Sam and Me
Are you a big fan of “Law and Order”? Sam Waterston happens to have become a friend in recent years and was good enough to provide a blurb for the back cover of Beyond Beowulf. Four days before Easter he was generous of his time to come to our home and make a DVD for use on the local cable. It’s a 40 minute interview in which we discuss the original Beowulf and the sequel. Along the way, Sam reads a longish passage about trolls and I read a shorter one about peace.
I’m not sure whether the microphones were unbalanced or whether I am that much more soft-spoken than Sam. I come across as quieter than I think I am! But Sam really got into the troll passage and did it with a verve that’s quite wonderful.
The resulting DVD has been shown on local access cable in Canaan fairly often in recent days – and good timing since I’m doing a reading in the Canaan library on May 12. But the DVD is available for use on other local access cables if you want to bring “Law and Order meets Beowulf” to your local audience. Sam tells me it can’t be used on commercial channels because of actors’ guild rules. But do let me know if you would like to make use of it.
So, Dad, can those of us who don’t have cable-access shows get to see it somehow?
I’d be interested to see it, too. Is there any way to get it up on the Net in a downloadable form? I understand Mr. Waterson has restrictions against “commercial use” because of SAG rules, but does that prevent you from simply giving it away?
I have no clue how to post it or get it up on the net but could send copies here and there on request. It MUST not be used commercially but that’s the only restriction I know of. Maybe I should ask for it back? Anyway, let me know if you’d like to see it – a real world address would be helpful!