Social Media and Behind the Scenes: AKA Everything Else Not "News and Media"

[tv echo]

If you want to watch recorded video of the "Inside the Writers (Zoom) Room" panel (with Beth Schwartz among the panelists), it starts at around the 7:51:28 mark (I did not rewatch this panel, so if I made any mistakes in my notes upthread, I did not correct them)...

(ATX Festival)

FYI: The panel before this one had technical difficulties and had to be cut short. So to fill the time, there was a short one-on-one chat between Caroline Dries (Batwoman showrunner) and Julie Plec, starting at around the 7:38:50 mark.

ETA: ATX Festival has removed their day-long video recordings. They will probably post videos of individual panels later.

Edited June 8, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

FYI...

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Deadline's report on the "Inside the Writers (Zoom) Room" panel...

TV Showrunners On The Benefits & Challenges Of Writers Zoom Rooms Plus How The Pandemic Will Affect Production – ATX
By Amanda N'Duka   June 6, 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/06/tv-showrunner-benefits-challenges-of-writers-zoom-room-how-the-pandemic-affect-production-atx-1202952840/

Quote

ATX TV…from the Couch! hosted a discussion with Showrunners Dan Goor (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Beth Schwartz (Sweet Tooth), Melinda Hsu Taylor (Nancy Drew), and Sera Gamble (You) about their experience with transitioning to virtual writers rooms amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the transition itself was not a challenge for the writers, being able to capture the same essence of a physical writers room suffered.

“It became really useful right away,” said Taylor, speaking on behalf of the new CW series, Nancy Drew, which was recently picked up for a second season. “I realized that I was actually a little more focused,” she added before admitted that the new set up “was weird.”

Goor echoed similar sentiments. “There were a lot of things we did as a group in the physical space that were really fun and felt integral to the process,” said Goor, who is currently working on season 8 of NBC’s cop comedy. “It is more efficient, but it’s weird. And it’s less fun. I would say there’s less joking around.”

For Gamble, “There’s a lot about being in a writer’s room that’s just the chemistry of people hanging out. I think when you’re running a writers room, that’s about little things you can do with people in a room that keep morale up. And it’s been a learning curve for me to try to figure out how to translate that to a virtual world where I’m just staring at these little faces and trying not to read too much into what their faces are doing at any given time. It’s just a completely different way of speaking to each other.”

She added that the new normal has “taken a little of the romance and spontaneity” out of the process of breaking stories. “Talking about one story that you’re talking to your coworker at lunch can lead to solving a problem in the script. So those are the kinds of things that you miss. It takes the fun out, yes. But it also takes the creative process and makes it more challenging.”

“It’s also the intimacy,” said Schwartz, co-showrunner and executive producer of the forthcoming Netflix DC series, Sweet Tooth. “People share really personal stories. And I feel in zoom it’s like you can’t get to that place because it’s impersonal. You’re talking to the screen, you’re not talking to that person. So I feel like it’s harder to get to those deeper places sometimes where naturally like in a room you would share some of those things when you’re physically in the same space.”
*  *  *
The telecommunication format is perhaps the least of the worries for writers who are now faced with the challenge of putting stories together while still being cognizant of the social distancing guidelines still in place during this health crisis.

“It already changed scripts as soon as it started happening,” said Schwartz. “As we started writing new scripts, when we’re breaking them, I’m like, ‘Oh, we can’t have this, being on a train with like a hundred extras. Let’s make that into cargo instead of people.’ So those are the kinds of things that you have to think about.”

“First of all, we’re not going to do things that actively put people in danger,” Gamble insisted. “Television shows are not worth it. It’s like when there’s a baseline of safety, then we will have these other conversations. We will change what we can and we will all keep an eye on that line.”

Spoiler

Casting will also come with its own difficulties especially when it comes to youth talent as Gamble pointed out. “Joe Goldberg (played by Penn Badgley) has a baby in season three… I couldn’t pitch you how we’re going to solve that. We are living through a global pandemic and we don’t want to put babies in danger. We’re gonna figure it out.”

*  *  *
“Jake (played by Andy Samberg) and Amy (played by Melissa Fumero) had a baby at the end of the season and people want to see it, said Goor. “It’s obviously going to be a lot harder to have a baby. We’re looking into animatronics.”

He added that the issues will go “in so many different directions and we don’t know what’s going to happen. So it’s hard to write for it. Is it going to be safer to shoot outside? Originally we were thinking everything should shoot on the stages as much as possible, everything will be controlled, but in fact, would it make more sense to like shoot exterior? Because it seems like it’s just healthier and safer to be outside for people. So we’re trying to balance and trying to stay current and that’s difficult.”

Moving forward, the showrunners do see a future where a mix of virtual and in-person gatherings could work, which could also promote more diversity in the room.

“I think for a comedy like Brooklyn, there’s a lot to be gained from being in the room. And also being on set when we shoot, if you wrote an episode, you’re set.  I could imagine in preproduction saying like, ‘Hey, let’s do zoom Fridays.'”

“It’s good for the creative process and it’s good for production,” to be in the same room “but I think it will be easier to say we should just meet on zoom on this particular day, Gamble suggested. “And when you talk about the disabled community, I’m actually excited to think that that line has been crossed in so many showrunners’ heads because we’ve tried it and it could work. If an agent were to call and pitch me somebody and explain why this writer would rarely or never be able to be in a room or on set, it’s like, well, I know that a version of that works now.”

Edited June 8, 2020 by tv echo

[Josh371982]

On 5/3/2020 at 12:46 AM, Kymmi said:

I really liked the entire next gen cast, so would watch for them. 

The spinoff should be just them IMO. I defintley would enjoy A Mia William Connor Zoe JJ centered show with hopefully Sara Diggle as Well

[Trisha]

Welp, he's back. I wonder if he'll address any comments/complaints about the last podcast? The Flash just fired Hartley Sawyer because of old tweets from 2012-2014, so I'm guessing the scrutiny will be even more intense:

 

[Featherhat]

I said up thread he's going to have to be very careful going forward about what he says and how he reacts on social media. Now doesn't really seem like a great time for him to be taking fan driven questions. He should really be less podcast-y for longer, especially if he's not going to be making an effort to show he's educating himself or at least realising people have legitimate other experiences or POVs. 

It won't take much for him to say something that he might not mean exactly but won't be as easily ignored as everything else. Especially when companies start scouring social media history before hiring anyone for a big role or people can send lists of deleted tweets or posts to employers. 

I said on The Flash thread HS was easily let go-able but SA should be careful for his own job's sake if nothing else, like actually learning his lesson. 

[Delphi]

Honestly,  if Arrow had continued,  this would've been the perfect time for SA to check his privilege before it bites him in the ass.  As it currently is,  I don't know that he will,  he doesn't have a job atm and only has to worry about getting future work eventually.   Not sure how concerned the guy day drinking wine for three months is concerned about self preservation. 

[apinknightmare]

6 minutes ago, Delphi said:

he doesn't have a job atm and only has to worry about getting future work eventually. 

He does have a job - he got hired as a lead on a show on Starz. It was supposed to start filming in March but got delayed because of the COVID shutdown. 

That being said, I fully expect him to continue being a mess, because he doesn't seem to be open to the possibility that he could possibly be wrong about anything. 

[Delphi]

@apinknightmare I completely forgot about that,  clearly Stephen wasn't on my priority on which members of the cast to keep following.  😅😅

[tv echo]

Posted 1 day ago...

Edited June 9, 2020 by tv echo

[HighHopes]

Well SA finally posted something.. sort of. Shared Grant Gustin's post which was actually the words of a Black showrunner Eric Wallace. He later clarifies "Also... I'm aware that the showrunner wrote this. I'm supporting my friend. That's it.". This is the first time I'm aware that SA has shared anything relating to Black Lives Matter and his choice to share the words of a Black man but give credit to a White man for sharing them is a look. He doesn't even name Eric Wallace! 

 

[Avabelle]

That tweet reads like he thought Grant wrote that statement but rather then admit his mistake he’s just pretending he knew it was the showrunner. 

[shantown]

Also telling that he didn't share anything until it very slightly had a tangential link his world (the Arrowverse shows)

[Guest]

I'd like to say I don't know how or why he gets it wrong every single time but I know why. 🙃

Also to just basically dismiss Wallace as some nameless showrunner makes it even worse somehow. Yikes.

[Mellowyellow]

I think the way he completely dismisses Eric Wallace is disgusting and really says a lot about him.

Whether he's doing it intentionally or not, it paints a picture that the other man is not worth his time, energy or acknowledgement. It's gross.

What's really interesting (to my nosey self) will be what remains of the various JAR friendships after this. His other JAR fans are very passionate about this issue. Will they be able to overlook his attitude for the sake of the benefits they get from him after this or is this the end? My busybody self wants to know!!!

[tv echo]

June 9, 2020 Arrow panel included Paul Blackthorne, Manu Bennett and Jack Moore (as usual, I only transcribed selected portions and not the entire video)...
.
ARROW Actor Panel – Wizard World Virtual Experiences 2020
Fandom Spotlite   June 9, 2020

-- Jack Moore had a different role on The Flash before playing young William Clayton on Arrow. (Per his IMDb, JM played "Young Boy" on Flash episode 208-"Legends of Today," which aired Dec. 1, 2015.) 

-- JM: "The funny thing is, I didn't know Arrow or Flash was a thing before I auditioned for it. I had no idea what it was or, like, I knew nothing. And then when I auditioned for, uh, [Flash], I just thought it was gonna be a small role on this show. It was like my second thing ever... I was 12... and then I found out I was moving on to Arrow for something bigger and I was like completely shocked and I just thought like, wow, I got lucky because I - I just started out acting and I got like this big break and it was just an incredible chance for me."

-- Mod/Fan Q: "What is it about the fans' love for Arrow that is most impactful for you? ... What is the fan experience like, uh, being an actor from Arrow?"
Manu Bennett: "Well, it's interesting, because my character went through, uh, so many identities, you know, in a certain way, you know. I mean, I started off being like a protagonist and then very sort of quickly and darkly turned into an antagonist. But, you know, I remember the scene when they wrote the killing of, uh, Oliver's mother. And uh, you know, I just remember thinking like, oh, wow, this is like the television version of Deathstroke is going to be much more, uh, you know, potentially the word 'evil' might be appropriate, you know? Um, and, you know, it was - it was tough because I was really trying to, you know - I mean, I met Marv Wolfman and - and - and Perez, George Perez, the originators, and I was kind of like trying to keep him in the pocket of being kind of like, if he did something, he still did it as a code of honor, you know, because that's kind of the original Deathstroke scenario, you know? So, you know, kind of like, you know, they - you know, I just - I just remembered - sorry, Paul, help me here. The wonderful lady who plays Oliver's mum... (Paul Blackthorne interjected, "Susanna Thompson") ... Susanna. Oh man, she - she threw the kitchen sink at that scene and made up lines like, 'turn away, my babies,' and it was just such a horrible scene. I thought everyone was gonna hate the character after that. And I remember going to a convention and this woman walked up to the table as though she wanted to slap me, you know? She said, 'How dare you do what you did to Oliver's mother?! ... But I still love Slade.' (Laughs) And, you know, it was funny because I didn't think the character was gonna remain in -in sort of popularity because of the writing, I suddenly thought, wow, you know, this character's gonna really - you know, I kind of like - it's interesting. It's a longer - there's a longer story involved in it, but I mean, as an actor, it's your job to keep humanity in a character regardless of where you go with it. It's like, I wanted people to think like I was an alcoholic or somebody on mirakuru, you know what I mean? Like a family member that, you know, has stepped into the dark, but maybe there's a chance to get - for him to come back, you know? And when they wrote Season 6 and 7, it really arc-ed the whole thing back and, you know, it was - it was a nice way to [unintelligible words due to audio glitch]."

-- Mod then noted that a lot of characters came back in Seasons 6 and 7, including a version of Laurel, Oliver's son and Deathstroke, and that they changed. He also said that Arrow was about whether you can be a gray person, as opposed to black and white: "There was never any black and white in Arrow, there was always gray."
Paul Blackthorne: "That's the whole great thing about television, you know? If you take a three-act structure of a film or a play, you've generally got, you know, your characters. You've got your protagonist, antagonist, heroes, the love interest, etc. But - so there's goodies, baddies, it's all very clear. But that's the great thing about television, especially when you get to the, you know, the long-running situations like Arrow was able to enjoy. You can explore the fact that all - no one's particularly good or bad all the time. Everybody's, you know, gray, as you say. So, uh, good and bad in everyone."
MB: "You did some wonderful stuff, Paul."
Mod: "Yeah, I was gonna say, Quentin - what's so beautiful about Quentin is, you know, he's the audience member. He's all of us reacting to the people in - that we're watching."
PB: "What the hell is going on around here? ... Why are you people dressed like that?"
Mod: "We see everything through his eyes, right? He's - he's the most sort of - I mean, he's got a lot of emotions and he goes through a lot of tragedy, um, but - but we were able to see it from this guys', you know, perspective. And that's what so beautiful about your work and the nuances that you did."

-- Mod: "I wonder for all three of you, and we already kind of touching on it a little bit, so it's a good segue... The general question always comes up, what's your favorite season? But I want to get even a little more deeper and more specific... Was there a particular scene or moment that felt like the most impactful to you or one of your favorites throughout the eight years?"
MB: "I think when Oliver - Oliver in Season 6, at the end of Season 6 when he came to the prison cell, I didn't think that scene was possible. I didn't think that they could put him and me in the same room again to have a conversation, and, uh, you know, that would - that would turn so quickly back to Season 1's relationship. And, uh, you know, I remember the - I remember actually speaking the words in the scene and thinking, 'oh my God, this is actually happening.' You know? It's like, I'm standing outside of the cave and I'm saying, 'what are you doing?' - the cage, you know, on Lian Yu and I'm saying, 'what are you doing here, kid?' You know? And he's like, you know, 'Slade,' you know, 'I know you want to find your son. I need you to help me find my son.' And I said, 'Do you remember that I killed your mother?' And - and then I think his response was something along the lines of, you know, 'we all have things in the past, Slade.' You know? But then I say, 'the mirakuru has worn off.' And al of a sudden it was kind of like - we were like, okay, off to the races. And I think I said to him, 'you and me, kid, just like old times.' You know? And it was just a - I mean, I never thought that scene could happen and - and it happened in one scene."
PB: "For me, Season 4, when, um, when Quentin was sort of taken in by, uh, Oliver Queen and, um, there was that one particular - you know, the Damien Darhk season, right? Where I'd been forced into sort of working with Damien Darhk at the beginning and then, uh, Oliver Queen finds out about that. And there was that particular scene in the - in - in my living room where, um, he sort of comes around and is like, 'What the hell are you doing?' Well, you know, 'why would you do this to the city?' And there was this sort of, you know, he's mad as hell and I'm mad as hell as well because I'm trying to defend my position because Damien Darhk was threatening my daughter and God knows, he's seen enough of that stuff. So, um, but it was funny because it sort of opened up the door of us sort of seeing each other on a more human sort of level. It sort of went from just sort of like, you bad guy and you bad guy, you know... that sort of goodies and baddies sort of level, to sort of like human beings. And there was this sort of strange connection in that scene, um, where as much as we were made as hell at each other, at the same time we also realized we kind of - not loved each other, but had this deep respect for each other and understanding for each other, you know what I mean? ... It's a very well-written scene... It's just saying, what are you doing, what are you doing, what are you doing? But underneath it all was, I care about you, I care about you, I care about you."
MB: "I refer to what we do as modern mythology."
PB: "Yeah... it's that classic mythology stuff, for sure."
JM: "I was in [Season 4] for a couple of episodes. And then in 5, I got kidnapped by Adrian Chase. And then I was thrown into Season 6, and I was in Season 6 for like almost all of it. And then I think Season 6 was - was a lot, I think... I liked the tug and pull of Oliver trying to be the vigilante but also like, since I think - I think I know I didn't want him to be vigilante, I didn't want him to get killed and all that. So his tug with being the Green Arrow and him not being - him being like a proper father was - was pretty intense for him, like him deciding whether to be that person or not."

-- Mod asked about the action scenes and choreography on Arrow and whether they did their own stunts. MB talked about coming from Spartacus and then adapting to Canadian stunt rules, and said that he did very little of his own stunts: "Usually when there's a mask on, it's the stunt guy." PB mentioned a scene where he and SA had to run through a room through a lot of explosions.

-- Mod: "Favorite scene for William?"
JM: "I think in Season 6, episode 611, um, it was the bus scene where I was in the bus with all those other kids and, like, the tunnel was collapsing. And I think that was one of my favorite episodes to shoot, 'cause there was so much happening around me. There was explosions, there was fire. It was nuts. And I love doing stunts, so I did as much as I could. And I just had a blast filming that day, 'cause, um, me and Stephen, we ran down like the tunnel, explosions coming behind us, and then just like debris and everything flying on me... It was a great episode to shoot and I just really enjoyed doing things like that."

-- Mod asked whether they took anything from set as a memento.
JM: "On Flash, the very first time I was on Flash, you know the action figure I had? Like, I took that from set. Grant actually asked the, um, Props Department if I could keep it and he gave it to me. And that's the one [of the] things I've held onto. I also have an arrow from set, which everyone signed, which was really cool. It was the last day on set with everybody... Also, they gave me an actual bow. They surprised me with a bow for myself. And so I have it in my room."
MB: "The eye patch... So we only ever had one eye patch, the whole time... And the last scene that I did, you know, there was definitely a big question mark on whether I'd - I'd come back after that scenes, uh, you know, so, you know, the costume guy said to me, like, you know, I can't give you any of the gear yet, but well, why don't you just take the - the eye patch? ... Honestly, since Season 1, Season 2, just the one sweaty, same piece of leather... So yeah, just the one eye patch and I have it at home... He had another one as a standby, but we never used it."
PB: "I think I got an 'Oliver Queen for Mayor' water bottle. It's my pride and joy."

-- Mod asked about their final experiences with Arrow and feelings about the show ending. PB talked about being called to return to do a little scene for the documentary-style episode and then returning for a few episodes in S8: "It was wonderful." JM said that he "basically grew up" on Arrow and found it difficult to leave. MB found Deathstroke's "walking off into the mist" final shot was "wonderfully ambiguous."

-- Mod asked if they would return as their characters if asked (like on the Green Arrow and the Canaries spinoff), and all three Arrow actors said that they would return if asked.

-- Mod asked about upcoming projects. PB said that he's currently part of a production in Prague. MB said that he's in talks for some exciting new project that he can't talk about yet. JM said that he has nothing.

Edited June 11, 2020 by tv echo

[Featherhat]

20 hours ago, Angel12d said:

I'd like to say I don't know how or why he gets it wrong every single time but I know why. 🙃

Also to just basically dismiss Wallace as some nameless showrunner makes it even worse somehow. Yikes.

It really is a gift at this point. First off he seems to have thought EW's words were GGs and then "corrects" by saying he knows this but he was "just supporting his friend and that's it" coming off like the only reason he posted anything in the first place was to support and praise his white friend and he has no other opinion on the issue. I actually don't think he meant it like that but it's difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt, he seems to be working hard at becoming an unfunny parody of all his previous asshole behaviour at this point. 

On another note, is this the first time Jack Moore has really done an interview or con? Interesting to hear his opinions. I love Paul Blackthorne.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Featherhat

[Trisha]

Well, it’s...something. Rick Gonzalez commented (in quotes) “ Welcome to the party pal”

 

[Guest]

LOL okay Steve.

No offense but it just feels disingenuous after a couple of weeks of saying and doing absolutely nothing. Screams PR to me. 🤷🏽‍♀️

But I’m sure it’ll work on the people it’s meant to work on so there’s that. 

[apinknightmare]

Of course he can't just understand that these Black men and women being murdered by police is wrong without relating it back to his kid being in a situation that she won't ever have to be in because she's privileged in a way that Stephen refuses to admit that she (and he, and a lot of us) are privileged. I guess it's good he's not being a belligerent dickhead about it in this one post, but he doesn't have a great track record with sticking to these epiphanies he has. Chances are high that he walks it back in a podcast, if history is any indication.

[Mary0360]

Aisha Tyler posted that image to her instagram 6 days ago along with a very eloquent post about understanding, empathising and having grace about what black people have experienced through their history.

I think it’s good that Stephen seems to be reflecting if you looked at the post isolated from everything else. The fact that his first instinct was, whether intentional or not, to come off as apathetic if not insensitive to the cause, by giving greater concern to material objects and the safety of property then the safety of black lives and then takes 6 days to publicly show empathy through a simplistic meme/image that his black friend posted, which he relates more to himself as a father then reiterating or showing support for the message Aisha put with the meme- it feels hollow in context.

To give him the benefit of the doubt at least it’s a mea culpa and maybe he does feel shame that his initial reaction was obviously disappointing to people he’s close to. But I’m just not sure the apathy that he seems to have for anything uncomfortably outside of his status quo will ever go away. 

[tv echo]

17 hours ago, Featherhat said:

On another note, is this the first time Jack Moore has really done an interview or con? Interesting to hear his opinions. I love Paul Blackthorne.

I believe that it is JM's first con. However, he's done interviews for Arrow. For example, here's JM's 2018 interview with TVLine...
https://tvline.com/2018/01/25/arrow-season-6-preview-william-vs-cayden-jack-moore-interview/ 

Quote

Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Felicity, is no less than “awesome,” Moore effuses. “The scenes with her are really natural, I enjoy them so much.” (Moore adds that he, like William, likely would lean on Rickards for homework help in a pinch!) The young actor also formed an instant kinship with Willa Holland once Aunt Thea came out of her coma, as evidenced during their playful dancing during the “Olicity” wedding reception. “She is so much fun,” he reports.

FYI - SDCC posted more info about their virtual substitute this year...

Comic-Con Shares First Details on SDCC Replacement, Comic-Con@Home
BY JON ARVEDON   JUNE 10, 2020
https://www.cbr.com/comic-con-at-home-sdcc-replacement-details/ 

Quote

Comic-Con's official press release is below:
*  *  *
Although conditions prevent celebrating in person, the show, as they say, must go on. With Comic-Con@Home, SDCC hopes to deliver the best of the Comic-Con experience and a sense of its community to anyone with an internet connection and an interest in all aspects of pop culture. Plans for Comic-Con@Home include an online Exhibit Hall complete with everyone’s favorite exhibitors offering promotions, specials, and limited-edition products unique to the celebration. As well, Comic-Con@Home promises exclusive panels and presentations about comics, gaming, television, film, and a wide variety of topics from publishers, studios, and more. As if that weren’t enough, Comic-Con@Home will also have a Masquerade, gaming, and many other activities in which fans can participate from their own homes.

Although Comic-Con@Home will provide badges for fans to print and wear proudly, all aspects of the initiative are free and there are no limits to how many can attend. “For the first time in our 50-year history, we are happy to welcome virtually anyone from around the globe,” said SDCC spokesperson David Glanzer. “Though stay-at-home conditions makes this a very difficult time, we see this as an opportunity to spread some joy and strengthen our sense of community.” Comic-Con@Home will be held on the same dates as the previously canceled Comic-Con, July 22-26, 2020, and online attendees are encouraged to use the official #ComicConAtHome hashtag to be included in the virtual activities. Organizers and participating entities will begin providing additional details in announcements leading up to the event. Interested fans are encouraged to check Toucan, the official Comic-Con and WonderCon blog, SDCC’s website and social channels, and the official channels of their favorite pop culture creators in the weeks to come.

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by tv echo

[Primal Slayer]

Amell really thought he needed to tweet out a picture of poop on his roof to his millions of followers? Really made him feel better to have people take it in since he had to?

[Avabelle]

That post was insane. Also, disgusting.

[tv echo]

I just posted the Digital Spy article referenced in BL's tweet in the Starling City Times thread...

Edited June 13, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Edited June 13, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Creation Entertainment's The Gateway Live Virtual Fan Experience, June 25-28, 2020 (StageIt, Zoom)
David Nykl, Ben Browder and Rachel Luttrell*
https://www.creationent.com/vfe/vfe_stargate.html
-Fri. (6/26) at 1:15pm PDT - Q&A Fun with David Nykl
-Fri. (6/26) at 2:30pm PDT - Meet and Greet with David Nykl
-Sat. (6/27) at 10:00am PDT - Meet and Greet with Rachel Luttrell
-Sat. (6/27) at 11:00am PDT - Q&A Fun with Rachel Luttrell
-Sun. (6/28) at 12:00pm PDT - Q&A Fun with Ben Browder
-Sun. (6/28) at 1:30pm PDT - Meet and Greet with Ben Browder

[* Ben Browder played Ted Gaynor on episodes 111 (Trust But Verify) and 216 (Suicide Squad) of Arrow. Rachel Luttrell played Rosie, a member of the Demolition Team, on episode 414 (Code of Silence) of Arrow.]

Edited June 13, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

ACT is A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut..

ACT's Virtual Gala to Feature Never Before Seen Secret Audition Tapes! Tickets on Sale!
Written by ACT of CT   June 13, 2020
https://news.hamlethub.com/ridgefield/charities/66819-act-s-virtual-gala-to-feature-never-before-seen-secret-audition-tapes-tickest-on-sale

Quote

What do superstar Kristin Chenoweth, TV/Film/Theater legend Carol Kane, Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill stars Elizabeth Stanley, Lauren Patten & Kathryn Gallagher, Tony Award Winner Tom Kitt, Netflix Lemony Snicket star K. Todd Freeman, NBC’s Chicago Med star Colin Donnell, Tony Nominee Kate Baldwin, cast members from ACT's past productions, and Ridgefield “celebs” Rudy & Peggy Marconi, Allison Stockel, Kerry Anne Ducey, Adam Broderick, Raffaele Gallo all have in common??

They will all be a part of ACT’s Annual Gala:

Extended Intermission Edition!

On Friday, June 26th at 7pm, ACT founders Katie Diamond, Daniel C. Levine, and Bryan Perri host this not-to-be-missed virtual event!

Oh, and shhhhhh….don’t tell anyone, but we will be “releasing” our never before seen secret audition tapes!!! And we promise, you’ll never look at our stage the same way again!"

Reserve your virtual seat HERE.

We are proud to donate 10% of virtual gala ticket sales to NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by tv echo

[apinknightmare]

14 hours ago, Primal Slayer said:

Amell really thought he needed to tweet out a picture of poop on his roof to his millions of followers? Really made him feel better to have people take it in since he had to?

Yeah, I don't really know what the point of posting the picture was unless he thought people wouldn't believe him without photo proof. 

I'm surprised he doesn't seem to have any kind of security at his home and I'm also surprised that this is the first time someone's taken a dump on his property. 

[tv echo]

Congrats to JH...

I believe that JH's new fiancé is Eskandar Alexander Meimand and that he's a musican.

Edited June 14, 2020 by tv echo

[Featherhat]

Congrats to JH, I thought she'd only recently separated from her husband. Though it does seem to be fairly quick from what she posted. I wish them well. 

19 hours ago, apinknightmare said:

Yeah, I don't really know what the point of posting the picture was unless he thought people wouldn't believe him without photo proof. 

I'm surprised he doesn't seem to have any kind of security at his home and I'm also surprised that this is the first time someone's taken a dump on his property. 

I obviously shouldn't laugh but I cracked up at the mental image of people queueing to take a dump on his property. And then him taking photos of the evidence to prove to people on social media that it happened. 

I mean whatever personal, professional or political beef you have with him there are a million better ways to handle it, but it's just surreal. 

[tv echo]

Presented by Creation Entertainment's Virtual Fan Experiences - Osric Chau played Ryan Choi in Part 3 (Flash), Part 4 (Arrow) and Part 5 (LoT) of the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover...

Osric Chau - Creation Virtual Panel - 06/13/ 20
SPN BunkerNA   Jun. 13, 2020

-- Fan Q: "Which character did you like better, Kevin Tran or Ryan Choi?"
OC: "That is a tough question. Actually, no, it's not a tough question. Um, Kevin, for sure, because six seasons on Supernatural is Kevin. That's a big thing. You can't really like take away from that. That being said, I will - who knows? Like, Supernatural's not over yet. It's almost over, but it's not quite. But, um, depending on what they do with Ryan, I don't know, maybe Ryan will be my favorite character someday. It certainly has potential. Um, but for now I - I just -  I enjoyed my time on Crisis On Infinite Earths. It was such a crazy, fun experience. And it's one of those things that, even at that time, it felt like such a historic, monumental occasion, because things like that don't happen ever. So, um, yeah, I - for now and for the next foreseeable future, I'm going to say Kevin Tran was - has been my favorite character."

-- Fan Q: "Marvel or DC?"
OC: "This is tough because I'm technically in the DC world. So I won't answer that... No, you know, I can answer that. Um, I grew up reading Marvel comics. I - the movies I've really loved. Never really got into the DC movies, but the DC shows are great and the - and the DC rides in - in theme parks are amazing. So like they - they have their things. Um, I'm just thankful that I'm in the DC shows part, because I actually appreciate the DC shows a lot and the Marvel shows have kind of been terrible. So they have their strengths and weaknesses, and I lucked out that I got to be on - on one of my favorite parts of DC."

Edited June 14, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Participants in the "Second Wave" of The Plague Nerdalogues, which kicked off June 12, include David Ramsey, Grant Gustin, Caity Lotz, Olivia Swann, David Harewood, Jesse Rath, Jordan Calloway and Camrus Johnson  (watch video below)...

The Plague Nerdalogues: Second Wave Will Feature Grant Gustin, Kevin Smith and More Stars to Benefit Black Lives Matter
Laura Prudom  June 11, 2020
 https://www.ign.com/articles/the-plague-nerdalogues-the-second-wave-grant-gustin-kevin-smith-yvette-nicole-brown-black-lives-matter-charity 

Quote

Back in May, writer-producer Marc Bernardin (Castle Rock, Star Trek: Picard) launched The Plague Nerdalogues, a charitable initiative featuring stars from across the genre space self-taping some of the most iconic monologues from film and TV history, all to raise funds for No Kid Hungry.

The video series has raised over $16,000 to date, ... and was initially designed as a way to raise money and bring people together during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series was always intended to expand with new actors contributing additional monologues in its second wave, but in the wake of the protests against racial injustice that have swept the globe following George Floyd's death, Bernardin was compelled to direct funds for the next round of "Nerdalogues" to Black Lives Matter.
*  *  *
IGN can exclusively reveal the stars participating in The Plague Nerdalogues: The Second Wave, debuting June 12, including Bernardin's Fatman Beyond co-host, director Kevin Smith, The Flash's Grant Gustin, Will Forte (Last Man on Earth), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), David Ramsey (Arrow), Malcolm Barrett (Timeless), Christina Ochoa (Animal Kingdom), David Harewood (Supergirl), Caity Lotz (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Gary Anthony Williams (Solar Opposites), Jordan Calloway (Black Lightning), Tracie Thoms (9-1-1), Eugene Byrd (Bones), Jay Pharoah (Saturday Night Live), Jesse Rath (Supergirl), Chris Lee (Legacies), Rahul Kohli (iZombie), Parisa Fitz-Henley (Luke Cage), Ahmed Best (Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), Olivia Swann (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Alaina Huffman (The 100), Drew Powell (Gotham), Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica), Dani Fernandez (Ralph Breaks the Internet), Camrus Johnson (Batwoman), Affion Crockett (Pixels) Jessie Graff (American Ninja Warrior), Ashley A. Williams (Double Cross), Annika Noelle (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Casey McKinnon (The Tragedy of JFK).

To watch the monologues, you can visit theplaguenerdalogues.com and donate to Black Lives Matter to gain access to the full library of videos, which will expand over time as more monologues are submitted.

 

Edited June 14, 2020 by tv echo

[Trisha]

45 minutes ago, Featherhat said:

Congrats to JH, I thought she'd only recently separated from her husband. Though it does seem to be fairly quick from what she posted. I wish them well. 

Wow that feels fast. Though I’m not really sure when she split from her husband; I just remember she stopped posting about him sometime during the last season.  And in her new engagement announcement the last pic is them together when they were really young, so they’ve apparently known each other a long time.  She seems incredibly sweet in real life; I’m happy for her. 

[Guest]

I feel like I didn't even know JH had gotten divorced??? Did I??? 

Anyway, not really a fan of hers tbh but let's hope this one is more successful for her. 

As for SA, I actively try to avoid any of his content tbh but I went to look at this shit pic posted because you guys had me intrigued 😂....The whole thing feels incredibly fake to me and if not, I don't know why he felt the need to even post about it? What does it achieve? WHY? 

Edited June 14, 2020 by Guest

[tv echo]

From 2016, but new to me: video posted yesterday of KC panel at Salt Lake Comic Con on Sep. 2, 2016 - I think that this is the first time I've heard KC hint that "politics" were a factor in the producers' decision to kill of Laurel (only Arrow-related comments are transcribed below)...

Katie Cassidy - Full Q&A ComicCon 2016
Gossip Girl NextChapter   Jun. 14, 2020

-- Mod: "But your character, Black Canary, got killed off this last season. What was it - what was that like for you? ... Did you know it was coming?"
KC: “Uh, spoiler alert... Awkward... How do I feel about it? ... Um, no, I did not know it was coming, and it really sucked, and it still sucks. Um, I actually found out two episodes beforehand, uh, during the trial episode when Laurel basically, you know, goes up against - um, she - she puts her father on the stand and Diggle and - uh, the weekend before, it was actually during a convention, um, I was in New York or New Jersey doing, uh, Fan Fest and I found out literally, uh, on the Sunday just be - it was weird. I got an email from my producer and they were like, 'we want to have a meeting,' and I was like, 'can you just tell me now?' I just had this gut feeling and, um, you know, it's television, and this world especially, anything can happen, and I think that’s also, you know, a positive thing, if you think about it, because maybe, you know, they could bring me back, I don’t know. Um, so, yeah, it was - it was definitely tough, but I appreciate the last, you know, four and a half years that they - they wrote for me. And, um, you know, I had such a great arc as a character and as an actor, I had such an amazing character to play and -and  journey to go on. And coming up, you will see me in the premiere of Arrow, Season 5. Very exciting. And I will also be, um - they announced at Comic-Con, which I'm safe to say, uh, across all three shows, Flash, Legends and Arrow, for this next year. So I'm excited about that. Um, as Black Canary-slash-Laurel-slash-Black Siren, which was really awesome to play - spoiler alert for those of you who haven't seen Flash."

-- Mod: "What is different when you step into a comic book character, both physically as an actress, what is it, what's different from all the other roles you've done?"
KC: "When I originally had found out, um, you know, this was the character I was gonna - I was gonna take on, I have to say, at first it was definitely very intimidating, because you're stepping in, you know, into a world - and I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I was this huge comic book fan geek. You know, I actually have learned so much from it and definitely have become more interested and more, you know, have more knowledge on everything. And it was definitely intimidating because we wanted to do obviously the comic - the comic book justice and, um, you know, still have - have a show that like made sense for - for myself, for the creators, for the other actors, and also that pleased the fans, and, you know, fans of the comic book. And so it was definitely a little intimidating and then at the same time it was really freakin' amazing, because knowing that you're taking on this character that's going to turn into a superhero - and I knew that at the beginning when I first signed on - was just - I kept - I kept being - telling my manager, 'cause she, you know, we thought it would happen Season 1, maybe Season 2, and I just being like, 'let’s just wait and see what happens, let's just wait and see what happens, let's just wait and see what happens.' And it’s the coolest thing ever when you become a superhero. I kind of don't really - I think  it's like everybody's - every kid’s dream. And I guess maybe, you know, I've always sort of thought that, especially like for women these days. I think it’s cool, like, having strong female characters, you know, doing that and - and playing that role.  So, it's - It’s been a blast, and I’m so grateful for everything."

-- Fan Q: "Do you know why the producers cut you off from Arrow?"
KC: “I don't. But I feel as though it could be some politics involved. I don't - I don't really know exactly. But, um, I do have to say, coming from a creative perspective, as a producer, if you kill off a huge - like a main character like that, it - the reaction from all the other characters, it’s creating a plateau for them, you know, to - a platform for them to jump off of; for each different character, and how they're going to react... It gives for more story, and I do understand that. And, um, you know, they - they were very good to me for many years and wrote for me for many years, so  I, you know, you kind of have to be - become at peace with things, come to term with things. That’s sort of how this business goes sometimes, and you kind of have to just grin and bear it, you know? Take a couple punches. You throw some back later on. Don’t worry."

-- Fan Q: "How was it for you to play the Black Canary?"
KC: "It was awesome... It was so fulfilling and - and as an actor - you know, looking - looking back and, um, looking at the last five years of my life, being in Vancouver, and you work with these - we have an amazing cast and such an amazing crew and - I'm going to get a little emotional about it. Um, they become your family and - it was such an amazing experience and I don't regret one second of it. And, you know, being able to take on a character that starts, you know, with Season 1, we didn’t necessarily love Laurel that much. I think the fans were a little like, 'ehhh', not necessarily what they wanted to see. And then, you know, see another - to see the character deal with, you know, addiction and - and alcoholism and hit rock bottom. And then to see them come out on the flip side and come out on top of it was truly - like it was such an honor to play that character and - and be able to fulfill that and do that and, um, you know, it was - it was - it was a dream. Like, I can't - I feel like there's not even really words to explain how fulfilling that is. And then to actually go through training, because I believe in giving, you know, 110 percent of myself to anything that I'm doing, and I was waking up at like 5 in the morning and going to, you know, work out. And I would be exhausted, because the trainer would kick my butt. Um, and then go to work  for 15 hours straight, like I was so tired. And, yes, I'm sure I complained a little bit, like while I was doing it, as we all do, but I - I certainly - there wasn't a moment that I wasn't, you know, gracious and - and excited and thankful. And I was the one that wanted to put myself through that. So it was definitely, I could say, you know, a dream come true for sure."

-- Fan Q: "So if you could switch roles with any other character on Arrow, who would it be and why?"
KC: "Nyssa... She is so cool and so badass and she's just - she kills it. And her character is just very interesting and mysterious to me in the way she played - like, her choices are just so strong and, which, you know, that character is written, and she's just very mysterious, I find, that character in general. And I think it would be - I mean, I love playing, again, Black Siren. I did it for one episode on Flash last season - sorry, spoiler alert... Playing a villain would be awesome and was awesome, and that character kills it. So for sure."

-- Fan Q: "Who did you enjoy working more with, Stephen or Jared?"
KC: "An unfair question. I have to say, I don't know if I can answer that. Who would you rather work with? ... Stephen's coming here on Saturday, so let's just save face. Stephen. [Some unintelligible words]."

-- Fan Q: "So I was just wondering, with your part playing, um, Ruby in Supernatural and then playing Sara Lance in Arrow, how did those two characters compare?" (Yes, fan said "Sara.")
KC: "Well, they were both badass women, which we love. Um, I think, you know, a lot of it - I actually had some fight training when I did Supernatural for that character, which taught me a lot and actually helped out when I - when I, you know, met with Greg Berlanti and our producers for - to play Laurel Lance and the Black Canary, before I even got the part. And they referenced that, because you kind of have to know how to sell it, how to move, and because I had experience in that, you know, with action, with doing, not all the stunts, because I can't jump off buildings, unfortunately, and zip line down the street, I wish I could, um, you know, the amount that I could do the fight part, like, they liked the fact that I could do it and that is thanks to, you know, Super - Supernatural taught me everything like from the beginning. And, um, it's interesting how things sort of play out, but, I think, you know, they both have that - that drive and this like, you know, um, badass girl power that I think we want to see more of, right?"

-- KC: "That's what I really liked about this character, liked about Laurel, is that you actually saw someone go from, again, the bottom up. and I truly - it was awesome, because I was literally learning while my character was learning. Like, while I was, you know, working with Wild Cat, Laurel was working with Wild Cat. That's when I would be waking up at 5 am and I'm on my off time and like going to the gym and training and learning how to fight, because I felt like it should be legitimate and as legitimate as possible. And with the way the world is today, I feel like women are becoming more and more strong and, um, you know, gender equality is certainly important, for sure."

-- Fan Q: "What was your first reaction about the Black Canary in Season 4, um, about Laurel, spoiler alert again?"
KC: "Um, in all honesty, it was right before we did a convention, it was that weekend before, and I was in Jersey. It was during that Stormageddon - anyone remember? ... Maybe it's an East Coast thing. Do you know what I'm talking about? February, when there was like - it was like snow up to here? On the East Coast? We couldn't go to the convention on that Saturday, but that's when I found out about Laurel being the one that was in the grave. And I - I'll just be completely honest with you, I got off the phone with the producers and - I was on the phone with the producers and I was like, 'Um-hmm, I have to go now. I'm really upset, and I have to go. Thank you so much.' Hung up the phone. Had a hell of a night. Was obviously quite upset. Um, but I had so many friends around me, cast mates that, you know, they - they helped me through it, and John Barrowman, Stephen, they were great, great supporters. And also they had just found out and they were upset, too, and they knew the next day going to the convention, the final question on our panel - I have to, you know, going there on Sunday, smiling, the last question was, 'Who's in the grave?' And we're all just like, 'I don't know.' Ohh. (Mimes stabbing herself in the heart) 'I don't even think the writers know.' Dying inside. But, you know, it's - this is how this industry works, this is how television goes. Again, from a creative perspective, I understood and I - there was never any, you know, hard feelings towards them and any of - like, it was all a very - they were so good to me for so long, and stuff like this happens and you have to be a team player. And I feel like, you know, I took it and I'm a team player. And so, you know, whatever's gonna help the show, do - you know, different things are coming into Season 5, it's a great platform for all the other characters to launch into different, you know, emotional states. And I think Season 5 is going to be really amazing. It's going to be awesome."

-- Fan Q: "My question is actually about the exercise battle you and Stephen have been having, posting on Instagram. Who's winning right now?"
KC: "Well, of course, I am. I mean, you're the Arrow. So I was the Black Canary. Maybe still am. I don't know."

-- Fan Q: "There've been many, many villains on Arrow. They've used a lot of different characters from the DC universe. Who is your favorite villain in the Arrow - in the Arrow canon? Who's your favorite villain?"
KC: "Malcolm Merlyn."

-- Fan Q: "With Laurel Lance also being an attorney, did you do any research or was it - on what it takes to be an attorney?"
KC: "Great question. (Sighs) Yes. Let me just tell you something, legal jargon is the most difficult - when it comes to dialogue, the most difficult dialogue to memorize, because, not only is it ridiculously well-written, spoken, delivered, and there's an entire jury-slash-audience in the scene watching you as you stand up and give your plea, there's no emotional attachment to it whatsoever. And I did not study law. However, my - one of my best friends, who I have a fashion blog, lifestyle blog with, for those of you who don't know, Tomboy KC, um, she and I are partners for that, and she actually used to be a lawyer. So I could call her and ask her to sort of try to make it something that I could emotionally attach myself to, a lot of the legal jargon, um, because that's for me how people people always say, 'How do you memorize lines? How do you memorize that much dialogue? How do you memorize it?' And I'm a very visual person and I have more of a photographic memory. And if I can't tie any kind of emotion to what I'm saying and the words can't really make sense to me, it - there was definitely a few times when I butchered the court scenes. Um, and I would always get really hot and sweaty, because, you know, when you're really, really, really, really, really nervous and everybody's looking at you, and you have to like perform - and normally I'm fine and I can ignore it, but during these scenes, I would like - I would get clammy and I would start sweating and it was nothing attractive, but it was real, which is good. And, um, probably the most difficult scenes I've ever shot on any show, the legal jargon in court, for sure. And if you go back and watch the bloopers, there are probably quite a few outtakes during those scenes. Yeah."
Mod: "So I take it, you don't want to be a lawyer in the future?"
KC: "Well, I don't know. I actually considered at one point, like maybe during my hiatus, I would go to classes and start learning about it, because then maybe I could make - make sense to me logically and tie sort of some - you know, you're saying words that I'm like - it's Marc Guggenheim. He used to be an attorney. He's writing like the most - he's writing like he felt like I was on Law and Order. Jesus Chri - Great. Okay, good. I got this. No problem. Cue card? No? Okay. Um, it was really well-written and, you know, unfortunately, I feel like that sort of - it would have been cool if - I think - I didn't think it went well with the show that they were doing, like, I just sort of don't think it fit as, you know, as much as they wanted it to, that sort of court world. Um, but who knows? Again, that's why we love this universe, because anything can happen."

-- Fan Q: "Will we see any more of the Black Siren?"
KC: "I certainly hope so. That was awesome. Did you like that episode? ... Yeah? Yeah?... I hope so. Greg Berlanti. If you hear me. Andrew Kreisberg. If you're hearing this. (Whispers) They're our producers. (Normal voice) I would love to see more of the Black Siren. Just putting it out there. You know, it's like the good energy thing. The secret."

-- Fan Q: "With your, um, father-daughter relationship with Captain Lance, how did that play with how you went through it and how your personal relationship with Paul Blackthorne was?"
KC: "Um, what do you mean by 'read through it'? You mean like rehearse and stuff?"
Fan: "No, just your relationship with him as - both as Captain Lance and as who he is."
KC: "The thing about Paul Blackthorne is, one of the most brilliant actors I have ever worked with. He is so phenomenal and so - we - oh, my phone is on - awkward - maybe it's Greg Berlanti telling me the Black Siren's coming back... Um, he is so wonderful and the thing that was great is our craft is very similar. Um, the way he works, the way I work. I look at him, I felt like I was like a sponge. I just wanted to soak up as much information from him as I possibly could, because I really admire him and I look up to him as an actor and as a human being. Um, and he and I had so many amazing scenes together and stuff that we - you know, we would sit down and we would create back story and we would - you know, we would just like talk and talk and talk about how what our lives were like as Quentin and as Laurel when we were younger, and Sara and like, to the tiniest little detail. And it showed - it shows - it truly shows on screen when - when I think you can see when people have done the back story and have done the work and have - have, you know, gotten - peeled away the layers of the onion, so to speak. And, you know, he truly is somebody that I will always continue to be friend - dear friends with and look up to and admire, aside from, you know, as an actor 100 percent, but again, like I said, as a human being, he's just someone who I feel like I can always count on if - it brought us so close, like if a year went by and I could speak to him, I feel like that's a line that will always be there, an open communication line that I could call him and it's like this bond with people that never - never will go away. And, um, he was certainly - you know, that was one of the things that I loved so much about the character and the show was this relationship with her father. And we were really close on set and we still are really close off set. And he's a truly amazing person. He's awesome."

-- Fan Q: "What was the best part about working with John Barrowman?"
KC: "Did you guys see the blooper reel from Season 3? The end of it? ... No? Okay. Well, he would do things like - he's so much fun and so spontaneous. And we were shooting at the end of Season 3. It was all of us. And, uh, we're walking down this hallway. And right before they're rolling and they're all - everyone's all flustered on set and it's really high stress. And normally I feed - I like let that affect me, but I was like, it's episode 22 or something. This should be fun. Like, let's, you know, we're superheroes. This is awesome. Um, and I remember like having this just like - he's very goofy all - most - 99.9 percent of the time. And as we're rolling, we were with the rest of the cast and they're all lining up in front of us, and John and I are in the back of this - of this line to go down this hall - down this hallway. And so they're rolling and they're like, 'Okay,' and, you know, 'Take 6' or something. And I turn to him and I just like smack him on the chest and like, 'Hey, I'm gonna jump on you right now. I'm gonna straddle you on the front, okay? And we're just gonna go. So... go.' And, 'Action.' They call 'action,' so he's like, 'okay' - literally like grabs me as I like drop my legs around him. That's something really inappropriate, children. I don't advise you to watch it. But it's - literally, as we're walking down the hallway, he just totally goes with this. It's completely spontaneous. And somehow he just like - if you can talk about going from like - I mean, you can't even start zero to a hundred, because he doesn't start at the zero. He's like going from a 90 to 190 in a matter of a second with it being thrown on you. Like, the man is a genius, and he can turn any moment into something so brilliant and so spectacular. And it's so spontaneous that I just appreciate him as a human being. I'm like, you know what, some other guys might be like, 'What are you doing? Don't. No. Action. We're doing the scene.' He was like, 'Woooooo! Yeah!' Like totally into a John Barrowman. I was like, yeah, I like you, I'll keep you."

-- Fan Q: "So, um, as you said before, the cast becomes your  family in Arrow. So which one kinda became like the older, more like annoying brother?"
KC: "I don't feel - I don't think any of them were really annoying. None of them really became like - well... hang on... I don't really know how to answer this question. Um, they're all like family. They're all - it's like having a bunch of brothers and sisters who are from all over the world and all different ages and all out of their minds. And putting them together in a different country. And for five years, you know, we - we basically - we don't live together, but you're essentially living together, I feel like, when you're - when you go to set every day and you're there for 15 hours, and the crew and everyone. And I feel we all sort of were that annoying little brother at one time or another. I mean, I, for sure, was annoying to some of them and definitely I know like they're - I - Stephen, like, I would call him out on stuff and in an annoying way, for sure, and I'm not sure if everybody always would do that. But I would be like, 'Yeah, uh, I saw that. You're doing this, you're doing that.' And he'd be like, 'Stop calling me out.' I'm like, 'Sorry. I'm like your annoying little sister, I guess.' So yeah, we definitely have taken on that role at some point."

Edited June 15, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This podcast interview was recorded prior to the US cv outbreak, but was only posted today (only transcribed Arrow comments)...

Talib Kweli And Rick Gonzalez Talk Arrow, Coach Carter, Spielberg, Singleton | People’s Party Full
UPROXX Video   Jun 15, 2020

-- Talib Kweli (People's Party): "Let's start with tellin' me how you got on this show and what it's meant to your career."
RG: "Oh, Arrow's been great. I mean, um, I get to play a superhero, you know what I mean? And I grew up, you know, collecting comics as a kid and so to have that chance to like create a chara - well, to bring to life a character like Wild Dog, 'cause my character's name is Wild Dog. So he's basically the Punisher version of the DC world. And, um, and for them to make him Latino, you know, and to also be the character that brings that sort of like strong energy to a show that's never really had it before, I embraced that, you know, immediately and I just - I was, uh - and it was just off an audition, you know. I just came down the pipeline and, um, you know, I didn't think anything of it. It was just kinda like, oh, I'm playing a character who's gonna be court-martialed. But, uh, with Arrow, their characters are shrouded in mystery because they don't want the fans to find out exactly who the characters are for the upcoming season. So I had no idea that this guy was gonna be Wild Dog and that the plans for him were gonna be very vast. Um, and so, yeah, I get the job and, you know, I find out that, you know, uh, the costume designer's like, 'Hey, so I need to fit you for a costume and a mask.' And I'm like, 'No, Maya, you have the wrong person. I'm playing the guy who's being court-martialed.' She's like, 'No, no, no. You - you're gonna be Wild Dog.' And I'm like, 'Who's that? I like him.' Yeah, she's like, 'Oh, he's badass.' And then I go on Google and the rest is history... I had to go on Google to find out who this guy is, 'cause I was more of a Marvel guy... I never read Arrow. I didn't know anything about, you know, the DC world too much. I mean, obviously Superman and things like that, but... Wild Dog was more obscure... He had a comic book back in the '80s or like '70s or something, but it went away, you know, so they brought him out of the vault and threw him into Arrow. And the rest is history, man."

-- TK: "I didn't realize you was in Arrow until I saw the Crisis stuff... What was that like?"
RG: "Amazing, 'cause it's like, I get to interact with Supergirl, I get to interact with the Flash, you know? Um, for me, identity-wise, just like having a Latino character, you know, just like right in the mix of it, especially taking Wild Dog, who's so obscure, with these giant characters, to me was amazing. So, um, it was a victory and a win-win. It's so much fun. I mean, I don't take that for granted. I think it was a great, um, just an amazing experience to be a part of. And - and I think, personally for me, too, because, you know, up until then, I hadn't really had the opportunity to take a character like this, who's, um, you know, who's evolved so much, because I think the fun part of the show is like we get to do crazy storylines, you know, and like, my guy went from like, you know, doing really crazy things in the streets of Star City to now becoming the Mayor. You know what I mean? So it's like the big giant arc that we're able to have fun with, with the character, and I hadn't really had that chance as an actor, you know?"

-- TK: "This is the longest series you've been in?"
RG: "Uh, yeah, for sure... The second longest was Reaper, um, back in '08, from like '07 [to] '09. Yep, yep, yep, it's a comedy... But this was by far the longest, yeah."

-- RG: "And I think with Arrow, I think Arrow just kinda like personifies this moment in my life where I am stable, I'm grounded as a human being, as a man. And so, I'm a father now. I have a six-year-old... And, you know, with all the lessons that I'm learning in life, I'm now applying them... I'm at a place where I'm like now it's - it's, you know, connecting, and I'm literally adding to these lessons and grabbing onto them and using them. And I think that's why I was able to do Arrow, because to embody someone like Rene, who's riddled with flaws and choices but wants to grow and be better, is literally kinda me right now. You know? Just kinda like, you know, I - I want to be a father, I want to do right, I want to, you know, um, be a great husband, be a great father, you know what I mean, and a great actor. You know, so, that aspiration allows me to play Rene on Arrow. And I think it's synchronous and a lot - it happens a lot for actors where like their journey personally mirrors certain times like the work they do."

Edited June 15, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Current bid is $350...

Experience a Day in the Studio with Composer Blake Neely of Arrow, The Flash, Riverdale and More in LA
https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/experience-day-in-studio-with-composer-blake-neely-of-2036319

Quote

Your bid supports: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Greater Los Angeles Chapter
*  *  *    
TIME LEFT...
07d :21h :52m
Jun.23, 04:06 pm EDT
*  *  *
Additional Lot Details    

• Valid for 1 person.
• Participant must be at least 18.
• This is a private meeting.
• The winner may take a photo.
• Scheduling is dependent on current health crisis, winner must be flexible and patient.

Lot #2036319

Edited June 15, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Posted yesterday...

Edited June 16, 2020 by tv echo

[Trisha]

It's looking increasingly less likely that the spinoff will go forward:
https://tvline.com/2020/06/17/green-arrow-canaries-spinoff-will-mysteries-be-resolved/

Quote

“There are burning questions,” Arrowverse EP Marc Guggenheim affirmed during a recent TVLine interview. “Certainly, the backdoor pilot ended with the cliffhanger of William’s abduction. And I do think we owe answers to a lot of those moments and questions.”

In the scenario suggested above, where Green Arrow and the Canaries doesn’t get ordered to series, Guggenheim said, “My instinct would be to try to answer those questions in the form of, like, a comic book tie-in — which is not to say that it couldn’t be done on the other shows.”

 

[shantown]

3 hours ago, Trisha said:

which is not to say that it couldn’t be done on the other shows.

The only "just put them on other shows" ideas I will accept are a short arc with the Legends and Mia rescuing William and returning those two to their own time.

[Featherhat]

Yeah it seems like it's done if MG is the one offering multiple suggestions about how it might continue/be un-cliffhangered in other media/shows. I think he'd still be on the "wait and see" train if it was likely to still be ordered. Oh well, I was much less interested when it turned out that only KM, KC and JH actually had contracts. It didn't seem very well planned for the part I was actually interested in - FTA. 

The one thing I really don't want is KC to turn up in any sort of recurring capacity on LOT, just no. I'm sorry, ever since she got that "all Arrowverse contract" in S5 there have been calls for her to join LOT and I get really irrational about it. Especially with so much of Sara's story kind of up in the air I have visions of CL leaving an "badass" BS Laurel taking her place (again!). It's not based on any facts just the completely unsubstantiated feeling that KC always rises from the ashes on the CW (and nowhere else) and will be the last one out the door one way or another. That or she'll pitch another Canary show next season I guess. 

[tv echo]

Yesterday ATX posted video of this June 6th panel (with Beth Schwartz) by itself - about 40 minutes long...

Inside the Writers Zoom Room // ATX TV...from the Couch!
ATXFestival   Jun 17, 2020

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Panelists: 
Dan Goor (Creator/Showrunner/EP/Director, Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Beth Schwartz (Co-Showrunner/EP, Sweet Tooth)
Melinda Hsu Taylor (Showrunner/EP, Nancy Drew)
Sera Gamble (Creator/Showrunner/EP, YOU)

Moderator: Ben Travers (Indiewire)

Edited June 18, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Keep an eye out for these two podcasts...

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by tv echo

[xtwheeler]

On 6/2/2020 at 2:48 PM, Angel12d said:

Didn't watch but ooof. It's worse than I thought. How can you really think now is the time to say well, not all cops??? No words.

The sad thing is his staunch defenders will continue to defend him and those who are trying to tell him where he's going wrong will fall on deaf ears because unless something affects him directly, SA doesn't care to learn or to change. Wouldn't shock me if in a few months he'll make some passive aggressive pissy comment about the heat he caught during this time and how mean everyone was to him. 🙃

 

Pulling from a couple of pages back. In that interview SA said a lot about how he got where he is because he worked so hard, the implication being that it had nothing to do with being easier because he was a straight white cis male, or that the reason the industry is almost impossible to break into for Black actors, writers, directors, etc., is that they're just not working hard enough. Such a rich white people thing to say. You got there on the backs of low wage workers who work a million times harder than anyone who is getting rich off of it. I mean, does the Foster Farms CEO want to go down to the factory line and pull the guts out of chickens for 9 hours a day for $10 an hour? In California we're plowing crops under because even migrant workers who are here legally KNEW they would be harassed so stayed home this past harvest season. (One farm I read about had a couple of white guys come in to harvest and they all left by lunch the first day.) Anyway, I'm ranting. No, Stephen that isn't all that got you there. You were born on third base.

[tv echo]

Edited June 20, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

PALEY@Home's Paley Front Row - Conversations in Pride: Greg Berlanti, Storyteller, June 22, 2020 (Youtube)
https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2020/06/21/the-paley-center-announces-weekly-schedule-to-include-tnts-snowpiercer-and-more-for-paley-front-row/

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Paley Front Row is a brand new way to enjoy behind-the-scenes stories on today’s up-and-coming and new favorite television shows from the comfort of your home.  Starting next week, the series will screen for free on the Paley Center’s YouTube channel.

https://www.paleycenter.org/paleyathome/#frontrow

Quote

On Paley YouTube starting Monday, June 22 at 12pm ET / 9am PT

Conversations in Pride: Greg Berlanti, Storyteller

Featuring Greg Berlanti, writer/producer/director; Moderator: Jim Halterman, West Coast Bureau Chief, TV Guide Magazine, TV Insider 

In a storied career that has encompassed critically lauded dramas, including Brothers & Sisters, Political Animals, Dirty Sexy Money, You, Doom Patrol, and All American, a wildly successful universe of superhero series including Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, and much more, the innovative storyteller has made LGBTQ+ inclusion a hallmark of his work, crafting fully realized characters and story arcs that have changed the television landscape.

Paley YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/paleycenter

Edited June 22, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Clip montage at the beginning of this video includes clips from Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning and Stargirl (but no clips from Arrow or Batwoman)...

-- When asked about which character he most closely identifies with, GB said it was initially Ephram on Everwood and then, more recently, Barry Allen.

-- When asked about the challenges of writing LGBTQ characters for his DC TV superhero shows, GB: "When we started to, you know, deal with the subject matter, you know, it's interesting when you're - when you're - I think that the impetus is the same, which is, the show has become more real and more in - vital and interesting when they reflect the world we live in. So whether you're, you know - and we're dealing with - we take very seriously, um, the responsibility of ushering incredibly important characters to individuals that people mark their entire life by into a new generation. But, you know, many of them were created in '40's, '50's, '60's, um, and they reflected the people making the books at that time, which is not what our world looks and feels like today. And so, um, I think a real responsibility for us has been to really look to change the gender and the sexuality and the race of the characters to make them reflect, you know, who we are. And so there's always been - there's always a lot of conversations about each of those choices. But, you know, the same thing obviously goes for the LGBT characters, you know, and that, you know - and - and - and whereas I think 10 years ago people might have said, well, this is a family show, which was code for, you're not allowed to go there, you know, and I - and - and I don't think that anyone feels that way anymore. And so now, the fact that there's, you know, a 13-year-old girl out there, you know, or a young trans kid out there, who's looking at these characters and saying, you know, at whatever age, like, oh my gosh. They get to have the same experience that I had when I was sitting in the back of a comic book shop, you know, uh, just identifying with the characters. But even - even more wholly, you know?"

-- When asked whether there were challenges in getting Batwoman off the ground because it had the first lead that was LGBTQ (putting aside recent casting issues), GB: "No, I think everyone realized it was time, you know, and again there had been, uh, the other shows - the characters on the other shows had been popular. And so, um, you know, it really was, as it is for all the characters, you know, about getting it right. And Caroline Dries, who's the, you know, showrunner of that show, is - is a remarkable talent. She came from Vampire Diaries and she, um, you know, it - the comic - this particular character and this comic book had always been such a passion of hers. Um, she literally left a deal at another studio just to come back and do this show. Um, and she's always had it in - the vision for it and always had it in her, you know, in her teeth."

Conversations in Pride: Greg Berlanti, Storyteller at Paley Front Row 2020
The Paley Center for Media   June 22, 2020

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At Paley Front Row 2020, Greg Berlanti celebrates his career as a successful producer, creator, director, and writer of popular TV shows. Topics include: his role in bringing about the first "romantic" gay kiss on a network show; the necessity for more "coming out" stories; why Berlanti has never helmed a "gay-centric" series; the character he wrote that most closely mirrors him; incorporating LGBTQ characters on The CW's DC Comics shows; reactions to his changing DC characters' gender, race, or sexuality; and teaming up with Jim Parsons for HBO Max's "Equal," about gay history before Stonewall.

Edited June 23, 2020 by tv echo