A big thanks to Mandy for typing this up, and submitting it!<\/p>\n
Roswell Press Tour
\nJuly 1999<\/p>\nBrad Turell: Now it\u2019s my pleasure to introduce our first program. \u201cRoswell\u201d is a show that-I don\u2019t know, sometimes you\u2019re good and sometimes you\u2019re lucky-this is a show that we did not develop. This is a show that another network developed and it did not fit their schedule for some reason. But when we saw it in our screening rooms, we knew immediately that this show fits on our schedule and that we all had a huge reaction to this show and said, \u201cThis is a WB show.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps that other network thought the same. You\u2019ll get into more detail, I\u2019m sure, of that with Jamie (Kellner, Chief Executive Officer, The WB) and Suzanne (Daniels, President, Entertainment, The WB), but we certainly gave it a plum spot behind \u201cDawson\u2019s Creek\u201d We ordered a full season of it. It\u2019s a show-we believe, with show runners like Jason Katims, John Frakes-we have the auspices there, we have the stories, we have something that\u2019s just right for The WB.<\/p>\n
So right now, I\u2019d like to roll the tape of \u201cRoswell\u201d<\/p>\n[CLIP SHOWN: \u201cROSWELL\u201d]\n[applause]\n
TURELL: And now, here\u2019s the cast and executive producers of \u201cRoswell\u201d. I failed to mention David Nutter, obviously, of \u201cX-Files\u201d fame-also a very important member of the creative team. Jason Behr you remember from \u201cDawson\u2019s Creek.\u201d William Sadler is at the far end. Majandra Delfino, David Nutter. Coming back this way, Jason Behr in the middle, Shiri Appleby, who\u2019s going to have a big season with us. Jason Katims, And Katherine Heigl and Brendan Fehr.<\/p>\n
Ladies and Gentleman, \u201cRoswell\u201d<\/p>\n
QUESTION: I have a question for Jason. Jason, since this was developed-<\/p>\n
JASON KATIMS: Which Jason? Which one?<\/p>\n
QUESTION: I\u2019m sorry. Jason Katims.<\/p>\n
KATIMS: Yeah, yeah.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Since this was developed for another network, is what we see here basically what was developed for The WB or did you rework it to make it more, if you will, \u201cWB-ish\u201d?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: No, we actually, I think, are one of the few shows that we\u2019re not changing anything in the pilot. I mean, it\u2019s exactly the show that we made is the show that we\u2019re going to air.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Is there anything you can share about what the other network had reservations about that obviously sold The WB, conversely?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: You know, I\u2019m not really sure. I think that when you develop a show, it\u2019s kind of like you know that a lot of other shows are being developed, too, and you hope that it fits in with the schedule. In this case, it didn\u2019t for FOX, where it didn\u2019t fit in as well as it did for WB. I\u2019m not sure exactly why that was.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: I guess a question for the producers, although any of the young stars could answer it. WB has got a reputation for pretty heavy marketing. Shows-people become magazine covers before their shows have aired or the minute that their shows have aired. Have any of you done an extraordinary amount of publicity already? Are we going to be seeing any of you on magazine covers in the next copule of months?<\/p>\n
JASON BEHR: We\u2019ve done a little bit of stuff here and there. [panel laughs] The WB has been incredibly supportive and encouraging with the show and with us as actors. And I think that they\u2019ve been very helpful with getting \u201cRoswell\u201d out there.<\/p>\n
KATHERINE HEIGL: And really behind it.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: But can you give an example?<\/p>\n
HEIGL: Well, I don\u2019t know when the YM-we just did-<\/p>\n
BRENDAN FEHR: November, I think.<\/p>\n
HEIGL: We just did something for YM and I know Shiri and Jason are doing TV Guide and that kind of thing.<\/p>\n
FEHR: I think most of it will be after the show airs in September, a lot of covers and articles that will be in September, October issues, I think. So our faces will be on the screen as well as on the pages of the magazines, which will be good so that people will actually know us.<\/p>\n
TURELL: This show has gotten the same reactions from magazines as some of our previous shows-\u201cDawson\u2019s Creek\u201d, \u201cFelcity\u201d et cetera-as far as magazines are concerned. YM covers, Seventeen, et cetera. They\u2019re interested in the leads Shiri and Jason at this point. It always broadens out from there. The whole cast did shoot a YM cover. But yes, we\u2019re getting a really good feedback for national covers.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Mr. Katims, how on hands is Jonathon Frakes going to be?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: Jonathon is going to come in and direct an episode, which we\u2019re all thrilled about. I believe it\u2019s the seventh episode. And so, you know, he\u2019s going to be very much involved.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Will he make any other appearances like in the pilot?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: You know, we can only hope. It\u2019s up to him.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Chris Carter has always said that he had a mythology already mapped out for \u201cThe X-Files\u201d He knew exactly where it was going and the conspiracy would be revealed. Do you have such a thing, or are you winging it? [laughter]\n
KATIMS: Totally winging it. I have no idea. It\u2019s day by day, you know.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: How far into the future are your storylines?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: We\u2019ve plotted out the first season of the show. We have ideas of where it\u2019s going, of where it\u2019s going beyond that. So we have thought a lot about the mythology, the backstory and all that stuff.<\/p>\n
To me, one of the exciting things about the premise of the show is that three alien characters in the show don\u2019t know about their history, which makes-from a writing point of view-it\u2019s exciting because as they discover their backstory, the audience is discovering it.<\/p>\n
So we have a way of doing it in a way that can be personal and hopefully very emotional and not just about the facts about what\u2019s happened. So it\u2019s something that we\u2019re going to discover with them and it will be a long ride and hopefully a really fulfilling journey.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: And for the actors, who up there are fans of \u201cThe X-Files\u201d And do you see a comparison of this being a teenage \u201cX-Files\u201d?<\/p>\n
BEHR: I\u2019m a big \u201cX-Files\u201d fan. [panel laughs]\n
FEHR: Yeah, I would say so.<\/p>\n
HEIGL: I would have to agree.<\/p>\n
FEHR: As to comparisons with \u201cThe X-Files\u201d. I mean, obviously there\u2019s certainly comparison, dealing with the alien issues and all the rest of it, but that was-I mean, yeah there is. David Duchovny-in that Fox Mulder was searching in a sense for the truth in concerns with aliens and his sister and all the rest of it.<\/p>\n
And you got me, Katherine and Max on a search of our own, but it\u2019s in a sense it\u2019s a little bit more personal. It\u2019s not our sisters, but it\u2019s us. In fact. So in that sense, there\u2019s a comparison. But when you take in the age and all the rest of it-high school-it\u2019s got a little different twist on it. But there\u2019s certainly comparisons there.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: For the younger cast members, could you talk about-this is a great time for young actors in television. There\u2019s so many shows. Could you talk about the process? Did you find that it was a lot more shows to go audition on? Did it seem like the same? Have things changed in the way they seem to have?<\/p>\n
HEIGL: The teenage market is certainly a big thing right now, so there was definitely a lot-I felt this pilot season a lot more focused on that, on the teenage aspect.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: The show is set in New Mexico, which is a culturally diverse state with a large population of Latinos and Native Americans. I was just wondering if later on, you\u2019re going to reflect the population of Native Americans in your casting or in your plot lines?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: Yeah, that\u2019s definitely something that\u2019s really important to us, is to have the show branch out and reflect a sense of place and such a rich sense of place that you find in the Southwest. I think that there are plans, both from the point of view of just casting-as we\u2019re casting additional roles-to try and sort of branch out and make sure that the cast represents the place.<\/p>\n
And also in terms of story. You know, one of the things we\u2019re really fascinated with is the connection between the Native American community and Roswell, and New Mexico and that place. And just we\u2019re interested in building that into part of the mythology-part of our mythology, which is what does the native community have to do with, or what knowledge do they have about the history of alien landings and all that. So that\u2019s something that we want to sort of continue to build and branch out as we go on with the show.<\/p>\n
FEHR: And in terms of the diversity, I think it\u2019s a little misleading, because the three aliens are not from Roswell, New Mexico-[laughter]-so in that sense, they do not have to be, you know, Native American. And then we have Majandra, who is a Latino. We have Michael Horse- [to DELFINO] are you a Latino? Is that correct?<\/p>\n
MAJANDRA DELFINO: Yeah.<\/p>\n
FEHR: I was hoping I wasn\u2019t getting that wrong. We have Michael Horse, who is also in the movie, who has, I think, some Native American background. And Nick Wechsler, who\u2019s not here, who plays Sheriff Valenti\u2019s son. He is actually from New Mexico. So it looks a little misleading, but I think we\u2019ve done a fine job so far in that sense.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: But Jason, if that diversity is really that important, why wouldn\u2019t you start from the start? I mean, why is it something to be aspired to in, you know, future episodes? Why wouldn\u2019t you start with that in the pilot?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: Well, in the sense of starting with the-I\u2019m not sure.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: More diversity in the front-line cast.<\/p>\n
DELFINO: Well, there\u2019s me [laughter]\n
KATIMS: Thank you!<\/p>\n
FEHR: Majandra\u2019s enough for us all. [laughter]\n
KATIMS: I think that there was-first of all, sort of in the casting of the pilot, there was an effort made to find Latinos actors and actresses for the cast. And the reason why we want to start with it in terms of the Native Americans, I mean, we do have Michael Horse, who plays the deputy, who is, you know-<\/p>\n
HEIGL: Native American.<\/p>\n
KATIMS: Who\u2019s Native American. But the idea, I think, is that as the story takes us into the Native American community, that will be a way to help to diversify it. I mean, we didn\u2019t start in the Native American community, because that\u2019s not where the story started.<\/p>\n
DAVID NUTTER: Also, what you mentioned concerning the amount of teenage shows that are out there, and the amount of people that were auditioning and so forth, and the amount of people that wanted good actors, it made it very difficult in many respects to hopefully get the best actors. And our challenge, we feel, is to help build the diversity of the show now.<\/p>\n
Now that we have a platform and we\u2019re on The WB with a full season pick-up, we have a real, I think, responsibility and a challenge to really examine that and really branch out as much as we can, because I think it can be a very exciting show, as far as that\u2019s concerned.<\/p>\n
Because it\u2019s a kind of show about-when you mention aliens, you know, I used to say teenagers were the aliens among us. And I think all teenagers kind of feel that way in many respects sometimes, and I think that a lot of people feel that way, and I think that\u2019s our challenge to kind of embrace that and get the very best people in the best parts and have a lot of fun with it.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Mr. Sadler, I\u2019ve got a question with the way the Sheriff\u2019s depicted in this show.<\/p>\n
WILLIAM SADLER: Yes?<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Clearly, this mean knows something\u2019s up and he doesn\u2019t take it real well when he\u2019s upstaged by the teenagers and the little ploy they use at the end of the first episode. You often play these men who are very determined, they\u2019re very single-minded, to do or prove whatever they want. How do you see this unfolding from week to week wit the sheriff? Is he going to get so upstaged each week, or do you see him gradually being able to prove to other authorities that he does what he knows is indeed justified?<\/p>\n
SADLER: I think that the Sheriff is going to find himself awakening more and more to the reality-this new reality. I mean, the place that he\u2019s coming from, his entire belief system is going to be, I think, turned on its head slowly as he collects the pieces of the puzzle. My guess is that finally-I think we\u2019ll see some sort of sea changes in his attitude.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s very single-minded, and determined to get to the bottom of this mystery at the beginning, because of his father being chastised for believing in aliens and so on. And all of a sudden, it\u2019s happening to him. And maybe he was wrong about his dad all along. So he\u2019s got a very personal stake in finding out whether this is true or not. But I think he\u2019s going to figure-loom large in the legend.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: Do you see him as ever becoming fully an ally to these aliens? Or do you think there will always be that tension?<\/p>\n
SADLER: There\u2019s always the possibility. I mean-<\/p>\n
NUTTER: Extreme possibilities.<\/p>\n
SADLER: Extreme possibility. [panel laughs] I like to think of myself as sort of the alpha male of the cast [laughter]\n
NUTTER: Our goal is not to make William Sadler the \u201cblack hat\u201d Our goal-<\/p>\n
SADLER: Right.<\/p>\n
NUTTER: Our goal is to give him another dimension and a sense of purpose and a sense that he needs to find the truth as well as these kids need to find the truth about their paths. And I think that journey can be an exciting one and I think a compelling, fulfilling one for him as well.<\/p>\n
QUESTION: For Jason, after \u201cMy So-Called Life\u201d and \u201cRelativity\u201d did not experience a full season, I would think it would be a relief for you to know that you have a guarantee of 22. How did you and Twentieth arrange a 22 full season for a freshman show, as opposed to the more traditional 13?<\/p>\n
KATIMS: How did we arrange the 22? They just loved the show that much, they just said let\u2019s do as many-how about 44? How about 100? We said, let\u2019s start with 22. [laughter] You know, I imagine how the 22 is arranged was somewhere in the shifting from the FOX network to The WB. I really honestly don\u2019t have that much to do with it. I mean, where we\u2019re all at is we made the show and we just want the show to get on the air. And in terns of how it shifted from FOX to The WB and what the order was and the timeslot was all stuff that we really had very little to do with.<\/p>\n
So in response to the first part of the thing, you know, versus \u201cMy So-Called Life\u201d and \u201cRelativity\u201d not having full season and this having it-the thin that\u2019s really wonderful about that is from a writing perspective is that it\u2019s much easier to plan. It\u2019s like you know what you\u2019re going to do.<\/p>\n
With \u201cMy So-Called Life\u201d we started with eight, and then we got six and then I believe we got four. So we started with an eight episode thing, and then we had six more, but we didn\u2019t know if we were going to get more after that. So we were always trying to figure out how to adjust our storylines, not knowing how long the show was going to be going. And similar with \u201cRelativity\u201d<\/p>\n
With this thing, we know how many episodes we\u2019re going to be doing in this first season, which is actually really, really helpful considering the subject matter being so complex and so story-driven of this particular show and so that is the thing that\u2019s so wonderful about having that order. It\u2019s much easier to make a plan and know what we\u2019re going to do.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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