You're listening to Voice Acting Mastery, episode number 22.

Welcome to the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with Crispin Freeman.

Voiceactingmastery.com is your place to learn both the skills and the mindset you need to become a professional voice actor, even if you're just getting started.

In each episode of this podcast, you'll discover valuable

tips, tricks and insider information to help you portray characters in animation, video games, and

beyond. And now here's your host, voice actor Crispin Freeman.

Hi there, my name is Crispin Freeman, and I'll be your guide through the world of voice acting. If you'd like to know more about me, feel free to check out my personal website at www.crispinfremant.com. I'd like to take this episode to have an honest discussion with you about the state of the

entertainment industry. As of the release of this episode in July of 2025, numerous American media

companies, including game companies, are experiencing a downturn. Not only are their newly

released projects not as financially successful as ones they've made in the

past, but I would argue that these newer projects are of lower artistic quality as well.

While it can be depressing to observe the current state of affairs, especially for those of us who

care deeply about art, storytelling, and the quality of games, these kinds of

downturns are to be expected. The entertainment industry is not static. It regularly goes through

periods of expansion and contraction. The causes of these boom and bus cycles may differ,

as does the length of each cycle. However, if you look back in time,

you can observe that these cycles do occur over and over again. We currently find ourselves in the

midst of one of those downturns, with no clear indication of when the pendulum of the American

entertainment industry will swing

back towards higher quality and more box office success.

Multiple franchises such as Star Wars, Disney Animation, Marvel, D.C., and even Pixar,

seem to be struggling to recapture the magic and popularity they once previously enjoyed.

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