HLDU Walkabout Workshop

Email reports by Rottweiler

Day 1 - Morning: David A, Roger, Don and F Braun
(originally posted on Saturday, 28 February 2004, 3.45pm)

Our own Big John is the MC for this event. He opened the morning with some lovely jokes and then introduced each of the guests. There are practically no "potty breaks"

The first hour was David Abramowitz. Some interesting quotes from his session, which was freewheeling, and we were free to ask questions at any time, was that "creativity comes from fear and openness." David A admitted that much of Duncan's angst comes from within himself, himself meaning David. He said I tend to have panic attacks in the middle of the night if I have a deadline and can't finish or "fix" a script that seems to be broken and he gets into this fear that he *can't* fix it and can' fix the whole world :) He says his wife then reminds him, yes you can, this is just part of "your process." He is, as always, so sane and balanced and fascinating to listen to.

He talked more about the mini series he has written. He's very happy with it. Thinks fans will too. He explained a lot more about it but worried about spoilers. Both the hero and the bad guy have fascinating back stories from what we could tell. He believes how they turn out often begins in those seminal stories.

When he left the stage, without interruption, John introduced Roger Bellon for his session. He was to share it with Don Paonessa. Don was late, traffic and mix up but he did show up for the second half of their shared hour. Both men were fascinating. I was more intrigued with Bellon than I expected to be. He talked about how amazing it was to be able to compose for something like Highlander because of the possibilities inherent in the flashbacks. He said a contrast would be something like working on E.R. That there, you are doing music for all indoor scenes with more and more "walking hallways" scenes. You tend to have to repeat yourself endlessly. But in HL you could be writing music for Japan one week, cowboys the next, and France or Flamenco after that. Always fascinating with a Celtic background. He talked of the process once Don Paonessa arrived. Those two collaborated on the creative side of putting concept with music. Three hour phone calls with mutual screen hookup so they could look at the scenes together and decide what needed to be there. Only a week from idea to orchestration to the "Fed Ex" delivery. Pressure.

F.Braun McAsh followed immediately after that with a one hour program on Sword Choreography. Those who have heard F. before know how engaging and informative he is.

I left that session a little early to run across the street to Taco Bell to grab some lunch because in about 15 minutes Peter Wingfield will show up to talk about the development of Methos. When he is done there is an official lunch break [yes, all of this happened before lunch !!!] but I won't have time to eat then. Will need a bathroom break and then get ready for the afternoon appearance of Adrian himself. Elizabeth too. Aieeeeee. I need to have my food digested by then so that I can concentrate and not let my nerves make me sick :)

Early this morning forumlanders gathered in the Westin restaurant for a breakfast buffet, it was delightful to see everyone, but alas, they sat us at separate tables, small ones of 4 each. I would so prefer to have round or longer tables so we'd be more altogether. But it was still fun. SBO did such a good job organizing it.

More later.

Once I calm down from Adrian :)

Day 1 - Afternoon: Adrian, Peter, Elizabeth and more...
(originally posted on Saturday, 28 February 2004, 11.03pm)

In the last of the morning session, Peter Wingfield came out, relaxed and funny as usual. He had 1/2 hour to himself. He talked about his experience of having the body of his work move to North America. Becoming more visible in England now however again since Xmen and some other opportunities. He's realized how actors have to be portable because what you move is your SELF. He said they don't want to be moving around however when it comes time for Edan to go to school so I guess they'll have to choose where to live. He said the character of Methos will endure because he had all the best lines. And that Highlander was great because it dealt with depth and weighty issues and life and death issues, questions that have plagued mankind for centuries.

Then there was lunch time. Many of us bagged lunch [not packed a bag lunch, literally didn't have one :)] because we wanted to get on the line that immediately formed after the last session was over and the room was cleared so that we could get back into the room after lunch for Adrian's session.

At one point I had Lovie save my place and I ran to the bathroom. On the run I almost ran down Adrian Paul who was heading into the men's room. I about died of inability to breathe. I didn't expect to see him yet before the session and he looked totally amazing. Younger and more beautiful than ever IF THAT IS POSSIBLE.

His hair is quite long especially in the back and it was loose and flowing and curly. There was a little curl flowing over his forehead and he had the sides pulled back and nice sideburns, decent length. He had on all black. Black short sleeved pullover and black tight jeans and a rope necklace, and black, shiny flat soft shoes with laces up the front like boxing shoes. ohmgodinheavenabove. stunning Anyway, I raced back into the room in time for the session to start. First Adrian and Elizabeth came out together. Elizabeth's husband and mother in law were there too and Elizabeth was selling her beautiful art work and mosaics in the hallway. I bought one of the mosaic trivets. Anyway, she looks radiant. Marriage must agree with her. Her hair is short, but not cropped, and is blond now, not white, but a very, very attractive blond. She and Adrian basically shared stories surround the theme of the session, which was When Actors Click. They clicked then .............and today.

One of the scenes that had them laughing the most was the flashback scene in Dramatic License to the Halleluia chorus, the love scene. They couldn't stop laughing even now, and they loved talking about their love scenes and she kept saying "Adam don't listen." [her hubby] Adrian had some naughty lines several times. He also said that there were 20 minutes of film from Rev.6:8 that were never used. How we'd love to see that. Elizabeth said she just loved the scene in one episode where Lisa Howard's character Anne is pregnant and Amanda and Duncan are in bed and she is being concerned about whether she would have been a good mother. [only in the eurominutes in case it doesn't sound familiar to you]

One theme came out in everyone's sharings all day long and that was the amazing freedom people felt on the show to be allowed to do what they did best without interference.

Some really funny moments in their discussion came, many of which we will not have photos of because we were only allowed to take photos at the first 2 minutes of each session. Period. But once Adrian was imitating Elizabeth trying to smoke a cigar in the scene when she needed to blow smoke on the laser beam. He was hysterical. Adrian said Stan is an acting teacher now and doing well. EG said the best part of HL was becoming friends for life with her costars. She feels so grateful and then promptly got up and gave a gentle sweet kiss to Adrian . It was so tender and real.

When PW entered for the next session with Adrian and Elizabeth he brought a glass of wine with him, said that's because he brings class to the show. Then there was something about spaggy napkins [a PW allusion to wet napkins used to clean up wine EG once spilled on Jim Byrnes] and a good time was had by all. Then David A walked in and there was great razzing by all. Especially Adrian and David have a....repartee together. There is an ease and comfort as a cast together that enabled them to work together so beautifully but also it shows.

The amazing camaraderie and joyous friendship so visible among the actors is just astonishing. About an hour into this session, without a break, Peter Wingfield joined them with phase two of when actors clicked and they talked about their own pairing.

We learned that the Jimmy scene was unrehearsed. Peter said you can only do that with people you can trust to play off what you do and that it makes for genuinely alive moments.

There was a question about Methos' 'ethics' at one point and lots of laughter over his lack of ethics, but David A said "Methos had lots of ethics they were just situational."

PW noted there are constraints on playing a heroic role like Duncan.

Elizabeth talked about "Jimmy Byrnes" and having recently called Peter and winding up talking to his son Ethan who asked her where his batman underwear was, she said look in the bat cave and he said they didn't have one. These moments were just further evidence that they are so totally in one another's lives.

F. Braun and Adrian did sword demonstrations. Do you know what it is like to see Adrian in all black moving like a panther across the stage with a sword in his hand?!! Aieeeeee be still my soul.

Then Adrian, Peter, David and EG did a running commentary on Forgive Us Our Trespasses as we all watched the entire episode on the big screen. It was really rich as an experience. PW said when he first met Adrian , Adrian was covered in a grey sleeping bag over his clothes to keep warm in the wet Paris weather that was so cold and yet he still had "gran-deur" Adrian made a comparison between the war regrets of Forgive Us Our Trespasses and the Iraq war in that the killing is still going on after the war. As a comment it wasn't picked up on. But he clearly feels strongly about that.

No one wanted this session, which lasted from 1:45 until 5:45 to end, but it did and now afer dinner we are all going upstairs to the theater for what is being billed as a Concert No photos are allowed of it but I think it is being taped and we will be able to buy the tapes.

I can't wait. More tonight.

Day 1 - Evening entertainment

This evening's entertainment is beyond belief. I have never felt so honored as a fan. To think that these talented, busy, professional men and women put on a show like this for us, just a little under 200 people, is unthinkable. And honoring.

With the M.C. being John Mosby, and the sound and stage hands being Mr. and Mrs. SBO, our forum was well represented.

James Horan sang 4 songs, one of which was a tender version of O Danny Boy.

F.Braun McAsh then did a semi comedic routine explaining in great detail the typical day of a swordmaster in filming a HL event.

Peter Wingfield and Elizabeth Gracen hammed it up with a lovely version of the Sonny and Cher song "I Got You Babe." Both can sing too, though Elizabeth is a bit better. :)

Then David Abramowitz had me in tears. He sat down and sang a strong and haunting version of "The Way we Were" while a collage/homage to Highlander the series played in the background and we saw those images of Duncan and Tessa and Amanda and Fitz and Jim Byrnes and Peter and the whole gang with Duncan riding in his Highlander kilt on horseback and ending with some scenes from To Be and Not to Be in the scene where Duncan is drinking champagne and telling his friends what they mean to him and we see Duncan walking away in the shadows. The words of the song at that point in the piece are about how "it's the laughter we will remember" from the way we were. Only I wasn't laughing at that point. I needed a kleenex. It was touching and powerful.

Elizabeth Gracen then sang "Desperado" as if it was Amanda singing it to Duncan. I never realized how perfect the words of that song are for such a thing until she did it. It was precious and afterwards she went over and lightly kissed Adrian who was sitting in the first row.

Peter Wingfield then got up again and did a rousing version of "Only the Good Die Young" in his best Methos persona.

Elizabeth and Ippolita the Contessa did a little mini play in which the Contessa read Amanda's palm and foretold a long and happy life with a beautiful man in a blue plaid skirt.

And then the grand finale.

Michael Gough stood in the back of the auditorium and began to play "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. He was in full Scottish formal dress. He then walked down the stairs of the auditorium towards the stage. Behind him in solemn procession was Adrian Paul all dressed in black, one of those karate type loose outfits. When they got to the stage, Adrian stopped, facing the curtain, his back to the audience, then he turned his head, raised his eyebrow to give us a little wink of sorts and then proceeded to the tune of amazing grace to do a full kata with two wide knives, maybe a foot and a half long knives. It was graceful, accompanied by the appropriate noises, grunt type noises, and it was so beautifully choreographed. It was also very strenuous. He finished and the crowd went wild. The bagpipe player then played "Bonny Portmore" on the penny whistle and the evening was over except for the bows by all the performers.

It's almost midnight and I may not sleep for a long time. I'm still too wired. It was an incredible night.

My gang even watched Adrian get into his car and drive away as we were sitting in the lounge having a drink later on. I still can't believe we were so honored.

The evening was taped and I know it will be for sale from HLDU. I can't wait to get it and see it all again.

Somehow or other there is more. Stay tuned for tomorrow's report.

Day 2: The entirety [including learning Adrian's former "nickname"...]
(originally posted on Sunday, 29 February 2004, at 10:55 p.m)

Many con-attendees spent a looong time in the bar last night and so it was a very groggy crew who met at 9am to hear Don Paonessa talk about post production. He mentioned among other things that Adrian, being the meticulous director he is, shot enough footage in Homeland for a feature film. They had something like 20 minutes of extra unused footage. He also said the shirts that James Horan and Adrian Paul wore in the fight in Band of Brothers disintegrated shortly after they had rolled around in the sulphur. And that in Homeland, welts can be seen on the faces of Duncan and Deborah because of all the gnats and mosquitos. One scene where Duncan is tenderly touching her face is actually AP squishing a mosquito on her face.

James Horan was next and had a short workshop on creating the character of Grayson as a one shot bad guy. He is a con favorite and is well received.

This was followed by David A. doing a workshop on the spiritual and political bent in Highlander. Fascinating.

Then came the auction. Those of you who have been to the auctions will understand how much energy is in the room. There were MANY items auctioned, and thousands of dollars raised. David Abramowitz and Elizabeth Gracen started it off but then David A had to leave early because he said today was his wife's leap year birthday. She is 12 :) He said [another sign of the deep intimacy of the kind of sharings we heard this weekend so freely given] that he had to stop off on the way home to pick up a Tiramisu cake for her birthday party before the bakery closed at 1:00 His wife and children had come to the concert last night and he said they were impressed.

In the auction things happened like PW taking a sword being auctioned and rubbing it under his armpit and said "genetic material of everyone here will be on this". The guys would rub scripts or photos on their chests to "raise the price" :) At several points EG kissed John Bierly. He may never wipe off that lipstick :)

Adrian came into the auction in a white linen big shirt with grey cargo pants and beige suede slip on shoes. His hair was all slicked back today [many of us don't prefer that look, BUT he nonetheless looked so darn hot.] Something happens to a room when he enters. It is hard to describe. Anyway, he runs an auction like a pro. His own surprise was great at the O BOY magazine that was from 1983 that some of his modeling photos were in. He kept saying "where do you GET these things" The magazine in question sold for $450. Some of the other high bidding items were a blueprint of the dojo that went for $1150. A homeland script, signed, for $700. A katana signed by AP for $1150. A Methos sword for $800. A box made by Elizabeth Gracen [who does beautiful glass mosaic work, and had a table with her wares available for us all the buy] went for $1,000.

Adrian did tell us [after hesitating for a minute as to whether he wanted to or not] that he used to have the nickname BUM during his modeling days. It came from a runway walk he did once where a shiny shirt was covered by a satin liked jacket and the jacket kept slipping off his shoulder and so when he turned at the bottom of the runway he shrugged on the jacket and apparently shook his booty quite a bit in the process *right* in front of Princess Anne.

There was a funny moment in the auction at one point occasioned by Adrian because the bidding had slowed down and he said we must all be asleep, and then said something like "you should all be in church." Someone called out "we are right now" Then Mischief [many of you know her...not exactly an introvert :)] jumped up and had her hands over her head and began bowing up and down as if worshipping. Everyone cracked up and Adrian just turned around and looked up at the ceiling as if to address God saying "forgive them for they know not what they do."

Adrian left the auction to take a break and F Braun and others continued. BUT those who chose that moment to take a lunch break [none was really built into the day] missed a precious moment so telling of how much comfort the guests felt at this event. When Adrian came back in, he had a basket of chocolate candy and literally came down INTO the audience and walked all the way to the back handing out candy to individuals who wanted one. People were very good. No one was rude. He clearly was ok with it. No bodyguards. He then went up on stage again and emptied out the basket by throwing the remaining pieces one by one into the crowd. [I can't tell you how many people said that piece of candy he handed them will never be eaten, one even said it would be "framed"!]

The bids for many of the things at the auction were very high. For example there was $1600 eventually paid for the instant camera AP had used all weekend taking spontaneous pictures.

After the auction, there were still several more sessions. One on the highs and lows of directing Homeland and The Modern Prometheus with Adrian Paul. For an hour :) Then an episode commentary of The Modern Prometheus with Peter Wingfield, Adrian Paul, F. Braun McAsh, and Don Paonessa. Originally Bill Panzer was supposed to come too and give the future of Highlander but we heard that a family crisis kept him from attending. The third and final session was supposed to be a conversation with Duncan and Methos. In it, Adrian and Peter were supposed to stay in character and field our questions. But it was hard, especially for Adrian to maintain the character. He kept wanting to giggle but that is pure Adrian. Duncan is so serious.

Along the way we heard many interesting things, about the goat in The Modern Prometheus and its devil allusion and how he purposely morphed from Byron's face to the goat and also to show his depravity. Razzing of Adrian Paul about how many versions of each scene he shot when he was directing, and the interplay between Peter and Adrian while supposedly "in character" about the Greeks and goats and asses and other shall we say sexually related humor. It was like watching naughty boys having fun.

There was an ending montage featuring scenes of each of the guest stars and giving credit to all who deserved it especially the GOH and the HLDU staff.

The remaining guests gave a toast [real booze :)] to the fans and we all stood as Adrian gave the toast.

May I just say no-one wanted it to end.

For Saturday night alone I would have paid twice as much [don't tell Carmel :] In fact I can't believe I said it out loud :)

Tonight
(originally posted on Monday, 1 March 2004, at 4:11am.)

Aaieeeeeeeeeeeee it's midnight and I'm still stupidly excited. too excited to sleep. We all just came up from the bar where some people were having fun. playing the piano, John B. was there. He's so tired but still has a silly grin on. Home tomorrow. Have to get my hands on that new grandbaby :)

Never post when overexcited and hyperventilating from being Adrianized :)

Also announced tonight was the news that Davis Panzer has now asked HLDU to become Highlander Worldwide and be the official fan club for all of Highlander. Talk about being overdue :) We all cheered this good news.