Maleok here with a new interview with the wonderful Elspeth Eastman, the voice of everyone's favorite Bandle Gunner, Tristana! I was able to ask her a few questions about the experience working with Riot, this time from a voice actor's point of View.

Elspeth at her desk on her DXRacer chair

How did you come in touch with Riot for the Tristana voicing? Can you tell us something about the process so people who are aspiring to work with Riot know what to expect?

Elspeth: Riot approached me with an audition for Tristana – they enjoyed the video on Youtube that I’d done in 2013, covering all League of Legends champions. It was amazing because I did the audition in my closet and they liked it! It’s always good to have a nicer home recording setup if you can, so that you can be ready for anything that comes your way.

Elspeth with Tristana's full voice board.

Can you tell us something about the Riot studio where all the voice overs happen? What's a day in the studio like?

Elspeth: The studio was extremely professional; the people in the booth were so lovely. You can tell they love what they do. Nothing felt rushed – everything was very well organized. Recording was a very fun process, as Riot is easy to get along with. I felt really comfortable, lots of laughs were had, and there was a lot of positive energy in the room.

How long did the process take in total?

Elspeth: About four hours.

How did Riot treat you in your opinion?

Elspeth: Like royalty. I got to meet a bunch of Rioters in their natural habitat, I got to experience Santa Monica (which is an amazing place), and everyone was extremely friendly and happy.


How flexible were they with how you delivered Tristana’s lines?

Elspeth: Very flexible. There was one instance where I ad libbed a snort before saying “Is that gun full sized?” And they really liked it. Felt great to be able to have fun with the script, and get to know the character.

On a scale from 1-10 how would you rate your experience working with Riot?

Elspeth: 10/10! They’re wonderful people and they love what they do.

Do you think this job will be a catalyst to getting other Voice over parts?

Elspeth: It has been doing just that so far, for which I’m immeasurably grateful! Voicing one of the original characters in one of the biggest games of all time will definitely give you a boost in VA work and exposure.


Do you find yourself playing Tristana often now?

Elspeth: I main her. Terribly, but I main her. ADC is a fun role!



What do you think drew Riot’s attention?

Elspeth: I believe it was originally the “Voicing All League of Legends Champions” video that I did on Youtube. They said they’d shared it around the office, which definitely had me blushing!

Elspeth voicing all the champions of League! The video which got her noticed by Riot.

Overall do you think Riot handled everything well with this process?

Elspeth: I think it went more than well – I felt extremely welcomed. They are open, genuine people who love good conversation and new ideas. It’s a rare thing to experience someone who cares about you as a person and truly listens to what you have to say, rather than formulating a response immediately, and that is what Rioters do. Cannot recommend working with them enough if you have the good fortune!

Thank you Elspeth you were a pleasure to speak to and I absolutely LOVE the new Tristana! You have truly outdone yourself with such a fantastic character portrayal! You can follow her on Facebook at: Elspeth Eastman or on Twitter @elspetheastman.