Between the Lines Studios

If you’re a fan of Firefly and would like to see the adventures continue? Do you have the desire to write? Do you work well with a team?

Then you may want to apply to write for Firefly Between the Lines.

Firefly Between the Lines Season 1 will consist of 6 episodes (each being an hour in length) plus a series of smaller half-hour episodes. The stories will take place before the events of the Firefly episode Serenity.

We’re looking for writers. Each writer will be paired and work as a 2-person team on one episode. Writers will have between February 15th and July 1st to get their scripts done.

If you would like to apply to be a writer please send an email to supcomtabz - at- gmail.com

Click here to download the BTLS Writer’s Application here (WordDoc)

You’re asked to write a 2-3 page teaser script, the important thing with the script is to show your command of the character’s voices.

Send all that in by Jan 15th, 2008.

Special consideration is given to Between the Lines Studios members and writers for Buffy Between the Lines and Angel Between the Lines based on seniority.

Due to the overwhelming amount of responses we may not have time to immediately respond to each application, but you will be contacted!

Between the Lines Studios is looking for more crew members for it’s network of podcasts (Lets Talk Joss, Joss’d, Buffy Between the Lines, Angel Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Strangely Literal, Upside Down & Halfway to Happyland).

Our new cast/crew members will be working on not -one- podcast, but all the BTL Studios podcasts! All crew members are also open to be voices.

What are we looking for?

Audio Editors. People who can edit together podcasts. We also have great training if you don’t have skills in this area.

Writers. Not only script writers, but bloggers, fanfic authors and feature writers. For example, writing a review of a TV series, movie or book for Joss’d and our “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Joss”.

Time Commitment: This depends on you, we’re flexible. If you’re available for at least a couple hours a month we can use you!

If you’re interested, please email Crystal - midnytestarr - at - gmail.com

Andrew Ball (Buffy Between the Lines, Geek by Night), Heidi (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Kim Butler (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d, Upside Down & Halfway to Happyland), Emma Rawlin (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Ubiquirk (Buffy Between the Lines) & Tabitha Grace Smith (Buffy Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Strangely Literal, Joss’d, After Serenity) discuss the Buffy Season 8 comics! Want to send us an email? letstalkjoss@gmail.com

Kevin Bachelder (The Signal, Farscape, Firefly Talk), Kim Butler (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d, Upside Down & Halfway to Happyland), Emma Rawlin (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Larissa (Buffy Between the Lines) & Tabitha Grace Smith (Buffy Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Strangely Literal, Joss’d, After Serenity) discuss love (romantic/friendship/family) in the Whedonverse!Want to send us an email? letstalkjoss@gmail.com

Since October of 2007 Buffy Between the Lines has taken the Buffyverse to a place it’s never gone before. Now you can join the production that is loved by fans and praised by critics. Fancy yourself as Oz? Harmony? Lilah? Cordelia? Or just want to be part of the international cast and crew that’s taking the fandom by storm?

Reminder: These are not all the parts we want to cast are up for audition. Even if you don’t feel like you are qualified - audition for a part anyways and we’ll find you a piece.

Auditions close March 21st!

Click here to see the audition pieces.

Click here for the audition FAQ.

If you have any further questions please email us buffybetweenthelines[at]gmail.com

Nick Edwards (The Signal, Sending a Wave, Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Kim Butler (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d, Upside Down & Halfway to Happyland), Emma Rawlin (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Ginger Campbell (Brain Science Podcast and Books & Ideas Podcast), Larissa (Buffy Between the Lines) & Tabitha Grace Smith (Buffy Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Strangely Literal, Joss’d, After Serenity) discuss the Reavers from Firefly. Oh, and Tabz’ cat (Myboyfriend) decides to join in too.

Want to send us an email? letstalkjoss@gmail.com

Writing has never been easy for twenty-two-year-old Emma Rawlin, but inspired by her hero Joss Whedon, she is making a name for herself in the realm of fan fiction. Since 2007, Emma has been one of the writers on the ambitious Buffy Between the Lines.

As Emma describes it, “Buffy Between the Lines is an audio drama based around the show Buffy The Vampire Slayer and is set between seasons of the series. It’s non-profit, fan created and tries to stay as true to the show as possible.”

Emma’s involvement started early in the project when lead producer Tabitha Grace Smith announced it on her Live Journal page. Tabitha had read some of Emma’s fan fiction and was pleased to have her as part of the writing team. As the series began to take shape, the writing team mapped out season one including details about where each episode would begin and end, what key events had to take place, and which characters would be highlighted. This framework gave the writers an opportunity to explore the story space on their own and inject their particular talents into the project.

One of the challenges lies in getting the characters to “sound” right. Emma has been a fan of the original Buffy since the age of thirteen, so the voices often come naturally. When they don’t, she finds an episode that features the particular character she’s struggling with, and watches it again. Some characters, though, come to her more easily than others.

“Being the only British writer on Buffy Between the Lines, I perhaps feel more comfortable with Giles’ and Spike’s voices than others.”

For the upcoming second season, Emma notes that the stories outlines are more detailed and more writers have joined the project. It’s also taking place at a different point in the Buffy-verse.

“It’ll be set in between season 2 and 3; we realised that there were a lot of potential stories there to tell. There are a lot of characters you might not expect to see, and that perhaps didn’t get much screen time in the show. And, we actually have Buffy in this season too.”

Although Buffy Between the Lines was Emma’s first audio project, she’d already written quite a bit of
fiction; both prose and scripts, original and fan fiction. Writing for Buffy has helped develop her skills.

“I think my dialogue has gotten stronger, and my storytelling has gotten tighter – all my scenes tend to have a purpose or at least get to the point quicker. I think it’s also given me some confidence in my writing ability that I didn’t have before.”

That’s no small statement for Emma who as diagnosed with severe dyslexia at age eight.

“I had a private tutor,” she says, “not because my family were rich – because I was that bad.”

This disability gave her an unusual history as a writer. The dyslexia kept her from reading many novels before the age of eighteen; although she’s always loved stories.

“I watched a lot of TV, and begged relatives to read to me and my happiest times at school (not many of those) were when the teacher would read stories to us.”

Finding Joss Whedon was something of a revelation to her.

“I know … how very fangirl of me … but his characters, his dialogue, his stories … I loved them so much I wanted to do that too. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all,” she says.

Determined to learn to write, she studied, finding Anne Lamott’s advice in Bird by Bird, to be particularly useful. Based on what’s she’s learned, Emma offers this advice to other aspiring writers, “You’re probably not going to be good at it straight away, but just keep going. Also, read a lot, and read a lot on writing from other writers. Write a lot and remember you can never know enough about writing.”

Following her own advice, Emma is hard at work on season two including co-authoring the season two finale with Executive Producer, Tabitha Smith.

Name: Cliss

Role Played on Buffy Between the Lines: Tara

What do you love about your character?: “What’s not to love about Tara? I guess one of the things I most like is that she has this inner strength that I really admire. I mean, when something really didn’t seem right to her or if she believed in something wholeheartedly, she spoke up and let herself be heard.”

Favorite Buffy Character (and why): “I don’t know! It changes every single time I watch an episode of Buffy! LOL. Right now, though… I’d have to say it’s Faith, because I can relate to her (not with the homicidal crazy thoughts, though). She’s a misunderstood girl who had a tough childhood… plus she’s kick-ass!”

Currently Listening to: “I have a mix on my iPod right now with some Jimi Hendrix, Cranberries, Snoop Dogg, Billie Holiday, Korn, and this one Mexican group called Mana.”

Other things you’ve done that you’re proud of: “I baked a cake the other week, and it didn’t burn!”

Favorite thing that your character has said: “My favorite thing she’s said in BBtL is probably the speech she gave in the graveyard when the scoobies are saying bye to Buffy.. It made me all teary-eyed every time i read it. Damn! That just destroyed my tough-girl rep!”

Nick Edwards (The Signal, Sending a Wave, Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d), Kim Butler (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d, Upside Down & Halfway to Happyland), Emma Rawlin (Buffy Between the Lines, Joss’d) & Tabitha Grace Smith (Buffy Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Strangely Literal, Joss’d, After Serenity) discuss why we’re such huge fans of Joss Whedon’s works, why fans are so obessesed and what we love about Joss’ works.

Want to send us an email? letstalkjoss@gmail.com

Our promo. Feel free to share or play on your own podcast! Promo features Nick Edwards, Clay Robeson, Les Howard, Kim Butler and Brian Brown.

Let’s Talk Joss. A monthly roundtable where Joss afficianatos congregate to discuss deeper topics related to Joss Whedon’s work. While focusing mainly on Buffy, Angel and Firefly, nothing Joss is off limits.