1 production
1.1 origin
1.2 format
1.3 set design
1.4 music
1.5 casting
1.6 production staff
1.7 costume
1.8 unproduced episodes
production
origin
whedon developed concept show after reading killer angels, pulitzer prize-winning novel michael shaara chronicling battle of gettysburg during american civil war. wanted follow people had fought on losing side of war , experiences afterwards pioneers , immigrants on outskirts of civilization, post-american civil war era of reconstruction , american old west culture. intended show stagecoach kind of drama lot of people trying figure out lives in bleak pioneer environment . whedon wanted develop show tactile nature of life, show existence more physical , more difficult. after reading killer angels, whedon read book jewish partisan fighters in world war ii influenced him. whedon wanted create television more character-driven , gritty modern science fiction. television science fiction, felt, had become pristine , rarefied.
whedon wanted give show name indicated movement , power, , felt firefly had both. powerful word s relatively insignificant meaning, whedon felt, added allure. wound creating ship in image of firefly.
format
during filming of pilot episode, whedon still arguing fox show should displayed in widescreen format. consequently, purposely filmed scenes actors on extreme edge of both sides shown in widescreen. led few scenes on dvd (and later blu-ray) objects or setups not visible in original 4:3 broadcasts displayed—such scene in pilot wash mimes controlling ship non-existent yoke. however, pilot rejected fox executives, felt lacked action , captain dour . disliked scene in crew backed down crime boss, since scene implied crew being nothing . thus, fox told whedon on friday afternoon had submit new pilot script on monday morning or show not picked up. whedon , tim minear closeted weekend write became new pilot, train job . @ direction of fox, added larger life characters such henchman crow , , hands of blue men, introduced x-files-type ending.
for new pilot, fox made clear not air episodes in widescreen format. whedon , company felt had serve 2 masters filming widescreen eventual dvd release, keeping objects in frame still work when aired in pan , scan full frame. obtain immersive , immediate feel, episodes filmed in documentary style hand-held cameras, giving them of found footage , deliberately misframed or out-of-focus subjects. whedon related: ...don t arch, don t sweeping—be found, rough , tumble , docu[mentary] , you-are-there . computer-generated scenes mimicked motion of hand-held camera. style not used, however, when shooting scenes involved central government, alliance. tracking , steady cameras used show sterility of aspect of firefly universe. style employed lens flares harking 1970s television. style desired director of photography, david boyd, sent cutting-edge lenses reduced lens flare in exchange cheaper ones.
unlike other science fiction shows, add sound space scenes dramatic effect, firefly portrays space silent, because sounds cannot transmitted in vacuum of space.
set design
the spacecraft serenity digitally rendered special effects house zoic studios. shape inspired shape of firefly insect, , tail section lights in imitation of it.
production designer carey meyer built ship serenity in 2 parts (one each level) complete set ceilings , practical lighting installed part of set cameras use along moveable parts. two-part set allowed second unit shoot in 1 section while actors , first unit worked undisturbed in other. whedon recalled: ...you pull away or move huge, in , around everything. meant environment worked , there weren t lot of adjustments needed made. there other benefits set design. 1 allowed viewers feel in ship. whedon, design of ship crucial in defining known space viewer, , there not fourteen hundred decks , holodeck , all-you-can-eat buffet in . wanted convey utilitarian , beat-up lived-in , ultimately, home . joss whedon discusses in dvd commentary, each room represented feeling or character, conveyed paint color. explains move of ship in engine room, toward front of ship bridge, colors , mood progress extremely warm cooler. besides evoking mood associated character spends time in each area, color scheme alludes heat generated in tail of ship. whedon keen on utilizing vertical space; thus, having crew s quarters accessible ladder important. benefit of set design allowed actors stay in moment , interact, without having stop after each shot , reset next. helped contribute documentary style whedon strove for.
the set had several influences, including sliding doors , tiny cubicles reminiscent of japanese hotels. artist larry dixon has noted cargo bay walls reminiscent of interlaced, overlapping asian designs, cleverly reminding of american-chinese alliance setting while artistically forming patterned plane background scale reference . dixon has remarked on how set design contributed storytelling through use of color, depth , composition, lighting, use of diagonals , patterned shadows.
their small budget reason use ship of storytelling. when characters did go off ship, worlds had earth atmosphere , coloring because not afford design alien worlds. didn t want go yucca flats every other episode , transform bizarro world making sky orange , recalled whedon. meyer recalled: think in end feel wound using lot of places or exteriors felt western , didn t want go way; @ point, became lesser of 2 evils—what create in 3 days?
music
greg edmonson composed musical score series. stated wrote emotion of moment. however, 1 reviewer averred wrote characters, stating: edmonson has developed specialized collection of musical symbolism series . illustrate collection, reviewer gave key leitmotifs, or signatures , various names, noting serenity recalls theme of show , used when return ship, or when meeting clandestinely; sound of home . slide guitar , fiddle used in piece portable instruments fit lifestyle of crew: music make calls tunes played out in open, people hundreds of miles away yesterday. serenity conjures nomadic lifestyle crew leads , underlines western aspect of show. emotional signature sad violin . used @ end of battle of serenity valley, helped set joke when mal tells simon kaylee dead in episode serenity . memorable use of sad violin , however, @ end of message , when crew mourned death of tracey. last scene of last episode actors shot, , seen them, , edmonson, firefly s farewell. denote impending danger, peril used, low pulse, heartbeat, deep chimes , low strings . reviewer noted character signatures. criminal niska has own signature: eastern european or middle eastern melodies on low drone. simon , river s signature piano played sparsely violin in background. in contrast portable instruments of serenity : piano instrument cannot moved , evokes image of distant house , family both long . various signatures established in first pilot, serenity , , helped enhance narrative.
in every episode, musical score intensified experience of intelligent, remarkable show. using , combining these signatures, greg edmonson brought out aspects of firefly s story , characters never explicitly revealed in other elements of series.
whedon s use of music in television shows has been regarded filmic , in has been argued use remind viewers @ pivotal moments of earlier events, resulting in tighter continuity throughout season.
the musical score expressed cultural fusion depicted in show. cowboy guitar blended asian influence produced atmospheric background series. 1 reviewer stated:
old music future—the music of roaring campfires , racous [sic] cowboys mixed warm, pensive sounds of asian culture and, occasionally, cold imperial trumpet, heralding ominous structural presence of domineering government. thrilling.
—steve townsley
the show s theme song, ballad of serenity , written joss whedon , performed sonny rhodes. whedon wrote song before series greenlit , preliminary recording performed whedon can found on dvd release. soundtrack series released on cd on november 8, 2005, varèse sarabande, although 40-minute soundtrack released fox music in september 2005 digital ep. ballad of serenity used nasa wake-up song astronaut robert l. behnken , other crewmembers of sts-130 on february 12, 2010.
casting
(from left right, top bottom) ron glass, summer glau, alan tudyk, sean maher, adam baldwin, jewel staite, morena baccarin, , nathan fillion: 8 of 9 main actors in 2005 (not pictured: gina torres)
in casting nine-member crew, whedon looked first @ actors , considered chemistry others. cast member sean maher recalls, sort of put together, , think quick, right out of gate, instantly bonded . 9 cast members chosen before filming began. however, while filming original pilot serenity , whedon decided rebecca gayheart unsuitable role of inara serra, , shot scenes in singles easier replace her. morena baccarin auditioned role , 2 days later on set in first television show. joss brought me down testing room proud dad, holding hand , introducing me, baccarin recalled.
whedon approached nathan fillion play lead role of malcolm reynolds; after whedon explained premise , showed him treatment pilot, fillion eager role. fillion called several times read part before cast. noted thrilling. first lead , pretty nervous, wanted part , wanted tell stories. fillion later said heartbroken when learned series had been cancelled. fillion has called time on firefly best acting job ever had, , compares every job has had it.
alan tudyk applied through casting office , several months later called in audition, met whedon. called test 2 candidates role of zoe (wash s wife) , told down him , 1 other candidate. zoes tested not selected (gina torres received role) , tudyk sent home, received call informing him had part anyway. audition tape included in special features of dvd release.
gina torres, veteran of several science fiction/fantasy works (cleopatra 2525, matrix reloaded, alias, hercules: legendary journeys), @ first uninterested in doing science fiction show, won on quality of source material . recalled, had these challenged characters inhabiting challenging world , makes great storytelling. , no aliens!
for adam baldwin, grew watching westerns, role of jayne cobb particularly resonant.
canadian actress jewel staite videotaped audition vancouver , asked come los angeles meet whedon, @ point cast role of kaylee frye, ship s engineer.
sean maher recalls reading part , liking character of simon tam, whedon s personality , vision sealed deal him. role of simon s sister, river tam, whedon called in summer glau audition , test same day. glau had first worked whedon in angel episode waiting in wings . 2 weeks later, whedon called tell had part.
veteran television actor ron glass has said until firefly, had not experienced or sought science-fiction or western role, fell in love pilot script , character of shepherd book.
production staff
tim minear selected whedon show runner, serves head writer , production leader. according whedon [minear] understood show human being, , brought think of though part of . many of other production staff selected people whedon had worked in past, exception of director of photography david boyd, big find , full of joy , energy .
the writers selected after interviews , script samplings. among writers josé molina, ben edlund, cheryl cain, brett matthews, drew z. greenberg , jane espenson. espenson wrote essay on writing process mutant enemy productions. meeting held , idea floated, whedon, , writers brainstorm develop central theme of episode , character development. next, writers (except 1 working on previous week s episode) meet in anteroom whedon s office begin breaking story acts , scenes. team, 1 of key components devising acts deciding break commercial , ensuring viewer returns. finding these moments in story give shape: think of them tentpoles support structure . instance, in shindig , break commercial occurs when malcolm reynolds gravely injured , losing duel. not end when mal turns fight around, when stands victorious on opponent. re both big moments, 1 of them leaves curious , other doesn t.
next, writers develop scenes onto marker-filled whiteboard, featuring brief ordered description of each scene . writer selected create outline of episode s concept—occasionally dialogue , jokes—in 1 day. outline given showrunner tim minear, revises within day. writer uses revised outline write first draft of script while other writers work on developing next. first draft submitted revision within 3 fourteen days; afterward, second , third draft written. after revisions made, final draft produced shooting draft .
costume
jill ohanneson, firefly s original costume designer, brought on shawna trpcic assistant pilot. when show picked up, ohanneson involved in job , declined firefly, suggesting trpcic job.
the costumes chiefly influenced world war ii, american civil war, american old west, , 1861 samurai japan. trpcic used deep reds , oranges main cast, express feeling of home , , contrasted grays , cool blues alliance. since characters getting shot, trpcic make 6 versions of same costume multiple takes.
for river, jewel tones used set apart rest of serenity crew. river had boots contrast soft fabrics of clothes, because s is—she s soft, beautiful, sensitive girl, hardcore inner character, recalled trpcic.
the designers wanted contrast simon, river s brother, rest of crew. whereas dressed in cotton, simon wore wool, stiff fabrics, satins , silk. dandy , show progressed, loosened slightly.
for kaylee, trpcic studied on japanese , chinese youth, character asian. other inspirations kaylee s costumes rosie riveter , chinese communist posters.
inara s costumes reflect high status, , feminine , attractive.
trpcic designed , created clothes minor character of badger joss whedon in mind, since intended play part. when mark sheppard played role instead, able fit clothes made whedon.
for alliance, besides grays , cool blues, trpcic had in mind nazi germany, mixed different wars, first sketches nazi . uniforms of alliance soldiers 1997 film starship troopers.
in commentary pilot episode whedon points out bad guys wear hats, guys don t .
unproduced episodes
since cancellation of series, various cast , crew members have revealed details had planned show s future:
alan tudyk had idea episode planet day on 1 side, , night on other. on night side, jayne accidentally spills type of pheromone on himself , crew, attracts species of dogs. crew chased ship these dogs. there river uses mind powers domesticate dogs.
adam baldwin wanted make episode in jayne goes against mal captain of own ship.
tim minear revealed secret of inara s syringe, seen in pilot episode; infected deadly disease. there have been episode gang-raped reavers. because injected herself syringe, of reavers on ship die.
according nathan fillion, there episode in crew land on dying planet. inhabitants try steal serenity, after explain crew need off planet. problem unless run ship along way, passengers, serenity not have enough fuel , oxygen make closest destination. while else asleep, mal takes ship himself , discovers never have arrived.
^ whedon, serenity: official visual companion, p. 8
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 6
^ whedon, firefly: complete series: serenity commentary
^ whedon, interview joss whedon , done impossible
^ whedon, firefly: complete series: train job commentary, track 1
^ whedon, firefly: complete series: train job commentary, track 7.
^ whedon, firefly: complete series: train job commentary, track 6
^ whedon, firefly: complete series: train job commentary, track 3
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 12
^ mcduffee, keith (september 8, 2006). firefly: objects in space (series finale) . tvsquad. archived original on june 29, 2007. retrieved december 11, 2007.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 11
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 10
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 10–11
^ dixon, reward, details, devils, due , finding serenity, 8
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 130
^ monger, james christopher. firefly [original television soundtrack] - greg edmonson . allmusic. rovi corporation.
^ jarry, jonathan (november 16, 2005). firefly soundtrack . soundtracknet. soundtracknet, llc.
^ jarry, jonathan (october 1, 2005). firefly soundtrack . soundtracknet. soundtracknet, llc.
^ goltz, listening firefly , finding serenity, 209–215
^ granade, s. andrew (december 2011). here s us, on raggedy edge : exoticism , identification in joss whedon s firefly . popular music , society. 34 (5): 621–637. doi:10.1080/03007766.2010.537858.
^ steve, townsley. music in verse: firefly , serenity . tracksounds.com. archived original on july 17, 2006. retrieved july 1, 2006.
^ twitter / nasa: shuttle crew awoke @4:14pet theme song firefly. . twitter. nasa. february 12, 2010. retrieved march 22, 2011.
^ henry, susan. track , cue list published version of firefly soundtrack . archived original on march 15, 2008. retrieved march 2, 2008.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 132
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 68.
^ interview nathan fillion . dreamwatch (107). august 2003.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 26.
^ fillion, nathan. here s how was: making of firefly (firefly: complete series (dvd)).
^ nathan fillion . kevin pollak s chat show. season #2.42. february 13, 2011. 96:40 minutes in.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 60.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 40
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 94.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 114.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 142.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 166.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 6, 8
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol 1, 8.
^ espenson, jane. writing process . fox broadcasting company. archived original on december 10, 2002. retrieved march 30, 2015.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 150.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 154.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 128.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 127.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 24.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 120.
^ whedon, firefly companion, vol. 1, 66.
^ whedon: ... because rented suits starship troopers people ... again, no money . dvd commentary train job , 17:30 minutes.
^ davis, lauren (november 10, 2012). crazy canine firefly episode alan tudyk pitched writers . io9. retrieved january 6, 2014.
^ anders, charlie jane (november 12, 2012). firefly episode re glad joss whedon didn t make . io9. retrieved january 6, 2014.
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