Franklin DeWar's journey as a voice actor began at the tender age of 9, when his voice changed and his life took a dramatic turn. With his newfound deep bass voice, he started singing in the church choir and dubbing training videos for a company he would later work for. This marked the beginning of his foray into the world of voice acting, where he soon discovered he could effortlessly mimic the tone and demeanor of anyone's father, expertly fending off telemarketers.
As he entered high school, Franklin's passion for singing only grew stronger. He joined the May Festival Chorus and the Barbershop Harmony society, SPEBSQSA, now known as the Barbershop Harmony society, where he honed his skills and learned the art of sound effects. He quickly realized that his voice had the power to influence people's moods and even their decision-making processes.
Franklin's academic pursuits led him to Morehead State University, where he earned a degree in Political Science while immersing himself in the Music and Communications Departments. Under the guidance of Dr. Greg Detweiler and Dr. Ricky Little, he developed a profound appreciation for classical vocal technique. During his college years, he formed a Barbershop quartet, The Golden Nights, which became the only paid professional college quartet in the area. The group went on to win the Collegiate District Finals and represent the tri-state region internationally in 2004.
As he neared graduation, Franklin began to explore his options, dropping the occasional line on WMSU public radio and pondering his future. He eventually decided to combine his passion for voice acting with his degree in Political Science, and started working for the post office. However, this was not the only path he pursued. Franklin had always been drawn to voiceover work, and during his college years, he had reached out to top voiceover artists in LA for guidance.
With their help, Franklin built a home studio in 2008, marking the beginning of his professional voice acting career. Today, his voice can be heard at various live events across the tri-state area, and he also offers voice-over coaching through Zappa Studios LLC.
