savvas999
24 Μαρτίου 2008, 22:05
Friday Night Lights Looks to the Future
The cast and creators give their prognosis on Season 3 and more.
March 20, 2008 - The Los Angeles branch of the Paley Center for Media is currently conducting their annual William S. Paley Television Festival, AKA Paley Fest. This two-week event spotlights a group of noteworthy television series and television luminaries, with each night devoted to a different show or person. Be sure to check out the rest of IGN TV's coverage of Paley Fest 2008.
Though the writers' strike is over, it's affect could be felt at the Paley Fest night devoted to Friday Night Lights. The strike had cut the season short, meaning several cast members were off filming other projects and unfortunately were unavailable to attend, including star Kyle Chandler ("Coach Eric Taylor"). However, there were still many notable members of the cast and crew assembled, including Jason Katims (Executive Producer), Jeff Reiner (Co-Executive Producer/Director), Connie Britton ("Tami Taylor"), Scott Porter ("Jason Street"), Minka Kelly ("Lyla Garrity"), Aimee Teegarden ("Julie Taylor), Zach Gilford ("Matt Saracen") and Adrianne Palicki ("Tyra Collette").
The panel began with moderator Michael Ausiello (of TV Guide) asking the question on every fans mind: Will the show be coming back or not? Recent reports have said a deal is nearly finalized for the series to air on DirecTV, and Katims revealed "There's no deal yet for the show but we remain incredibly optimistic that that's going to happen and hopefully happen soon." Katims noted that if you just went by ratings, most would have expected the series to be cancelled early on, but that there was a lot of "Passion from the network and studio for the show," adding that when it comes to the new deal, "I feel confident and hopeful that it will happen" and that " I have a feeling we're two or three weeks away from knowing." Katims also remarked that DirecTV were not the only ones interested in the series.
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034320533-000.jpg (http://media.tv.ign.com/media/827/827561/img_5382519.html)
The cast were asked what it was like for them having to wait to find out if the show was continuing or not, and Porter replied, "You have to put it out of your mind somewhat, because you can't live or die waiting to see if you get a phone call." Referring to how Friday Night Lights seems to always be "on the bubble," Gilford said, "I'm used to it with this show."
Thanks to the writers' strike, only 15 of the intended 22 episodes for Season 2 were filmed. While Katims said he felt that the last three episodes hey aired had "Some good beats of resolution and some good cliffhangers," he also acknowledged that "The football season is unfinished and was going to be a very big part" of what was to come.
That being the case, Ausiello asked where Season 3 will pick up - Right on the heels of Season 2, or jumping ahead to the next school year? Said Katims, "My instinct is yeah, we would start with the next year and what happened at the end of the second season would just be referred to and become back story. However, there's still a lot of storylines we were going to use we can keep for the third season."
One issue the show has to face is characters graduating and whether or not they move on. Katims said he felt the story they were telling about Smash this year, as he attempted to secure his college future, was "One of the most compelling storylines of the season." Presumably, when Season 3 begins, Smash will have graduated and begun college, and Katims noted, "That's the biggest challenge and I don't know the answer to how to give that it's due, but I'm committed to doing that." He added it was his "hope and dream" to keep the entire cast.
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034356829-000.jpg
Season 2 began with a storyline that came under a lot of criticism, especially for a series that had received so much love up to that point. So what prompted the infamous "Landry kills a guy and he and Tyra cover it up" plotline? Answered Katims, "I have to take complete credit for that decision," saying he knew people were quick to say, "Oh, it's [NBC's] Ben Silverman's idea!", but that wasn't the case, and in fact, "It was a storyline we were going to do in a different incarnation late in the first season." Indeed, Palicki joked, "That poor guy had to die so many times!", because they shot his death scene three different times – once at the end of Season 1, then two different versions at the start of Season 2.
Palicki said that going into the storyline she was "A little nervous, because I care so much about Tyra." She did point out, "This guy tried to rape her!," adding with a laugh, "Let's put him in the ground!" Palicki said, "Ultimately I'm thankful for it because I got to have so many scenes with Jesse [Plemons]." Katims said the storyline stemmed from them wanting to romantically pair Landry and Tyra together, while answering, "In what universe" that would happen. As Katims put it with a grin, the answer they came to was "Maybe if he killed someone?"
Katims said he knew that many who disliked the story were concerned because it "Felt different to them" and like it wasn't a natural part of Friday Night Lights and that "To me it honors the show and how much people care about the show." However, he said he felt that in the long run the storyline gave them some great material and great performances from Plemons and Palicki and that, "To me it does pay off. In order to get there, we had to start somewhere."
The always wonderful to watch dynamic between Coach Taylor and his wife Tami was brought up, with Chandler and Britton's performance receiving a lot of praise from everyone. Katims said that while that relationship was always meant to be a core aspect of the series, Chandler and Britton's work is, "So compelling, you feed off it." He noted that the actors are "So protective of this relationship." Of course this being a TV show, Katims said it was the writers' job to "Put them in conflict and as much conflict as possible, trying to make them act badly as much as possible. The integrity that they play the roles with and the truth they find has allowed us to go as far as we want as writers, because they won't do it if they don't understand why they're saying it." Britton added that from the beginning she and Chandler made it clear to the writers that, "Neither one of us should have an affair, because we don't want to go down the road."
Julie has been going through quite a bit of a brat phrase lately, and Teegarden said, "She's definitely having a lot of issues. Reading the script, I was like oh my god, I'm never doing this, ever, and then I kind of got talked into it." Teegarden said that she "Kind of understands her. Lots of teenagers have these issues, especially with a new baby coming in, who's so adorable." Teegarden then paused and smiled, exclaiming, "Not that I'm not adorable!"
Season 2 had a story arc in which Jason, Tim and Lyla went to Mexico, which ended with an unusual and somewhat ambiguous scene in which Lyla kissed both boys. Porter said that when the actors read that, they "kind of ambushed" Katims and Reiner. Said Kelly, "Reading it on the paper you're like 'What?!'" Porter recalls similarly asking, "What is this three way kiss?!" He eventually came to see it as a scene about how the three characters had grown up together and experienced so much together and that "They all love each other," and while Tim and Lyla's future is uncertain, he felt "Jason and Lyla found a whole new level of friendship. "
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034408063-000.jpg (http://media.tv.ign.com/media/827/827561/img_5382598.html)
Kelly garnered a big laugh when she was asked what it was like filming the scene, and exclaimed, "It was awesome!" Kelly then said, "It was actually pretty special. It was really sweet. We are all friends and we do have such a great relationship. It was actually as special as it looked. We were all scared to do it and afraid of how it would look and it all came out like it was supposed to."
The evening began with a screening of the episode "Leave No Man Behind", and Ausiello asked Gilford about filming the great scene in which Coach Taylor shoves Matt into a bathtub and turns the water on in order get through to him. Describing filming that scene, Gilford first deadpanned, "It was cold." He went on to say, "I think that was actually the most nervous I'd been before I shot a scene on the show," and that his big worry was, "What if I just start chewing the scenery and make this the most cheesy thing on TV?" Gilford was very modest about his own contributions to the scene, saying, "They shot it at good angles and Kyle was there for me."
Friday Night Lights is filmed in Austin, Texas, lending the show a very authentic feeling that is also added to by the casting. The panel revealed that many times locals are used for small acting parts, though not all the time, which could lead to some confusion. Gilford joked (I think) about filming a scene in a strip club and asking one of the girls he was working with, "'So, is this what you do?' Meanwhile, she has an MFA in acting…"
The question again came up about what do, should the show continue for several more seasons, about all the characters who should be graduating high school. Said Katims, "I don't really know the answer to that. I'm so attached to this cast, and then on the other hand, the reality and the authenticity is so important to the show. I think that's going to be a balancing act, to retain the core group and also to continue to meet new characters."
Porter recalled when he was cast in the pilot, talking to the series creator, Peter Berg, who said, "I don't know how long you're going to be around. You're high school students and we're trying to do something really genuine. " Porter said that when it came to the possibility of one day being written out, "We've all been prepared and it's about the show remaining an amazingly strong piece of work. They've never shied away from saying 'It might happen or it might not.'"
And audience member noted that while the characters on the show might do bad things sometimes, they all still seem to be good people. Katims said that they wanted to address, "Moral complications, when life is messy," but that being said, "Whatever they're doing or get into, they're trying their best."
Another fan mentioned that they'd noticed a lot less football in the second season and Katims said that while that was an intentional shift, he did feel they'd gone too far. He again stressed that part of his disappointment in Season 2 being cut off was that the last portion they had planned featured football more heavily and promised that should Season 3 become a reality, that plan will remain in place.
ΠΗΓΗ: www.ign.com
The cast and creators give their prognosis on Season 3 and more.
March 20, 2008 - The Los Angeles branch of the Paley Center for Media is currently conducting their annual William S. Paley Television Festival, AKA Paley Fest. This two-week event spotlights a group of noteworthy television series and television luminaries, with each night devoted to a different show or person. Be sure to check out the rest of IGN TV's coverage of Paley Fest 2008.
Though the writers' strike is over, it's affect could be felt at the Paley Fest night devoted to Friday Night Lights. The strike had cut the season short, meaning several cast members were off filming other projects and unfortunately were unavailable to attend, including star Kyle Chandler ("Coach Eric Taylor"). However, there were still many notable members of the cast and crew assembled, including Jason Katims (Executive Producer), Jeff Reiner (Co-Executive Producer/Director), Connie Britton ("Tami Taylor"), Scott Porter ("Jason Street"), Minka Kelly ("Lyla Garrity"), Aimee Teegarden ("Julie Taylor), Zach Gilford ("Matt Saracen") and Adrianne Palicki ("Tyra Collette").
The panel began with moderator Michael Ausiello (of TV Guide) asking the question on every fans mind: Will the show be coming back or not? Recent reports have said a deal is nearly finalized for the series to air on DirecTV, and Katims revealed "There's no deal yet for the show but we remain incredibly optimistic that that's going to happen and hopefully happen soon." Katims noted that if you just went by ratings, most would have expected the series to be cancelled early on, but that there was a lot of "Passion from the network and studio for the show," adding that when it comes to the new deal, "I feel confident and hopeful that it will happen" and that " I have a feeling we're two or three weeks away from knowing." Katims also remarked that DirecTV were not the only ones interested in the series.
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034320533-000.jpg (http://media.tv.ign.com/media/827/827561/img_5382519.html)
The cast were asked what it was like for them having to wait to find out if the show was continuing or not, and Porter replied, "You have to put it out of your mind somewhat, because you can't live or die waiting to see if you get a phone call." Referring to how Friday Night Lights seems to always be "on the bubble," Gilford said, "I'm used to it with this show."
Thanks to the writers' strike, only 15 of the intended 22 episodes for Season 2 were filmed. While Katims said he felt that the last three episodes hey aired had "Some good beats of resolution and some good cliffhangers," he also acknowledged that "The football season is unfinished and was going to be a very big part" of what was to come.
That being the case, Ausiello asked where Season 3 will pick up - Right on the heels of Season 2, or jumping ahead to the next school year? Said Katims, "My instinct is yeah, we would start with the next year and what happened at the end of the second season would just be referred to and become back story. However, there's still a lot of storylines we were going to use we can keep for the third season."
One issue the show has to face is characters graduating and whether or not they move on. Katims said he felt the story they were telling about Smash this year, as he attempted to secure his college future, was "One of the most compelling storylines of the season." Presumably, when Season 3 begins, Smash will have graduated and begun college, and Katims noted, "That's the biggest challenge and I don't know the answer to how to give that it's due, but I'm committed to doing that." He added it was his "hope and dream" to keep the entire cast.
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034356829-000.jpg
Season 2 began with a storyline that came under a lot of criticism, especially for a series that had received so much love up to that point. So what prompted the infamous "Landry kills a guy and he and Tyra cover it up" plotline? Answered Katims, "I have to take complete credit for that decision," saying he knew people were quick to say, "Oh, it's [NBC's] Ben Silverman's idea!", but that wasn't the case, and in fact, "It was a storyline we were going to do in a different incarnation late in the first season." Indeed, Palicki joked, "That poor guy had to die so many times!", because they shot his death scene three different times – once at the end of Season 1, then two different versions at the start of Season 2.
Palicki said that going into the storyline she was "A little nervous, because I care so much about Tyra." She did point out, "This guy tried to rape her!," adding with a laugh, "Let's put him in the ground!" Palicki said, "Ultimately I'm thankful for it because I got to have so many scenes with Jesse [Plemons]." Katims said the storyline stemmed from them wanting to romantically pair Landry and Tyra together, while answering, "In what universe" that would happen. As Katims put it with a grin, the answer they came to was "Maybe if he killed someone?"
Katims said he knew that many who disliked the story were concerned because it "Felt different to them" and like it wasn't a natural part of Friday Night Lights and that "To me it honors the show and how much people care about the show." However, he said he felt that in the long run the storyline gave them some great material and great performances from Plemons and Palicki and that, "To me it does pay off. In order to get there, we had to start somewhere."
The always wonderful to watch dynamic between Coach Taylor and his wife Tami was brought up, with Chandler and Britton's performance receiving a lot of praise from everyone. Katims said that while that relationship was always meant to be a core aspect of the series, Chandler and Britton's work is, "So compelling, you feed off it." He noted that the actors are "So protective of this relationship." Of course this being a TV show, Katims said it was the writers' job to "Put them in conflict and as much conflict as possible, trying to make them act badly as much as possible. The integrity that they play the roles with and the truth they find has allowed us to go as far as we want as writers, because they won't do it if they don't understand why they're saying it." Britton added that from the beginning she and Chandler made it clear to the writers that, "Neither one of us should have an affair, because we don't want to go down the road."
Julie has been going through quite a bit of a brat phrase lately, and Teegarden said, "She's definitely having a lot of issues. Reading the script, I was like oh my god, I'm never doing this, ever, and then I kind of got talked into it." Teegarden said that she "Kind of understands her. Lots of teenagers have these issues, especially with a new baby coming in, who's so adorable." Teegarden then paused and smiled, exclaiming, "Not that I'm not adorable!"
Season 2 had a story arc in which Jason, Tim and Lyla went to Mexico, which ended with an unusual and somewhat ambiguous scene in which Lyla kissed both boys. Porter said that when the actors read that, they "kind of ambushed" Katims and Reiner. Said Kelly, "Reading it on the paper you're like 'What?!'" Porter recalls similarly asking, "What is this three way kiss?!" He eventually came to see it as a scene about how the three characters had grown up together and experienced so much together and that "They all love each other," and while Tim and Lyla's future is uncertain, he felt "Jason and Lyla found a whole new level of friendship. "
http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/861/861218/friday-night-lights-20080320034408063-000.jpg (http://media.tv.ign.com/media/827/827561/img_5382598.html)
Kelly garnered a big laugh when she was asked what it was like filming the scene, and exclaimed, "It was awesome!" Kelly then said, "It was actually pretty special. It was really sweet. We are all friends and we do have such a great relationship. It was actually as special as it looked. We were all scared to do it and afraid of how it would look and it all came out like it was supposed to."
The evening began with a screening of the episode "Leave No Man Behind", and Ausiello asked Gilford about filming the great scene in which Coach Taylor shoves Matt into a bathtub and turns the water on in order get through to him. Describing filming that scene, Gilford first deadpanned, "It was cold." He went on to say, "I think that was actually the most nervous I'd been before I shot a scene on the show," and that his big worry was, "What if I just start chewing the scenery and make this the most cheesy thing on TV?" Gilford was very modest about his own contributions to the scene, saying, "They shot it at good angles and Kyle was there for me."
Friday Night Lights is filmed in Austin, Texas, lending the show a very authentic feeling that is also added to by the casting. The panel revealed that many times locals are used for small acting parts, though not all the time, which could lead to some confusion. Gilford joked (I think) about filming a scene in a strip club and asking one of the girls he was working with, "'So, is this what you do?' Meanwhile, she has an MFA in acting…"
The question again came up about what do, should the show continue for several more seasons, about all the characters who should be graduating high school. Said Katims, "I don't really know the answer to that. I'm so attached to this cast, and then on the other hand, the reality and the authenticity is so important to the show. I think that's going to be a balancing act, to retain the core group and also to continue to meet new characters."
Porter recalled when he was cast in the pilot, talking to the series creator, Peter Berg, who said, "I don't know how long you're going to be around. You're high school students and we're trying to do something really genuine. " Porter said that when it came to the possibility of one day being written out, "We've all been prepared and it's about the show remaining an amazingly strong piece of work. They've never shied away from saying 'It might happen or it might not.'"
And audience member noted that while the characters on the show might do bad things sometimes, they all still seem to be good people. Katims said that they wanted to address, "Moral complications, when life is messy," but that being said, "Whatever they're doing or get into, they're trying their best."
Another fan mentioned that they'd noticed a lot less football in the second season and Katims said that while that was an intentional shift, he did feel they'd gone too far. He again stressed that part of his disappointment in Season 2 being cut off was that the last portion they had planned featured football more heavily and promised that should Season 3 become a reality, that plan will remain in place.
ΠΗΓΗ: www.ign.com