Jane Espenson [scénariste, productrice]

Citation :

Buffy Vet Jane Espenson Teases Torchwood Sexxxiness, Once Upon a Time's VIP Guest

Genre-TV vet Jane Espenson is a bit of a rock star at events like the San Diego Comic-Con, given that her extensive writer-producer resume includes tours with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Tru Calling, Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse. As such, the scribe was warmly welcomed to hold court in TVLine’s SDCC interview suite, where she looked back on Buffy‘s enduring legacy as well as dished on her latest projects, including an especially sexy coming episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, Game of Thrones, a wild new web series, and ABC’s fall debut Once Upon a Time, where, the co-executive producer told us, a real “princess” of a guest might soon turn up.

Vous avez une interview vidéo d'elle ici (à la suite de l'article) : http://www.tvline.com/2011/07/comic-con-jane-espenson-torchwood-once-upon-time/

Jane Espenson parle de sa nouvelle série :

Citation :

Jane Espenson discusses her new online series “Husbands”

The prolific Jane Espenson took time out of her busy Comic-Con schedule to talk with Whedonverse about her upcoming online series, Husbands, along with her latest television work. Husbands is a first on many levels: a new web venture for Espenson, and “first marriage equality comedy.” The idea for the project got its start with her friend Brad “Cheeks” Bell who co-wrote the script with Espenson.

According to Cheeks, he approached Espenson with a comedy pilot that was initially a Will & Grace type of story, which over discussions evolved into a classic sit-com scenario ala I Love Lucy, but with a twist: a romantic comedy that’s “Mad About You with two guys.”

Together, they polished the script, including holding table-readings with sit-com writers, until Epsenson says, they ended up with a “script that is so sharp… [that] is so ready for television, but television is not ready for it.”

In addition to Cheeks, the cast is rounded out by actors Sean Hemeon and Caprica-star Alessandra Torresani.

The production will be self-producing and financed for the web, spanning eleven two-minute episodes, which when complete, will be available as a standard 22-minute pilot. By putting it online, says Cheeks, they can prove “this works… there’s a demand for this.” According to the site’s blog, the first footage was in the can as of July 30.

Espenson notes that the final version will launch during the same period as when TV series premiere, and be ready by September.

To catch the series as it develops, check out: HusbandsTheSeries.com

See our full interview below — and Espenson’s discussion of how she got advice from Joss Whedon and Felicia Day on producing for the Web:

Trailer de la nouvelle série de Jane, "Husbands" :

Citation :

Husbands Preview: Jane Espenson's Webseries Is A Newlywed Comedy

As a Jane Espenson fan, I’m always on the lookout for her work and coming soon, that’ll come in the form of a webseries called Husbands. Penned by Espenson and Brad “Cheeks” Bell, the story involves two recently married men, and based on this clip, we should probably be prepared to laugh.

Husbands stars Brad “Cheeks” Bell (also a producer/writer on the webseries), and Sean Hemeon who play husband and husband. Also among the cast is Allessandra Torresani, whom Caprica fans will recognize from her role as Zoe Graystone in the BSG prequel series. Espenson commented briefly on the project at Comic-Con back in July, describing Husbands as, “a newlywed comedy in which both the newlyweds are guys.”

I’m eager to see what Espenson and Bell do with this new webseries. I consider Espenson to be the among the elite of today’s TV writers. She understands the importance of comedy in drama and knows how to write real, human scenarios and dialogue that viewers can connect with. (See her work in shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica and just about everything else she’s written for.) I’m less familiar with Brad Bell’s work, but given the company he’s in, I’m expecting something really special in Husbands.

Below is the clip, which was released last week. It doesn’t give much away, other than that the couple is newly married and a bit anxious about the situation, and that Torresani’s Haley seems to be embracing the art of chat-speak.

Voici les trois premiers épisodes de "Husbands" ! ^^ (ça dure que quelques minutes en fait !)

hihi c'est sympa comme tout^^ Et ya Nathan Fillon dedans !!

Jane sera présente à une convention, "GeekGirlCon" :

Citation :

Announcing Jane Espenson as a GeekGirlCon Special Guest!

GeekGirlCon adds television writer and producer Jane Espenson as a special guest. Espenson will appear at GeekGirlCon on Saturday, October 8th at the EMP Museum’s Oral History Live!, GeekGirlCon’s “Whenodnistas” panel, and to greet fans at the convention. Espenson has worked on such renowned programs a Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, The O.C., Dollhouse, Game of Thrones, and Torchwood: Miracle Day. She currently writes for ABC’s Once Upon a Time and is a co-writer and the producer of the original web-series, Husbands. She is also a co-creator of Syfy’s Warehouse 13.

Espenson joins curator of Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition, Brooks Peck, for an intimate 90-minute interview at 1:00 PM at EMP Museum’s JBL Theater. Tickets are required for this event and available for $10.00 through Brown Paper Tickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/192821). GeekGirlCon pass holders can receive a code for 50% off discounted tickets to this event by emailing info@geekgirlcon.com. Visit empmuseum.org for more information on the museum’s Oral History Live! program.

Espenson, who did a special interview with the book’s editors for Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them, will also appear at GeekGirlCon’s “Whendonistas” panel on October 8th at 5:30 PM at the EMP Museum’s JBL Theater. In addition to Espenson, the panelists include Whedonistas contributors Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watchers Guide), Teresa Jusino (Tor.com), and Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics). Hear these women talk about their essays, examine Whedon’s work, and read excerpts from the book. A pass to GeekGirlCon is required for entry.

Espenson grew up in Ames, Iowa where she watched too much television, and at age 13, she attempted to write an episode of M*A*S*H. She studied linguistics at UC Berkeley. While still in graduate school, Espenson submitted spec episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, thereby wedging her tiny foot into the last open door of show business.

Un petit mot de Jane Espenson sur le site Huffingtonpost :

Citation :

Is TV Writing the Best Job Ever?

Hello, Gentle Readers. Who's up for a good blogging? I know I am!

I used to blog on my own site, expounding on the art and craft of television writing. But I stopped one day when I realized that I had expounded myself into the ground. There was nothing left for me to teach. That was a few years ago, though, and since then I've learned new things and refined my thinking on a lot of the old things. Right now, I'm writing for the network hit Once Upon a Time (ABC), and for my own web series Husbands, so I'm topped off to overflowing with knowledge.

When I get a chance, now and then, to contribute to these pages, I can explain how storytelling has to change as audiences get better at anticipating twists, and how to write compelling stage directions, and how to deal with the fact that you can't goddamn swear on the TV, but right now I'd like to start out by addressing the fundamental question: IS TV WRITING THE BEST JOB EVER?

Well, it is stressful. Parts of it can be awful, just awful. You will make mistakes that will be broadcast to millions of people. You will be kept away from your bed by work, and kept awake in your bed by worry. You will almost certainly be made fun of by people with cruelly fast wits. You'll be rewritten. You will have to say "thank you" when complimented for lines you didn't write. You will have to bite your tongue when criticized for choices you didn't make. You'll be asked to make decisions about costumes and hairstyles. You will have to compromise your vision because an actor or set or special effect or executive isn't cooperating. You will be punched in the self-esteem. You will cry.

The answer is YES.

It's the best job ever, because as down as that downside is, the upside is so much upper. The up is so up even the down is up. You are handsomely paid to sit around with intelligent people, talking about a TV show. You laugh all day long. And if you're writing for a comedy, you get to stay late and laugh all night, too. You quite probably drive through the big gates of a Hollywood studio on your way to work, just like Lassie did. And sometimes you get to put computer to paper and put words in the mouths of talented actors who then, get this, act out your story for you. That part is crazy. Even after 20 years, it still seems nuts to me that these gorgeous talented people breathe life into words I wrote. And if that weren't enough, another talented person points a camera at it and shows it to everyone you went to high school with. It's frakkin' amazing.

It does suffer a bit from being hard to attain. People talk a lot about how hard it is to get into TV writing. And that's true. But there are new TV writers every season. I see them showing up, shiny and scared, every year. Also, there is the new and amazing world of web series, which meets almost all of the goals except the part about the handsome pay. I recently entered that world with Husbands The Series, and found that not only did it provide most of the upside, it also avoided a lot of the downside. You get to hear the words you wrote all the more clearly when you're listening just to satisfy yourself, not several layers of bosses.

TV writing (and web writing) is the best job ever. I feel lucky every day. I learn every day. And they pay for lunch every day. Score. Hang around and I'll tell you what I know.

Source : welcome-to-sunnydale

Et voilà, tout le Whedonverse en une phrase

Haha, je l'adore ^^

"Husbands" va avoir une seconde saison !

Deux vidéos de Jane pour "Husbands" (SPOILERS !), elle parle également de "Once Upon A Time" :

Nouvelle vidéo interview de Jane Espenson :

Nouvelle vidéo incluant Jane Espenson :

Vidéo interview de Jane Espenson et Stan Lee :

La websérie de Jane, "Husbands", accueillera Joss Whedon pour pas moins de trois épisodes en saison 2 !!! Ca va faire trop plaisir de le voir à l'écran !

Citation :

Comic-Con 2012: Joss Whedon Starring in Jane Espenson Series 'Husbands'



TV-creating icon and "Avengers" director, Whedon will step in front of the camera in all three episodes of his longtime collaborator's show.

Hot off an all-time box office smash and a god-like reception at Comic-Con, Joss Whedon can do whatever he wants right now. And so, never one to rest on his laurels, the writer-director-producer is taking his career in a new direction: acting.

Whedon will appear in his longtime friend and collaborator Jane Espenson's online sitcom, Husbands, featuring each of the series' three new, eight minute episodes, as the agent of recently-out and married baseball star Brady (Sean Hemeon). Brady, a Los Angeles Dodgers player, is the first openly gay active Major League Baseball player, and finds himself married to Cheeks (co-creator Brad Bell) after a drunken night in Las Vegas. It will be, as Whedon himself says, his biggest acting role yet.

"Husbands is full of the kind of whip-smart remarks you wish you'd written yourself," Whedon said earlier this month when the show was renewed. The series will premiere its second season on August 15.

It makes sense that the show is just his style; Espenson was a co-executive producer on Whedon's cult hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a consulting producer on his Fox sci-fi series, Dollhouse.

The series dovetails nicely with three of Whedon's main interests: re-teaming with frequent friends and collaborators; advocating marriage equality; and producing award-winning internet series. His Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which will be aired on television this fall by the CW, won an Emmy in 2009 and is one of the most successful pieces of web-originated content of all time.

In fact, one of his Dr. Horrible and Buffy stars, Felicia Day, will also appear this season. Last season, another Dr. Horrible and Buffy alum, Nathan Fillion (who also worked with Whedon as star of the beloved sci-fi western Firefly) appeared as a guest star.

Whedon teased a Dr. Horrible sequel this past week at Comic-Con, and joined Fillion and the rest of the cast of Firefly for a raucous and tear-filled panel discussion in honor of the show's 10th anniversary.

Dans les coulisses de l'écriture d'Husbands, avec inclus une vidéo de Jane :

Nouvelle interview de Jane :

Citation :

Interview: Jane Espenson and Brad Bell talk ‘Husbands’ Season 2

Jane Espenson and Brad Bell come from different segments of the entertainment industry. She is a known and lauded producer and writer from the land of network and cable television and he is a YouTube sensation.

Apart they have conquered their own unique set of obstacles with Jane dominating Y chromosome heavy writers rooms and Brad making a bold statement about the guts, creativity, and skill it takes to excel and rise above the interweb pack. Together? Well, Espenson and Bell are re-writing the rule book and drawing the bunny-fingers around the phrase television with their web series Husbands — a hilarious, take no prisoners gay marriage rom-com that is splendidly frustrating homophobes and positively delighting those with a brain and a sense of humor.

I’ve spoken to Jane and Brad before and as always they deliver in this exclusive interview about Geek cred, raising the bar, the joys of controversy, and the shows unbelievable guest stars like Nathan Fillion last season (who wrote his own cue cards) and this season’s cameos by Joss Whedon (who brought his own wardrobe), Tricia Helfer, Jon Cryer and others.

Read on, enjoy, and share…

You took Comic-Con by storm and yet this is a romantic comedy not a “genre” show. How do you explain your “geek” following and street cred?

Jane Espenson: Some of it comes out of my resume. I’ve written for a lot of science fiction and fantasy shows: Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica, Torchwood, Game of Thrones, etc, so the Comic-Con crowd knows my name. But I think my name is just a billboard of sorts. It catches interest among those fans. The real reason Husbands has earned fan loyalty is that, just like with Sci Fi, the emotions are universal. The circumstance might look like they’re unrelatable — another planet, an alien race, gay people! — but the experience is universal. The journey is compelling. Husbands is the same way.

Brad Bell: I’ve never understood why “genre” shows are defined that way. Everything falls into a genre. Husbands, for example, is a romantic comedy. Assuming Husbands would only appeal to romantic comedy fans or gay fans — or not appeal to the Comic Con crowd because those fans only like Sci Fi — that limits the depth of the show and all fans of everything, everywhere! But that aside, I think Husbands never underestimates the intelligence of the audience. We give our viewers the respect they deserve. People like that. Especially geeks.

Are there any current web series’ that inspire you and that push you to be better?

We adore Very Mary Kate. The quality of joke writing in that little show is so perfect, so beautifully timed… it’s a step above most popular entertainment. When we work and rework the scripts, we aim higher because of Elaine Carroll’s writing.

There are a few new comedies coming up on network TV with gay main characters and what appears to be a more diverse premise. Some will quickly lump Husbands in with those shows, but do you think they need to earn a place beside you with their content? Do they need to put up and earn that badge? A followup: do you think that Husbands is helping to re-draw the boundaries of where network television is willing to go from the outside?

Brad: Earn a place beside us? No, not at all. I mean, if other people want to point out that we were first and still remain [at the] forefront of fresh, bold comedy for the 21st century… that certainly wouldn’t bother me. But to take some kind of ownership or expect others to acknowledge us, that just makes “us” more important than the result. I hope that result is a future with diverse and ample stories from all walks of life. That’s what’s important, not who made it happen.

Jane: I don’t mind Husbands being the bar against which those shows are measured. I don’t mind that one bit. Let’s make that happen. I guess all I have to say is that there should be room in the pool for everyone. If we end up pitting all the shows with gay content against each other, then it’s like accepting the premise that only one of the shows will gain relevance. In terms of re-drawing the boundaries – yes, I hope we are an active living demonstration that the audience is ready for more than is generally thought.

The group One Million Moms has called Ryan Murphy’s upcoming show, The New Normal, “Harmful to society” and they’re boycotting it sight unseen. Do you think the press gives these kinds of protests too much attention, and in light of the attention that they get, are you a little envious that they aren’t calling you harmful to society? I mean, who doesn’t want to be a little controversial?

Brad: Controversy is an effective strategy, but I can’t say I have “kerfuffle envy.” What Husbands has, are fans motivated by a genuine love for the show. It’s great to see people counter-protesting the (considerably less than a million) Moms — they should! But our audience gives celebratory support, not defensive support. I feel very blessed that the visibility and enthusiasm for Husbands is because of the quality; people love the show because of the show. That’s the best case scenario, no matter how big the audience ultimately ends up being.

Jane: Oh, once they see us, they may find us a little harmful. I’m of two minds about the “too much coverage” thing. Yeah, not every crazy needs a camera put on them. On the other hand, when you put a camera on them, the crazy gets really clear.

Describe for me the challenge of trying to say something about our societies views on marriage equality while also being funny. It seems to me that when funny people get too political or value being important over being comical they sometimes forget how to be funny people. On the other hand, some thrive like Jon Stewart and Colbert. How do you toe the line?

Jane: I don’t think either of us know how to talk for very long without attempting some humor. I think it’s how most people talk, and how most people listen. We rarely have to struggle to find the funny “spin” – human beings, even human prejudice, is funny because it’s so ridiculous. I’d say we more often have the other issue, where we have to decide when to hold back on some funny phrasing in order to let a point really land.

Brad: Exactly. The conservative views on marriage equality are already so absurd, it makes our job too easy, really. “Gay marriage will be the downfall of society!” Since there seems to be very little explanation for what exactly takes us from A (marriage equality) to B (the apocalypse) our only option is to imagine the most hilariously horrible doomsday scenario in between and flesh it out.

Obviously you want to evolve from season to season. Season one was fantastic, but in what ways do you think you’ve improved upon the show this season?

Brad: Well, the Million Moms have played right into our game by protesting The New Normal, so that’ll really give some of-the-moment timeliness to this season’s story. This time around, we use a few classic sitcom devices that are normally employed just for laughs, but we were able to use them in such a way that highlights the social commentary, while keeping the relationship at the heart of the story. By the time all is said and done, it’s about this new marriage and the love therein.

Jane: A more ambitious story. Much better production values. We raised a lot of the money for season two through a Kickstarter campaign, so this was the money we got from the fans and we wanted to make sure it all ended up “on the screen.” Plus our big guest stars like Joss Whedon, Jon Cryer, Mekhi Phifer, Felicia Day, Tricia Helfer, Amber Benson, and a lot more.

I spoke with you both and Sean [Hemeon] at the beginning of season 1 and from my perspective it seems like the show has a bit more buzz surrounding it in the days before season 2. You had a meaty write up in Entertainment Weekly, as I said before, you dominated San Diego — when was the moment that you each thought “Okay, this is clicking”?

Jane: I knew it would be huge the minute Brad had the idea, but the moment it really hit me was the review in The New Yorker. It was a breakthrough for online content and signified more than just good press. A few months before that, we’d drawn a shockingly huge crowd at New York Comic Con, so maybe it was already happening. And the build up to the season two roll-out is beyond gratifying. We were hosted at The Paley Center for our premiere event, another first for online programming, which was just amazing.

Brad: Yeah, there have been a series of clicks. The most personal one, I guess, was when my brother in Tennessee said how much his Army buddies were enjoying Husbands — straight, gun-carrying, Tennessee, army boys. I said, “Oh you showed them my stuff?” He replied, “They already knew who you were. They pulled it up one night like, ‘You have to see this, it’s hilarious’ and I was like, ‘Yeah that’s my brother’ and they were all, ‘Cheeks is your brother?! You’re lying!’” That was pretty surreal.

As you mentioned, the fans paid for this season through a very successful Kickstarter campaign. With that comes an obligation to give them their money’s worth but you have total freedom. If you had a chance to take this to TV and make it with someone else’s money — not fans’, but a network’s money — would you choose less exposure and more freedom or more exposure and less freedom? Also, are the priorities at all different for the two of you due to your chosen path as a performer Brad, and your more established “brand” Jane?

Jane: Can I have more exposure AND more freedom? Because that, actually, is where I think we’re headed. Freedom has to come first, but I don’t see a ceiling on our exposure – we are accessible to all. Priorities: I think we are a Venn diagram with a lot of overlap, and the overlap part is labeled “Husbands”. We both want it to change the world.

Brad: If I opted for more exposure, but sacrificed freedom (and therefore quality) why would I want to expose that product to more people? Would it be for the money? Yay. So I win and the audience gains nothing. Worse, they lose a show they loved, which I gave them. “Here you go! Do you like it? Well tough, I’m selling it so I can be rich!” How would I be able to sleep on my 3,000 thread count sheets in my palatial Malibu estate knowing that I’d taken a beloved show from the people who believed in me? I couldn’t. The happiness of my audience is more important than whether or not I have a private jet. Of course, the ideal scenario is a private jet and audience happiness. I aim to make that happen.