Voice Actor Tanner Beard on Working with Legendary Disney Animator Andreas Deja in ‘Mushka’

Actor, director, writer, and producer Tanner Beard sits down with Awards Daily to detail his voice work in the animated short Mushka. His multi-faceted career reflects his love of film while, at the same time, opens up the chances to work in film in a variety of ways. He also holds a deep love of learning, not just for his craft but also to help advance his own mental abilities. In that way, he became a more interested person in all his spheres of life.

Awards Daily: What interested you in the short Mushka to begin with?

Tanner Beard: I was actually working with one of the producers, who is also a DP named Roger (Viloria). He told me there was this amazing artist named Andreas Deja, and he was creating this amazing old school 2D animation short. He is a Disney legend—he created Jafar and Scar and all these amazing characters that I grew up with. And I got to do a Ukrainian accent, and for me that was, like, wow, never done that before, let’s try it, and I got a vocal coach. It was a project that was really hard to say no to. I didn’t even have to audition. That’s when you get happy about anything right?!

Awards Daily: What was it like working with Andreas Deja?

Tanner Beard: You know, really great in that they knew exactly what they wanted. Obviously they have to draw the mouth for what you have to say. But to see them behind the scenes and the meticulousness of how he draws. Every single frame of this is hand drawn like they used to do in the old school days of Disney without 200 other artists working on it. It is just him. I think it took him seven years to draw it and then they had to hand paint everything. It’s astonishing when you think about it. It is so easy to watch it in twenty minutes thinking well, there goes seven years of work. Just crazy to think about it. I look at it now and I’m just so grateful to have had the opportunity.

Awards Daily: Looking over your credits you are an actor, producer, writer, and director. What made you want to take on so many different roles in movies and television?

Tanner Beard: You got to pay for your house. [Laughs] You know, I love everything about the movie industry. Coming from West Texas there was no real way to be part of the movie industry. If you wanted to act in something, you had to write it. If you wanted to have it made, you had to direct it. If you really wanted to do it, you had to produce it. I think I learned the other aspects of it because if I wanted to act in something I had to write it, direct it, shoot it, edit it, and get it out there or it didn’t happen where I grew up. With that you learn a lot of tricks of the trade, influenced by the ones that motivate you the most. Which for me was being a bit more theatrical. Acting is still my favorite thing to do but in turn I’ve learned that I just love making movies across the board. I am fortunate to have produced some really massive films. As long as I get to have a role or something where I’m acting at least once a year, and do not have to chase it too crazily, it allows me to be open to do other things in the film industry like directing or writing a few pictures. Hell, I’ll do craft services if it means I’m on set. I just love movies!

Awards Daily: In working in so many different aspects of film is there some particular story or idea that you are looking for in particular?

Tanner Beard: Well, I’m a western guy personally, but they come in waves. Sometimes everybody is stoked on westerns, other times it’s not conducive to make one. I have not made a whole lot of horror films as a filmmaker. I have acted in some and I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to just pop in just about every genre? I have dabbled in pretty much everything. But if you ever stop learning, you become really boring really quickly, don’t you?

Awards Daily: Oh yes, that’s why I keep trying to read new books on different subjects.

Tanner Beard: It’s like watching documentaries. Who knew I loved whales and penguins so much? I just spent the last 35 minutes learning about a new centipede. That’s what I love about this industry, especially as an actor. One day you’re a firefighter, the next day you’re a scuba diver and you dive into that world and learn so much about it, and it gives you a wealth of knowledge you didn’t even know you wanted. But then you can articulate that into the next thing you’re doing. You never stop telling stories.

Awards Daily: Going back to the short Mushka. Looking over your filmography, it looks like you haven’t done a lot of voice acting. What was that like for you, and is it something you’d like to do more of?

Tanner Beard: Yeah, you can show up to this stuff in your pajamas. It was great! You’re right. I have done a lot of narration over some movies but I haven’t done animation. I think that’s one of the reasons I was so excited to do this. I hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to be like that cartoon character up there, that’s me! It’s really fun to be the voice of that character. Now I have this amazing connection to this animated figure. It is a lot of fun. I had no idea I would enjoy it so much, especially working with someone from Disney. I feel like I got to skip to the head of the line. I’m really really proud of it. I got to see it and it’s weird, you don’t really feel like it’s you. I do not like to watch my work that much. I don’t think a lot of people do, but I’ll watch this animated stuff because there is such a separation where I can’t even remember saying that line, and then when you see it you’re, like, it’s not you but you know it is. So there’s something very mysterious and cool about that. I would love to do more work in animation and voice overs. It was something very special working with Andreas.

Awards Daily: You have tons of projects coming up in all of your different capacities. Is there anything about any of these projects you’d like to share?

Tanner Beard: Well, we had a movie we just finished called And on the Eighth Day, and it is really cool because I have a film festival called Mammoth Film Festival where we established the Mammoth Film Institute through it. Where we are just trying to get projects off the ground, and trying to link great like-minded individuals together to create not just film but anything within the entertainment industry. We’re just really proud that for the last couple of years this film, And on the Eighth Day (which I am just an actor in), was made by so many people from that circle. I just think it’s a really cool and interesting film. We shot it out in New Mexico and right now we have a film that’s completed before the strike–and have all the respect for the strike. We just feel so grateful to have it. Then we have another movie called Fluxx, which is also from Mammoth Film Institute. I’m super super stoked because what we set out to do is actually starting to bear fruit from the tree. That is a very special thing for us too. I’m just elated for those two releases in 2024.

Awards Daily: You already touched on my last question about the founding of the Mammoth Film Festival. I was curious what was behind the decision to create it?

Tanner Beard: I am definitely not a studio guy. For the career that I’m so grateful for, I have not done a lot of studio pictures. I definitely come from the indie world. I grew up a film festival rat and had the luxury of competing in probably eight of the top ten film festivals in the world, and have been to most of them a couple of times. But I think that’s because I saw how film festivals allowed people who actually worked hard to get a leg up in this industry and reap the benefits of that hard work. I found Mammoth Lakes, California to be such a beautiful location and an amazing place with a really cool arts community, and I thought it would be a great place to house a film festival. I also knew enough people around me that could help launch it like a rocket. We are still working at it. We are still a very new festival competing with 25 to 40 year old film festivals all the time. I have to remind people, guys, 2024 will only be our 6th year and people are, like, oh, really? When you’re going up against 25 to 30 year old film festivals that you have learned from, and now you’re, like, who is going to get this movie for its world premiere? It’s kind of exciting. I think I just got into it from gaining so much from film festivals, and wanted to share that with other filmmakers in a location as beautiful as Mammoth.

Awards Daily: I can understand that. I always look forward to the big film festivals and seeing what little movie that no one’s heard of that’s going to make a huge splash.

Tanner Beard: Yeah, you know what’s so fun, now that we have been going for five years, is getting on an airplane and looking through the movies and seeing that hey, that movie went World premiere with us! Now I’m watching it on this American airline flight. That is a really cool feeling because that’s big boy stuff you know. That’s what we’re setting out to do, and the footprints are starting to be left behind, so it’s pretty cool.

Awards Daily: Final thoughts?

Tanner Beard: I don’t know, because I’m just an actor in Mushka I don’t know the plan and how it’s going to get out there, but I know we’re going to do a small film festival run and we’re definitely showing at the HollyShorts Film Festival this weekend (August 12-13). I know it’s definitely one of those things where we’re trying to get it in front of as many people as possible. I am biased, but I feel like this thing should be nominated for an Oscar. The artist working on it is so amazing and timeless ,and it’s a lost art too, this 2D animation is such a lost art. If anyone gets the chance to see it I hope they really enjoy it, and to know the history behind it before you see it makes it all the more special.