanted to do, yet didn’t really know how I could. I grew up in a small Midwestern town. About as far from Hollywood as you could be. We didn’t have any places where I could go to try and begin a career like that. It wasn’t until I met my best friend, and she sat me down and explained how I didn’t need all the fancy stuff. All I needed was a computer, a good microphone, and someone to hear my voice. And she was right! She first set me on the path, and ever since, I have been building my vocal portfolio in ways I always dreamed! I also remember a chance meeting I had once with a legend of the voice acting world, Fred Tatasciore! I met him at a convention, and I told him about my dream of becoming a voice actor. His worlds still ring with me today:

“Do you have a microphone?”

“Um…yeah.”

“Well…just do it!”

And so I did!

I am so incredibly proud of ALL the projects I have been lucky enough to be a part of. From voicing small roles in YouTube videos, to actually voicing the character Zane Ryker in the videogame “Solitude Underwater”, and all the work I have put in with CBW Productions on our “Green Arrow” series, as well as many other projects with them. I am so excited to see what the future holds, and what amazingly talented people I will get to work with!

The main thing I want anyone who listens to a project I am a part of to know is that it’s not just about the voice actors. It takes a whole team of individuals to bring everything together. Whenever I am casted, I always feel incredibly honored that I get the chance to be a part of that creative world, and I set out to make everyone proud!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect is really when I see or hear the feedback from people. One of my main goals is to help transport the viewer or listener to another world, where the story is so vivid in your mind that you believe you’re actually there! That’s just the way I felt when I was a kid going into a movie theater and seeing such amazing things on the screen! If one person tells me they enjoyed the project, then I know I did my job!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think the most important lesson I have had to learn is how to read a script on my microphone, and not make it sound like I’m reading. For example, my friend is a former radio DJ, and in the early days, when she heard me reading lines, she would always tell me that it sounded “read”. She described that sounding “read” was what they used to say during her radio days whenever they would record commercial promos. Yes, you’re reading a script, but you’re also attempting to talk without having it sound like you’re reading a script. So now, I always look out for if I’m sounding “read” or not. Believe me, she still calls me out whenever I am!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jakejohnston.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/JakeJohnstonVA
• Twitter: https://X.Com/JacobTheRed
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13566409/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk