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Acting Alum Eden Bostrom on Discovering the World of Voice Acting

Eden Bostrom, Featured in the Arts & Comms: Behind the Stories Video Series, Shared How She Found Her Passion for Voice Acting

From considering dropping out and starting somewhere new to being part of an animated short film that won a student Emmy, Eden Bostrom’s undergraduate experience was full of surprises and opportunity.

Bostrom Voice Acting in the BYU Center for Animation’s Film “The Witch’s Cat”
Bostrom Voice Acting in the BYU Center for Animation’s Film “The Witch’s Cat”
Photo Courtesy of Summer Creative Agency

During her junior year, Bostrom began to wonder whether she was on the right path. “I’d been studying to be an actor, but I started to feel like that career path wasn’t possible for me,” Bostrom said.

She went to her advisor Stephanie Breinholt for guidance, who suggested voice acting. “This was an industry I’d never considered before college and so learning about it totally opened my world,” Bostrom said. She had taken the voiceover class at BYU and had been training and auditioning on her own when she saw an audition opportunity for the BYU Center for Animation’s film “The Witches Cat.” 

“One of the unique things that the CFAC provides is the outstanding experiences for students to work in professional environments,” said TMA Department Chair Megan Sanborn Jones. “Students get real world training right here on campus that mirrors the kind of work they will be doing in the professional field.”

Bostrom in Los Angeles
Bostrom in Los Angeles
Photo Courtesy of Summer Creative Agency

“In my training, I had done a lot of animal voices, specifically cats — I love cats so this was the perfect project,” said Bostrom. “The role of Singe the Cat allowed me to use all the training I had and dive into a new, untouched character.” Bostrom was able to lend her voice acting skills to “The Witch's Cat,” which later won a Student Emmy for Best Animation.

Later, Bostrom was able to expand her knowledge beyond BYU as a result of a suggestion from Breinholt. “One of BYU’s goals is to create experiential learning opportunities for students where they can bridge what they’re studying in the classroom with professional experience,” said Breinholt. It was in the spirit of this mission that Breinholt recommended to Bostrom that she travel to L.A. to learn from professionals in the industry such as BYU alum Ben Hoppe, Disney Creative Director.

Bostrom and Disney Creative Director Ben Hoppe
Bostrom and Disney Creative Director Ben Hoppe
Photo Courtesy of Summer Creative Agency

“Choosing a creative career comes with admitting that there will be many twists and turns; it is not a straight path. Over time I've noticed that one of the greatest filters of success in the industry is determination and time,” Hoppe said. “The entertainment industry is full of wonderful people. It needs more wonderful people. It needs people who are trying actively, daily, to share their light, to connect people to the divine through their example.”

Though a career in a creative field has been more difficult than she had previously thought, Bostrom shared that she feels confident in her ability to put in the work and find her place. She currently works for Summer Creative Agency as an assistant producer and is involved with local film and theatre projects and has future plans to move to Los Angeles to expand her career. “I’m realizing that everyone has their own path and it’s not a linear journey,” said Bostrom. “BYU has helped me grow my spirituality and faith — God has a path for me and I can trust it.”

Charting a Creative Path: A BYU Student’s Journey to the Entertainment Industry