The illusion of life is a magic trick. Used successfully, it can pull the wool over the eyes of an audience and fool them into believing that your character is alive and thinking. Building a consistant performance can sometimes mean the need for clear rules about who your character is or isn't. There may be a time when you have the funniest gag, but if used on a particular character, can break all believabity.
![Character Design](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftB0Mfey2-9fWPvv8I9DjI747fJpSmI8_MIppO7QTTREqS2Nzs37kaRidAm7M6X1ZvSGkQa25Fos1Cg_-SR1gHRvKdJHZ3bI2aI0J57wpnQSR8LkxLGkZrmLJkvGjVw0laRgP-4HmIvSt/s200/more+on+cariacature+and+creating+a+believable+world.jpg)
Please click the pic to have a read!
Making this idea simplier, Jean-Denis Haas has created a nice post on Spungella about structuring the order of a character's thought process. Keeping his advice in mind may help build a more natural performance.
I wish to leave you with this great example from Team Fortress. Its a powerful introduction to a character. By remaining calm, smooth and collective while being attacked by surrounding gunmen presents the Engineer as much more deadly than his appearance portrays.
To watch, please click on the pic. Enjoy!
![Character Design](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJ4carVydmMmgyBmDQlFUanij6urPcRfC3PISJeW7Ig_cVyd2UHn7SjU0eDcm-STnHSagyrRYchILpWCpvMgI02cQtXdCeiGHOGoJ9V15hELiWXwfd4tXj6ManxC3SQSdLRewtSgMd6nB/s1600/team+fortress2.jpg)