In my reading travels, I have never been a big biography reader. Even though I could probably learn something from every biography ever written (positive or negative!)
Since there are so many to choose from, I have decided to begin reading some biographies on speciffic men and women who inspire me and my life. One of those that I have chosen is Walt Disney.
My first biography of choice is “How to Be Like Walt” by Pat Williams. I am not all the way through it just yet, but wanted to pass on an idea that Walt used to inspire his animators.
Its called Plussing. (Seth wrote about plussing in 2006, Boing boing around the same time)
To plus something is to improve it. “Plussing” means giving your customers more than they paid for, more than they expect more than you have to give them. - Pat Williams
As I understand it, when Disney animators would be “finished” with whatever piece they were working on, Walt would check it out, and essentially ask them to “Plus it”…Make it better. More creative, what can be added that would be MORE than expected.
Sometimes plussing is adding to the current piece (the original Lady and the Tramp story was only about “Lady” Walt “plussed” the story by adding the Tramp and combining the two character’s stories). Sometimes plussing is actually subtracting. Complete scenes and sequences were tossed aside if they slowed down the flow of a picture, or did not add to the story line.
In voiceover, or any creative endeavor, we should always be looking for ways to “plus” our work. Give more than expected. Take it a bit further. Or subtract an element that just doesn’t make any sense.
Disney’s Fantasia: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Photo thanks to erin MC hammer
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