TWWK: Hi, Caitlin! Thank you for agreeing to the interview, and welcome back to the states! You were out of the country for quite some time – could you tell us why you went abroad and where you visited?
Caitlin: Thanks so much for the opportunity. Yes, I was living abroad for almost a year and a half. My husband and I love to travel and were seeking a way to do it more long term. We decided to go to Spain and study for a TEFL certificate, to be able to teach English as a foreign language. We liked it in Spain so much that we stayed! We also had the chance to visit friends and family in other European countries like Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
TWWK: What was one of your favorite experiences overseas?
Caitlin: Hands down my favorite experience was Spain’s victory in the World Cup. I can’t say I was a football (soccer) fan before living there but I definitely am now! We watched every game and went to the victory parade. It was electrifying!
TWWK: Now that you’re back in Texas, are you working again at Funimation? What projects are you working on?
Caitlin: I’m slowly but surely getting back to work at FUNi. Naturally, it’s all new stuff so I can’t tell you about it! But I’m definitely excited to be working again because I missed it so much!
TWWK: How did you transition from voice acting to directing? What do you enjoy about being an ADR director?
Caitlin: The transition was quite simple, surprisingly. I’d been looking for a way to become more involved at the studio so I just went and asked our producer, Justin Cook, if I could give directing a try. He said yes! I had to train for a while, watching other directors in action, and after that I began to fill in for them if they were ill or on vacation. Eventually, maybe within a matter of months, I was given my own contract of a couple Case Closed episodes and I continued to substitute direct for approximately a year. I finally got my first series, Suzuka in 2006 and worked steadily for the next few years until we left the country. After Suzuka came One Piece, Ouran, Gunslinger Girl II, Murder Princess, FMA: Brotherhood, and one other project that’s yet to be released.
TWWK: What’s been one of your favorite voice acting roles? Was there one that was especially challenging?
Caitlin: Choosing a favorite role is like asking a parent to choose their favorite child! I’m glad you asked for “one of” my favorites! The first one that comes to mind is Haruhi from Ouran as both a favorite and a challenge. The role was a dream come true and because of that I was very nervous about pulling it off right. I also felt I had something to prove in a way since I am not usually the go-to actress for young, boyish voices but my line-producer, Mike McFarland, felt confident that I could do it. Learning to direct myself while voice acting was something new for me as well. It took a few weeks before I felt comfortable enough with Haruhi’s voice to produce it without much thought. But in the end, I think it was all this extra effort and care that brought me to love Haruhi even more than I already did. She will always hold a special place in my heart.
TWWK: Are you planning on visiting any anime conventions in the near future?
Caitlin: Yes. I will be at San Japan in San Antonio, Texas the first weekend in August [note: this interview was conducted in July], followed by Fan Expo in Toronto, Canada in late August and Alcon in Leicester, England in September. I hope to add more to the list soon!
TWWK: A fun final question: what’s your favorite anime series or movie?
Caitlin: My absolute favorite is Sailor Moon!
In Part two, Caitlin chats about how her faith intersects with voice acting.