Ryan Drummond Almost Returned

[Soniman]

Holy fuck, if Elise looked like that in 06, I would have liked her character a helluva lot more.

[Tornado]

4Kids was non-union, but they paid their VAs comparably large amounts of money to most dubbing studios.

[KHCast]

Remember the last time we did something like this and the mods came in? Yeah, just brining it up.

So wait. They called back Jason. So how come he wasn't hired instead? Did he ask for to much?

Edited September 9, 2012 by Pepsiman

[Shane]

Sorry Marcello, but Inferno's pic is still cuter.

[Marcello]

Remember the last time we did something like this and the mods came in? Yeah, just brining it up.

So wait. They called back Jason. So how come he wasn't hired instead? Did he ask for to much?

I'd say because he didn't do a good enough job for them with his audition.

[Autosaver]

I'd say because he didn't do a good enough job for them with his audition.

Well, the guy also brought out that Roger is being paid very low. I'm sure SEGA is paying less money for Roger compared to Jason (Contracted through 4kids).

[Ferno]

I just hope they don't give Roger & Co the cold shoulder after a few games like they've been known to do with the other two VA teams. Aside from Amy, I actually like the current cast alot, and hope they're around for awhile.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Inferno

[KHCast]

Again, I don't get how they got a huge video game VA who's voiced as the main character in many AAA titles for so cheap, Yet they can't afford Ryan. Roger must really Like Sonic or something.

[Nepenthe]

It's not so much that they couldn't afford Ryan as much as it is they don't feel like paying him the amount necessitated by his union. Roger is probably working for very little too, but he's got other gigs like the Regular Show to make up for it anyway. Speaking of which, Ryan said in this new interview that he's still doing a good bit of VA which I'm curious to look up. It just feels like he's dropped off the map, as have the other oldest actors.

[MugiMikey]

Not gonna go and say "fuck you, Sega" because there's only one side of the story.

Things can always change in business before something is finalized. There's always a chance that they didn't tell Ryan he got the job, but instead that they thought he would get it. Even if this is true, a higher up probably changed it for whatever reason would be most convenient for Sega. Either way, Roger came along and was obviously better in Sega's eyes for the part for some reason.

I do feel sorry for Ryan because he got his hopes up due to his claims of Sega leading him on, but I also feel I should say that this is nothing new. It's business, it hurts, and it happens to all of us. At an interview for a job I really wanted before, the manager told me that he liked me and that I'd receive a call in a few days... and due to my disappointment, I never received the call. If Ryan has been in the acting biz for this long then I have no idea why he's acting like this never happened to him before.

Edited September 9, 2012 by MugiMikey

[Nepenthe]

Might it be that it actually hasn't happened to him before and that it could possibly be poor form on Sega's part?

[MugiMikey]

I kind of find it hard to believe that he got the job to every interview he thought went well. If he did, then he's a very lucky man.

[Nepenthe]

There's a very clear difference between not getting a job at all because someone was better than you or had better connections or life getting in the way, and actually being told you got the job but you would have to work for little to nothing and subsequently turning it down on that front, which is what happened. All Ryan has really said is that it's a slap in the face to be considered for a position and strung along to such an extent that even your agent says you have it, only to realize at the end that having the job would be untenable all along. I don't see how that's unreasonable.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Nepenthe

[MykonosFan]

This series has enough "What could have been"s. I'm just going to kick back, relax, and enjoy the current cast as much as I have been. Ryan would have been cool for nostalgia's sake but I love Roger's take.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Mykonos

[MugiMikey]

There's a very clear difference between not getting a job at all because someone was better than you or had better connections or life getting in the way, and actually being told you got the job but you would have to work for little to nothing and subsequently turning it down on that front, which is what happened. All Ryan has really said is that it's a slap in the face to be considered for a position and strung along to such an extent that even your agent says you have it, only to realize at the end that having the job would be untenable all along. I don't see how that's unreasonable.

Yes, I know. Essentially, Ryan had the job after auditioning but he had to turn it down due to his personal well-being. I still think this kind of thing is probably very common in the acting business, but whatever. Shit happens.

Edited September 9, 2012 by MugiMikey

[Winston]

Wait...so Drummond might have actually....came back?

[Shane]

he was "welcomed" back by SEGA and everything after his audition.

[Nepenthe]

Yes, I know. Essentially, Ryan had the job after auditioning but he had to turn it down due to his personal well-being. I still think this kind of thing is probably very common in the acting business, but whatever. Shit happens.

Yeah, we all know "shit happens." I don't think anyone involved at the end of the day, even the fans, is genuinely surprised that the entertainment business sucks. But I don't think it really says anything about you if you get upset when said shit actually happens to you.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Thinking about it, in a strange way, it's probably for the best he didn't get the position.

If you change anything about a character, design, or in this case voice actor, you do it with the intention of trying to appeal and move forward, change for the better.

Can you imagine the fallout had he replaced Jason as Sonics VA again?

Whilst Jason had his critics, and I think a lot were a tad unfair, he was getting better with the role with each game. Can you imagine the message that would send to everybody, not just the fans or Ryan/Jason, but the media too if Sega said 'we've replaced Sonic's voice actor with... his old voice actor!'

It doesn't sound like you're moving the character forward, it sounds like a step back, regardless as to if you 'prefered' the adventure games or not, it just doesn't really sound like a smart move to make.

[MugiMikey]

Yeah, we all know "shit happens." I don't think anyone involved at the end of the day, even the fans, is genuinely surprised that the entertainment business sucks. But I don't think it really says anything about you if you get upset when said shit actually happens to you.

I don't know about that; from what I can see, the entertainment business still continues to surprise people, including the fans, even with its repeated and unprecedented flips and turns. When this kind of thing happens to most human beings, of course it's only normal that they'd be disappointed. What else is there to do about it besides move on?

[sonfan1984]

If Ryan ever comes back, he better give out the best damn performance as Sonic ever. After 7 or 8 years since he been replaced, his fans still demands him back and gives the other actors so much crap. Expectations are very high now.

Edited September 9, 2012 by sonfan1984

[Nepenthe]

Thinking about it, in a strange way, it's probably for the best he didn't get the position.

If you change anything about a character, design, or in this case voice actor, you do it with the intention of trying to appeal and move forward, change for the better.

Can you imagine the fallout had he replaced Jason as Sonics VA again?

Whilst Jason had his critics, and I think a lot were a tad unfair, he was getting better with the role with each game. Can you imagine the message that would send to everybody, not just the fans or Ryan/Jason, but the media too if Sega said 'we've replaced Sonic's voice actor with... his old voice actor!'

It doesn't sound like you're moving the character forward, it sounds like a step back, regardless as to if you 'prefered' the adventure games or not, it just doesn't really sound like a smart move to make.

Perhaps I'm living under a rock, but the gaming media doesn't really seem to give a damn about voice casting to such an extent as to use it as a negative talking point against any company's business plans. I've never read any such coverage about the acting beyond an "oh, look, this interesting guy/gal will be playing this character" or "this acting was really good/terrible." Besides, what ultimate good has Roger's hiring done in the context of fixing Sonic's image when 1) The story and acting of Sonic games continue to be derided and 2) The media still gives the series shit anyway?

[Barry the Nomad]

I knew about this for a while, but I didn't share it because I was told not to. Forgot who told me, think it was one of the SEGAbits writers who talked to Ryan or a SEGA employee.

This bit made me laugh:

Sega is a huge corporation with zillions of dollars

Sorry, but they don't have THAT much money. lol

[Eternal EX]

You don't suppose they considered using Ryan to do a Classic Sonic voice? Just a thought.

Pretty sure there was a an article that said Jaheel White was the one they wanted for Classic sonic and not Drummond.

[KHCast]

If Ryan actually got the role, it perhaps could send the message that Sega will listen to any fans if the demand is high. (and with the recent trend, I wouldn't be surprised)Meaning people would create more petitions for youknowwhat3 probably. Cause hey, If Sega is willing to listen to butthurt crazy fans about VA'S, they sure as hell might as well consider a game.

Not saying it would, but it's a pretty good guess.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Pepsiman