new interview with Rachel Luttrell (April 2007)
I just found this good interview while surfing: One on One with Rachel Luttrell (contains very vague hints for s4 in one paragraph).
One quote that really stood out for me...and not in a good way.
Initially, way back in the audition process, she was described to me as a leader of her people. I remember someone saying, "Just think of her as a sweet little islander taking care of her island tribe," which is a much more tepid description that I would ever endeavor to use for my character but that's kind of how it was posed.
*forehead smack* I try to not get all wanky in fandom, but I believe this demonstrates one thing that's definitely wrong with the entertainment industry and society. Despite the progress we've seen, it can be shockingly narrow-minded. Yes, yes, it's not real life because the character is an alien and the setting is in another galaxy, but it demonstrates the insidious, ingrained, subtly racist notion of the (predominantly white) American/Western savior. It's condescending and smug. The attitude is that anyone not like "us" and our great civilization is inherently, sadly underdeveloped or just plain wrong, and in need of some guidance. (See Rudyard Kipling's "White Man's Burden.") In terms of the show, it hyper-privileges "our", the heroes', perspective and experience over that of the natives who've lived and dealt with the threat for ages. Hyper-privilege isn't a technical term, but I don't care at the moment. It reduces a lot of people to helpless or crazed victims, which is a disservice to the characters and to the show.
I don't buy the argument that it must be this way because of the set-up of SGA. Our heroes do bring vast technology and weapons and the Pegasus Galaxy natives have been effectively oppressed by the Wraith, but why don't Teyla and people like her get more acknowledgement for their resilience and what they bring to the table in the conflict? (Other than bartered food!) Sweet little islander, indeed. You and the people you lead don't get to survive if you're busy being all naive sweetness, rainbows, and light.
If this is what execs think about in one genre TV show, I'm frightened to think of what they've been doing to the rest of TV and Movie Land in the belief that they are appealing to the majority and reflecting something that looks close enough to reality.
I don't know if this'll all make sense tomorrow because I'm kinda sleep-deprived and groggy right now.
One quote that really stood out for me...and not in a good way.
Initially, way back in the audition process, she was described to me as a leader of her people. I remember someone saying, "Just think of her as a sweet little islander taking care of her island tribe," which is a much more tepid description that I would ever endeavor to use for my character but that's kind of how it was posed.
*forehead smack* I try to not get all wanky in fandom, but I believe this demonstrates one thing that's definitely wrong with the entertainment industry and society. Despite the progress we've seen, it can be shockingly narrow-minded. Yes, yes, it's not real life because the character is an alien and the setting is in another galaxy, but it demonstrates the insidious, ingrained, subtly racist notion of the (predominantly white) American/Western savior. It's condescending and smug. The attitude is that anyone not like "us" and our great civilization is inherently, sadly underdeveloped or just plain wrong, and in need of some guidance. (See Rudyard Kipling's "White Man's Burden.") In terms of the show, it hyper-privileges "our", the heroes', perspective and experience over that of the natives who've lived and dealt with the threat for ages. Hyper-privilege isn't a technical term, but I don't care at the moment. It reduces a lot of people to helpless or crazed victims, which is a disservice to the characters and to the show.
I don't buy the argument that it must be this way because of the set-up of SGA. Our heroes do bring vast technology and weapons and the Pegasus Galaxy natives have been effectively oppressed by the Wraith, but why don't Teyla and people like her get more acknowledgement for their resilience and what they bring to the table in the conflict? (Other than bartered food!) Sweet little islander, indeed. You and the people you lead don't get to survive if you're busy being all naive sweetness, rainbows, and light.
If this is what execs think about in one genre TV show, I'm frightened to think of what they've been doing to the rest of TV and Movie Land in the belief that they are appealing to the majority and reflecting something that looks close enough to reality.
I don't know if this'll all make sense tomorrow because I'm kinda sleep-deprived and groggy right now.