Joss Whedon's Magic Touch

Sandra Kraisirideja
Writer/director Joss Whedon was able to take a mediocre movie called “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and turn it into a huge television success, but can he do it in reverse?

As a third generation television writer and Emmy-nominated creator of “Buffy” and its spin off “Angel,” it seemed Whedon could do no wrong.

His winning streak came to an abrupt end in 2002, however, when his TV series “Firefly,” a science-fiction western Whedon created for FOX TV, was cancelled after only 11 episodes.

Determined to bring the show back in some form Whedon made the impossible happen. He got Universal to pay an estimated $40 million to turn “Firefly into a feature-length movie called “Serenity.”

Amazingly, Universal agreed to the deal based solely on the strength of DVD sales of “Firefly’s” first and only season, and relentless fan support.

It’s why Whedon calls “Serenity” the project he is most proud of. “If there was ever something people said couldn’t be done, it was this,” he said.

“Serenity” is set in the distant future after a galactic civil war and involves a scruffy band of space bandits who eke out a living pulling off small crimes and working as transport-for-hire.

The movie features relative unknown actors—Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Chiwetel Ejiofor, David Krumholtz—and some veterans, Adam Baldwin and Ron Glass.

When casting a project Whedon said he looks for “somebody who is sane and is going to be able to play well with others.” What he’s looking for is the actor to bring an element of humanity to a role.

“I do think people do have a quality and you can’t always get it, but when they care about the things around them it makes a great difference in the kind of performances they get,” said Whedon, who has a boyish face that is balanced out by a dry, self-deprecating humor.

While the movie and the TV show share elements of plot and character, Whedon considers “Serenity” separate from “Firefly” because they use different formats.

“You really have to respect the different needs of the two mediums,” said Whedon. “There has to be a reason to make a movie that has to be worth all the money that is different than the reasons to make a TV show.”

Now that he’s gotten his chance to direct his first movie, is Whedon secretly glad that “Firefly” went off the air?

“Obviously it was wonderful to work with my friends again and I love the idea of them on the big screen. I think…they are incredibly charismatic and it is a great opportunity, but nothing will make me say, ‘Oh, I’m so glad ‘Firefly’ was cancelled.’"

The challenge for Whedon when writing the script for “Serenity” was to find a way to not alienate those who had not seen an episode of “Firefly.” The movie had to stand on its own.

“Obviously there are certain things that require closure that come from the show, but if you’re making a glorified last episode of a TV show, shame on you,” said Whedon, who could not recall a movie based on a TV show that he liked.

For his first full-length feature Whedon made sure he could have a bit of fun.

For one scene he mapped out a four-and-a-half minute continuous shot through the ship. It took about 46 takes to complete, but Whedon is glad he got a chance to do it.

“It’s not there to announce itself. A lot of people didn’t even notice it was one shot. It’s just there to serve a purpose, but it’s still kind of cool,” he said.

Whedon is also proud of one of the final shots in the movie featuring Glau. “I waited my whole career to do that shot. We built the entire set based on that shot,” he said.

Those who have seen the movie call the image “Buffy-esque,” and Whedon does not deny the similarities.
“It’s just something that speaks to me. It’s an obsession of mine that ain’t going away. The young woman with enormous power resonates with me.”

It’s fitting that Whedon has been tapped as the director for “Wonder Woman.”

“I think I have a particular perspective; something to say about the world that hasn’t been said in a comic book movie just yet and ‘Wonder Woman’ is the perfect person to say it. I’m excited to work with her.”

Whedon said the story will be set in present day and it’s likely Wonder Woman will get into her invisible jet at some point. “I gotta make sure I can fit it into the plot, but that’s the plan,” he said.

“‘Wonder Woman’ is another movie where the last thing I would ever hope is that somebody would think it was based on the TV show. It’s got to be it’s own creature.”

Whedon will not be bringing any of the TV show’s campy qualities to the film.
“Campy is sort of self-awarily goofy” to the point of being cynical, he said. “It knows that it’s making fun of something and it doesn’t take itself seriously,” said Whedon, who agreed “Buffy” may have been melodramatic, over-the-top and silly, but not campy.

While Whedon has his hands in a few projects, the script for “Wonder Woman” is front and center.

“The actual writing process is a very small part of writing for me. I don’t sit down to write until I know pretty much how everything is going to turn out already. I’m like a vulture. I circle and circle before I dive,” he said.

Original: Entertainment Today