|
|
ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 4.6 - SEPTEMBER 1999
Jamie Thomason: Casting
and
|
 |
|
Jamie Thomason.
Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.
|
As Director of Casting
at Walt Disney Television Animation, Jamie Thomason not only casts,
but also performs the majority of the voice directing for Disney's
animated televisions shows. He arguably directs more episodes (and
actors) of television animation than any current director in the
industry. His credits include virtually every series Walt Disney
Television Animation has produced since 1991, including Disney's
Hercules, noted as the largest single-season voice cast
in the history of television animation with 166 voices.
Animation World was lucky enough to get a few moments of
this busy man's time...
Heather Kenyon: How did you get this job? It seems like the
job everyone would want.
Jamie Thomason: My experience includes working in casting
at Hanna-Barbara, working as a voice agent, and directing for theatre
and some independent films. Disney had been freelancing the casting
of its television animation, and the company was looking to start
a department. I was brought aboard to create the Walt Disney Television
Animation casting department.
It was a golden opportunity for me in that I wanted to direct, and
it was a real fast track to directing. Within a few months I was
directing a top-rated series, and I haven't stopped directing since.
I like directing in all mediums, but directing voices is great because
it's a very free way to work and there's an immediate gratification
for both the director and actor. There's no hot lights, no make-up
or wardrobe -- you just walk in and start having fun.
HK: How do you determine a person is correct for a part?
JT: It's just like casting for anything else. There are a
variety of factors that make one person better than another. In
voice-over, specifically, the way a voice sounds is important, but
it also has a lot to do with the person's acting, and their take
on the character. Sometimes you'll have one thing in mind for a
character, but an actor goes a completely different direction, maybe
doing something that hadn't even occurred to you. If it's a great
take on the character, then you have the flexibility to make that
choice in casting.
HK: What are the key aspects of a performance that you strive
to capture?
JT: Ultimately my choices are based more on acting than it
is about the sound. The sound is important, but when I go into the
booth, I'm much more concerned about capturing the emotion of the
scene, whether it's heavy drama or wacky slapstick.
| 1 | 2 | 
|
Note: Readers may contact any Animation World Magazine contributor by sending an e-mail to editor@awn.com.