Farscape Creator Rockne S. O'Bannon
Moderator: We are now moderated.
Moderator: If my Pilot-DNA is working, Rockne should be
able to speak.
Rockne: Fetch the Comfy Chair --
let's do it!
Moderator: Awright.
Bouncer: hello.
Moderator: Please send your questions to me --
double-click on Moderator in the names list.
Moderator: Rockne, do you have any opening remarks for
the assembled throng?
Rockne: Uh, the Comfy Chair
remark maxes out my clever openings......
Moderator: then on with the torture:
Moderator: <slidecat> to <Moderator>: Now i
heard that this 4 parter is somehow going to be concluded to the next
season, thus making it like a six parter...is that true or just a
vicious rumor to scare us half to death?
Rockne: Torture is our business.
Yes, there's a two-hour conclusion coming next March 17.
Rockne: ga
Moderator: <Cush> to <Moderator>: Mr.
O'Bannan, were the characters background stories changed? For example:
On D'Argo's RittenHouse Preview card, it says that he was arrested by a
General named D'Raam, who was jealous of D'Argos tactics and his mate.
Was this story dropped, or will it play out somehow?
Rockne: It was a background
"cover story" that we devised, so it's true, but, alas, we had
to drop it from "They've Got a Secret" because of time
restrains... ga
Moderator: <truthseekr> to <Moderator>: In
looking at FARSCAPE now, how closely has the show remained true to your
original creation and what has changed/evolved?
Rockne: The
man-from-our-generation dropped into a far distant universe has
sustained....
Rockne: And has been enhanced
beyond my wildest expectations thanks to the contributions of the other
writers....
Rockne: and the cast. ga
Moderator: <DkPhoenix> to <Moderator>: So,
this is one that I think has been bugging us for a while - what is
Pliot's species called? Or is that spoling Pilot's backstory?
Rockne: We've just finished
filming the episode (written by Naren Shankar) where we learn a great
deal about Pilot's origins. But the name of his species hasn't come up
yet. ga
Moderator: here's one to maybe stump the creator...
Moderator: <TracicarT> to <Moderator>: I
know this is nit-picky, but in the (self-serving) interest of keeping my
Farscape Lexicon as accurate as possible - when D'argo referred to
Moya's baby as being well over a "Sakmar", did he mean size?
Weight? Or other?
Rockne: Sakmar is a weight
measurement -- it's from the Premiere script (again, dropped from the
final edit due to time contraints)... ga
Moderator: <Ooshati> to <Moderator>: Was
the "hidden memory" footage not used in Human Reaction because
of time constraints?
Rockne: Nope. We shot that
special, knowing what we had up our sleeves for "Nerve". We
writers may not be able to balance our checkbooks, but we're keeping
several story threads going (but it takes all of us!)... ga
Moderator: <UCSBdad> to <Moderator>: What
exactly did Aeryn say to the Alien "Jack Crichton" at the end
of Human Reaction?
Rockne: "Can you get me
Martin Milner's autograph...?".....
Moderator: (insert rimshot here)
Rockne: Obviously, neither Ricky
nor I nor anyone else on the show is ready to reveal
this............yet....... ga
Moderator: <OboeCrazy> to <Moderator>:
Thanks for coming out to talk with us! My question: How far in the
future do you have the "mythology" of Farscape planned out? Do
you have a Babylon 5 type of plan or is it more freeform?
Rockne: Far more freeform. I'm
in meetings presently with Brian and Lisa Henson in re to a Farscape
feature, so I'm having to nail down certain aspects of the mythology so
that we don't have a movie out sometime in the future that conflicts
with the series.
Rockne: There are aspects to a
two-part episode just written by David Kemper that will definitely
factor into the movie idea I have in mind.... ga
Moderator: sometime in the future?
Moderator: how soon might that future be?
Rockne: The year will have a
"2" in front of it, I can promise you that.... ga
Moderator: <tuvok> to <Moderator>: Mr.
O'Bannon, this Scorpius fellow seems very interesting and an even more
vicious villian. Where does he come from and who is he. He is a hybrid
of some kind, correct?
Rockne: Evil Mr. Spock... yada
yada yada... most of you've probably read my quote about the origins of
the essentials of the character....
Rockne: ...but the specifics are
that he is a half-breed (like Mr. S), half Sebacean, half
Scaren....
Rockne: We'll be meeting a FULL
Scaren sometime next season. Sparks will definitely fly.... ga
Moderator: <StarPaw> to <Moderator>: How
did Scorpius know Crichton was an imposter?
Rockne: He has extraordinary (as
in extra ordinary) sensory perceptions.... ga
Moderator: <Lynux> to <Moderator>: Will
there be more charactors aded to the show?
Rockne: Never stop moving --
that's our motto. Yes, characters will come and go. I mean, after
Moya's death tomorrow night.... DOH!.....
Rockne: I think I've sent
Moderator into shock......
Moderator: I think we've got a lot of changes to make
to the website now... ;)
Rockne: The pickup truck that
they tool around that barren moon all next year is pretty tricked
out..... ga
Moderator: <Neurosis> to <Moderator>: When
will the DVD's for the first season be released in the US? And will they
contain cut scenes?
Rockne: Honestly -- no idea when
they'll come out. As for cut scenes, to be honest, nothing has been cut
that we ultimately didn't want cut -- so I'd be loath to insert
cutting-room-floor material. Besides, there are no big jitterbug
numbers or anything that we had to cut from episodes... ga
Moderator: <marty42> to <Moderator>: Mr.
Obannon, do you think there will be any scape model kits coming out? A
Moya model would be really cool to have on the mantle.
Rockne: Merchandising avalanche
begins this year. I mean, after Rygel dies in tomorrow night's episode,
his action figures are going be worth... DOH... ga
Moderator: <liloleme> to <Moderator>: While
we're talking merchandise, what about DRD's? Think we'll ever get them?
Rockne: I've promised my son....
ga
Moderator: <PhantomComputer> to
<Moderator>: Have you seen the Farscape toys? When will they be
coming out in the USA?
Rockne: No, haven't seen them in
person -- only the art, that's also available on the toy company's
website. Ultra cool (if I do say so myself).... ga
Moderator: <Kieriahn> to <Moderator>: We're
noticing more and more written press coverage of Farscape (Starlog,
Starburst, etc.)...can we look forward to TV appearances anytime soon?
Rockne: SCI FI Channel is really
cooking in that regard. A big shout out to Caroline Mendoza at SFC!
We'd love to get Ben, et al on the USA shows -- but it's tough to break
them out of their work schedules on the series to make the pilgrimage to
the states to appear!...
Rockne: Next hiatus, I'd say
definitely, though.... ga
Moderator: <PlasmaSun> to <Moderator>: What
are your plans as far as Sci-Fi conventions for the year. Any planned
already?
Rockne: Again, for everyone
working on the show, it's pretty impossible during shooting time.
ga
Moderator: <Rehanna> to <Moderator>: Is
there anything that happened first season you weren't completely happy
with how it turned out? Or anything that we took other than how it was
ment?
Rockne: There was some rough
going in the first few episodes....
Rockne: We started out trying to
film two episodes at the same time. For example, one director directed
"I, ET" and "Throne for a Loss"....
Rockne: It just became impossible
for the director, cast, everybody to work on two very disparate
storylines at the same time....
Rockne: By "PK Tech
Girl" we went to shooting linearly....
Rockne: ...and notice how much
stronger the eps got after that.... ga
Moderator: <scifigrrl> to <Moderator>: Good
evening/morning. You seem to be interested inthe interplay between
human's and aliens (nee Alien Nation). Will we see more of an attempt
for the characters to get to know each other on a deeper level in season
2?
Rockne: Absolutely. Get to know
each other.... and in some cases, grow even closer to each other.... and
in other cases, grow against each other. That is, except for Chiana, of
course, who dies in tomorrow night's..... ga
Moderator: <WarriorWoman> to <Moderator>:
Dargo seemed to care much more about Aeryn's well being in
"Nerve" than in other episodes. Why?
Rockne: I noticed that, too! You
think it's just two warriors who've come to respect each other... or is
there something potentially romantic going on....? ga
Moderator: <Hermione> to <Moderator>: GOD I
HOPE THIS WORKS Rockne are you in Australia and how is our Farscape
Family
Moderator:
Rockne: Nope, I'm stateside (in
L.A. at the moment). Farscape Family is disfunctional, as always (a
three hour phone call with David Kemper today!)... ga
Moderator: <grf> to <Moderator>: Nerve
looked great, and very expensive. Have you had to cut corners on other
shows to meet your budget?
Moderator: <Moya02> to <Moderator>: Being
one of the BIGGEST Moya fans there EVER was...and is...what episode is
Moya gunna have her baby?? or...is that not allowed??
Rockne: Like any TV series,
there's give and take between episodes -- and we're no exception. But
we're still the biggest cable series investment going, so expect some
pretty terrific stuff next year (a look at Pilot's home world, for
example...) ga
Moderator: <PhantomComputer> to
<Moderator>: Is Farscape being shown in other countries beside the
US? In that case, is a slightly different version filmed for that
country? (In the past, they used to call that the "European"
version.)
Rockne: Boil some water -- it's
gonna happen awful soon.... ga
Moderator: <Ooshati> to <Moderator>: Is
Durka coming back?
Rockne: In England (doing
extremely well), Canada, some Nordic countries... I recently had to
write a Voice Description sheet for the German and Polish dubs, so I
assume it'll be airing there soon, as well... ga
Rockne: Re Durka: love the
character, love the actor. Plus... Chiana definitely has some
unfinished business (and some unanswered questions) with our Mr.
Durka... ga
Rockne: Whew! Have I caught
up...?!
Moderator: Yes you have...thanks.
Rockne: Ben wanted to tweak the
way he spoke to "fit in" better among the PKs. Speaking of
James Bond, I especially liked when Scopius introduced himself and
Crichton said, "But of course you are..." ga
Moderator: <JTMarechal> to <Moderator>:
What part did you play in casting "Farscape"? And if it was
in part, your choice, what was it about the particular actors that made
you say, "Yes! That's -----"?
Rockne: I'd never run a tv series
before, but I have directed. So I treated the casting process just as I
would if I were going to direct it as a movie....
Rockne: In every case, it was
simply a matter of, "That's the one!" I especially remember
being in a rehearsal hall in Sydney, with a number of potential D'Argos
and Zhaans...
Rockne: We mixed and matched
pairings....
Rockne: And as soon as Virginia
and Anthony paired up, I turned tothe Aussie Producer, Matt Carroll,
with a big dopey grin on my face and said, "If we had a 35mm camera
here, we could start shooting the series!".... ga
Moderator: <StarPaw> to <Moderator>: Have
you gotten into trouble with StarBurst candy Co. for using the term,
"Starburst", or are they paying you?
Rockne: Haven't heard a word out
of them....
Rockne: Besides, can we help it
if Leviathans call the process "StarBurst"?? My guess is it
predates the candy by several millennia... ga
Moderator: <RazurWynd> to <Moderator>: any
special guests of particular fame or reknown gonna show up ?
Rockne: For the time being, we're
trying to keep up the very good luck we've had with casting high-quality
Aussie actors in guest roles...
Rockne: To be honest, I'd love it
if we never had familiar "billboard" casting on the show. I
like the mystique of unfamiliar (at least to USA audience) faces.
Denise Richards, though, I'd make an exception.... ga
Moderator: <Ooshati> to <Moderator>: Will
baby Moya be big enough for a crew? If so, will Aeryn pilot it?
Rockne: Patience, Young
Skywalker, patience... All your questions will be answered in the next
three weeks.... ga
Moderator: <JTMarechal> to <Moderator>: If
you had everything you needed (time, budget, etc.) what kind of
"Farscape" episode would you like to see happen?
Rockne: How about until
7:30?
Moderator: 10:30 my time is fine....how 'bout it gang?
Moderator: They all approve. Onward then.
Moderator: <JTMarechal> to <Moderator>: If
you had everything you needed (time, budget, etc.) what kind of
"Farscape" episode would you like to see happen?
Rockne: Unlimited time, budget?
I'd love to visit a world rich with Hynerians... see Rygel among his
people.... ga
Moderator: <RazurWynd> to <Moderator>:
which character is your personal favorite? or do you have one?
Rockne: I think I've mentioned
before that I'd have to single out Crichton, since he's my (and all the
writers') opportunity to be heroic, say the witty, wacky stuff we'd like
to think we'd say if we were in the situations he is.... ga
Moderator: <StarPaw> to <Moderator>: How
important is Pilot to you?
Rockne: Very important. That's
why his death tomorrow night is such a horrible shock.....
Rockne: Actually, I find Pilot
and his role vis a vis Moya is fascinating....
Rockne: ....and that's why we're
singling him in at least one episode next year, featuring him in much
the same way that we might have a storyline that features Aeryn, Zhaan,
D'Argo, etc. ga
Moderator: <Gmmas> to <Moderator>: Rockne:
can you give hints about non-humanoid characters we will see in future
episodes? And love the large size of Pilot and smallness of Rygel.
Rockne: The Creature Shop is
extremely proud, and rightfully so, of the variety and complexity of the
animatronic creatures in season one....
Rockne: ....and they're all
working their fingers and imaginations to the whitemeat trying to outdo
themselves in season two....
Rockne: Re Rygel/Pilot's relative
sizes: Brian wanted Pilot to be as big as possible, and I wanted Rygel
as small as possible (please, Freudians, keep your comments to
yourselves...) ga
Moderator: <valleyofstags> to <Moderator>:
We have seen the Nebari destroy a Sebaceon ship with little effort. They
seem quite formidable. We have also inherited a Nebari crew member. Will
we be seeing more of them?
Rockne: Any race who can so
casually destroy a full Peacekeeper carrier can't be kept off stage for
very long. Nebari will return. Be afraid, be very afraid... ga
Moderator: <MadMaxx-> to <Moderator>: Will
we ever get to see dargo's homewold/his past more indepth?
Rockne: His past, definitely.
Homeworlds, as has been discussed in previous chats, is a very difficult
proposition (the makeup requirements, set construction, etc. make it
very expensive). But, remember, D'Argo's sole desire in life is to
reunite with his son. ga
Moderator: <PlasmaSun> to <Moderator>: If
some Scapers came to Australia on vacation, could we be extras or see
the sets? Is there a Moya tour :)
Rockne: Sorry, no contingency for
visitors. Of course, the MOYA EXPERIENCE ride is pretty cool.... :-)
ga
Moderator: Send any questions you have to the Moderator
with /msg Moderator or simply double-click on the Moderator's name in
the list of names on the right side of their screen.
Moderator: <riddley> to <Moderator>: If Sci
FI Channel forced you to cast William Shatner in an upcoming Farscape
episode, what kind of role would you write for him?
Rockne: Oh, uh, oh -- man, that
was weird. That question made me think I was on SeaQuest again for a
moment........
Rockne: ga
Moderator: <baby-moya> to <Moderator>: Will
Rygel have a love interest in the new season? He is the male of his
spieces, correct?
Rockne: Actually, I'm surprised
everyone hasn't picked up how nice D'ARGO has been to Rygel
lately.......
Rockne: In re to a Rygel love
interest -- that's exactly the sort of element that we writers want to
bring to the show. We want Rygel to be as full-blooded and three
dimensional as possible. So love is definitely a possiblitity...
ga
Moderator: <McKinsit> to <Moderator>:
"Nerve" seemed to have a darker, grainy look to it. Was this
intentional to add to the gritty, claustrophobic feel of the episode?
Rockne: Definitely intentional --
the work of the fantastic director of the ep, Rowan Wood. In my
opinion, it's arguably our most "Australian"-influenced
episode (the look, the costuming, the design of the Aurora Chair room,
etc.). Really very distinctive from other USA tv, even other USA series
shot in Oz or New Zealand. Rowan and the crew really kicked a**...
ga
Moderator: <Solo600> to <Moderator>: Mr.
O'Bannon, congrats on another fine series. I served aboard SQ as a
Stuntman. Question, do you have a regular staff of writers or do you
take submissions?
Rockne: A truly stellar (ouch!)
writing staff, headed by Exec Producer David Kemper (David is definitely
the glue that keeps the gears of this show together! You may quote me
on that!)....
Rockne: In re submissions:
we're not set up for freelance submission right at the moment. Perhaps,
and hopefully, someday. (Having a spec script "discovered" by
the producers of a series is how I got started).... ga
Moderator: <Gmmas> to <Moderator>: Rockne:
in the Premiere, Crais sentenced Aeryn to death for hanging out with
Crichton; in Nerve, Chiana flirted freely with PKs. Why the difference?
Rockne: Aeryn was alone with
escaped prisoners, and dared to defend the "alien" who killed
his (Crais's) brother....
Rockne: Chiana is a server who
gives "good... value".... nothing wrong with that, in the eyes
of Peacekeepers.... ga
Moderator: <Ricks8> to <Moderator>: Will we
be seeing more of the Council? Now that Crais is a refugee, Scorpious
is in the picture, and new PKs are always popping up...I'm having
trouble seeing who's the alpha male with them...and what exactly is
there job?
Rockne: In re Crais vs
Scorpius.... keep watching the next three episodes. The best is yet to
come. And, yes, we'll be filling in the background colors re the
Peacekeeper hierarchy as the series progresses.... ga
Moderator: <ceallaig> to <Moderator>: I've
asked this of each writer who has come to visit with us, and still have
gotten no answer: Will we EVER find out anything about John's mother?
Or did the man spring full grown from his father's forehead?
Rockne: He had no mother......
Oh, wait, that was Anakin Skywalker, and he had no father....
Rockne: We've left a lot of
background info on all of the characters to the future in the (I hope,
realistic) drive to stay alive and one step ahead of the PKs...
Rockne: As next season blasts
into view, and future seasons (and books, and films, and My Weekly
Reader comics) develop, I'm anxious to explore all the pasts of our
characters... ga
Moderator: <SunAeryn> to <Moderator>: Mr.
O'Bannon, we know that Ms. Black can sing, will the EVER be an eps that
we'll get to hear her sing?
Rockne: My "Venti"
Latte is down a "Tall"... so 10 more minutes sounds about
right.... ga
Moderator: We have about ten minutes left for the chat.
Please send any questions you have to the Moderator with /msg Moderator
or simply double-click on the Moderator's name in the list of names on
the right side of their screen.
Rockne: TV series always exploit,
I mean utilize, the varied talents of their casts... so watch for it...
ga
Moderator: <Gmmas> to <Moderator>: Rockne:
One theme of the show seems to be "You can be more" Do you
agree, and would you cite other important ideas?
Rockne: "You can be
more" is definitely one (I just did a polish on an episode, where
that theme reprised again). "You have to be your own kind of
hero... and it's rarely what you expect" is another important
theme. In other words, always be ready to be heroic, to do the right
thing, because it may not come at you the way you expect it to...
Rockne: There's a very important
theme announced in Ep 22 that my wife has adopted for our kids (the
sentiment was written by David Kemper). ga
Moderator: <scrid> to <Moderator>: Do you
have a definative story where each of the characters is going? Or are
you letting them choose their journey?
Rockne: We have signposts flung
waaaaay out there, but the characters are free in the course of
individual episodes to veer off onto any interesting tangents (but,
always with that signpost as an ultimate destination). ga
Moderator: <JTMarechal> to <Moderator>: Who
came up with "Fetch the Comfy Chair"?
Rockne: One of the things I've
tried to move the writers toward is to put the quirky references that we
say to each other in the writing room into the scripts....
Rockne: If we say it to each
other and it makes us laugh, then John Crichton should say it....
Rockne: So often writers talk to
each other and make irreverent comments, then write tried-and-true
dialogue...
Rockne: On Farscape, we have the
chance to put what we say to each other into the mouth of our lead
character....
Rockne: The great thing is, Ben
is just like the writers, and adds a lot of his own wry asides....
ga
Moderator: <riddley> to <Moderator>: Last
week, Richard Manning told us about Froonium. Do you have a
froonium-like writing trick of your own?
Rockne: I find I name characters
after writers/filmmakers whom I admire....
Rockne: Crichton, obviously. In
SeaQuest, there were crewmembers name Hitchcock and Ford.... ga
Moderator: Last and final question for Mr. O'Bannon...
Moderator: <scifigrrl> to <Moderator>: Do
you have in mind other story arcs that we may see inthe future?
Rockne: Yes....
Rockne: ...Production on Season
Two is well underway... there are discussions re a Farscape movie... a
book series is forthcoming...
Rockne: Thanks to the passionate
support of all of you, the series really seems to be taking off as I
could only dream it would. Many thanks to all of you for your continued
support. We're doing our frelling best not to let you down!
Rockne: ga
Moderator: Thank you Mr. O'Bannon for joing us tonight.
Do you have any final words for our chatters tonight?
Rockne: Beware the chair....
Thanks all! ga
Moderator: Thank you all for coming to tonight's chat.
I will make the the room unmoderated now.
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