FREE Voice Over Tips & Insights – From a 25+ year Pro
The 12 Principles of Animation — And Why Every Voice Actor and Puppeteer Needs to Know Them
In 1981, two Disney animators named Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston published what has since been called the "Bible of Animation" — a book called The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation. In it, they laid out 12 foundational principles that govern how great animation moves. Voice actors, they are NOT just for animators. Puppeteers, you need to take note too. Here's why — and what each principle means for the performance you bring to the mic and beyond.
So You Want to Play the Villain? Good. This Is the Most Fun You'll Ever Have Behind a Mic.
Let me tell you something about villains: they are the MOST fun you will ever have behind a microphone. The cackle. The monologue. The dramatic pause before the really terrible thing happens. All of it. But here's what separates a genuinely terrifying, memorable, bookable villain from a cartoon monster doing a funny voice — and it starts with a question most voice actors never think to ask.
The First 3 Things to Do If You Want to Do VO (Spoiler: None of Them Are Buying a Mic)
Every week someone asks me: "Where do I even start with voice acting?" I have an answer. And it's going to surprise some of you — because none of these first three things involve buying a microphone, building a home studio, or recording a single audition. Here's where the real foundation gets built.