We recently connected with Stuart Gauffi and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Stuart, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

For me, acting in general, and voice acting in particular, has been a lifelong passion. As a kid, I was fascinated by voice talents like Mel Blanc, June Foray, and Rich Little. The allure of acting has always been the possibility of becoming someone else, if even for a brief time. Most kids play pretend a lot–me more than most, it seems.

I don’t think there’s a way to “speed up” the process of learning about acting. It’s constant observation: of people, of yourself, of situations, and of others exercising the craft. Coaching and lessons can help, but ultimately you just do it. Or you don’t. Only you can decide how and when.

The most essential skill for an actor, in my opinion, is empathetic observation. Given a situation, why does a person respond the way they do? Would someone else respond differently? Why?

I think the biggest obstacle for any actor is the idea that there’s a “right way” to deliver a given performance. There’s no right way. There are many ineffective ways, but no one right way. If you’re making that person in the audience respond appropriately to the scene, then you’ve succeeded. No matter how you managed it.

Stuart, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I took my first role as an actor at age 7. As happens for many, it was circumstance. My school drama club was producing “Pinocchio”, and with a week left until the performance, the star decided at dress rehearsal that he didn’t want to wear The Nose. I was a latecomer, and hadn’t been cast. But I knew the script, and told the director as much. And so my first role was my first lead role. Years later, studying psychology in college, I would learn about eidetic recall, and I realized that I got that role because I was literally reading the script in my head as I went along.

I continued acting in theater–including musical theater–for the next 14 years, seldom without a time that I wasn’t working on a performance. I did my first voice acting at 18, having been hired to do narration for an industrial film for the American Red Cross.

At 21, I was confronted with some realities of life both in and out of the theater, and went a different way for a while. But I continued to find jobs and opportunities to use my voice to perform. And eventually I ended up meeting David H. Lawrence XVII and becoming a coach at his VO Heroes program. David was responsible for convincing me to get into an area of performance I’d always purposely avoided: audiobooks. Now I have over 50 titles to my name, and I enjoy immensely the opportunity I have to work with other voice actors who are beginning or expanding their voiceover adventures.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have had the good fortune to grow up across the boundary of digital life. That is, I began my performing career in the pre-Internet world, and I’ve had enough interest in technology over the years to keep up with how it can be used to benefit performers.

Now, we live in an age I only dreamed of as a younger artist. Technology allows anyone to have a professional-level voiceover studio in their home, and to work with studios worldwide, all enabled by the Internet. So a large part of my mission is to demystify that technology, and help artists embrace their “left brain” a bit so they can revel in new opportunities.

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

While I thoroughly enjoy bringing to life the story written by a playwright or author, I think my most rewarding experiences have come from watching another artist have a moment of realization when we’re working together (I don’t like to say I’m ‘teaching’; it’s more like collaborating) when they understand something about their own ability that hadn’t previously occurred to them. It’s always magnificent, and has even brought tears to my eyes on occasion.

And of course, for an actor, there’s nothing like having someone tell you that they were particularly moved by your performance. Somehow, that never gets old.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stuartgauffi.com
• Youtube: @stuartsaudacitytips
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/stuart-gauffi
• Other: https://voheroes.com/coach-stuart-gauffi/

Image Credits

Stuart Gauffi