colin heaps <100622.3610@compuserve.com> asks:
> JMS, well, what can one say???
> The thing that really came across was how much 'face' acting
> there was, close ups where one or two words and an expression
> carry a scene, there were so many instances, it's hard to say
> which really had the most impact, how did Bruce manage to look so
> hateful / disgusted with Londo? How do you manage to get the
> performances so consistenty high from your cast and crew?

Thanks; all the characters are great in that one, and the line
was "never use this."

Re: "face-acting"...this is something I've been working on a
bit lately in my scripts, letting the actor have a moment visually
without words to carry it. When you're starting out in a show, and
everyone's new, you have a tendency to make sure that the emotions are
expressed in dialogue, in case the acting doesn't carry it off. Then,
over time, you learn to relax and start playing the silences, using
only a word or two here and there. A few scenes in some year 4 scripts
play almost like haiku. You learn to trust your cast, and they respect
that trust and return it.

I can't think of any of the cast who doesn't strongly believe
in the show, and the story...they know, on whatever level, that we're
doing something of value here, something that's going to be remembered
and talked about for a long time after we're gone. Lord knows it ain't
the money, none of us are getting rich here. They believe in the
story, and that's truly extraordinary.

jms