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Non-spoiler question for the cast

M

Mondo Londo

Regular
Hi:

First, I want to thank you so much for spending so much time with us! It's been a real treat. I hope you folks are getting something out of it, too!
smile.gif


I do have a question about preparing for your roles. How much background information were you given about your characters? In other words, how much of a databank of personality did you have to flavor your performances? How much do you know about your characters that is not in the script?

Mind you, I'm not asking what those character backgrounds are, so we can avoid any spoiler situations...

I'm just asking to figure out how you guys settle into your characters -- slowly and comfortably like a warm bath, or jumping right in, like a swimming pool?

Also, in this facet, was working with JMS different than other writers/producers?


Thanks a Heap!!!
laugh.gif


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"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi
 
Hi Mondo.

I think Joe and I talked a little about David before we started, but we didn't touch on anything that wasn't already in the script. Once you've seen the movie you'll know as much about David as I do. I imagine that's the same for all the other characters you'll be introduced to.

As I've said before, I'm kind of a slow starter when starting a new project. In television you don't often get a lot of time to prepare before you're in front of the camera, and sometimes I think that's a good thing. Baptism by fire can really wake you up! It does take a little while to settle into a character though, I'm sure you've noticed that on other series - look at Seinfeld.

Joe is a great executive producer to work for. He has an open door policy and doesn't seem to be ruled by his ego like a lot of people. However I must say that for the most part I've been lucky with the executive producers I've had in the past. Most of these people have an open door policy and welcome your ideas and thoughts. After all, everyone involved on a show wants it to be the best that it can be.

I would not however say most have the same resume Joe has. You should see this thing on paper! I read it at the TCA in Pasadena and brought a copy home with me. If I still have it I'll think about posting it. I don't think Joe would mind since it's public knowledge and was freely distributed in Pasadena. If you ever want to feel like you've done nothing with your life, read his resume, it's insane.

I hope that helped Mondo.

Cheers,
Dylan

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Wow. Thanks for getting back to me so fast; and for such a detailed response! Yes, it is helpful -- and I look forward to learning more about your character with you if (crosses his fingers) the series gets picked up by SciFi.

Thanks Again!

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"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi
 
Hi Mondo, thanks for your question.

I had been in Vancouver working on an animation series, when I got a frantic call by my agent to get myself to the studio in the next hour, in order to audition for the role of Sarah. I was faxed the lines or sides as they call them to the recording studio where I had been working, and immediately with a half hour to spare I got in a cab and arrived at the studio barely knowing the lines. I can remember reading it all over and over trying to get a sense of the character so I had something compelling to show them.

Nerves aside I mustered up all the courage I had and went into the room. Sitting there was the great Mr. J. Michael Staczinsky himself, Mr.Doug Netter and Mr. Michael Vejar. I had no idea at the time what incredible people they would turn out to be. Each one of them has been so supportive, patient and caring, that I am truly blessed for knowing them.

As Dylan mentioned, Joe has been nothing but supportive. He mentioned to all of us early on that if we ever had any questions or concerns that we could go to him directly. I can't tell you as an actor how wonderful it feels to be included in this way.

I don't think that Joe would mind me telling you that he at one point during the shoot, sent me the grandest of baskets, and I mean GRAND filled with wonderful goodies. He did this simply to tell me that he appreciated the work I was doing. Words cannot describe to you what that meant to me.

I don't really know if I answered your question, but I guess this is all to say that we are kept informed and told as much as we need. There is a part of the process that is instinctual which is what I used going into the audition, but most of all I have relied on information given to me by both Joe and Mike(our director).

Hope I answered your question Mondo. Talk to you later
smile.gif
Myriam.

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Mondo-san,

Hello there! Well, I can see that Dylan and Myriam have answered pretty much what I would have said about our character's background development and what we contributed as a performer to the role...

In terms of our personalities as individual human beings, this is an integral contribution to the role for obvious reasons, being, we don't have to "over act" to achieve the required personality of each character created by "JMS"...Like "JMS" said, he cast each character as they walked through the audition casting room door! He used his instincts/intuition on each of us (cast), and was correct!

The open door policy of "JMS" was quite scary and intimidating for me, as I have never worked on a project where someone actually cared what I had to say! "JMS" does, and he welcome's creative input with open arms...

Character development...Well, I believe that most of us started to formulate where our character's fit into this "Babylon 5" universe, by reading internet fan sites...reading the history behind "Babylon 5" in terms of the Alien species, spaceships, timelines...etc. Researching various info. sites really helped...and we discussed some of the issues or concerns amongst ourselves to bounce off ideas and to understand that we all understood exactly what was going on...

Alot of enthusiasm by the cast! We really helped each other out just like the crew of the "Liandra"...I guess that is why we all got the roles!


For me, I always believe what I am doing in a scene is for real. That I am really "Kitaro Sasaki" and that I am really flying "The Liandra" and that if I don't get this ship through to complete our mission, I will let the Captain down and the entire crew of the ship...Serious I am, and so is the character of "Kitaro Sasaki"...

So, for me, the role of "Kitaro Sasaki" was pretty much an extention of me as Warren T.Takeuchi, but with abit of an edge for "Kit" to add drama! He he he...

Well, that is all...Cheers Mondo!

-Warren- "Kit"



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Kitaro, is that considered method acting?
(OK, I know nothing about showbiz and don't follow this stuff. I was just trying to sound smart to impress everyone.)


It's cool to see the glowing comments about JMS. I may not know anything about acting, but I know about business, and it's good business to do what he's doing (besides being nice, obviously). He knows he can get his best performance out of the actors by treating them with respect, care, and openness.

Hey, I took acting in high school, I know my stuff, watch out!
crazy.gif
smile.gif


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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."
 
Wow!

Thanks, domo, merci, etc. for your answers! It really helped me (and all of us, of course) get an inside view of what goes on in the acting business! You guys are the bee's knees, the cat's meow, and all that kind of stuff!

Thanks Again!!
laugh.gif


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"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi
 
I did notice that Sarah is still struggling with the spelling of JMS.

I think "Straczynski" is correct.
wink.gif





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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?
 
There is hope for those of us with unspellable and unpronounceable last names, after all...

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Channe, Freelance Writer Extraordinaire and The Next JMS
--
B5 Synchroninity of the Day: I just found out that the new dorm I'm living in next year has been named Breen Hall.
 
Myriam wrote...
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I had been in Vancouver working on an animation series, when I got a frantic call by my agent to get myself to the studio in the next hour, in order to audition for the role of Sarah. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Out of curiousity, can you tell us what you were working on up in Vancouver?

smile.gif


Berz (rabid Anime fan-girl).


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"We don't have cats on Minbar. We have Gogs. Such creatures are an attempt by the universe to make sure we do not take ourselves too seriously." - Delenn.
 
I had a lot of trouble confusing JMS with the Strazynski comoser! But it's a different last name. They just sound kind of similar.

------------------
"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."-- Galileo
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hypatia:
I had a lot of trouble confusing JMS with the Strazynski comoser! But it's a different last name. They just sound kind of similar.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you mean Igor Stravinsky?

He was brilliant. I hadn't even noticed the similarity in names, even though I love both men's work.

Hey, wouldn't Stravinky's music sound great as a soundtrack for the Rangers show?
<I now picture a space battle between the Liandra and the Drakh with "L'Histoire Du Soldat" playing in the background>



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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GKarsEye:
Do you mean Igor Stravinsky?

He was brilliant. I hadn't even noticed the similarity in names, even though I love both men's work.

Hey, wouldn't Stravinky's music sound great as a soundtrack for the Rangers show?
<I now picture a space battle between the Liandra and the Drakh with "L'Histoire Du Soldat" playing in the background>

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Yes, that's it. I honestly don't remember WHAT his music sounds like. It was a long long time ago I even heard about him.


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"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."-- Galileo
 
I'm borrowing an idea from Mondo... hope you don't mind!

In regards to your preperation, or the preperation you might undergo WHEN the series is commissioned...

Were you given an insight into the Anla'Shok (forgive spelling) and Minbari concepts and faith?

JMS has been quoted as saying that we will get a better and more involved look at Minbari Culture, and the way they think.

So, I am just wondering if there was a crash course, and if there was, are you able to share anything that you learned?

For some of us, the Minbari and the Rangers are completely and totally facinating as a people!

Also... 'Star Trek' actors have often spoken of their difficulties in getting the technobabble and words right in production. Was there that problem in the telefilm for you as a cast? Were any of you caught off guard by the phrases or terminology? If it is not going to spoil the movie, and if you are legally able to talk about it, it would be fun for us to hear some of the bloopers that came about.

If/when these questions are answered... thank you either way!

------------------
We are Grey... We stand between the Candle, and the Star...
Between Darkness, and the Light...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GKarsEye:
Have you ever watched Disney's Fantasia? The segment with the dinosaurs is set to Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring," which was supposed to be a ballet about primitive people. When he first performed it in Paris, he was chased out of the theater.

He is a crucial figure in modern orchestral music. He helped introduced complex polyrhythms into classical music, which usually only stuck with 4/4 or waltz meters. He brought back the use of counterpoint, something largely avoided since the Baroque period.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I suspect that is why I remember him from school. I just have not been in touch with the classical music for awhile. But the moment you mentioned the "Rite of Spring" I knew what composition you were talking about! Thanks.
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Being chased out of the theater must be hard on an artist!
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"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."-- Galileo
 
I was young enough at the time to catch the Space Cases show and find it mildly interesting. When it was cancelled, I joined the anti-cancellation brigade (something I also did with SeaQuest). Of course, it didn't work.

I didn't know about Babylon 5 when I watched the Stracyzn episode, with the teddy bear. However, I remember thinking "the plot of this has to be some kind of cruel inside joke!"

Now, I just wish I had a copy of that Space Cases episode on tape.

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Channe, Freelance Writer Extraordinaire and The Next JMS
--
B5 Synchroninity of the Day: I just found out that the new dorm I'm living in next year has been named Breen Hall.
 
I would think it would be hard to go into a job like this without an idea of where you're coming from. I'd expect the actors to be given enough information as to what the character might now, yes?

In the last musical I did, we didn't do enough preparation as to the culture and background of medieval England, where the darn thing was set. The result was a muddled piece of stagecrap until I sat the cast down, and gave them a rehearsal-long lecture on medieval culture.

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Channe, Freelance Writer Extraordinaire and The Next JMS
--
B5 Synchroninity of the Day: I just found out that the new dorm I'm living in next year has been named Breen Hall.
 
Hypatia, it's my pleasure talking about music and teaching people about it. I like music even more than B5.

Sorry if I sounded patronizing by using the Disney reference, I had no way of knowing how much or little you knew.

It just goes to show you, school can teach you something useful.
smile.gif


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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."
 
BTW, JMS also made a sort of "appearance" in another show. I believe it was "Space Cases" where "The Evil StrahKzin" made an appearance. Several of the cast and crew were moonlighting.

I believe they also stuck in a scene where they found a Teddy Bear floating in space and wondered "what sort of Monster" could be responsible for such a cruel act.
laugh.gif




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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?
 
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