On December 19, 2021, in a ceremony at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Elliot “Eli” Schiff took home two Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Voice Arts awards for his voiceover work.
“I know the joke about Jews in showbiz and all that,” a yarmulke-wearing Schiff said as he accepted the first award. ”But I’m an Orthodox Jew, it’s rare to even get an opportunity … I just wanted to say how much I appreciate this community for being so open and loving… Thank you so so much.”
Schiff won awards for Outstanding Promo – TV or Web – Best Voiceover – Puptastic vs Puptastrophe (“Puppy Dog Pals,” Disney Jr. promo) and Outstanding Promo Campaign – TV or Web – Best Voiceover – Grateful for the Greens (“Big City Greens,” DisneyXD promos). He was also nominated for Outstanding Commercial Demo – Best Voiceover.
The Journal caught up with Schiff, 38, via Zoom at his home studio in Teaneck, New Jersey. Schiff lived in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles for about 14 years., but last June, Schiff and his family — wife, cartoonist/creative director Chari Pere, and three young children, Jakey, 9, Bailey, 6 1/2, and Serina, 2 1/2 — moved back East.
Raised Modern Orthodox in Woodmere, NY, Schiff felt like a performer from a young age. “I feel like because we were modern, we did go to movies and watch TV and things like that,” Schiff said. “My dad would always kind of make funny voices when I was a kid … and my mom was artistic. She made us these Ninja Turtle shirts that we wore … until they all fell apart. And my family was always interested in the arts.”
Schiff remembers going with his family to see “Once Upon a Mattress” with Sarah Jessica Parker in New York. They had seats close to the stage, and the nine-year-old Schiff felt like the narrator was talking directly to him. That was the spark.
“It made us almost feel like we’re part of the show,” Schiff said. “It was one of those moments that really impacted me to be like, ‘Oh, you really can have this relationship … with the audience around you. “I was like, ‘I want to be able to do something like that.’”
Schiff studied at Yeshiva University and acted in the school plays. After graduation, he worked in accounting for two years. But the acting bug never left him.
After a visit to LA in 2007, Schiff was determined to move there and give acting a shot.
After a visit to LA in 2007, Schiff was determined to move there and give acting a shot. He quit his job (after they tried transferring him to Boston). Although his parents were concerned his observances might fall by the wayside, Schiff was committed to both being an actor and Shabbat observant.
Schiff worked an assortment of jobs while studying acting. His friend Chari Pere came to visit in 2009. They started dating soon afterward, and married in 2010 After the birth of their son Jakey in 2012, Schiff and Pere had a conversation about his career. “She asked me, “‘What do you really want to do?’” Schiff recalled.
On-camera work didn’t feel like a good fit, especially with Schiff’s restrictions (he would “book himself” out, so he was unavailable to work on Shabbat and Jewish holidays). Auditions involved a lot of driving and waiting. “It could be a three-hour ordeal for a five-minute audition,” he said.
Voiceover work made sense. There’s flexibility in timing. For instance, a Friday audition tape isn’t due until Monday, so he could work on it on Sunday.
Voiceover work, however, made sense. There’s flexibility in timing. For instance, a Friday audition tape isn’t due until Monday, so he could work on it on Sunday.
“I really do love doing voiceover work,” he said. “I had taken classes when I first moved out there, but I didn’t really fully pursue it…. And so I was like, you know what, I’m going to really double down on this.”
After years of study and odd jobs, Schiff dove full-time into voiceover in June 2017. He has worked in many genres of voiceover, including Commercials (Google, Uber, Arco, Aha sparkling water), Promo (DisneyXD, Disney Jr.), Video Games (“Genshin Impact,” “Final Fantasy Brave Exvius,” “Trials of Mana,” “Afterparty”), Audio Description (“Succession,” “The White Lotus,” “Growing Up Animal”), eLearning, audiobooks and more.
Schiff hopes to continue on this “trajectory” and is excited for what the future may bring.
“Growing up, the nice thing about going to religious schools was that it did allow for, uh, the creative expression [while being able to] keep Shabbos. I was able to do theater in high school [and] college.
“At a certain point, people were just like, ‘Well, you’re out of college now. …. You can’t really continue doing this. It’s not really a line of work for somebody who is Orthodox.’ And I just kept wondering, “Why not?
Schiff has a message for those in high school or college, considering a similar path: “If [acting is] something you love and you really want to commit.… it’s not easy, but it’s possible.”
