Bringing an Inside the Industry Viewpoint to Jensen Ackles Directing Supernatural

Although I am pursuing an acting career, I am also continuing to keep my writing career alive as well. Hence it was with great interest that I went to San Diego Comic Con this summer and did press on many of the TV shows present there.

I was especially pleased to attend the Supernatural press room this year. All the buzz was around lead actor Jensen Ackles directing for the first time and I was most interested to hear his comments. I had already decided that that was the perfect topic for me to write about as I have worked on TV shows and know a lot about production. Hence I felt I could bring a different perspective to the fans reading the articles in multiple venues. My article is at Suite101.com and you can access it here: It's Good To Be Captain: Jensen Ackles Helms Supernatural Tonight.

The Supernatural press conference was the most packed I attended that con. We were pressed in like sardines and it was difficult to move around. I suspect that Vampire Diaries was just as packed, because the publicist thanked me when I let her know I couldn't do it as she had a waiting list. I wanted to do VD, but it was that or Human Target and while I like Vampire Diaries, Human Target is on my must not miss list.

Apparently Superman was even more crowded, because I couldn't even get on that list and when I talked to the people at my table at Supernatural, at least three others couldn't get in either.

But for all the madness of the huge crowd, the SPN press conference was the best run of the entire convention. For one thing, they had their entire PR staff working that room and they adhered very strictly to the 5-7 minute per guest per table. However, because of that, we got time with every single guest, which didn't happen at most of the others.

Alas, 5-7 minutes is not enough time for everybody to ask questions, so while I got to ask Jensen about post production and Sera Gamble for her pov, I didn't get to ask Jim Beaver or Jared Padalecki what it was like to be directed by their actor co-star. I was actually surprised that nobody else did either.

And because I have worked with Bob Singer in the past, I was able to ask him, a prolific director of Supernatural episodes and former showrunner, for a comment on how well Jensen did directing and he was kind enough to give me a quote I could incorporate into my article.

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Photo credits: Those of Jensen Ackles directing are courtesy of 2010 The CW/Jack Rowand
Jensen Ackles at Comic Con is courtesy of 2010 Warner Bros Entertainment, Inc./Greg Gayne

Check Out "It's Good to be Captain: Jensen Ackles Helms Supernatural Tonight" at:
http://www.suite101.com/content/its-good-to-be-captain-jensen-ackles-helms-supernatural-tonight-a297358

Being with the White Collar Gang at Comic Con and Living to Write About It

In July of 2010, I went to San Diego Comic Con 2010, like we do every year.

But this year was different in that I had started to write for an online site, so I wanted to do some press interview stuff. Some... actually turned out to be more press than could be easily handled.

White Collar was one of the round table press conferences, but I managed to get my questions in fairly well, so I was very pleased with the information I had to write about.

For my articles on Suite 101, I used the official photos that the studios provided. However, being that this is my personal blog, it's a bit more fun to use the photos I took, even if their quality is not the best.

It was really fun reconnecting with Willie Garson, who plays Mozzie on this show. He and I had done a play together, Crackwalker. He was one of the stars and I was stage manager. I reminded him of that play and he turned all smiles. And he started calling out to the WB people and his manager that we had done Crackwalker together. He asked about a couple of people we worked with. However, like him, I had lost touch with them.

There were some other memorable moments.

When Tiffani Thiessen appeared during the photo session, the guys were all concerned about her standing on her feet, since she recently had a baby.

They all called for a chair, even though she didn't want them to do so. I don't think she wanted a big deal to be made of it, perhaps in the press. At their insistence, she sat down, but for only a second. She said something about it feeling weird and popped up onto her feet again to take photos standing with the gang. And that' s how most of the photos are.

While Sharif Atkins was talking to us, Jeff Eastin walked past him, leaned in and shouted out, "All lies."

Another fun occurrence happened during the Jeff Eastin talk. Willie Garson snuck up to Jeff from behind and tweaked his ear. Then he hurried away. But Jeff had seen who it was, and called out, "Is that a wet willie?"

As always, there is more material than will fit into an article, even if writing four articles like I did.

So just to make this blog a bit more interesting for people, here is a tidbit, I didn't have space for in the articles.

When asked about talking to the consultant, Tim Dekay said, "I call up Tom every so often and we talk. My deal is a little bit easier because Tom’s kinda set up what’s right and what’s wrong. A couple of times, I’ve thought hmmm, what’s Peter’s point of view here, and I’ll call up Tom." Tim looked over at his co-star who was sitting beside him, Matt Bomer, and indicated that Matt had it harder because he had to do the 'physical' as well as the 'cerebral stuff.'

Matt agreed and said that he brings his consultant, Simon, in as much as he can. "Actually, as great as it is to learn how to pick pockets and to pick locks, and magic tricks and sleight of hand, as much fun as that’s been to learn, I’ve actually learned more just being around him, seeing what his personality is like. And who he is. He’s so charming. He’s so engaging. He totally throws you off your guard. To the point where it’d almost be like… here have my wallet…"

Tim, laughing: I know.

Matt:When you talk to this guy and he’d be maybe laughing. So I’ve learned more… performance wise, I’ve learned more, that way.

Tim: He’s also very interested.

Matt: He’s a great listener. He’s very intuitive. He susses people out. He learns a shorthand with people very quickly.

The two guys were reminded that the question was on why Tiffani didn’t get to talk to the experts much…

Tim: I don’t know Tiffani… did she ever think of it? Did she?

One of the reporters at my table then said to him that Tiffani told us she would have liked to talk to Tom about his family.

Tim: She didn’t get a lot of time. I didn’t think about that because… it’s interesting, I didn’t go there with him. I think, honestly, because I was… there’s a presence in Tom, when you talk to him…

Matt: Oh my god.

Tim: …you just try to… same thing for me and Tom as you and Simon… Tom always reminds me that the FBI is military-based. It’s not like they’re policemen. These guys are military based. And Tom kinda has that presence… nice guy, he smiles, but you know… [glances at Matt, who says something inaudible]

Tim: No you don’t, you know he’d fuckin’ kill you in a second. You don’t mess with him.

Question that harked back to the father/son relationship discussion… something about Neal feeling same way…

Tim: I think he would, but look, our show… there’s a heightened reality--

Tim: No, that’s true…. Tom had kids. Tom has kids. But Tom is very, very happy. And I’ve spoken to many FBI agents and they’re very happy with the way The Bureau is portrayed. So…

The next question was about Peter being pulled out of being who he is.

Tim: I love it. I love it.

Question: Are you going to be doing more of that?

Tim: Yeah.Peter goes undercover more. I think that’s fun because it makes our relationship more [gesturing at each other]… it makes us be with each other more. And that’s something I always told Jeff and the other writers. And yes, Peter has to send Neal out, but the more they can be, the more they have to deal with each other, the better. It’s fun to watch. It’s fun to be in.

For more, check out my articles on Suite 101.com:

White Collar: At the Core It's About the Relationship of Two Men

White Collar: Neal and Peter's Other Partners

White Collar: It's Not Just Neal & Peter, There's a FBI Team, Too

White Collar: Conman May Be Old School But the Showrunner Tweets

Ed Asner As FDR at Newly Reopened Pasadena Playhouse

Last night I went to the newly reopened Pasadena Playhouse to see Ed Asner's one man show as FDR which was written by Dore Schary. It was a delight to be back at the historic Pasadena Playhouse and to know that it is struggling its way out of bankruptcy. Last time I was at the Playhouse, it was to see Camelot and to mourn its closing.

Ed Asner gave a magnificent performance. Having now done two roles where I've had long speeches to perform without error, I was in awe of the complicated and complex performance he gave. So were other people, because at the end, many gave him a standing ovation.

While I applaud Ed Asner's performance, I can't say the same for the material by Dore Schary. The monologue starts with FDR's polio and how he felt about it, struggled with it, and tried to not let it interfere with his life. That was all great and helped me understand aspects of the man I never knew about. Then the play continues with FDR's viewpoint of his presidency and there's where I have the problem.

Don't get me wrong. I have much admiration for FDR and what he accomplished. But there are a couple of blights on him and a couple of other decisions that should have been explored. The play offers up a viewpoint that FDR was angered by the people who said he invited the Pearl Harbor attack, but it never deals with the central complaint about that tragedy -- the foolishness of having our entire fleet together in one spot, a sitting duck for an air attack, for no apparent vital reason, if not to say, come and get us, with an eye on being able to use it as an excuse to get Congress fired up enough to declare war.

The play doesn't deal with the terrible injustice FDR did to our Japanese American citizens by incarcerating them in relocation/interment camps for the duration of the war and confiscating much of their land and possessions without any consideration that children born here were not enemy traitors and spies, nor were the adults who would've welcomed the opportunity to defend their adopted country.

The play doesn't deal with the fact that FDR wouldn't sanction the boat landing of Jewish children fleeing the Nazis and what would have been certain death for them in concentration camps. That the boat had to turn around and return to the UK to unload its young passengers there.

The play doesn't deal with the fact that FDR set in motion the plan to drop A bombs on the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Granted it was President Truman who actually gave the order, but it was FDR who gave the greenlight to develop and get them ready. He would have been the one to deploy them as will, if it hadn't been for his untimely death.

And the play glossed over the complex relationship he had with his wife Eleanor, of whom we learned little, despite the number of times he called out for her on stage.

So while the play was magnificent on the polio beginning, the presidential years were pretty much a white wash, in which you didn't learn anything of great substance. Still, Ed Asner did a great job handling the material and it was great to see the Pasadena Playhouse alive again.

Warner Home Video Releases Superman/Batman: Apocalypse DVD

I've been so busy that I haven't updated my blog with what I've been doing.

But I did a very cool write up on the release of Warner Home Video's Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Original movie DVD.

Tim Daly [Private Practice, Wings] voices Superman and Kevin Conroy [China Beach] voices Batman. Ed Asner lends his voice to Granny Goodness, which is a strange name for the henchman of the villain.

Villain Darkseid is voiced by Andre Braugher [Men of a Certain Age, Homicide]

This movie sounds exciting. It also has Batman and Superman buddies, working together to find the kidnapped Kara, voiced by Summer Glau [Firefly, Serenity]. In their interviews, both Kevin and Tim talked about the friendship between Batman and Superman and how they were buddies because they are the only ones who can understand each other's position.

Well, you know how I love male/male buddy stuff, so I've requested a screener of the movie so I can see how it is.

RIP STEPHEN J CANNELL

It was with great sadness that I learned of Stephen J. Cannell's death last night from cancer. I had no idea he was even sick. Though I hadn't seen him in person for a while, I did see him on Castle playing poker with the other great crime book authors and he looked like his usual handsome, robust, virile self.

What a loss for the world, and for me, since I love all of his books and have been a fan of his TV shows for years. The thought of no new books from him is devastating. And of course, there was always the hope that he'd give us a new TV series, even though he hasn't done one in years.

Back in 2006, I worked the tribute for him at the WGA Theater and he gave me a big welcoming hug when I told him how he was one of my favorite authors. We talked about how my favorite of his books was still his first one, The Plan. He mentioned how that book was a departure for him (political thriller) and the only one of a kind. And we talked about his hero, Shane Scully, who inhabits many of his books.

His friends gave a wonderful tribute to him. I was reading over what I wrote about the tribute and thinking how much he touched people's lives... how much he will be missed.

And no more will I be able to say in answer to that pesky question of what do you want to be in five years. My answer had always been Stephen J. Cannell because he has done everything I want to do: write TV shows, write roles for himself when he feels like it, act, write books, creative TV shows, etc.

And from what I surmise, he was incredibly loyal to family and friends. Yes, he was a good one that we've lost too soon.

Just want to thank Phil Philkon Konstantin for the photo of Stephen J. Cannell I have on the blog here.