SGA - Starlog Magazine #335 - Built Ford Tough
From Starlog Magazine:
http://www.starlog.com/ghastly_review.php
BUILT FORD TOUGH
BY RHONDA KRAFCHIN
"It’s one of the greatest places I’ve ever been,” says Rainbow Sun Francks, who plays Lieutenant Aiden Ford, the charismatic weapons expert, on STARGATE: ATLANTIS.
The hours are grueling and the battle scars numerous, but for the young actor, work these days is as much summer camp as university study, with such informal classes as advanced weaponry with the show’s armorer, acting tips from co-star David Hewlett (Dr. Rodney McKay), Green Screen 101 and fight choreography.
“There’s so much to learn: special effects makeup, visual effects, computer-generated stuff,” says Francks.
“There are so many people with so much knowledge, it’s unbelievable. We have a terrific team of writers who are right there at all times to answer questions, as well as a fabulous directing staff who are always around. This entire first season has been a great ride, and I’m thankful to be part of it.”
All this has left Francks more exhausted than he has ever been in his life, but it’s something he would gladly keep doing for years—if only the actress sharing his trailer would quit combat practice while he’s trying to sleep.
“It’s hard sometimes when Rachel [Luttrell] is jumping around with sticks,” he laughs, full of admiration and affection for his co-star, who plays the fearless Athosian leader, Teyla Emmagan.
“The fire in her eyes doesn’t quit. But Rachel doesn’t do the same sort of stunts as me. I throw my body around more, jumping against walls and smashing this and that. I perform more testosterone-filled stunts. She does graceful fighting and throwing knives, which is a lot like dancing. You don’t see Rachel head-butting guys.”
“What’s cool about Ford is he’s a weapons specialist, so he looks at Teyla’s stick technique and thinks, ‘That’s amazing,’ but he’s a hardware guy. Ford has guns that shoot 900 bullets a minute, fully automatic. He stays away from hand-to-hand combat as much as he can. If Ford can shoot you, he’ll take the Indiana Jones approach.”
It seems natural that two actors playing young warriors would come together as friends, but the third member of Francks’ backstage gang portrays someone who’s far from a fighter.
Paul McGillion’s Dr. Carson Beckett is more of a duck-and-cover man than someone who wants to kick Wraith butt.
“We laugh all day long,” says Francks. “Paul and Rachel are hilarious. I love doing scenes with them. I really enjoyed our time together in ‘The Eye’ and ‘The Storm’ [which consisted of a great deal of bickering]. I have a ball with them. We read the newspaper together in the trailer and run scenes all the time. We play everyone using different voices. Paul and I battle to see who’s going to be McKay and Major John Sheppard.”
For Francks, running dialogue may be fun, but it’s also a way to dig deeper into his character, those of his co-stars and, most importantly, the relationships between them.
“Science fiction is everything,” says Francks. “As an actor, it stretches you in ways you didn’t know were possible. Ford is a fantastic character, I’m happy to play him and I’m having a great time doing it.” >P> When it comes to SF, Francks is just as likely to question the scientific validity of a story as he is to get carried away by a wild concept.
“It’s human to think of how ridiculous it is,” he says. “I’ve never done SF or green-screen work before. It’s both incredibly hard and silly. It’s like, ‘OK, up there, that “X” is a huge Wraith ship. It’s full of killers and it’s chasing you.’ And I look up and I’m like, ‘No, it isn’t. That’s a 40-foot green screen with an “X” on it."
"Sometimes I’ll come in and say [to the director], ‘I don’t understand this. It doesn’t make sense.’ And they look at me and explain, ‘We go through wormholes.’ It makes me take a step back. ‘Oh, yeah, cool. I’m on a sci-fi show. OK.’ ”
It seems odd that the rational side can be overwhelming for Rainbow Sun Francks, who has so many fannish qualities. His family holds marathon Star Wars screenings every Christmas, he’s into anime, has seen every episode OF STAR TREK: The Next Generation and collects comic books and action figures.
In fact, Francks recalls how huge it was the day he called his Dad (actor, artist and activist Don Francks of LA FEMME NIKITA) to tell him he was going to be on a SF show.
“It was the best moment!” he exclaims.
Then there’s his excitement over ATLANTIS’ opening credits and its theme music. “You know what’s the best part?” gushes Francks, “There’s this huge crescendo, everything breaks and then it’s my face! Watch how good the timing is for me.”
Before the role of Ford took 24/7 control of him, Francks spent two years as a VJ for Toronto’s Much Music and was fully immersed in the creative arts: painting, writing music and playing hip-hop with his band, the Oddities.
In a way, STARGATE ATLANTIS has become an avenue for Francks to explore his world and own personal adventure—taking each day, laughing and learning and making the best of it.
“There’s a great little hip-hop saying,” Rainbow Sun Francks concludes. “ ‘Don’t talk about it. Be about it.’ It really works.”
To read Francks' entire interview pick up STARLOG #335, ON NEWSTANDS NOW.
SUBSCRIBE HERE
http://www.starlog.com/store/landing.php?id=2
|*|(*)|*|(*)|*|
Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Fans of Joe Flanigan
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/fansofjoeflanigan/
http://www.starlog.com/ghastly_review.php
BUILT FORD TOUGH
BY RHONDA KRAFCHIN
"It’s one of the greatest places I’ve ever been,” says Rainbow Sun Francks, who plays Lieutenant Aiden Ford, the charismatic weapons expert, on STARGATE: ATLANTIS.
The hours are grueling and the battle scars numerous, but for the young actor, work these days is as much summer camp as university study, with such informal classes as advanced weaponry with the show’s armorer, acting tips from co-star David Hewlett (Dr. Rodney McKay), Green Screen 101 and fight choreography.
“There’s so much to learn: special effects makeup, visual effects, computer-generated stuff,” says Francks.
“There are so many people with so much knowledge, it’s unbelievable. We have a terrific team of writers who are right there at all times to answer questions, as well as a fabulous directing staff who are always around. This entire first season has been a great ride, and I’m thankful to be part of it.”
All this has left Francks more exhausted than he has ever been in his life, but it’s something he would gladly keep doing for years—if only the actress sharing his trailer would quit combat practice while he’s trying to sleep.
“It’s hard sometimes when Rachel [Luttrell] is jumping around with sticks,” he laughs, full of admiration and affection for his co-star, who plays the fearless Athosian leader, Teyla Emmagan.
“The fire in her eyes doesn’t quit. But Rachel doesn’t do the same sort of stunts as me. I throw my body around more, jumping against walls and smashing this and that. I perform more testosterone-filled stunts. She does graceful fighting and throwing knives, which is a lot like dancing. You don’t see Rachel head-butting guys.”
“What’s cool about Ford is he’s a weapons specialist, so he looks at Teyla’s stick technique and thinks, ‘That’s amazing,’ but he’s a hardware guy. Ford has guns that shoot 900 bullets a minute, fully automatic. He stays away from hand-to-hand combat as much as he can. If Ford can shoot you, he’ll take the Indiana Jones approach.”
It seems natural that two actors playing young warriors would come together as friends, but the third member of Francks’ backstage gang portrays someone who’s far from a fighter.
Paul McGillion’s Dr. Carson Beckett is more of a duck-and-cover man than someone who wants to kick Wraith butt.
“We laugh all day long,” says Francks. “Paul and Rachel are hilarious. I love doing scenes with them. I really enjoyed our time together in ‘The Eye’ and ‘The Storm’ [which consisted of a great deal of bickering]. I have a ball with them. We read the newspaper together in the trailer and run scenes all the time. We play everyone using different voices. Paul and I battle to see who’s going to be McKay and Major John Sheppard.”
For Francks, running dialogue may be fun, but it’s also a way to dig deeper into his character, those of his co-stars and, most importantly, the relationships between them.
“Science fiction is everything,” says Francks. “As an actor, it stretches you in ways you didn’t know were possible. Ford is a fantastic character, I’m happy to play him and I’m having a great time doing it.” >P> When it comes to SF, Francks is just as likely to question the scientific validity of a story as he is to get carried away by a wild concept.
“It’s human to think of how ridiculous it is,” he says. “I’ve never done SF or green-screen work before. It’s both incredibly hard and silly. It’s like, ‘OK, up there, that “X” is a huge Wraith ship. It’s full of killers and it’s chasing you.’ And I look up and I’m like, ‘No, it isn’t. That’s a 40-foot green screen with an “X” on it."
"Sometimes I’ll come in and say [to the director], ‘I don’t understand this. It doesn’t make sense.’ And they look at me and explain, ‘We go through wormholes.’ It makes me take a step back. ‘Oh, yeah, cool. I’m on a sci-fi show. OK.’ ”
It seems odd that the rational side can be overwhelming for Rainbow Sun Francks, who has so many fannish qualities. His family holds marathon Star Wars screenings every Christmas, he’s into anime, has seen every episode OF STAR TREK: The Next Generation and collects comic books and action figures.
In fact, Francks recalls how huge it was the day he called his Dad (actor, artist and activist Don Francks of LA FEMME NIKITA) to tell him he was going to be on a SF show.
“It was the best moment!” he exclaims.
Then there’s his excitement over ATLANTIS’ opening credits and its theme music. “You know what’s the best part?” gushes Francks, “There’s this huge crescendo, everything breaks and then it’s my face! Watch how good the timing is for me.”
Before the role of Ford took 24/7 control of him, Francks spent two years as a VJ for Toronto’s Much Music and was fully immersed in the creative arts: painting, writing music and playing hip-hop with his band, the Oddities.
In a way, STARGATE ATLANTIS has become an avenue for Francks to explore his world and own personal adventure—taking each day, laughing and learning and making the best of it.
“There’s a great little hip-hop saying,” Rainbow Sun Francks concludes. “ ‘Don’t talk about it. Be about it.’ It really works.”
To read Francks' entire interview pick up STARLOG #335, ON NEWSTANDS NOW.
SUBSCRIBE HERE
http://www.starlog.com/store/landing.php?id=2
|*|(*)|*|(*)|*|
Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Fans of Joe Flanigan
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/fansofjoeflanigan/
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