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Interview with a Flooder Slayer - Conducted by Rick Arnold
By Ben
Rick: I am sitting here, on the set of the new weekly Fan Fic series, Slayer, which is a continuation of Ben the Flooder Slayer. Of course I play General Rick Arnold on the show, but before I started to work on the show, I was a fan. And today Ben Smythe, executive producer, creator, writer, director and star of Ben The Flooder Slayer and Slayer, is joining me. Can I just say…wow, that’s a load of titles you carry for this series.
Ben: Well I think you just did. [Laughs] Yeah, I’ve weighed myself down with all this writing and directing and producing and starring. But it’s fun. Don’t forget I won a FanFic award for Best Villain!
Rick: Oh, can’t forget that! But, I have been a fan of the show since the first time I saw it, and I came in a hair late to it, so I had to do my homework on the series and I’ve recently seen that the style of the show has really changed a lot. From season 1 to now, Ben and his friends have really matured.
Ben: Oh definitely. Ben has overcome a lot in his character’s quest. Ben didn’t start out as the Slayer. He started out as character in Vader’s Site Wars chronicles, he was robbed of both of his parents and he only had Dan as a parental figure in his life. When I asked Vader for the rights of a spin-off, he was thrilled and we changed a few of the things around.
Rick: Right, because in Site Wars, you were married to Becky and had River as your son, and if we look at it now, River is your brother in the series and Becky is…well where is Becky?
Ben: Becky is protecting innocents now. She’ll actually be returning this season. And yeah, River is my brother now. [Laughs] When the first season went underway I left Ben married to Becky and having a child and I thought ‘there is no way I can make it believable that he’s still just a teenager out of high school with marriage and a son.’ So I made the Ben The Flooder Slayer movie and Aged River to being 16, only a few years younger than my character in the series. In the movie, River plays a ‘slayer-in-training,’ and little did I realize I would get him to being where he is now. So we get the season underway and I make Becky have an affair with Dan. I wanted to try and free myself from Site Wars because this wasn’t that, it was a series meant to be the equivalent of ‘Buffy,’ using members of the board.
Rick: Right, and it is. Now in Slayer, you aren’t fighting Flooders anymore…it’s Vampires.
Ben: Yes. And that’s going to go very good with the storyline this season. I’m trying to correspond what’s going on in Slayer with ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’ this season. What we’ve seen on Buffy so far is that two girls, slayers-in-training, have been killed.
Rick: Wouldn’t that put you or River in danger?
Ben: Of course! Why else would I write it?
Rick: Speaking of River, he is just unbelievable. He has got so much strength physically and socially.
Ben: Yeah, Alan Malcolm plays him wonderfully. Couldn’t ask for a better actor, he really can relate into the character’s situations and can be a major ass kicker.
Rick: Last season we learned that Joan Summers, your mom in the series, was a Slayer before you, and you were born with the powers, and that she conceived River as well. Does this mean River is going to be a Slayer?
Ben: I can’t answer that. [Grins] River is going to play a very crucial part this season though.
Rick: Any Romances to come?
Ben: We just got done filming an episode about that. The episode is all about relationships. Ryan reveals to Tara that he has a crush on her, River and his new girlfriend go on their first date, Joey, one of River’s bullies, goes on a date with his girl, and Ben asks Para to marry him.
Rick: When is this episode coming out? I wasn’t on the set for it! Am I getting no love?
Ben: Of course you’re getting love; Sam has came and made her presence felt. She is going to very controversial. Besides, you’ve seen how relationships last in this series. They always end badly; girl tries to kill you, girl dies, whatever.
Rick: [Laughs] well as long as I get some action…
Ben: Right, Rick…get you some action, check! [Laughs]
Rick: That seems to be something you’ve been doing a lot of lately, dropping characters for a few episodes, even yourself. Why?
Ben: Well it’s just the same with the name, it’s not called ‘The’ Slayer, or ‘Ben The Flooder Slayer,’ it focuses on people aside myself. I’m trying to show that just because, for example myself, was a main character in the series since it began that it’s all about me. It’s not. The series focuses on many different storylines.
Rick: Does it ever get hard just picking a storyline?
Ben: Oh of course. You have to think about so many things when you go into creating a storyline; is the character in love, will they be good or bad, will they turn from the good side to the bad side, or vice-versa. It’s a lot to think about. After the season finale of each season I’ve plotted different ‘themes’ for each season. Season 1’s theme was ‘new’ and everything had to get introduced. Season 2 focused a lot on trust and friendship. Season 3’s theme was iffy, because I’m not even sure season 3 happened sometimes. Season 4/Season 1 of Slayer’s theme is new and improved, going back to the first season of introducing everyone and everything, new town, new characters.
Rick: Yeah, Ryan is a fairly new character with little past information…what’s his story?
Ben: Ryan’s character is more or less replacing Ice. His story won’t get explained till later on in the season with a ‘mini-series’ inside of the series that I’ve wanted to do since season 1.
Rick: Now, I’ve been curious, you brought in a gay couple, Mandy and Tara, and then destroyed them. I’ve also heard rumors that Mandy will return this season, but she was killed…how?
Ben: You’re just trying to get what you can out of me!
Rick: Don’t you know it!
Ben: I’m quite sure Mandy will return. Going back to our discussion on relationships not lasting, Ryan and Tara’s relationship will be short lived…but Tara will have to make a choice. You’ll see what I’m talking about in a few episodes.
Rick: Have you considered any special edition episodes?
Ben: Funny you mention that, we are currently working on the Season 1 Special Edition box set DVD! [Laughs]
Rick: DVD, eh?
Ben: We’re just calling it the DVD Box Set because the episodes will all be released at the same time and placed on the website.
Rick: Awesome. Any plans for the future seasons?
Ben: Yep. Season 2 will start Special Edition Post Production roughly in November.
Rick: Now what about the fabled Season Soundtracks?
Ben: They’re still on the way out. I just had to find the right songs to incorporate. Season 1’s will be released with the DVD.
Rick: That’s sweet! Now what of the ‘Theme Songs’ for characters?
Ben: I have a few themes picked out for certain characters. Para and Ben Love Theme is actually “Across The Stars” by John Williams. The alternate love theme is “Close Your Eyes” by Christophe Beck. I’ve actually been turning to John Williams a lot for music. “Duel of the Fates” will be used in the finale and maybe a few times before. Don Davis’ wonderful score for “AntiTrust” will be used for a few themes.
Rick: Now the show’s actual theme song is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” by Nerf Herder. Why?
Ben: Well I was listening to a few lesser songs and I ultimately though that Nerf Herder did a wonderful job of that and I love it. It starts out very eerie and gets wicked cool. They even recorded an extended version for me! The theme won’t be that forever though…When the next new episode comes out, on the 22nd, be prepared for an all new opening sequence.
Rick: All new opening sequence? Like how?
Ben: New theme song, new scenes for the character/cast listing, everything. We’ve gone nuts.
Rick: Whatever happened to our cushy staff of Administration Moderated Productions?
Ben: We’re still open, nobody has wanted sponsoring from us, so oh well.
Rick: Oh well?
Ben: Well, I’ve talked to Toby, who just released his first ever weekly fan fic series, Agent Compy, and Seth Rex has expressed AMP to sponsor him in his “Spider-Man” weekly fan-fic series. So I’m waiting on that. I believe Aragorn joined us, so whatever he puts out will just be bogged down with cushy AMP graphics and links. [Laughs]
Rick: You’ve had a few offers to move the show. Why haven’t you taken them?
Ben: I just didn’t want them. UFXN was offering me a pretty penny for the series, but that would require moving everything to UFXN Land and Dansville / Charger City are just fine with me.
Rick: Where did Charger City come from?
Ben: Well it was established back in 1870…[Laughs] No. Seth Rex actually thought of the name. It’s been mentioned in BTFS a few times.
Rick: One last question. Are we going to see any more seasons after this current one?
Ben: I promise a season 5. I don’t know how long it will last, but that may be the last one…and after that – I think I will successfully retire. But don’t forget, our contracts include another movie.
Rick: They do? [Moan]
Ben: You betcha!
Rick: Well thank you for joining me, and faithful viewers, I’ll be chatting with Ben sometime later when the first season comes out on DVD!
11/12/2002 4:33:56 PM
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