DUBBING 101 – TAGALOG DUBBING The Video That Opened the Doors of Filipino Dubbing
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| Pocholo De Leon Gonzales - Voice / Dubbing Director for HERO TV |
In 2005, long before social media tutorials, online masterclasses, and creator platforms became commonplace, the world of Filipino dubbing remained largely invisible to the public. Audiences heard the voices, loved the characters, and followed the stories, but few understood how Tagalog dubbing was actually created.
That quiet separation between audience and process changed with a simple but historic video.
Titled DUBBING 101 – Tagalog Dubbing, the vlog documented an actual dubbing session featuring the Tagalog dubbers of the hit series Meteor Garden and other popular shows. It is now widely regarded as the first documented dubbing vlog in the Philippines, offering the public its earliest inside look at the real working environment of Filipino voice artists.
At the center of this initiative was Pocholo De Leon Gonzales, then a young dubbing director at Hero TV Production, who would later become known nationwide as The VoiceMaster.
Opening the Studio Doors
The video begins not with fanfare, but with intention. Gonzales introduces himself and clearly states his purpose: to show how dubbing is done and to introduce the people who make it happen.
In an industry where technical knowledge was rarely shared outside professional circles, this gesture was quietly groundbreaking. For the first time, aspiring voice artists, anime fans, and curious viewers were invited inside a real dubbing studio to observe the actual workflow.
The camera documents a typical workday:
Call time at 9:30 in the morning.
Recording sessions starting at 10:00 AM.
Prepared scripts.
Open monitors displaying video playback.
Microphones ready for performance.
The presentation is unembellished. There are no dramatized sequences or staged explanations. What viewers see is authentic studio life.
The message is subtle but powerful: dubbing is a profession built on discipline, preparation, and technical precision.
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| Robert Brillantes and Benjie Dorango |
The Voices Behind Familiar Characters
Among the dubbers featured are respected professionals whose voices shaped an entire generation of Filipino viewers.
Benjie Durango appears as one of the primary talents, known for voicing Dao Ming Si in Meteor Garden, as well as major roles in Lovers in Paris and Stained Glass.
Robert Brillantes is also featured, known for voicing characters such as Shimen and Ken, Cyrus in My Name Is Kim Sam Soon, Su, Damulag in Doraemon, and roles in Detective Conan.
Rather than highlighting fame, the video presents these artists as working professionals. They arrive on time. They review scripts. They step into the booth. They perform.
The focus remains on craft.
Demonstrating Real Skill
One of the most striking moments in the video shows Robert Brillantes performing multiple characters in succession, each with a distinctly different voice, personality, and emotional tone.
The sequence demonstrates:
Precise character switching.
Consistent vocal placement.
Emotional control.
Synchronization with animated mouth movements.
Immediate responsiveness to direction.
There is no post-production enhancement showcased. The performance stands on its own.
For many viewers, this moment became a revelation. Dubbing was no longer an abstract concept. It was visible, measurable skill.
A Collaborative Art
The vlog also highlights the presence of the technical and creative team behind the scenes. Viewers see the sound technician handling recording software, adjusting levels, and coordinating takes. They see the director guiding performance. They see how script, picture, and voice converge into a single finished product.
Without stating it outright, the video communicates an essential truth:
Dubbing is teamwork.
Voice acting is inseparable from engineering, directing, and production coordination.
This holistic view of dubbing would later become a core teaching principle in formal voice training programs in the Philippines.
A Message to Future Voice Artists
Toward the end of the video, Gonzales addresses viewers directly. He speaks to anime fans and to those who dream of becoming dubbers, encouraging them to listen to the advice of professionals, learn the fundamentals, and approach dubbing with seriousness.
There are no exaggerated promises of instant success.
Only an invitation to learn.
A Video Ahead of Its Time
Viewed today, DUBBING 101 – Tagalog Dubbing feels remarkably ahead of its era. It embodied values that would only become mainstream many years later:
Open knowledge sharing.
Accessible education.
Transparency in creative professions.
One year after the release of this video, Gonzales founded CreatiVoices Productions, the first and premier voice-over company in the Philippines. This was followed by the establishment of The Philippine Center for Voice Acting and eventually the Certified Voice Artist Program (CVAP), which has since trained tens of thousands of voice artists nationwide and abroad.
In hindsight, DUBBING 101 can be seen as the philosophical starting point of this larger movement.
Two decades later, Pocholo De Leon Gonzales stands at the forefront of another transformation: AI voice technology. He now works with global AI voice platforms to create Filipino voice datasets, train voice artists in ethical AI voice creation, and advocate for the coexistence of human artistry and machine tools.
The technology has changed.
The mission has not.
Education.
Access.
Empowerment.
Legacy
DUBBING 101 – Tagalog Dubbing is more than an old vlog.
It is a historical document.
It captures the moment when Filipino dubbing began stepping out of the shadows and into public understanding.
For today’s voice artists, students, and enthusiasts, it serves as a reminder:
Before voice acting became a trending online topic, there were already pioneers quietly building pathways.
And sometimes, all it takes to start a movement is the courage to turn on a camera and share what you know.
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