Ask Dr. L - Halloween Edition

For a small fortune (and the promise of a steady supply of medicinal quality V) TrueBloodNet.com has gotten Dr. L to agree to answer your supernatural medical questions.  Ask Dr. L is written by Dr. L (any resemblance to any characters living, dead or undead is purely coincidental), also known as Doctor to the Supernaturals, and was founded by her mother, Philine Paullips. It is the most popular and widely syndicated supernatural medical advice column in this world -- or any other.  Known for its uncommon nonsense and immortal, or just darn old, perspective.

November 1st, 2009

Dear Dr.Ludwig I understand that vampires cannot have children but my question is do they still have sperm? Of course the sperm would not be able to impregnate a woman but when they orgasm would it still come out…no pun intended.

Just Curious

Dear Curious,

Let me guess- you have a lot of time on your hands, don't you? Maybe a bit too much time to think of such silly questions as this one? And on top of that, you don't get out a lot, either, I'll bet. So, in an effort to simplify my responses, I will say: Yes. Enough said. This is a waste of my medical degree. Go away and find a blow up doll or something to amuse yourself.

Crankily,

Dr. L

Dear Dr. L

With all the other Dr. shows on TV daily (The Doctors, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil) why hasn't Dr. Ludwig been given her own show on HBO? We need Dr. Ludwig at least once a week! There are just so many unknowns out there now that vampires have crawled out of the ground and we're hearing rumors of 'shape shifters' (heaven only KNOWS what those are) and I swear I saw a werewolf the other day! I thought to myself, that's just not possible.. or is it? It's Halloween you know.. maybe just a kid in a suit. But anyway, the public is clamoring for answers to how all these odd creatures function and Dr. L seems to be the only one with answers! What can we do to help get such a show on the air?

Pensive in Pennsylvania

Dearest Pensive,

Well, aren't you the smartest, sweetest, most clever person I have heard from in a long time! This is such a splendid idea, I don't know why I haven't thought of it myself. OK, so I have thought of it, and HBO now has a restraining order...but I digress.

I think these TV "doctors" are all hype. The only ones I watch are Dr. Oz, because he's an excellent colleague- and he's HOT, and Dr. Ruth, because she and I are quite alike. No smart ass remarks.

I completely agree, I would be a refreshing addition to the television scene, sharing my supreme knowledge of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, telepaths, supes of all kind- as well as the rather garden variety humans. Thank you, darling. I get the sense you are a man, and if I didn't already have a boyfriend, I would give you a big kiss, show you my appreciation in some way.

Hear that, HBO???

Dr. L

Hi Dr. L!

I am so glad that you were able to save Sookie when she was clawed. What I was wondering…since Bill drinks from Sookie on a regular basic….why didn't he catch on that there was something different about her??? MaryAnn knew it from the first meeting. Is it because Bill is relatively young (for a vampire) or is it something else?

Also is there any way a Vampire can have offspring with a human, or any other being for that matter.

Thank you so much for your valuable time.

Debbie in Dallas

Dear Debbie,

As to your second question, please refer to my exhaustive replies to this query in previous questions. Vampires are DEAD, honey, and dead things can't reproduce- no matter how clever they seem to be.

And Sookie- such a sweet girl, to be so entangled with vampires. She's in trouble, getting hurt, beat up, something or other all the time, she now has me on speed dial, bless her heart. I was glad to save her, too.

As for why Bill didn't realize something was different- it's an age old fact, darlin'- males are males, no matter the species. Now I am not saying they don't have a relationship of some sort, though for the life of me I can't understand that, but males are often, if not always, blinded by lust and sex. Sookie could have had pure garlic juice running through her veins, and Bill barely would have noticed, although I hear he did warn her to stop eating it (she double checked with me because she really misses Merlotte's garlic bread poor thing!). You getting my drift, dear?

As for Maryann- I could have offed her MUCH faster than they did...

BTW, did you have a very short movie career.. your name seems familar...

Dr. L

Hello Dr. L

Are there vampire slayers with preternatural strength? Are there any other supernatural creatures that hunt vampires?

Steve N. in Dallas

Dear Steve,

What an interesting two pronged question you pose here. Normally., I only answer one for free, and then ask you to come in for an appointment (for a fee) to reply to the other. But I feel they are similar in nature, so I will do what I can here.

The mighty Van Helsing comes to mind immediately when I ponder a response to the first part of your question. He was never given proper or due credit for his magnetism and attraction, which I found to be preternatural. I mean, I WOULD have found them so, if I had known the great man in the flesh. Now there was a slayer to be reckoned with. He feared no one, alive or undead. He walked in to places others screamed and ran from. Ah just thinking of such power and strength makes my heart race...is it hot in here, or is it just me? But as to whether or not there is some sort of cartoonish superhero flying through the air, wearing a cape and mask to slaw the blood sucking vipers, alas, no- they don't exist. If they did, the world would be a better place for them. Van Helsing in tights and a cape? Oh my! Now, to the second part of your query, as you know, I work closely with the supernatural community, as their healer and physician. We hold a doctor client privilege, just like any other. For me to tell you who the vamp slayers are would possibly put them in unnecessary danger, and certainly blow their well devised cover. I am sure you can understand.

Be sure to Submit your questions in the Comments Section below and if you're unlucky enough Dr. L may choose to answer your question!

To view past Dr. L words of wisdom visit the archives!

Disclaimer: These answers are provided for entertainment purposes only and should not be followed by ordinary humans.  This column is a parody of the Gothic fantasy series, True Blood, and as such, is presented here for your amusement.  Ask Dr. L and the various writers that contribute to it, have no relationship/affiliation to HBO, True Blood, or any of the cast or crew of said nor any relation to Charlain Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels.

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This Week In Hollywoodland - True Blood Version!

BEVERLY HILLS—This week in Hollywoodland was filled with surprises, new tell-all books, casting rumors, a prince threw a bash at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel and a Hollywood and Broadway legend was honored.

News came on a "True Blood" message board that the charismatic and talented Eric Braeden was being considered for a pivotal role as the supreme vampire on the hit HBO series. This role is for the vampire who is the leader of all vampires. The rumor was too good to be true. Or is it? Emmy-winner Braeden who has portrayed Victor Newman on "The Young and the Restless" for almost 30 years to date has recently renewed his contract with the soap. Last week Braeden's representative told Canyon News, "Eric has agreed to return to 'Y&R.' This week when the rep was contacted for a statement about the rumors flying fast and furious online of Eric's possible alliance with "True Blood." The same statement was given.

EricBraeden-CBS1.jpg

I decided I had to delve deeper into this rumor, because Eric Braeden is the most powerful force in acting today on-screen and I can imagine seeing him as the head vampire and putting all the other bloodsuckers in their places like no other actor could convey on the small screen. It wouldn't be a major surprise to see a performer doing double duty with "True Blood," as Ashley Jones successfully played roles on "True Blood" and "The Bold and the Beautiful" last season smoothly. Also, during 1996 Braeden worked on the film "Titanic" starring Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett while continuing flawlessly playing Victor Newman on "Y&R." When Canyon News contacted HBO directly, they chose not to make a statement. Then I contacted the media relations division of Sony and CBS and was told, "Y&R does not comment on rumors." Finally when Canyon News contacted the "True Blood" production offices, their media representative stated, "All I can say is we are currently seeing people all week for various roles for season 3." Not a confirmation, but no denial either.

For now we'll file this story under a rumor. Though it was too big of a story to go without some investigating, as Eric Braeden's appearance on the hit show would put the already successful series over the top to mega-hit status in the time it would take for Sookie to decide to marry Bill.

The rest of the story is presented for completeness but is not True Blood related:

My friend His Serene Highness Prince Albert, II of Monaco has been enjoying his time here in the Hills of Beverly and last week threw a Monte Carlo Television Festival cocktail party at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Actress Dana Delany wowed the guests looking fit and beautiful and "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry was also in attendance. The fun table everyone remembered at the party was in the back of the room where Jeanne Cooper, Katherine on "Y&R" regaled partygoers with great stories and jokes. Doug Davidson and his extraordinarily beautiful wife Cindy Fisher were also at the table. Doug told Canyon News, "I came to the party and pretended it was for my birthday. We will have to talk to the staff about the missing birthday balloons. It's a fun party." Doug and Cindy had spent time earlier that evening with their beautiful daughter Calyssa at an art museum function. Doug later said of the evening, "It was nice that it was early, as we were home and in bed at a reasonable time." Davidson had an early call at CBS the next morning. By the way, Happy Birthday Doug!

We're not going to update you on "This is It" until we are sure it's really all that we're going to be hearing about Michael Jackson for a long time. We are going to tell you about the new book about Brangelina. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Hollywood's golden couple and we all knew it was only a matter of time before someone wrote a tell- all book about the entertainment super couple. "Brangelina Exposed" is going on sale December 1, and the author Ian Halperin who recently released the bestseller, "Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson" is promising another stunner. The book apparently will say in part that the wonderful relationship we all see between the couple is all for show and that they are not getting along and don't like each other. It goes into how the power couple has manipulated the press and the public into believing they have a fairytale life together. I will chock this along with most of the Hollywood tell-alls and say, no thanks. Good luck.

Singer Taylor Swift is being yelled at by the media for posing at a party with a guy wearing a long t-shirt with a swastika on it. Celebrities are always in a position of being asked to take photographs with fans and I take Taylor at her word when she says, she had taken photos with at least 100 people that evening, and had not noticed what was on the man's shirt. This is absolutely a non story that the press is pushing. This young lady is talented, beautiful and comes from a very good family. She should not have to apologize for what someone else is wearing. As for that individual, he should know better.

We are grateful to the LAPD for breaking the teenage burglary ring in town, which allegedly involved breaking into the homes of stars such as Orlando Bloom, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. On that note. My suggestion is everyone in Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills and Malibu need to get a trained Doberman or two and a new alarm system. Initial information seems to point the fact that the perpetrators were well-known to their victims.

Jessica Simpson said earlier this week that she's looking for an intellectual man. Good for her. However, maybe next time she shouldn't date anymore football players, actors or pop singers. I suggest Jessica join the L.A. Country Club and meet some handsome smart doctors from UCLA Medical Center or Cedar's. Barring the drastic change in her dating habits and her past being a predictor for who she will be dating in the future, she'd better make some alterations in her plans and tastes.

Constance Towers, actress, singer who lives in Beverly Hills with her handsome husband Ambassador John Gavin reports to Canyon News on her performance, "There's Nothing Like a Dame," in honor of the late legendary music and Broadway giant Richard Rodgers of Rogers and Hart fame. Towers says, "The show went very well, we even received a standing ovation. The other ladies who sang were, Karen Morrow, Nancy Dussault, Marni Nixon [Nixon dubbed Deborah Kerr's voice in "King and I."] Charmian Carr [Liesel in movie version-"Sound of Music"], and 94-year-old Patricia Morrison. It was at the El Portal Theatre in the Valley. We all told stories about our relationship with Richard Rodgers and sang his songs. The stories centered around Yul Brynner too." Towers had some interesting facts about Rodgers and Hart which she relayed to the captivated audience that were given to her by the late legends. Towers tells Canyon News, "One was Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Hart were in a cab in Paris in 1927 with two beautiful girls and a car careened out of a side street nearly crashing into them and one of the girls said, oh, my heart stood still, Larry Hart turned to Rodgers and said, good title for a song. And of course it was a huge hit in 'A Connecticut Yankee.' Then I sang 'My Heart Stood Still.' It was an evening of Rodgers and Hart-Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was a very nice evening. I wish you could have been there, Tommy."

Towers concluded by telling me a personal story from her own life in relation to Rodgers and Hart. "I was doing 'There's Nothing Like a Dame' with Nancy Dussault last week when I remembered doing 'Carousel' for Mr. Rodgers at the City Center in New York. I was Julie and she was Carrie. In the middle of a very dramatic, tearful scene she leaned over and whispered in my ear, Connie, get a load of the handsome guy in the front row. Through my tears I sneaked a look and there sat John Gavin. He soon became my husband," said Towers. Maybe Jessica Simpson should go to a play to find Mr. Right. Ms. Towers found her prince charming there.

Enjoy your week, see you next week!

(Photo credit: CBS)

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IFAW Event with Kristin Bauer at LUSH Cosmetics

Kristin Bauer, who plays the hilarious vampire Pam on HBO's True Blood, is a big advocate for IFAW and their Tails for Whales Campaign. IFAW has organized a grassroots effort to protect whales worldwide from the many threats that they face. They use pictures of Americans making the "whale tail" and combine them in a visual petition, seeking stronger leadership and policies in U.S. government. On Saturday, November 7, Kristin will be joining IFAW Director Jeff Flocken at the LUSH Cosmetics store in Santa Monica. She encourages everyone who can to come to the store between 1pm and 3pm, where you can help in this very important cause of the protecting whales:

"I've partnered with LUSH and IFAW. LUSH has created a cream for IFAW and is donating the proceeds to help save the whales from unnecessary deaths and extinction. I will be appearing at the LUSH store in Santa Monica on the third street promenade Nov 7th from 1pm -3pm and I'll trade you a photo for a photo. Mine signed for yours making the Whale Tail! Let's take a bite out of whaling!"

This event gives True Blood fans a great opportunity to see Kristin and get an autographed picture! Even if you are unable to go, you can still make your voice heard for the whales by uploading your picture to the Tails for Whales website. Another thing that would help would be to purchase the LUSH cream Kristin mentions. LUSH is a generous supporter of the IFAW effort, and proceeds earned from their "Charity Pot" products become contributions to IFAW's marine mammal programs like the Tails for Whales campaign. The picture below was taken by acclaimed photographer Larry DiMarzio, featuring Kristin as her True Blood character, Pam, with the cream that LUSH created for this cause. DiMarzio is a very talented guitar designer and photographer, and well-known in the music community. If you visit his website, you can see more of the great work he has done. Like Kristin, he donated his time and effort to help IFAW by doing the photo shoot.

SOURCES: ifaw.org tailsforwhales.org dimarzio.com (Photo credits: Kristin Bauer, IFAW, Larry DiMarzio)

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UK Third Installment of True Blood Season 1 - Mine

It is now apparent that True Blood throws you back to where the previous episode left you, which is kind of refreshing. In the past with drama series', we usually have to build up the new episode to gain momentum, but True Blood is fresh and new and throws you back to full pace at the start of each episode.

Last week we saw Sookie arriving at Bill's. She was faced with three very different vampires, who were quite scary looking! (They remind me of what I used to imagine vampires were like) They try to "glamor" Sookie to which she responds "it doesn't work on her". The vamps are taken by surprise, wanting to know why, and Sookie answers honestly: she doesn't know why.

The three vamps eventually let Sookie into the house after she explained that she had some business to attend to with Bill. Sookie walked in to Bill's home only to find two scantily dressed humans waiting for their "masters".

The vamps are crude and you see a tougher Sookie come into play. As we are are already aware from previous episodes, Sookie is not one to discuss sex or anything around that topic. You could tell Sookie was scared, but she stood up for what she believed in. They commented about how good she smells and that they can tell she is a virgin. Just as the vampires attempt to feed on Sookie, Bill jumped up, shouting "STOP! Sookie is MINE!" The vamps reluctantly obeyed Bill's orders and backed away.

One of the vamps offered the male human (Jerry) for Bill to feed on, to which Bill agrees. As he is about to bite the human, Sookie hears the human's malicious thoughts; he has "Hep D".Sookie shouted "STOP!! he has Hep D" Bill stopped and the human pounce on Sookie and try to strangle her, but Bill broke Jerry's hand and pushed him away. The other vamps grabbed Jerry and head out but one of the vamps wanted to know how Sookie knew about Jerry, however, Bill communicated with Sookie, letting her know not to say anything and the other vamps swiftly disappear. Once they have gone, Bill apologized to Sookie for her encounter with the other vampires. Sookie asked Bill what Hep D is and Bill explained it as the only human disease that can affect vampires.  Hep D is harmless to humans but weakens vampires for about a month, it makes them weak, and easier to stake. Sookie then asked Bill what on earth he meant when he said to the others that she was his. Bill explained that he was communicating with the others to let them know that he was the only one who could feed on her. Sookie was appalled and said that he "most certainly cannot" feed on her. However, had he not said what he had said, Sookie would have been fair game. Sookie was angry with everything that she had encountered that evening. She explained to Bill that she found some contractors that have agreed to see Bill after dark. When she told Bill that she had to go home, Bill asked Sookie if he may kiss her good night. She refused, explaining that she "couldn't stand it after them". Meanwhile, Tara and Sam as they finished their shift at the bar, they started to have a heart to heart. Tara knew that Sam was in love with Sookie and didn't hold back when she asked why Sam has not made a move yet. Sam shot back at Tara about her love for Jason. It was like a tennis match between them, with comments being thrown back and forth. Let's not forget Jason, who we last saw tied to Dawn's bed while she went to her shift at Merlotte's.  She returned home after her shift to find her bed empty. Dawn was then molested, and forced on to the bed by an oddly dressed man. Dawn, at first thinks its Jason, but the man explained in a Scream-esque telephone voice that Jason was his starter and he was coming back for main course with Dawn. While Dawn is in a state of terror about the situation, Jason revealed himself from the mask. When Dawn realized that it was Jason, she lashed out. Jason cheekily told Dawn it was foreplay and he ended up getting his way with her again! All was not well, part way through their very erotic sex, Jason lost his erection. Jason, being Jason, was understandably very upset. Dawn told him it happens to everyone, but Jason assured her that it had never happened before. Dawn returned from putting some clothes on with a gun, telling Jason to get our of her house. He thought that she was messing around until she fired a warning shot at the floor. Jason made a run for it, while the neighbors came out to witness the commotion. While fumbling to get into his truck, Jason yelled towards the street that Dawn is a "crazy bitch". Back to Tara and Sam, who continued their heart to heart. Tara suggest that they should sleep together. At first, Sam flatly refuses Tara, but after persuading himself, he agreed to have no strings sex with her. Tara returned home after her raunchy night with Sam, only to be confronted by her drunk mother who hit her with an empty liquor bottle. Tara left with haste and head straight to Lafayette's. Although Lafayette was 'busy' with a state senate (who pretends to someone he isn't), he lets Tara in and gave her some TLC and a little extra. The episode then jumped back to Sookie working hard on her grandma's garden. Sookie has kept herself busy, trying to figure out her dilemma of what to do over Bill. She was not sure whether to follow her heart or her head. She headed over to Bill's and sat outside; it was midday, while Bill was fast asleep (or whatever it is he does when its daylight!) Sookie thoughts take over her,  and she had a few 'private moments' before she was rudely interrupted by Sam calling her on the phone. Sookie was on her day off and she promptly told Sam that she was not coming in. However, all Sam wanted Sookie to do was to go and check on Dawn as she had not turned up for her shift. Sookie unenthusiastically agreed to go to Dawn's. Sookie arrived at Dawn's, knocked more than once before inviting herself in. She walked in to find Dawn's alarm clock  still ringing. Sookie made her way to Dawn's bedroom only to find Dawn sprawled across the bed....Dead. So yet again True Blood leaves you hungry for more. This episode had a lot going on. I didn't think it was as fast paced as the previous episodes and I kind of missed seeing Bill! However, we did get to learn a little more about Sam, Jason, Tara, and Lafayette. More Bill in the next episode please!!!! True Blood is on Every Wednesday at 22.00GMT on Channel 4.

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Stephen Moyer Talks True Blood with The Mirror

Stephen Moyer recently talked to The Mirror about True Blood. The Mirror traveled to New Orleans to meet the hunky vampire and get a first hand taste of the southern culture which the show revolves around. The Mirror asked Stephen what he felt were the themes of True Blood. Stephen answered saying:

"I think the show represents many different things. You could watch it and think it's a camp, frothy, sexy thriller. But equally it could be a satirical comment on society. Bill's a vampire, an outsider that arrives in town and is ostracised, but he's trying to be a decent man."

Stephen was then asked if he felt it was easier filming love scenes since him and his co-star, Anna Paquin, are a real-life couple.

"I would like to think that, as a professional, if I have to have a love scene with somebody else it would be just as good!"

This led to Stephen being asked what it exactly was that made him fall for Anna. Stephen explained:

"She's sharp, funny, brilliant, incredibly talented and an ultimate professional. She's probably the most straight-talking woman I've ever met and she's caring, generous and kind - I can't say enough! And I think she's beautiful."

The Mirror concluded the interview by asking Stephen if he felt pressure as an actor to stay looking fit. Stephen answered by saying:

"I think the thing is that when you're working against someone like Ryan (Kwanten), who is an insane body fascist, I've got no choice but to look as good as I can. I'm never going to look like him but, equally, when I'm 60 I don't want to look at the DVDs and see my flabby belly."

Well Stephen I don't think you will have to worry about that!! We look forward to seeing more of that fit body in season 3 of True Blood! SOURCE:  The Mirror Photo Credit: HBO Inc.

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Nathan Barr Exclusive Interview on Composing True Blood

Mark Morton at Examiner.com Kansas City, had an exclusive interview with True Blood composer, Nathan Barr, which he was kind enough to share with us. Working on the score for True Blood was Nathan's first experience working for television, though he'd done several films in horror (Hostel, Cabin Fever, 2001 Maniacs) and comedy (Club Dread, Beerfest, Dukes of Hazzard).  It was that combination of experience which landed him the job, one that he'd never expected:

I wasn't seeking out television at all. I haven't deliberately stayed away from it, it's just that it never really came into my life. And that's partly okay with me, because I don't watch much TV at all. So really, what brought me to TV was just [show creator] Alan Ball. It was one of those really lucky twists of fate. He shot the pilot and was cutting it together, and somehow my score for Hostel wound up in the cutting room, so they used it as temp. Even though it wasn't exactly right, there was enough of something in it that they liked, so they called me in for an interview. So, they narrowed it down between me and another composer (who happens to be a dear friend), and Alan went away on vacation after shooting and took a stack of each of our CDs. And I guess he just felt that the match was better with me. So I got the Ball call saying he wanted me, and there was no way I was turning that down!

Luckily for True Blood fans, he accepted the job.  The score sets the tone for the action as the story unfolds, so Nathan's job is crucial in helping the audience feel the emotion that the actors are trying to get across and in giving hints about aspects of a character that have not yet been revealed.  Nowhere in the True Blood score is this more obvious than in Bill and Sookie's theme, which is tentative, romantic, tragic, and adds a depth to their scenes together, hinting at things they have not said out loud to one another and at some deep past sadness. [Can we insert the youtube video with the theme here?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27AcRTDoCtc&feature=player_embedded] That hint of sadness is something that Nathan admits he does very well:

I think again, it's the strength of the writing and the story. A lot of the time, I don't even consciously push for it. It's there in the story, so it naturally comes out in the music. I get tuned into the story and what's going on. Alan is very clear and concise about what he wants the music to say in each scene. But for whatever reason, I think I do "sadness" well. I really relate to that part of True Blood. I love the sadness, the angst of the romance – that's a place I am very comfortable enriching.

After watching Season 1 and bawling my eyes out every time I heard Gran's theme, I can agree. Nathan definitely does sadness well. Nathan says that his focus when he's composing is deeply personal with each of the characters on screen:

It's absolutely 100% about the characters. Alan doesn't speak in musical terms. He's always speaking to story and character, and as a composer for TV, the job is to enrich the lives and storylines of those characters. And so everything I do for the show is based around the characters – what a character is thinking, what his/her motivation is, where the character is headed in the story. And of course, there are essential themes, like Bill and Sookie's love theme, and things like that. But it is definitely all character-driven.

For whatever reason, when those characters are vampires, you can bet there are going to be some strings used in the composition. Though he admits that strings are a prerequisite when composing for the undead, Nathan's not quite sure why that is.

I don't really know why strings work so well for vampires. The basic storyline behind most vampire stories is beautiful, immortal people who are struggling with a world that is moving on without them and getting involved with people who will grow old and die. There are these big themes of romance, lost love and tragedy – those are big threads that lend themselves well to something a little more epic.

So how exactly does he do it? Nathan explains the nuts and bolts of the job by saying that he has to look at each episode scene by scene and then coordinate with Alan, the editors, the producers and music supervisor Gary Calamar.  Together they decide where the songs go and where Nathan's scores should be placed and then he returns back to his studio to create the scores for the various scenes. And where did he learn the tricks of the trade?  Nathan credits the Academy and Grammy Award winning German composer Hans Zimmer (Rain Man, The Lion King, The Preacher's Wife, As Good As It Gets, The Prince of Egypt, The Thin Red Line, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Da Vinci Code, and The Dark Knight) as one of his early teachers.

I was under his wing for only eight months, and then I flew the nest. It was such an amazing experience. It was like being thrown into the deep end of the pool and learning to swim. I didn't even understand what MIDI stood for when I began working for Hans. I had no knowledge of the technology behind film scoring; I had no knowledge about the creative process behind writing music-to-picture. So he was very gracious in the sense that he would let me sit behind him while he wrote and actually watch him write-to-picture, and that's really where I learned that. And more than anything, he taught me the importance of technology. So when I walked in there, I knew next to nothing about any of that stuff, and when I left eight months later, I had a very strong foundation to work from.

When composing, Nathan likes to use acoustic instruments first, seeking out unusual sounds to inspire him such as going out and buying several new instruments instead of just settling down on the piano.  Nathan explains that creating a piece on a piano is going to "sound" different from creating the same piece on a string instrument or on a wind instrument.  Therefore, he is able to think about the melody of the piece in different ways which in turn would affect the feelings that it will present in a scene. Nathan also tries to make sure that he doesn't write music that is immediately identifiable as his work but rather tries to give each score it's own unique sound. He does not want to become known as "that horror movie guy" or "that TV show guy" and to be flexible and true to himself:

...And I think that goes back to what we were discussing with musical identity and having a unique voice. I think it can become a little bit of a curse sometimes. I haven't experienced it too much, but a couple of really big composers come to mind who are so known for a unique sound they've created that they get asked over and over and over again to recreate that same score. I think that is a blessing and a curse, when your style is so distinct, to keep it fresh, and what they really want is the score you wrote for another movie. I think to some degree that I can't help but to repeat myself; I am who I am. But I think True Blood is a good departure for me from the sound I've established with other horror films.

So what can we expect musically in the next season? Nathan says that he only has a vague idea as to where Alan and the writers are going to take the storyline.  However, he is excited about creating new themes and new musical ideas as the characters in True Blood continue grow and expand.  One character in particular that Nathan mentions is Eric Northman who seems to have grown from season 1 to season 2 with the introduction of the theme of loss (in reference to Godric).  For season 3, Nathan states that Eric is becoming more a complicated character then when he was first introduced to us in season 1 and therefore, he will have to "figure out how to make his theme follow that journey or else come up with another theme for him." As fans, Nathan hints that we might have the opportunity to see his music performed live:

I actually just spoke recently at a TV signing with Bear McCreary, who does Battlestar Galactica, and he had done just that. He decided to start doing live shows with his music. And it got me thinking about doing something similar, because the score to True Blood is very small, very organic. I perform the entire thing myself – the guitars, pianos, cellos – and it would be very easy to find just three or four other musicians, teach them the parts and do some live performances. That is certainly something I'm thinking about.

As for the awards and accolades he's received since taking on True Blood, Nathan is truly grateful to the audience for the wonderful response he's gotten.  He got his first hand glimpse at how big True Blood has become when he recently attended the SCREAM Awards and while he was on the red carpet two girls were screaming his name and told him how much they loved his music and listen to it all the time.  That, as Nathan put it, was "my little rock star moment." In addition to preparing for True Blood's Season 3, Nathan has several new projects that he's working on including Peep World, Open House (which is actually directed by Anna Paquin's brother, Andrew which Anna and Stephen Moyer both have cameos in that movie), Mother's Day (which Deborah Ann Woll stars in) and Cotton.  It seems that even with the other projects he still has a bit of True Blood close to him. I've only hit the highlights of this in-depth conversation where he discusses his work on True Blood.  For more of this wonderful exclusive interview where he discusses other work throughout his career, check out more of his Q & A with Mark Morton. SOURCE: Examiner.com/Kansas City (Photo credit:  Nathan Barr and HBO Inc.)

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Paley Center Celebrates Vampire Weekend

In an event entitled "Dark Shadows at Twilight," the Paley Center for Media seeks to explore the reasons behind the current popularity of vampires. Held in New York City from November 13-15, the schedule features a panel moderated by EW's Ken Tucker and screenings of past PaleyFest vampire events. The event will include the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion from 2008 in which the cast and creator Joss Whedon looked back on their cult wonder; the classic silent film Nosferatu; the Angel discussion panel from 2001 with David Boreanaz, Joss Whedon, and the other actors and writers; the Dark Shadows reunion in 2001; and Guy Maddin's Dracula ballet. There will also be a screening of the True Blood panel from April of this year. Creator Alan Ball and series stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Carrie Preston, and Alexander Skarsgard, were all in attendance, sharing stories about their first year working on the show. True Blood fans in the New York area would surely enjoy seeing this, and tickets are only $10, or free to Paley Center members. On Saturday, Ken Tucker will guide four other entertainment journalists through a conversation with the audience about the merits of different vampires. Fans will be able to argue in favor of their favorite bloodsuckers from television, film, or any other medium. This will be another fun opportunity for True Blood lovers to take part and defend their fanged champion, whether it be Viking sheriff Eric Northman or Southern gentleman Bill Compton. This event is also $10 for general admission, or free to members. Visit the Paley website for full details on the schedule for the weekend. SOURCE: paleycenter.org (Photo credit: HBO Inc., UPN)

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