5.QUESTIONS to the PRODUCER Page 11

Submitted by: Rafi Eliaev Teacher: Vladimir Brook School: High School Amal 1. Ofakim Class: 12 1.INTRODUCTION...Page 1 2.CAST…Page 2-6 3.SEASONS…Page 7-9 4.FILMING…Page 10 5.QUESTIONS TO THE PRODUCER… Page 11 6.ANSWERS…Page 12 7.RATINGS…Page 13 8.CONCLUSION…Page 14 9.PICTURES…Page 15-17 10.BIBLIOGRAPHY…Page 18-19 I have been introduced to this assignment and was given a freedom to choose the topic on my own. I decided to write about Smallville.Smallville is an American television series set in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas. It is produced in and around Vancouver, Canada. Created by writer/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the series was initially broadcast by The WB. The plot follows the adventures of a young Clark Kent's life in Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman. The first four seasons focused on Clark and his friends' high school years. Since season five, the show has ventured into more adult settings, with some characters attending college. Recent seasons have seen an increase in the introductions of other DC comic book superheroes and villains. Cast:

Original cast:

 Tom Welling as Clark Kent: A young man with superhuman abilities, who tries to find his place in life after being told he is an alien. He uses his abilities to help others in danger. Clark's problem in season one is not being able to share his secret with anyone. He just wants to be normal. Clark is afraid to open up to Lana, for fear that she will not accept him if she knows the truth. After months of scouting, Tom Welling was cast as Clark Kent. David Nutter was looking through pictures of actors and stumbled upon Tom Welling's image. When he asked about Welling, the casting director said Welling's manager didn't want him to do the role, because it could hurt his feature film career. After a conversation with Welling's manager, Nutter got him to read the script for the pilot, which convinced him to do the part. For one of his auditions, he read the graveyard scene with Kristin Kreuk; the network thought they had "great chemistry".Welling believes his lack of knowledge of the Superman mythology helps his performance because Gough and Millar have set up the series so that the previous mythology is not important.

 Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang: The girl next door. She is the "beautiful, popular girl who is really lonely." She has a "hole in her heart," because of the loss of her parents, and feels empathy for everyone. She feels connected to Clark. Gough and Millar were initially trying to find someone for the role of Clark Kent, but Kristin Kreuk was the first to be cast, as Lana Lang. Casting director Coreen Mayrs sent David Nutter, the director of the pilot episode, a tape of 69 people and the second person on the tape was Kristin Kreuk. They loved her audition tape so much they immediately showed her to the network.

 Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor: A billionaire's son, sent to Smallville to run the local fertilizer plant. After Clark saves his life, the two become quick friends. Lex tries to be a hero, but his motives are usually driven by curiosity for the unexplained, like the day Clark rescued him from drowning. He is searching for that unconditional love, something his mother had for him before her death. Smallville's Lex Luthor was not supposed to be a precursor to the more comedic role performed by Gene Hackman; he was meant to be likeable and vulnerable. The role was hard to cast, as no one could agree on who they liked for the role. Gough and Millar wanted to cast a comedian for the series, on the belief that comedians always want to "please and be loved at the same time." Michael Rosenbaum auditioned for Lex Luthor twice. Feeling he didn't take his first audition seriously, Rosenbaum outlined a two-and-a-half-page scene, indicating all the places to be funny, charismatic, or menacing. His audition went so well that everyone agreed he was "the guy".

Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan: One of Clark's best friends. She is in love with Clark, although the feeling isn't reciprocated. Editor of the school newspaper, her journalistic curiosity — always wanting to "expose falsehoods" and "know the truth"— causes tension with her friends, especially when she is digging in Clark's past. She is intelligent, and independent, but also an outcast in the school during season one. After learning about Smallville from the show's casting director, Dee Dee Bradley, Allison Mack thought about auditioning for the role of Lana Lang. Mack instead auditioned twice for the role of Chloe Sullivan. The character was created just for the series, and was intended to have an ethnic background. Part of the reason she was cast was because Gough and Millar felt she had a "rare ability to deliver large chunks of expositionary dialogue conversationally."

Sam Jones III as Pete Ross: Another of Clark's best friends. He hates the Luthors for what he sees as their thievery of his family's creamed corn business. He is the first person Clark voluntarily informs of his secret. He is in love with Chloe, which he keeps to himself because of the Clark-Lana-Chloe love triangle already taking place. Pete Ross was written out of the series at the end of season three. Sam Jones III, who portrayed Pete Ross, was the last of the series regulars to be cast. Gough and Millar saw Jones III four days before they began filming for the pilot. In the comics, Pete Ross is Caucasian, and the producers chose to cast Jones III, who is African-American, against the mythology.

Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent: Clark's adopted mother. She, along with her husband Jonathan, give Clark sage advice about how to cope with his growing abilities. Annette O'Toole devised her own background for the character, in an effort to help her identify with the role. In her vision, Martha was originally from Metropolis, but she left because she felt it was "too phony".O'Toole also believes Martha carries sympathy for Lex, because of all the loss he endured as a child (his mother and his hair). According to O'Toole, Martha will always give Lex "the benefit of the doubt," even when he reaches the point that he has crossed to the "dark side".In season five, she takes a state senate seat. This leads to a job in Washington, D.C. in season six, and the character's exit from the show. Cynthia Ettinger was originally cast as Martha Kent, but during filming everyone realized that she was not right for the role, including Ettinger. Annette O'Toole was committed to the television series The Huntress when Ettinger was filming the original pilot. Around the time the creators were looking to recast the role of Martha Kent, The Huntress was canceled, which allowed O'Toole to join the cast of Smallville. O'Toole had previously portrayed Lana Lang in Superman III.

John Schneider as Jonathan Kent: Clark's adopted father. He goes to great lengths to protect his son's secret. According to Schneider, Jonathan is "perfectly willing to go to jail, or worse, to protect his son." Schneider also believes, "The least important person in Jonathan Kent's life is Jonathan Kent." John Schneider was written out of the show on the series' 100th episode. Millar and Gough wanted a recognizable face for Smallville. Gough and Millar loved the idea of casting John Schneider as Jonathan Kent, because Schneider was already known as Bo Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard, which Gough saw as adding belief that he could have grown up running a farm.

Eric Johnson as Whitney Fordman : Lana's boyfriend. He becomes jealous of Clark and Lana's budding friendship, going so far as to haze Clark. He eventually reconciles with Clark, before joining the Marines. Kristin Kreuk feels audiences did not get to know the character, because he was only seen through Clark's eyes. Whitney was written out of the show in the first season's finale, but he made cameo appearances in the season two episode "Visage", where it is revealed he died in combat overseas, and the season four episode "Façade", during a flashback to Clark's freshman year. Eric Johnson has expressed his pleasure in the way the writers handled Whitney's departure, by giving the character the exit of a hero. Johnson auditioned for the roles of Lex and Clark, before finally being cast as Whitney Fordman. When the producers called him in for one more audition, after passing on him for the major roles, Johnson informed them that if they wanted him then they would need to bring him in for a screen- test. After the screen-test, Johnson was cast and spent only one day filming his scenes for the pilot.

Additional cast:

 John Glover as Lionel Luthor: Lex's father. Lionel is responsible for the Kents being able to adopt Clark without any legal ramifications or questions of his origins. Glover tried to make Lionel appear as though he was trying to "toughen [Lex] up". The character is made to "go out his way, to give [Lex] tests, so [Lex] can prove himself." Glover saw the character as someone who was a rich and powerful business man, who is disappointed in his son. Glover's goal, for season one, was to show Lionel's attempts to make Lex tougher; he interprets the character's motto, in regards to raising Lex, as "no risk, no rewards." Lionel was created specifically for the show, to provide a parallel to the Kents, as an "experiment in extreme parenting." In season two, John Glover, who had been a recurring guest on the show in season one, became a part of the regular cast.

 Erica Durance as Lois Lane: Chloe's cousin, she comes to Smallville investigating the supposed death of Chloe. She stays with the Kents while in town. Durance was a recurring guest for season four, she returned as a regular cast member in season five.

 Jensen Ackles as Jason Teague : A love interest for Lana in season four. He follows Lana to Smallville, from Paris, France, and takes a position as the school's assistant football coach. He was fired from the school when his relationship with Lana came to light. By the end of the season, it is revealed that he has been working with his mother to track the three stones of knowledge. Jensen received top billing for season four, but was written out of the show in the season's finale. The original cast: (from left) Annette O'Toole, John Schneider, Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Eric Johnson, Allison Mack, and Sam Jones III Seasons:

Season 1:

Season one sees the introduction of the regular cast, and storylines that regularly included a villain deriving a power from kryptonite exposure. The one-episode villains were a plot device developed by Gough and Millar. Instead of creating physical monsters, the kryptonite would enhance the personal demons of the character. To prove the show was not simply about a new kryptonite monster every week, the writers attempted to craft episodes that had nothing to do with kryptonite, like "Rogue".The first season primarily dealt with Clark trying to come to terms with his alien origins, and the revelation that his arrival on Earth was connected to the deaths of Lana's parents. Clark develops X-ray vision this season, and, unlike his super strength and speed that he was already aware of, is forced to exercise his new ability to gain control over it.

Season 2:

Season two has fewer villain of the week episodes, focusing more on story arcs that effect each character and explore Clark's origins. Several key plot points include Lex becoming more entangled in conflict with his father, Chloe digging into Clark's past while dealing with Lionel, Martha and Jonathan Kent's financial troubles, and Lana and Clark's vacillating relationship though they end the season apart. The main story arc, however, focuses on Clark's discovery of his Kryptonian origins. The disembodied voice of Clark's biological father Jor-El is introduced, communicating to Clark via his space ship, setting the stage for plots involving the fulfillment of Clark's earthly destiny. Christopher Reeve, who portrayed Superman in the 1970s and 1980s film series, appears as Dr. Virgil Swann to provide Welling's Clark with information regarding his heritage. Season two saw the emergence of heat vision, as well as a new form of kryptonite. Red kryptonite causes Clark to set aside moral compunctions and act out on his impulses and dark desires, unlike green kryptonite, which physically weakens him and could possibly kill him if he is exposed to it for too long. Season 3:

Season three focuses on loyalty, betrayal, and new revelations involving Jor-El. Early in the season, Michael McKean, Annette O'Toole's real-life husband, portrays Clark's future Daily Planet editor Perry White; from this point on, other major characters present in the Superman mythology and the DC Universe are introduced to Smallville. Pete Ross' inability to deal with keeping Clark's secret causes him to move to Wichita, Kansas with his mother after his parents' divorce. Season three introduced Clark's "super hearing", which developed when his heat vision accidentally blinded him.

Season 4:

Season four ventures further into the Superman mythology by creating a story arc that runs the length of the season; it involved Clark seeking out three Kryptonian stones, at the instruction of Jor- El, which contain the knowledge of the universe. The majority of this season revolves around Lex trying to rekindle a strained friendship with Clark, Lana dating Jason Teague (Jensen Ackles), a young man she meets in France, Clark and numerous other characters vying with one another in attempts to obtain the stones, and Lionel's ambiguous transformation into a good father and person. This season also introduced Lois Lane (Erica Durance) as Chloe Sullivan's (Allison Mack) cousin, as well as the Flash. The season introduced a new form of kryptonite. Black kryptonite held the ability to split Clark into—and merge back together from—two separate beings exhibiting two personalities.

Season 5:

Season five brings in more elements of the Superman mythology, including Jonathan Kent's death, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, and Zod. The villain Brainiac, in the guise of Professor Milton Fine (James Marsters), becomes a recurring antagonist. The season's central plot revolves around Clark using the knowledge contained in the Fortress of Solitude to train for an impending doom that will befall Earth: the release of Zod from the Phantom Zone due to Fine's machinations. Clark and Lana finally begin a relationship with one another. Season five featured a gradually unveiling storyline in conjunction with multiple minor story arcs running in parallel, mid-season and season finale cliffhangers, and cameos from two other notable DC characters, Aquaman and Cyborg.

Season 6:

Season six takes Clark inside the Phantom Zone, inhabited by a society of exiled criminals from the "28 known inhabited galaxies".The destinies of Lionel and Lex play out in the aftermath of Lex's possession by Zod and Lionel's adoption as the "oracle" of Jor-El. Several prisoners escape the Phantom Zone with Clark. Clark acquires "super breath", after developing a cold from over- exerting himself cleaning up Lex/Zod's destruction in Metropolis, and having no abilities while in the Phantom Zone. DC Comics characters Jimmy Olsen, Oliver Queen (and his superhero alias Green Arrow) and Martian Manhunter are introduced this season, and many of them unite in Smallville to fight a common threat. Clark promises to continue his training, at the Fortress of Solitude, once all the escaped Phantom Zone criminals are either returned or destroyed. Other storylines involve Lana and Lex's marriage, Lex's secret "33.1" experiments, and the introduction of a Clark clone. Filming:

The show is produced at BB Studios in Burnaby. Initially, production was going to be in Australia, but Vancouver had more of a "Middle America landscape". The city provided a site for the Kent farm, as well as doubling for Metropolis. It also provided a cheaper shooting location, and was in the same time zone as Los Angeles. "Main street" Smallville is at a combination of two locations. Portions were shot in the town of Merritt, and the rest was shot in Cloverdale. Cloverdale is particularly proud of being a filming site for the show; at its entrance is a sign which reads "Home of Smallville."

Vancouver Technical School doubled as the exterior for Smallville High, as the film makers believed Van Tech had the "mid- American largess" they wanted. This kept in-line with Millar's idea that Smallville should be the epitome of "Smalltown, USA".The interiors of Templeton Secondary School were used for Smallville High's interior. The Kent farm is a real farm located in Aldergrove. Owned by The Andalinis, the production crew had to paint their home yellow for the show. Exterior shots of Luthor Mansion were filmed at a castle in Victoria. The interior shots were done at Shannon Mews, in Vancouver, which was also the set for the Dark Angel pilot and Along Came a Spider. Movie house Clova Cinema, in Cloverdale, is used for exterior shots of The Talon, the show's coffee house. For the first three seasons, the coffee house is co- owned by Lex Luthor and Lana Lang, who also manages it.

The Cloverdale welcome sign I want to ask the producer of Smallville, Alfred Gough, questions about himself and about Smallville:

1.Why did you want to become a producer?

2.How did you get the inspiration for Smallville?

3.Why did you choose specifically the name “Smallville” for this project?

4.Which of the actors of Smallville you like the most?

5.How did your friends and family reacted when they first heard of Smallville?

6.What would you want to be if you weren’t a producer?

7.Do you think that Smallville is a success?

8.Are you working on another project besides Smallville?

9.What are your big plans/ambitions after Smallville?

Alfred gough Ratings: Conclusion:

I liked doing this project very much, because “Smallville” is my favourite television series, and I like all the things about it. The making of the project was very interesting and intriguing. In the end of the project, I learned new things about Smallville, such as: the filming location, the actors past projects and much more… Learning those things made me realize the importance of the actors. In the beginning of the project I felt like I couldn’t do it, but in the end it was much more easier. Pictures:

Tom Welling(Clark Kent): Kristin Kreuk(Lana Lang): Michael Rosenbaum(Lex Luthor): Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallville_%28TV_series %29 http://www.kryptonsite.com/al2.jpg http://www.smallville-twist.org/images/TV-Smallville- 2007S-May-17.gif http://z.about.com/d/tvdramas/1/0/0/C/tomwelling.jpg http://www.girl.com.au/img/tom_welling_smallville1.jp g http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/47/8 3/0000004783_20060919230812.jpg http://z.about.com/d/tvdramas/1/0/D/H/small- kriskreuk.jpg http://gdesplac.free.fr/images/kristin%20kreuk6.jpg http://images.wikia.com/smallville/images/thumb/1/11/ MichaelRosenbaum001.jpg/300px- MichaelRosenbaum001.jpg http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/Z/r/M/super062149.jpg