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Weisman, Greg
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Anonymous writes...
Since Jon and Robyn were named after your siblings why didn't you name Jason after yourself?
Greg responds...
Too arrogant even for me.
Aaron writes...
Enquiring minds want to know, Greg: When you were in college, did you ever wall yourself into your dorm room and spend two days writing fan fic about an animated show? ;)
Greg responds...
No. I didn't have a t.v. in college -- and thus there's a four year gap in my otherwise copious television knowledge.
Of course, I didn't have a computer until the last semester of my senior year. And I hated typing before computers. I wrote everything long hand and then typed it up only when I was confident that I didn't want to make any changes. So I typed very little. And the internet? Forgeddaboudit. Didn't exist -- at least not to my knowledge.
Also, I was an English Major with an emphasis in Fiction Writing, so I had plenty of writing to do for classes. And starting in my sophomore year, I was already writing professionally for DC Comics. So any non-school writing at that time, tended toward paid work, not fanfic.
Besides, the whole concept of fanfic didn't really exist for me until after the Garg fans told me about it.
I guess I did right a King Lear fanfic once -- as a term paper.
lily writes...
Okay, I've never been able to get to S8 before, and I don't have the extensive amount of time to read through EVERY answered question, but I did skim through the archive and FAQ contents, so I'm hoping not to repeat an old question. Anyway, I was curious as to whether you felt Disney (or more precicely cartoon form) was the best outlet for your vision, considering the amount of pressure ratings, time slots, ect. puts on those types of entertainment. I would have thought that you would have built a comic or graphic novel (and I differenciate them due to the difference in quality of art/story)fanbase like more sucessful Jap Cartoons (Dragonball, Pokemon, ect.)have done. I'm not questioning methods and I'm not exactly an expert on your past in the greater Disney hierarchy, what's dodne is done, just curious.
Greg responds...
Are we talking generally or about Gargoyles specifically?
To take Gargoyles out of the context of its creation at Disney is to remove any reality from my answer. I'd love, at this stage, to do Gargoyles in any format that would have me and it. But at the time, the show was created by a specific group of people in a specific place.
If we're talking generally, again, I'd love to do any of my ideas in any format that would have me. But no one is battering down doors to get me. I'm scrounging these days for every freelance assignment.
Galvatron writes...
Have you found a new job?
Greg responds...
I've had better luck (a bit) generating freelance work this year (as compared to the last two). But no, I haven't yet found a steady gig. It's a tough market right now.
Lord Sloth writes...
Happy birthday to the one and only, Greg Weisman, Creator of WORLDS!!! Or, since you wont read this for a few months, Merry Christmas to THE Greg Weisman, Puppet Master of GARGOYLES!!! Or perhaps just a happy UN-birthday for you, whenever this is.
I take it that it is no coincidence that the day Charles Canmore was killed by Demona happened to be on the day you turned 18 (if my math serves me (it usually doesn't)). Is there any cool story as to how that came to be? And I seem to remember there being some other dates in Gargoyles that are one with your special day, but I could be wrong since I can't think of them. Are there by any chance?
Anyway, have a nice day and good luck with your 38th year, unless it's 39 by now... Cheers.
Greg responds...
Actually, in 1980 I was turning 17, not 18.
And there's no cool story for this one. I just used my birthday because it seemed like the right time of year and I felt like it.
I've used my birthday (9/28) a few times:
994: Tom, Mary and the refugees enter Wyvern Castle. [This one has less to do with my birthday, then with the fact that I decided that the date of the flashback in AWAKENING ONE should coincide with the Gargoyles World Premiere in Florida, which was on 29 September 1994. Working backwards, it's obvious that the refugees got to Wyvern on the 28th.
995: Tom, Mary, Finella, Magus, Katharine and the eggs escape Edinburgh Castle. [Again, this is just a coincidence. They escaped on Michaelmas Eve. Michaelmas is 9/29.]
1963: Vinnie is born. [I gave him my birthdate since he was my stand-in in THE JOURNEY.]
1980: Charles Canmore dies. [See above.]
1995: Demona summons Puck in THE MIRROR. That same night Fox contacts Vogel, inducing him to betray Renard. [The events of the Mirror just broke down in the chronology so that they wound up happening on the 28th. On the other hand, OUTFOXED originally aired on my birthday in 1995, so I tried to have something from "OUTFOXED happen on that day -- though the main events of the episode could not have taken place until later.
1996: Xanatos captures Coldstone in the Himalayas. [This event had to have happened around this time, but I chose my birthday, cuz I felt like it.]
That's it for now.
Audra writes...
Even though the only episode of The Goliath Cronicles you worked on was The Journey, did you see all the episodes of The Goliath Cronicles?
Greg responds...
I've seen the other twelve Chronicle episodes exactly once each.
Duncan Devlin writes...
At the end of H.G. Well's 'The Time Machine', the question was posed: "What three books would you take with you [to form a new society]?"
What would be
a. your three choices?
b. Goliath's?
c. Demona's?
Greg responds...
Forming a new society is so outside the scope of my ambitions or desires, it's hard for me to answer on the spur of the moment for myself let alone for the others.
Ultimately, I'd have to include the complete works of Shakespeare, something by Faulkner and something (probably) "The Blue Hammer" by Ross Macdonald. But then there's Stoppard's "Arcadia". Hmmm. I don't know.
Audra writes...
Was Gargoyles animated in the widescreen version? I know Gargoyles is a TV show, so it was meant to be seen in standard version on a standard TV, but I know movies like The Lion King II Simba's Pride was direct to video, and never shown in theaters, but there is a widescreen version of the movie. Thanks, I just was curious.
P.S. What do you think of both Lion King movies?
Greg responds...
No. Gargoyle's aspect ratio was strictly designed for the tv set.
I thought the first Lion King was wonderful. (Not perfect, but wonderful.) And the opening still gives me chills, despite the fact that at one NATPE, I must have seen it five hundred times in one day.
As for the second one, I've never seen the whole thing. Just glimpses here and there, so it's not fair for me to comment.
The Cat writes...
Hey Greg,
Ok, anything new happening with you and everybody else?
Bye.
Greg responds...
Everybody? I should think so.
Me? Yeah, I'm doing a bit of work. It's nice to be employed. It got scary there for awhile. I had a speaking engagement in Clearwater, Florida. (Waves to Kelly and Tore!)
And I've got a couple of other paying gigs going now. It's a bit premature to talk about either, but I'm sure I'll be letting you know about them soon as I can.
And, as always, I'm juggling a ton of spec balls up in the air, hoping something comes of them.
Anonymous writes...
Will the destruction of the WTC change any of your plans for Gargoyles and its spin offs?
Greg responds...
No. Not really. It changes me though, which may have effects that even I don't realize.
Shan writes...
Greg said:
It's a bit of fluff, but I remember really liking it. Fun fluff. (It probably didn't hurt that in rehearsing the kiss between Antiope and Theseus, Elizabeth and I sort of discovered that we liked each other. As a result, we were boyfriend and girlfriend throughout my senior year of high school. So, as you can imagine, my memories of the play are rather fond.) Elizabeth also recently reminded me that David Schwimmer, now of FRIENDS, played Giganius the Herald.
Shan asks:
I don't mean to pry too much but does Elizabeth = your wife Beth? (You don't usually refer to her as Elizabeth)
I think this the case, but there is the possibility you dated a different Elizabeth that you still talk to and need to distinguish the two. (This is coming from someone who dated two different people named Robert, one was my first relationship and the other my ex-fiance.)
Thank you.
Greg responds...
No. Elizabeth was my high school girlfriend.
I met my wife Beth (which isn't short for anything) in graduate school.
But Elizabeth and I are still friends, though I haven't actually laid eyes on her in years, because we live on opposite ends of the country. But we exchange e-mail periodically.
Vic writes...
hi,
What shows or properties did you work on before gargolyes?
Greg responds...
Many, many. All the Disney stuff, primarily DuckTales and Darkwing Duck and Bonkers and Raw Toonage, but most of the rest in some capacity or another too.
Before that I was at DC Comics, where my main claim to fame (though not much fame) was Captain Atom.
Shan writes...
You've mentioned collaborating on a (I presume spec) feature script with your brother Jon. Without intruding on your brother's privacy too much, is he within enough distance of you that it's practical to work together in person on semi-regular occasions?
My sister and I are back collaborating again on some projects, but only because technology has caught up to us. We worked together for years when we lived at home, but when she got married and moved to Seattle and I moved to Los Angeles (which happened within a 6 month timespan), the level of development on Internet for the masses wasn't quite on our side then. Now we both have our own Internet accounts (versus subaccounts on Dad's AOL), email, and Final Draft 5. It feels like we're getting a lot done, and I'm glad to have the interaction back, but it's not quite the same thing.
The question I'm leading to is this: If you had to (or actually do) all your work by Internet with Jon, do you think (or do you feel) you could still create the same quality and level of product? Or in your mind is there just no replacement for the in-person collaboration experience?
If this turns out to be a hypothetical, I apologize since I know you don't prefer those.
Greg responds...
My brother and I both live in Los Angeles. We have very different lives, so getting together isn't particularly easy, but we manage.
When writing the outline, we worked the story out in person. Then took turns writing and rewriting each other.
When writing the screenplay, we did the reverse. Took turns writing and rewriting each other, by sending the material back and forth over the net. When we were done, we got together to polish the first draft.
Then we sent it out for notes. When we got those notes, we got together again to work out a plan for what and how we were going to change. Then September 11th. We haven't worked on it since, but he's coming over to my office this Friday to work on the second draft.
In essence, a lot can be done these days over the internet. But I tend to think that something is lost when people don't get to gether in person.
Todd Jensen writes...
In your latest ramble, you mentioned that you were working on a novel. While I obviously doubt that it's a "Gargoyles" one (not unless Disney suddenly decided to release a line of "Gargoyles"-based fiction - if they did, I feel very certain that you'd be at the head of the volunteers line), I was quite interested to hear that (especially since I'm writing one myself), and wish you well on it (not only in getting it written, but also in finding a publisher).
Greg responds...
Thanks, Todd.
It's written. Finished it week before last. Turned it into my manager, who's reading it now, I guess. Hopefully, I'll find a publisher. Keeping my fingers crossed, anyway.
Virginia writes...
Are you going to be able to make any kind of art gallery in the near future? I love your work and would be interested to be able to purchase picutres from the gargoyle and Max Steel series. My 3 year old son loves the show too, btw.
Greg responds...
That's great. But I'm not an artist. Can't draw worth a darn. (I said darn because your son is only three.)
Anonymous writes...
Why do you dislike Terminator 2? Was it because of the time travel?
Greg responds...
Well, I think the time travel is a mess, certainly.
But I just didn't like the movie either. It's been so long since I've seen it, that I don't feel comfortable giving a full review here. My command of the specifics is non-existent, I'm afraid. But as much as I loved the first one, that's about how much I disliked the second.
JEB writes...
'Ello, Greg.
1) What years were you working at DC Comics? Were you there around the time they did CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS? (I'm assuming yes, since you worked on its 'cousin' WHO'S WHO IN THE DC UNIVERSE.)
2) If (1) was yes, did you work on anything Crisis-related (excluding WHO'S WHO)?
3) What did you think of the Crisis, story-wise? (I liked it, of course. Then again, anything with cosmic stuff and grand epic battles is guaranteed to be a favorite with me.)
4) Which did you like better, the pre-Crisis multiverse or the post-Crisis single universe? (I like them both, but I miss the former.)
5) What did you think of the Crisis' effects on DC Comics as a whole? Do you think it did more good, more harm, or do you think it didn't really do either? (I think it was interesting, and created many excellent opportunities for revamps (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Atom being among the best). However, the continuity blips- especially those afflicting poor Hawkman- were a major long-term failing.)
Sorry if these questions are a bit annoying or disinteresting to you, but I just realized that you were in the offices around the time (at least) that the post-Crisis cleanup was underway, and I was curious about your views on that period. Thanks!
Greg responds...
1. I started freelancing for them in 1983. I joined the staff as an Editorial Assistant in 1985, toward the tail end of Crisis. I was promoted to Assistant Editor in 1986. And promoted again to Associate Editor in 1987. I quit my staff job in '87 but continued to freelance for them until late 90 or early 91 (overlapping with my Disney career for a year or two.)
2. No. I was a peon in those days. Unless you count xeroxing stuff. Of course, Crisis had ramifications that lasted for years, so you could say I later worked on things that were "Crisis related".
3. Some of the issues of Crisis are powerful great stuff. But the name Anti-Monitor never did much for me. And I have to say I miss the parallel universe stuff a bit. It wasn't so much Crisis as what came out of it that disappointed me. For me the results either went too far or not far enough. And there was so much well doing and redoing... It's all hindsight, and not like anyone at DC is asking me, but I'd do things differently.
4. Definitely the multiverse. I'd bring it back if I could. "Crisis on One Earth". I think it's what allows them to start over every twenty years or so, let the characters age normally. But then move on to a new Earth, where the old ones can still be reached, but we can see Superman, etc. young again. Let's us leave behind missteps without shattering continuity. Etc.
5. Well, I've kind of answered this already. But again, I don't want to blame Crisis. I think Crisis did ITS job. I just don't love all those revamps. (Except Captain Atom, of course.)
It's fun to revisit old stuff. That's why I'm here no need to apologize.
Jacob writes...
Hi Greg
Are there any series you have produced or created that you like more than others? Maybe you could write your three favourite ones.
Greg responds...
Well, Gargoyles. Duh.
But I also really loved working on Starship Troopers aka Roughnecks, though I was neither the Producer or Creator.
(I assume we're limiting this discussion to series that actually made it on the air.)
Anyway, those would be my top two, in that order.
Justin writes...
Greg
You have mentioned that you are color blind. I believe you said you are red-green deficient. So my question is,
What colors do you see the gargoyles as?
Brooklyn?
Hudson?
Lexington?
Broadway?
Kai?
Because you said you thought Goliath was blue, when he really was purple.
Thanks
Greg responds...
See, now this sounds like...
All right.
Brooklyn looks kinda burnt red to me.
Hudson... I don't know. Brown maybe.
Lex... Brown or green.
Broadway... green/blue.
Kai... hell, I don't remember. Blue or purple?
Lacey writes...
Which character do you feel is most like you, or closely resembles you physically and/or mentally?
Greg responds...
None really resembles me physically, I think. But many of you have seen me at Gatherings. Do you agree?
As for mentally... if you took ALL the characters and squashed them together you'd get me, I think.
Yttrium writes...
You mentioned you were in a play called THE WARRIOR'S HUSBAND and played Theseus. Could you tell us what it was about?
---Ytt
Greg responds...
Sure. Although, keep in mind, that I was in this play over twenty years ago. So I may be misremembering stuff. I'd recommend hitting a library and reading it for yourself. It's by Julian Thompson.
But anyway... Hercules and Theseus attack the Amazons to get the girdle of Hippolyta, which Herc needs to complete his ninth labor. Homer is along to report on the action.
Hercules is very strong and carries a big club, but is neither bright nor brave in this play. Theseus is smart and cunning and good with a sword. He likes to let Herc stand up as the front man, while he makes things work behind the scenes. He's used to getting his way.
The Greeks come up against the Amazon Queen Hippolyta and her younger sister Princess Antiope. All the Amazon men are pretty wimpy. The title character is an Amazon man named Sapiens, Hippolyta's husband. He gains backbone as the play progresses.
Theseus and Antiope do battle. Antiope is very turned on to find a man who can hold his own with her. Theseus, used to just getting what he wants, is also knocked for a loop to find an equal in this woman. They fall in love. Together, they end the war. Herc gets a girdle. Not THE girdle, but everyone figures no one will notice the difference. It ends happily.
It's a bit of fluff, but I remember really liking it. Fun fluff. (It probably didn't hurt that in rehearsing the kiss between Antiope and Theseus, Elizabeth and I sort of discovered that we liked each other. As a result, we were boyfriend and girlfriend throughout my senior year of high school. So, as you can imagine, my memories of the play are rather fond.) Elizabeth also recently reminded me that David Schwimmer, now of FRIENDS, played Giganius the Herald.
FYI, Katharine Hepburn played Antiope in the original Broadway cast.
And thanks for asking this question. It makes me very nostalgic.
Entity writes...
Since you're so close to catching up, I figured I'd clear up what I meant when I said there was a difference between your "pre-LA and post-LA responses." It just felt like, right after The Gathering, you got reinvigorated. Your responses have been more frank, conversational, and for lack of a better word, peppier. Or perhaps I should reference Ed Asner on that last one and use the word "spunk." :)
Greg responds...
Really? Cool.
Certainly, I believe the Gathering was invigorating.
But I wonder if you still feel that way...
Jim R. writes...
Sorry, I clicked Submit too soon. This goes with my previous post.
And do you consider Gargoyles your cobblestone, milestone or somewhere in between? Meaning, do you think Gargoyles was your first series to become as great as it has, or do you think that you'll never do anything even close to what an impact Gargoyles has had on people like us fans, or are you still full of high hopes to possibly out-do yourself someday?
Greg responds...
Geez, this is a depressing question.
I try NOT to think this way, period.
Vega writes...
Hey again.
I assume you're a fan of animation in general, considering your career choice. What are some of your favorite animated shows?
Do you find that the North American preconception of animation as being "for kiddies" as a hinderence to making quality shows like Gargoyles?
As a side note, I really have to heap some praise on everyone who worked on Gargoyles. There are some subtleties in the series that would do a top quality anime justice. The subway rescue in Hunter's Moon, as well as Goliath at Elisa's window. To be more specific, Goliath greets Elisa on the train, Goliath overhears Elisa talking to Jason Canmore. Silent, but eloquent beyond words. That kind of subtlety of expression is very rare in North American animation.
Greg responds...
I like animation, of course.
I know I've answered the 'what are your favorites' question before... so I'm not going to attempt a comprehensive list again. But it's hard to top the original Johnny Quest. And I liked the Herculoids a lot. And Batman the Animated Series. Gummi Bears, etc. For a more complete list check the archives.
And yes, of course, it doesn't help that the country almost exclusively views animation as a kids medium. On the other hand, I don't mind writing for kids. I think kids are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for.
Shan writes...
To my question about future occurences of Jeffrey Robbins you said:
>Yep. (And you worry too much. I'm not paying that close >attention.)
1. I'm glad Jeffrey wasn't a one-time character to you. Even as a teenager I wanted to see characters with disabilities in animation, to reflect the wide variety of people in society as a whole. My sister and I co-developed a series years ago where a visually impaired character was prominent (maybe someday we'll get to do somethin with it). Fifteen years after I first got seriously interested in animation, I've seen a wide growth in character ethnicity but still not much in this area. It's one reason I loved working on EXTREME GHOSTBUSTERS and having Garrett (voiced by Jason Marsden, also Pvt. Brutto from ROUGHNECKS) as our wheelchair bound hero who was such a good character you practically forgot about the wheelchair. Jeffrey's the same kind of character. While portrayed as the character is, ultimately you see the person.
To make this into a question, especially now that I realize that the elder Brutto in ROUGHNECKS ends up in a similar situation (not sure whose choice that was though): without forcing it into the story, would you be open to incorporating more characters with disabilities in animated series?
2. Me worry too much? I think there's a space in line for you behind my father and Kevin on that one. If Mom or my sister think it they're not saying. (In other words I get told that a lot.) Won't deny it. But you do I have to remember I didn't know you that well back then... much changes in a year.
Greg responds...
1. Absolutely. Robbins, of course, was never a one-shot character. For starters,even with TGC, he appeared twice. And I hate to take credit where credit's not due, but I actually do believe that bringing Sgt. Brutto back in a wheelchair WAS my idea. Certainly, I was the first to write him back that way in "Funeral for a Friend". Claw was mute. Renard was confined to a wheelchair. I'm not tooting my own horn here, I just think that maybe you're overlooking characters because they fit so naturally into the series that you forgot they were disabled. I also would love to do a hearing impaired animated character with Marlee Matlin doing the voice. She used to come into Rockets and I once had such a big crush on her that I swore that if she came in one more time, I'd ask her to marry me. (She must have sensed that cause she never came back.)
2. Uh.... (The big problem here is that you attribute better memory function to me than I actually have. What were we talking about?)
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