DPP: Substitutes

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Hey shipper fans, it's been a pretty good week at NT! To recap we've talked about the things we name after our fannish obsessions, how they met and what fics we want to read, but can't write, discussed Zak's influence on the pilots, and solicited curtain!fic. Please feel free to continue adding to those discussions throughout the weekend!

Today...something a little different. I was trolling YouTube for some promo vids and came across this interesting little amateur re-enactment of the scene in the ready room in Scar where Kara and Lee are drinking. It looks a college drama school project and...well, it gives you a real appreciation for how damn talented Katee and Jamie really are. (Esp. considering Katee was only what? 23 or 24 when she filmed this scene? So not much older than these kiddies. ;) The video has the amateur scene and then it plays alongside the show's scene. Kind of interesting...

Comments

[ddt73.livejournal.com]

No offense to the college kids, but Katee and Jamie had nothing to fear from them hehe. :)

This scenes show how much emotion Jamie and Katee can portray just with their faces. BSG was a show that put a premium on dialogue. They needed actors that could say more with a look then the words could ever convey.

Great find. Very interesting. :)

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel a bit bad now because I definitely didn't post it to be like "look how bad they are", I was just overwhelmed by thoughts of "look how amazing Katee and Jamie are". ;)

There are so many emotions that cross their faces in all of their scenes. Very great point about the dialogue being almost unnecessary in so many scenes.

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

Interesting video, but ,boy, am I glad we got Jamie and Katee as Apollo and Starbuck!

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

I honestly can't envision anyone else in the roles.

[onlyariana.livejournal.com]

That was...interesting. You know, I always marvelled at how far Starbuck could spit beer. I laughed because in this nothing came even near the guy so it kinda changed things.

I guess really the key to acting is to make it not seem like acting. Not until seeing this did I think about how much *work* the actors must've actually put into this scene. Though direction obviously counts too. I feel like the students got the sadness of the scene but that was only half of what there was. They didn't manage to hit the funny, eat and drink for tomorrow we may die part of it. I'm sure it's a heck of a lot harder than I can even begin to realize to portray both those things at once.

After about a week of reading I've finally decided to jump on in, Hi.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Lol, right? She's pretty good at spitting! ;)

Yeah, I think Dave nailed it above when he talked about how many emotions they K&J convey with their faces in this scene and how difficult that is to get across. So talented!

AND WELCOME! So glad to see lots of new faces joining the party!

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

Wow...definite fodder for Katee and Jamie appreciation days!!

Damn, we got lucky with casting. Sigh. Acting is so much harder than it looks.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

It is hard. They're so wonderful! <3

[anastashial.livejournal.com]

The lack of Stephanie's ability to spit like Katee was a distinct negative. It's also amazing what Jamie does with his body. The hand that was splayed on his chest as Katee came in for the kiss was so expressive of the confusion Lee was feeling. Jason's portrayal was so one dimensional, although his sad look wasn't bad.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

I was surprised they didn't mimic Jamie's eyebrow raise. HEE. Also the way Katee's face is so...anticipatory? sparkling with repressed enthusiasm? when she says "Why Don't We?" I missed that for sure.

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have coherent thoughts but now I'm spiraling into my doubtsaboutmyactingability mode. :D

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the comparison definitely triggered my "I was right to get out of acting" melancholy. It's hard, bb, but you have already progressed so much farther than I did and I have huge amounts of respect for that. Your dedication to success is key...and it's something that makes a huge difference in how far you can go. Just look at the work you've done to be healthier; you have seriously put in more effort over the past year than anyone else I know when it comes to diet and exercise. Your sustained commitment to 'doing what it takes' says lots about your professionalism. I've never seen you act but I've seen how you write and interact in person. Both are incredibly honest, intelligent, and expressive. I believe you can/do take that on the stage with you. You've got a lot of strengths necessary for survival in the field. Hang in there...I believe you have good things ahead of ya!! ♥

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but having the anxiety that leads to working out, and having talent are two different things lol.

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

Yes, but professional commitment to study and practice your craft is at least as important as talent. And while I expect you have both, I know you have the former and that is huge. I realize it's crazy difficult...I just think you have worked hard to create a situation where you have a lot going for you...and that puts you in the best possible place from which to move forward.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

These are very lovely comments, and I agree. <3 <3 <3

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

I think a large part of acting is confidence though, right? Confidence to know you are going to act the hell out of this part you have, no matter how big or small, no matter if it's rehearsal or a feature film. Confidence also to get back up and out there when the world keeps telling you no. So, you can't let doubt spirals take you down, bb. Focus on the positive.

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

<3 Thank you for the pep talk bb.

[embolalia.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else think the girl actress sounded like Kandyse McClure? It wasn't her fault but totally distracted me!

[zenzero42.livejournal.com]

oh yes, I thought that all the time!!! awkward

[cosetteferaud.livejournal.com]

That was a very interesting find! I agree that we got really lucky with Katee and Jamie. They did a great job on the show --and their scenes together were just awesome (the chemistry, gah!). It makes me wonder if I would have shipped Kara and Lee as hard as I did if the characters had been played by others actors.

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

I know, right? This re-enactment made me think about various talks where alternatives like Grace or Bodie have been discussed. They're both quite capable and did a great job with the Eights and Hot Dog...but it's hard to picture them as "Starbuck and Apollo"...so of course it's even more difficult to picture these unknowns in these roles that are so important to us.

The chemistry was simply perfect. It is so odd to think that I might not have the Kara!love or pilots!love that has been a part of life for years now if we hadn't gotten Katee and Jamie. Wow. Just wow. Sometimes I wonder if they know how special they are. It seems like it would be easy to get blinded by the craziness of fandom and miss that moment of realization that these actors and characters truly have influenced lives.

Also, it's good to see you, bb!! Hope all is well in your world. <3

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

It's so hard to imagine anyone else ever being as good.

[indigo419.livejournal.com]

Wow, eeenteramesting comparison! Agree with everyone else, of course, how clearly this showcases Katee and Jamie's abilities. (Also, as an aside, the benefits of having multiple angles to choose from when editing, even though this is a relatively simple scene.)

I think K & J's performance benefits from the length of time they'd been playing those characters, at that point - they wore their personalities like a second skin. Then, too, I'm pretty sure there was a bit of improv (the spitting and Jamie's reaction) which gave them that much more real, unforced emotion - whereas the students were, of course, constrained in that they were attempting to match the originals. And I was struck by how much they (K/J) played off of each other) - the reaction shots make the scene, IMO.

(and lastly, more props for Jamie's lovely Victorian hand gesture - so demure, lol! :D)

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Good points all! (And how nice it is to see you popping in here, my dear!)

Ugh that icon picture. LOVE IT SO. I think because it sorta sums up pilots for me...Lee with his eyes closed, whether it's a hint at his capacity for denial or dreaming, and Kara with a sly, slightly menacing, but fully aware look a the camera like "Yeah I know what's up" and a little bit "This is my man, don't mess with him" and their proximity and... Sigh. I just love that one.