-- By BetteAndTinaForever

L-WORD.COM SET VISIT

• Photos
  • Alice's Bedroom
  • Bette's Office
  • Shane and Jenny's House
  • Bette and Tina's Bedroom
  • Bette and Tina's Yard and Pool
• Set Visit Report
• Interview with Pam Grier
• Interview with Rose Troche
• Interview with Cynthia Summer

As I had it explained to me by the representative from Showtime, a day on the set of a TV show is always unpredictable in terms of how long the actors will stay or even when they will come on the set to shoot their scenes. Though things are always organized, it can often be really hectic and quite often just simply go off plan.

There are always multiple things going on simultaneously. While the film crew is shooting a scene on one of the on-set locations, like the Planet or Bette and Tina’s house, another group meets in the conference room to discuss the next episode. And it is hard to say when anyone’s available.

At first I was told that I would be able to speak to Ilene Chaiken, Rose Lam (the executive producer), Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirschner, Leisha Hailey, and Pam Grier because they were scheduled to shoot their scenes on Wednesday. When I got on the set, I was informed there were changes.

Ilene wasn’t there because she had to write, and she had other interviews; Mia was coming at 10 pm because her scene was being shot outside of the studio and required darkness; Laurel was shooting part of her scene on Tuesday but they finished it on the same day, so she didn’t have to come the next day; Rose Lam was there, but by the time I finished a little tour around the set and interviewed others, she was already in the conference room, preparing for the next episode.

In the end, I was able to interview Pam Grier, Rose Troche, and Cynthia Summers. Before I proceed with the interviews, let me tell you a little about my overall impression of the set and the filming process.

On the set at the studio, they have Bette and Tina’s house (in the first season before the show was picked up, the interior and exterior shots for the Pilot were done on location in the actual house). I actually found it while sightseeing and took a few pictures. A man walked past me while I was preparing to take a photo and asked if I was here for The L Word house. Apparently, people come to this location a lot because it became quite famous.

On the set, there is also Jenny and Shane’s house, the Planet, and Alice’s apartment. Also, for Season Four, they built the Art department at the fictional Californian University where Bette is working as a Dean. All of the shots in Bette’s office and the outside corridor were filmed there. I took a few shoots of Bette’s office while I was there, including a cute picture of Angelica that she has on her desk.

While I was touring the set, they were filming a scene at the Planet with a lot of extras. Pam and later Leisha and Kate joined the scene. It was for episode 603, directed by Angela Robinson. During the break in the shooting, I walked on the set and watched for a few minutes to see what was happening. Leisha and Kate were sitting at the table and talking to some crew members as they were preparing for the next shot. On the side of the set, there were two computers showing what was happening on the stage and the director seat. I wasn’t allowed to take photos, and I don’t know what the scene was all about, but it was really interesting to see how it is done.

It was actually fascinating. I can honestly say that I could spend a whole day there, and it wouldn’t be enough. The whole atmosphere of being on the set, to even glimpse a short moment between the filming and just the process of making a TV show was so amazing, especially when it is a filming of my favorite show.

At the same time, Rose Troche, who is directing episode 604, and a lot of other people involved in the process of making and writing an episode, were gathered in the conference room, going over the storyboards and other details for the upcoming shooting of episode 604.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that room and hear them talking about it! As you will read in my interview with Rose, episode 604 is heavily concentrated on Bette and Tina, though Rose let it slip that no sex scene is involved. Bummer…I hope she was joking!

Jackie Bissley from Showtime was showing me around the set in between my interviews, while we were waiting for people to become available. I took a few shoots of Bette’s office at CU, Alice’s bedroom, Jenny and Shane’s house interior, and Max’s studio. Yes, Max is back.

While we were waiting outside for Pam to show up, we also talked about different details, and Jackie told me that Laurel is a wonderful person and she and her family are doing great. She also told me that if someone spotted Erin Daniels in Vancouver it is not because she’s coming back as Dana’s ghost or directing an episode…probably just visiting because she’s great friends with Kate and Leisha. Pam Grier is never late for the filming of her scenes, and the spin-off is still in development. There probably were more things we talked about but I was too excited to remember them all now.

I couldn’t take pictures inside Bette’s and Tina’s house because it was being renovated and whatever was happening inside would give away a certain storyline, but I took a picture of the swimming pool, which is real and another shot, which shows a little bit of Bette’s and Tina’s bedroom. Thank goodness, it looks like they finally changed their sheets that have been the same since Season 1.

Except for Pam Grier, no other cast member was on the set until I was interviewing Cynthia Summers, the costume designer. Then, I saw Kate and Leisha coming into the wardrobe department because they had some questions for Cynthia. I didn’t have a chance to talk to them because a few minutes later they were already on the set, filming the Planet scene.

Unfortunately, my visit was too short and too quick (it only lasted 1.5 hours), but it was a great experience that allowed me to get a glimpse into the filming of the show. I am grateful to Showtime, and particularly to Jackie Bissley for making it happen, considering that this is the show’s last season and we might never get another opportunity…unless the spin-off is filmed in Vancouver, and I continue my annual vacations there.

As I mentioned before, I interviewed Pam Grier, Rose Troche, and Cynthia Summers. Check them out to find out what Pam think about Kit’s journey so far, why Rose Troche likes to direct Bette and Tina scenes, and who’s Cynthia’s favorite character to dress.