The Oakland Buffy convention.
A huge gathering of Buffyverse actors including James Marsters, Alexis Denisof, Tony Head and Nick Brendon. Did you go? Post your reports in the comments section and tell us all about it.
Looking forward to hearing what Alexis has to say about Angel and if Nick knows anything more about the Buffy cartoon and if there's a new Buffy game in the pipeline.
NekoDono | August 29, 00:33 CET
Not to mention the obvious question of whether anyone has heard anything further on the future of the televised slayerverse, telemovies, spinoff series or otherwise.
The Arcane | August 29, 01:25 CET
From Friday....
- James Leary had a commerical shoot and could not make it in Friday.
- The first Q&A panel was fun enough even without Leary's antics with George Hertzberg, Jonathan Woodward, Camden Toy, and Kelly Donovan. We saw a mock and mocking demostration of GH & CT martial arts skills. Jonathon kept answering every question with 'Firefly',this was a running gag that they all got in on for awhile. Kelly showed us his tattoo and said he was born first. The guys joked about how ugly all the women on Buffy were. And over all chaos and shenanigans ensued a bit.
- Up next was the Troika and as always these guys together will do nothing but pick on each other on stage. People ask the standard questioned - they all admitted to reading the fan fiction (mostly the slash stuff) and it's sick (jokingly). They were ask if they could make their own Buffybot who would it be and Adam answered that he would make a B-bot of himself cause it would take 'master of ones domain'(ok he used the real 'm' word) to a whole new level. Then Danny followed by saying Adam as well cause it would take it to the next level, and Tom finished off by saying Adam as well. Adam going off on Clear Channel was the running gag through their Q&A.
- Lastupfor Q&A was the ladies - Iyari Limon, Stephanie Romanov, Brigrid Brannagh, and Clare Kramer. Iyari was the first to point out this was the first all female panel she had ever been on at a convention, mostly she gets put on panels with the guys. Stephanie had a harder time dealing with ripping the shirt off when she dressed like Fred than when she did the topless scene with Alexis. She had pasties on in the topless scene and she wrote "Hi Alexis" on them. She is trying to get Idmb.com to remove her age from the database and has written them asking to have it removed but they have yet to do so. So a little help with that if people could send an email to them asking for her date of birth to be removed it would be appreicated (the last request was not during the Q&A but at the cocktail party). Brigrid said she would never color her hair or dye it. A suggestion for Alexis stories prompted perhaps a surprise for Saturday to have the two of them show up during his Q&A. So we will hope and see. Clare talked about working with Eliza and being in the 100th episode of Buffy, also about being confused when her and Charlie got the part - neither knew Glory and Ben were one in the same and she talked about how hard it was at first to work the morphing, concidering the hieght difference.
That was most of day one - except forthe cocktail party and the CoRo concert that rocked. I'll try to post more later but that's it for now. Have to get down to thish afternoons Q&A including Tony & Nick, Alexis,and James.
BTW - Rouge Slayer & Ed are here as well.
RavenU | August 29, 02:00 CET
Home for the evening, and busy processing photos and generating con reports...
Edited to change the link. Moved everything to a webpage so I'm no longer linking to my livejournal.
[ edited by teenes on 2004-08-29 13:03 ]
[ edited by teenes on 2004-08-29 20:40 ]
teenes | August 29, 08:51 CET
delavagus | August 29, 10:35 CET
So, now up at my LJ - a partial complete transcript of James Marsters' Q&A (has all the questions and answers, but I only directly transcribed some of it, the rest is paraphrased or summarized), a small sampling of photos from todays' Q&As, and my impressions of the autograph sessions. Also, a constantly added to report of the first day. I hope it's ok that I'm doing this this way, b/c I'm way too wordy to write this stuff here. I won't keep posting updates like this, just want people to be aware that I'm constantly updating.
teenes | August 29, 13:07 CET
Simon | August 29, 13:19 CET
debw | August 29, 13:32 CET
Just wanted to say something I don't see on the boards yet, (or I'm so tired I don't see straight). When we had our pic taken with James Marsters, I asked if the MacBeth project was still a go. ( I had a sketch of him as MacBeth I wanted to give him later at the signing) and he said he was still making it, but the guy who was gonna give him 50 million pulled out! So that budget's a goner. But he's still all gung ho about making it, except more low budget. He's writing his version of it now and at the Q&A later he said he'd love to have Natalie Portman as Lady MacBeth.
So that was a new bit to us and we got it straight from the guy himself instead of the net, which was a rare moment. Always felt the 'met a guy on a plane who's gonna give me 50 million' was too good to be true and my cynicism was right alas. Well he truly seemed to love my sketch later on, so that was cool.
Okay off to bed now, plenty of report stuff tomorrow.
Oh one more thing, as cool as pretty much everyone was, it was Alexis Denisof who stole the show for us.....
EdDantes | August 29, 13:49 CET
Whedonage | August 29, 17:10 CET
An EXTREME DITTO to that this comes not only from myself but also my other roommates and and many others.
RavenU | August 29, 19:09 CET
So is it just me or does anyone else really think that James/Spike is the one true inheritor of the televised slayerverse. He is the only one, in my mind, that deserves to step into the shoes of Sarah and David. C'mon Joss, let's get that Spike series proposal written up.
A Spike'esque two fingers up to anyone who thinks he is just a supporting character! ;)
The Arcane | August 29, 19:55 CET
One more link: Oakland Vulkon Slayercon 2004
Right now it's only got my photos from Day One, but I'll be putting the rest of them up at that link as well, so check back.
[ edited by teenes on 2004-08-29 20:41 ]
teenes | August 29, 21:22 CET
Ah well. Even though I'm sure you're all dying to hear about me and my throat let's move on to other matters.
This was our first Vulkon Con so we were kinda figuring things out along the way. Had to buy a separate ticket to get Stephanie Romanovs autograph but I found that out in time hehe. Lotta waiting in line of course but that's part of the deal. At the last moment we decided to do Tony and Alexis photo ops too. Which meant getting up at 6 mwah hah. But it was worth it.
Nice thing was that after waiting in line standing for a while, they take you in the room in groups and you get to sit down, then row by row people walk up to the actor and you get your little handshake, your nervous 'hello' and the photo. (Which is in the same room, but on the other side of a background screen in the middle of the room so the sitting audience can't look while the pics are being taken.)
We were sitting in one of those rows when Tony Head walked in. people applauded and called to him immediately and I think he was taken aback for a split sec and he didn't really look at the people and walked straight to the Vulkon workers behind the screen thing. Then he suddenly popped his head out from behind it for a second showing us waiting folk a big goofy grin, hehe. Was funny.
Now something we learned is that you have to take some initiative when you want a little moment of contact. These guys see literally hundreds of people come by in an hour and a half so it can go pretty assembly line-like. (Which is what the con people want of course, all the faster.) So you gotta get savvy. With Tony we werent and when we walked up, he said 'Good mornin' with a big smile and a british accent that reminded us of Band Candy. And we said '.....h-hello'....' and he put his arm around us and we got a shot and he said goodbye or see you later or something like that.
Got savvy after that. Give'em something to work with without going into your life story. (Cause many people do that and start holding up the line). So then after that we walked outside to get into the Alexis line. We missed him when he arrived at the table outside. Apparently ( btw, RavenU told us this. Almost forgot, we met her several times and had some nice chats. Thanks again, btw. We got the photo!) he arrived at the table where you get your ticket and said "Uh, is someone supposed to meet me here?" We were mere feet away, but probably just happened to look the other way, oh well.
So funny thing...Alexis was a hit. Especially with the ladies (Eh RavenU?;-) He looked nice, had a little scruff and looked like...well, 'cool' Wesley if you will. And when we were waiting in the seats inside the photo room I suddenly noticed there were several Vulkon women there. Who I had seen at the registration, at the tshirt stand, etc. All completely other places. And suddenly they were all gathered at the photo op.......hastily doing their makeup! And when Alexis walked in from the other room (where they keep the actors until everyone
s ready to start) with his good looks, casual charm, sweet grin and with just enough boyish innocence about the whole experience, you could feel this wave of 'fluster' go through the entire room. My wife started 'fanning' herself like Scarlett O'Hara, about to swoon. It was funny. The vulkon women too, were flocking around him with blushing cheeks. Fascinating to watch, really....;-) (And RavenU, what did you tell him again when it was your turn? Seem to recall something, hehe)
So anyhoo, when it was our turn he said hi with a big ole grin that he kept for the day. It was a grin that showed he was really enjoying himself. (And it almost seemed that he was a little surprised by it. I think he may have been a little nervous at first)
This time I was determined to have a bit of an exchange (not too big. Don't wanna be a bother) so as we took our places next to him I asked if he was overwhelmed by it all yet. And he laughed and said "No! No, everyone is just being so...so wonderful! It's just great!" And it was so endearingly sincere. I'd had no idea what to expect from Alexis since he's only done one previous con-thing in england and I'd never read anything about that. And sometimes people's inexperience with this sort of event can lead to awkwardness that's really no ones fault be he was really just a sweetheart.
Anyway, we stood next to him, one on each side and then, before the shot was taken, he stopped and looked down at the line of tape on the ground. And he said "Wait! No, let's take a step forward, because then we'll really be in focus and the picture will be better!" We couldn't believe he was actively thinking and worrying about the quality of our picture. Then it was taken and he shook hands again and we thanked him and he said "No, no not at all. And I really hope you like the picture!"
Hey I'm a straight guy, but this guy was just adorable. Can't put it any other way.
Out again. Back in line again for James. He showed up and to a lot of girls' dismay, he had a crew cut. The dark hair, people have been getting used to, but many were hoping (including Rogue) that it would at least be kinda curly again. But no, James wants the crew cut probably because it's really easy after all the hassle with the Spike hair. He looks like he's in the army though and many girls were like: "nnoooo". Some did like it, as was clear by some of them applauding at the Q&A later when he said he was keeping it this way.
Still pure looks-wise, for some, this knocked him below Alexis, heheh. (But Rogue and RavenU can tell you guys aaaall about that.)
Anyway when it was our turn, I'd thought of something to say again. Btw, while waiting in line when we were almost up, we could see it's true, he's really good at trying to give everyone their moment, of real exchange, of real eye contact. And he's quite good at it. So he shook our hands too and I asked him if Macbeth was still a go (as I typed earlier). He thought for a split sec (I swear he must be regretting telling the world too early about the 50 million) and he said he was still doing it, but his money guy backed out. And a little 'oops' went through me. Like I said it's weird hearing news about a James Marsters project that you really didn't know yet from the man himself. Wasn't expecting it, but as I said, the 'plane-guy' never sounded like that sure a thing, ya know?
So he talked a bit about that, and how it still got him all psyched to do it though, and about how he wanted to do it. So that was a nice exchange. Of course, his girl-instinct kicked in and, even though I asked the question, he looked mainly at Rogue when he talked. Grrr. But he turned back to me at the end thanking me (Not sure for what but I'll take it, hehe) so he really gives people their attention.
Okay I'll post this and tell you guys some other stuff in a bit....(Just tell me if I'm boring. No wait. Don't. Just don't read me, and I'll never know, haha)
EdDantes | August 29, 22:31 CET
Let me just say, this guy was *really* a fan of his own character and he really *got* him(unlike James....grrrr...)and loved to talk about him. He was gorgeous(yup, hotter than James, never thought I'd say that), sweet, endearing, warm, sincere.....just about every positive adjective you can think of. I was always a Wesley fan, but Alexis can add me to his ranks now. Just an amazing man. I can't get over it.
Rogue Slayer | August 29, 23:03 CET
Re: Alexis Denisof, he's never really appealed to me but it's great to hear he did well with newbie-charm and all. Hopefully this will make him want to go to more since people seemed to enjoy him and he seems cool. Now what did he have to say?
NirvanaPunk | August 30, 01:25 CET
It sounds like you all had a wonderful yet sensory overloading and exhausting experience with a delightful group of actors. Head for the nearest pillow, close your eyes and rest your brains (and fingers).
Wesley is (I can’t refer to him in the past tense, I just can’t) my favourite character in all the verse, so it’s just the cherry on top to know that Alexis is such a sweetie pie. If he did take some of the shine off of James, just remember how many of these James has done. How much is expected of him. How many times he’s been asked how he felt being naked –he’s been asked enough, for crying out loud!
Regarding the report in teenes link: what is JM’s manager thinking? I know it’s none of my business, but he sounds more like a hanger on who wants to be attached to a star and get a bigger percentage for himself than someone concerned with what JM wants or needs. Okay, off the soapbox now. I am still really hoping Macbeth gets made, but yeah, I was worried too when he was so excited and blurting things out before anything was definite.
Not to put the pressure on anyone, but I could possibly be described as breathless with anticipation over a possible Alexis Q&A summary or transcript. : )
bloodflowers | August 30, 02:13 CET
Yeah, they need to come up with new questions.
"Not to put the pressure on anyone, but I could possibly be described as breathless with anticipation over a possible Alexis Q&A summary or transcript. : )"
Heh. Seconded. Though minus the "breathless with anticipation" and add "eager to read it and very curious" ;).
NirvanaPunk | August 30, 04:23 CET
nychick | August 30, 07:17 CET
I've added the photos from Day 2 to the gallery I linked to above. ASH, NB, AD, and JM. Today, I took almost 1GB of photos (I shrink them for the gallery) because ASH sang two songs for us at the end of the Q&A and I went nuts with the camera. So those'll take a while to process. I will get them up tonight, though.
teenes | August 30, 07:23 CET
Why, for what actor did your love for go sour?
And teenes, thanx again! You rock! And I vote "yes", if it's not too much trouble. ;)
NirvanaPunk | August 30, 08:03 CET
Alexis is a lot clearer so I'll try that later. I don't know if we managed to get all of it, and no promises on the clarity, but I'll try to do something resembling a transcript. Hey Teenes, how about if I fail completely you're plan B on Alexis? You can focus on JM and/or Ash and Nick if you want, of course. You got a full plate already.
Also, what do people prefer, a link to my livejournal? Or that post my ramblings here directly? Simon? Any official word on that one from you?
EdDantes | August 30, 08:18 CET
That’s interesting because everyone always goes on about how much James knows Spike, how he *is* the guy. Or, am I missing the sarcasm here? Wouldn't be the first time. Twiddling thumbs till the other reports get here. Thanks for taking your time to write all the recaps, guys.
lissie biff | August 30, 08:24 CET
No, wasn't talking about me. Was just observing some of the post of others.
[ edited by nychick on 2004-08-30 06:36 ]
nychick | August 30, 08:35 CET
No, no sarcasm. It just irks me how James flip flops on his opinion of Spike, and he said that Buffy didn't love Spike(not to get in a shippy war, I just happen to think she *did* love him, though not in the way he loved her). And he used to say that Spike was a bad boyfriend, and treated Buffy terribly. Then he says Buffy treated Spike like a wet towel. Now, they're not mutually exclusive, I just happen to think Spike was the best boyfriend he was capable of being without a soul. And it seems like James misses that. And then he'll say that he played Spike with as much soul as he could before he got a soul, so I don't really know what his take on the character is. Maybe it's all those things, but I think it's too simplistic to say Spike was a 'bad boyfriend' when he was really far more layered than that. But then, I've always had more sympathy for Spike than any other character. James used to be a Spuffy up until the attempted rape. He would always talk about how proud he was of the character's journey and how his hopes were finally paying off with Buffy. Then the AR happened, and it seems James stopped liking/getting Spike. I know James has deep issue with rape, so maybe he doesn't think his character should be liked/redeemed after that. Who knows.
AD didn't talk in simplistic labels. He really got into Wesley and his motivations, and he truly loved his character.(and btw, he knows the history and episode names better than I do!) I think James stopped loving Spike around the AR, and it kind of shows. Well, just my opinion, of course. Others may take his answers differently. I've long since learned two people can hear the same thing and take something different away from it.
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 08:58 CET
Teenes, especial props for great photos and blow by blow JM transcript, which I'm sure Rogue and Ed and others will strive to emulate. If I have a vote, I plump first and foremost for Alexis - since he is too-little heard from and I love that character. On the other hand, I've always had an enormous soft spot for Tony. Ed - bung the recording my way, and I'll transcribe that dodgy North London accent of his in two shakes of a lamb's tail! :)
Re James/Spike: RogueS, you just formulated a series of perfect Qs to ask him at one of these bashes, instead of the tired and rather lame "who was the best kisser?"/"what was like to be naked?" blah blah blah feh.
SoddingNancyTribe | August 30, 09:19 CET
Oh, you seem to be operating under the delusion that I could get out much more than, "boy pretty....me like...." when addressing James in anything more than a 5 second autograph line! ;)
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 09:27 CET
He has said often that rape/hurting women is a very sore point for him (he's had to play things like that on stage too) and it does show. What bugs me about it that Spike was soulless at the time and it was still more of a crime passionelle than a "haha look at what I'm doing to you" and that Angelus did a whole list of horrible things to Buffy and the Scoobies (like torturing Giles for hours while enjoying the hell out of it) but that James doesn't seem to hold that against souled Angel who Buffy should be with according to him, while souled Spike never really redeemed himself in his eyes. Which is a little odd to me.
Also, he said that to him 'End of Days' and 'Chosen' were all about Buffy loving Angel, which is really not what Joss and the other writers have said it was meant to be like. Personally being a bit of an 'ex-Bangel' and as well as a bit of a 'Spuffy' I felt both guys got the "hey, let's move on" thing in the Buffy's cookie dough speech.
James said at the Q&A 'Oh you know she wasn't really talking about cookie dough, right?' Sure, she was talking about herself and her life and relationships. And what she said was, 'I'm not done looking around, I might find some other guy that I'll really want to settle down with, and while you never know, don't hold your breath'. I've never been able to interpret that as "Oh Angel you're my one and only" and I don't see how he can.
Also we know now that Joss on the commentary apparently says something about in his eyes Buffy did mean her 'I love you' to Spike. And really, at the end of it all, James seemed to've completely forgotten about 'The Girl In Question' in which the whole point was that even though Buffy had loved them both, Spike and Angel needed to move on and that Buffy had a new guy.
So very often James seems to say things that kind of counter what Joss says and I do still say that since the AR James has been mostly negative about Spike in general.
Btw nothing against James, I still love him ;-) but I don't always agree with his views on things and I gotta say, when it comes to knowing eps and seasons and moments, no one has beaten Alexis. There was one moment where he wasn't sure if an ep was S4 or S5 but other than that he knew names, moments, scenes as well as the fans in a way I've never seen an actor do. Usually actors know things less well than viewers, which is understandanble. Patrick Stewart once said they made so many eps of Star Trek in such a fast pace, he can now turn on the TV and see an ep with himself and wonder how it goes, hehe.
And with buffy actors too, I've often been able to tell with several of them during Q&As that when they answer a question they've forgotten something about that element, or they mix up episodes etc etc. Only normal. But no, Alexis knew his stuff. It was like he was a fan himself if you know what I mean.
Btw, I just wanted to say I am working on a Alexis transcript. I don't think it will be complete but he's the guy who enunciates the most clearly and I can sort of understand what he says on my crappy recording.
Oh and SoddingNancyTribe, ('bong' it your way?;-) I did manage to understand Tony at the time, fortunately. Watched a lot of british sitcoms, but on the recording....pffff Well truth to tell, Nick Brendon is not much better. I need good equipment.
EdDantes | August 30, 09:43 CET
In the meantime, all my photos are now up. Don't forget to go to the second page, it's got ASH and JM's Sunday photo albums. And the blurry shots of ASH waving his arms about? Him demonstrating his take on Giles as Fyarl demon chasing Prof. Walsh (much more ponderous) and Joss' take (arms waving about).
Not offering my take on anything at this point, I don't have time!
teenes | August 30, 09:49 CET
Anyway, in the big Q&A room they were auctioning stars off like they were cheap hookers! Just kidding, you could bid on dinners with the actors. I have no idea if it's for charity or just for Vulkon. Last time James and Tony brought in 6000 and 7000 dollars. Those days are over it seems. The fans with oodles of money have been there and done that. Clare Kramer (who was there on stage in a pretty white dress) Brought in about 1000 dollars. Then she auctioned off Alexis, Tony and Stephanie Romanov who weren't there yet. Tony went for about 1050 I think, Stephanie about 8-900 and the big winner this time was Alexis for 1500. Where do these people get the money?
Clare was great and funny and outgoing and she asked the promoter if he would throw in a bottle of wine, hehe. I was wondering what I would 'get' exactly if I'd 'won' her, but then I'm an established perv;-)
Then it was time for the main autograph session. James Marsters, Stephanie Romanov, Tony Head, Clare Kramer, Nick Brendon and Alexis Denisof. (Btw, auction autographs and Q&As where all in the same large speaking hall)
Organisation was a big mess. You had people with Platinum tickets, Golden ones, Silver ones, Deluxe day ones and everyone had different rights and some where here tomorrow and some not.....mess. The organizer (Fernando I believe) had a system that nobody got. Including his own people. People in row a go to line 1 then to line 3, and skip 2 and you're done. People in row b go to line 2 then to 3 and you're done and then people....
Well the entire crowd sorta went 'huh?' And really we were worried because we shouldn't skip any line since we were entitled to meet them all. I went up to the stage and asked him about it and he said I shouldn't worry. I still did.
After a while, things were chaos since the lines moved at different speed and it became more and more unclear who was supposed to be or go where. Fernando mysteriously dissappeared. Julie Caitlin Brown took a mike and started ordering people around. Now she has a rep, and I'm kinda mixed on her. Things were chaos and after a while every actor just had his/her own line of people and someone needed to steer things a bit and she did. But then, damn that is one bossy chick. She was barking at people that...well, she was right in what she needed to be done (sometimes) but she didn't always need to *bark*, ya know?
And of course, she and Vulkon wanted things to go as fast as possible, and 'we, the people' don't. We want our 'moment'. Now of course, we can't all chat and tell our life stories, but they should still realize we want a sliver of contact. We don't just want the autograph as a product. If so, we could just order them online. And at some point it was clear that Nick Brendon was the fastest. His line went really fast so they tried to move more people to him. And Julie kept saying how great Nick was because he was so fast.
Well yeah. Because he spent the least amount of time with people. Hey, he was perfectly nice and it's within his rights, but he was all business and just scribbled, nodded and off you go. And I can see how Julie loved that because it was so darn efficient, but really, we like it a little better when there's a little exchange, a little contact. So we couldn't really share her enthusiasm for the high speed method. And I find it odd that she just didn't seem to understand that.
Anyhoo in a nutshell:
Nick Brendon: As said, nice enough guy, and he was really really funny at the Q&A but at the signing it was hispeed assembly line. Don't really have much to say because there wasn't much happening. You give your picture to the guy next to him, he passes it on to Nick who scribbles and gives it back. Off you go.
Alexis Denisof: Well, he still had that grin that looked like he was having a great time. Now, no one was allowed to personalize the autographs (speed and efficiency and all that) but my wife asked him anyway and he got this 'naughty boy' look on his face, smiled and said "Oh I'm really not allowed.....but....who cares, what are your names??" So he personalized, hehe. The Vulkon guy next to him glared at him and us but didn't say anything. We got him to sign an Angel that had a big article on him, and a cool pic of Wesley at W&H that we bought there. Later while waiting in other lines it was clear that things were going to be delayed, but they announced over the speakers that Alexis had asked them to tell everyone not to worry, he wouldn't bolt when time was up, he would stay till every person got an autograph however long it took. Again, Alexis rules.
James Marsters: Man that guy is popular. And people like giving him gifts! There was just a pile of stuff behind his table and he had no less than 4 Vulkon guys hovering around him, keeping things going. They were really the most strict on James. Now as said I'd made a drawing of him as Macbeth in a bit of a movieposter design with the three sisters in shadows around him. And I knew from what he'd told me at the photo op that his 50 million budget was gone, so I was prepared for how to bring it. Of course the guard dogs had to srcutinize me and my gift bearing deeply and one guy said it was okay to give it but if I took longer than 30 secs I'd be thrown out.
30 secs would've been an eternity compared to the average speed of all the autograph moments. Weird thing to say and I could've taken it, but I was nice. I got to James, said I remembered his funding was gone, but that he still wanted to do it and that I made a sketch of him as Macbeth that could be a little encouragement to continue it (I meant it too, I'd love to see James do Shakespeare) And I knew of course that I could've given him a drawing of a turd and he'd pretend to like it but his reaction was instant and I believe, very real. He yelled out "Oh fuck! Awesome!" (Btw it's funny, but he good-naturedly cusses a lot, hehe noticed at the photo op too) And he shook my hand and looked back at the drawing and thanked me again. "Man that's awesome, thank you so much!" and then the guard dogs sorta yanked it from him and his face kept following it as they took it and he looked sorta like 'hey I was looking at that, uh...yeah ok gotta move on'. It was funny. The stars are so in charge on one hand and just gears in the machine on the other. Well anyway I had my little moment and he shook my hand again and thanked me again. s' Cool ya know.....and quite under 30 secs hehe.
Clare Kramer: We were in line for Tony when we noticed she'd almost gone thrugh her lines (we were lowly day-ticket holders so we caught most of them at the end of things...eh) So we rushed over there and were the very last she did, I think. She was just sweet and very radiant. Big, big smile. We asked her to sign our autograph-laden Buffy calendar on her birthday too. She said it was next friday. Rogue joked 'should I ask how old?'. Clare laughed and said "Ohh, you could ask, but I'm probably gonna lie!" Hehe. Both got another big smile as we left her. She seems to enjoy these things too.
Tony Head: Also at the end of things, but there was still some people behind us. He signed a pic and the calendar and I told him to keep pushing Joss on 'Ripper' (Another "say something trivial, just to have a little bit of an exchange" thing, ya know) He didn't catch what I said at first and asked what I said. Except he said 'sorry, wuhssat?' heheh. Whacky brits. I repeated the question and he laughed and rolled his eyes. "Ohh man well, we both still wanna do it, but Joss has so much going on and after a while I just feel like I'm (pulled a childish whiny voice:) 'Jo-osss when are we gonna doo it?? Jo-oosss?' So, who knows, you know?" I joked he should pay other people to do it for him and he laughed. It was funny, because you can tell Giles doesn't laugh like that often. Tony's very different, very casual yet suave.
Stephanie Romanov: We'd already heard stories about Stephanie personalizing even when she wasn't allowed to. We can tell you the stories are true, hehe. Her line and (Alexis')was the last to end and she just didn't care. She personalizes for whoever wants it and damn the glaring convention guard dogs. Well you gotta love that. She asked if we wanted it and of course we did, hehe. She asked us to spell our names because she said she wanted to make sure she got it right. I told her she was just so nice for that, you know, the whole thing of her always doing that, but in the moment I think I mangled the english sentence a bit. (Hey still a dutchman from birth! Sue me! I was noivous!) And that kinda made her laugh. Ahem. You know, one of those sweet 'that's so cute' laughs. Well, she got my meaning and smiled like I was just this endearing little thing. Which was still pretty darn nice as moments go of course, but I'd somehow managed to not come across as this suave cool guy that I'd planned to be when talking to her.
I'm such a clutz....
[ edited by EdDantes on 2004-08-30 09:01 ]
EdDantes | August 30, 10:59 CET
Sorry to hear about how poorly organized the autograph lines were.
But then again, I'm glad I missed The Wrath of Julie Caitlin Brown(TM). :)
Oddjob | August 30, 11:19 CET
I've been a fan of Spike since day one or School Hard to be more precise. I've read as many interviews as i could find about both the character and the actor and i've always been impressed with his dedication to Joss, to Spike and to the slayerverse overall. However as Rogue, Ed and others have said, he did start to discuss Spike in more negative terms after the AR scene of season 6.
To me this was because Spike had always been an extension of James. Being something of a method actor throughout much of his career he will no doubt have blurred the lines on many occasions as to where James stopped and Spike began. James was clearly very proud of his role and, more to the point, the journey of redemption the vampire was travelling.
The AR was a massive bump in the road of that journey and a severe setback to Spike becoming what James envisioned. Being so close to that character would also have transferred a lot of the guilt Spike felt over to how James felt as well.
This was probably something of a wake up call to James. He would no longer see Spike through the rose coloured glasses he had been using up until that infamous scene, instead seeing what Joss envisioned as the dangerous boyfriend who, whilst loving and caring to the eye, could snap at any time.
Now we as fans can accept that as being the fault of Spike's demonic nature and let it go based on him going off to redeem himself by getting his soul back. James is much closer to the facts as he played them out, not only in the scene but in his head too no doubt.
So again i would suggest that he was severely let down by Spike by the end of season 6 and rather than not getting his character he may in fact get him way better than we ever could. James and Spike in fact think the same way. No matter what Spike does now to find redemption it won't ever wash away what he did to Buffy that night and this comes out in how James discusses the character nowadays.
The AR tainted Spike to James and that may never change. The good thing though is that, whilst James may never pretend Spike is the perfect hero anymore, he still loves the character and would return at anytime to continue his journey.
The Arcane | August 30, 13:27 CET
Anyway, I've finished the Sunday JM Q&A and am about to drop facefirst into my laptop. Can barely type anymore. It's linked off my site, as is everything else. I'm going to bed. Enjoy.
teenes | August 30, 13:42 CET
But yes, James would return at any time, and he is devoted to Joss. But ever since the AR, I feel like he just doesn't want to like Spike anymore and is blind to anything but 'he's a jerk', which is still oversimplifying a complex character to me.
And yes I disagreed about the Fred thing too, Spike wasn't in love with Fred or anything, but he did care for her. She was sweet to him in the beginning and gave him an honest and unbiased welcome as well as the benefit of the doubt. Same thing with Joyce. Spike doesn't forget that. For James to just dismiss that was kind of another example of how by now, he seems unable to ascribe hardly anything positive to Spike.
And again, James' take on the B-A-S triangle is simply way off from the things Joss and the other writers have said.
EdDantes | August 30, 14:09 CET
prufrock | August 30, 15:52 CET
We, as fans of both characters, can judge a lot more readily as to what we think is right and fair. James is a lot closer to the character than anyone else and doesn't have the perspective to say "Well Angel did worse so maybe Spike deserves Buffy after all".
Look at it this way. If you were to accidentily cause the death of somebody would you be able to tell yourself that it was okay because others have done the same or worse? Obviously that is not the same as acting a role but if Spike is really as close to James' heart as we think he is then it makes sense that the AR would be a very hard thing to get passed.
Maybe James has gone to a place of being very down on Spike but to me that is because he really feels Spike deserves it. Maybe once Spike has had more chance to redeem himself in James eyes (in the Spike series please Joss!) then James will be back to his old "Spike for President" self. :)
The Arcane | August 30, 17:24 CET
I wasn't there, but from what I've understood from reading other con reports, Nick had one day to give 700 people autographs. Other people have described it as efficient, rather than giving fans the "short shrift." If he hadn't gotten through the line, there'd be all sorts of people up in arms about how they *didn't* get his autograph. He's also been doing cons in the states and overseas for years now. After a while, I imagine, you learn how to help the con organizers by moving things along.
[ edited by J.Monique on 2004-08-30 15:35 ]
J.Monique | August 30, 17:25 CET
prufrock | August 30, 17:34 CET
This by no means is meant to disrespect Alexis or ASH, both of whom people seem to have been thrilled with. Just that different people handle situations in different ways.
J.Monique | August 30, 17:41 CET
wissxwe | August 30, 17:45 CET
Considering he was done eons before the alloted time was even up, I think he could have slowed down a bit and said a couple words to the fans. I don't want his scribble on a picture. I can buy that on Ebay. I want to meet Nick and go away with a nice little exchange.
With regard to James and his understanding of Spike, whilst i agree that his opinion of the character has changed to some extent since the AR i don't think that is down to James not understanding Spike. It's more that Spike let him down.
Well, I think it's both, really. I think James always poured a lot of himself into the character, like you say. But James was never soulless, so he could never *really* connect with Spike. He doesn't know what it's like to have a moral ceiling. I think he really expected better of Spike, he's always talked about him in a romantic way as well. But then the AR happened, and James just didn't understand that, and I think he stopped understanding Spike. I think Spike dropped in his opinion, and he never regained the respect he had for the character. He said he put a lot of soul into soulless Spike, so then for 'him' to almost rape someone....it's probably hard for him to take. He seems to whitewash the fact that Spike was, indeed, soulless. And also the fact that the Buffy/Spike relationship was just ugly and abusive on both sides, a continual 'no no no, okay shag me in my yard, then I'll punch you in the head and go about my day' type thing. That's enough to drive a normal, soulled person batty, much less someone without the benefit of a soul. I know I'm an apologist, but Buffy had said no before. They had rough sex before. Why is Spike to assume this is different? Yes, maybe someone with more perspective who was rational would have seen that, but Spike wasn't rational. He was losing Buffy for real, and he knew she felt something for him after seeing him with Anya. That's enough for someone soulless to plug on after what he wants, without much rational thought. But after all that, to just boil it down to 'bad boyfriend' doesn't really cut it to me. Spike had more layers than that. And of course, James would never come out in defense of an almost rapist, but he can at least stop labeling Spike in such simplistic terms, because Spike's character is anything but simple.
And I will always give more credence to a writer's intent than an actor's interpretation. And James and Joss(and the other writers) have differed in opinion on a lot of Spike/Spuffy related things, so I'm not quite as concerned about how James sees the character, because I know he's not seeing him how the writers want the fans to see him. Still a bit disappointing that he sees him so black and white and simplistic now. Or at least that's how he comes off in mag interviews and Q&A's.
[ edited by Rogue Slayer on 2004-08-30 16:41 ]
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 18:29 CET
Uhm yeah...do you really think Tony, James and Alexis didn't have the same amount of people to go through? And Nick went so fast because he didn't give people moments. He just gave the scribble. And like I said, that's his choice, sure, but 'more power to him'? No fan there thinks that. At one point a promoter called out that Nick was amazingly fast (We're talking 2-3 times as fast) and that the other actors should be as fast as him and go into higher speed and stop saying a few words to people, and the audience booed him. He stumbled a bit and said "okay okay the people have spoken".
Really, when you're there you are not in the camp of 'move it people, move it'. You traveled far and paid a lot, and you want a little moment. You don't care about 'efficiency', okay? That's not why you're there, to say "Oh look at how efficient these lines go" And Nick, (nothing against him, he was hilarious at the Q&A), just was the guy who made sure he had the least contact with people during the signing and went the fastest. That's simply a fact.
"I would much rather have eye contact and a handshake with someone instead of some hastily scribbled signature."
Exactly prufroc. And as an experience, James or Alexis or Tony or Stephanie....well, all of them really, were a lot nicer and a lot more fun and giving. They say a few words, they look at you, they shake your hand, whatever...it's just nicer. I want to meet them for a moment and the autograph is a nice memento of that meeting. If there is no 'meat' to the meeting, the autograph doesn't mean all that much because it's not a memento of very much.
And like I wrote with Stephanie and ALexis, there was no option of some people not getting anything. They just stayed till everyone got an autograph.
Anyhoo, I'm working on the Alexis transcript. Won't be complete or perfect I fear, but we've got most on tape and I only miss a word here and there. Is-a-comin', is-a-comin'....
EdDantes | August 30, 19:16 CET
The relationship between Buffy and Spike had always walked a fine line between violence and sex and to expect Spike, a being who at the time had no real conscience, to understand the difference between what he was doing that night and all the violence that had come before was asking a lot. The fact he felt any kind of guilt at all for what he did speaks a lot more to me that the actions themselves.
And i also personally put more stock in the writers intentions than what comes across on screen via the actors interpretations. Again though that is all well and good for us. We fans have the luxury of making those choices of how to view the character and story. James is subject to a unique perspective on Spike and is just as entitled to his view on the character as we are, moreso in fact.
Ultimately i still believe that if Spike is really given an opportunity to be the hero that James always wanted him to be then James will rethink his stance on the character. It's just that right now Spike has a lot of redeeming himself to do in the eyes of the man who portrays him.
The Arcane | August 30, 19:42 CET
Thanks for this, Rogue Slayer. My Alexis fandom is *so* cemented now!
luka | August 30, 19:57 CET
Seriously thanks to everyone for the great reports . I cut James a lot of slack with his views of Spike because , being a method actor he actually ,on some level, lived all the abuse that Buffy and The Scoobies heaped on him. He's spoken of dredging up all of his own pain and guilt and going home in tears so I guess he was in the same place that Spike was by the finale . Here's this Woman whom he's loved to distraction but who has, in James' words " used him like a wet rag" finally admitting that she loves him and it's too late, He can't bring himself to believe that she means it ( especially after seeing her " hello" to Angel). It's that uncertainty that makes his reluctance to go looking for her on ATS 5 seem believable. If Spike thinks that all she loved was his heroic sacrifice and now he doesn't have that he's going to be uncertain of his welcome , and the fling with Morty wouldn't help . So yep Spike loves Buffy but doesn't believe that he is worthy of having that love returned.. (and he hasn't atoned with a century of rat eating lol ). Factor in his love/ hate/ emulation/ jealousy thing with Angel and the guy is just a mass of insecurities.
Rather than James not having a handle on his character I think that he's just too close to it to see the full picture . He also admits that he hasn't rewatched the show and, in the pressure of filming, details will merge and muddle .
Maybe at some point he'll find time to do what we do and watch the whole series then he'd get more of a perspective. (Because Buffy * so* loved him ). But on the commentary Joss said that he and Sarah weren't getting it and had to be given very specific directions
" play the romance be proud of him, love him when you say you love him, love her when you say she doesn't love you"
Oh and on the autograph lines I agree. I got Nicks auto at Fusion last year and he was so speedy he often didn't have a queue . Meanwhile Tony took four hours to sign 150 people in Norwich which was perhaps, nice though it was, a little too far the other way .. James has it down to a fine art takes enough time to give every fan a look a handshake and a *moment* and you come away feeling like you actually met him . And his sigs are works of art, no scribbling or squiggling there no sireee
So it's all about striking a happy medium , and about con organisors understanding what we are there for .
debw | August 30, 20:05 CET
Well, I certainly hope we(and Spike) are given that opportunity!! And yeah, James probably thinks that Spike hasn't suffered enough. But I'm the gal who (had I been Buffy) would have just taken Spike home and loved him forever after Beneath You. I guess Buffy and James require a bit more to forgive Spike.
Thanks for this, Rogue Slayer. My Alexis fandom is *so* cemented now!
Like I said, I was never a huge Alexis fan because I just didn't know much about him. Now I am all pro-Alexis. Really, I can't even describe how awesome this guy is to meet in person. Just blew my mind. And gorgeous!!
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 20:06 CET
For those of you inclined, go to a Bill Clinton book signing. There's a man who can make you feel 10 ft tall just from shaking your hand and talking to you.
And the reports so far are wonderful, thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.
Simon | August 30, 20:16 CET
Amber | August 30, 20:21 CET
First, Spike's subjective understanding of what was happening and what he was doing in "Seeing Red". I agree with EdD, RogueS, and Neopagan that a soulless being, even one as relatively evolved as Spike, cannot be expected to have a conscience and know fully what he was doing. I also agree that Angelus's and Spike's misdeeds are pretty comparable (although I could make an argument that Spike, at least Spike-with-chip, had proven to Buffy and others that he was more morally accountable at the time of S6 than Angelus ever had been), and that Spike's AR should not be placed so much farther beyond the pale than Angelus's torturing.
But second is our objective understanding of the dynamic between Buffy and Spike, and whether the AR of "Seeing Red" was simply a continuation of the rough sex in their relationship up till then. Here I profoundly disagree that it was the same thing, that it was another blurring of the "fine line" between sex and rape. It was entirely different. Buffy had come to a moment of self-realization that she had been using Spike and told him so, and he understood the truth of her words. He got it, but he just couldn't accept it. So when Buffy said "no" to him in "Seeing Red", that "no" was a world away from the mutually-abusive behavior that had gone on before. And I feel that Spike knew it, that he *knew* that Buffy's protest was not simply another rough sex game, but that he was conquered by desire and by frustration. If the AR was simply rough sex by another name, Spike's journey to find his soul (or "remove his chip" if you like) makes much less sense and is much less powerful. The fact that Buffy and Spike had played rough before provided him with a superficial justification for his actions, but deep down, he was well aware that what he was doing was entirely different and entirely wrong.
None of that means that Spike is *less* worthy than Angel or less redeemable. IMO, everyone is redeemable.
Sorry for the length of this thought . . .
EdD: you are absolutely right about the autographs. At Comic-Con, I struggled with my inner 9-year old football fan, who liked to get the players's autographs at the game, thinking that I was now far too old and far too sensible for such things. But I realized, as you pointed out, that the scribble isn't the point, that it is far from the point. The scribble is the trigger to the (hopefully) happy memory of meeting and smiling, joking, mumbling, whatever. A scribble without that is no more than a scrap of paper.
SoddingNancyTribe | August 30, 20:25 CET
Yes, I noticed that too. He really looks at it and works on it. It's kind of funny, really. But much appreciated! And this guy probably signs more autographs than anyone in the 'verse right now, so for him to still take the time to make it something neat is very nice.
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 20:25 CET
I get the impression that he alternates between loving the character and loving to play the character, if that makes any sense. I agree that we fans can never have the same take on Spike as he does because we weren’t there. We may see the end result, but we can never know what it was like to be in his head when he was doing the Method thing and immersing himself in real life pain and guilt. He says he’s a lot like Spike (or is Spike like him) and I think it would be a bizarre experience to live in that day after day. If he changes his mind about Spike’s motivations or how he feels about him, to me that just says JM is a complex moody person. Sometimes also referred to as an artist. : ) He could also be stepping back to make sure Spike and James are kept separate which in turn could change his perspective. I don’t really care if he doesn’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of episodes because that gives me hope that his memory is just as scrambled as mine. The one thing that almost breaks my heart is:
"Have I heard from Joss at all? No, No. Something tells me he's not going to cast me in anything again. No no…we love each other, I love him, he loves me, we have a great time when we're together, but I have the instinct that I will never see another Joss Whedon set, unless the Spike thing goes.”. I wonder if James wants to continue with Spike as much as he wants to continue with Joss? I think he always brought out something extra special in JM when he directed him and I would love to see them work together again.
From what everyone has said, I think the Q&As would be a great experience but oh, the pressure in the autograph/assembly line thingy... no wonder some people burst into tears when they meet the object of their desire!
bloodflowers | August 30, 20:32 CET
Yes, Spike had accepted that it was over with Buffy. It was obvious in the Xander/Anya wedding ep. But THEN, Dawn tells Spike that Buffy was hurt over Spike having sex with Anya. So he went to apologize or explain, but I think even then, Dawn's words had made him hopeful. If she was hurt or jealous, it meant she felt something for him. And then Buffy admits she has feelings for him. And it's that point where Spike is determined to help her realize that her feelings are love. No, he didn't intend to rape her, but the only way Buffy has ever let Spike get close was through sex. So he thinks he can make her truly realize the love("Why do you keep lying to yourself?" "I know you feel like I do, you don't have to hide it anymore.") through sex. Because that's how he expresses his love for her. And then her fending him off didn't faze him much *because* of the previous 'nos' and roughness(it's what she liked, apparently), and then there's a point where he'd gotten way past rational thought, because I do agree that she had probably never fought him that hard when she was willing to have sex(um, except for Smashed....) And then he's completely gone with the frustration and anger and fear ("Let it go. Let yourself love me." "I know you felt it, when I was inside you.")
But I really love what they did with Spike immediately after. He's not just upset at what he almost did, but also confused on why he DIDN'T rape her. I think it wasn't just the guilt of almost raping Buffy that led him to get his soul, but his utter confusion at what he'd become. And how he couldn't really be one thing or the other. He was far too 'good' to go back to being a mindless killer, and he was too 'evil' to function in a way that Buffy could accept in her world.
Wow, this is a con thread. We got rather far off base! Sorry. Just wanted you all to know that my point is, it's all Dawn's fault. ;)
Rogue Slayer | August 30, 20:46 CET
Well I agree and i don't think it was the same thing. But Buffy had always said 'no' and fought with him only to usually have sex anyway. Of course this crossed the line into rape, but he was soulless and that's why he couldn't see it until too late. And don't forget he was also driven half mad at that point and was literally 'seeing red'. And I have to add that he felt terribly guilty afterwards, while still soulless, which is something I doubt Angelus ever would have been. The fact that he suffered enormously to willingly get his soul, still gives him some major points when compared to his soulless sire. And I wonder if James sees that element at all anymore.
But as many eloquently pointed out, it must be hard for him and his method acting to have a clear rational view on things.
"I get the impression that he alternates between loving the character and loving to play the character, if that makes any sense"
It does, and good point.
"For those of you inclined, go to a Bill Clinton book signing. There's a man who can make you feel 10 ft tall just from shaking your hand and talking to you."
Yeah, I heard that from many other people, hehe. Did you meet him then Simon?
"I realized, as you pointed out, that the scribble isn't the point, that it is far from the point. The scribble is the trigger to the (hopefully) happy memory of meeting and smiling, joking, mumbling, whatever. A scribble without that is no more than a scrap of paper."
Very true. Like I said, Nick wasn't 'not nice' if you know what i mean but I simply hardly have a memory to attach to the scribble. And yeah James' signature is done with care. Tony's too by the way. You can really read the 'Anthony Head' very neatly with some ornamental squiglies, hehe.
Oh and the Alexis Denisof transcript is coming, it's just hard to hear sometimes. I'll get back on it right away. Oh and Simon, should I post it here or do you prefer I link to my live journal or something?
EdDantes | August 30, 22:15 CET
Simon | August 30, 22:42 CET
Cool, but it be true: Amber is hard to beat when it comes to personal encounters...
EdDantes | August 30, 23:08 CET
Totally understandable Rogue Slayer, the second Faith broke down in tears at the end of Five by Five all was forgiven as far as i was concerned. :)
The Arcane | August 30, 23:24 CET
Simon | August 31, 02:05 CET
Ed just to let you know you made a hit with James, at the private reception he was talking about how he wanted to see MacBeth done and he mentioned your poster of him as MacBeth and how cool it was, he had looked at it again while waiting between his Q&A and the private reception.
Just got back home with around 6,000 photos from this past weekend and a severe case of Jet-lag - so I will post more of my report later including video snippits - not the whole thing but some of the highpoints -minus James who requested no video. BUT SLEEP NOW. :)
[ edited by RavenU on 2004-08-31 00:37 ]
RavenU | August 31, 02:31 CET
Anthony Stewart Head and Julie Caitlin Brown reportedly got into a rather heated argument in one of the hotel rooms because Tony wanted to open the banquet doors for the rest of the convention-goers so that he could sing for everyone (and not just the people attending the banquet), but Julie didn't want that to happen.
Apparently the argument was so loud that anyone passing by could hear what they were yelling about. :(
Oddjob | August 31, 02:46 CET
Rogue Slayer | August 31, 02:57 CET
RavenU | August 31, 02:59 CET
.....................*sounds of intense joy that are very inarticulate*
If I was a girl I'd have fainted by now.....thank you so much for telling me RavenU!! This is the kind of thing you don't get to know ya know?? Can I swoon? Is it okay for a guy to swoon? Probably not. No swooning......really........eep. Happy happy joy joy.....
EdDantes | August 31, 03:00 CET
Apparently the argument was so loud that anyone passing by could hear what they were yelling about. :(
Yeah, Tony mentioned something about thinking it was silly that the singing was only for the banquet goers. So I take it JCB won that little dispute?? Oh, I'd have loved to see Tony going Ripper on her!! :) *my bosom is still swollen with pride for hubby.....I've grown a full bra cup from it!*
Rogue Slayer | August 31, 03:10 CET
Oddjob | August 31, 03:18 CET
Also, glad to hear that AD was so well received and so nice. I love his character and I'm glad to hear that he was so into his own character too!
Firefly Flanatic | August 31, 03:24 CET
wissxwe | August 31, 03:39 CET
Thank you all convention goers for your reports and photos and everything. I truly appreciate knowing all the details (even the juicy gossip) because it's almost like being there. I'm really eating this stuff up so thank you guys so much.
electricspacegirl | August 31, 03:54 CET
Apparently the argument was so loud that anyone passing by could hear what they were yelling about. :( "
Okay don't get me wrong but how cool is that! I remember Tony saying something about opening the doors of the banquet later on for everyone after dinner and he'd sing and stuff....I thought it was really nice of him and now to hear he really fought for it... And with the feared Julie, hehe. Sorry, but...go Tony! Wish I could've been a fly on the wall for that one!
"Ed, I hope you post your picture too! I hope you signed your name and address on the back of it, who knows, James might want you to do some more drawings if the movie does get made!"
Aww yer killing me....I only signed my name. I considered putting more on the back but I desperatedly wanted to prevent any chance of this coming across as self-promotion more than a real gift you know? That's also why I did Macbeth instead of Spike. I knew it was something he was really into right now and I thought he might like it more than a Spike shot.
Ah well if he types in my name and the word 'art' I'm right there on google...hehe. Or he can put a 'wanted' poster up on his site! I doubt he would, but I'm fan-wanking big time for a moment here....indulge me.....
"Also, glad to hear that AD was so well received and so nice. I love his character and I'm glad to hear that he was so into his own character too!
I'm telling ya, the guy was so endearing...I just wanted to hug him. And no, not in *that* way....
"Thank you all convention goers for your reports and photos and everything. I truly appreciate knowing all the details (even the juicy gossip) because it's almost like being there. I'm really eating this stuff up so thank you guys so much. "
You're welcome;-) I know I love it when I couldn't be there and other people post. And the Alexis transcript is coming. I got bunches of pages done.
Oh and we'll put up photos too but we've had a bunch on old fashioned film camera, using the digi for little vids. And believe it or not we can't find a place to have them develop. No less than FOUR different places yesterday said the machine was broke.
Aren't the odds of that astronomically small??? Anyone??
EdDantes | August 31, 04:35 CET
palehorse | August 31, 06:04 CET
Btw, would you guys prefer it if I posted the Alexis transcript in parts? or should I wait till it's all done?
[ edited by EdDantes on 2004-08-31 07:18 ]
EdDantes | August 31, 08:17 CET
electricspacegirl | August 31, 08:32 CET
This NB/ASH transcript is kicking my ass. NB is so hard to understand on this recording. Too quiet, talks too fast, makes the audience laugh too much. Gah! Only 14 and a half minutes into it, and they went for an hour! Sorry, I keep whining about this everywhere I go but it's driving me nuts. Why am I transcribing instead of summarizing again? *thinks* Oh right, it's b/c the fun in that Q&A was their interplay, not the actual questions/answers. Bleah. OK back to work.
teenes | August 31, 08:37 CET
I'm doing okay-ish electricspacegirl. Alexis is clearer in speaking than Tony and Nick were but the audio is terrible quality. But I'll post some of what I've got for the waiting Alexis fans;-) Hang on....
EdDantes | August 31, 09:25 CET
EDDantes, good job on he drawing!
Caroline | August 31, 09:29 CET
He said we should let him know if he forgot to do that. (he forgot only once or twice during his whole session, but still profusely apologized for it when he did. He apologized often, for not having good answers to questions, even though he did such a good job to really think of good and thoughtful stuff. He'd often end with "I hope that was satisfactorily (kind of british-wesleyesque, yet still with an American accent which also happened a lot) or "Hm, I don't think I answered that very well, I'm sorry." It was just cute.
Anyway, one of the first things I remember being asked went back to the Tony/Nick session. There someone asked Tony if it was true what Joss had said, that he was pantsless a lot in Buffy S2. Tony laughed his head off, saying something like 'Oh, god, Joss....' and he said it was actually true about Alexis and that we should ask him about it when he came on. So now someone did and Alexis laughed and said it was true. He said that 'as we may have noticed' that in earlier Angel seasons Wesley spent an awful lot of time behind a desk!' And that he was basically exposition guy a lot and he tried to make it more interesting for himself by taking his pants down a bit and see if he could do the scene that way. And he did and kept taking them down more and more and in the end they were just down around his ankles. Lotta laughs as you can imagine Then he pretends to start taking his pants off on the stage. Big laughs and cat calls.
He also said something about Alyson (Rogue noticed he never said ‘my wife’, always ‘my lovely wife’ or ‘my beautiful wife’;-) and people applauded. (you know. She’s Willow!) He smiled widely and said “I know that applause was for her and when I see her again I’ll (gently clapped his hands) pass it on for you.”
Someone asked him about the dream sequence from 'Waiting in the Wings' with Fred and Wesley dancing ballet on the stage. It was cut from the ep but became an extra on the DVD. He said he was both happy with the scene and disappointed when it was cut, but also a bit relieved. And still also relieved it made it on the DVD but...well you get the point. Even though a lot of work had gone in that, he understood why it was cut. It wasn't until Joss was in the editing room apparently that they realized, if this is Wesley's day dream...
Alexis: "...why was he being a complete dork?"
(Laughter)
Alexis: "They never thought of that until they saw it and realized, 'Wouldn't he think of himself as....you know, Barishnikov or something? Why would he be...?'(laughs) So I, I see why they did it this way, and it's probably best. (...) "Uhm, yes the woman in blue?"
(Woman asks if he would consider nude scenes.)
Alexis (grins shyly): "...uhm...next question..??"
(Big laughter)
Alexis: "Uh, I think that is a eh, that is tough to answer because eh, it's kind of (...) by now. Uh, if they were called for? It would have to be required, (smiles) what kind of nude do you mean...?"
(Laughter)
Alexis: "Because there are, I believe there are federal restrictions on (laughs) certain 'types' of nudity.
(audience big laughter. paraphrasing: woman says she means like James Marsters had to do a lot)
Alexis (smiles): "Oh come on, who'd want to see Wesley naked?"
(LOTS of screaming, cheering and catcalls. He laughs and pretends to start taking his pants off again. This somehow does not lessen the screaming.)
Alexis(laughing): "I'm getting a workout. Taking my pants off an awful lot tonight!"
(He points out another person with a question. Can't make it out)
Alexis: Which version of Wesley did I like best... Like the more lighthearted or the darker version? It is a good question and it's come up before and I wish I had a better answer other than... that I really love both.
I mean, you know, it was a great chance to be a clown and to be....on Buffy I was an irritating clown which is an interesting combination, ehm, and then to have a chance to grow out of that which was just an incredible opportunity for, you know, for me as an actor so I... you know I really...I just relish the fact that I got to do both. Uhm, and there are times jumping out of the shadows with a couple of guns blazing and I thought 'My god! That was cool!' And being a few too many times but, (...) uhm I did have fun with it both ways.
I don't know, I had a real fondness for the real vulnerability of early Wesley like sort of uhm, 'the guy that...can’t’. He hasn't really gone the way he was and he thought. He had such high expectations and then was such a terrible failure.(laughs a little) And then, how that became, and turned on him later with what would really seem to me...how that… I didn't want to lose the person that he was, those portions...that still felt like that to an extent. Later, when he began to be able to do things that he would have never expected of himself, that it was important, to keep a part of him...I think anyway, that was worried that he was still *that* guy. And so that's how, for me, that's how I ensured(?)him, as he progressed....
(Points at a woman) "Uh, here in that pink outfit.."
(Woman talks, can't hear it)
Alexis: Yes, the question is, will the years of playing Wesley affect my work in other roles, is that, is that right...? (looks at the woman for confirmation he understood her correctly, she confirms) Uhm, you know, I do think there's definitely a shadow, it may certainly affect you, because of those (...) of the long hours and the days...and then spending five years with that character means that he's sort of with you a lot, you know? It's just....hard to explain but it's quite like this other person being quite real, being around you all the time, and then uhm, it may take a while for that to kind of disintegrate and to have... to re-awake myself with elements that are more me than him because I've been 'serving' that character for a long time. And uhm... well you know 'sacrifice' is too strong a word but, that kind of... thinking about, you know, how to relate to him, what's the right thing for him, I used to do that all day at work, and it means you spend a lot of time acting as that person until you get a little addicted to it. (laughs) Some actors do and I'm probably one of them and it's just that he sticks around like a shadow. I can't guarantee you in the future if I'll play him when...I can't tell you...I *hope* I'll manage to not play Wesley if I'm cast as someone else, cause that would be embarrassing! (Laughs)
But, maybe he's all I can do!
(big laughter and aws from audience)
Alexis: If so, I love him and …I don't mind.
(More awws from audience. We had a lot of those.)
END OF PART I
EdDantes | August 31, 09:33 CET
I totally get what he means about a his character sticking around like a shadow and him getting addicted to it. That's how it feels for me when I write fiction, the characters haunt me and I can't stop living through their stories. I imagine that's what acting would feel like and I've wanted to try my hand at community theater to see what it's like. That feeling is such a rush and I can understand that draw people have to the craft.
electricspacegirl | August 31, 10:17 CET
I finished the first half (almost exactly - this is 34 minutes of it) of ASH and NB's Saturday Q&A transcript. I'm really sorry but there's a bunch of stuff that NB in particular says that I just can't understand. Hopefully there's enough here to get the gist of it, though. So much laughter during this one. It's taking me about 3x as long to transcribe as any of JM's.
Linked from here.
Sorry I couldn't get more of it done tonight. I have plans tomorrow night so I probably won't be able to do the rest for a couple days.
And Ed, I have all of Alexis' Q&A so I can fill in the part you're missing...after I do the other Q&A. Gah. 10 Q&A's in one convention! There's no way I can transcribe them all. But I do have them all. *sigh*
teenes | August 31, 11:47 CET
Either way let me say this about JCB, she's good at her job and that may be one of the reasons people do not tend to like her. I will admit she is a bit on the harsh side at times, that seems to be her nature and perhaps should work on it a bit. She is the buffer between everyone - the guest, promoter, and attendee. I would bet money that yes Tony wanted the doors openned to the fans but the promoter did not and JCB was the one in the middle taking the verbal beating from all sides for it but she is bound by what is stipulated in the contract. In the contract Tony's performance was for banquet attendees only - since they paid money to be there and it had been advertised as such. Also a lot of other guest were there including AD during his performance, security for some of the guest would have been a bit of a nightmare had they openned the door to the over 500 remaining attendess. Not to mention the attendees that would have complained to Vulkon had the doors been open to the rest. Since I know some that make JCB look like a pussycat when it comes to the 'B' title and would have been on the promoters backside in a hot minute. So JCB had no choice than to follow how the contract was written to avoid potential lawsuit by the promoters. However, she also can compromise which is why Tony preformed 2 songs on Sunday.
For those who missed Tony on Sunday when he first came out he desided to vent at the convention companies as well, who in the past year have made the statement that he was unable to attend their convention do to work commitments. Which he said was untrue, he named 3 and said he had just found out about another one he had never even heard from at all. The Glasglow one, he had told them no cause they didn't want to pay him anything - and the thing about that convention being completely for charity was untrue. However, they listed him anyway and he found out about it the day of the event that people were being told he had to cancel at the last minute. (You see some attendees have JCB's phone number and I think called her, in turn she called Tony). When Tony found out he was pissed but desided to attend the event for the sake of the fans and told the promoter as such when he got there, he was not paid for his appearance there. Then he mentioned MR in Pennsylvania earlier this year and how he was actually bumped because they did not have the money to pay him but did not telling him this until it was only a few weeks from the event, they had said at the time it was do to the fact he had gotten a job. That is the part he cannot stand the fact that the conventions instead of saying 'Sorry we could not afford so-n-so.' they lie and say 'So-n-so could not attend due to getting work on something.' Thus lying to the fans to in order to keep themselves from looking like the culprit. The funniest part of all the woman who put on MR, was sitting in the front row - dead center - and he knew it and her since he had been at MR the year before - so that was to funny. I almost broke out laughing, if looks could have killed Tony would have been dead.
Anyway enough behind the scenes stuff and believe me the whole convention got nasty at times back there and I'm more surprised that JCB was not a bigger 'B' than she was.
RavenU | August 31, 14:16 CET
Also, loved your transcript of AD. He truly sounds like a great person and he seems like he had a blast - maybe he'll want to more and he'll bring his "lovely wife" along next time! That would be something - to have the two of them up on stage!
RavenU, great insight as to what JCB is dealing with. It must suck being the middle person but at the same time I can see where the stars get annoyed as well. I think that makes sense about why they wouldn't let him open the doors so others could hear. If you were the person spending the extra money to hear him sing and then they open the doors and let everyone hear him, there could be a lot of people demanding their money back because it wasn't exclusive. Also interesting about all Tony's comments about the other conventions and the lies they tell the fans at the expense of the celebrity. But I wonder if this will hurt Tony's chances of being invited to others now because he was so open about everything.
Wanted to also comment a bit about the earlier James Marsters discussion and how he seems to waffle about his feelings for Spike. I think he personally put so much into Spike and he thought one thing was happening and the writers had other ideas. He has commented before about putting a soul like personality into Spike and that if he'd known they were going to give Spike a soul he would've done things differently. I think he has a hard time getting over the attempted rape of Buffy (and to me that is definitely how it came across) because he felt that Spike had more humanity than that. He can excuse Angel because Angelus never showed anything but hate (at least early Angelus as portrayed on Buffy and not comical Angelus and Spike shown in season five of Angel). I truly think that Spike was well on his way to redeeming himself throughout season 7 of Buffy and if there had been another season and he was able to portray that more heroic Spike he may have been able to love Spike more again. But Spike went on to Angel and became a bit of a sidekick and we didn't get to see as much growth.
My thoughts are also that Spike cared deeply for Joyce and Dawn, Dawn maybe because of Buffy at first but Joyce he liked because she always treated him with respect. And he was definitely developing a sweet relationship with Fred, not a love interest, but a brotherly type of protective relationship. I also think that if Buffy wasn't in love with Spike when she told him she was, she was on the verge of being in love with him. Angel showing up made her happy, but it also made her realize that perhaps their time had come and gone. If she still was longing for Angel she never would've told him that Spike was in her heart. She tells Angel to leave and she goes back home to Spike. It may not have been love yet but she was heading in that direction. Season six wasn't a love relationship to me but season seven, Buffy and Spike were definitely growing closer and closer. Also, Buffy appears to move on but did she ever know that Spike was still alive? And if Joss and the writers say she meant it when she tells him she loves him, I'm going to believe them because, hey, it's their story.
Okay, off to read Teenes transcripts now!
Firefly Flanatic | August 31, 16:43 CET
Very nicely put. :)
The Arcane | August 31, 17:02 CET
Firefly Flanatic | August 31, 17:09 CET