As a life-long Joss Whedon fan I was delighted to attend Joss Whedon– A Life in Pictures, part of BAFTA’s Learning and Events series, an ‘in conversation’ session with the man himself. With strong female figures at the forefront of Whedon’s career, it was a privilege to fly the Funny Women flag at the event at BAFTA HQ and to be able to hear first hand the highs and lows of his work to date. From 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' to 'Firefly' and 'Serenity', and not to mention 'Dollhouse'; powerful female protagonists have been a focal point throughout his work. Along with these iconic female characters, an intelligent funny bone is a constant presence for any Whedon creation, showing the world that powerful women can carry a punch line.
Whedon’s popularity clearly precedes him in the UK: as I approached BAFTA I encountered a somewhat tetchy gent outside the venue, waving several pictures of Joss Whedon around and asking me if I was “waiting for ‘im?” Fortunately, I managed to shake my newfound friend, and as I made my way to my seat I was comforted by the fact I was surrounded by so many Whedon-ettes.
With an anticipatory round of applause, Whedon took to the stage. Throughout the talk he gave us unique insight into his writing process and how he tackled his varied subject matter. As witty in person as he is on the page, Whedon took us through his life in a charming and loveably nerdy fashion – he actually referenced back to specific episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, complete with episode number and title!
Discussing Buffy, Whedon told the audience his intention was always to create an icon and, along with his writing team, endeavoured to make every single episode as different and distinctive as possible. He opened up about how he would approach writing for film or for television and how the two writing styles differed. This was particularly apparent when reminiscing about the leap from the (in my humble opinion) unjustly short-lived television series, 'Firefly' to its feature film, 'Serenity'. But ultimately Whedon told us he believes it is all about one thing: storytelling. His passion for character and storytelling shone through when he was handed one of the most highly anticipated films of 2012, 'Avengers Assemble'. Whedon joked that, when reviewing the footage for Avengers Assemble, he realised, it was “just people sitting around talking!” In classic Whedon style, he enabled a wider audience to really connect with the people under the superhero suits.
The discussion was seamlessly led by presenter and writer, Francine Stock, who walked us through Whedon’s filmography interspersed with selected highlights from his diverse career. These highlights included Whedon’s latest venture onto the silver screen, Shakespeare’s 'Much Ado About Nothing.' This adaption, filmed over twelve days at Whedon’s own home, pulled together the troupe of seasoned actors that have grown into the Whedon players. It is a collaboration of vision and passion, which also illustrates his diversity as a director, coming hot on the heels of the juggernaut of the Avengers franchise.
It’s not every day you get to learn about the craft you are so passionate about from one of the most influential filmmakers out there, and it’s a testament to BAFTA’s commitment to nurturing new talent through active learning and participation programmes that they can attract prominent names to take part in these open forums.
I left inspired, humbled and a little bit delirious after listening to a hero of mine reaffirm just how much of a role model he is within the industry. Joss Whedon is a triumph for film and television and his creativity and personal vision will, I am certain, continue to kick-ass in the future.
For more information about BAFTA’s learning and events series, visit the website HERE, or to see a film of the event, visit the BAFTA website HERE.
Pictured: Joss Whedon at the event. Credit: BAFTA/Jamie Simonds
