by Jon Partridge
ATX TV Fest brought back (after last years appearance) some of the cast and crew of the incredible Orphan Black. Unfamiliar with the show? Check out my Why haven’t you watched… piece on it and catchup ASAP!
After a screening of episode 8 of Season 3, which may I add was fantastic on the big screen, we got into a Q&A with co-creator and executive producer Graeme Manson as well as Kristian Bruun who plays Donnie on the show. Some great insights were gleamed and people also got to see Kristian replay his recent “money twerking” scene from last week’s episode with some live action twerking on stage. Another reason (for some anyway) why the ATX TV Fest is worth checking out.
Check out the tidbits below, there may be some mild spoilers if you’re not up to date with the show but mostly it is stuff about the concept and execution of Orphan Black.
- The original idea for the show was seeded when Graeme Manson and John Fawcett were in film school together. Their original notes circa 2001 are geared towards a hi-concept feature film drawing inspiration from movies like Run Lola Run and Memento. Basically a film that has you “in a character’s shoes and charging through a mystery”.
- John Fawcett originally pitched the opening to Graeme, a girl gets off a train, sees her double, who then kills herself. That was the pitch and he had nothing else worked out.
- The casting for the show was a complex and time-consuming process. All Networks involved and execs had to agree on the cast before production began. On the final day of casting the lead, there were 17 execs in the audition room.
- Maslany was the unanimous choice for Sarah (and the others, obviously). Part of her appeal was the immediate connection with Jordan Gavaris (Felix).
- Évelyne Brochu was actually auditioning for the lead but didn’t get it. The showrunners liked her so much they wrote the part of Delphine for her.
- When Kristian Bruun auditioned he knew little about the Donnie character, it was read as a “schlubby husband” so he dressed down as much as he could.
- Kristian had no idea he was Allison’s monitor, the writers wouldn’t tell him. Even during the “craft room torture” scene. He was kept in the dark to avoid even a hint of knowledge and that probably helped that scene work so well.
- When it comes to creating a new clone, the writers room looks at the story reasons, the clone must serve a purpose and a plot line. Once the general idea is formed, it is taken to Tatiana and she is given the time to put in a lot of work (as she does) to find the character.
- Tony, the transgender clone was cited as the most difficult one to create and also the one closest to their heart. Tatiana was given a LOT of lead time to develop the character.
- The easiest clone to create was Allison. John Fawcett is from the suburbs and had a clear idea about her.
- Krystal, the new clone introduced in Episode 8 (whom I adore) was based on a character Tatiana assumes in her free time, a play off an old friend of hers. She persisted in her impression while filming Season 2 and they liked it, developed it and decided to bring it into S3.
- Kristian remarked his favorite clone to work with was Helena due to how “wild, weird and wonderful” she is.
- Ari Millen/Castor was introduced in the season 2 premiere and was originally meant to die in episode 6 but as things progressed they realized how good an actor he was and decided to keep him around. They knew there would be a male clone towards the end of the season and had to decide whether to recast, get a new guy or pick someone in the cast and thereby “look smart”, as if it were planned all along. They went back to inspect his plot lines and once it made sense, it felt right to use him.
- Kristian talked about his respect for Tatiana Maslany, not just her acting ability but her technical proficiency and effort to film the scenes involving two or even more clones. A techno-dolly is used (think a camera on rails to keep its motion automated and repeatable, which always breaks down apparently). Tatiana and her body double Katharine, film the scenes and then Tatiana has to change costume and assume the new role. The scenes are dependent on her repeating her moments and timing things to perfection. Handing over a book to “herself” at the right time and the right point in space so when scenes are overlaid it looks right.
- Once hired as the Castor clones, Ari was brought in to watch Tatiana film a multiple clone scene so he knew what he was getting into. The scene he saw? The dance party that closed out season 2.
- Kristian stated his favorite scenes were; craft room interrogation, killing Dr. Leake, the rehab sequences and also the “buying the body” scene with Allison. The last one was just described in the script as actions with no dialogue so it was all improvised.
- Graeme said the most recent episode showcasing the conversation between Felix and Krystal was his favorite, it allowed them to play around with the ideas of enlightenment and wrangling with the truth which are aspects at the very core of the show they always want to explore.
- Cosima is based on a friend of Graeme’s, Cosima Herger, who is an actual historian of science but also has an incredible knowledge of literature and pop culture. She has been the go-to person for questions since the inception of the show and will be in the writers room for season 4.
- When BBC America came on board they offered having Doctor Who as the lead in but also asked whether it would be possible to maybe have a British character on the show. It took Manson and Fawcett an elevator ride from the meeting to work out that Sarah and Felix as outsiders anyway would only be enhanced by changing their nationality so the concept was readily embraced.
- The showrunners have an end point (story finale) in mind for the show, they feel they have enough time with the current faith in the show to be able to plot things out accordingly but if they hit it and have a chance to continue, then a reboot is possible
The final two episodes of Orphan Black Season 3 screen on BBC America on the 13th and 20th of June and look set to be heading to foggy London town. Should be a treat!
If you want to check out the show, it’s currently streaming on Amazon.
Event Photo Credit: Waytao Shing