All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Steph, you are kind and encouraging. Thank you for those generous compliments. They are absolutely appreciated. :D

I don't know if I myself have any particular flair for interview questions, but I have noticed a change in some publications. For example, when I was in junior high and high school, US Weekly was known as US. Back then they were a monthly publication, and each month they had what they coined "The US Interview" in which they usually asked the most marvelous questions that really seemed to hit upon the true heart and personality of the person they were interviewing. I savored reading those interviews -- I always felt like I walked away knowing something much more interesting, in-depth and personal about the 'subject,' whether it was an author, actor, musician, politician, or whoever. It wasn't a cheesy, pop/puff piece about who was dating whom, or how much money they made at the box office. It focused on illuminating the person and the work they did. I really appreciated that. I miss it. Now when I walk by the magazine racks at the grocery store and see the tabloid crap that 'fills' its pages, I cringe and feel incredibly sad, knowing what that magazine used to be. It's surprisingly disappointing.
ThyneAlone wrote:PS Which does not mean that everyone else's aren't great too.
I so agree! I've been entertained by reading everyone's thoughtful questions; each person who contributed came up with something unusual or fun or curious. I'm really looking forward to reading how TJ responded to them.

Thank you, Ben and the M Team, for working so hard to get this interview together for us to enjoy!
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ThyneAlone
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by ThyneAlone »

What you say is very true. I think it is tending to happen on talk shows too. There are exceptions, of course, and I can't speak much beyond my British experience, but I feel that we have abandoned the interview which lasted a while, attempted depth and actually told us stuff about the celebrity of which we were not already aware, in favour of the short, superficial, supposedly 'fun' fluff and the sadly-mounting cult of the interviewer, who now gurns across our screens in smart**se splendour rather than displaying the subtle transparency which admitted of the interviewee's greater significance to the audience.

Well. That wasn't short and superficial, was it? It was an 85-word sentence! Good grief, all this marking is getting to me!
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hmfrongillo
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by hmfrongillo »

Hi everyone! I just joined last night, so I appreciate you specifying who Ben is. I'm ridiculously eager to learn the way things work around here. You'll be seeing me alot! :o

I can't wait to see that interview. When the technical issues are fixed, will it be on the main main website? Like http://www.tjthyne.com homepage?

I have a question of my own: (really sorry if its a repeat)

Have you ever seen a movie you really loved, and then wished you had been offered that role or could play one like it? If so, what role?

:mrgreen: :D :lol: :) 8) :mrgreen: :wink:
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by ThyneAlone »

Yes, it will be on the main part of the website, but not on the homepage as that will, we hope, be changing a lot. We reckon maybe in one of the 'press' or 'articles' sections?

NNnnnooo, I don't believe we've had that one before, and of course TJ is a great movie buff. Excellent question! You can come here again!
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by hmfrongillo »

ThyneAlone wrote:Yes, it will be on the main part of the website, but not on the homepage as that will, we hope, be changing a lot. We reckon maybe in one of the 'press' or 'articles' sections?

NNnnnooo, I don't believe we've had that one before, and of course TJ is a great movie buff. Excellent question! You can come here again!
Thanks, I most definitely will!

-HM (you guys can all call me that)
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bonesaddict11
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by bonesaddict11 »

Oh boy, i'm excited for that interview. :D And Hi HM!! I know i've already said hi to you another thread. oh well, you can never have too many Hellos. While i'm here, i might as well add a question.....oh great, i can't of any right now. oh well maybe i'll have an epiphany and i might be able to come up with some good ones. :mrgreen:
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by hmfrongillo »

bonesaddict11 wrote:Oh boy, i'm excited for that interview. :D And Hi HM!! I know i've already said hi to you another thread. oh well, you can never have too many Hellos. While i'm here, i might as well add a question.....oh great, i can't of any right now. oh well maybe i'll have an epiphany and i might be able to come up with some good ones. :mrgreen:
Thanks for the welcome! I feel loved already :D this seems like a great community!
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by bonesaddict11 »

hmfrongillo wrote:Thanks for the welcome! I feel loved already :D this seems like a great community!
It certainly is.
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by ThyneAlone »

Oooooohoooooh, compliments...nice warm feeling.
<<lies on back on floor purring and exposing furry tum>>
Mmmm, more, do it again!
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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Okay, I'll throw another one out there.

TJ, we've gotten a visual glimpse of your city in those gorgeous new pictures in the gallery. What can you tell us about L.A. verbally that you want us to take away from your experience (especially for those of us who don't live in California and may have never been there)? What do you love most about your city? What's your favorite thing? Is there something that immediately comes to mind when you think L.A.?

And -- maybe a tougher question -- which do you prefer? L.A. ... or New York? ;)

Or do you love them equally, for the very different benefits I assume they each provide in their own special ways? Would you be able to choose between them? :D

Thanks again for sharing with us such a beautiful and inspiring look at the city.
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by XrayVixen »

I think I've read most of the questions, and someone had mentioned TJ being a little private about personal questions. Mine might be classified as a little personal but also career oriented.

**I'm interested to know from what experiences TJ is able to pull his most emotional scenes? Examples: the "Aliens in a Spaceship" episode that made many a heart flutter, both while Hodgins and Brennan were buried in the car, and also when Jack was telling Angela how and why he couldn't sleep. Ooo, or even from "Huff" where your character started off an extreme Obsessive-Compulsive Control 'headcase' (for lack of a better or more compassionate term- sorry) but showed significant improvement by the end of the episode. Wow, I was blown away! If someone is able to pose this question in a more deliverable way- by all means...


**In playing Dr. Jack Hodgins, do you feel you have absorbed more scientific/forensic knowledge in playing that character? And if so, can you give an example?

I am really looking forward to reading TJ's answers on previously chosen question! (Squeeee!) :mrgreen:
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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Only TJ or the M Team will be able to tell us if that question is too personal. I would imagine -- depending, of course, on how he approaches those scenes -- the answer to that (providing specific experiences he may draw upon) might be something he doesn't want to reveal.

However... I may be able to reword it for you, in a way he might be more inclined to answer. You'll have to let me know what you think, Xray Vixen. :)

Perhaps this:

TJ, do you have to draw upon specific experiences (whether your own or someone else's) or use other acting techniques, in order to express yourself in emotional scenes, such as the one with Brennan in the backseat of her car or with Angela at the end of Aliens in a Spaceship, or when your character on Huff struggles to reveal his personal secrets (which explain why he's 'blocked,' both physically and mentally)? Do you find doing such scenes a challenge, or does emotional work come easily to you?

Tell us the truth -- are you of the Sally Field school of acting? ;) (By that, I mean it seems to come so easily to her... I swear, the woman can cry at the drop of a hat, no acting tools seemingly needed, and make us cry right along with her. *GRIN* The woman is astounding.)

Best I could do, Anna. What do you think? Better? Or still too much?
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by XrayVixen »

No no, not at all. I think you have captured the gist of the question, and I'm completely okay with being edited if it improves the delivery.
It's funny that you mention Sally Field, because in an interview with her she admitted to drawing from personal experiences, even hardships, to take her character to that emotional frame of mind. I myself can cry on cue by the thought of losing someone I love (but I never wield it as a weapon against an unsuspecting male. :wink: I amazed a guy friend once at him counting to ten and the faucet was turned on like a switch. :lol: Strange talent, huh. Think I was an actor in a past life? Ha ha!).
It's exactly what I was getting at! Thanks!
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by ThyneAlone »

Right, I think what you are asking is this:
Do you draw on the Stanislavski technique of emotional memory in order to create the feelings that you need for particularly intense scenes?

(Husband teaches drama, sorry, can't help it)
And I think I'd also like to enquire whether you have used different methods at other times, for example have you ever used the Brechtian alienation technique?
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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Wow, Steph, suddenly my brain hurts. ;)

I know Stanislavski, and Meisner. But what the hell is Brechtian? Sounds painful! :mrgreen:

I'm ripe for education here, please. Teach me! (hee.)
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by XrayVixen »

Well Gee Steph... Having never taken any acting classes(was in Drama club in H.S. but that doesn't count), I wasn't aware those practices had such complicated names. My guess is the theories are worded beyond layman terms also. Pheeeew! How 'bout those Red Sox, huh? :wink:
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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Hey now, don't be hard on yourself, Anna! You're not ignorant for not hearing of these terms or knowing what they entail. And I have no doubt when Steph comes back this weekend, she'll put it in a way that will make sense -- she's a wonderful teacher and writer.

I was in high school musicals (no drama club for me back then), but I was terrible. I have the videos to prove it. *GRIN* Singing, I could do. Acting? Terrible. Then again, in my defense, I had no training at the time. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so it was pure overacting based on stuff I'd seen. I cringe when I think about it. Heh. What did you do in drama club? Plays? One-acts? Scenes?

In college, I was a music major (vocal performance), so my voice teacher told me to take acting classes as a way to get more comfortable with my body in performance, and I admit I did enjoy parts of the classes (especially those few times -- very few -- when things really connected for me and I actually felt like I did something remotely well), but I still didn't 'get' all that technical stuff, at the time. I struggled to connect with the things I was learning. One of my problems is, I think too much. I have trouble 'letting go' and trusting that there is no 'right' way to approach a scene, that this isn't like a regular class -- this struggle definitely stems from habits built from years of being the 'good student,' the 'good girl,' following the rules, doing what was asked of me and not stepping outside the box... I felt like I was supposed to do the scene how I was told, and not instinctively, which is not how acting works. :roll:

I did take a couple of classes at an acting studio in Chicago a few years back, just for the hell of it, to challenge myself. And that time... I did feel like I was finally getting it. I took a movement class and this wonderful Meisner class. When we studied that technique in college, I just couldn't get the hang of it. I couldn't let go enough and listen enough, in order to be spontaneous and 'in the moment.' But when I took the class years later -- maybe it was maturity that helped, and the fact that I was taking the class for fun, not for a grade or any sort of pressure -- I was finally able to 'listen' and do some good work. In fact, I've always wanted to go back and challenge myself further, complete the whole Meisner series they offer. At the time, I just didn't have the time or the money to do it. Now... I don't know. I'd rather sing. Acting gives me a stomacheache; I get so nervous. :D

It's not an easy thing, acting. The good ones, like TJ, make it look really easy. But as someone who's tried it any number of times, I can attest that it is a real challenge. And that's why I admire TJ so much, because he's able to make it seem so natural. His characters feel and look and sound like real people. He doesn't sound like he's delivering a line, and he looks like he's truly listening and behaving like his character would, his actions not at all staged or pre-planned (which makes me wonder if he's a Meisner student, because 'listening' and reacting instinctively and honestly in the moment is what Meisner is all about). What do you say, TJ? What's your acting background all about? What do you like best? Is there a particular method that works really well for you, that you immediately connected with, amongst all the different techniques you could use to achieve what you want with a scene?
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by XrayVixen »

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sherry! And thanks for the drama theory lesson, Steph! I enjoy being introduced to new things, and we should never stop learning! I looked the terms up and I'm a little more aware of what each entails now.
I can definitely sympathize with the nervousness that comes with performing in front of others, whether it be drama or music or both. I was in a swing choir in high school, whose members also competed in competitions and put on mixed musical acts every year. My drama experiences are based more in musical roles rather than spoken stage roles. I played in a choir one-act as a Rosemary Clooney character singing "Sisters" one year, except my costume was a robe and hair curlers, and my partner got to wear the evening gown. :lol: Another performance was as an understudy (I actually did two scenes) to the girl playing Dorothy in a musical titled "Along the Yellow Brick Road" written by a drama member named Jeremy Tiller. I got to perform a bluesy version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"- sort of like Nora Jones. The last thing I've participated in was a local PR commercial for West Gate Resorts as a time shares customer. I shook a woman's hand and nodded my head while smiling, but I had no lines. It only airs on a local channel in Gatlinburg, TN.
Each and every time, I thought thousands of butterflies were going to burst forth from my stomach. The worst thing is that the nerves sometimes makes me feel like I have to pee! Yep, just like an excited lil' puppy!

*Hey, that's a question for TJ-- Do you still get butterflies when stepping into a new roll? You've done so many commercial spots and television roles, when does that anxiety go away, if it ever does?

I was discouraged a lot by parents who thought my musical interests were great for an outlet, but never as a career. It was more acceptable to pursue something in the medical field since I excelled in biological sciences. I sometimes envy those people who have the time and inclination to seek that performance spotlight, or to write and edit such as you do Sherry :) I think I'd greatly enjoy living in L.A. if the economy wasn't so outrageous compared to my home in the south. It would be nice to take some acting classes in the future.
Sorry- I didn't mean to practically start another thread! :roll:
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by ThyneAlone »

Hey there, no worries, I think this is all stuff that would interest TJ and as such is entirely relevant!

I did ask my husband to come in and explain the various acting techniques, as he could do it far better than I can and in more, and clearer, detail. He said he was really happy to do so, particularly as he admires TJ, his acting and his personality, greatly (and loves 'Bones' - though I have to tell you Michaela was the first element in it he actually noticed) and would love to come in occasionally to participate. Unfortunately we have now discovered that the system, no doubt as a safeguard against multiple registrations, does not accept more than one member from a single email address. We do not want or need two email addresses and certainly not just to come on here - so you are stuck with me! I would have put him in as a 'quote', but he is off all day attending a brass band contest (oh yes - very catholic musical tastes in our household - last night we were at a Gilbert and Sullivan show). Annoying, huh?

There are lots of different acting techniques. Stanislavski's are some of the best known and most popular because of their 'method' bias which works so well on television as well as in the theatre. Emotional memory is just what it sounds like - being able to call on some part of your past which will enable you to recreate the honest emotional response you need. Of course this is related to, though not identical with, being able to imagine experiences to which you might react equally emotionally, and puts you 'in the moment'.
Just time to mention in addition the theories of the great German left-wing playwright Bertolt Brecht, with whom our German friends will be familiar. For him, the political ideas he was trying to convey in his writings were far more important than the trappings of acting, costumes, scenery and so on, so he developed a style which, rather than involving and gripping the audience, tried to reach them intellectually by reminding them at every turn that the play is an artificial construct with specific objectives to communicate. Hence his works have an artificiality and drabness about them - and the idea, though not the lack of trappings, is reflected, though not duplicated, in the post-modern self-referential TV fashion which is forever reminding you that you are watching TV and not reality (not duplicated because post-modernism is not didactic, and Brecht definitely is)! He called it the Verfremdungseffekt, which is the 'alienation effect'. The plays are certainly dramatic, though, and they do give you the big social and political picture instead of having you identify with particular characters and become lost in the world of the play. There are lots of other aspects to Brecht's techniques which include, for instance, using certain subtle gestures to indicate particular states of mind (more relevant in a theatre, certainly), but they are not pertinent here and I might discuss them some other time when I am not on the way to church!
OK that's the best I can do in brief, hope it helps. I really need to think of another question for TJ, this is teetering on the brink of thoroughly offtopic :oops: -sorry!
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Sinkwriter72
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Re: All you wanted to know and haven't had a chance to ask

Post by Sinkwriter72 »

Anna and Steph -- wow, you gave me lots to respond to! In order to do that, I'm going to need some breakfast. :D

I've been up for hours, working on some things, completely let the morning slide by, and suddenly realized I hadn't eaten yet! I always seem to do that on the weekends. Let me go fuel up, and I'll come back to comment.

However, I'm thinking I should post my response in the Offtopic Sofa thread, so this thread doesn't get too sidetracked from our questions for TJ. Yes? Or should we start some sort of acting/theatre thread? Your thoughts?
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