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How do you voice a character when you don't actually have any words to say?
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On this episode of The Marshi Cast, I'm catching up with actress Kate Harbour to talk about Sean the Sheep, The Beast of Mossy Bottom, a film that I absolutely loved.
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Kate tells me about her role in the film, and we get into the extraordinary world of animation, from stop motion to 2D and CGI, and why the best animated films can keep the adults laughing just as much as the kids.
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We also talk about just how physical voice acting can be, the challenge of creating a performance with noises rather than dialogue, and what happens when some very famous names step into the recording booth.
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And finally, with a beast loose on Mossy Bottom, which horror character would Kate choose to protect her on a farm?
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It's Paul Marsh, and I'm delighted to say that I've been joined by the lovely Kate Harbour.
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Kate, how are you?
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Hello, I'm very well, thank you.
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Yes.
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So, Kate, we only recently spoke at Hastings Comic-Con, and now you've somehow followed me all the way back onto the radio.
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Well, you see, I can't keep away, Paul.
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See?
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So this time we are talking about Sean the Sheep.
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Uh, who are you playing in the Beast of Mossy Bottom and what can you tell us about them?
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Well, I um have uh been uh giving vocal texture, shall we say, to um Timmy's mum.
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Uh she's the one with the rollers.
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And uh she uh yes, constantly looking out for Timmy, obviously, but um she's had quite some lovely moments.
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She did a a series um uh sorry uh a special which was The Flight Before Christmas, um, which in fact I recorded here in the booth.
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Oh which was fun.
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Uh and um yeah, so uh Timmy's mum is just uh Timmy's mum, and she's always there, and she's there to sort of help out and uh tell Sean off maybe every now and again.
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Sean the mad scientist.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Um I I I I went basically this uh this last Saturday to see the the screening of this film and I was absolutely blown away by it, honestly.
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I'm so I I mean obviously I'm a big fan.
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This is the thing.
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I'm such a fan of the animation and the way that they do it, and it's all completely uh handmade and hand-drawn, hand done, you know, and that's something to definitely celebrate and get behind because we're all we're all brilliant at it in this country.
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Yeah, I think especially Ardman.
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Well, I hundred percent agree, and I think it's it's funny, isn't it?
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Because films obviously are going more and more and more CGI, and it's funny that you've noticed some of the animation is kind of going away from that, and like you say, you've you've got the stop motion, and then you've noticed like old school 2D cartoons and bits and pieces like that.
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It's really interesting to see the difference in that.
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Yes, absolutely.
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And in fact, there is a little bit of a a fabulous little section, yeah.
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A 2D section, which Jane uh Davis did, and she did a grand job uh with that.
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She did lots of other bells and whistles and things as well, but um it's just wonderful to celebrate the craft as it is, um, both sides, you know, and sh showcasing everyone's skill, um, which is immense.
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I mean, it's just done with such love and heart, humour, um and perspective, really, uh as well.
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That there's lots of little hidden messages in there, didn't you think?
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When you there is, and I and I and I do you know what I th and I agree with you by the way, I absolutely love the film.
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I thought I thought it was spectacular.
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And I think that one of the reasons so recently um the Minions and Monster film came out.
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I'll be honest with you, I thought the previous minions films were okay.
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I didn't think they were anything special, but I thought they were okay.
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But this new one I thought was great because it it it does all of the kid stuff for the kids, and that's great, but it has loads of little hidden Easter eggs in there for the adults and the cinema fans.
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And I thought again, this did this brilliantly.
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The amount of Easter eggs that are hidden in this film for the horror movie fans is just I mean, obviously, I could list them, they were endless, you know.
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The gags are and uh relentless.
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I mean the psycho one with the with the floss I thought was fantastic.
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You know, and I want to tell people about those, but then I just don't want to spoil it for them because you just gotta see it uh to to to appreciate it.
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And I I just think it's such a craft to be able to have put something together like this, which is you know, it's it's spooky, but it's not it's not frightening for the for the young ones.
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No, no, no, no, no, no.
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My my eight-year-old went and th there was no hint of being scared or anything like that.
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No, no, and in fact, in the in the showing that we had in Bristol, um because it uh I live in Bath, so um it was the closest one for me to get to, and I was very, very chuffed that they invited me to the friends and family screening, so I was yeah, really made up about that.
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Um and um hardly any, you know, cries out.
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There were lots of kids in there and um some really quite young, um, apart from lurekes and things like that, which is a natural part of life.
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Uh there was nothing nothing uh horrific or anything, and everyone, I mean, honestly, the reaction from everybody was just spectacular.
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They just had such a great time, and isn't that about that's what we need?
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Yes.
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We need a bit of that, don't we?
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Yes, a hundred percent.
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I think yeah, I couldn't be prouder, really.
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Well, the one thing that I think really struck me, of course, is how the cast manages to communicate without actually saying anything.
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Is it harder as a performer than having pages and pages of dialogue?
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Well, they all that that yes, I mean, um I wouldn't say it's harder, it's just different.
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It's just different.
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Um, because it's your job, you know, to to make that work for for the story.
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Um I obviously I've done it for a some time now, so I find it relatively easy um to think the thoughts and offer something up.
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Um and i it it tends to land and and then they choose which bits that they that that do land and the ones that they want.
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But this is the wonderful skill that they have, it's just that it's not dialogue-based, um, as uh they're at pains to to say.
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Um but what we do give a little bit of extra flavour and a little bit of cherry on top, I think, um, to to the comedy specifically, um, and adding to what the animators have done, and it's it's like a little choreograph, it's like a ballet with it, really.
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Um they are that the animators are the absolute stars, and and that is as it should be.
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Um but I do I I have to say, I'm thrilled the other day.
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Is that well, I there was a review that actually mentioned the voice acting, which is unheard of.
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It's unheard of in on a on a non-dialogue thing.
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And I just thought, oh, that's so nice, that's nice that that's been recognised.
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Um but it is it is a it's not a side salad, but it is it's not the point.
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The point is getting the mood and the flavour and the comedy timing across.
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And and you know, for that you're you're relying on a lot of people, you're relying on um the fantastic acting that the animators do, because animators are actors too, and uh you're relying on that and you're relying on the editors, you know, to get their comedy timing, which are brilliant.
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Um the the lighting, the the props.
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I mean, oh god, I could go on about props, I just honestly.
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If you I had the privilege of going and visiting uh some of the set and the detail is just my mouth was open because I was just looking at all this incredible detail on on the the sets and um my my husband came along as well and and took loads of photos and uh I'm just gonna dine out on those for ages.
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I it it's it I can you tell?
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I'm a bit of a fan.
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I am I am whenever it makes its way onto the internet.
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I am desperate to see like a making of documentary of it.
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Yes, yes.
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Oh, in fact, just so you know, I found one just now, um, and I think it was a BAFTA thing.
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Uh-huh.
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And I've put it up on my YouTube uh channel.
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Uh it's a it's a behind-the-scenes thing.
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Oh and it's it's great.
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It's it's a really it's quite a long one, and it and it shows you um uh Matthew Walker and uh Steve Cox are the directors, and it shows you uh the lighting designers that I can't name everybody, um, and it also talks about the fantastic composer Natalie Holt.
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She's done some incredible work on this, and um she's uh very famous, I believe.
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Um she's done sort of Marvel stuff and and rivals and all sorts, she's um a real talent, so uh I think that was a real coup to get her.
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But um, yeah, I mean, just every single detail, uh as is quite honestly uh what I believe Ardman are so good at.
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Um I would be just the love and the care that they have it have with it that that really just sends this out into into its otherworldly stratosphere, in my view.
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Well, I I would be astonished if come award season we don't see a few awards for this, because like I say, I do think it's amazing.
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And I was also thinking about um characters or series that that uh have no dialogue and and and and connect with the audience, and and the two that I came up with, and this is not a bad comparison, I don't think, I think Pingu is the animation one that we all love that is dialogue-free and just communicates in any language.
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But I think the other one, of course, is Bean, Mr.
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Bean.
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I think is fantastic.
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Yes, absolutely.
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And funny enough, that that's actually something that I tell um my that the people that come to because I run these um animation work acting for animation workshops.
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Um I only did it because I wanted to share my experience and just to offer up ways for other actors to to have a go and just play, really.
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Um and discovering discovering all sorts of different pitches and ways of actually creating voices.
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Um especially now I think it's quite important that because the more diverse and and um the the more you can get out of your own facility, your own voice box, your own uh uh you know, acting cr um abilities, uh the the better we stand a chance of fighting against the the big one.
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Um so I was explaining this to uh some of my attendees, and just we were doing certain exercises um uh to to get out of sort of physicality, because I was trained as a dancer, you see, and I think that's for me that's where I find my characters, it's in a physical place, and so it's quite freeing to to have that.
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Um and so I was trying to help with that and saying, look, you just remember Mr.
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Bean, you know, it's that it's that kind of non-dialogue, but it expressions that you need to just allow yourself to come out with, allow yourself to dare to fail, to get it wrong, to you know, have a funny whatever dialogue.
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And and actually it as a little thing that you could probably do, um anybody could do is just have that some people probably already do it, you know, natural born voice actors, um uh who have a constant stream of consciousness chat to themselves in a in an accent or in a in a whatever.
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And in a in they could then take the dialogue out of that and just use valve sounds and see if they can see if they can play with the intonation and and work out if they're understanding what they're thinking in their in their emotions, if you see what I mean.
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I love that.
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Sometimes it's difficult, but sometimes you know, when you've got a great director and they can just say, okay, the feeling is this and the phrase is this and our our objective is this, um, then over to you, Kate.
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And sometimes you've got fantastic animation to work to.
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Uh like for instance, um Lexi the Afghan hound in um Sean the Sheep series seven, which won lots of awards.
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Um I'm pleased to say for them.
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Uh they say, look, you know, she's on a she's on a go-kart and she's she's going, and you've got to just basically growl and then be a bit reflective towards um the other character in the thing, and you're doing a race, and I need you to I need just need to hear that revving up, and then then you're going.
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So you've got all these notes of like this action sequence that you've got to hit these marks, and you just think the thoughts, and hopefully it comes out in the right way.
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Sometimes it doesn't land, but sometimes you know you you you nail it, you know.
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Well, it was very interesting.
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You mentioned earlier about the fact that you're a former dancer and and that's how you kind of work through everything because I would love to know when you're recording uh something like Sean the Sheep, how physical do you get?
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Are you pulling faces?
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Are you doing movements that nobody can see?
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Well, I suppose I I I do have quite an animated face.
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Yes, I do pull faces and I do I I sort of get get get into the character and sort of move and hunch over or whatever, but it's it's definitely about a feeling.
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It's not about for me um the the end result performing it for a camera or anything.
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I'm I'm feeling it.
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So sometimes because I've been doing it for so long, um I I don't necessarily have to get myself into contorted positions necessarily to you know express it because it's already sort of in my body language, it's already sort of you know um played out.
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So sometimes it's rather nice to be able to just think the thought and offer it up, and you know that it's coming from a place of truth.
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That for me is is key.
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Um but you've gotta you know you've definitely got to go with it.
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And um, if people are listening, you know, allow your ribs to move.
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Allow your ribs to move and get your breath involved and uh and think the thoughts of where this character is and what they're doing, where they're going, and what what do they want?
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What do they want in that scene?
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And then you're off.
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I love it.
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I do you know what?
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And I r the other thing that I really love because I I've seen quite a few um let's call actors who have then done voice work, and everyone thinks that voice work is easy, and it's only once you've done the voice work you go, it's really not.
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Yes, I mean there are um there are some uh big name stars that that can really do it and really land it and and because they're great actors.
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Um it's not to say that people who can't do it aren't good actors, I'm saying is that it is quite a sort of different mindset.
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Yes.
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Um and uh you have to be able to just immerse yourself completely.
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Um it's because it's not about you.
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It really is not about you at all.
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It's about stepping into the character's shoes and serving the story.
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Um and so if there's any element of maybe shall I say ego or something, a brand that they're protecting or or just not able to let themselves go.
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Sometimes I'd like to just get in the booth and give them a good shake.
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Just relax, will you?
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I think the thing is is especially uh over the last I don't know 20 years or whatever it's been, there's been a thing, especially with the big Hollywood animations of putting a celebrity into a voice role, and they're not necessarily always right for it, when you have fantastic voice actors that are perfect for it.
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And I I feel that is a shame, you know, when you when you go back to the you know, and I'm going way back to the 60s and 70s of Hanna Barbera and you know Looney Tunes and all of that, these phenomenal voice actors, absolutely and that they were the like the pi the right person for the right role rather than a celebrity name tagged along.
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Anyway, I've I've I've kind of gone Yeah, I do agree with that.
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I I agree with that, but I also think sometimes, of course, it's market forces, isn't it?
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So they don't really have a choice sometimes, and sometimes it's just oh wouldn't it be great we could get so and so for that?
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And they'll they'll say yeah, um, you know, uh so it's six of one and a half a dozen of the other, but um yes, more more sort of uh uh people who have done it for for for a while, um, and also newbies, you know, give give new people the chance.
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Um you know, there's some incredible talent out there.
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I've seen it in my in my workshops, I've seen the talent that comes through.
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It's absolutely fabulous, and I'm always trying to, you know, make connections for those people.
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Um because uh yeah, it's the craft, it's it's telling the story that's that's that's r just vitally important.
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Um so yeah, it it would be quite nice to marry marry those two a bit better.
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Yeah.
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Maybe.
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I do feel that this is a subject that we could probably talk about all day that we unfortunately don't have time for.
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Uh let's let's finish on on one question sort of back to uh the beast of Mossy Bottom.
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I feel that we need to finish on a horror question.
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So I want to ask you, Kate, if you were stuck at Mossy Bottom Farm overnight and you can take one horror movie character with you to protect you, who are you choosing?
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Horror movie character to protect me.
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Um oh, why did you ask me?
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Um I'm terrible at these kinds of questions.
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Um see, I don't really watch much horror, that's the thing.
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Ah okay.
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I don't really, but I think the the person that I that's springing to mind for some reason um is Anthony Perkins, probably, because he really was quite scary.
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Yes.
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Um but uh to to come back to my beloveds, um I'd have uh I'd probably have animal there to protect me.
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Animal?
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I'd ask animal from the Muppets who played the drums from the Muppets, yes.
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Because he could do you know what I mean?
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In a in a dark you know, he he would probably be a little bit weird.
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You'd be a bit scared, wouldn't you?
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You wouldn't know where those drums were going.
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Yes.
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The beast comes over here and he goes, Katie, it's been absolutely amazing talking to you.
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Thank you so much for catching up with me.
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Like I've said, and I have been saying it on the show, Sean the Sheep, The Beast of Mossy Bottom, is just beautiful.
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It is an amazing film.
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And again, what I love most about this now is that there are films out that we get to take our kids and that we get to enjoy as well.
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And I think that's the most important film because for a very long time there were kids' films that were kids' films, but now there are kid films that are brilliant for the adults as well.
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And this they will laugh their socks.
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Oh, will they ever?
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It is absolutely fantastic.
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Well, look, Kate, thank you so much for talking to me.
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I really do appreciate it.
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Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.
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I certainly will, Paul.
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Take care.
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See you soon.
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How do you voice a character when you don't actually have any words to say?
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On this episode of The Marshi Cast, I'm catching up with actress Kate Harbour to talk about Sean the Sheep, The Beast of Mossy Bottom, a film that I absolutely loved.
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Kate tells me about her role in the film, and we get into the extraordinary world of animation, from stop motion to 2D and CGI, and why the best animated films can keep the adults laughing just as much as the kids.
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We also talk about just how physical voice acting can be, the challenge of creating a performance with noises rather than dialogue, and what happens when some very famous names step into the recording booth.
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And finally, with a beast loose on Mossy Bottom, which horror character would Kate choose to protect her on a farm?
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It's Paul Marsh, and I'm delighted to say that I've been joined by the lovely Kate Harbour.
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Kate, how are you?
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Hello, I'm very well, thank you.
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Yes.
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So, Kate, we only recently spoke at Hastings Comic-Con, and now you've somehow followed me all the way back onto the radio.
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Well, you see, I can't keep away, Paul.
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See?
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So this time we are talking about Sean the Sheep.
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Uh, who are you playing in the Beast of Mossy Bottom and what can you tell us about them?
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Well, I um have uh been uh giving vocal texture, shall we say, to um Timmy's mum.
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Uh she's the one with the rollers.
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And uh she uh yes, constantly looking out for Timmy, obviously, but um she's had quite some lovely moments.
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She did a a series um uh sorry uh a special which was The Flight Before Christmas, um, which in fact I recorded here in the booth.
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Oh which was fun.
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Uh and um yeah, so uh Timmy's mum is just uh Timmy's mum, and she's always there, and she's there to sort of help out and uh tell Sean off maybe every now and again.
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Sean the mad scientist.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Um I I I I went basically this uh this last Saturday to see the the screening of this film and I was absolutely blown away by it, honestly.
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I'm so I I mean obviously I'm a big fan.
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This is the thing.
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I'm such a fan of the animation and the way that they do it, and it's all completely uh handmade and hand-drawn, hand done, you know, and that's something to definitely celebrate and get behind because we're all we're all brilliant at it in this country.
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Yeah, I think especially Ardman.
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Well, I hundred percent agree, and I think it's it's funny, isn't it?
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Because films obviously are going more and more and more CGI, and it's funny that you've noticed some of the animation is kind of going away from that, and like you say, you've you've got the stop motion, and then you've noticed like old school 2D cartoons and bits and pieces like that.
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It's really interesting to see the difference in that.
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Yes, absolutely.
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And in fact, there is a little bit of a a fabulous little section, yeah.
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A 2D section, which Jane uh Davis did, and she did a grand job uh with that.
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She did lots of other bells and whistles and things as well, but um it's just wonderful to celebrate the craft as it is, um, both sides, you know, and sh showcasing everyone's skill, um, which is immense.
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I mean, it's just done with such love and heart, humour, um and perspective, really, uh as well.
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That there's lots of little hidden messages in there, didn't you think?
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When you there is, and I and I and I do you know what I th and I agree with you by the way, I absolutely love the film.
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I thought I thought it was spectacular.
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And I think that one of the reasons so recently um the Minions and Monster film came out.
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I'll be honest with you, I thought the previous minions films were okay.
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I didn't think they were anything special, but I thought they were okay.
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But this new one I thought was great because it it it does all of the kid stuff for the kids, and that's great, but it has loads of little hidden Easter eggs in there for the adults and the cinema fans.
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And I thought again, this did this brilliantly.
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The amount of Easter eggs that are hidden in this film for the horror movie fans is just I mean, obviously, I could list them, they were endless, you know.
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The gags are and uh relentless.
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I mean the psycho one with the with the floss I thought was fantastic.
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You know, and I want to tell people about those, but then I just don't want to spoil it for them because you just gotta see it uh to to to appreciate it.
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And I I just think it's such a craft to be able to have put something together like this, which is you know, it's it's spooky, but it's not it's not frightening for the for the young ones.
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No, no, no, no, no, no.
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My my eight-year-old went and th there was no hint of being scared or anything like that.
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No, no, and in fact, in the in the showing that we had in Bristol, um because it uh I live in Bath, so um it was the closest one for me to get to, and I was very, very chuffed that they invited me to the friends and family screening, so I was yeah, really made up about that.
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Um and um hardly any, you know, cries out.
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There were lots of kids in there and um some really quite young, um, apart from lurekes and things like that, which is a natural part of life.
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Uh there was nothing nothing uh horrific or anything, and everyone, I mean, honestly, the reaction from everybody was just spectacular.
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They just had such a great time, and isn't that about that's what we need?
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Yes.
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We need a bit of that, don't we?
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Yes, a hundred percent.
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I think yeah, I couldn't be prouder, really.
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Well, the one thing that I think really struck me, of course, is how the cast manages to communicate without actually saying anything.
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Is it harder as a performer than having pages and pages of dialogue?
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Well, they all that that yes, I mean, um I wouldn't say it's harder, it's just different.
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It's just different.
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Um, because it's your job, you know, to to make that work for for the story.
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Um I obviously I've done it for a some time now, so I find it relatively easy um to think the thoughts and offer something up.
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Um and i it it tends to land and and then they choose which bits that they that that do land and the ones that they want.
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But this is the wonderful skill that they have, it's just that it's not dialogue-based, um, as uh they're at pains to to say.
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Um but what we do give a little bit of extra flavour and a little bit of cherry on top, I think, um, to to the comedy specifically, um, and adding to what the animators have done, and it's it's like a little choreograph, it's like a ballet with it, really.
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Um they are that the animators are the absolute stars, and and that is as it should be.
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Um but I do I I have to say, I'm thrilled the other day.
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Is that well, I there was a review that actually mentioned the voice acting, which is unheard of.
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It's unheard of in on a on a non-dialogue thing.
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And I just thought, oh, that's so nice, that's nice that that's been recognised.
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Um but it is it is a it's not a side salad, but it is it's not the point.
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The point is getting the mood and the flavour and the comedy timing across.
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And and you know, for that you're you're relying on a lot of people, you're relying on um the fantastic acting that the animators do, because animators are actors too, and uh you're relying on that and you're relying on the editors, you know, to get their comedy timing, which are brilliant.
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Um the the lighting, the the props.
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I mean, oh god, I could go on about props, I just honestly.
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If you I had the privilege of going and visiting uh some of the set and the detail is just my mouth was open because I was just looking at all this incredible detail on on the the sets and um my my husband came along as well and and took loads of photos and uh I'm just gonna dine out on those for ages.
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I it it's it I can you tell?
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I'm a bit of a fan.
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I am I am whenever it makes its way onto the internet.
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I am desperate to see like a making of documentary of it.
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Yes, yes.
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Oh, in fact, just so you know, I found one just now, um, and I think it was a BAFTA thing.
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Uh-huh.
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And I've put it up on my YouTube uh channel.
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Uh it's a it's a behind-the-scenes thing.
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Oh and it's it's great.
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It's it's a really it's quite a long one, and it and it shows you um uh Matthew Walker and uh Steve Cox are the directors, and it shows you uh the lighting designers that I can't name everybody, um, and it also talks about the fantastic composer Natalie Holt.
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She's done some incredible work on this, and um she's uh very famous, I believe.
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Um she's done sort of Marvel stuff and and rivals and all sorts, she's um a real talent, so uh I think that was a real coup to get her.
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But um, yeah, I mean, just every single detail, uh as is quite honestly uh what I believe Ardman are so good at.
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Um I would be just the love and the care that they have it have with it that that really just sends this out into into its otherworldly stratosphere, in my view.
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Well, I I would be astonished if come award season we don't see a few awards for this, because like I say, I do think it's amazing.
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And I was also thinking about um characters or series that that uh have no dialogue and and and and connect with the audience, and and the two that I came up with, and this is not a bad comparison, I don't think, I think Pingu is the animation one that we all love that is dialogue-free and just communicates in any language.
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But I think the other one, of course, is Bean, Mr.
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Bean.
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I think is fantastic.
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Yes, absolutely.
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And funny enough, that that's actually something that I tell um my that the people that come to because I run these um animation work acting for animation workshops.
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Um I only did it because I wanted to share my experience and just to offer up ways for other actors to to have a go and just play, really.
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Um and discovering discovering all sorts of different pitches and ways of actually creating voices.
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Um especially now I think it's quite important that because the more diverse and and um the the more you can get out of your own facility, your own voice box, your own uh uh you know, acting cr um abilities, uh the the better we stand a chance of fighting against the the big one.
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Um so I was explaining this to uh some of my attendees, and just we were doing certain exercises um uh to to get out of sort of physicality, because I was trained as a dancer, you see, and I think that's for me that's where I find my characters, it's in a physical place, and so it's quite freeing to to have that.
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Um and so I was trying to help with that and saying, look, you just remember Mr.
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Bean, you know, it's that it's that kind of non-dialogue, but it expressions that you need to just allow yourself to come out with, allow yourself to dare to fail, to get it wrong, to you know, have a funny whatever dialogue.
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And and actually it as a little thing that you could probably do, um anybody could do is just have that some people probably already do it, you know, natural born voice actors, um uh who have a constant stream of consciousness chat to themselves in a in an accent or in a in a whatever.
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And in a in they could then take the dialogue out of that and just use valve sounds and see if they can see if they can play with the intonation and and work out if they're understanding what they're thinking in their in their emotions, if you see what I mean.
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I love that.
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Sometimes it's difficult, but sometimes you know, when you've got a great director and they can just say, okay, the feeling is this and the phrase is this and our our objective is this, um, then over to you, Kate.
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And sometimes you've got fantastic animation to work to.
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Uh like for instance, um Lexi the Afghan hound in um Sean the Sheep series seven, which won lots of awards.
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Um I'm pleased to say for them.
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Uh they say, look, you know, she's on a she's on a go-kart and she's she's going, and you've got to just basically growl and then be a bit reflective towards um the other character in the thing, and you're doing a race, and I need you to I need just need to hear that revving up, and then then you're going.
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So you've got all these notes of like this action sequence that you've got to hit these marks, and you just think the thoughts, and hopefully it comes out in the right way.
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Sometimes it doesn't land, but sometimes you know you you you nail it, you know.
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Well, it was very interesting.
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You mentioned earlier about the fact that you're a former dancer and and that's how you kind of work through everything because I would love to know when you're recording uh something like Sean the Sheep, how physical do you get?
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Are you pulling faces?
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Are you doing movements that nobody can see?
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Well, I suppose I I I do have quite an animated face.
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Yes, I do pull faces and I do I I sort of get get get into the character and sort of move and hunch over or whatever, but it's it's definitely about a feeling.
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It's not about for me um the the end result performing it for a camera or anything.
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I'm I'm feeling it.
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So sometimes because I've been doing it for so long, um I I don't necessarily have to get myself into contorted positions necessarily to you know express it because it's already sort of in my body language, it's already sort of you know um played out.
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So sometimes it's rather nice to be able to just think the thought and offer it up, and you know that it's coming from a place of truth.
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That for me is is key.
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Um but you've gotta you know you've definitely got to go with it.
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And um, if people are listening, you know, allow your ribs to move.
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Allow your ribs to move and get your breath involved and uh and think the thoughts of where this character is and what they're doing, where they're going, and what what do they want?
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What do they want in that scene?
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And then you're off.
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I love it.
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I do you know what?
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And I r the other thing that I really love because I I've seen quite a few um let's call actors who have then done voice work, and everyone thinks that voice work is easy, and it's only once you've done the voice work you go, it's really not.
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Yes, I mean there are um there are some uh big name stars that that can really do it and really land it and and because they're great actors.
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Um it's not to say that people who can't do it aren't good actors, I'm saying is that it is quite a sort of different mindset.
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Yes.
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Um and uh you have to be able to just immerse yourself completely.
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Um it's because it's not about you.
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It really is not about you at all.
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It's about stepping into the character's shoes and serving the story.
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Um and so if there's any element of maybe shall I say ego or something, a brand that they're protecting or or just not able to let themselves go.
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Sometimes I'd like to just get in the booth and give them a good shake.
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Just relax, will you?
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I think the thing is is especially uh over the last I don't know 20 years or whatever it's been, there's been a thing, especially with the big Hollywood animations of putting a celebrity into a voice role, and they're not necessarily always right for it, when you have fantastic voice actors that are perfect for it.
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And I I feel that is a shame, you know, when you when you go back to the you know, and I'm going way back to the 60s and 70s of Hanna Barbera and you know Looney Tunes and all of that, these phenomenal voice actors, absolutely and that they were the like the pi the right person for the right role rather than a celebrity name tagged along.
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Anyway, I've I've I've kind of gone Yeah, I do agree with that.
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I I agree with that, but I also think sometimes, of course, it's market forces, isn't it?
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So they don't really have a choice sometimes, and sometimes it's just oh wouldn't it be great we could get so and so for that?
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And they'll they'll say yeah, um, you know, uh so it's six of one and a half a dozen of the other, but um yes, more more sort of uh uh people who have done it for for for a while, um, and also newbies, you know, give give new people the chance.
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Um you know, there's some incredible talent out there.
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I've seen it in my in my workshops, I've seen the talent that comes through.
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It's absolutely fabulous, and I'm always trying to, you know, make connections for those people.
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Um because uh yeah, it's the craft, it's it's telling the story that's that's that's r just vitally important.
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Um so yeah, it it would be quite nice to marry marry those two a bit better.
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Yeah.
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Maybe.
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I do feel that this is a subject that we could probably talk about all day that we unfortunately don't have time for.
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Uh let's let's finish on on one question sort of back to uh the beast of Mossy Bottom.
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I feel that we need to finish on a horror question.
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So I want to ask you, Kate, if you were stuck at Mossy Bottom Farm overnight and you can take one horror movie character with you to protect you, who are you choosing?
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Horror movie character to protect me.
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Um oh, why did you ask me?
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Um I'm terrible at these kinds of questions.
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Um see, I don't really watch much horror, that's the thing.
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Ah okay.
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I don't really, but I think the the person that I that's springing to mind for some reason um is Anthony Perkins, probably, because he really was quite scary.
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Yes.
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Um but uh to to come back to my beloveds, um I'd have uh I'd probably have animal there to protect me.
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Animal?
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I'd ask animal from the Muppets who played the drums from the Muppets, yes.
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Because he could do you know what I mean?
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In a in a dark you know, he he would probably be a little bit weird.
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You'd be a bit scared, wouldn't you?
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You wouldn't know where those drums were going.
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Yes.
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The beast comes over here and he goes, Katie, it's been absolutely amazing talking to you.
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Thank you so much for catching up with me.
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Like I've said, and I have been saying it on the show, Sean the Sheep, The Beast of Mossy Bottom, is just beautiful.
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It is an amazing film.
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And again, what I love most about this now is that there are films out that we get to take our kids and that we get to enjoy as well.
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And I think that's the most important film because for a very long time there were kids' films that were kids' films, but now there are kid films that are brilliant for the adults as well.
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And this they will laugh their socks.
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Oh, will they ever?
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It is absolutely fantastic.
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Well, look, Kate, thank you so much for talking to me.
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I really do appreciate it.
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Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.
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I certainly will, Paul.
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Take care.
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See you soon.
