OK, here are the notes I took at the Sunday 4th July Q/A session.
James arrives on the stage, after a short film that lasted about 15 minutes consisting of some very funny edits of his scenes during BTVS and ANGEL. We all laughed as we watched scenes such as OUT FOR A WALK BITCH, James falling into numerous open graves, love scenes speeded up, and his memorable TO THE ANGELMOBILE! AWAY! scene, mixed in with scenes of rare beauty, such as his scene draped on the cross in BENEATH YOU, and his beautiful scene from OMWF where he sang to Buffy.
There were lectures all day preceeding his arrival, and I managed to buy a 12 inch SPIKE doll, as well as A JM downunder T shirt.
ANYHOO. James arrives, I am sitting WAAAY up the back, and being a mere 5"3 I decide to stand at the back next to a guy who is dressed like Spike, and looks so much like him that I
had to make sure it wasn't him! His name was Chris, BTW, and we, together with about 6 other gals went out until 4AM that morning..HEHE
James comes in to thunderous applause, dressed in nikes, tatty blue denims, and a black sleeveless T, with a prominent tobacco patch on his left arm. His hair is dark brown, starting to curl lightly, and he has a very light tan. He then says:
" OK, someone has to start! Who is first?"
Some brave soul plucks up her courage and asks James about how he says that method acting can kill you. He question is, does he use method acting for the fight scenes?
James launches into a monologue about how its important to check your emotions in fight scenes, its dangerous to be angry. He says some stuff about MORTAL FEAR, and that he studies that style of fighting. Hes a green belt Tai Qwon do.
Next question: Emma Caufield says you have a great kissing technique.. (At this stage, Romeo and Juliet is running through my head.."You kiss by the book..")
James laughs, and says, "Well, I'm 42! I learned how to do it right! I'm not some boy!" He also gives a demonstartion( No not on me :evil: ) using his fingers showing how kissing if done in real life is MESSY. He said he had to kiss Sarah over 15 times to get it right, saying coyly.." Now
THAT was a good day" (giggle from James here,)
The woman who asked the question wanted a demonstration...lol
NEXT QUESTION: What is your most fulfilling piece professionally?
JAMES: "Something I am writing right now..(My guess is the
MACBETH script, although he doesn't say what.) He says he loves the stage best, as he likes communicating with an audience, and he likes the feedback. On Buffy, he had
NO IDEA he was loved so much. He loves to feel the love, which is why he does the conventions. He can't get
enough. (Take me now! my inner little love monkey screams)
He says that on a
set, its totally different to theatre. On a theatre set, you go in, sign on, do your scene, you are responsible for your props, and you command respect for your craft.
On BUFFY, he had a few 'minders' with headsets, who followed him around speaking as if he wasn't there. (this
was funny)
'James is having a cream cheese bagel,
check! He is biting the bagel...
check!" (does impression of two guys with headsets on)
James is leaving the set! He is going to the bathroom! He is doing
ones! No! Cancel that last announcement!
Twos!"( James starts laughing.) He said that it was on loudspeakers
all over the set. You couldn't
SNEEZE without the headset guys knowing. LOL.
NEXT QUESTION: What has acting taught you?
JAMES: To have the courage to be yourself, and that everybody has beauty, just
some (indicating himself) of us that are actors are more desperate for attention than others.
He then went off tangent and said something out of the blue.
Joss is a genius man! People rip him off all the time! Ever seen
BLADE? Thats
ANGEL man! BLADE is
ANGEL!He then went on about actors he loved working with. In all his years, only
TWO have come up to his standard, they are Seth Green, and David Boreanaz, because most actors when you look into their eyes, and make a connection, 'forget their lines', but DB and Seth don't. They look right
back.He then said that he has heard that some fans
hate David Boreanaz. James says that he can't understand
why. "David is a nice guy, but he works hard, goes home to his wife and kid and goes to bed. He's really a
great guy."
NEXT QUESTION. (The man gets a tad sidetracked, he paces up and down, and is literally bouncing off the stage. He says he had good intentions of resting up and going to bed last night at 8PM,
THEN he tells us he didnt sleep well, after downing two red bull energy drinks...and Oh boy! He looks like one of the hyper boys in my year 9 Drama class!)
A girl asks him if there are elements of James Dean in his performance.
James says, "No, but there are elements of Sid Vicious, but not Johnny Rotten. (does a Sid and a Johnny impression) The girl keeps on insisting he
IS James Dean. James keeps
INSISTING he isn't! James is flattered, but still can't see it himself. He then does a James Dean impression, that makes us all cheer,
"Youre tearing me apart!" *swoon*(me) as he grabs at his chest in a dramatic gesture...
He says that SPIKE is a
faker , he covers up who he really is, by getting s far from William as he can, but he never really does. ( I have long suspected this, thanks for confirming it James!, I think, thinkedly)
NEXT QUESTION: Girl says, "Hi" sweetly. (shes a little kid) James kneels down and says "Hey Sweetheart." She says "I know I shouldn't ask about your band, but.."
James: "Ask anything you want, I wont be offended"
GIRL: " I love your voice.." James nods.. then she asks:
"Whats the best song you wrote?"
JAMES: "Our Town" He then goes on to say,
"Nothing we ask offends him, hes just waaay too excited!" (
Hes excited???)
The girl asks for a hug, Jmaes says, "C'mere sweetheart" and gives her a big hug.