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| Bryce Zabel |
*** TheCrowTV sets mode: +m
<TheCrowTV> alright thanks for showing up even though we
are having network troubles thanks to Qwest
<TheCrowTV> we should get more people coming in soon
<TheCrowTV> I sent out the word to my mailing lists
<TheCrowTV> this is not the day to have network trouble
<TheCrowTV> thankfully Bryce could get in
<BZTV> You think you have NETWORK troubles... Let me tell
you...
<TheCrowTV> lol Bryce differnet kind of network lol
<BZTV> Oops... wrong network...
<TheCrowTV> Qwest and Universal should merge lol
<BZTV> Nice to be here in cyberspace.
<BZTV> So... shoot...
<TheCrowTV> this question is from Anne
<TheCrowTV> Will the complete Crow TV series ever be available
on video or DVD. How can I help it happen ? Anyone to write to
? Would it be of use suggesting it to the big retailers ? Do
they have any influence in making a series available ?
<BZTV> That's FIVE questions...
<BZTV> Okay... tape/DVD
<BZTV> Well, the pilot (#1/#2) is out on tape as you guys
know.
<BZTV> The series is another matter.
<BZTV> Eventually, every film or TV series ever made will
be available everywhere at once. We may have to wait for that
day.
<BZTV> Unless the series ramps up again, then it could
ignite the reason to issue it.
<BZTV> Otherwise people will simply have to copy them and
pass 'em around.
<BZTV> I'm not sure who would actually release it. Universal,
I guess, and that is such a crapshoot it's unreal.
<BZTV> I think the tape release depends on a lot of things,
like the success of the new movie, etc.
<BZTV> I talked to Jeff Most today who said their research
showed that 46% of Crow fans have now come to the concept through
the TV series exposure.
<BZTV> Next!
<TheCrowTV> Bryce do think Brandon Lee would have played
Eric in the tv series if he had been approached and still alive?
<BZTV> No.
<TheCrowTV> that question was from debra
<TheCrowTV> here is her other question
<TheCrowTV> Do you think Mark Dacascos would come back
and play Eric Draven again in the series if it comes back on
the air ?
<BZTV> I mean, the guy was a star, he would have been on
to other things.
<BZTV> I believe if we didn't shoot the series in Canada
that Mark would come back.
<BZTV> I know he likes the Crow a lot, and enjoyed playing
the part.
<BZTV> Thanks, Debra.
<TheCrowTV> Dee was wondering just how much this fan mail
to SciFi really helps?? Do they actually listen ?
<BZTV> Dee, I think it is the best shot.
<BZTV> I can't give out an iron-clad guarantee that anything
helps, but it sure doesn't hurt.
<BZTV> Here's the analysis..
<BZTV> The opinion makers in LA all have Sci-Fi Channel
on their systems. Very few of them saw the the Crow in syndication.
<BZTV> If they catch a few episodes on SF they start to
like it, ask questions about why it's not around, the next movie
come out and does good at the box office...
<BZTV> You gotta shake things up, get the material exposed.
<BZTV> Besides, the Sci-Fi Channel would actually do right
by itself to air the show. Fits their image.
<TheCrowTV> Bryce has your kids made any more tv show appearances
?
<BZTV> My oldest son, Jonathan, hasn't played young Jay
Leno in a while, but they call out of the blue...
<BZTV> He's not that into the Hollywood actor thing...
too many auditions...
<BZTV> Jared, who played the ghost kid, hasn't wanted to
go on calls. Neither has Lauren who played Vincennes daughter,
Libby.
<BZTV> They leave the showbiz to dad, I guess.
<TheCrowTV> LLCruize- This question is asked under the
assumption STH comes back next year. Will it continue to focus
on Eric Draven?
<BZTV> Honestly, if the show came back, ANYTHING could
happen.
<BZTV> Maybe Mark would make a deal or not. Maybe I would
or not.
<BZTV> Maybe they would shoot in Canada or not.
<BZTV> Maybe they would demand changes... whoever "they"
turn out to be in any reincarnation.
<BZTV> Let me put it this way --
<BZTV> If Mark would come back, I would love to continue
Eric Draven's journey.
<BZTV> If he didn't come back, I would be energized by
the chance to re-configure the series.
<BZTV> The star of the Crow franchise is no one person,
despite the PHENOMENAL presence of actors like Brandon Lee and
Mark Dacascos.
<BZTV> I would like to continue to explore the multiple
Crows which grace our planet at any given time.
<BZTV> Crows like Talon, for example...
<BZTV> I'm easy... give me 22 hours and I'll go crazy with
whatever I've got to work with.
<TheCrowTV> Bryce, what are the chances of the TV series
soundtrack seeing a public release whether it comes back or not
?
<BZTV> I think it's a long shot unfortunately...
<BZTV> As many of you know, we did a nice soundtrack CD
for the cast and crew Christmas gifts.
<BZTV> It's strange, though, that the third movie can have
a CD out now, long before the movie's release...
<BZTV> Thing is, TV series soundtracks almost NEVER get
released unless the show is a HUGE hit.
<BZTV> Nice to see all the new people dropping in...
<TheCrowTV> For those of you wanting the instrumental stuff
from Peter Manning Robinson. I am waiting for a response from
him to see if we will be allowed to release the songs of his
from the TV series soundtrack into Mp3 format.
<BZTV> Peter would be more than pleased, I am sure.
<BZTV> We featured his material on the Christmas CD.
<BZTV> Plus all the songs from bands.
<TheCrowTV> http://www.spaceports.com/~thecrow/crowtv/soundtrack.html
- for more information on the soundtrack
<BZTV> I've got a couple of things that I wish I could
share, too.
<BZTV> Like, the Painkillers re-recorded a killer rock
version of that old disco tune, "Don't Leave Me This Way"...
<BZTV> It only got played in the club background on a later
episode.
<BZTV> I've blacked out on the name of the club just now...
<BZTV> Wait...
<TheCrowTV> The Blackout
<BZTV> THE BLACKOUT!
<BZTV> Yeah, that was it.
<TheCrowTV> What is your opinion on Eric being allowed
to finally rest and focusing on another character, such as Hannah
Foster?
<BZTV> I really, really liked the Hannah Foster character
and her backstory.
<BZTV> I thought her pain was as deep as Eric's.
<BZTV> Interestingly, we had a flashback in the episode
that was so intense that it had to be cut from the script before
we were allowed to shoot it.
<BZTV> On the other hand, Eric Draven is the heart and
soul. We have miles to travel...
<TheCrowTV> Why did you use the Eric Draven character considering
his story has already been told in the movie ?
<BZTV> I had no choice.
<BZTV> Polygram had already made the decision to tell the
Eric Draven story.
<BZTV> I just gave it my best shot.
<TheCrowTV> so it wasn't pressman idea?
<BZTV> Not that I'm aware of.
<BZTV> Kind of a mutual emergence, I think.
<BZTV> And don't get me wrong, I support the choice.
<BZTV> It gave us the familiarty to launch the series.
<BZTV> Even if it also gave us our share of critics who
somehow felt it betrayed Brandon's memory... which I do not believe...
<TheCrowTV> Why was the first episode a slimmed down version
of the first movie, instead of being more like the comic book
with Eric/Shelly getting killed on the highway ?
<BZTV> Well, I'm not completely sure I buy that characterization,
but...
<BZTV> the thing is there was far greater familiarity with
the movie than the comic...
<BZTV> and I think the comic would not make a good film,
let alone a TV series...
<BZTV> Anyway, there are some RADICAL differences in the
pilot in plot and character.
<BZTV> The Bridge Between Worlds.
<BZTV> The fact that Albrecht suspected Eric Draven of
murdering Shelly Webster.
<BZTV> Plus, we did an homage to the comic death scene
in our "It's A Wonderful Death" episode.
<TheCrowTV> <krow> It's been claimed that the purpose
of STH was to draw in new fans of the Crow realm. Why, then,
do you continue to talk about familiarity?
<BZTV> Hardly mutually exclusive.
<BZTV> The purpose of the TV series was to succeed as a
TV series.
<BZTV> To do that, it had to reach out beyond the fans,
yes, but, in my view, it also had to be true enough to the original
source material to make those fans enjoy the series.
<BZTV> Most did.
<TheCrowTV> Bryce do you know fans can contact Marc Gomes
?
<TheCrowTV> btw Krow is the webmaster of As The Crow Flies
- http://www.asthecrowflies.com/
<BZTV> When I say familiarity, I mean that if you so radically
revise a concept that it's unrecognizable, you might as well
not do it in the first place. Just do something completely different.
<BZTV> Well, I can pick up the phone and call him, or e-mail
him, but I can't pass that out.
<BZTV> I suppose the best way is to contact SAG and send
him whatever message through snail mail care of his agent.
<TheCrowTV> Why did you pick Mark Dacascos to play Eric
Draven ? Who else was considered to fill that role ?
<BZTV> Mark was ALWAYS the first choice.
<BZTV> We read a couple of other actors who were SO WRONG.
<BZTV> Mark was picked because he had the acting chops,
the fighting chops, the intelligence, and the heart. Plus, he
just plain GOT IT.
<TheCrowTV> Where did the idea of the snakes (bad crows)
come from ?
<BZTV> There was a guy who played the husband of the blonde
waitress who had the hots for Draven, I forget his name, and
we actually read him.
<BZTV> He's a Canadian guy, a fine actor, but not the Crow.
Not even close.
<BZTV> Snakes just seemed to me to be a wonderful way to
continue to extend the Crow imagery into another direction.
<BZTV> Plus, there is so much mythology about snakes, etc.
Plus, they shed their skin!
<TheCrowTV> From Deaderman- What did they use for the makeup
and what was the technique?
<BZTV> Are we talking about snake make-up?
<BZTV> Or Crow make-up?
<TheCrowTV> crow
<BZTV> Well, the theory I proposed (another radical change
from the comic, movie) was that the Crow character just could
not be seen episode to episode putting on his own make-up.
<BZTV> They got away with it in the movie, but as a regular
thing, it would have been weird, and not in a good way.
<BZTV> So, the decision was made that the Crow was not
a disguise (as in the movie) but a condition.
<BZTV> So, the makeup had to be subtler.
<BZTV> It could not read on screen as make-up, but it had
to read as a physical transformation.
<BZTV> So, we started to screen test various versions.
<BZTV> The first had a little more green in it, but it
didn't look quite right.
<BZTV> The technique... I'm not a make-up artist, can't
really describe it... Mark probably knows real well...
<TheCrowTV> From CrowMaaike - If the show is being renewed,
do you have any idea if there will be many of the old actors
acting their old characters again?
<BZTV> If it was up to me, I would want the big three:
Draven, Albrecht, Sarah.
<BZTV> But, times change, availabilities change... real
practical considerations would dictate...
<BZTV> I would not re-cast Albrecht, for example. If Marc
couldn't go again, we'd create a new character.
<BZTV> If somebody asked me to re-cast Draven, that would
be a huge issue. I think it would be best to let it go if that
was the case...
<BZTV> Oh, and I would definitely re-cast Shelly...
<TheCrowTV> this is the last question unless bryce has
more stuff he would like to say
<TheCrowTV> CrowMaaike - What are your plans for the future,
I mean in the TV-show business?
<BZTV> Although my creative plan for a second season involved
losing the actress but not the character...
<BZTV> Aren't we letting everybody in for a free-for-all?
<BZTV> My plans?
<TheCrowTV> yeah after this question
<TheCrowTV> just tell me when you're done and I will open
up the room
<BZTV> Well, I'm working on a pilot for Miramax TV now...
writing a couple of features...
<BZTV> Let 'em in!
<CrowFinder> Bryce...do you have anybody in mind to play
Shelly?
<BZTV> I had an actress picked out to replace her, yes,
and I'm trying my damndest to remember her name...
<BZTV> She played one of the leads red-haired girlfriend
on an early season of "Party of Five"...
<deb484> Bryce why cant you get the Shelly from the first
crow movie, she commited elsewhwere?
<BZTV> I could have had Shelly from the first Crow movie.
<BZTV> This may sound odd, but she was wrong for the part.
<deb484> Why was she wrong?
<BZTV> I actually cast the original actress for an episode,
but it was vetoed by the Powers That Be for creative reasons.
<BZTV> Candidly, a little too old, not quite a match with
Mark Dacascos, and not quite as good an actress as Crow fans
fondly remember from the movie.
<BZTV> Most of her dialogue was cut in the movie, I understand.
<BZTV> We lost our first choice the day before shooting,
and ended up with the actress we cast.
<CrowFinder> Who was your first choice, Bryce?
<BZTV> The "Party of Five" actress. She just
didn't think the part was big enough, although it grew, and it
would have been even bigger had she taken the part.
<deb484> How long did it take for Mark to get into 'crow
makeup' ?
<BZTV> Over an hour, I think.
<BZTV> Unless he did it himself...
<BZTV> Kidding...
<BZTV> I don't mean to knock her personally... she just
didn't move me as Shelly as I would have liked.
<deb484> How was filming in Canada?
<BZTV> Canada is not the US, for starters.
<deb484> Where would you like to film the show?
<BZTV> I would like to film in the US first...
<deb484> Any city in mind?
<BZTV> If LA wasn't acceptable, I'd take Chicago, maybe...
<BZTV> But the thing is, if a show is syndicated, then
it almost always ends up in Canada.
<BZTV> Remember the first movie said it was Detroit, but
it wasn't filmed there.
<BZTV> The reason I had the city called "Port Columbia"
was so I could actually film the scenery in Canada, because it's
so damned hard to make it look like something else on the schedule
and budget I had.
<Dark_Vengence> so....why was the pilot episode only released
on video for rental????
<BZTV> It was always intended that way, DV.
<deb484> Was it hard to duplicate the set of Eric and Shellys
apartment?
<BZTV> We shot the first two episodes as a set, knowing
that they would be combined into a movie.
<BZTV> It was actually easy to duplicated the apartment.
<BZTV> Our most HUGE battle was over what color the walls
should be.
<Shellimael> What color were the walls, anyway?
<BZTV> We started with maroon, and the Polygram execs demanded
it be changed to yellow.
<BZTV> I'm not kidding here either.
<BZTV> Well, the truth is, it doesn't make a damn bit of
difference what color they are.
<BZTV> The sets are long, long gone. Draven has more chance
of actually coming back than they do.
<deb484> How realistic are we about getting the show back
on?
<BZTV> Ed Pressman is still working toward that end.
<BZTV> Ed is a serious guy who gets things done. I'm rooting
for him. I like his commitment.
<TheCrowTV> Ed is also serious about squashing someones
non-profit crow flick too
<BZTV> Well, I don't know about that, CrowTV.
<LLcruize> Bryce, have you seen The Crow: Salvation? If
so, what did you think?
<BZTV> I only know that he supported my vision against
encroachment, and you gotta like a man who stands behind you.
<BZTV> deb484, I would write, phone and call the Sci-Fi
Channel and continue to ask for them to re-air the first season.
<BZTV> They've done that with my other series, "Dark
Skies", and it has introduced it to millions of new fans.
<TheCrowTV> if anything is Evil is Unicrap otherwise know
as Universal
<deb484> I think the snake parts of the show were a brilliant
thing to do to extend the story by the way
<TheCrowTV> The snakes gave balance to Draven's character
too
<BZTV> deb484, Mace thanks you.
<TheCrowTV> gives him something of equal ability to fight
<BZTV> CrowTV, that's exactly WHY it had to be done.
<deb484> The way the tv series ended with the cliff hanger
was there another part written to continue it
<BZTV> I knew I needed sustainable conflict, based in our
concept...
<BZTV> Oh, definitely, I had a whole plan for the second
season.
<BZTV> Clearly, Shelly jumping off the bridge allowed me
to switch out the current actress for a new one.
<BZTV> It also demanded a huge story shift worthy of a
second season.
<LLcruize> it made sense.....snakes have always been seen
as evil.
<BZTV> LLcruize, and don't think I didn't notice!!!
<BZTV> Dravenslady, neither. She fulfilled her contract,
and we didn't get a second season
<deb484> Did Mark enjoy playing two characters 'crow' and
Eric and which did he like best?
<BZTV> I think he enjoyed both about equally... totally
different challenges...
<deb484> Was the set fun, or intense?
<BZTV> However, I bet Mark (who is a world-class-act guy)
enjoyed the wise-ass Crow persona for the fun of it.
<BZTV> The set was mostly fun.
<BZTV> The day we lost a man was intense.
<TheCrowTV> Mark Akersteem
<Deaderman> Was James O'Barr ever on the set at the beginning
or during the series?
<BZTV> Yes, another Mark.
<BZTV> James was never on the set, although he would have
been welcomed with open arms.
<BZTV> I actually tried to cast James O'Barr several times
in cameos, but he never responded.
<deb484> Someone said James wanted the show more violent
did he have any say?
<BZTV> James NEVER said that to me.
<BZTV> He told me at the SanDiego comicon how much he liked
what he had seen, and he said the same to Jeff Most on another
occasion later.
<Deaderman> what do you think the crow is more about, revenge
or redemption?
<Dark_Vengence> I noticed that Dravens actual character
changed a little....like in the movie he was mostly sad and in
pain...while in the series Draven has more of an attitude/bad-ass
quality......how did that come about?
<BZTV> I think we did the violence about as reasonably
as one could do it, for TV, and considering that our audience
included a number of young men, the exact age of the Columbine
killer crowd.
<BZTV> The Crow, as I see the concept for myself, is about
REDEMPTION. The movie Crow and the comic Crow are about REVENGE.
<BZTV> I had no choice, for TV, however.
<TheCrowTV> oh yeah Bryce I was flipping through the script
you gave me a copy of , why was a few characters such as Skank
cut from the first episode
<BZTV> DV, we needed a sustainable attitude. He was sad
and in pain, yes, but in the journey to redemption, we had to
show him achieving human contact again, primarily with Albrecht
and Sarah.
<BZTV> Skank didn't make the cut only to save the cost
of a character, I think...
<deb484> Is Mark available for shooting should the show
come back?
<deb484> Are we talking months or years?
<BZTV> Mark is finishing a film in France right now.
<deb484> Is this a money issue?
<deb484> I cant understand why the show is off?
<BZTV> We are in no imminent danger of starting again,
so there's time to corral him if we need to...
<TheCrowTV> for more information on Dacascos visit his
official site at http://www.dacascos.com/ click on the actor,
then click News for info on what is going on with him
<Kelley> Bryce, If STH makes a comeback would you still
consider using Katie Stuart again if she were available or would
you go with a younger actress to keep the Sarah character basically
the same age as when the first season ended.
<BZTV> The show was cancelled, IMHO, because Polygram got
sold to Universal, and Universal had only a year before gotten
out of the televisionproduction business. Therefore, they could
not get back in with somebnody else's show, nor could they let
somebody else do it, because if it succeeded, they would have
looked like they let a good one get away. Money & Politics,
yeah...
<CrowFinder> What was the budget for STH?
<BZTV> I love Katie Stuart. She is awesome.
<TheCrowTV> I remember bryce telling me 22 million for
the first season
<BZTV> However, the Sarah character needed the age she
was then... I'm not sure if she would be right... but I'd try
to keep her involved.
<BZTV> Budget. Approx 1 million US per show. The real number
is classified.
<CrowFinder> What is the actual age of Katie Stewart?
<BZTV> Katie's probably 15 now, I'd guess...
<BZTV> No matter what, we would be able to bring Katie
back as Sarah for some guest appearances, even if her character
was replaced by another...
<Deaderman> even though the 3rd movie has not come out
yet, have you heard much on a proposed 4th movie?
<BZTV> 4th movie is supposed to be about a rap crow.
<deb484> What did you have planned for the second season?
<deb484> Or is it a secret?
<BZTV> I actually wrote the story for one version of it
for Pressman.
<BZTV> One idea: Shelly ends up in the body of a car crash
victim at the moment of death...
<BZTV> Her only memories of Eric and Shelly are the ones
she dreams about.
<TheCrowTV> doesn't the rap crow go against the gothic
nature of the crow
<BZTV> Somehow they continue to search for each other.
<BZTV> She goes to Eric when she realizes she dreams about
him...
<CrowFinder> The Hannah Foster episode was excellent
<BZTV> Complications, as they say in the biz, ensue...
<TheCrowTV> see if a rap crows fail, the franchise will
die
<TheCrowTV> therefore we may never get to see a female
crow
<BZTV> You've seen a female crow.
<TheCrowTV> yeah Bryce but not on the big screen
<BZTV> I would do a series with Bobbie Phillips playing
Hannah Foster in a second.
<BZTV> You will see a female Crow on the big screen some
day, provided the franchise doesn't die at the box office before
then.
<BZTV> Well, my daughter, the girl who played Libby in
the next to last episode, needs help studying for her Spanish
final...
<BZTV> So, as the crow flies, I'm outta here in a few...
<BZTV> Keep the fire burning, guys. We'll be back somehow,
someway...
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