Chat Transcript with Robert Hewitt Wolfe

[stripe]

Hey there I thought you might enjoy reading the transcript from a recent chat with Andromeda's Co-Executive Producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe.
I was present in this busy chat room and can tell you Robert is a very nice down to earth guy who cares passionately about his work and almost just as much for the fans. He is very in touch with people, actors , crew, staff, from all sections and I think just a really cool bloke....



Transcript from AndromedaTV.com's chat with
Robert Hewitt Wolfe

Wednesday, October 11, 2000


SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Hey all, we're just ironing out the bugs. Be just a minute or two.

MODERATOR: Welcome everyone to the live chat with Robert Hewitt Wolfe. It will begin in 1 minute.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Muzak plays as everyone waits patiently.

MODERATOR: Welcome everyone to the live chat with Robert Hewitt Wolfe!

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Hey dere.

MODERATOR: And welcome Robert.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: *Wave*

MODERATOR: We're so glad you could join us today. We appreciate your taking the time to spend with us.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Not a problem. I always enjoy this sort of thing.

MODERATOR: You're joining us from the production offices in Vancouver. How are things in the Great White North?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Great! Actually, it's a beautiful and sunny day here. Which is good because we're shooting on location right now.

MODERATOR: How's the mood on the set, is everyone excited about the premiere?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Very excited. We had a big party on Saturday in LA. Lots of fun. Much beer was consumed.

MODERATOR: Have you got any ratings you can share with us?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: All our ratings are very preliminary, although we kicked butt in New York. Looks like we got an 11 share (6.1 rating) even though we were up against the Mets/Giants game. That was our best number so far, but we seem to be doing very well.

MODERATOR: (Audience members, start sending us your questions for Robert and we'll start lining them up). And that's good, right? I never can tell with ratings.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: It's tough to say. I mean, an 11 share in syndication is amazing. We'll have to see what the final numbers are nationally. But if we get a six share, I think we're doing great.

MODERATOR: Well, here's a question from LittleSue.

LittleSue1: Are you pleased Mr. Wolfe with the response from the fans so far regarding the first episode?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Very pleased. I knew there'd be some things we were doing that would jar the fans a little. Especially the Star Trek fans. But the response has been mostly positive. And as we fix our little bugs (pun alert) and people get used to what we're trying to do, I think even more people will jump on the bandwagon.

LadyMaigrey: Do you find the critics seem to be changing their minds yet?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I think it's a little soon for the critics to eat crow just yet. Wait until episode five or six and then we'll see. But it took years for the critics to warm up to ST: TNG or DS9 or B5 or X-Files. Sometimes critics are slow. Especially with genre shows.

MODERATOR: For the record Robert, the web team here can't wait for more people to see more episodes. There are some really great ones coming up.

Kendaa: Given the feedback you're getting from the various Andromeda sites, do you think there'll be many changes made to accommodate some of the criticisms?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Well, most of what people are criticizing, we've already been changing because obviously we've been aware of these problems. A lot longer than people on the net. And then there's the things some people don't like that we like and lots of other people like too. And those we're not changing at all.

trdwlf: Can you explain to us how the Andromeda gets stuck in the fringes of that black hole? I naturally assumed something would get sucked into it.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: They were on a hyperbolic flyby approach. So they had forward momentum. Just enough to get around it without going in. Unfortunately they got too close.

MODERATOR: Kind of like going into orbit around it?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: And their AG field interacted with the temporal effects of the hole, and it messed everything up. Plus Rhade threw in a monkey wrench. A hyperbolic approach is not an orbit, it's a course shaped like a big U with the hole inside the U near the bottom.

Me Founder: What is the tone set for this series: light, dark, a little of both?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: A little of both. We want to be able to hit a wide range of emotions. Wider than most SF viewers are probably used to. And have a wider range of tones, sometimes doing both humor and very dark stuff in the same episode. Sometimes even in the same scene. CF The Great Escape.

jjones: For new shows like Andromeda, how long does it take fans to find them?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Depends on the show and the fans. I think it usually takes a year or two for genre shows to find their audiences. Especially in syndication. Buffy, X-Files, TNG, they all took a while.

jjones: What is the budget of a single episode of Andromeda like? How many staff, etc.?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I can't quote an exact number, but I can give you a range. A little more than B5, less than Hercules or Xena or Stargate. Far, far less than Voyager or DS9. Not even in the same zipcode as ER. But in today's syndie market, it's a very fair budget for a new show.

Kendaa: It must be fairly unusual for a series to have a somewhat established net fan base even before it's up and running.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Yeah, but we have a wonderful site created by lots of terrific people. And we have a very net-savvy production staff. And we appeal to a pretty net-hip audience too, I think. Gene's shows traditionally have a very high profile on the net.

MODERATOR: Hey, thanks Robert. :-) You guys give us great material to work with.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: And so did Hercules. We always wanted the net presence to be a very important part of the show. And thanks to Wendy, sintii and all the others, and Zack and Ashley, we've hit our target very nicely.

KatePhelan1: How much is Kevin Sorbo involved with the production?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Kevin is very involved. In addition to being a tremendous actor and complete professional on the set. He reads all the scripts very thoroughly and gives notes on both scripts and cuts. He is very smart and gives excellent notes. Kevin really knows the medium. Like I said, he is a consummate professional.

Ellie1201: Knowing that fan base was already out there and waiting, did you feel any additional pressure in putting the show together?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Well, being the head writer of a show is an insane amount of pressure. So it's kind of like being in a dive suit. After a couple hundred meters, it doesn't make all that much of a difference. =)

iamgrey: How much freedom are the actors given to improvise?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Ummmm, some. =) Actually, when they want to change things in the script, we usually talk about it ahead of time. Works better that way.

jjones: How much character turnover can we expect during the first year or so? Introduction of new folks/some characters killed off, etc.?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: No comment. But our body count in season one has to be some kind of TV record. I mean we already killed off an entire intergalactic civilization. You want more? More death, more destruction! Kill kill kill, is that it? =P

Me Founder: For those of us who are curious about life in the Commonwealth, are there going to be a lot of flashbacks?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: You will see more about life in the Commonwealth, yes - both in flashback and in other ways, he said mysteriously...

molli: will we get more THAN with an attitude like Dawn?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: You betcha. Than are famous for their 'tude.

Andulasia: Robert, your wonderful writing staff has answered most of the questions I've had, but I'm curious, what did Rhade put in his mouth as he was walking down the corridor?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: A thingiemajig. Actually, something that acted as a rebreather and helped him survive in the thinning atmosphere that resulted from Andromeda pumping the air out of her corridors (which she did slowly to avoid explosive decompression). Wouldn't have worked for a normal human, but he's a Nietzschean and they're good at not bleeding out of their eyeballs and things like that.

Me Founder: With that much background information for the show on the internet, are you afraid new viewers will feel completely alienated and stop watching the show because they don't understand?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I think that every episode has just enough information that people will be able to follow that particular episode. And not too much that they will be overwhelmed. The website is more of a resource. A place people can go if they want to know more. It's not a necessity (I hope). We want the casual viewer to be able to enjoy the show just as much as the hardcore fan.

MODERATOR: The next question has to do with the producer/writer interaction on the net, I think.

SandyV4752: Is that because of the net response to B5 and other shows?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I'm not all that aware of what the net response was to B5. The only show I followed the net response to was DS9. I'm too self-centered to spend much energy on other people's shows. =P (Uses "self-centered" because he can't remember how to spell narcisisisisisticic).

SandyV4752: Are you as secretive about up coming episodes like Strazinsky was?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I've always been plenty cagey about upcoming episodes. I hate spoilers. I had the end of Empire Strikes Back spoiled for me when I was 15. And it scarred me for life.

iamgrey: This has probably been asked, but does Andromeda have an arc, or is it episodic?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Every episode is meant to be self-contained enough to be enjoyed by the casual viewer. But long term viewers will be rewarded with a long term story as well. It's a balancing act and hopefully we can pull it off. I think we have so far, but you'll let us know I hope. =)

KatePhelan1: Mr Wolfe, will you have the cast of DS9 on Andromeda?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I'd love to use some of my old homies on Andromeda. Just not right away. I think we need a season or so to establish our own recurring characters and actors before we start doing too much ST stunt casting. John was enough for season !. =) Season one, I mean.

jjones: What are the % of male writers to female writers on staff? What ages?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Five men, one woman. And I don't know everyone's exact ages. We run the gamut from late twenties to [mumble mumble].

Andulasia: Robert, you have some sci-fi authors writing some episodes this year - will you have any different ones writing for you next season?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Hopefully, yes. Spider Robinson has a story I'd really like to do in season two, if we can work it out. And we've had a couple of other authors express interest. So we'll see.

jjones: How collaborative is the writing process or do folks take turns?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Well, both, really. Everyone writes their own scripts. But we all give each other notes, both during the story stage and in the scriptwriting stage. So everyone gets plenty of support. It's a terrific staff and everyone has lots of great ideas on each other's stories.

IL61801: How much input do the actors have on each ep.?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Depends on the episode and the actor. We certainly talk to them and listen to their feedback. But 99 percent of what they say is in the scripts. That's true of most television by the way. Like I said, usually when they want to say something different, we talk about it first. All our cast members are very smart and very talented, though. And they frequently have wonderful ideas about line adjustments, etc.

jjones: How much material did you have to work with that came directly from Gene R.?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I had a stack of stuff about 12" high. But Gene did not write a full bible or script for this show the way he did for E:FC. Most of what I had to work with was short proposals, character notes, things like that. Plus lots of writings that addressed tone and philosophy. Gene basically created the characters of Dylan and Andromeda. Plus he came up with the situation. I took it from there. So Gene had a lot more to do with this show than say STS9 or Voyager, but less than with E:FC or TNG. Which is why it says Created by Gene, Developed by me. Whereas DS9 was Created by Rick and Michael, based on ST. Truth in advertising. =)

AntonyF: Could you explain please the relevance of the order of the cast list? Also, why is Gordon Michael Woolvett mentioned as "with" in the credits?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: That's all stuff hammered out in the actor's contracts, to be honest. Agent stuff. "With" is a nice thing to have in front of your name, especially if you come late in the credits. And "_____ as______" is also nice.

Andulasia: Robert, I think this might be a question for Tribune more than you, but is there a reason the credits at the end of the show are half screen? Many fans are disappointed that they can't be read unless you have a *really* large TV screen. :-) BTW, loved "Under the Night."

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I hate that myself, but it's up to the individual stations showing the show. They can do what they want with the end credits. And we have a wonderful group of stations showing us. So I can't complain too much. You miss the cool end music Matthew wrote, though. And lots of talented people's credits. It's a balancing act. The local stations have to pay their bills, so I understand why they do it.

Gilden: Just joined in, but Robert, I have a question for you - is one of the subplots that the technology after the fall of the Commonwealth started to decline and that the salvage crew views the ships sort of like the holy grail of technology?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Yes, that's correct.

ThemisofSpace: Do you feel any restrictions on a script based on what you feel Gene would or wouldn't have done in the situation?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Yes, we definitely try to be true to Gene's spirit and vision. At least as we understand it. =) Your Gene may vary. And I mean that with all due respect. Unfortunately, Gene is no longer with us. So we do our best. And Majel is there to protect Gene's vision, which I think is a very good thing. And so far, she's very happy with the show.

MegL4: Robert, is there any chance the theme music can be boosted so we can hear it better in the opening credits? I like the music for the show but the opening is really hard to hear.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: We may do a remix for next season. I love Alex's music and we're trying to find the best mix so everyone can hear that, the intro by Kevin, and all the fun sound effects.

Me Founder: How did you come to writing for this show, did you have to choose with other shows?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: I was invited in based on my work on DS9. And yes, I did have some other projects out there. I actually stepped away from another project in development in order to work on Andromeda. And I'm still working on my feature for John Woo's production company.

iamgrey: Any chance that Majel will appear - in a cameo, or something?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Hard to say right now. She's very busy with her work on E:FC and as a producer. Plus we'd want to find the right role for her. So we'll have to see what happens.

LadyMaigrey: Rumour has it that Michael Hurst might be on next season?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: We've talked about a possible role/story for him. But right now the only people talking about it are the writers. We haven't approached him yet. And we haven't completely figured out if we have the right role for him. So again, we'll have to wait and see. A lot of these kind of things are more difficult to do than you might think, given everyone's schedules and everything. We kind of lucked out with John DeLancie. But we're certainly open to it if we can make it work.

IL61801: Will Dylan ever find more of the Commonwealth?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Not telling. Nah-nah-na-nah-nah! =)

jjones: In addition to action/adventure - will there be romance in the show?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Oh, yes. We're all about love here at Andromeda. Love and blowing things up.

LadyViper: What are you filming on location this weekend?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: We're shooting THE DEVIL TAKE THE HINDMOST. An episode, coincidentally, that is about... You guessed it! Love... And blowing things up. We're shooting at a 19th century trading post near Vancouver. Beautiful place.

MODERATOR: Ok, we have to start wrapping things up now. Is there anything you can tell us about the show coming up this week?

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: Things explode? People are moved to new possibilities. More things explode. Sad and tragic deaths happen. Some more things explode. And in the end, all are happier and wiser. Except those that explode. How was that?

MODERATOR: Great! Thank you very much for joining us, Robert. We'll have to do this again some time.

SPEAKER_Robert Wolfe: No problem. I had a great time talking to everyone. Yes, definitely. Bye all! Be excellent to each other. Robert EXITS stage left.

MODERATOR: Everyone, check our local listings for Episode 2 air times. And let us know if you like these chats. We want feedback! Good night everyone. We'll reset the rooms back to normal ASAP, promise. (And I hope all you newcomers come back often to chat in our 24/7 chat rooms with fans and other writers).



Terms of Service, Contacts and Credits
© 2000 Tribune Entertainment Company.
All rights reserved.

[padders]

Wow!

It is brillaint that he joins in with the fans like that. I look forward to reading some more of those chat sessions and going to them as well!

"We're all about love here at Andromeda. Love and blowing things up. "

lol

[MythingLink]

Arrgghhh! I forgot about it. It would be such a hoot if they could somehow manage to get Michael Hurst over here to do an episode. The guy is a smile waiting to happen.

Cheers,