Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Farmer.
Hi Eli, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts back in 2017. I had been out of college for about a year and I had just moved to DFW from Virginia Beach. I was starting a new job at UT Dallas and was getting my first exposure to the metroplex. I had moved a decent amount in my life but never to such a large city before, so I was excited to map out all of my points of interest. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Funimation, producer of some of the largest English anime dubs, was located only forty-five minutes away.
As a lifelong anime fan the opportunity to visit the place that brought shows like Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, and Full Metal Alchemist stateside was beyond exciting. I quickly drafted an email to the Funimation support team and they were kind enough to get me a spot on an upcoming studio tour. I had only been in DFW for about a month at this point and I could already tell that the trajectory of my life was about to change.
The day of the tour arrived and I was ball of pure excitement. We got to meet the company president, take pictures with all the statues and posters, and see part of a film that hadn’t even hit theaters yet. The experience was everything a fan could hope for, but it was the last stop that changed everything for me. We popped into one of the recording studios and got to sit in on a live dubbing session. Standing behind the glass and watching an actor bring a scene to life was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I knew in that moment that this is what I needed to be doing.
As soon as I got home I flipped open my laptop and searched “how to be a voice actor”. The results were…mixed at best. Voiceover is an industry with no direct roadmap or one single method of entry. Most industry veterans kind of just fell into it while pursuing something entertainment adjacent. Lots of “right place at the right time” or “knew a guy who knew a guy”.
So how did I solve this conundrum? Pure. Dumb. Luck. I found a Facebook group for Dallas voice actors and the admin of the group was nice enough to invite me out to lunch. He recommended an acting coach for me, explained demo reels, and laid out a list of career pitfalls to avoid. All he asked in return was that I pay it forward one day and help guide someone else down the line.
Now armed with the knowledge, I spent the next two years training with GVAA (Global Voice Acting Academy) to develop a foundation and hone my skills. My coach, David Rosenthal, had his hands full as I was starting with literally zero acting experience. But even so, he trusted the process fully and I was willing to give it everything I had. In 2020 I recorded my first demos and began marketing myself as a professional voice actor.
In 2021, I dubbed my first anime for Funimation, Dragon Goes House-Hunting. In 2022, I signed with my current agency, Ta-Da! Voiceworks, and have since recorded commercials for brands like Coca-Cola, MGM, BMO, and Heinz. In 2023, I was cast as Joe Kido in the Digimon franchise, and recorded my first films. That same year I began dubbing anime for Crunchyroll (formerly Funimation) on a regular basis, and I’ve been working consistently since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d be remiss to not mention the hundreds of hours of failed auditions, inboxes full of rejections, financial uncertainty, and the numerous moments of self-doubt. There’s no way to be perfect in our industry. You won’t book every part, you’ll mess up in a session, or you might even get sick and miss out on your dream role. I’m not ashamed to admit that a healthy dose of good luck is what got me into voice acting, but it’s been my ability to endure the low points that’s allowed me to stick around.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Voice acting for commercials is my bread and butter for sure! That’s what pays the bills and keeps the lights on, but if I was to be known for anything it’s definitely anime dubbing. Voicing Joe in Digimon The Movies opened up so many doors for me, and it’s been such a wonderful experience being welcomed in by the Digimon fandom. While the role is deeply sentimental and precious to me, it may be tied for what I’m most proud of. Unfortunately, the project I’m referring to hasn’t been announced yet, so you’ll have to stay tuned for that one.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Contrary to what you might expect I was actually a shy child. I never had an itch for acting or any affinity for the performing arts. However, I loved cartoons and video games from the moment I could work a remote. I think the heroes I saw on TV left an impression on me in those early years, and helped me to develop into a more outgoing person as I entered my teens.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elifarmer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theelifarmer/
- Twitter: https://x.com/theelifarmer
