Post-90s Beijing drifters: My voice acting dream

Xiaotong

Xiaotong, born in 1991, is from Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province. She graduated from Shenzhen University. Her dream is to be a good voice actor.

It is Xiaotong's second year in Beijing. She had worked in Shenzhen before, where she did voice-over work for online games. She is now an "apprentice" in voice-over field in Beijing.

Xiaotong rents an apartment together with a few other Beijing drifters outside the city's east fifth ring road. The public area of the apartment is messy. Though far away from the city center, the room costs her 2,000 yuan a month, which takes up most of her income.

The working hours of voice actors are not fixed. Whenever work comes, they have to rush to the studio. She will call her mother when she has free time. However, she will turn to WeChat if there is too much work. "I want to be busy. In that case, I will feel satisfied and can achieve more progress," said Xiaotong.

Shangguan

Shangguan, born in 1991, has stayed in Beijing for three years. He graduated from Communication University of China, Nanjing, majoring in broadcasting and hosting. Shangguan Qifeng is the name he uses on the Internet. His friends call him Shangguan. This young man is interested in dubbed films.

Shangguan often works late at night. Despite the high rent, he shares a two-room apartment with three other Beijing drifters near his workplace. The apartment costs them almost 4,000 yuan per month.

Apart from the four men, there are three dogs and one cat in the apartment. Only one dog was bought, the rest are all stray animals they picked up in the street.

Shangguan has dubbed as An Yifei, the main actor in TV drama "Not the Same Handsome Man". It's his first time to dub as a main actor. Shangguan earns 2,000 or 3,000 yuan a month, which barely covers the basic living expense. There are many "apprentices" like Shangguan in the studio where he works, the youngest one is 20 years old and oldest is more than 40. They all dream to be real voice actors in the future.

Mumu

Mumu has worked as a choreographer in Hunnan TV, a DJ in a radio station, and a commentator for competitive games. She finally chooses to be a voice actor.

Xiaotong, Shangguan and Mumu are among the tens of thousands of Beijing drifters who are dreaming to be voice actors. Despite tough life, they work hard for their dreams.