Do actors ever provide in-depth insights about characters or stories at conventions?

[Navaros]

I wanted to learn what conventions are like and so I watched some videos of them on youtube, like these ones:

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Before I watched those videos, I was thinking that conventions could potentially be very interesting if the actors who feature at them actually provided in-depth insights about their characters or about some episodes' stories.

After watching those videos, I saw none of that.

In the first video, the actors' schtick seems to consist entirely of:

1. Joking around with each other.
2. Providing some insights about a few production difficulties.

Auberjonois even says that individual episodes are all a big blur to him because in his mind, the 7 years worth of episodes from his show all merge together.

What I wonder about that is, then: why doesn't he go back and actually watch his own show?...or at least some of it. If he did that, then the episodes would be fresh in his mind and he'd probably be able to offer better character & story insights to his fans who go to conventions.

In the second video, Brooks seems to answer questions about Star Trek by talking about his general opinions of real-life issues. That the questions technically start out as "Star Trek" questions becomes a moot point, because when Brooks answers them, his answers bear little to no meaningful relevance to the "Star Trekness" of the questions.

Based on that analysis, my questions are:

1. Do actors ever provide in-depth insights about their characters or episodes' stories at conventions?

2. If some actors have provided you with in-depth insights about characters or stories at conventions, then who were they, and what did you learn?

3. Would Trek fans be expecting too much if they wanted actors at conventions to provide more substantive & insightful answers to their questions than did any of those actors in either of those two videos?

4. Would Trek fans be expecting too much if they wanted actors at conventions actually to watch their own shows on a regular basis, in order to keep the episodes fresh in their minds?

 

[VOODOOXI]

If you go to the convention expecting "in depth insights" you are going to be disappointed. For example you are far more likely to hear William Shatner talk about his horses than any in depth conversation about ST.

 

[The Wormhole]

4. Would Trek fans be expecting too much if they wanted actors at conventions actually to watch their own shows on a regular basis, in order to keep the episodes fresh in their minds?

Well, yes. You have to remember, for the actors, it's just a job. I'm not trying to imply they're lazy or don't give a damn, indeed the opposite is quite the case if they are indeed making convention appearances. But at the same time, a job is just a means of making a living, and they shouldn't be expected to keep picture perfect details in the memories decades after the show ended. How well do you remember a job you worked over a decade ago? How well do you even remember key things about the job you currently work? In my case, I still work the same job I had a decade ago, and no, I'm not much in conversation on the matter. In fact, I've quite mastered evasion when it comes to dealing with visiting corporate higher-ups.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Indeed...actors, musicians, etc. often have a very different perspective about their work than fans do. Sometimes an actor can't even stand to watch themselves.

 

[1001001]

My experience is that they share little anecdotes, talks about what they're doing now, answer questions from the guests.... I've been to many, many conventions and I've never really heard anyone talk "in depth" about their character. If you get a chance to interact with them, it's almost always about something else. Those DS9 guys talk about Shakespeare, Shatner talks about his horses, Takei talks about his play, etc.

I'm also pretty sure they don't watch their own shows for our benefit. Generally they don't like questions like that. "In episode 33 you held the phaser in your left hand in scene 6 and your right hand in scene 7, why was that?" Those kind of questions are the worst. Sometimes the convention goers will actually moan or boo you for that. The actors will often talk about the writers when it comes to why their character did this or that.

They don't obsess over the show like we do.

If you catch her just right, Marina Sirtis can go on an entertaining rant (I sat at a table with her and listened to her bitch about Stuart Baird/Nemesis for 10 minutes).

It sounds like what you're looking for is more like an actor's workshop kind of thing. Conventions are not those.

 

[The Old Mixer]

How's Wil Wheaton at conventions? He had some pretty entertaining behind-the-scenes anecdotes about TNG episodes in a blog that I used to read years ago.

 

[1001001]

How's Wil Wheaton at conventions? He had some pretty entertaining behind-the-scenes anecdotes about TNG episodes in a blog that I used to read years ago.

I've never seen him. I imagine he'd be a good guest.

 

[The Wormhole]

Something I just remembered, there was an interview with Patrick Stewart where he said his memories of TNG are so bad that one time he was channel-surfing while at a hotel, and he stumbled upon a TNG re-run which he didn't even remember filming.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Somebody should tie Stewart and Spiner into chairs and make them watch "Masks"!

 

[The Wormhole]

I don't know, Masks has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.

 

[The Old Mixer]

And you should feel guilty!

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Honestly, "Masks" is TNG's "Alternative Factor" for me...doing a TNG rewatch a bit back, it took me several nights to get through "Masks", as I kept nodding off during it.

 

[The Wormhole]

Masaka awakens!

 

[stardream]

Indeed...actors, musicians, etc. often have a very different perspective about their work than fans do. Sometimes an actor can't even stand to watch themselves.

I read somewhere that Paul McCartney forgot the words to Let it Be.

Garret Wang likes to talk a lot but I'm not sure if that is what the OP is looking for.

At some point, Robbie McNeil was working in Canada (probably directing something) and during his off hours watched re-runs of Voyager. He decided Wang was a better actor than he thought at the time.

The only time I remember actors doing in-depth discussions about their characters was while doing those interview promos during the original airings. Dawson saying that 'B'Elanna feels this or that'. Nothing since then.

Andrew Robinson wrote a book about Garak. I guess that's about as close as you can get.

 

[1001001]

And you should feel guilty!

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Honestly, "Masks" is TNG's "Alternative Factor" for me...doing a TNG rewatch a bit back, it took me several nights to get through "Masks", as I kept nodding off during it.

When my son and I were doing a complete watch of TNG, that was one of the ones we skipped.

Just a dreadful, awful episode.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I read somewhere that Paul McCartney forgot the words to Let it Be.

Don't know about that, but there was an infamous incident in the '80s, when he was doing "Let It Be" at one of the big benefit concerts, and had a bad mike. He was critically panned for keeping the song going despite it. He later joked that he should have made light of it and sang "There will be some feedback, let it be."

Masaka awakens!

Mixer snoozes.

 

[stardream]

Don't know about that, but there was an infamous incident in the '80s, when he was doing "Let It Be" at one of the big benefit concerts, and had a bad mike. He was critically panned for keeping the song going despite it. He later joked that he should have made light of it and sang "There will be some feedback, let it be."

The incident I'm thinking about took place during a rehearsal. But that's funny.

 

[Greg Cox]

Honestly, this happens to us writers, too. It's always a little embarrassing when somebody asks me a detailed question about a book I wrote fifteen years ago and haven't looked at since.

"Um, I'm sorry. That was a long time ago. Can you refresh my memory?"

 

[The Old Mixer]

The incident I'm thinking about took place during a rehearsal. But that's funny.

I was also reminded of this:

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[at Quark's]

Well, yes. You have to remember, for the actors, it's just a job. I'm not trying to imply they're lazy or don't give a damn, indeed the opposite is quite the case if they are indeed making convention appearances. But at the same time, a job is just a means of making a living, and they shouldn't be expected to keep picture perfect details in the memories decades after the show ended. How well do you remember a job you worked over a decade ago? How well do you even remember key things about the job you currently work? In my case, I still work the same job I had a decade ago, and no, I'm not much in conversation on the matter. In fact, I've quite mastered evasion when it comes to dealing with visiting corporate higher-ups.

I agree. I would be very hard pressed to recall any technical details of stuff I did 15 years ago without digging into any archives, though of course I know the general gist of it.

However, if I were to get paid (as I suppose these actors are), to go to a conference/convention, and reminisce about what I did 15 years ago I would probably make it my business to gloss up on those details a bit.

 

[Griffeytrek]

You will sometimes get some specific insights from them. But it is more normally either related to a specific scene or moment that stood out to them, or how they approached the auditions for the character. Remember for them the episodes were a grueling week to week slog of memorization, performance of some very silly stuff, learning the next, repeat etc. often in oddly broken up order. They had to finish a new work project every week. Think about your weekly work projects from 10 years ago, they are kind of a blur, aren't they? Patrick Stewart will typically have more to say about the Inner Light than he will about Picard, because it was a distinct and memorable performance for the actor that was outside the norm. And a lot of actors don't really like to watch their own performances. At least not as entertainment. Many don't do it until later in life when they sit down and watch the old shows with their kids. Plus remember these are the people that through their work see whats behind the magic. They are the ones standing there in the silly looking ill fitting clothing, on the brightly painted cardboard and plywood sets speaking nonsensical lines. Once it all gets edited together and polished up it is stunning magic. But they live in the sausage factory of the absurdity it takes to get there. They don't have the leisure of suspension of disbelief when they are performing it. While most of them are fans, and have a love of the franchise and its people few of us can appreciate, they look at it from a different place and a very different experience from ours. If you ask an actor his favorite episode it will often be "the one where my outfit wasn't giving me a wedgy for 12 hours straight."

Where you will get the most character insights is from those actors who played multiple roles. And as such had to keep them seperate in their heads. Jeffrey Combs might offer up a bit in that regard for example.