Transformers Prime Tuesday Fan Q&A with Jeff Kline and Steve Blum

FAN: What do you enjoy most about voicing Starscream?

Steve Blum: (in Starscream’s voice) Everything! (in his own voice) What’s not to like about Starscream. He’s a naughty-con; he’s the ultimate naughty-con, always self-serving, always up for the greater good for Starscream. So, that’s always fun to play because I don’t necessarily get to do that in real life. AND… working with an incredible cast that begins with Peter Cullen and Frank Welker as Optimus and Megatron and just continues on with different levels of awesome throughout the whole room. It’s amazing.


FAN: Do you know if Brian Tyler's score for the show will ever be released on CD?

Jeff Kline: The answer is YES and actually quite soon! There will be more coming out about that through official channels, but the answer is yes. Please buy it (laughs).


FAN: Have we seen the last of synthetic Energon? How about dark Energon?

Jeff Kline: Without giving too much away… as I’ve said in some previous interviews, once we introduce something into the world of Transformers Prime, we tend to revisit it; if only because with a computer show, you’re kinda limited with how many new builds and how many new things. Much like the Indians used every part of the buffalo, we want to use everything and anything we come up with. So yes, you will definitely be seeing more of the Energons we established previously and maybe even something new.

Steve Blum: And for the record, (in Starscream’s voice) dark Energon is delicious!


FAN: What’s it like working with the great Peter Cullen?

Steve Blum: Oh man! I’m like a little kid in the room. Every time I hear him open his mouth, I feel like a little kid! It’s just so much awesome. It vibrates the walls; it vibrates our bodies. And he’s just such a nice man too. It’s very exciting for me. It just never gets old! And I thought that after a little while I might get a little bit jaded, but it’s always exciting to see Peter. I’m just thrilled that he’s willing to do this.

Jeff Kline: I feel like Peter coming on board for both Transformers Prime and then Transformers Rescue Bots gave us a certain amount of respectability, fan credibility in a way.

Steve Blum: Absolutely!

Jeff Kline: And quite honestly, we felt the same way about you with Rescue Bots. If Steve Blum is willing to do it, then it can’t be that kiddie, it must be more than a little kids' show.

Steve Blum: Well I love working on things that are really good for kids to watch too, and that’s something that I don’t get to do often enough in my career. So, I jumped at the opportunity to do this and I’m so excited to be a part of it. And also, in addition to that question about Peter, I worked opposite him on a block of programming called “Toonami” years ago and I never got to work in the same room with him. I always loved his voice, so to be on the same cast as him now is a dream come true!


FAN: Is dark Energon inside of StarScream like Megatron or does he just hold on to the shard?

Steve Blum: That’s a very good question!

Jeff Kline: I think if you jam the dark Energon shard into your chest, as Megatron has done, you tend to get dark Energon inside you. Even just holding it though can have an impact on a Bot, or even a human. As we saw when we first introduced dark Energon, just a drop of it made some of our characters nauseous. So, dark Energon is very powerful!

Steve Blum: I wouldn’t recommend using it to clean your ears. Not good.