Justin Shenkarow is an Emmy Award winning actor. He’s been doing voice-overs and animation voices as well as on camera acting for over 20 years. For more info on Justin, please visit his website at www.justinshenkarow.com. You can reach him at Justin@justinshenkarow.com or 310-867-1072

A native of Seattle, Craig Bartlett began his career in Portland, Oregon at Will Vinton Studios, where he learned the art of 3-D stop-motion animation working on feature films and commercials. Bartlett relocated to Los Angeles in 1987 to work on CBS’ “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” as the Director/Animator of the show’s “Penny” cartoon segment. He continued to create clay animated films – three of which starred a kid with a football-shaped head named Arnold.

A stint as Story Editor and Director for the first season of “Rugrats” introduced him to Nickelodeon, where he pitched the pilot of “Hey Arnold!” in 1994. “Hey Arnold!” went into production in 1995 and ran for 103 episodes until 2002, the series culminating in “Hey Arnold! The Movie” for Nick Movies/Paramount. “Hey Arnold!” reached over 40 million viewers a month in over 80 countries. Since then, Bartlett has written and directed “Party Wagon,” a TV movie for Cartoon Network, and several other feature scripts and pilots, including “The Jinx” for Nick Movies/Paramount and “Unstable Fables: The Three Little Pigs” for The Jim Henson Company.

The idea for “Dinosaur Train” had a long gestation – Bartlett first thought of the concept when his son Matt was 3 years old and was simultaneously playing with trains and dinosaurs (Matt is now attending college). Bartlett felt that the time was finally ripe when he was settled in at the Jim Henson Company, and Linda Simensky moved to PBS. Everyone joined forces to develop “Dinosaur Train” in 2007. The pilot was made in spring 2008, and ordered for series in October. Bartlett is currently producing the 40-half-hour order.

Justin: Craig, how do you get into creating cartoons?

Craig: I wanted to be an animator since I was in college. I finished up college in Olympia and decided to do animation. The whole goal for someone getting into animation is to have your own show. It was always in the back of my mind. I was working as a clay animator in Portland, and even then I was making my own cartoon shorts. I came down to L.A to do the Penny cartoons for “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.” They were 3D claymation, but they were flat on glass. The first “Hey Arnold” shorts were clay on glass. I made one for “Sesame Street” and two for an independent short festival. I said, “I’ll come up with a character and then build a cartoon show around it.” Harold and Helga are also in the original characters. Harold didn’t have a voice then, he had to wait until you came along.

Justin: What was the process like to take Hey Arnold from the inception of an idea in claymation to actually having it on Nickelodeon?

Craig: It was a really long road. I made the shorts in claymation in 1990. Paul Germain (for a list of Paul’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0314480/) hired me to be the story editor for the first season on “Rugrats.” That was really crucial because I learned writing and story editing. I would write scripts and story edit other peoples scripts. The story piece is really important. In the early 90’s, I had these shorts, and I started doing Arnold comics for Simpson Illustrated. I think in the summer of ’93 I finally pitched Arnold as a cartoon show. It was when Mary Harrington (for a list of Mary’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364316/) was running the West coast animation division. She told me that she wanted me to develop the “Hey Arnold” pilot with her. I had Joe Ansolabehere (for a list of Joe’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0030651/) and Steve Viksten (for Steve’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0897267/) help me write the pilot and we finished it in the summer of ‘94. We did the pilot in the spring of ’94. When you came back, Justin, in 1995 to start voicing the series, your voice had finally cracked and sounded more grown-up. But, it was cool because it was even better for the character of Harold.

Justin: That was right after my Bar Mitzvah.

Craig: Exactly! And then we had to make an episode about that. It was a several year process making Arnold into a series. I thought, ‘Arnold’s my own character, and hopefully someday I can make it into a show.’ However, while I was developing it, I was learning to write stories which helped enhance the show.

Justin: Can you tell us about the new project you’ve got coming out on PBS?

Craig: I can, “Dinosaur Train” on PBS will be airing in the morning, during their preschool timeslot. It starts airing on Labor Day. They ordered 40 half-hours, which is an incredibly huge order. They ordered it back in October right as the economy was collapsing. We did the math and thought, ‘we have 11months,’ and we were like ‘sure, we can do this.’ Since then we’ve been completely hair on fire. We’ve been in post the last few months, scoring shows. It breaks down into 80 eleven minute cartoons. We always have to come up with filler because PBS runs about 28 minutes versus a traditional 22 minutes on Nickelodeon and other networks. PBS airs more because they don’t show commercials. So, we have a live action segment after each cartoon with Paleontologist Dr. Scott who comes on and talks about what the real dinosaurs were like.

Justin: That’s cool.

Craig: We’re doing it all at once and just now delivering our first 8 half hours. Considering we started in October, it’s pretty impressive.

Justin: That’s amazing. How did you come up with “Dinosaur Train”, what was the process like, how did it go from the idea to selling it?

Craig: It was an even longer process than Arnold. I made the first Arnold shorts in the late ‘80s, and it went on TV in October of ‘96. I was working on Arnold; my son Matt was about 3 or 4, and he’d make up Dinosaur names. He had big piles of Dinosaurs and big piles of trains, and I’d watch him put his Dinosaurs on his trains and ride them around. I said to my wife, if I came up with a show that put Dinosaurs on Trains, I’d have all 4 year old’s watching it. It was such a simple concept. I’ll put Dinosaurs on a Train and they’ll ride around and learn Dinosaur facts, and that’s what 4 year olds are into. When I thought about it, I had just started Hey Arnold, and I did that for 6 years. When I was doing that, I became friends with Linda Simensky (for a list of Linda’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1066569/), and she heads up programming for PBS kids. Linda went from Nick to Cartoon Network, so when I finished up Arnold, I followed Linda over to Cartoon. We did some stuff there, like I did a TV movie and other projects. I was bummed when she left Cartoon Network and went to PBS. I said that at PBS you’re going to be doing preschool, and I have a preschool show I’ve always wanted to do called “Dinosaur Train”. She said let me settle in there and when I have the lay of the land, I’ll call you, and we’ll try to develop it. She actually did; she called me a year and a half later and was like remember that show “Dinosaur Train”. I was so thrilled because development execs never remember your projects. It was really cool. I met Linda on “Rugrats,” and we’ve known each other for about 19 years. I started the idea of “Dinosaur Train” when my son Matt was born and now he’s in his second year of college.
Let me say something about the development process: we’re always mad when years go by and you finally get a pilot made; on the other hand, the positives are that we have a lot of time to think it over. I thought about “Dinosaur Train” for a while and I got to flush it out. Also, I think with it now coming on TV, the 3D animation that we’re doing has real advantages for “Dinosaur Train” because you build the 3Dimensional Train, and a 3D Train looks way more convincing than one in 2D. The 3D technology is so much better than it was even 5 years ago and certainly tremendously better than 15 years ago when I first thought of the idea, so it’s great that’s it happening now and not back then.

Justin: I saw a little bit of “Dinosaur Train” when I came to see you guys the other day, and it looks amazing. I’ve never seen anything that looks so clear and beautiful.

Craig: I agree the lighting of it is very whimsical. It’s all forests, volcanoes, trees, skies and water. It’s lit so convincingly and the textures are so beautiful that I think that 4 years old are going to think it’s real and are going to want Dinosaur’s for a pet.

It’s really great; I’m thrilled with the way it looks. It’s all credit to Terri Izumi who’s my art director and over-seeing the art direction in Singapore.

Justin: How do you see the animation industry changing?

Craig: It’s changed a couple times since I first started. When I first started in animation, the new era of the 90’s was Nicktoons. The old animation was “GI Joe” and “Smurfs,” where it had to be a toy before it could be a show. The president of Nick when I started wanted to make original cartoons that weren’t toys. She demanded that something new was created, and that’s how ”Rugrats” came about. The ‘90’s was very creative driven, and a lot of original cartoons were produced. The creators loved it, and it was super creative, very fun, and personal. We’d write emotionally about our lives. It was sort of a nod to Charlie Brown, and I’d have to say that the “Charlie Brown Christmas Special” was the most influential show of my childhood.

Justin: Did you know that I did the voice of Charlie Brown for 2 years.

Craig: That’s awesome! The voice work on “Hey Arnold” was very important and we used real kids, and it gave us realism. I loved working with the kids voices and when you guys got into your characters, you’d come in with ideas and you were the characters, and that really informed the work and made the writing really fun. Franny led the rest of the group, because the whole show was about Helga’s tortured genius.

Now, we’re in this era where money is a lot tighter, it’s a lot harder to get something green-lit, things are more corporate, and people are more scared to pull the trigger. Now, when you do it, you have to do it with a quarter the crew, a third as much time and about half as much money. You’re doing it faster, cheaper, and more of it than ever before. I’m writing 80 half hour scripts from October till September 10th. It’s twice as fast as I did “Hey Arnold,” and it’s just me and Joe Purdy (for a list of Joe’s credits: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700834/) and some freelancers. I like writing the key episodes, like the one where we introduce the new neighbors. Now, I’m writing the final drafts we’re recording at the end of the week, and I like to do the last draft so it goes through my computer and I can oversee everything. It works out that we’re doing about eight shows a month, which is crazy. What’s good about this era is that you’re constantly writing and working. The kids that are doing “Dinosaur Train” are really excited about their characters, and now we’re doing it twice as fast with twice the volume. We’re just jamming.

Justin: What tips do you have for people to try and break into the industry now?

Craig: It’s hard but the good news is that if you get in now, you won’t have the expectations that you had in the 90’s where everyone was working whether it was good or bad. It’s a good time for people to learn animation themselves on their desktop and build their characters and cartoons from there and make their own shorts. You can create your own sensibility and your own tone. You can do your own voice work and do your own music. I did the same thing; I shot my own “Hey Arnold” claymation shorts so people could know where I was coming from. But, I had to shoot mine on film.

Justin: When you did it, it was much harder than now.

Craig: I shot my shorts on 35 millimeter and 16 millimter film.

Justin: Any final thoughts or tips?

Craig: Watch “Dinosaur Train” coming Labor Day. It’s a small, small world and between the two us we probably know everyone in the industry. So, what goes around comes around, you really see that, and keep those relationships going. It’s really nice that we were all good friends on “Hey Arnold” and we can hang out and be friends now It was a good nurturing relationship. The kids that we have “Dinosaur Train” we feel the same way about. It’s tough when you’re a 12 year old boy because that’s a really hard time in your life, so I try really hard to make it great for them, and someday when they’re in their 20’s they’ll say “Hey Remember me” like you guys from “Hey Arnold” do!

I had the privilege of doing an interview with her.  She discusses how she broke into directing, her insight into the animation and interactive industry as well as her thoughts on how to become a great voice-over actor.

Her incredible resume includes directing, “The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest”, “Ben 10” the upcoming “Curious George” as well as many other cartoons.  Kris has an extensive interactive game resume including; the “Metal Gear Solid” series, “Area 51,” “God of War II,” and “Tomb Raider: Underworld” as well as many other games.

How did you get into directing cartoons?

Well, I started out as an assistant at Hanna-Barbera (for a bio on Hanna-Barbera check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera) a long time ago.  Any time I was ready to move on, the person above me ended up leaving, and that’s how I became a casting director.  I was working with Gordon Hunt, and we worked side by side for many years.  Back then, the casting director would sit in as an assistant director with the recording director because we were all on staff.  I learned basically everything by sitting next to Gordon and watching him for many years, watching him work with the actors.  I was a theater major so it wasn’t out of the realm for me but it certainly was not something I planned on ever doing.  We were doing a primetime show called “Capital Critters” (for more info on this show check out: http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0103383/), and we had to record them on Saturday because Neil Patrick Harris (for more on Neil check him out at: http://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0000439/) was our lead, and he was doing Doogie Howser at the time.  Then Gordon called me one Friday late because his doctor told him he had to stay home, he was sick.  He told me “I’m not going to be able to make it tomorrow, and you’ll be fine,” and that was my first directing experience.  I stayed up all night studying the story board being nervous and then we got in there, and we got started.   I said let’s do the scene again.  “Frank give me a little of this and Neil a little of that,” and the actors listened, and it was fun.  Eventually Gordon left Hanna-Barbera, and I did all the casting and most of the voice directing.  Then I went freelance, and, knock on wood, have been doing it fairly well ever since.

Kris, what do you like about directing?

I like directing for animation and for interactive because of the pace.  I love working with the actors and using my imagination along with the actors to give it life and meaning.  I don’t think I’d like on-camera life because it’s so tedious, and it moves so slowly.  I like to keep moving, and I like the energy about it, and it’s fun. No matter whether it’s a dark interactive project with blood and zombies, or light like “Curious George,” you can have fun doing both.  I like animation because of the group records, 5-12 actors all together, the energy is fantastic.  With interactive, group records is more cost prohibitive.  I think it’s helpful for the actors in the group records.

How do you run your sessions as a director?  Bringing everyone in to read as a group or individually?

I prefer directing in groups, but it’s not always cost efficient.

What is the best way to prepare for an audition to come in and read for you?

The funny answer is “I don’t know. I’ve never done that.”  Come early, be prepared, come with an imagination, and come willing to be directed.  When I was learning about acting and casting, it was like the casting director was the enemy.  Yet, what I’ve learned over the years is that is not true.  As a casting director and voice-director, I have a puzzle to solve and I’m not going to be successful unless I solve my puzzle.  I’m going to give every actor that comes in whatever I can to help me solve my puzzle.  I love finding new people as much I love working with the veterans.

What tips do you have for people trying to break into voice-overs and cartoon voice-overs?

Belief in yourself is key; having the acting skills, as well as vocal versatility.  It’s not a voice job, or a sound job, it’s an acting job.  I don’t like it when it’s pinballed as “it’s just voice-over.” It’s one of the most difficult acting jobs that you can think of, because you don’t have sets, or props.  All you’ve got is a microphone and a piece of glass between us and our imaginations.  The more that the actor can pull on those tools: imagination, creativity, and self-directing skills, the more successful they’ll be.

What makes a voice over standout in an audition?

You have to be in the moment.  The actor must have the character live that moment.  It’s easy to hear if someone is just reading.   If it sounds like they’re giving me the dialogue because it’s written in front of them, I can tell.  It’s a medium where you have to read because you’re not going to memorize a 1700 page script, but you have to be able to get your brain off the page and not forget that you’re responding to something that happened.

Are there any final thoughts or tips that you can leave us with?

For interactive work, you have to have stamina.  Do not audition with a voice you can’t sustain for 4 hours.  Chances are you’re going to have to sustain it for 4 hours at the top of your lungs with all the fighting skills and screaming.  Most of all have fun.

by Justin Shenkarow

Justin Shenkarow is an Emmy Award winning actor. He’s be doing voice-overs and animation voices for over 20 years. For more info on Justin, please visit his website at www.justinshenkarow.com. You can reach him at Justin@justinshenkarow.com

or 310-867-1072

Ginny McSwain is a Two-time Emmy Award Casting and Recording Director in the animation industry. She has built a foundation over her many years in the animation industry to become one of the most gifted and talented recording directors in the animation industry.

I had the privilege of doing an interview with her. She discusses how she broke into directing, her insight into the animation industry as well as her thoughts on how to become a great voice-over actor. Her incredible resume of casting and directing animation and interactive games starting with her first casting job for “The Smurfs”. She’s been the recording director for all the major animation networks and directed many breakthrough shows on those networks including:

· Nickelodeon: ‘The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius.” “Fanboy”.

· Disney Channel: “The Book of Pooh” “W.I.T.C.H”

· Walt Disney TV Animation: “The Emperors New School”

· Warner Brothers TV: “The Batman” where she won an Emmy.

· Film Roman: “The Mask”

She’s directed many interactive games as well including “Resident Evil 4,” “Haunting Ground”, “Mass Effect”, “Dragon Age”, “Mass Effect 2”, “End War” and many others.

For an extended list of Ginny’s incredible credits please check out her website at Ginnymcswain.com

My first questions for Ginny started with: How did you get into directing cartoons?

“It’s an interesting story, if you told me in college that I was going to be associated with animation for 33 years, I would have thought you were high. I was a theater major in college, then got married and came out here in Jan ’74 thinking I’d be an actor, so I came out here to L.A from Missouri and pounded the pavement for a minute and then realized it wasn’t for me. So I had odd jobs after that to make money, and I used to pass The Hanna-Barbera (for a bio on Hanna-Barbera check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera) building everyday on my way to work on the freeway. I grew up with “The Flintstones” and loved them. One day in the fall, I figured Hanna-Barbera had to need help and so I’m just gonna go in there. In Dec ’75 I was doing an equity waver play with Annie Potts. I took my huge Monte Carlo and pulled into the Hanna-Barbera Building. This was when animation productions were seasonal, they’d sell the shows in early winter, you would start production in the spring and there were only a couple networks back then. CBS, NBC, and ABC. I walked into the building in December which is when they laid people off because it was their dark period. I walk into Hanna-Barbera and it’s a ghost town. I just walked in and asked the switchboard girl if I could fill out an application and if they had any jobs I could do. I didn’t know what I was thinking, perhaps sweeping the floor, maybe I could do maintenance. Somehow there was this producer standing there named Art Scott (for a bio on Art check out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0778852/) who began answering my questions. He asked me if I had a portfolio. So I said suuurrree. He said “bring it tomorrow night and I’ll introduce you to our art director.” So I said fine. I ran home scrambling and took all of my college drawings and caricatures but I was hardly an animator. I went back the next day and again it was a ghost town because of the lack of production, but true to his word Art Scott introduced me to the art director who was Mr. Iwao Takamoto (for a bio on Iwao check out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0847314/) who created Scooby-Doo and did all the artwork with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. He was a very interesting Asian gentlemen and he talked very softly. He asked me a question I’ll never forgot. He asked “You’re a college graduate?” The only reason I got a job at Hanna-Barbera was because I had a college degree which has never helped me since. So he said, “I’d love to call you in March.” I didn’t think he’d call but he called me in March of ’76 and put me into the art dept as an assistant and then I worked for the head writer for a year plus, and then I worked in development, and then in 1980, I was teamed with Gordon Hunt (for a bio on Gordon check out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0402460/) and we started the recording dept. I could hear all the auditions in 1976 and the tape transfers and I thought I could do that because I had been an actress. I pitched myself and got a couple jobs. Then I said that I wanted to take care of the talent. Back then, it was all the old timers that ran the sessions, the producers would direct all of the shows, and I told them that I wanted to organize the reels for them, and also respond to the talent. It’s an awesome story about how I got my job at Hanna-Barbera and I don’t know if people can do that now. I just walked in because I wanted to work there and I was lucky to work there for 8 years because I got my foundation. People now have less of a foundation, and it’s a terrible struggle to move up the ladder. When I started, I didn’t just see the casting side, I got to draw and work with the presentations. Back then they sold shows by presentations, it was all about the artwork a thin bible on the show and Joe Barbera pitching shows to the network through his fabulous flambouyancy. He was an amazing seller and everyone loved his pitches.

Ginny, what do you like about directing?

I got thrown into it, working with Gordon Hunt and I created this job for myself. Gordon had been the casting director at the Mark Taper Forum and was extremely prestigious over there. Joe Barbera had known him because he had written a play that Gordon had directed. They put us together, because they saw the light behind my eyes and I had learned a lot. I love breathing the life into the copy and the script. The actors bring the power and the life of the project. I’ve been an actor and I’m an actor fan. This is the closest that I can get to Radio Drama. It’s the story telling. I’ve seen the best of it and the shabbiest, but the actors have always been a shining example of how great a project can be. At Disney where I did “Darkwing Duck” and “Aladdin”, the scripts were brilliant. On “Bobby’s World”, the scripts were just enough but we allowed the actors, comedians, and improv people to be loose and plus the script and they could even develop something fun too.

How do you run your sessions as a director? Bringing everyone in to read as a group or individually?

There was a time when I didn’t have a choice—if I had 13 actors in a script then I had 13 microphones, and it was like directing an orchestra. That’s all I did everyday. Looking back I say “Oh my god how did I do that, how did I have the energy to do that.” Later, I did “My friend Tigger and Pooh” and everyone came in individually. It was just as enjoyable because you can do more exploration with a line and a character when you have hours just working with one person. Directing an actor by himself is fun because you get someone who knows what they are doing with levels and I know what I’m doing and you can pull it off both ways. It’s more fun when you have the whole ensemble, it’s like Radio Drama, but I like it both ways. Now, I work on these interactive games and I work with one actor at a time. We beat the shit out of the multiple characters that they are working on for 4 hours and it’s just as changeling and enjoyable for me.

What is the best way to prepare for an audition to come in and read for you?

First of all 99percent of all copy is going through the agents office now. It’s hard to prepare because I don’t think most of the actors are getting their material in advance, but it’s very difficult for the agents, they get bombarded with everybody’s projects. A day in the life of an agent is tough; they have commercial copy, animation, interactive and it could be 60 characters that the agents have to get in 3 days. I don’t know how the actors prepare. I think they fly by the seat of their pants half the time not really knowing what the style is for the show. I think mostly the clients listen back and you hear a lot of “next, next, next and then that’s good let’s bring them in for a callback.” To audition for a real casting director, or a studio, you’ll get your material in advance, you’ll know the style of the show, and you’ll know to ask the right questions, and you can ask questions, what’s the target audience etc. I came from the day, where you always came in to audition for someone live, you didn’t do it on tape or through your agents office. It was the writer and director and producer which was great because the actor got the full monty. Now, the shoving of the copy of the agents is the way it’s done. It’s good for the agents because they can have more of an opportunity to have their people heard. In the old days, I couldn’t call in everybody, I called in who I thought was right for the part, some of my old faves and some new people. That was the mix. Now, a lot of people can be found. Good news is more opportunity for new actors. You need a great booth director. It’s a skill to talk to actors. I was an agent for 5 minutes, just for 9months at Abrams, Rubinoff and Lawrence with Arlene Thornton. I ran the booth for animation and it was fun, the actors loved coming in to read for me because I gave them a lot attention. But, I never wanted to be on the phone as an agent and solicit. I just wanted to be creative and at an agents office what’s the point. I like talking to the actors and getting to the crux of it with creative people.

What tips do you have for people trying to break into voice-overs and cartoon voice-overs?

You can’t touch it unless you’re a strong actor. Versatility is good, being in touch with the basics, theater people gravitate the quickest to the microphone, they know how to breathe, they know the pacing, and have good energy. On camera people coming in to the voice-over world have a great natural quality but they have no command of the pace. But of course there are exceptions to everything I’m saying. I don’t want to be a puppeteer, I don’t want to give line readings, I want the right person for the right role and I just want to guide them. That means, I’m looking for people that can cut to the chase really fast, they’ve got all the layers to the part. If you’re not a strong actor, you won’t know the layers, the nuances the flushing out of the character. Forget about the microphone, it’s all about the acting and telling the story. Most importantly you have to know what your voice sounds like. So much of this is creating characters, sides of the character—low key, anger, laughter, crying,. Now a lot is listening for natural actors. You need a work out, take a class, sit in front of a microphone continuously figuring out where your placement is for your voice—for an intimate read, over the top, you have to get there fast for voice-over. Training is important, take classes in animation.

What makes a voice over standout in an audition?

I think it’s gotta be, because there’s a lot of people trying for a part, it’s thinking outside the box. You can’t be safe. You have to know the style of the show—is it action/adventure/over the top cartoony/sitcom edgy. Your acting takes over of what you’re bringing to the copy. You can’t be safe and just follow the instructions. It’s so competitive now, it’s the chances you take in creating the character, it’s all about what you do with the copy. Your speech patters, your focus, emphasis, who I want this person to be, and making strong choices. The freshness of someone who’s savvy with improv, maybe can plus the copy a bit for audition, a little hook, a mannerism, a tick, what’s your signature of the copy, but not re-writing the copy. It’s all about the story and what the characters can do with the story. It’s a team effort with the writers and the producers

Are there any final thoughts or tips that you can leave us with?

For people like me who cast and direct, what I can say to the actors—is keep working out, don’t rest, it’s always changing, you gotta keep up with the styles, watch cartoons—there’s a bunch of stuff you’ll like and hate. You gotta do your Homework, it never goes away, it never goes away for me and never goes away for the actor. It’s hard work but have a good time, the people succeeding have a great disposition, they are open to direction and ideas, they keep working at it, they’re open and flexible. My key word is flexible. Open up your eyes, learn something new, take the temperature, Voice direction for animation is it’s own little art form—every level and position I was at I think that I was lucky enough to be educated on—that’s what gave me my foundation to be a qualified director. I can’t tell you how valuable that was, it gave me my masters in my art-form.