Full transcription of Merlin panel QA, London Expo09, 23rd May 2009.
Full transcription of Merlin panel QA, London Expo09, 23rd May 2009.
Version 2.1 Tue 9th June 09 at 0940GMT
Notes
All of this work is for sharing and comments are welcome especially if you know a word or phrase that's missing or inaccurate.
Versions 2.0+ include changes made based upon the geeksyndicate complete audio recording. This transcript may be revised as new resources become available. I’ve captured nearly all the words accurately and added body language where it clarifies a response. I’ve tried to capture the feeling of the banter between the cast and some of the atmosphere in the hall. Inevitably a tiny amount of content is lost to mumbles so words that are suggested or indistinct or native!Colin are presented in brackets with a question mark (like this?) or (__?)
Effects are presented for example {pouts} {giggles} {snort} {whisper} {Irish jig}
An accent or acting voice is preceded by {voice} or {accent}
An interruption or simultaneous speaking is shown as/interrupted/like/this
Clarification or notes of context are shown [ed: like this]
The panel consisted of (from left to right) Colin Morgan (CM), Angel Coulby (AC), Johnny Capps (JC), Polly Buckle (PB), Katie McGrath (KM), Bradley James (BJ). Colin and Bradley were at opposite far ends of the panel.
Questions voiced by females (Qf) or males (Qm) or unknown (Q)
References and further reading
“Forbearnar” is a word of the olde English as used to conjure fire in Merlin 1x09 ‘Excalibur’
The Mists of Avalon
Gambit
Rogue
Asa Butterfield
Look out for
Angel’s revenge!
Thanks to
syrosis for several comments and corrections.
artzam and demondoyle for correcting the French phrases.
captainnever decieving_eyes feilongfan jemzy14 tya_rc for corrections.
Host: Just put down this goodie lets bring all my guests up on stage. Ok guys before we bring them out I want to make a deal with you…when they come out this is like deal or no deal basically when they come out you are going to cheer so loud ok that this place is going to be well you know the lights will shake alright? You should/ I think Cherie can manage it on her own to be quite honest but anyway lets give a big/ before we start though I think we need to have a look on the screen…
{nothing happens on the big screen}
Host: …I think we need to have a look on the screen…
{several excerpts from Merlin appear on the big screen}
Host: Ladies and Gentlemen lets here it big for the cast of Merlin starting with, Bradley James! Bradley James and a camcorder! Following Bradley; Katie McGrath! One of the ladies who’s been putting the story (through its paces?) story editor Polly Buckle! one of the producers and creators of Merlin you deserve to give this man a huge round of applause Johnny Capps! and following Johnny Capps we have a lady…Angel Coulby! and last but by no means least I don’t know if you’ll recognise this young man give it up for Merlin himself Colin Morgan {audience screams}.
Host: and cue fainting {laughter}
JC: Hello London can you hear me? {audience screams} well now I have to say its erm hugely exciting to be here erm the last time we did this panel we were just transmitting series one and we weren’t quite sure how the show was going to go down and here we are sort of eight months later erm series one went out and we averaged erm about eight million viewers which for Julian and myself was ah hugely exciting that our show got the right y’know got a big audience and I think as a programme maker you always have a fear that you’re shows going to flop and nobody’s going to watch it and it was fantastic that we got such a great response. We’ve sold all around the world which again is really really exciting there’s only a few countries that actually haven’t bought Merlin and we’re about to transmit throughout the world which again is very exciting and I think I’m about to have an epileptic fit if you keep on taking those photographs/
Host: that’s right please remember first five minutes only for flash photography/
JC: erm so I think the best thing now is to throw it open and listen to your questions and try and answer them in an interesting and humourous ways,
Host: ok Bradley, Colin, Angel, Polly, everybody…beware! erm right we’re going to start by knowing (___?) with a woman who's been screaming her head off…hello Cherie what would you like to ask?
Qf: {embarrassed} why are you doing this to me? [ed: Cherie asks the host]
Host: she’s gone all shy honestly she’s been screaming every time I’ve mentioned Bradley and Colin’s name all morning/
Qf: no I haven’t
Host: so what would you like to ask then?
Qf: I don’t know!
Host: and meanwhile well lets go back to your girlfriend go for it Angela
Qf: [ed: Angela] erm hi this is for erm well it’s a two part question actually in season one when we saw the video diaries for Bradley and Colin we found that they were actually quite good and they liked to pull pranks on people? Erm so firstly Angel did you get them back for the ‘je suis loser’ prank and Bradley and Colin has your French improved any since you’ve been filming?
JC: well I can answer that one/
BJ: Ouais [ed: French pronounced ‘way’ meaning ‘yeh’ or ‘yup’ ]
{Angel giggles}
AC: erm I haven’t got them back yet but I’m plotting, so erm yeh they’d better {voice} Watch Out!
JC: and is their French better? er No.
CM: Non.
Host: ok Cherie you have a question.
Qf: right last time I was here I asked if Arthur was observant or unobservant so does he get any less unobservant - no wait! {giggles} -shut-up- {Bradley stares Colin} does he get - is he still dim in season two or does he get better?
Host: Charming! Aren’t you? Well done/
JC: /Well that’s an interesting question actually because I think actors bring a large part of themselves to their character! {Johnny laughs and looks at Bradley}
BJ: (its true?)…erm/
JC: yes it was your question does Arthur begin to realise about Merlin’s abilities?
{Bradley goes quiet rubs his eyes in mock huff}
Host: do you really...I think, I think you owe Bradley an apology for that don’t you.
Qf: I'm really sorry I'm really sorry
Host: Would you like Bradley - look at it look what you’ve done to him! {Bradley puts sunglasses on and sits back arms folded} Oh dear before you dig yourself a even bigger grave my love, erm do you want to go up there and apologise to him? Come on go up and apologise to him/
??: give him a kiss
Host: Say ‘I apologise’ {Cherie gets onto the rostrum and hugs Bradley and gets a kiss}…
BJ: It's alright it's alright {Bradley and Cherie hug and kiss on cheek}
Host: that was the real method behind your madness I get the picture right ok next question from this young lady at the front here.
Qf: boring question sorry erm how are you going to franchise Merlin in the future? do we get cool like sticker things/
JC: /sorry say again/
Qf: how are you going to franchise Merlin?
JC: ah right well erm we’re…Random House are bringing out some books in September so there’ll be a novelisation of the first series and erm we hopefully eventually have cartoon er cartoon novelisation and they’ll also be dolls we hope and so all of those kinds of things.
{Colin laughs at a comment from the audience}
Host: you just made someone else’s day!
JC: so I mean the hope is that we’re going to branch out into as much of those...dolls etc yeh we’re doing deals at the moment.
Host: ok we have a question from a young lady here.
Qf: erm sorry a slightly boring question but like now that you guys are quite a lot more like famous what kind of things would you like to go on to do when Merlins finished that you couldn't maybe have the chance to do before?
{cast look around}
JC: sorry who was that question for?
Host: it was for anybody what would you like to do now that Merlins gone and y'know uplifted your careers a bit more, is there anything you’d like to do?
BJ: anything where I don’t have to wear chainmail {audience laughs} would be good
KM: something where I get to wear a pair of jeans?
AC: erm... I’d like to erm maybe work in America and do some movies (that'd) be nice.
CM: I think it's kindof hard as well sometimes to look ahead and so erm y’know cause we do take these eight months to sort of to do it and I kinda, you get so absorbed in it its hard to kinda escape from it and look ahead/
BJ: its difficult/
CM: /but erm but yeh getting the chance to do anything kinda-to work! as an actor is good in itself.
Host: ok we’ve got a young lady here who’s dressed rather familiarly/
Qf: How do...How...How do you feel when people dress up as you? {laughter} and do you like our costumes?/
AC: /Your costumes are brilliant!/
Qf: /This is real chain-mail and I got my fringe cut specially!
{cast laughing}
AC: Amazing
JC: well I mean its its for me as a programme maker its usually complimentary when people enjoy your show and dress up like the characters I think its fantastic - Colin how do you feel? {Colin looks open-mouthed at Johnny and then back at the fans}
CM: {gives a big thumbs up} great job I think its brilliant I mean that’s some good scarf tying there I mean I've done it thats good {points at cosplayer} you’ve got a scarf as well! nice!
Host: they've got like three Merlins and a teddy.
Host: right we've got a question from this young lady here
Qf: is there any chance that we’re going to see Lancelot back?
{Colin nods}
AC: yes
JC: erm yeh I can erm give you an exclusive today that erm Santiago that plays Lancelot is coming back for the second series.
Host: k we've got a question from a young lady here.
Qf: erm this is a question for all the actors how do you get into your roles?
AC: hmmmm
{Johnny looks at Colin}
JC: Colin do you want to start that one?
CM: err well I think err coming back on the second series it felt a bit easier getting back into it because we'd spent the whole first series living-living it and erm and again it felt very much like coming home again and-and-and-and whenever we’ve starting up the second series but I think I think erm just informing yourself on Arthurian legends and things like and that just getting into it but I think we know it so well now that it’s erm it’s definitely felt easier yeh.
AC: er yeh no I'd say the same sort of thing really it's cause we're very used to these characters now so its sort of it's easier this time round and erm the scripts are so great that it's sort of y'know sort of read your scripts learn your lines and yeh enjoy it basically.
KM: for me I find that all the costumes and the hair and make-up really helps me cause its so far from what I do in real life as soon as I put it on and I spend the two hours that it takes to make me look like it I really feel like a different person that I feel like the character that I’m playing so for me that really helps that transformation.
BJ: I err…that’s quite loud…I erm tend to start off by bullying Colin, erm…in character of course err and just... act generally pompous and y’know authoritative.
{Johnny whispers to Angel and she nods}
AC: and you do a vocal warm-up though Bradley don’t you?
{Colin leans out to watch whilst Katie whispers to Bradley}
CM: (who, Bradley?)
JC: your vocal warmup/
AC: don’t you do vocal warm up
BJ: no comment
Host: you do a vocal warm up apparently?
BJ: {voice} Yes…
Host: Nice
AC: and you Colin I heard you
Host: oh apparently they both do vocal warm-up are we actually going to hear/ Do we want to hear the vocal warm-up? {Bradley shakes head and audience squeals, Colin puts tongue in cheek} I think Angel’s revenge is coming quite nicely now {laughter}. Look at them both gone like mice in headlights then. I think we’ll leave that for this/ we’ve got a little guy down the front here
Qm: Erm how did you come up with the idea to make Merlin?
JC: erm sorry was that how do we come up with the story ideas?
AC: the idea to make Merlin
Host: yeh
PB: in the first place
JC: was it the idea in the first place or story ideas?
JC: well erm how we get the story ideas is basically before each series starts myself and Polly and Julian and the other producers we sit with a number of writers, we develop a number of ideas one of the springboards for that is to look at Arthurian legends and see whereabouts if there are any moments in the legends would be interesting springboards for the series so for example in series two we’re definitely going to bring back Lancelot and we’ll continue the story of Excalibur erm and the story of Mordred and also introduce the idea of the beginning of the romance between Arthur and Guinevere. So I think that the Arthurian legend always helps us a sort of erm springboard into story ideas but then also we kinda the important thing about Merlin for us is that each episode is like a mini adventure, y’know action adventure movie so we always make sure that the story of the book is completely self contained and will either contain y’know a glorious villain or a monster-of-the-week so we do a lot of going into strange internet sites and erm create strange monsters and then spin stories around from there so we take our inspiration from lots of places and I guess the tough thing about this show is the production turnaround like the production cycle is very very tight so when we finished series one erm I delivered episode thirteen to the BBC and I was literally on the back of a motorbike with the cassette on the Wednesday of the Saturday’s transmission cause we had a lot of complicated CGI and so y’know whilst we were delivering season one we were also story-lining series two so it takes a long time to get these scripts ready it takes about sort of a month to get the storyline right then about a month to two months to write each script so you need quite a lot of lead time so it gets really quite hairy especially at the moment we’ve just started shooting season two and we’ve shot the first three episodes and we’re beginning to shoot the next three but erm we need to produce books of three scripts every sort of month and a half it can get quite stressful as you can tell from my face I haven’t slept for fourteen months/
PB: {giggling} its OK Johnny I think you can stop now!
JC: /erm but its an exciting process I think the adrenaline of knowing that y’know we transmit episode one in September and we’re still shooting at the moment is quite exciting but it’s also quite stressful.
Qf: yeh I was just wondering if you could describe your fellow cast members in one word what would it be
{cast look around}
JC: Bradley why don’t you start that one off.
BJ: erm…Katie I’d I’d say generous there’s a lot of generosity with Katie, erm Angle [sic] I'd say for Angle [sic]…bubbly she’s very bubbly and Colin…a word to describe Colin/
CM: there’s so many {chuckles}/
KM: see Colin’s the dark horse he may look very sweet and innocent but y’know there’s something else under there/
AC: yeh
BJ: ‘disturbed’ I would use the word ‘disturbed’
KM: I wouldn’t go that far, but/
BJ: I would {Bradley nodding} I would
{Johnny repeats the answer to Colin}
CM: {laughing} disturbed, nice {Colin nods laughing}
KM: you may have guessed that Bradley’s obviously the joker…big shock there!
BJ: can someone else answer that question otherwise its just me
AC: erm I’d say oh I don't know I'd say…Colin’d be lovely/
CM: awwww {audience sigh}
AC: Katie…Katie’s sweet, and Bradley is…erm, witty. There you go.
CM: I’m really bad at this so erm…I’d say…everyone’s great {Colin shrugs}/
KM: /that’s boring/
CM: /sorry!
Host: ok we’ve got another question here
Qf: Hi guys erm I was just wondering this question for the cast erm what do you think of fans and what’s the weirdest thing you’ve been asked by one?
Host: ...other than Cherie.
CM: erm well it’s a new experience sortof for us, because I think-I think last year Bradley and me were definately a bit erm sort of taken aback when you see the effect that a show can have and, and its-its-its amazin’ to see the effect that it does have 'n and it’s great to see such a good fan-base erm being built up and then... I think its brilliant and events like this erm give us the chance as well to talk to people and see the type of y'know audience we’re getting and yeh its good fun.
{panel look at each other, Angel looks at Colin}
AC: have you had any fans ask you some weird things?
CM: Weird things? erm/
AC: or send you weird things...or anything?
CM: /erm…er…Last year somebody give me a squash, were they here, who...it was the things (like that?) did you get one as well Bradley?
KM: Bradley got a pumpkin
BJ: you got a courgette and I got a squash or something, something like that/
KM: {looks at Angel} you see there you go Angel we got nothing/
BJ: it’s not really asking us a question it was somebody gave us vegetables which erm was weird in itself but er there's some weird questions but having fans is very nice its bit of an honour to kind of sit here and have you guys kindof looking at us as if we’re going to come out with something quite profound I - do y’know if you’re looking for something profound turn off while I’m talking ‘cause it’s probably not gonna happen it'll save you time but erm its er that wasn’t a sympathy thing but er/
KM: No it was/
BJ: it’s a pleasure to kindof be working on a show that generates enthusiasm so…Yeah.
KM: we could never have imagined that it would be as popular as it is…because when we make it its pretty much a bubble and we’re all together we spend eight months we don’t really _do_ anything else and to see so many people who…who love it, we can’t…wrapping your head round that is difficult and…wonderful at the same time its amazing to be sitting in a room with so many people who love what we do and…thank you I guess. That was really sad! Sorry!
{Bradley gives a thumbs up}
Host: ok we have a question from this young lady here.
Qf: Do you enjoy dressing up and with all the whole renaissance theme with costumes?
AC: Yes {giggles} no it’s brilliant its great fun like y’know as as actors sort of it’s what we enjoy doing is sort of playing really that’s sort of essentially is what you’re doing as an actor and this job in particular is brilliant because we’ve got amazing costume designers erm you know we get the opportunity to come into work and dress up and play with swords and go horse riding and y’know it’s really really is a dream job.
KM: and if you thought the costumes couldn't get any better from last year Charlotte Morris who designs has outdone herself for season two and you will not be disappointed really really tour-de-force she's amazing.
Host: and we have a question from this young lady at the front?
Qf: ooh young lady? Thank you! erm I’ve got - well we, some of us here are going to see Bradley tomorrow in the football match {Bradley pouts} don’t worry you only have to show your shorts its fine erm I wondered whether any of the fellow cast members were going to see you too?
JC: well erm I was going to come but I’ve got to get some scripts ready for shooting on Monday.
KM: I didn’t know.
AC: that's a no/
BJ: /I didn’t say anything to them erm/
CM: {shakes head} No/
Host: /whoops!/
{Colin laughs and shrugs}
BJ: /erm, so thanks-for-that!
AC: He didn't tell us we didn't know he was doing it/
JC: /I thought Colin you would be there with a bucket of water and a sponge? {laughter}/
CM: {questioning} Wha?
JC: Aren’t you going to be there with a bucket of water and a sponge?
{Colin laughing and rocking back and forth}
CM: {abruptly} errr-no.
BJ: I was playing football once and er it was just after we’d finished season one and this guy this defender _crunched_ me just y’know just tackled me quite ferociously and er it took me a while to get off the ground and as I did he went {voice} “Where’s Merlin now?” {audience laughter} and I thought this is…this is where it begins this is where my life ends/
CM: then I just poked out from behind a corner {hand gesture with voice}“forbearnar!”
BJ: He then was y’know obliterated into A ash heap/
CM: /he died/
BJ: /cheers, Merlin. {laughter}.
Host: we have a question from somebody here
Qf: ah yes this question is for the cast what was your favourite episode to shoot?
KM: mine was episode eight y'know I mean with Asa Butterfield, literally getting acted off the screen by an eleven year old but it was fun it was physical running I got to do so much different stuff so for me…and it was great story for my character personally I would go for episode eight, the Mordred episode in case you didn’t know.
AC: I genuinely enjoyed shooting all of them but I really enjoyed episode ten cause we got weapons - the girls got weapons finally so that was great fun - more of that please Johnny!
JC: I’ve got to think about it
(JC?): Bradley?
{Bradley looks at Colin} [ed: then Colin continues]
CM: erm, I - I quite enjoyed erm…I think…episode, eh, the first-its its hard-I find it hard to separate the episodes because we film them like three at a time so its kinda eh but I guess episode…erm...eleven where like Bradley ’n me got to have a bit of banter and er have fun in the forest with the unicorn {Colin shrugs and audience squeals}
BJ: I really enjoyed filming four and five but erm I think especially episode eleven which was the maze business erm just because the journey kindof the characters went on, working with Stuart Orme who directed it and four and five working with Ed Fraiman they’ve been my favourite directors so erm when you get a good director it makes the experience so much better than if you’re working with someone you don’t really like so its erm we've very lucky so those are my favourite episodes.
Host: ok question from the young man here
Qm: erm hello erm do you like anime and which one is your favourite - if you have one.
BJ: {quietly to Katie} Anime…
KM: {quietly to Bradley} Anime…
CM: erm yeh I do quite like it erm I haven’t seen a lot though I’ve seen erm I quite like ‘Howls Moving Castle’ that’s alright {audience squeals} its really good and I know everyone likes ‘Spirited Away’ but it was good as well
{Colin quietly to Bradley} Brad?
BJ: what Colin said {audience laughs}
Host: ok a question from this young lady
Qf: ok its for Colin and Bradley last year we came ok we gave you a piece of cardboard that said we love you erm so you’d take a picture of us erm I don’t know if you remember but do you still have the cardboard?
BJ: Yes…
CM: we split it in two and kept one each.
Host: right ok the next question hopefully nothing to do with cardboard right ok just pop along down here
Qf: erm I have two questions one of which is really quick and really really nerdy and it’s for Katie erm there’s a little thirty second clip in the first DVD extras erm you’re filming the first feast scene in the first episode and you’re hanging around between takes with Bradley and you’re holding a toy tiger an enquiring mind would like to know why that is because there’s been some discussion on the internet.
KM: I would like to point out it’s not me being weird with a teddy bear it’s a hot water bottle! {laughs} named Hugo though he does have a name but those costumes you can’t wear a lot under them or over them so it gets quite cold so the costume department very nicely gave me my own stuffed hot water teddy bear named Hugo, so…there you go.
Qf: erm thank you. The other one was more sort of a general question about Gwen and Morgana’s relationship and whether you can give us any clues as to where that’s going to go because one of the things I really like about the show is the fact that we’ve got two female leads who actually relate to each other outside of being affected by the men because you don’t get that on these shows very much they never get y’know like on Robin Hood Djaq and Marion never talk to each other they have two series and two conversations and that was it erm am I think a lot of people like the fact that we’ve got Gwen and Morgana with this really nice uncomplicated friendship but obviously we know the characters are going to go in completely different directions erm I was wondering like what is actually to going to happen to that friendship whether there's any way it can be preserved because it’s really nice?
AC: the thing is we don’t yet know yet what’s going to happen with them obviously they are close and I imagine they'll probably grow closer and then...who knows who knows - we don’t know yet, Johnny?
JC: I think that the main thing for us and interesting that you picked up on that point is that the friendship between erm Morgana and Gwen becomes they become a lot closer in series two and there are certain things that happens to Morgana’s character where she needs her friend and someone to talk to and both Merlin and Gwen become her confidantes in a way so it is important for us that we keep that friendship going but like all friendships in series two it has moments of where that friendship is absolutely tested and both of those characters begin their, we see a lot more of their of what might happen to them potentially what might happen to them in this series and those events do erm try and test their friendship but it's always to us an important part of the show the relationship the two girls have with each other.
Host: question from this young lady here
Qf: Hi erm Anthony Head is very famous for having pink duh y’know Nintendo DS I was just wondering obviously we've got Hugo the tiger now I was just wondering if anybody else has any quirky I don’t know toys I suppose that they carry around on set with them?
CM: well er Bradley and me both now have a, have a DS and we’ve figured out how to link them up like over wireless so we had…we had Mario Karts going in France like he would stand at one end of the thrown room and I’d be at the other and we’d be racing against each other and er, I’d, I’d always win {chuckles}
BJ: my ipod tends to go with me everywhere erm that’s not really quirky though is it...so I’m going to pretend I didn’t answer that question.
KM: Bradley does take the camcorder with him wherever he goes though so that might count {Bradley pats the camcorder}
Host: we have a question here from this young lady
Qf: do any of you have any hidden talents?
{cast look around at each other}
AC: they won’t be hidden if we tell you about them
BJ: Acting. Erm not really shown that one off yet so erm at some stage might see a bit of that, from me
AC: I’m learning to play the guitar but…I’m only learning so I wouldn’t, y’know-I have got a talent for it so yeh - play the guitar {nods}/
KM: /no no don’t let her sell you short she is very very talented with music, so there.
JC: Bradley?
BJ: I’ve already said what I’ve (___?)
{Angel looks at Colin}
AC: you have!
CM: mine are hidden {laughs}
Host: they remain hidden
JC: so I think basically the answer to that is No
Host: ok lets go with this lady here.
Qf: Hello good afternoon, erm I just wondered to the actors has there been any times when you’ve been looking at the script and looked through any scenes or anything and you’ve suddenly thought I can’t do that! Or that doesn’t really look good for my character and how do you get through these instances to make everybody come out of it intact?
JC: they’re obviously not going to be honest because I’m sitting here!
PB: yeh I’m interested to hear the answer to that question as well!
KM: do you guys want us to get fired/
BJ: /you see you’ve asked us whilst the producer and the script editor are sat next to us which we then turn round going Oh My God you’ll not believe we’re, we’re just y’know setting ourselves up for a world of trouble but luckily there’s never been any instance like that erm/
AC: that never ever happens though
KM: there was a bit in episode thirteen that I found difficult, not because I didn’t want to do it but I didn’t know how I was going to do it myself as an actor and that was where I had to run out down the steps in hysterics trying to convince Arthur not to go, and when I read it, for me ended up it was going to be a challenge in order to make that believable and make it not too much, but…I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that didn’t agree with my character or I didn’t think…the only think I can say is that there are thing that wouldn’t be able to do justice to erm but hopefully we all do ok so…
AC: we are always able to have y'know dialogue with the producers and if we do have any sort of issues erm and then they tell us that we just have to live with it {laughs} so…
JC: I think that from my point of view erm Julian and I when we produce shows we always want to have erm quite an open relationship with the actors so that if they do have problems with the scripts or don’t quite understand what we’ve done with their character then we can have an open discussion with them and its important that we have an - with all the crew -that we have a good atmosphere on set where people can feel relaxed and if they do have a problem with a line or with where they’re characters roles going we can talk about it I mean obviously when they do have a problem I tell them that they’re wrong and I’m right but at least they feel they can actually y’know talk about their worries.
Host: ok we now have a question from a lady here
Q: Hello quick question girls look beautiful in your dresses but I know the internet went absolutely potty when Bradley took off his shirt and Colin in the first episode and I'm wondering if there's any more of that in series two?
JC: erm well I can answer that question actually the very first scene erm in Merlin episode one you will be very happy when you see Bradley.
{Bradley looks surprised and shrugs}
JC: He's completely covered up.
{some audience awwww}
BJ: I think it’s a stunt double I don't remember filming that scene but y'know
KM: they just added it in right now
BJ: (right?)
Host: ok a question from the lady at the back.
Qf: Have you ever read or heard of a book called The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley?
KM: Yeh I’ve read it...
Qf: and what do you think?
KM: I thought it was wonderful. Its so nice and I know Colin will agree with me that there are so many different takes on the Arthurian legend, I mean you can read hundreds and hundreds of books and I know Colin has, he’s, he’s quite good at it…and that’s what’s really nice about the show is there - it being a legend there are so many different ways it can go and even we don’t know and you won’t know and its all surprise and its something new every time.
{Public Address announcement ‘Can the sky film crew that’s the sky film crew please go to the west entrance…’}
{Colin grinning gets up to leave the platform}
Host: moving on
Qm: erm you work with CGI so is that like, -this for all the actors- does it like feel weird when you’re working with like CGI and stuff?
CM: yeh definitely a bit I think erm, well especially, especially last year for example whenever I - I do all the scenes with the dragon erm which is just basically to a, to a blank screen really erm but this year it's easier because you know what it looks like but yeh when you’re dealing with things that you’ve got no idea what they could possibly look like its, it is a bit difficult especially I suppose Bradley having to fight them…{Colin looks across at Bradley}
BJ: Hi! er yes, fighting, CGI…monsters…erm…stalling a bit here…is not weird once you do it quite a few times because you kindof turn up to work and you realise you’re going to be fighting a large blue bag which erm I’ve done on a number of occasions now and er that bag is taking one hell of a beating so erm it’s a case of having a vivid imagination which erm I have and erm Colin certainly has err and you know you just kindof…run with it basically. It’s good fun.
JC: and I think the key thing that we try to provide for the actors when they’re doing lots of CGI sequences when they’re fighting monsters is that we give them something to react to rather than just sort of fighting in thin air so Bradley does find himself having to fight large sort of blue bean bags or green bean bags held by stuntmen but at least that gives Bradley or Colin or whoever’s doing the sequences something to react to so it makes their performance more convincing.
Host: question from a gentleman here.
Qm: Hi everybody this is a question for Johnny you mentioned earlier that there’s going to be some merchandising for various bits of the franchise will that include any of the soundtrack for the music cause I thought that was one of the things that made the show more interesting to watch.
JC: erm yeh I mean Rob Lane who is the composer for Merlin I agree he did a fantastic job and it was, it was very interesting in the sound mixes of the show to erm to watch the music with kinda - to watch the show with a temp soundtrack and then once you put erm Robs music on to it it lifted the show again so there’s this interesting erm process that we went through in post-production. We-the erm there is one CD available of some of the Merlin music but the plan is obviously to erm to release more CDs of all the music that Rob composed definitely.
Host: k we have a question from a lady here
Qf: is Colin aware that sometimes particularly when he’s shouting that he lapses into his real accent?
{Colin laughs then abruptly}
CM: -Yes- {Colin laughs}
Host: ok we have time for two more questions and er I wonder who this one might be? Stand up my dear. Now backstage I asked/ -and your friend as well come here…stand up-/ I asked you to see if you could spot the people with stuff written on their body parts it might be a bit more apparent now. What’s your question my dear? [ed: host may be referring his question to the panel as he “asked backstage”?]
Qf: erm in the, erm I forgot! In the ‘Extras’ CD when you’re all on the rollercoaster Angel keeps saying “Je m’eclate” and its just bugged me for ages cause I don’t know what it means.
AC: I think it means something like I’m having a ball or I’m having a good time [ed: Je m'eclate means I'm having a good time]
CM: yeh yeh/
AC: /but I was lying - no I’m joking
Host: right ok question from this young lady whose hand looks like its about to drop off
Qf: hello erm I’ve come kind of a long way for this, erm I just wanted to know if you guys are ever really surprised by how far reaching the series is or kinda how many people relate to it?
KM: all the time…absolutely you can never imagine that something that you do in a studio in Cardiff is gonna reach so many people its exceeded I think everyone’s hopes and everyone’s expectations and every day it gets better and better, so/
JC: I mean when we created the original concept for the show our sort of dream and ambition behind it was that we could create a show with universal appeal and that would sell around the world and so the fact that it has for both Julian and myself is hugely exciting because when you make a programme you want everyone to watch it and enjoy it and the fact that it is doing that now is hugely satisfying and incredibly exciting for us. Where have you come from?
Host: Where have you come from?
Qf: Texas.
JC: Oh right because Merlin transmits on NBC on the 21st of June 8pm - tell your friends.
KM: Watch it
AC: thanks for coming
JC: yeh and thank you for coming.
Host: and we have time for one final question from this young lady.
Qf: erm we all know Merlin has magical powers but if you could have one magical power what would it be?
{all the panel look at Colin he’s bouncing up and down and he nods to Angel}
AC: I’d like to be able to fly
KM: I’d like to be Rogue from X-men
CM: (who? Rogue?)
KM: Rogue from X-men {Katie throws her hands up} wha?!
{Colin nods}
CM: actually I’d quite like to be Gambit from X-men
BJ: erm. heal…erm heal {laughter} {Bradley shrugs} I say it quite genuinely I know someone who’s unwell at the moment and it’d be nice to kindof y’know sort them out {Bradley postures healing hands}
JC: I’d like to have a special power where I can create scripts very quickly {Colin laughs} so I can get some sleep.
Host: bless you ok we’re gonna…I’ll be generous one more, this one dressed as Merlin.
Qf: can I -no, can I ask...Colin this is something I’ve wanted to ask for ages can you wiggle your ears and will you say ‘Hi’ to Jemma who’s [ed: who has] come all the way from Guernsey and she’s terrified of flying/ and she hasn’t made it, she couldn’t get on her flight/
CM: oh no!/
Qf: just to see you she’s terrified of flying
JC: whats her name again?
CM: she’s on the phone now? Jemma? Jemma sorry you couldn’t come but errr {Colin fist salute} its good that you’re here in spirit and errr…We Love You!
{laughter and applause}
Host: oh apparently she wants to know if you can wiggle your ears?
{Colin handles his ears and shrugs “no”}
Host: ladies and gentlemen please join me in a massive round of applause I’m sure you wanna Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Johnny Capps, Polly Buckle, Katie McGrath, and Bradley James! The cast and creators of Merlin!
{audience applause as cast leave the stage}
Host: come on you can make it louder than that!
Host: poor Cherie she’s about to have an aneurism.
[ed: event recording ends]
-FIN-
Version 2.1 Tue 9th June 09 at 0940GMT
Notes
All of this work is for sharing and comments are welcome especially if you know a word or phrase that's missing or inaccurate.
Versions 2.0+ include changes made based upon the geeksyndicate complete audio recording. This transcript may be revised as new resources become available. I’ve captured nearly all the words accurately and added body language where it clarifies a response. I’ve tried to capture the feeling of the banter between the cast and some of the atmosphere in the hall. Inevitably a tiny amount of content is lost to mumbles so words that are suggested or indistinct or native!Colin are presented in brackets with a question mark (like this?) or (__?)
Effects are presented for example {pouts} {giggles} {snort} {whisper} {Irish jig}
An accent or acting voice is preceded by {voice} or {accent}
An interruption or simultaneous speaking is shown as/interrupted/like/this
Clarification or notes of context are shown [ed: like this]
The panel consisted of (from left to right) Colin Morgan (CM), Angel Coulby (AC), Johnny Capps (JC), Polly Buckle (PB), Katie McGrath (KM), Bradley James (BJ). Colin and Bradley were at opposite far ends of the panel.
Questions voiced by females (Qf) or males (Qm) or unknown (Q)
References and further reading
“Forbearnar” is a word of the olde English as used to conjure fire in Merlin 1x09 ‘Excalibur’
The Mists of Avalon
Gambit
Rogue
Asa Butterfield
Look out for
Angel’s revenge!
Thanks to
syrosis for several comments and corrections.
artzam and demondoyle for correcting the French phrases.
captainnever decieving_eyes feilongfan jemzy14 tya_rc for corrections.
Host: Just put down this goodie lets bring all my guests up on stage. Ok guys before we bring them out I want to make a deal with you…when they come out this is like deal or no deal basically when they come out you are going to cheer so loud ok that this place is going to be well you know the lights will shake alright? You should/ I think Cherie can manage it on her own to be quite honest but anyway lets give a big/ before we start though I think we need to have a look on the screen…
{nothing happens on the big screen}
Host: …I think we need to have a look on the screen…
{several excerpts from Merlin appear on the big screen}
Host: Ladies and Gentlemen lets here it big for the cast of Merlin starting with, Bradley James! Bradley James and a camcorder! Following Bradley; Katie McGrath! One of the ladies who’s been putting the story (through its paces?) story editor Polly Buckle! one of the producers and creators of Merlin you deserve to give this man a huge round of applause Johnny Capps! and following Johnny Capps we have a lady…Angel Coulby! and last but by no means least I don’t know if you’ll recognise this young man give it up for Merlin himself Colin Morgan {audience screams}.
Host: and cue fainting {laughter}
JC: Hello London can you hear me? {audience screams} well now I have to say its erm hugely exciting to be here erm the last time we did this panel we were just transmitting series one and we weren’t quite sure how the show was going to go down and here we are sort of eight months later erm series one went out and we averaged erm about eight million viewers which for Julian and myself was ah hugely exciting that our show got the right y’know got a big audience and I think as a programme maker you always have a fear that you’re shows going to flop and nobody’s going to watch it and it was fantastic that we got such a great response. We’ve sold all around the world which again is really really exciting there’s only a few countries that actually haven’t bought Merlin and we’re about to transmit throughout the world which again is very exciting and I think I’m about to have an epileptic fit if you keep on taking those photographs/
Host: that’s right please remember first five minutes only for flash photography/
JC: erm so I think the best thing now is to throw it open and listen to your questions and try and answer them in an interesting and humourous ways,
Host: ok Bradley, Colin, Angel, Polly, everybody…beware! erm right we’re going to start by knowing (___?) with a woman who's been screaming her head off…hello Cherie what would you like to ask?
Qf: {embarrassed} why are you doing this to me? [ed: Cherie asks the host]
Host: she’s gone all shy honestly she’s been screaming every time I’ve mentioned Bradley and Colin’s name all morning/
Qf: no I haven’t
Host: so what would you like to ask then?
Qf: I don’t know!
Host: and meanwhile well lets go back to your girlfriend go for it Angela
Qf: [ed: Angela] erm hi this is for erm well it’s a two part question actually in season one when we saw the video diaries for Bradley and Colin we found that they were actually quite good and they liked to pull pranks on people? Erm so firstly Angel did you get them back for the ‘je suis loser’ prank and Bradley and Colin has your French improved any since you’ve been filming?
JC: well I can answer that one/
BJ: Ouais [ed: French pronounced ‘way’ meaning ‘yeh’ or ‘yup’ ]
{Angel giggles}
AC: erm I haven’t got them back yet but I’m plotting, so erm yeh they’d better {voice} Watch Out!
JC: and is their French better? er No.
CM: Non.
Host: ok Cherie you have a question.
Qf: right last time I was here I asked if Arthur was observant or unobservant so does he get any less unobservant - no wait! {giggles} -shut-up- {Bradley stares Colin} does he get - is he still dim in season two or does he get better?
Host: Charming! Aren’t you? Well done/
JC: /Well that’s an interesting question actually because I think actors bring a large part of themselves to their character! {Johnny laughs and looks at Bradley}
BJ: (its true?)…erm/
JC: yes it was your question does Arthur begin to realise about Merlin’s abilities?
{Bradley goes quiet rubs his eyes in mock huff}
Host: do you really...I think, I think you owe Bradley an apology for that don’t you.
Qf: I'm really sorry I'm really sorry
Host: Would you like Bradley - look at it look what you’ve done to him! {Bradley puts sunglasses on and sits back arms folded} Oh dear before you dig yourself a even bigger grave my love, erm do you want to go up there and apologise to him? Come on go up and apologise to him/
??: give him a kiss
Host: Say ‘I apologise’ {Cherie gets onto the rostrum and hugs Bradley and gets a kiss}…
BJ: It's alright it's alright {Bradley and Cherie hug and kiss on cheek}
Host: that was the real method behind your madness I get the picture right ok next question from this young lady at the front here.
Qf: boring question sorry erm how are you going to franchise Merlin in the future? do we get cool like sticker things/
JC: /sorry say again/
Qf: how are you going to franchise Merlin?
JC: ah right well erm we’re…Random House are bringing out some books in September so there’ll be a novelisation of the first series and erm we hopefully eventually have cartoon er cartoon novelisation and they’ll also be dolls we hope and so all of those kinds of things.
{Colin laughs at a comment from the audience}
Host: you just made someone else’s day!
JC: so I mean the hope is that we’re going to branch out into as much of those...dolls etc yeh we’re doing deals at the moment.
Host: ok we have a question from a young lady here.
Qf: erm sorry a slightly boring question but like now that you guys are quite a lot more like famous what kind of things would you like to go on to do when Merlins finished that you couldn't maybe have the chance to do before?
{cast look around}
JC: sorry who was that question for?
Host: it was for anybody what would you like to do now that Merlins gone and y'know uplifted your careers a bit more, is there anything you’d like to do?
BJ: anything where I don’t have to wear chainmail {audience laughs} would be good
KM: something where I get to wear a pair of jeans?
AC: erm... I’d like to erm maybe work in America and do some movies (that'd) be nice.
CM: I think it's kindof hard as well sometimes to look ahead and so erm y’know cause we do take these eight months to sort of to do it and I kinda, you get so absorbed in it its hard to kinda escape from it and look ahead/
BJ: its difficult/
CM: /but erm but yeh getting the chance to do anything kinda-to work! as an actor is good in itself.
Host: ok we’ve got a young lady here who’s dressed rather familiarly/
Qf: How do...How...How do you feel when people dress up as you? {laughter} and do you like our costumes?/
AC: /Your costumes are brilliant!/
Qf: /This is real chain-mail and I got my fringe cut specially!
{cast laughing}
AC: Amazing
JC: well I mean its its for me as a programme maker its usually complimentary when people enjoy your show and dress up like the characters I think its fantastic - Colin how do you feel? {Colin looks open-mouthed at Johnny and then back at the fans}
CM: {gives a big thumbs up} great job I think its brilliant I mean that’s some good scarf tying there I mean I've done it thats good {points at cosplayer} you’ve got a scarf as well! nice!
Host: they've got like three Merlins and a teddy.
Host: right we've got a question from this young lady here
Qf: is there any chance that we’re going to see Lancelot back?
{Colin nods}
AC: yes
JC: erm yeh I can erm give you an exclusive today that erm Santiago that plays Lancelot is coming back for the second series.
Host: k we've got a question from a young lady here.
Qf: erm this is a question for all the actors how do you get into your roles?
AC: hmmmm
{Johnny looks at Colin}
JC: Colin do you want to start that one?
CM: err well I think err coming back on the second series it felt a bit easier getting back into it because we'd spent the whole first series living-living it and erm and again it felt very much like coming home again and-and-and-and whenever we’ve starting up the second series but I think I think erm just informing yourself on Arthurian legends and things like and that just getting into it but I think we know it so well now that it’s erm it’s definitely felt easier yeh.
AC: er yeh no I'd say the same sort of thing really it's cause we're very used to these characters now so its sort of it's easier this time round and erm the scripts are so great that it's sort of y'know sort of read your scripts learn your lines and yeh enjoy it basically.
KM: for me I find that all the costumes and the hair and make-up really helps me cause its so far from what I do in real life as soon as I put it on and I spend the two hours that it takes to make me look like it I really feel like a different person that I feel like the character that I’m playing so for me that really helps that transformation.
BJ: I err…that’s quite loud…I erm tend to start off by bullying Colin, erm…in character of course err and just... act generally pompous and y’know authoritative.
{Johnny whispers to Angel and she nods}
AC: and you do a vocal warm-up though Bradley don’t you?
{Colin leans out to watch whilst Katie whispers to Bradley}
CM: (who, Bradley?)
JC: your vocal warmup/
AC: don’t you do vocal warm up
BJ: no comment
Host: you do a vocal warm up apparently?
BJ: {voice} Yes…
Host: Nice
AC: and you Colin I heard you
Host: oh apparently they both do vocal warm-up are we actually going to hear/ Do we want to hear the vocal warm-up? {Bradley shakes head and audience squeals, Colin puts tongue in cheek} I think Angel’s revenge is coming quite nicely now {laughter}. Look at them both gone like mice in headlights then. I think we’ll leave that for this/ we’ve got a little guy down the front here
Qm: Erm how did you come up with the idea to make Merlin?
JC: erm sorry was that how do we come up with the story ideas?
AC: the idea to make Merlin
Host: yeh
PB: in the first place
JC: was it the idea in the first place or story ideas?
JC: well erm how we get the story ideas is basically before each series starts myself and Polly and Julian and the other producers we sit with a number of writers, we develop a number of ideas one of the springboards for that is to look at Arthurian legends and see whereabouts if there are any moments in the legends would be interesting springboards for the series so for example in series two we’re definitely going to bring back Lancelot and we’ll continue the story of Excalibur erm and the story of Mordred and also introduce the idea of the beginning of the romance between Arthur and Guinevere. So I think that the Arthurian legend always helps us a sort of erm springboard into story ideas but then also we kinda the important thing about Merlin for us is that each episode is like a mini adventure, y’know action adventure movie so we always make sure that the story of the book is completely self contained and will either contain y’know a glorious villain or a monster-of-the-week so we do a lot of going into strange internet sites and erm create strange monsters and then spin stories around from there so we take our inspiration from lots of places and I guess the tough thing about this show is the production turnaround like the production cycle is very very tight so when we finished series one erm I delivered episode thirteen to the BBC and I was literally on the back of a motorbike with the cassette on the Wednesday of the Saturday’s transmission cause we had a lot of complicated CGI and so y’know whilst we were delivering season one we were also story-lining series two so it takes a long time to get these scripts ready it takes about sort of a month to get the storyline right then about a month to two months to write each script so you need quite a lot of lead time so it gets really quite hairy especially at the moment we’ve just started shooting season two and we’ve shot the first three episodes and we’re beginning to shoot the next three but erm we need to produce books of three scripts every sort of month and a half it can get quite stressful as you can tell from my face I haven’t slept for fourteen months/
PB: {giggling} its OK Johnny I think you can stop now!
JC: /erm but its an exciting process I think the adrenaline of knowing that y’know we transmit episode one in September and we’re still shooting at the moment is quite exciting but it’s also quite stressful.
Qf: yeh I was just wondering if you could describe your fellow cast members in one word what would it be
{cast look around}
JC: Bradley why don’t you start that one off.
BJ: erm…Katie I’d I’d say generous there’s a lot of generosity with Katie, erm Angle [sic] I'd say for Angle [sic]…bubbly she’s very bubbly and Colin…a word to describe Colin/
CM: there’s so many {chuckles}/
KM: see Colin’s the dark horse he may look very sweet and innocent but y’know there’s something else under there/
AC: yeh
BJ: ‘disturbed’ I would use the word ‘disturbed’
KM: I wouldn’t go that far, but/
BJ: I would {Bradley nodding} I would
{Johnny repeats the answer to Colin}
CM: {laughing} disturbed, nice {Colin nods laughing}
KM: you may have guessed that Bradley’s obviously the joker…big shock there!
BJ: can someone else answer that question otherwise its just me
AC: erm I’d say oh I don't know I'd say…Colin’d be lovely/
CM: awwww {audience sigh}
AC: Katie…Katie’s sweet, and Bradley is…erm, witty. There you go.
CM: I’m really bad at this so erm…I’d say…everyone’s great {Colin shrugs}/
KM: /that’s boring/
CM: /sorry!
Host: ok we’ve got another question here
Qf: Hi guys erm I was just wondering this question for the cast erm what do you think of fans and what’s the weirdest thing you’ve been asked by one?
Host: ...other than Cherie.
CM: erm well it’s a new experience sortof for us, because I think-I think last year Bradley and me were definately a bit erm sort of taken aback when you see the effect that a show can have and, and its-its-its amazin’ to see the effect that it does have 'n and it’s great to see such a good fan-base erm being built up and then... I think its brilliant and events like this erm give us the chance as well to talk to people and see the type of y'know audience we’re getting and yeh its good fun.
{panel look at each other, Angel looks at Colin}
AC: have you had any fans ask you some weird things?
CM: Weird things? erm/
AC: or send you weird things...or anything?
CM: /erm…er…Last year somebody give me a squash, were they here, who...it was the things (like that?) did you get one as well Bradley?
KM: Bradley got a pumpkin
BJ: you got a courgette and I got a squash or something, something like that/
KM: {looks at Angel} you see there you go Angel we got nothing/
BJ: it’s not really asking us a question it was somebody gave us vegetables which erm was weird in itself but er there's some weird questions but having fans is very nice its bit of an honour to kind of sit here and have you guys kindof looking at us as if we’re going to come out with something quite profound I - do y’know if you’re looking for something profound turn off while I’m talking ‘cause it’s probably not gonna happen it'll save you time but erm its er that wasn’t a sympathy thing but er/
KM: No it was/
BJ: it’s a pleasure to kindof be working on a show that generates enthusiasm so…Yeah.
KM: we could never have imagined that it would be as popular as it is…because when we make it its pretty much a bubble and we’re all together we spend eight months we don’t really _do_ anything else and to see so many people who…who love it, we can’t…wrapping your head round that is difficult and…wonderful at the same time its amazing to be sitting in a room with so many people who love what we do and…thank you I guess. That was really sad! Sorry!
{Bradley gives a thumbs up}
Host: ok we have a question from this young lady here.
Qf: Do you enjoy dressing up and with all the whole renaissance theme with costumes?
AC: Yes {giggles} no it’s brilliant its great fun like y’know as as actors sort of it’s what we enjoy doing is sort of playing really that’s sort of essentially is what you’re doing as an actor and this job in particular is brilliant because we’ve got amazing costume designers erm you know we get the opportunity to come into work and dress up and play with swords and go horse riding and y’know it’s really really is a dream job.
KM: and if you thought the costumes couldn't get any better from last year Charlotte Morris who designs has outdone herself for season two and you will not be disappointed really really tour-de-force she's amazing.
Host: and we have a question from this young lady at the front?
Qf: ooh young lady? Thank you! erm I’ve got - well we, some of us here are going to see Bradley tomorrow in the football match {Bradley pouts} don’t worry you only have to show your shorts its fine erm I wondered whether any of the fellow cast members were going to see you too?
JC: well erm I was going to come but I’ve got to get some scripts ready for shooting on Monday.
KM: I didn’t know.
AC: that's a no/
BJ: /I didn’t say anything to them erm/
CM: {shakes head} No/
Host: /whoops!/
{Colin laughs and shrugs}
BJ: /erm, so thanks-for-that!
AC: He didn't tell us we didn't know he was doing it/
JC: /I thought Colin you would be there with a bucket of water and a sponge? {laughter}/
CM: {questioning} Wha?
JC: Aren’t you going to be there with a bucket of water and a sponge?
{Colin laughing and rocking back and forth}
CM: {abruptly} errr-no.
BJ: I was playing football once and er it was just after we’d finished season one and this guy this defender _crunched_ me just y’know just tackled me quite ferociously and er it took me a while to get off the ground and as I did he went {voice} “Where’s Merlin now?” {audience laughter} and I thought this is…this is where it begins this is where my life ends/
CM: then I just poked out from behind a corner {hand gesture with voice}“forbearnar!”
BJ: He then was y’know obliterated into A ash heap/
CM: /he died/
BJ: /cheers, Merlin. {laughter}.
Host: we have a question from somebody here
Qf: ah yes this question is for the cast what was your favourite episode to shoot?
KM: mine was episode eight y'know I mean with Asa Butterfield, literally getting acted off the screen by an eleven year old but it was fun it was physical running I got to do so much different stuff so for me…and it was great story for my character personally I would go for episode eight, the Mordred episode in case you didn’t know.
AC: I genuinely enjoyed shooting all of them but I really enjoyed episode ten cause we got weapons - the girls got weapons finally so that was great fun - more of that please Johnny!
JC: I’ve got to think about it
(JC?): Bradley?
{Bradley looks at Colin} [ed: then Colin continues]
CM: erm, I - I quite enjoyed erm…I think…episode, eh, the first-its its hard-I find it hard to separate the episodes because we film them like three at a time so its kinda eh but I guess episode…erm...eleven where like Bradley ’n me got to have a bit of banter and er have fun in the forest with the unicorn {Colin shrugs and audience squeals}
BJ: I really enjoyed filming four and five but erm I think especially episode eleven which was the maze business erm just because the journey kindof the characters went on, working with Stuart Orme who directed it and four and five working with Ed Fraiman they’ve been my favourite directors so erm when you get a good director it makes the experience so much better than if you’re working with someone you don’t really like so its erm we've very lucky so those are my favourite episodes.
Host: ok question from the young man here
Qm: erm hello erm do you like anime and which one is your favourite - if you have one.
BJ: {quietly to Katie} Anime…
KM: {quietly to Bradley} Anime…
CM: erm yeh I do quite like it erm I haven’t seen a lot though I’ve seen erm I quite like ‘Howls Moving Castle’ that’s alright {audience squeals} its really good and I know everyone likes ‘Spirited Away’ but it was good as well
{Colin quietly to Bradley} Brad?
BJ: what Colin said {audience laughs}
Host: ok a question from this young lady
Qf: ok its for Colin and Bradley last year we came ok we gave you a piece of cardboard that said we love you erm so you’d take a picture of us erm I don’t know if you remember but do you still have the cardboard?
BJ: Yes…
CM: we split it in two and kept one each.
Host: right ok the next question hopefully nothing to do with cardboard right ok just pop along down here
Qf: erm I have two questions one of which is really quick and really really nerdy and it’s for Katie erm there’s a little thirty second clip in the first DVD extras erm you’re filming the first feast scene in the first episode and you’re hanging around between takes with Bradley and you’re holding a toy tiger an enquiring mind would like to know why that is because there’s been some discussion on the internet.
KM: I would like to point out it’s not me being weird with a teddy bear it’s a hot water bottle! {laughs} named Hugo though he does have a name but those costumes you can’t wear a lot under them or over them so it gets quite cold so the costume department very nicely gave me my own stuffed hot water teddy bear named Hugo, so…there you go.
Qf: erm thank you. The other one was more sort of a general question about Gwen and Morgana’s relationship and whether you can give us any clues as to where that’s going to go because one of the things I really like about the show is the fact that we’ve got two female leads who actually relate to each other outside of being affected by the men because you don’t get that on these shows very much they never get y’know like on Robin Hood Djaq and Marion never talk to each other they have two series and two conversations and that was it erm am I think a lot of people like the fact that we’ve got Gwen and Morgana with this really nice uncomplicated friendship but obviously we know the characters are going to go in completely different directions erm I was wondering like what is actually to going to happen to that friendship whether there's any way it can be preserved because it’s really nice?
AC: the thing is we don’t yet know yet what’s going to happen with them obviously they are close and I imagine they'll probably grow closer and then...who knows who knows - we don’t know yet, Johnny?
JC: I think that the main thing for us and interesting that you picked up on that point is that the friendship between erm Morgana and Gwen becomes they become a lot closer in series two and there are certain things that happens to Morgana’s character where she needs her friend and someone to talk to and both Merlin and Gwen become her confidantes in a way so it is important for us that we keep that friendship going but like all friendships in series two it has moments of where that friendship is absolutely tested and both of those characters begin their, we see a lot more of their of what might happen to them potentially what might happen to them in this series and those events do erm try and test their friendship but it's always to us an important part of the show the relationship the two girls have with each other.
Host: question from this young lady here
Qf: Hi erm Anthony Head is very famous for having pink duh y’know Nintendo DS I was just wondering obviously we've got Hugo the tiger now I was just wondering if anybody else has any quirky I don’t know toys I suppose that they carry around on set with them?
CM: well er Bradley and me both now have a, have a DS and we’ve figured out how to link them up like over wireless so we had…we had Mario Karts going in France like he would stand at one end of the thrown room and I’d be at the other and we’d be racing against each other and er, I’d, I’d always win {chuckles}
BJ: my ipod tends to go with me everywhere erm that’s not really quirky though is it...so I’m going to pretend I didn’t answer that question.
KM: Bradley does take the camcorder with him wherever he goes though so that might count {Bradley pats the camcorder}
Host: we have a question here from this young lady
Qf: do any of you have any hidden talents?
{cast look around at each other}
AC: they won’t be hidden if we tell you about them
BJ: Acting. Erm not really shown that one off yet so erm at some stage might see a bit of that, from me
AC: I’m learning to play the guitar but…I’m only learning so I wouldn’t, y’know-I have got a talent for it so yeh - play the guitar {nods}/
KM: /no no don’t let her sell you short she is very very talented with music, so there.
JC: Bradley?
BJ: I’ve already said what I’ve (___?)
{Angel looks at Colin}
AC: you have!
CM: mine are hidden {laughs}
Host: they remain hidden
JC: so I think basically the answer to that is No
Host: ok lets go with this lady here.
Qf: Hello good afternoon, erm I just wondered to the actors has there been any times when you’ve been looking at the script and looked through any scenes or anything and you’ve suddenly thought I can’t do that! Or that doesn’t really look good for my character and how do you get through these instances to make everybody come out of it intact?
JC: they’re obviously not going to be honest because I’m sitting here!
PB: yeh I’m interested to hear the answer to that question as well!
KM: do you guys want us to get fired/
BJ: /you see you’ve asked us whilst the producer and the script editor are sat next to us which we then turn round going Oh My God you’ll not believe we’re, we’re just y’know setting ourselves up for a world of trouble but luckily there’s never been any instance like that erm/
AC: that never ever happens though
KM: there was a bit in episode thirteen that I found difficult, not because I didn’t want to do it but I didn’t know how I was going to do it myself as an actor and that was where I had to run out down the steps in hysterics trying to convince Arthur not to go, and when I read it, for me ended up it was going to be a challenge in order to make that believable and make it not too much, but…I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that didn’t agree with my character or I didn’t think…the only think I can say is that there are thing that wouldn’t be able to do justice to erm but hopefully we all do ok so…
AC: we are always able to have y'know dialogue with the producers and if we do have any sort of issues erm and then they tell us that we just have to live with it {laughs} so…
JC: I think that from my point of view erm Julian and I when we produce shows we always want to have erm quite an open relationship with the actors so that if they do have problems with the scripts or don’t quite understand what we’ve done with their character then we can have an open discussion with them and its important that we have an - with all the crew -that we have a good atmosphere on set where people can feel relaxed and if they do have a problem with a line or with where they’re characters roles going we can talk about it I mean obviously when they do have a problem I tell them that they’re wrong and I’m right but at least they feel they can actually y’know talk about their worries.
Host: ok we now have a question from a lady here
Q: Hello quick question girls look beautiful in your dresses but I know the internet went absolutely potty when Bradley took off his shirt and Colin in the first episode and I'm wondering if there's any more of that in series two?
JC: erm well I can answer that question actually the very first scene erm in Merlin episode one you will be very happy when you see Bradley.
{Bradley looks surprised and shrugs}
JC: He's completely covered up.
{some audience awwww}
BJ: I think it’s a stunt double I don't remember filming that scene but y'know
KM: they just added it in right now
BJ: (right?)
Host: ok a question from the lady at the back.
Qf: Have you ever read or heard of a book called The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley?
KM: Yeh I’ve read it...
Qf: and what do you think?
KM: I thought it was wonderful. Its so nice and I know Colin will agree with me that there are so many different takes on the Arthurian legend, I mean you can read hundreds and hundreds of books and I know Colin has, he’s, he’s quite good at it…and that’s what’s really nice about the show is there - it being a legend there are so many different ways it can go and even we don’t know and you won’t know and its all surprise and its something new every time.
{Public Address announcement ‘Can the sky film crew that’s the sky film crew please go to the west entrance…’}
{Colin grinning gets up to leave the platform}
Host: moving on
Qm: erm you work with CGI so is that like, -this for all the actors- does it like feel weird when you’re working with like CGI and stuff?
CM: yeh definitely a bit I think erm, well especially, especially last year for example whenever I - I do all the scenes with the dragon erm which is just basically to a, to a blank screen really erm but this year it's easier because you know what it looks like but yeh when you’re dealing with things that you’ve got no idea what they could possibly look like its, it is a bit difficult especially I suppose Bradley having to fight them…{Colin looks across at Bradley}
BJ: Hi! er yes, fighting, CGI…monsters…erm…stalling a bit here…is not weird once you do it quite a few times because you kindof turn up to work and you realise you’re going to be fighting a large blue bag which erm I’ve done on a number of occasions now and er that bag is taking one hell of a beating so erm it’s a case of having a vivid imagination which erm I have and erm Colin certainly has err and you know you just kindof…run with it basically. It’s good fun.
JC: and I think the key thing that we try to provide for the actors when they’re doing lots of CGI sequences when they’re fighting monsters is that we give them something to react to rather than just sort of fighting in thin air so Bradley does find himself having to fight large sort of blue bean bags or green bean bags held by stuntmen but at least that gives Bradley or Colin or whoever’s doing the sequences something to react to so it makes their performance more convincing.
Host: question from a gentleman here.
Qm: Hi everybody this is a question for Johnny you mentioned earlier that there’s going to be some merchandising for various bits of the franchise will that include any of the soundtrack for the music cause I thought that was one of the things that made the show more interesting to watch.
JC: erm yeh I mean Rob Lane who is the composer for Merlin I agree he did a fantastic job and it was, it was very interesting in the sound mixes of the show to erm to watch the music with kinda - to watch the show with a temp soundtrack and then once you put erm Robs music on to it it lifted the show again so there’s this interesting erm process that we went through in post-production. We-the erm there is one CD available of some of the Merlin music but the plan is obviously to erm to release more CDs of all the music that Rob composed definitely.
Host: k we have a question from a lady here
Qf: is Colin aware that sometimes particularly when he’s shouting that he lapses into his real accent?
{Colin laughs then abruptly}
CM: -Yes- {Colin laughs}
Host: ok we have time for two more questions and er I wonder who this one might be? Stand up my dear. Now backstage I asked/ -and your friend as well come here…stand up-/ I asked you to see if you could spot the people with stuff written on their body parts it might be a bit more apparent now. What’s your question my dear? [ed: host may be referring his question to the panel as he “asked backstage”?]
Qf: erm in the, erm I forgot! In the ‘Extras’ CD when you’re all on the rollercoaster Angel keeps saying “Je m’eclate” and its just bugged me for ages cause I don’t know what it means.
AC: I think it means something like I’m having a ball or I’m having a good time [ed: Je m'eclate means I'm having a good time]
CM: yeh yeh/
AC: /but I was lying - no I’m joking
Host: right ok question from this young lady whose hand looks like its about to drop off
Qf: hello erm I’ve come kind of a long way for this, erm I just wanted to know if you guys are ever really surprised by how far reaching the series is or kinda how many people relate to it?
KM: all the time…absolutely you can never imagine that something that you do in a studio in Cardiff is gonna reach so many people its exceeded I think everyone’s hopes and everyone’s expectations and every day it gets better and better, so/
JC: I mean when we created the original concept for the show our sort of dream and ambition behind it was that we could create a show with universal appeal and that would sell around the world and so the fact that it has for both Julian and myself is hugely exciting because when you make a programme you want everyone to watch it and enjoy it and the fact that it is doing that now is hugely satisfying and incredibly exciting for us. Where have you come from?
Host: Where have you come from?
Qf: Texas.
JC: Oh right because Merlin transmits on NBC on the 21st of June 8pm - tell your friends.
KM: Watch it
AC: thanks for coming
JC: yeh and thank you for coming.
Host: and we have time for one final question from this young lady.
Qf: erm we all know Merlin has magical powers but if you could have one magical power what would it be?
{all the panel look at Colin he’s bouncing up and down and he nods to Angel}
AC: I’d like to be able to fly
KM: I’d like to be Rogue from X-men
CM: (who? Rogue?)
KM: Rogue from X-men {Katie throws her hands up} wha?!
{Colin nods}
CM: actually I’d quite like to be Gambit from X-men
BJ: erm. heal…erm heal {laughter} {Bradley shrugs} I say it quite genuinely I know someone who’s unwell at the moment and it’d be nice to kindof y’know sort them out {Bradley postures healing hands}
JC: I’d like to have a special power where I can create scripts very quickly {Colin laughs} so I can get some sleep.
Host: bless you ok we’re gonna…I’ll be generous one more, this one dressed as Merlin.
Qf: can I -no, can I ask...Colin this is something I’ve wanted to ask for ages can you wiggle your ears and will you say ‘Hi’ to Jemma who’s [ed: who has] come all the way from Guernsey and she’s terrified of flying/ and she hasn’t made it, she couldn’t get on her flight/
CM: oh no!/
Qf: just to see you she’s terrified of flying
JC: whats her name again?
CM: she’s on the phone now? Jemma? Jemma sorry you couldn’t come but errr {Colin fist salute} its good that you’re here in spirit and errr…We Love You!
{laughter and applause}
Host: oh apparently she wants to know if you can wiggle your ears?
{Colin handles his ears and shrugs “no”}
Host: ladies and gentlemen please join me in a massive round of applause I’m sure you wanna Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Johnny Capps, Polly Buckle, Katie McGrath, and Bradley James! The cast and creators of Merlin!
{audience applause as cast leave the stage}
Host: come on you can make it louder than that!
Host: poor Cherie she’s about to have an aneurism.
[ed: event recording ends]
-FIN-