02-29-2024, 06:03 AM
An on-line friend of mine got this from another friend who got it from... you get the idea... Well, whoever it was, they somehow managed to contact Guy Cihi (James Sunderland's action/voice) and shared the two e-mails he/she got from him. He sounds really nice.
First e-mail
Hi Scott,
Yes, I am the same Guy Cihi. I played James Sunderland in Silent Hill II. Those are my body movements, that's my voice, and the character looks like me, too. So you liked my performance? Thank you! I gave it my best! Are you familiar with how motion capture games like SH2 are made? The most difficult parts were the falls and wipe outs - it hurt for weeks after I taping those. I've received email, over the years, from people on five continents. (My wife always laughs when I tell her, but it makes me feel good to know you liked my performance.) Where are you writing from?
I suppose there are some stories to tell. Remember Eddie? Of course you do, you're a fan, right? A guy named Dave Schaufele played Eddie. We met on the set. I've lost touch with everyone except for Dave. Both of us live in Tokyo. We see each other a couple of times each month. Remember Maria/Mary? Whoa, what a piece of work she is. I hear she moved to Hawaii. Good riddance.
Let me know if you have specific questions and tell me a little more about yourself so I'll know better how to respond.
All the Best, Guy
PS: How did you get my Harvard Alum email address?
Second e-mail
Hi Scott,
The SH2 story and characters were created entirely by a Japanese writer. In other words the writer’s cultural reality demanded that the result be something alien – something non-native. If you saw Final Fantasy, the movie, you’ll know what I mean. A native-born Japanese can’t think like an American. They sure as hell can’t write like one. No disrespect to my friends, wife and kids. That’s just the way it is.
You said that, “most game actors are voice actors.”
My understanding is that early motion-capture games used Japanese body talent with US voice-overs, but that the body language was bizarre. Next came motion-capture studios in Hawaii and LA using US body talent, but the writers and directors in Tokyo felt too far from the action.
For SH2, Konami pulled out the stops and put up the budget for a Tokyo-based motion-capture using foreign talent under Japanese direction. The directors were very precise about the motion-capture sessions they supervised. The character James is a Japanese writer’s concept of an American, being performed by a US action/voice talent (me), working under the direction of a non-English speaking Japanese director.
They chose me over 50 others because, they said, “you best fit our concept of James.” I acted the part the way they wanted it. I enjoyed the experience. It was 1999. I had just sold an educational software company I co-founded in 1985. I was about to leave Tokyo to cool my jets on our farm outside Florence. My 12 year-old asked me to take her to the audition for the child’s part (I’ve forgotten that character’s name). I was waiting for her when a Japanese director-type-guy walked by. Dressed all in black with a cigarette dangling and bags under his eyes - the whole nine yards. I asked him if I could read for the part. I don’t know why - the urge just hit me. There were three guys on the panel - all in various shades of black - none spoke English. They asked about my experience. I told them I took acting at college. I read. I thought it went well.
A few months passed. Didn’t hear anything. My daughter and I forgot about it. Out of the blue, I got an email. It had all started with my daughter. Since she didn’t get a part, I told her if she wanted me to, I’d blow it off. She said, “Go for it!”
We timed our family trips between Florence and Tokyo to coincide with motion-capture sessions. The directors had no idea about my financial situation. They told me later they thought I was an out of work English teacher. Actually, the SH2 money was pretty good. Except for the stunt falls, it was easy enough. My wife said, “You’ve got something to fall back on if your venture capital business doesn’t work out....”
You wrote, “Most people at SH fan sites can't stand James and don't like your acting”
Ouch, I’m glad they don’t send me email. But it’s like you said, the director saw James as an ordinary guy - a very confused ordinary guy - and definitely not a hero. Snappy lines? The original script was like a tortured derivative of English. It was a real challenge for the actors to twist it into semi-natural dialog. Lot’s of back and forth with the directors. They were good guys. They listened to our suggestions. But in they end, they made the call and got what they wanted from us.
You wrote, “Most actors don't get to see the final game or learn anything about it...they go in the booth, record, go home, get check, the end.”
SH2 was much more than visits to a recording studio. Every scene was acted out live before video cameras and motion-capture gear that records wire-form figures upon which artists could later render graphic skins. Actors memorized their lines, rehearsed, and performed countless re-takes. We laughed, wept, argued, fell-down, whatever. It was like making a film except we didn’t need special costumes and the sets were cardboard boxes placed there to create proper spatial relationships. When a player moves James between strands of barbed wire or over an obstacle he is actually watching me climbing between stings or over cardboard boxes on the motion-capture set.
As much as I know about how SH2 was made, I’d be lying if I said I’d spent much time playing it. I don’t even have a PlayStation.
Rest assured, though, that’s my body and soul in that performance.
All the best,
Guy
First e-mail
Hi Scott,
Yes, I am the same Guy Cihi. I played James Sunderland in Silent Hill II. Those are my body movements, that's my voice, and the character looks like me, too. So you liked my performance? Thank you! I gave it my best! Are you familiar with how motion capture games like SH2 are made? The most difficult parts were the falls and wipe outs - it hurt for weeks after I taping those. I've received email, over the years, from people on five continents. (My wife always laughs when I tell her, but it makes me feel good to know you liked my performance.) Where are you writing from?
I suppose there are some stories to tell. Remember Eddie? Of course you do, you're a fan, right? A guy named Dave Schaufele played Eddie. We met on the set. I've lost touch with everyone except for Dave. Both of us live in Tokyo. We see each other a couple of times each month. Remember Maria/Mary? Whoa, what a piece of work she is. I hear she moved to Hawaii. Good riddance.
Let me know if you have specific questions and tell me a little more about yourself so I'll know better how to respond.
All the Best, Guy
PS: How did you get my Harvard Alum email address?
Second e-mail
Hi Scott,
The SH2 story and characters were created entirely by a Japanese writer. In other words the writer’s cultural reality demanded that the result be something alien – something non-native. If you saw Final Fantasy, the movie, you’ll know what I mean. A native-born Japanese can’t think like an American. They sure as hell can’t write like one. No disrespect to my friends, wife and kids. That’s just the way it is.
You said that, “most game actors are voice actors.”
My understanding is that early motion-capture games used Japanese body talent with US voice-overs, but that the body language was bizarre. Next came motion-capture studios in Hawaii and LA using US body talent, but the writers and directors in Tokyo felt too far from the action.
For SH2, Konami pulled out the stops and put up the budget for a Tokyo-based motion-capture using foreign talent under Japanese direction. The directors were very precise about the motion-capture sessions they supervised. The character James is a Japanese writer’s concept of an American, being performed by a US action/voice talent (me), working under the direction of a non-English speaking Japanese director.
They chose me over 50 others because, they said, “you best fit our concept of James.” I acted the part the way they wanted it. I enjoyed the experience. It was 1999. I had just sold an educational software company I co-founded in 1985. I was about to leave Tokyo to cool my jets on our farm outside Florence. My 12 year-old asked me to take her to the audition for the child’s part (I’ve forgotten that character’s name). I was waiting for her when a Japanese director-type-guy walked by. Dressed all in black with a cigarette dangling and bags under his eyes - the whole nine yards. I asked him if I could read for the part. I don’t know why - the urge just hit me. There were three guys on the panel - all in various shades of black - none spoke English. They asked about my experience. I told them I took acting at college. I read. I thought it went well.
A few months passed. Didn’t hear anything. My daughter and I forgot about it. Out of the blue, I got an email. It had all started with my daughter. Since she didn’t get a part, I told her if she wanted me to, I’d blow it off. She said, “Go for it!”
We timed our family trips between Florence and Tokyo to coincide with motion-capture sessions. The directors had no idea about my financial situation. They told me later they thought I was an out of work English teacher. Actually, the SH2 money was pretty good. Except for the stunt falls, it was easy enough. My wife said, “You’ve got something to fall back on if your venture capital business doesn’t work out....”
You wrote, “Most people at SH fan sites can't stand James and don't like your acting”
Ouch, I’m glad they don’t send me email. But it’s like you said, the director saw James as an ordinary guy - a very confused ordinary guy - and definitely not a hero. Snappy lines? The original script was like a tortured derivative of English. It was a real challenge for the actors to twist it into semi-natural dialog. Lot’s of back and forth with the directors. They were good guys. They listened to our suggestions. But in they end, they made the call and got what they wanted from us.
You wrote, “Most actors don't get to see the final game or learn anything about it...they go in the booth, record, go home, get check, the end.”
SH2 was much more than visits to a recording studio. Every scene was acted out live before video cameras and motion-capture gear that records wire-form figures upon which artists could later render graphic skins. Actors memorized their lines, rehearsed, and performed countless re-takes. We laughed, wept, argued, fell-down, whatever. It was like making a film except we didn’t need special costumes and the sets were cardboard boxes placed there to create proper spatial relationships. When a player moves James between strands of barbed wire or over an obstacle he is actually watching me climbing between stings or over cardboard boxes on the motion-capture set.
As much as I know about how SH2 was made, I’d be lying if I said I’d spent much time playing it. I don’t even have a PlayStation.
Rest assured, though, that’s my body and soul in that performance.
All the best,
Guy
