Newsarama has an interview with Mark Warshaw, associate producer Smallville and the producer of Smallville Legends.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=101276
SMALLVILLE GOES STREAMING WITH GREEN ARROW
by Steve Fritz
Last January, the CW, Sprint and Warner Bros. started something very new for American media, although it hasn’t been anything new in Asia for some time now. Sprint began airing a six-part original animated show based on the widely popular series Smallville.
No, it doesn’t feature a certain Kansas farmboy or his crew of angst-ridden post-teens. On the other hand it does feature another budding costumed character of the DC Universe. The series is called Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles. Of course, we fanboys know Ollie better as Green Arrow.
A six-part miniseries, this origins tale of how Oliver Queen became the avenging archer was first only available through Sprint’s mobile phone system. Starting February 22, it will also go online through the CW’s
www.cwtv.com.
We managed to snag an interview with Mark Warshaw, associate producer Smallville and the producer of Smallville Legends.
Here’s what he had to say (images shown in phone resolution):
NEWSARAMA: What made you decide on the Smallville franchise, and more specifically, why Green Arrow to take this step in both new media and content?
MARK WASHAW: Oliver Queen plays a huge role in Smallville season six. Also, his backstory is fascinating, yet not widely known by many casual, non-comic book readers. His tale is a hard one to tell within the budgetary constraints of traditional live-action network TV. He’s on a tropical island. There are plane crashes, million-dollar yachts, leopards, monkeys, boars and an entire tribe of natives. So, when Sprint allowed us the opportunity to tell an animated Smallville story, we jumped at the chance to tell Oliver Queen’s in this medium.
NRAMA: There's been lots and lots of interpretations of Oliver Queen over the years. How would you describe yours?
MW: The Oliver you meet in the “Reunion” flashback episode of Smallville is a tough guy to like. He is bitter about his parents’ deaths. He’s a total bully because of it, and he takes it all out on Lex Luthor. The more mature Oliver, who is the Green Arrow on Smallville, is an enlightened guy. So the animated series fills in the blanks, illustrating Oliver's journey from schoolyard bully to a world-class hero.
NRAMA: Who are other key characters in this series? Can you give me their names and a little description on each of them?
MW: They are…
Robert Queen: Oliver’s dad. He’s torn between the responsibilities of being a billionaire CEO and the desire to be a good the father to his young son. We also allude to his connections to Vigil Swann and Lionel Luthor which play out more in an upcoming Smallville-related project that we will have more to say about in the coming months.
Moira Queen: Oliver’s Mom. She’s strong. Oliver clearly gets his good looks from her.
Adi Stanley: Oliver’s Nanny. She’s an islander. She takes care of Ollie after his parents die. She tries her best to be his moral compass.
Crantch: He is a modern-day pirate who is partially responsible for putting Oliver on the island. He is a dirty dude.
Captain Nick: The day after Oliver graduates from Excelsior Prep, he embarks on a yachting trip to find the spot where his parents’ plane crashed. He’s going there to say a real goodbye, to bury his demons and begin the rest of his life. Captain Nick is the man who is taking him there.
Anjaka: The leader of the tribe of bowhunters that Oliver meets on the Island.
Bundakendar: The best bowhunter in the tribe. He teaches Oliver how to really use a bow and arrow.
NRAMA: In your own words, and without giving too much away, what is the main plot point for this series?
MW: Oliver Queen is marooned on a tropical island where he learns how to be the greatest archer in the world and acquires the values needed to be a real super hero.
NRAMA: Production-wise, was their anything one had to be mindful of when going from a TV screen to a phone screen that caused you to do things differently?
MW: Yes. We could not work in 16:9. It’s too bad because the scenery is quite cinematic. You also can’t have too much action. But we sorta ignored that rule. This is super hero stuff. We need action!
NRAMA: Did Bruce Timm's work at Warner Bros. Animation and his version of Green Arrow in JLU effect how you did your version of Oliver?
MW: The animators all had Green Arrow action figures based on Bruce Timm’s art in their offices to serve as inspiration.
NRAMA: How does it feel to have this finally coming out?
MW: Great. It’s been a labor of love and a great experience!
NRAMA:Are there plans for other such animation? If so, can you give us a hint?
MW: Not yet. But if people enjoy it and spread the word, there’s a good chance there will be more.
So... If you look at a more serious face pic of each maybe you'll see what I mean.
