Creating The Character--Joss Washburn

Thought it was time for something a bit different from us.  I generally share the info about what is going on behind the scenes and post things that I have learned in developing and promoting a web series…  Thought you might like to hear from someone else!  So here is our lead actor, Marcus Lawrence, discussing how he developed the character of Joss Washburn.  Hope you enjoy it.

            -Darla

I am pleased with all the views, so I just wanted to talk about the character, but I really wanna talk about the viewpoints I take with it, in hopes that it does an honor to people in uniform as well.

Someone recently talked to me about the cynical nature of Joss, and much of it is in the writing. However, to really make it come from somewhere, I have actually gone out and talked to numerous veterans of our recent wars. Many of them have referred to Iraq as a”calamity”, many reminisced about fallen comrades, and dumb politically appointed civillian people in charge of sensitive operations who pulled really stupid, almost class war – oriented crap on them. The emotions of past experiences in the fog of war that we ask many of our young men to compartmentalize is humbling.

However, this isn’t a polemic. That would be self – serving. I simply want people to understand what I wished to understand in my portrayal of a former elite Marine. His cynicism is tempered with a sense of duty. The politics of society, what he sees as red tape that people can hide behind, he simply views at with his cynicism. He may have a friend on the police force, but he won’t hesitate to go around the police to accomplish his mission. His loyalties lie with the children he finds. With the innocent. Don’t stand in his way.

Joss’s cynicism is perhaps a little toned down as he becomes the Hand. His duties are beyond his comprehension, and there is no learning curve for the supernatural world. However, his ability to process information through advanced special ops training will come in handy. There is no black and white anymore. There is, however, winning and losing. Life and Death. This is an aspect he understands quite well. However, it will be the grey areas he will struggle to comprehend, and be forced to live in. However, as you will see, he won’t have to do it alone.

I have really enjoyed the experience, I gotta say. Being on set has been fun, the people I work with have been just awesome. Lots of joking around, but when it comes time to roll camera, we go to work. I really hope you guys are enjoying what we’re doing. It’s great that when you need an escape from the barrage of reality shows, you can just turn on the computer, and I hope that when you do, you enjoy us!!!!!

Marcus Lawrence