Dollhouse production shut down...

Made me think it got cancelled... EVIL EVIL Shempy! don't frighten me
 
Primal Slayer said:
While it is good that Joss is reworking the scripts, I dont see Dollhouse surviving that long with all the production trouble it has had. It seems like they are wasting a lot of footage and money and I dont think Fox has changed that drastically to keep this up espically if the show isnt a giant in the ratings it will get pulled for sure.
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That's what I'm afraid of as well. I'm hoping to be wrong.
 
I thought they had gauranteed Joss that a certain amount of eps would air no matter what, or am I making that up? I mean they greenlit the series without ever having seen a completed script, they don't EVER do that, it has to count for something.

Okay found the article I was thinking of. Dollhouse already has a seven episode commitment: Best News Ever! Joss Whedon Spills Exclusive Deets on His New Series

And you can look all through this page for more info, interviews, videos, etc on Dollhouse: Watch with Kristin: Dollhouse

I live by E!'s Kristin.
 
Something I read is that even though Dollhouse has a 13-episode order, the seven-episode thing means Joss has to write at least seven of the thirteen. Dunno if that's true or not though (hoping it is).
 
I've never trusted unnamed sources, or gossip mill crap, and that distrust has served me well. You know who I do trust though? Amy Acker. Her and Joss are oft-proclaimed buddies, and everything she's ever claimed about background, or upcoming has turned out to be true over the years.

Here's a story on what she says concerning the slowdown...

Amy Acker, co-star of Fox's upcoming Joss Whedon series Dollhouse, told SCI FI Wire that all the publicity surrounding the show's recent production break was much ado about nothing.

Last month, creator-producer-director Whedon halted production on the show in order to rework the fourth episode and get ahead on subsequent scripts. Production resumed on Sept. 25, after about two weeks off, and Fox will premiere the show as scheduled in January.

"You know, we did take a little break," Acker said in an interview earlier this month. "And I feel like it's coming back, and everyone is just excited to be there. The first show that came back was a Steve DeKnight show; he was directing it, and it's just really, really great. I think we just kind of had that time, because it doesn't air until January."

The Fox series will explore the goings-on at a facility where specially modified humans, referred to as "dolls," are programmed with temporary memories and personalities tailored to different assignments. Eliza Dushku, who played Faith in Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, stars as Echo, a "doll" who starts to retain her memories. Acker, who played Fred/Illyria on Whedon's Angel, plays Dr. Claire Saunders, caretaker of the dolls and a woman with her own mysterious past.

"Instead of rushing to make episodes, they thought, 'Well, we've already made four, and they're all going to be done before the first one airs,'" Acker said. "So we have the luxury to take the time and make them the way they want them."

As for working with Whedon again, Acker said that all it took was a little begging for Whedon to invite her onto the show.

"Well, you know, I'm always begging Joss to let me work with him again, and it finally paid off," Acker said. "We were out to dinner, and he was telling me all about Dollhouse. I said, 'That sounds so great.' And secretly I was like, 'Why can't I be on that?' And he said, 'I know, I wish there were parts for you and Alexis [Denisof, also an Angel veteran,] and all these people that I like.'"

Then, two days before Whedon was to roll camera on the pilot, he called Acker. "He was like, 'Did you get the script?'" she recalled. "I said, 'What are you talking about?' He said, 'There's a part for you in the pilot now.' I said, 'Awesome.' So that just kind of happened. I think he sort of thought of this character later. Originally, I guess, he thought the character was going to be a 50- or 60-year-old woman, so he didn't have me in mind for it. And then he decided to switch it up, and I got lucky." Dollhouse premieres in January premiere and will air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. --Ian Spelling
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http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=61350
 
Airam
Airam
ooh, thanks for that!
S
Spirit_Of_Fred
[No message]
So the ball's still rolling, they're just taking their time and "having breaks"? I've got high expectations for Dollhouse, I hope it's going to be as good as it sounds..
 
Joss gave his version of the slowdown at Whedonesque.com

I thought it was time to check in with you once again, gentle viewers. Or readers. Or pictures-looker-ats (that might be viewers). Also listeners, sniffers, haberdashers, Olympic hopefuls, the elderly, the youngerdly, and the mighty state of Oregon (go Oregon-based sports franchise!) Welcome all. Welcome... to me.

What's me up to? I'm glad me asked. Me've (I'm not doing that any more) been working on a little show called Dollhouse. Yes, perhaps you've read about how it's blazing an untrammeled path to surefire success, with nary a hitch or a hiccup, just pure blazing blazery, comet-like and meteoresque. What's that, you say? You've read other things? Dark, Yog-Sothothy rumors about shutdowns and delays? Poppycock! They’re true. But I never pass up a chance to say "poppycock". ("Balderdash" is so '07. Let it go.) I know there's been a lot of concern, various fabulous hues of panic alert readiness. So here's the skinny. Some of the names have been changed.

The show was ruined by Flim Flinear. Okay, that's another lie, and you're probably close to giving up on this blog, so here we go. Yes, we've had to make adjustments. Yes, it's been hard and I've been depressing to be around for awhile. Basically, the Network and I had different ideas about what the tone of the show would be. They bought something somewhat different than what I was selling them, which is not that uncommon in this business. Their desires were not surprising: up the stakes, make the episodes more stand-alone, stop talking about relationships and cut to the chase. Oh, and add a chase. That you can cut to. Nothing I hadn't heard before on my other shows (apparently my learning curve has no bendy part) but frustrating as hell given our circumstances - a pilot shot, scripts written, everybody marching together/gainfully employed... and then a shutdown. Glad I was for the breathing room, but it's hardly auspicious. So back into the writer cave I went, wondering why I put up with this when I can make literally dozens of dollars making internet movies. Why I do put up with this is divided into three parts.

One: They're not wrong. Oh, we don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but wanting the first episodes to be exciting and accessible is not exactly Satanic. Being Satan is, but that's in their free time and hey, there's no judging in the Dollhouse. This kind of back and forth has happened on every show I've done, so if you liked those, chances are that was a part of why. And the need to focus on the essentials of what makes this universe tick - and which wire to cut to make it stop - really does bring up our game. So we as a staff have gone from blinking like unhoused moles to delving in with the same relish we had when we started. The show is really coming together now, in a way that I believe excites us and satisfies the Network. Of course, I have no idea if anybody else will like it, but I have the same faith in the staff, the crew and the remarkable cast that I always did. More, in fact. And what's more crucial:

Two: Nothing essential has changed about the universe. The ideas and relationships that intrigued me from the start are all there (though some have shifted, more on that), and the progression of the first thirteen eps has me massively excited. The episode we're shooting now I wrote as fast as anything I have before, not because I had to (although, funny side-note: I had to) but because I couldn't stop the words from coming. Because I can feel the show talking to me; delighting, scaring and occasionally even offending me. It's alive. Alive! Which is a far cry from how I felt a month ago. It's been hilarious trying to keep up with what's in, what's out, who's met whom and when - we've shot all of the first seven episodes out of airing order - but it's come together in a pretty thrilling way. My huge gratitude to our cast for their precision and patience. Which also includes...

Three: Eliza. Watching her on the monitors at two o'clock this morning I was reminded forcibly how much I wished I were in bed – but also how strong, radiant and unmistakable her presence is. She's someone who could coast on talent and never ever does. I love to watch her work. In fact, I think I got myself into this mess for that very reason, and though I have this fall occasionally sworn never to eat lunch with an actor I like again, I’m pretty pleased and crazy proud.

So here's me, slogging away on a show like days of old and not hating life. Again, you guys will be the judge, jury and execu... lawyer, but we do have something to show you. Something, I'm chuffed to say, still pretty damn strange.

As for what's been changed, well, some things I obviously can't tell you. Some I can, for the record: The original pilot was in fact thrown out. Again, at my behest. Once it became clear what paradigm the Network was shooting for, it just didn't fit at all, even after I'd reshot more than half of it (see above re: despair). To get a sense of how completely turned around I was during this process, you should know there was a scene with Eliza and the astonishing Ashley Johnson that I wrote and shot completely differently three different times, with different characters in different places (actually I wrote it closer to eight times), and none of it will ever see air. Which is as it should be (though I'm determined to get Ms. Johnson back in the future). The scene just didn't belong anymore. Similarly, the character of November has fallen out of the mix, because the show simply moves too fast now for me to do what I wanted with her. Season three, anyone...? Happily, Miracle Laurie is still with us in a new role, playing against (and pining for) Tahmoh's character, Paul Ballard. Their chemistry is deeply nifty. The only other major cast shift is that the Dollhouse head of security, Laurence Dominic (played by Reed Diamond), who was written just for the now-defunct first ep, has stuck like fly-paper, and Reed is very much in the family for the present. (Most of my problems seem to involve my actors making themselves indispensable. This is the good problem kind.)

Apart from that, it's all hush-hush: some things I'd intended to hold back are laid out much sooner, and some are rolling out more slowly. We're still heading toward Tim's intense two-part mind-blower - right before a thirteenth ep that may actually just be insane.

And finally, young Steve DeKnight, after writing and shooting an ep so cool it helped not only define the show but save its ass, is ending his consulting duties, the f#%&er. I will be crying on the shoulder of Jane Espenson come Monday, so congratudolences are in order. Excited for the Jane Flava.

And there you have it. I'll be writing more bulletins about "Cabin" and a certain DVD in the very near future, but I wanted to get you all some actual information for a change. I can count on you guys not to tell anyone, right? What's a blog?

Faithfully, -joss.
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Whedonesque : Comments on 17945 : (SPOILER) What happened when the lights went out.
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But ya know...I just checked out The Dollhouse Trailer again. It looks great. That would be from the now disappeared pilot, wouldn't it? Even after reading the word of Joss I'm still not getting why anything in there needs to be messed with. I wanted to see that. Oh well...wait for the extras in the DVD, I guess.
 
S
Spirit_Of_Fred
awesome :). thanks!
Sounds like it's been rougher going than Joss's been letting on (new FOX regime or not). Hard to believe this is the same Net that gave us the X-Files. Different TV landscape now. Most of the true quirkiness and quality has migrated to cable, seems like. Glad that he's still pathologically optimistic about all this...nice that he keeps actors on board after their roles disappear.

I wonder if the fallout from the strike will still be a huge factor, the way returning shows are getting crushed lately.
 
I hope I don't make too many people too, too mad -- BUT --

Joss has always tried too hard to be trail blazer IMO. That blog entry almost made my head hurt (but much appreciation to nerd4hire for posting it!). I mean you'd think someone who has been hammered by the networks like Joss would get with making his learning curve bendy. He's always had the same problems with the networks and directors and producers it seems. Stemming all the way back to Buffy '92. That many people can't be out to get him as he seems to imply in blogs and interviews. He gives off the vibe to me that he is difficult to work with.

For crying out loud a network like Fox isn't gonna give you a learning curve if you can't deliver ratings because you're confusing casual viewers with a lack of a chase to get to and dramatic relationship ups and downs. Fox, the WB, UPN, CW, NBC - they all count on advertising revenue to survive. Ratings equal revenue. If Joss wants 100% creative control or at least more control than he seems to get then he needs to stop playing with the likes of Fox and try to sell his stuff to HBO or Showtime. Some cable something that DOES NOT rely on commercial ad revenue. Those are the ones that are more apt to give him the learning curve he seems so desperately to want/need. It's ridiculous for him to continue banging his head against the brick wall that is Fox. Obviously, new regime, old regime + Joss - it ain't a good fit!

That said, Joss in the past has displayed flashes of genius and ability to work with networks (Roseanne for instance). And BtVS and Angel and Firefly were awesome shows. I think Firefly was the show that got the shortest end of the stick though. But, the long and short of it is: as much of a cultural impact that Buffy has had, it isn't going to buy him the clout that he wants in Hollywood. Which I think is a point he's starting to get because he's returned to the character with season 8 after saying Buffy had come full circle. Too much time was starting to pass after Buffy ended its run.

Just my own frustrated opinion.
 
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