Cinema Story Origins

In Disney Story Origins Episode 5, I’ll be discussing the Disney Film “Aladdin” based on “Aladdin or his Magical Lamp”, which is one of many small stories within a large Middle Eastern story called “One Thousand and One Nights” better known us westerner as “The Arabian Nights”. It is the story of a young woman […]

We start where we left of in Episode 4a – Mulan Part 1, Mulan has joined the army. How does Mulan from the old tales prevent being discovered to be a woman? I discuss the origins of Mushu, Li Shang and what makes Chi Fu such a misognyst. I talk about how Disney’s Mulan and […]

We start where we left of in Episode 4a – Mulan Part 1, Mulan has joined the army. How does Mulan from the old tales prevent being discovered to be a woman? I discuss the origins of Mushu, Li Shang and what makes Chi Fu such a misognyst. I talk about how Disney’s Mulan and […]

The story of Mulan is one of the most mundane of all Chinese folktales. In Ancient China, with folklore rife with magic, Gods, Demons, Dragons and all kinds of supernatural influences, it was the plausibility of Mulan that made it such a compelling story. Though her story has changed through the centuries, its core elements […]

The story of Mulan is one of the most mundane of all Chinese folktales. In Ancient China, with folklore rife with magic, Gods, Demons, Dragons and all kinds of supernatural influences, it was the plausibility of Mulan that made it such a compelling story. Though her story has changed through the centuries, its core elements […]

In my last two episodes, when I needed a female voice, I used my own and then doctored them to make me sound female. I'm getting a little tired of doing it, and I suspect it's getting a little stale to you guys who listen. For episode 4 I'd like to engage my audience, and ask if there are any females out there who would like to be the voice of Hua Mulan (from the legends) in DSO Episode 4 - Mulan. Here's the deal: 1. I can't pay you. I'm poor. Really poor. You'd be doing this for nothing, and all you'd get is a credit at the end of the episode, a credit on this website and my gratitude. If you're a fledgling voice-actor, or hey, a professional voice-actor, this can go on your resume, but that's it as far as compensation. 2. If you're a podcaster like me, and/or have access to semi-professional or totally rocking recording equipment, that's a big plus. But  all you really need is a smartphone or a digital recorder with a good mic, and a quiet place to record. The guy who screams "MY EYES!!" in episode 3 is my brother Daniel, and he recorded it on his iPhone, and it sounded great, so I have confidence in this method. If you get the part, you're going to be recording your own lines in the episode. You won't be coming to my studio (a.k.a. my Mom's garage) to record. The requirements are this: You're female. You can sound feminine and tough at the same time. ANY female from ANYWHERE with ANY ACCENT can try out, but voices with an Asian/Chinese lilt are a plus. Act. Don't just read. Be Mulan. Please don't fake a Chinese voice. I'm not trying to insult anyone. If you're American, English, Australian... whatever your country or ethnicity, use your real voice. Here are your lines. Keep in mind that these lines are from old Chinese tales translated into English. Do the best you can with them. Pretend you're doing a voice for a Ken Burns or History Channel documentary, because that's what I'm really going for here. ***** Line #1: (concerned) "Last night I saw the summons from the army, The Khan is mobilizing all his troops. The list of summoned men comes in twelve copies: Every copy lists my father’s name!" ~The Song of Mulan Line #2: (surprised, confident) "This sword! How long it’s been since I've drawn it! I've got to say, I thought it wouldn't be easy. Hoisting it up and giving it a whirl— Well, it’s just like old times. Why aren't my hands sore with pain, used as they are to threading the loom’s shuttle?" ~ The Female Mulan Joins the Army in Place of Her Father Line #3: ("Hua" is pronounced "Hwah") (in a male voice) I am Hua Mulan, paying respects to General Hua and his wife. (switching back to female voice) Mother, Father, does my voice sound like a man’s? ***** Send your sound files to dsopodcast@gmail.com. MP3 format is best. Don't even try to send me .WAV. They are way too big. If you got the part I'll contact you with more lines. I hope to hear from as many of you as possible. Whether or not I receive any files from you guys will largely dictate the how I record this episode, so I hope some of you are willing to give it a go. If you have any questions, feel free to use the comments section below or e-mail me at dsopodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for your time. ~Paul J. Hale

“Sleeping Beauty” is one of the most popular fairy tales of all time. The story with its many varied renditions and adaptations has intrigued readers and audiences for centuries.  It has been told and retold continuously in movies, plays, novels and poetry, resonating with our ancestors as well as our own generations. This podcast contains […]

“Sleeping Beauty” is one of the most popular fairy tales of all time. The story with its many varied renditions and adaptations has intrigued readers and audiences for centuries.  It has been told and retold continuously in movies, plays, novels and poetry, resonating with our ancestors as well as our own generations. This podcast contains […]

In this episode I tell the stories of both Disney’s “Frozen” and Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” to illustrate the vast difference between Disney’s movie and the source material.  This podcast contains certain copyrighted works that were not specifically authorized to be used by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith […]

In this episode I tell the stories of both Disney’s “Frozen” and Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” to illustrate the vast difference between Disney’s movie and the source material.  This podcast contains certain copyrighted works that were not specifically authorized to be used by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith […]

The story of Pocahontas has fascinated people for more than four centuries and it still inspires people today. It will undoubtedly continue to do so. This episode explores the origin of the Pocahontas myth, reveals the truth about John Smith and discusses the historical events surrounding the iconic couple.   This podcast contains certain copyrighted […]

The story of Pocahontas has fascinated people for more than four centuries and it still inspires people today. It will undoubtedly continue to do so. This episode explores the origin of the Pocahontas myth, reveals the truth about John Smith and discusses the historical events surrounding the iconic couple.   This podcast contains certain copyrighted […]

A quick intro to The DSO Podcast and what it's all about.