ADV Films
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ADV Films is the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas, specializing in publishing anime and tokusatsu videos, and other live-action material. The company distributes anime in both North America and Europe.
Founded in 1992 by film fans John Ledford and Matt Greenfield, they started out by licensing and releasing the Devil Hunter Yohko series on video, were the first North American anime licensor to use all-digital video mastering and transfer (specifically D2 digital video tape), and soon began acquiring an extensive library, [citation needed] culminating in the licensing of the influential and controversial television series Neon Genesis Evangelion. In 1996, ADV Films had opened its U.K. division, and diversified into the realm of live-action with series such as Andromeda and Japanese films in the Gamera series.
No one knows for sure what the A.D. in ADV stands for, but it is suspected to mean "ADvanced", mainly because of the title AD Police. [citation needed]
[edit] Dubbing
When ADV first started back in 1992, they released videos in the original Japanese language with English subtitles. A few years later, they decided to begin dubbing, releasing anime with the Japanese dialogue recorded over with that of English, using their own voice actors. ADV started out using a nearby production studio as their recording facility, which put many restraints on them. For example, to use the studio, ADV's producers had to pay an hourly fee. If a certain actor didn't show up, someone else had to fill the role, which explains why Matt Greenfield appeared as minor and/or secondary characters in many of the early dubs, such as Gunsmith Cats, Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 and, most notably, Neon Genesis Evangelion, although some of these roles were taken on by Greenfield because it wasn't worth getting someone else to do a bit part or he wanted to play the role. All roles played by Greenfield were credited with the alias Brian Granveldt.
After a few years, ADV was able to open up their own production and recording facility in Houston, and also opened a second studio in Austin, Texas. The studios were named Industrial Smoke & Mirrors (IS&M) and Monster Island, respectively. Over the years, ADV amassed a huge backlog of titles they didn't deem important enough to dub right away. With Monster Island, any shows not being dubbed by IS&M could be done by them (for example, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water and the Rurouni Kenshin OVA, Samurai X). With the completion of backlog dubbing, Monster Island closed down permanently in early 2005 and IS&M became known simply as ADV Studios.
In keeping touch with their Houston roots, ADV Films is planning a joint project with Swishahouse for an Anime Screwed & Chopped Megamix series. ADV also holds anime screenings Friday nights at 7:30 at the Alamo Drafthouse in Houston and San Antonio, Texas.
