PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: WACO: WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented at The Paley Center for Media in New York. This evening celebrates "Waco," the six-part miniseries, based on eyewitness accounts, about the disastrous 1993 siege at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas.
Host David Bushman (television curator, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and welcomes executive producer/director/writer John Erick Dowdle and executive producer/writer Drew Dowdle to the stage. The pair introduces the first episode, "Visions and Omens," which is then screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see ACCNUM 131654.)
After the screening, Dave Itzkoff (culture reporter, The New York Times) moderates the following panelists: John Erick Dowdle; Drew Dowdle; David Thibodeau (Branch Davidian survivor and show adviser); Gary Noesner (former FBI negotiator and show adviser); cast members/executive producers Michael Shannon (Gary Noesner) and Taylor Kitsch (David Koresh); and cast members Andrea Riseborough (Judy Schneider) and Rory Culkin (David Thibodeau).
The panelists touch on such topics as: Thibodeau's gratitude for how the show humanizes and "honors" the story, especially the Branch Davidians killed in the siege; how the Dowdles' research for a separate project lead them to Thibodeau's book, "A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story"; the challenge of selling a "balanced" adaptation of the story with nuanced portrayals of both leader David Koresh and his followers; the four-year creation process and the original plans to helm it as a feature film; Kitsch's interest in thoroughly researching the story and the character of Koresh; studying Koresh's original songs and creating "lighter beats" in the story; Shannon's departure from his many villainous roles and his respect for Noesner's empathy and selflessness; Culkin's extensive collaboration with Thibodeau to make the role "theirs"; U.K. native Riseborough's lack of familiarity with the Waco story and interest in the project after viewing the documentary "Holy Hell" (2016) about the Buddhafield cult; the "disturbing" way in which the Branch Davidians were used as a political bargaining tool; Noesner's descriptions of the real Koresh as both manipulative and charming; Thibodeau's sense of being "demonized" as foolhardy and ignorant for having fallen in with the cult; how the show explores new dimensions of the followers' lives; why Kitsch almost departed the project, due to his own "baggage" about Koresh and his actions; Thibodeau's praise for Kitsch's eerily accurate portrayal of Koresh's surprising "tenderness"; Riseborough's interest in telling the female perspective, including the importance of not judging the Davidians solely by their video interviews created a few weeks into the siege; how the actors "decompressed" in between shoots, including Shannon's "Boardwalk Empire" reunion with longtime pals Paul Sparks (Steve Schneider) and Shea Wigham (Mitch Rogers); the story's current-day relevancy in its themes of opposing sides who refuse to communicate with one another; why the disastrous siege was a "departure" from the FBI's past successful negotiations; how the tactical commanders overrode the deals made by the 21 different negotiators and the Davidians; and how untruthful press conferences during the siege caused the Davidians to slowly lose hope of survival.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: Kitsch's desire to interact with the real Koresh, were he still alive; the "constant calibration" of neither demonizing nor lionizing the mysterious Koresh through writing, visuals and acting; the "mercurial behavior" on both sides of the negotiation that obfuscated a peaceful resolution; why the tragic outcome was not "pre-ordained," including Koresh's various false promises to end the siege non-violently; the importance of maintaining "self-control" during a negotiation; and Noesner's mingled sense of pride and despair at saving only 35 of the people within Mount Carmel.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:41:47
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 131640
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Bushman … Host
- Dave Itzkoff … Moderator
- Gary Noesner … Panelist
- David Thibodeau … Panelist
- Andrea Riseborough … Panelist
- Rory Culkin … Panelist
- Michael Shannon … Panelist
- Taylor Kitsch … Panelist
- Drew Dowdle … Panelist
- John Erick Dowdle … Panelist
- David Koresh
- Paul Sparks
- Shea Wigham