Camp Hyrule Interview: Charles Martinet

Camp Hyrule, an online virtual camp held by Nintendo every year, is under full swing. Every year, Nintendo invites people to take questions from the campers. We had featured here at QJ transcripts of the chat with the Nintendo Senior Online Producer, Senior Vice President of Operations for Digipen, George Harrison, the NOA Localization Staff, and staff of Nintendo Power. Now, we move to the final interview. A live chat with the voice of Mario – Charles Martinet!

Charles Martinet has been the voice actor for Mario for 15 years now! He does a variety of other Nintendo characters as well. Something I found out during the chat is that he has a pretty good sense of humour. Although if you see the video above this, it becomes apparent pretty fast!

Click “Full Story” for the transcript. Please excuse any grammatical errors and typos. It’s a live chat.

Camp Hyrule, an online virtual camp held by Nintendo every year, is under full swing. Every year, Nintendo invites people to take questions from the campers. We had featured here at QJ transcripts of the chat with the Nintendo Senior Online Producer, Senior Vice President of Operations for Digipen, George Harrison, the NOA Localization Staff, and staff of Nintendo Power. Now, we move to the final interview. A live chat with the voice of Mario – Charles Martinet!

Charles Martinet has been the voice actor for Mario for 15 years now! He does a variety of other Nintendo characters as well. Something I found out during the chat is that he has a pretty good sense of humour. Although if you see the video above this, it becomes apparent pretty fast!

Click “Full Story” for the transcript. Please excuse any grammatical errors and typos. It’s a live chat.

NOA_ANDY: Chat with Mr. Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario. The show starts in 9 minutes!
NOA_ANDY: Chat with Mr. Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario. The show starts in 5 minutes!
NOA_ANDY: Here we go!
NOA_ANDY: I’m extremely pleased to introduce to you Mr. Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario. Welcome, Charles!
CHARLES_MARTINET: Hello everbody, it’s a me….Charles!
CHARLES_MARTINET: woo hoo!
NOA_ANDY: Alright!
NOA_ANDY: Let’s get straight to the questions …
HEROOFTIME356: Hey, Charles. I’ve always loved to hear the voice of Mario ever since I was younger. When my brother and I turned on the Nintendo 64 for the first time, our faces lit up when we heard Mario’s voice. Now for my question: Besides Mario, Luigi, and the other members of the Mario crew, what are some other roles that you have played? Also, which is your favorite? Thanks.
CHARLES_MARTINET: First let me say what a huge pleasure it is to be here with you today!!!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: I do the voice of Mario, Wario, Luigi, Waluigi…
CHARLES_MARTINET: Baby Mario and Baby Luigi
CHARLES_MARTINET: and otheres!
CHARLES_MARTINET: oh and of course my fav is Mario!!!
JORDANM85: I was wondering how you came up with your unique voice style for Mario? It seems very different than the way Lou Albano and Walker Boone did it for the three Mario cartoon shows.
CHARLES_MARTINET: Well i acutally crashed the audition….
CHARLES_MARTINET: the guy had put the camera away…
CHARLES_MARTINET: i said..can i please read?
CHARLES_MARTINET: he looks at his watch and says..ok
CHARLES_MARTINET: you’re an italian plumber from brooklyn…talking with kids all day …a nd people of all ages…
CHARLES_MARTINET: so make up a voice and start talking and whe you’re done, I’ll stop the camera
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’m thinking to myself…self…I know what a guy from brooklyin sounds like
CHARLES_MARTINET: and the image of a plumber under your sink…hmm
CHARLES_MARTINET: what if i make it more fun
CHARLES_MARTINET: and lively
CHARLES_MARTINET: and maybe…..Ital…
CHARLES_MARTINET: ACTION!!!!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: eek! I looked at the camera and said…hello, itsa me, Mario.
CHARLES_MARTINET: let’sa make the pizza pie!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i made up a game about making a pizza pie out of everything…I talked and talked
CHARLES_MARTINET: and talked and talked
CHARLES_MARTINET: making things up
CHARLES_MARTINET: until…THE TAPE RAN OUT and he said STOP
CHARLES_MARTINET: and my tape was the only one he sent to Don James
CHARLES_MARTINET: saying “I found our mario:”
CHARLES_MARTINET: that was 15 years ago
CHARLES_MARTINET: woo hoo!
NOA_ANDY: That’s an awesome story.
CHARLES_MARTINET: the best 15 years of my life…
CHARLES_MARTINET: so far!
KINOPIO: Hello Mr. Martinet! How does the normal process of recording for a video game work? About how long does it take to record for an average game, and how far in advance before the release of a game do you record the voices?
CHARLES_MARTINET: oh well it depends on the platform
CHARLES_MARTINET: i have such a great time!
CHARLES_MARTINET: I fly up to Seattle to a recording studio….
CHARLES_MARTINET: and meet the team!
CHARLES_MARTINET: they are the most wonderful people….
CHARLES_MARTINET: we order sushi lunch…then look at scripts and movies
CHARLES_MARTINET: and eat…
CHARLES_MARTINET: then start work! a gameboy or ds game can take one day of recording
CHARLES_MARTINET: a game cube game can take 3 days
CHARLES_MARTINET: and a Wii game….
CHARLES_MARTINET: well…we’ll just have to see!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: ha ha
BURNGAMER: What is the most difficult thing to do with Mario’s voice?
CHARLES_MARTINET: It’s all easy because I love it so much!
CHARLES_MARTINET: but I’m doing mario in real time right now…a
CHARLES_MARTINET: at the nintendo world store in NYC
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i do it 6 days a week for 2 hours a day
CHARLES_MARTINET: i have a ton of other voice work too…that is grufffer…so I have to be careful
CHARLES_MARTINET: to make sure my voice is in good form!
CHARLES_MARTINET: but i always love saying WOO HOO
CHARLES_MARTINET: and MAMA MIA!!!
.N.: Can you please give us a “WAHOO”, Mr. Martinet?
CHARLES_MARTINET: WAHOO!!!!!!!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: i can tell you I love talking with Mario fans…you guys are the best!!!!
TSA: Hey Charles! I was wondering, would you ever prefer it if some of your characters had more dialogue?
CHARLES_MARTINET: Well I’m pretty certain they have just the right amount!
CHARLES_MARTINET: i so trust in the genius of Mr. Miyamoto
CHARLES_MARTINET: but of course….I want to talk all day long!!!
JUDGEMENT0: What kind of bottled water do you drink?
CHARLES_MARTINET: I have been drinking that crystal geyser flavored water…berry
CHARLES_MARTINET: my niece drinks that and so i tried it
CHARLES_MARTINET: but i drink tons of filtered water to protect my voice
CHARLES_MARTINET: have to!
RONALD_MCDONALD: Do you ever randomly start talking in your mario voice to surprise people?
CHARLES_MARTINET: ha ha…not really
CHARLES_MARTINET: tho i have!
CHARLES_MARTINET: when I see someone playing at a store..i might say..woo hoo!
CHARLES_MARTINET: he he
VALAY5ZELDA: Hi. What has been your favorite Mario game to work on thus far?
CHARLES_MARTINET: Oh gosh! I love them all so much!
CHARLES_MARTINET: i have to tell you tho..when you see the movie of mario kart and then put the words in for it
CHARLES_MARTINET: that’s called ADR
CHARLES_MARTINET: it is SO FUN something about Mario Kart is just the BEST to me
CHARLES_MARTINET: i always smile and laugh when i see it
CHARLES_MARTINET: but!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: doing Mario 64 was SUCH a trhill…i’ll never forget it
CHARLES_MARTINET: when we came up with the ….snoring …spaghetti…snore…ravioli..mama mia…
CHARLES_MARTINET: that was REALLY FUN!
FERDLOM472: When you are voicing a character such as Mario, do you normally just have your voice recorded, or is it often recorded then edited and distorted a bit to give it a particular sound?
CHARLES_MARTINET: Actully, believe it or not…they don’t
CHARLES_MARTINET: i’m just a little kooky
MARIO: Is most of the voice work improv, or do you get significant or specific direction when giving voice to Mario and friends?
CHARLES_MARTINET: we start with a script..and I do takes of 3
CHARLES_MARTINET: and we do 3 or so
CHARLES_MARTINET: and then i want to keep going
CHARLES_MARTINET: and the producer and direcrtor are laughing and having fun
CHARLES_MARTINET: so we do more
CHARLES_MARTINET: then we all throw in some ideas we think are funny
CHARLES_MARTINET: so it’s a combiation of both
CHARLES_MARTINET: i love the improv!!!!
DOUBLEDASHER19: With all the voices you do, how do you get onto character?
CHARLES_MARTINET: well…acting is not brain surgery…i believe it is about having fun
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i dont’ need to prepare to have fun!
CHARLES_MARTINET: i just go for it
CHARLES_MARTINET: i think of acting like a dog on the beach
CHARLES_MARTINET: playing with a ball
CHARLES_MARTINET: he just does it
CHARLES_MARTINET: with total glee in his heart
CHARLES_MARTINET: it brings him total joy
CHARLES_MARTINET: and that is what it gives me!
CHARLES_MARTINET: i’m the luckiest guy in the world
CHARLES_MARTINET: and grateful for every minute of it
PLASMA_WISP: Do you often interact with other voice actors (peach,yoshi)?
CHARLES_MARTINET: well mostly we work independently
CHARLES_MARTINET: they do their lines, and i do mine
CHARLES_MARTINET: but sometimes i get to see those wonderful people online
CHARLES_MARTINET: in the studio
CHARLES_MARTINET: i mean
CHARLES_MARTINET: and hear them work
CHARLES_MARTINET: it always makes me smile!
I_AM_A_PERSON: Is luigi REALLY mario’s voice, but faster? I’ve heard that’s the case.
CHARLES_MARTINET: I do the real time animatino..the MARIO IN REAL TIME interacting with people…so they see mario and I see them with a spty cam
CHARLES_MARTINET: spy
CHARLES_MARTINET: adn a mike
CHARLES_MARTINET: so….when we first did that, i had sensors glued to my face
CHARLES_MARTINET: and taped down
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’d say HELLO
CHARLES_MARTINET: and mario would emulate that hello
CHARLES_MARTINET: about 1/2 sec later
CHARLES_MARTINET: and I’d do dialogue
CHARLES_MARTINET: well i was at walmart in arkansa s or somewehre doing a store opening promotoin
CHARLES_MARTINET: kids ALWAYS ask to speak with Luigi!
CHARLES_MARTINET: so i said..oh well..Luigi, he’s in da kitchen making spaghtetti meatballs
CHARLES_MARTINET: can’t come out
CHARLES_MARTINET: and they’d say…PLEASE
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’d say..okey dokey..ima ask him
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’d pretend to yell off to the kitchen..hey luigi..can you come out?
CHARLES_MARTINET: and then I made up his voice and said “oh no..i’m in the kitchen
CHARLES_MARTINET: makin spaghetti meatbals
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’d turn back as mario and say…he says he’s in the kitchen.
CHARLES_MARTINET: makin spaghetti meatballs!
CHARLES_MARTINET: of course…my mouth would move when I talked like luigi
CHARLES_MARTINET: as a joke
CHARLES_MARTINET: bad ventriliquism
CHARLES_MARTINET: but people bought it
CHARLES_MARTINET: and that’s how Luigi got his voice
NOA_ANDY: Wow, great story!
ZELDAGIRL2006: Have you ever meet Miyamoto the creater of the Zelda and Mario series? If you have. What was it like?
CHARLES_MARTINET: oh I love Mr Miyamoto
CHARLES_MARTINET: he is the nicest man
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i am always amazed…here is THE MAN who created fun for MILLIONS OF PEOPL
CHARLES_MARTINET: MILLIONS OF PEOPLE!!! and he is just as nice and humble as anyone i’ve ever met
CHARLES_MARTINET: When I’m doing Mario in REal Time..and i see him walk by I scream “PAPA!”
CHARLES_MARTINET: and he always laughs
NINTENDOFAN333: How did Wario get his voice?
CHARLES_MARTINET: WELL…. we got another character to do for MIRT
CHARLES_MARTINET: WARIO
CHARLES_MARTINET: MIRT = Mario in Real Time
CHARLES_MARTINET: and I took one look at him
CHARLES_MARTINET: and that’s what came out1
CHARLES_MARTINET: same with Waluigi!
CHARLES_MARTINET: WAAAAAAAA
CHARLES_MARTINET: Everybody Cheat but me!!!!!!!!
CHARLES_MARTINET: ha ha
CHARLES_MARTINET: you know..there is mask work
CHARLES_MARTINET: where you look at a mask
CHARLES_MARTINET: close your eyes…put it on
CHARLES_MARTINET: and then breathe in
CHARLES_MARTINET: and take on teh character of the mask
CHARLES_MARTINET: you should try it sometime
CHARLES_MARTINET: it is true..you change!
NOA_ANDY: Wow, that’s really interesting.
CHARLES_MARTINET: cartoon is similar
CHARLES_MARTINET: you look at a character and you can FEEL it come to life in you
MACE_STARIDER: What has some of your work outside of Super Mario Bros. consisted of, if any?
CHARLES_MARTINET: I did a bunch of star wars games…
CHARLES_MARTINET: and I loved doing Lord of the rings
CHARLES_MARTINET: i did 9 characters in that trilogy
CHARLES_MARTINET: like the scottish guy with the axe
CHARLES_MARTINET: all in the games
CHARLES_MARTINET: i did a bunch of aliens in men in black
CHARLES_MARTINET: and have done about 100 other games outside Mario games
CHARLES_MARTINET: but of course…my favorite by so far is Mario! so FUN
NOA_ANDY: We have time for a few more questions!
CHARLES_MARTINET: I do believe …if you do what you love in life…life will work out fo ryou!
ARTEMIS_WOLFANG: What advice would you give to those aspiring to be voice actors?
CHARLES_MARTINET: Be like the dog chasing the ball on the beach…let go!
CHARLES_MARTINET: you know that critical voice that is listening and always taking you down
CHARLES_MARTINET: you got to let that go
CHARLES_MARTINET: and you know…listen to people
CHARLES_MARTINET: to voices
CHARLES_MARTINET: watch physicality in people
CHARLES_MARTINET: how do they stand and walk
CHARLES_MARTINET: emulate it (DISCRETELY)
CHARLES_MARTINET: emulate voices
CHARLES_MARTINET: and look at cartoon characters and imagine how they would sound
CHARLES_MARTINET: and do it
CHARLES_MARTINET: you know…my friend said once…it’s not brain surgery
CHARLES_MARTINET: it’s fun!
CHARLES_MARTINET: and that’s what i believe…it is all about fun
CHARLES_MARTINET: there really is NO competition..the guy looking for the voice
CHARLES_MARTINET: he WANTS you to be it
CHARLES_MARTINET: so you don’t have to try to be the voice HE or SHE wants
CHARLES_MARTINET: be the voice you bring
CHARLES_MARTINET: express your joy
CHARLES_MARTINET: your self
CHARLES_MARTINET: and even if you do’nt get that job…you had fun!
CHARLES_MARTINET: wo hoo!
HE110: What was your proudest moment as voice of mario?
CHARLES_MARTINET: oh that’s a very sweet questoin
CHARLES_MARTINET: question
CHARLES_MARTINET: gosh…whenever I look into the eyes of someone who LOVES Mario, and I know I get to be a part
CHARLES_MARTINET: of bringing that Joy that Mr. Miyamoto has created
CHARLES_MARTINET: it makes me very touched..and very proud
CHARLES_MARTINET: talking with people as mario in MIRT
CHARLES_MARTINET: and being given the gift to see the joy and innocent expression of people
CHARLES_MARTINET: that brings me so much joy
CHARLES_MARTINET: and i’m proud that I decided that i never
CHARLES_MARTINET: never do anything for laughs at the expense of someone else
CHARLES_MARTINET: always be kind….in your humor
CHARLES_MARTINET: and in life
CHARLES_MARTINET: being at children’s hospital and seeing the joy that mario brings to people
CHARLES_MARTINET: that is a very proud moment for me
CHARLES_MARTINET: and very touching
CHARLES_MARTINET: I feel that I have been given the most wonderufl gift in the love and friendships and family in my life
CHARLES_MARTINET: and am so honored to be able to bring fun to people
CHARLES_MARTINET: Mario has been the greatest gift of my life
NOA_ANDY: That’s an awesome answer!
NOA_ANDY: Thank you SO much for coming to Camp Hyrule 2006! This has definitely been the highlight of the camp.
CHARLES_MARTINET: Thank you Andy! Thank you everybody!!! Have great fun!!!!!
NOA_ANDY: Can we get one final “It’s-a-me …” for all of the Camp Hyrule campers??
CHARLES_MARTINET: it’s really a pleasure to be here..Hyrule Rocks!
CHARLES_MARTINET: Mama Mia…hello, it’sa me MARIO..WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
CHARLES_MARTINET: Go Campers!!!!!
NOA_ANDY: Fantastic. Thanks Charles, and see you soon!
CHARLES_MARTINET: Thank you ANdy!
CHARLES_MARTINET: ciao everybody!!!