Empty Pages (Storyboard Reel)

Project Overview

In 1957, a stray dog from the streets of Moscow became the first living creature to go into orbit. Sadly, her mission was a one-way trip, as there was no way to bring her home at the time. This is her story re-imagined.

In this version, Laika lives in an anthropomorphic animal society as a steel factory worker in Soviet Russia. The film, as I envision it being someday, explores Laika's hopes and dreams against the backdrop of the Cold War, her training for the mission that'll immortalize her in the history books, and the conflict between Soviet government officials who have to hide the mission's true nature from her until it's too late.

With the script basically ready, my goal is to have the entire thing storyboarded from front to back, then edited together into a fully voice acted demo reel version of the entire film. I've been working on making that a reality for almost a full year now, handling all the art, character designs, editing, music, and sound design all on my own. Things have gotten far enough along that I think scouting for voice talents is becoming a necessity. If things go the way I hope they will, the finished demo reel could lay the foundations for a fully produced animated film someday. Until then, I'll be fighting like hell to make this demo reel as good as it can be.

ACTIVE SOCIALS:

-YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMsdX2ysfKxEwCCIcYHOyvQ

-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/project_star_dog

-Newgrounds: https://projectstardog.newgrounds.com

-Twitter: https://x.com/ProjectStarDog

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Latest Updates

  • Update #5: The Anniversary Reel

    November 3rd marked the 67th anniversary of when the real Laika took her first and last flight on Sputnik 2. This year, it also marks the 1st anniversary of when I launched Project Star Dog, the name of this storyboarding phase that aims to get the entire script drawn up. Now, thanks to the help of everyone who auditioned for it, that's beginning to become a reality. All of the roles have been selected now, everyone who got picked has been contacted, and now things are truly in motion. I posted a 15 minute anniversary reel onto YouTube with all the footage and voice clips that are ready so far, and I'm extremely proud of it. I do still have upcoming voice recording sessions with some actors, so I had to leave a couple of scenes out to account for that. I did my best to work with everyone's schedules and availability to keep them comfortable, and that was just one of the costs to do it. (I've spent a hell of a lot more than that on less important things before.) I think this is the first genuine representation of what I'm hoping this will be when it's done, and I can't wait to see how it grows and develops from here. Thank you to everyone who participated, and I'll do everything I can to live up to all the amazing developments we accomplished these past few weeks. Check out the reel here!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXisqUPttb8

  • Update #4: Recording Sessions in Progress + Final New Roles

    Another special thanks to everyone who's been following and supporting this project so far! Over the last few days, I finally had my first 2 recording sessions with Tyler P (voice of Aleksandr) and JheidtmooreVA (voice of young Laika), and they've both been resounding successes. I'd never directed voice lines like this before, and the nervousness was starting to get to me. But thanks to these two being so nice to work with and fully understanding what I needed, that nervousness is almost totally gone now.

    Massive shoutout to both of them, and to everyone else I've assigned the roles to so far! Speaking of roles, I've opened up the last few of them that I'll be needing for the foreseeable future. The minor characters' audition submissions are still going strong, and at this rate, I'm feeling confident that I can get my 1 year anniversary storyboard update ready in time for November 3rd. I've still got a long road ahead of me with this project, but thanks to all the help from so many amazing talents, the next phase of that road is on my doorstep now. I've never been this excited to keep going before, and I'm going to fight like hell for it to the very end!

    -Anthony

  • Update #3: New Roles Added!

    Now that I seem to have all of the main characters' voices covered, I'm ready to start on submissions for some of the more minor characters I'll be needing line reads for. If you sent a submission already and still feel interested in a smaller role, here's your chance! I do feel a little bad about some of the characters only having 2 lines total, so if anyone's willing to do different voices for multiple characters, that would be a huge bonus. Hope to see what kinds of life can be brought to this next set of characters!

    -Anthony

  • Update #2

    To say I'm blown away by the results of everyone's voice submissions would be underselling it. I'm still in shock at not only the turnout, but at how many of them were such high quality line reads given by incredibly talented voice actors and actresses! The variety in vocal styles, moods, and inflections gave me more to work with than I ever hoped. I even kept the roles open longer than I planned because the auditions just kept coming, and so many of them were full of potential.

    Choosing who to go with for each character was one of the most intimidating things I've had to do on this project thus far, but I've sent DMs to all the people I think will fit best. To everyone who submitted a recording, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. No matter what you made your character(s) sound like, you've all helped give me a much, MUCH needed burst of hope and motivation. The fact that so many capable and gifted people were willing to be part of this is genuinely hard to process, and even if you weren't picked, know that you are appreciated and you'll be acknowledged once this project is finished. And who knows, maybe you'll still have a chance when I open roles for some more minor characters later down the line!

    -Anthony

  • Update #1

    I want to give a special thanks to everyone who's submitted auditions so far! The turnout for this thing has been beyond my wildest expectations, and it's given me a much-needed shot in the arm of hope and resolve. I don't know exactly how much longer I should keep all the voice roles open for, but I already sense some keepers in here. I'll probably get in contact through DMs with some of the actors/actresses in the next few days or so, and things should progress from there. I can't thank you all enough, and I'm more excited than ever to see where everything goes!

    -Anthony

Project Roles: Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: Liv

Lead role for Laika Belsky, a 26 year old anthro dog woman who works as a steel factory worker in Moscow circa 1957. She's an eternal optimist, easily excitable, and has a hopeful outlook on the Cold War someday ending with peace. She loves studying the stars and outer space, so the launch of Sputnik in particular shoots her optimism to an all-time high. She's somewhat naive, and her fierce loyalty and patriotism to the Soviet Union leaves her vulnerable to exploitation from government forces. At the same time, Laika is also lonely and insecure about her place in the world, stemming from being orphaned during World War II. The trauma of losing her parents never really left her, and she wants nothing more than to be guided towards an ultimate purpose.

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • generic russian
  • female young adult
  • animation
  • storyboard demo
  • film
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian english
  • standard russian

  • Being a speck in the universe is no reason to be insignificant. It could even make you the most valuable thing in it.

  • I've always wanted to write a book comparing everyday life here to everyday life in America. I suspect we're not as different as we want to think sometimes, and I want to learn for sure.

  • I don't know why they won't see the value in Sputnik. For all of time, a mammal-made object being put into the stars could only happen on the pages of science fiction stories. Now we've turned it into our reality. This is an extension of the revolution itself, yet those who hold it in the highest regard act as if this is its downfall.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 9 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: Tyler P

Major role for Aleksandr Galkin, a 63 year old anthro Siberian husky man who works as a professor at a university in Moscow, circa 1957. He's very reserved, shy and tends to keep to himself. He's like this because his son, Ivan, died in World War II during an aerial dogfight, and he blames himself for it. That was on top of his wife dying years beforehand, after she was taken to a Soviet gulag which proved to be fatal. Aleksandr goes out of his way to hide his trauma from anyone he doesn't deeply trust, hoping to appear like he's just focused on his work all the time. He tries to cope with feeling like he's lost his purpose in life, to incredibly mixed results. Once Aleksandr gets involved with the mission to launch Sputnik 2, he's assigned to be Laika's instructor to help guide her through the training she'll endure for it. Long-repressed feelings of guilt and regret start to re-surface, and it threatens to derail the entire mission if he's not careful.

Voice description:
  • russian english
  • standard russian
  • generic russian
  • adult
  • male adult
  • animation
  • russian (moscow)
  • film

  • From the day he learned to speak, he was obsessed with airplanes and flight. His first memory was when I took him to visit a museum with planes from the first World War in them. The look on his face when he got to see those propellers up close, aha! I'll never forget it as long as I live.

  • Sergei, please, we have to take an honest look at ourselves. We're sacrificing a civilian's life for the sake of a rocket test!

  • I'm insignificant without him. I'm nothing. I'm one speck of dust in a world of dust.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 11 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: brennenmichael

Major role for Sergei Korolev, a 50 year old anthro bear man who works as the head of the Soviet space program, circa 1957. Based on the historical figure of the same name, Korolev is an imposing, experienced and pragmatic rocket scientist who puts his duties to the state above all else. He's also secretly paranoid about the possibility that the United States might uncover his identity and assassinate him to get ahead in the space race. He's in charge of the Sputnik 2 mission, which plans on being the first satellite to ever put a person into space. But the Soviet government is pressuring him to have it launch in time for the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution, meaning there's no time for a plan on how to get Laika, the test subject, back to Earth alive. He doesn't like this one bit, and he wishes things could be different. But as a gulag survivor, Korolev knows better than to risk defying the government 

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • russian english
  • storyboard demo
  • generic russian
  • film
  • male adult
  • russian (moscow)
  • animation
  • adult

  • We've entered a new age. Not since the atomic bomb has science changed our place in the universe so much, and so quickly.

  • I brought you here to remind you that revolution runs through your veins. Just as it ran through his and your grandfather's alike. Don't let your instructor distract you from it.

  • If either of you stay the course, this is who you will be spitting in the face of. Not me, and not the Central Committee. But your fellow proletariat.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 11 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: Andrew Winson

Major role for Vladimir Yazdovsky, a 44 year old anthro deer man who works as a scientist and a surgeon in Soviet Russia, circa 1957. Based on the real life historical figure of the same name, he's extremely smart, skilled, and calculating with his work. Yazdovsky presents himself as a stoic pragmatist, but internally, he's conflicted and uncertain. On one hand, he's helping to make history by being involved with Sputnik 2, the first satellite to ever carry a person on it. But on the other hand, he knows it's a one way trip that Laika, the test subject he has to help train, has no chance of surviving. Yazdovsky tries his best not to get emotionally attached to her, but thanks to one of his colleagues, Aleksandr Galkin, he's thrown into a spot of doubt and hesitancy. He has to decide whether his loyalties belong to the Soviet state that he serves, or to his inner humanity and sense of remorse for this doomed dog.

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • generic russian
  • animation
  • film
  • male adult
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian english
  • standard russian
  • storyboard demo

  • With all due respect, you know as well as I do that this is a suicide mission for her. She doesn't have much time left.

  • If we just had another few months, I am positive the team could find a way to bring Laika home safely.

  • Since your scars need time to heal, we won't have you do anything physical for the next week or so.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 10 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: Steven Jobson

Supporting role for Oleg Gazenko, a 39 year old anthro rabbit man who works as a biologist and a supervisor for the Soviet space program, circa 1957. He's very friendly and inviting, sometimes injecting a sense of humor into otherwise tense situations. He becomes an assistant trainer for Laika, the orphaned Soviet dog woman who gets chosen for the one-way trip to space on board Sputnik 2. Like his colleagues, Oleg is troubled and uncertain about being involved with a mission that'll guarantee Laika's death if it succeeds. He's one of the few scientists who's willing to speak with her on a personal level, and helps to calm her nerves during her problems during training. From Oleg's point of view, it's the least he can do considering what he'll soon be complicit in.

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • generic russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • standard russian
  • russian english
  • film
  • male adult
  • animation
  • storyboard demo

  • Think of it like this: It's gonna inspire a lot of people when they hear the first person who ever went to space came from such a humble background. To show that any ordinary worker on Earth can get their name in the history books, even without wealth or status. That embodies the spirit of our nation.

  • He knows a thing or two about losing someone he cares about. First his wife to the gulags, then his son to war. The man has been through the wringer.

  • Is this your way of telling me you want to start mopping floors around here?

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 8 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: Chloë Elmore

Minor role for Natasha Belsky, an anthro dog woman in her early 30s. She's the deceased mother of Laika, the main character, who often stressed the importance of doing things by the book and abiding by the rules of Soviet society to stay safe. She tried to encourage Laika's love of making star maps at night, while making sure she didn't stay up too late to make them on school nights. Natasha was orphaned at an early age when her father, who was a Bolshevik, died fighting in the Russian civil war. Since then, she raised Laika to have a special reverence for Lenin and everything his revolution stood for. Natasha, along with her husband Matysh, died while trying to flee Moscow during a battle in World War II, causing Laika to be orphaned just like she was.


Flexible to work with either self-directed lines or live directing sessions!

Voice description:
  • generic russian
  • russian
  • russian english
  • film
  • female adult
  • animation
  • russian (moscow)
  • storyboard demo

  • Your father's right, dear. Keep this little flame going until it can turn into a glorious blaze!

  • It’s just the rules, Laika. You must always follow them to survive.

  • We're just taking a little trip for a while, we'll come back! I promise!

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 1 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: Eddy Elfman

Minor role for Matysh Belsky, an anthro dog man in his early to mid 30s. He's the deceased father of Laika, the main character, who had a more relaxed and laissez-faire demeanor than his wife Natasha did. He liked to put on a jolly image for Laika to feel safe and comfortable with, and he envies his daughter's passion for space and the stars. That jolly image was sadly shattered when he, along with Natasha, died while trying to escape Moscow during World War II. Laika's memories of him and his encouragement for her hobbies were a major factor in making her the person she is at the time the film is set.


Flexible to work with either self-directed lines or live directing sessions!

Voice description:
  • animation
  • film
  • russian
  • generic russian
  • male adult
  • russian (moscow)
  • storyboard demo
  • russian english

  • I envy it. Wouldn’t even know how to find constellations as is, let alone name them.

  • But like any fire, it must be contained and controlled so it doesn’t spread too far. You understand, right?

  • Hold onto those train tickets with your life, Natasha!

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 5 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Hourly 20 USD
Role assigned to: Kyle of 3 languages

Minor role for Cheslav Datsyuk, an anthro sika deer man in his mid 40s. Cheslav is an experienced, no-nonsense manager of a Moscow steel factory in the 1950s who speaks with a gruff voice. He enforces the strict work quotas placed on his workers, and staunchly believes in the Stalinist model of brute strength for the best results. With the Soviet reforms of the 1950s underway, Cheslav feels agitated, and thinks the country is going down a path that betrays what Stalin stood for. If challenged on this, his demeanor goes from calm and calculating to angry and explosive almost on a dime. One worker in particular, Laika, finds this out the hard way when he speaks to her about her performance.


Flexible to work with either self-directed lines or live directing sessions!

Voice description:
  • male adult
  • russian (moscow)
  • animation
  • storyboard demo
  • generic russian
  • gruff russian
  • russian
  • film

  • Reports tell me that you fell short on your September quota, Miss Belsky. A thousand pounds of steel were expected from you, but you delivered just over eight hundred.

  • Our sector still needs us to meet certain goals to keep the supply of steel to the country up.

  • Khrushchev’s renegades are going to run us all into ruin, and I don’t want to hear my own comrades asking why we can’t help accelerate it!

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 2 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: Eddy Elfman

Minor role for a Soviet government official in his mid-40s, anthropomorphized as a Russian elk. He's one of the few men invited to a top secret meeting about a second Sputnik mission, which involves the first person to ever be sent to space. He has doubts and reservations about how something like this could work, but like most others around him, his superiors in government have the final say that'll seal the fate of the test subject.


Self-directed lines would probably be best, but I can do a live directed session too if desired!

Voice description:
  • male adult
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian
  • animation
  • storyboard demo
  • generic russian
  • russian english
  • film

  • That's less than a month to prepare, are we capable?

  • Who would agree to such a thing?

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 6 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: Kyle of 3 languages

Minor role for a Soviet government officer in his early 50s, anthropomorphized as a German shepherd. He speaks with a gruff voice that resembles a veteran military sargent. He's one of the few men invited to a secret meeting about the fate of Sputnik 2, a new satellite that'll be carrying the first living being into space. Upon learning that the mission is a one way trip, however, he becomes outspoken about his objections to its ethics.


Self-directed lines would probably be best, but I can also do a brief live directed session if desired!

Voice description:
  • russian english
  • generic russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • gruff russian
  • animation
  • storyboard demo
  • film
  • russian
  • male adult

  • This is absurd, Khrushchev is reckless!

  • Then as head of our rocket program, it's your responsibility to start building it!

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 1 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: Tyler P

Minor role for an anthro cat man in his late 60s. He's a veteran general of the Soviet military, and saw in the past with scars to prove it. He's one of the few who gets to listen in on a meeting about the Soviet Union's newest project: Sputnik 2, the first satellite to ever carry a living being on board. But he becomes as unnerved as most of his peers when he learns the mission has no chance of survival, and even tries to help avert a civilian casualty to no avail.


Self-directed lines would probably work best, but I can also do a brief live directed session if desired!

Voice description:
  • male adult
  • generic russian
  • film
  • storyboard demo
  • russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian english
  • animation

  • But we have no way of knowing if mammals can survive a launch yet. Further testing is needed!

  • I suggest we choose an air force pilot for this instead, they're more likely to handle the flight.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 5 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: RarePepeSilvia

Minor role for a Soviet government official, anthropomorphized as a red fox, in his early 30s. He's the youngest of the government members who get briefed on the space program's plans for the new, revolutionary Sputnik 2 mission. He's also the first one to question what the plans to bring the pilot back alive are, which is what forces the revelation that there aren't any. He isn't any happier about it than his peers are, and can only hope the ones in charge know what they're doing with such a risky plan.


Self-directed lines would probably be best, but I can also do a brief live directed session if desired! 

Voice description:
  • generic russian
  • storyboard demo
  • film
  • male adult
  • russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • animation
  • russian english

  • Are there any plans for how to bring a person back alive from this?

  • I hope for their sake that you know what you're doing.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 3 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
Role assigned to: RarePepeSilvia

Minor voice role for Marlen, a Soviet steel factory worker in his late 30s, anthropomorphized as a wild boar. He's rather cynical and not easily impressed, feeling like the Soviet reforms of the 1950s are taking the country down the wrong path. He's also not very receptive to the optimism of one co-worker, Laika, who tries to uplift him with the news of Sputnik being such a leap forward. Marlen sees right through her naiveté, and feels that she's being too distracted from the tense political climate around her. Little does he know just how far that's going to go for her in the coming days.


Flexible to work with either self-directed lines or a live directing session!

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • film
  • storyboard demo
  • male adult
  • animation
  • generic russian
  • gruff russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian english

  • You’ve gotta wake up to what’s really happening, Laika. The premier is just distracting the most, er... *impressionable* of us from his faults.

  • Don't you know how tiny the craft actually is? I've lifted boxes bigger than Sputnik.

  • You never know when to keep your trap shut, do you?

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 1 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
closed
Paid: Flat Rate 20 USD
cast offsite

Minor voice role for Ivan Galkin, an anthro Siberian husky man in his late 20s. He became an expert pilot in the Soviet air force, with his father Aleksandr encouraging it, after having a lifelong fascination with airplanes and flight. He was charismatic, made for an excellent leader, and felt optimistic about victory when he fought in World War II. He even managed to make close friends with almost everyone else in his squadron. Unfortunately, Ivan died in an aerial ambush over Germany, which took out most of that squadron with him. It profoundly crushed Aleksandr's outlook on life, feeling like he's to blame for his son's death. 13 years later, that become the key reason why he does what he does over the course of the main story.


Flexible to work with either self-directed lines or a live directing session!

Language:
  • english
Voice description:
  • male young adult
  • generic russian
  • russian
  • russian (moscow)
  • russian english
  • animation
  • film
  • storyboard demo

  • This is Ivan, checking in with another report. Altitude's about three thousand six hundred feet, and visibility is close to zero here.

  • Just keep it together for today, fellas. We head in, drop the payloads, and head out.

  • This is Ivan Galkin, there are two German fighters on my tail! I need assistance from anyone who can hear!

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 6 Submissions Apply / Audition
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