Bruce Timm is known for having very unique approaches to the characters he brings to life. On top of his innate understanding of comics, he also brings a sense of uniqueness to each of his projects, which has made him one of the best people in the DC Animated Universe. Unfortunately, not everyone can understand his approach very easily.
Sometimes, the producer has to fight for his vision or explain it to the actors so that they can perfectly capture what he wants them to do. However, often, even language fails, and no amount of explanation can get the point across.
Being the legend that he is, it would seem that Timm also has a go-to plan for such a situation, using his skills as an animator and artist.
Anthony LaPaglia Was Confused About Lex Luthor in All-Star Superman
There is a lot that language can accomplish. Intentions can be explained, and perspectives can be earned, simply through a combination of vowels and consonants. However, what does one do when words fail? It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and a lot can be understood through them. Bruce Timm seems to use this as his main tool when trying to explain his approach toward characters.
During an interview with Comicmix, animation voiceover director Andrea Romano talked about her experience working on the 2011 film All-Star Superman. Here, she revealed that Anthony LaPaglia, who played the role of Lex Luthor, had a difficult time understanding the vision that the film had for the villain. Even though they tried to explain the vision multiple times, it would seem that LaPaglia was still confused.
This can often be a problem in animation, as the right tone of voice can mean the difference between something notable and something irrelevant. The actor needed to nail what producer Bruce Timm had in mind for the iconic villain, as it could have easily affected the success of the film. Understanding what was at stake, Timm came up with the perfect solution to make LaPaglia understand.
Bruce Timm Knew How to Help Anthony LaPaglia
Bruce Timm decided to quickly make a simple sketch of what he imagined Lex Luthor to look like in All-Star Superman. He then showed the drawing to Anthony LaPaglia and, interestingly enough, he immediately understood what the producer was going for. Andrea Romano mentioned how the moment stood out to her, as it reminded her of how significant non-verbal methods of communication can be.
“When Bruce did that for Anthony, I thought that was one of those great moments where a picture is actually worth ten thousand words.”
She also revealed that making a drawing of his vision to make someone understand his vision was something the producer did often. What makes it more interesting is that he would do the sketches on the spot, and it seemed to work well.
“One of the things Bruce has done a million times before is, when someone comes in to play a role, he’ll draw the character right there on the spot. That almost always helps an actor establish a voice.”
Timm’s genius truly knows no bounds, and it is not surprising considering just how successful he is.
All-Star Superman is available for rent on Apple TV.
