Cast Commentary #5

Kimbar: Okay, let's get this chat off the ground =) Would anybody like to open with anything in particular that really stood out to them in episode five?

Rowan: Well, speaking Japanese is pretty sexy...

Skye: We have the first written song in the series in ep 5, yes?

Noel: =D Yes, it was!

Noel: We also have an episode *title* for a song that I don't think a lot of queer women will know, but that I was thrilled to see.

Kimbar: Let's talk about the songs. Writing a song into the episode was an interesting turn for the book. Whose idea was it initially?

Rowan: Jennifer's.

Skye: What about the song title, Noel?

Noel: The title of the episode is after a Phoebe Snow song.

Noel: It has this incredibly powerful line: If something scares you in the mirror, I will know that you're alone.

Rowan: That was the assignment.

Rowan: I listened to that about 50 times trying to figure out how to work it into the song.

Noel: The song Rowan wrote for the episode was incredible in so many different ways.

Rowan: Thank you.

Noel: It was so strong and so out of the blue.

Noel: I never thought I would love *reading* original music.

Rowan: Wow. I'm very flattered.

Noel: It was like the first time I ever read a stage play. I *loved* it.

Rowan: Thank you so much.

Noel: Just the truth.

Noel: I loved the idea.

Noel: I loved the song.

Rowan: Once I got started, the whole thing just came out in one piece.

Kimbar: That's pretty impressive; it's a gorgeous song!

Noel: I loved the character having that skill, that art and depth of talent... and knowing she's probably going to lose it to Huntington's.

Rowan: I tried to focus on the natural world, which Roisin loves, and everything she's feeling.

Noel: It just came across as real not locked in a moment that had nothing to do with Roisin.

Noel: It was fully *her* voice.

Kimbar: I found it an interesting decision that she chose not to write it down at the end.

Noel: Yeah, a true musician. She either had it all in her head... or she sang it once, experienced it live, and then was ready was move on. Loved that.

Rowan: Yes. It actually is.

Rowan: I play a number of instruments, but never thought of myself as a songwriter. I really let Roisin's voice come *through* me there.

Kimbar: How did it feel when you'd finished?

Rowan: I felt wonderful.

Rowan: Relaxed. I was afraid that I couldn't do it, actually.

Rowan: So it was a huge reliief.

Kimbar: I know that feeling - but you did a fantastic job.

Rowan: Thank you.

Skye: You really did, Rowan.

Rowan: Thank you, Skye.

Noel: You really did. (I've always felt that Roisin should meet Spot and compose a song to him.)

Rowan: I'm sure that can be arranged.

Noel: What if Roisin *dreamed* of Spot and he whispered to her in a magical fishy language.

Kimbar: I sense an epic scene coming! This is how awesome stuff begins.

Rowan: We should pitch it.

Noel: Totally.

Skye: Also, I love Spot.

Rowan: What's not to love about Spot?

Kimbar: I love the entire concept of Spot. I think it the whole scene is just hilarious and lighthearted and a good way to cut the tension of the rest of the episode.

Skye: I like that Pipi and Spot softened Arianna. Gave her a background of home.

Kimbar: It ended up being perfectly placed.

Noel: I really was trying to inject some humor.

Rowan: Have you ever had a plecostomus? I had one that liked to be scratched on the belly.

Noel: Jennifer said to write what we know so I actually bought one before writing Spot.

Rowan: They're awesome. The one I had lived for like 10 years.

Skye: That's really cool, Noel. Talk about bringing your research home!

Kimbar: That's what I call commitment to a job well done! So you have a fish now?

Noel: He's great, Kimbar. They're awesome pets, actually. This guy was a rescue. He was nine inches when I got him and he's already half an inch longer.

Rowan: Where do you get a rescue fish?

Noel: I got him on CraigsList but sometimes the big box pet stores have rescue fish.

Kimbar: That's fantastic ^_^

Noel: If we have the good fortune of our readers loving us, and we get to do a third season, I promise to have Pipi bring Spot to the Cove.

Noel: And... right from the beginning... I had secret plans for Pipi.

Noel: I came into Mariel Cove thinking I was going to write all these hot sex scenes...

Noel: I was even slotted to write lots of hot sex scenes...

Noel: But I kept getting out of them.

Noel: In the Pipi scene, right afterwards, Aidan is supposed to call and have Skype sex with Arianna.

Noel: I just didn't see Arianna has a very sexual creature and so I kept trying to bring more depth to the other parts of her life -- her friends, her boss, her fish, her condo.

Skye: I get that about Arianna. She's so dedicated to her work and has probably seen so much darkness. I like that she's fleshed out in so many other ways.

Rowan: Oh, cool.

Rowan: That's interesting Noel. I never would have thought of Arianna as not a very sexual creature.

Noel: Do you really see Arianna differently? I'm fascinated by that!

Rowan: Yes. To me she exuded a sensual sexuality right from the start.

Rowan: She does manage to snag one of the hottest women in the Cove immediately.

Kimbar: And sleep with her that night =P

Noel: I don't want give away any spoilers about Arianna, but there were a few things about her character that I felt made her very unique.

Rowan: I think I assumed that she would just bed a pretty lady where ever she happened to end up. Love 'em and leave 'em.

Noel: That is *totally* cool to me.

Noel: I *never* saw it that way.

Noel: *Celeste* I see that way.

Noel: Tal I see that way.

Rowan: Really?

Rowan: That's funny. I *don't* see Celeste that way

Noel: Mind blown. Seriously.

Kimbar: I never saw Celeste that way either.

Noel: !!!

Skye: I did. But... I actually have dreams about Celeste. So that may be me, not the character, LOL!

Rowan: LOL Skye!

Rowan: Well, she is pretty hot so...

Rowan: I think it's Celeste's connection to Gabriel.

Rowan: Yes. Tal is more opportunistic.

Kimbar: This is what's so great about us! We all see everybody so different.

Noel: I agree, Kimbar!

Noel: =D

Noel: It is so amazing how we can all work together, on the same project, and see the same characters so differently.

Noel: I love this.

Rowan: It's fascinating, isn't it? Since we know the story arc before we write.

Rowan: The characters we connect with.

Skye: I totally agree! I'm always fascinated by how people read characters. I think it says as much about the reader as the writer.

Kimbar: It definitely works towards creating unique points of views for our characters.

Kimbar: It kind of brings us back to the topic we keep talking about - how everybody sees Kennedy. I would like to talk a bit about Kennedy again before we're done - some important stuff happens in this episode.

Noel: Yeah, *Kennedy* happens. All. Over. Carmen.

Skye: The start of Kennedymaggedon.

Kimbar: That tree! I almost cried!

Rowan: Is that anything like snowpocolopse?

Skye: Kennedy's all fire. No snow.

Rowan: So true.

Skye: I wrote a gigantic blog about Kennedy and Carmen that will post this week.

Skye: So I'm not sure what you all want to know about the ep.

Rowan: I really liked that I got to write the description of the destruction.

Noel: The tree becomes such a powerful metaphor in the series (at least, it did for me) that I tracked down this gorgeous cherry tree growing in the middle of a forest and shot footage of it for the Mariel Cove trailer.

Rowan: Awesome!

Rowan: I am completely surrounded by these trees right now.

Rowan: It's mind blowing.

Noel: They are one of my favorite trees.

Rowan: It seems like every one in my neighborhood has one in their yard.

Skye: I fell in love with that tree. Seriously. I've always loved cherry blossom trees and I've been planning to go to Japan for a cherry blossom festival since I was a kid. I knew Rei had to have one.

Noel: They are spring and beginning again to me. And just so damn romantic. Just the look and feel and scent of the blossoms.

Kimbar: There's a bunch of them in a park in my city, and I went there with my aunt a few years back. Man....there's nothing more peaceful.

Rowan: I've been to the one in DC. It's pretty amazing.

Rowan: Oh, I know, Noel. So sensual.

Skye: Exactly. I see cherry blossom trees as all light and romance new beginnings. Which is, unfortunately, why I had Kennedy target it.

Rowan: Well, that makes sense.

Noel: And that's why it's perfect.

Skye: In my head (not necessarily on the page) I saw it as foreshadowing.

Kimbar: You did a great job of it, Skye.

Noel: Kennedy attacks it because it's so tenderly beautiful.

Rowan: And that tells us so much about her--that she has to destroy a fragile, beautiful thing.

Skye: She destroyed it because it was Rei's fragile, beautiful thing. It was the most personal attack she could think of.

Skye: Until later, of course.

Rowan: We see some interesting sides of her.

Rowan: I like that Kennedy really kind of runs the gamut in this episode.

Kimbar: Exactly. We finally get to see some of the BDSM we talked about in one of the previous commentaries...and she's so careful to make sure Carmen understands the way it's going to work and that everything consensual is in place...then we see her destroy not just the tree, but also the darkroom! Which, for me, I know how terrible that would be for a photographer. Just...like someone wiping my computer of all my writings!

Rowan: Oh, I know.

Noel: Kimbar, that is a great comparison.

Skye: That was her plan. I wanted to show Kennedy being careful and respectful in a situation that most people would consider violent. Then show her ability to completely destroy without a second thought in a peaceful setting.
Rowan: A darkroom is really a sacred space because of the light and the darkness you need to get just the right exposure for the prints.

Skye: Exactly, Rowan. And she knew she wasn't just destroying Rei's dark room. She was destroying moments of Rei's time. Rei's pictures are sacred to her. Can't be repeated. She was destroying Rei's truths. And, of course, covering her own tracks.

Noel: Her impulse control in the "bedroom" is beyond reproach. Her impulse control in other arenas? Yeah, not so good.

Rowan: It's a great dichotomy, Skye.

Skye: Thank you all.

Kimbar: Alright, we're about out of time now.

Kimbar: This has been a fantastic chat, though. Thank you all for coming =)

Noel: Thanks, once more, for organizing it, Kimbar!

Skye: Thank you all!

Noel: Have a great week, everyone

Rowan: Thanks everyone. Thanks Kimbar for putting it together