BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Some things that are puzzling me

besleybean · May 1, 2017 9:43 am

I think the cons will continue regardless.
I disagree, Susi.
I think any actor should be able to take any project they want.
I'm not aware that either of them want to stop doing it, they just can't fit it in.
I am sad that it mean no more Sherlock for us, but I totally respect the actors' choices.

SusiGo · May 1, 2017 9:50 am

It is not about them not being free to choose but about telling us honestly if the show is over or not. To quote Sherlock: I hate not knowing.

besleybean · May 1, 2017 9:55 am

I think we're all accepting it's a difficult situation.
But I don't think anybody is being dishonest.
When I heard Steven speak, he clearly said: we currently have no plans to make any more.
But he said he wouldn't say, 'never', but if at all...it would be years down the line.

Liberty · May 1, 2017 10:27 am

If the situation is just as they say - that they'd like to continue but it's looking as if it might be too difficult - then how can they give us a clear answer?

I suspect that it's not just anticipating that it might be difficult but actually knowing that some things are in the pipeline ... There was that comment Benedict made before TFP aired about the ending being very difficult to come back from, for a long time (paraphrasing). After having seen that, I find it interesting because although I agree that TFP is an ending, I think it leaves the story open to pick up at any point. It doesn't have to be years later. It does make me wonder if Benedict himself had a project a mind, and this was a subconscious slip.

But I can understand why they don't want to be specific what particular work/commitments of those involved might be getting in the way.

besleybean · May 1, 2017 10:38 am

I have to say that generally in life I find this kind of thing a bit frustrating.
You know, not everything in life IS black and white and we can easily dement ourselves if we don't learn to accept shades of grey.
Regarding Sherlock, apart from the current: will it ever return discussion- I see it also in how S 4 ended.
It's as though some people aren't happy with what they got and therefore rather than just accepting that, it feels like there somehow has to be a sense that there was more, that we missed something, or more that wasn't answered, or further that should be answered.
I do find in modern life people are demanding and impatient and believe me, I get more than enough of that from my primary school children!
I think with Sherlock fans too, I find it odd.
I see such a lot of wonderful, creative and imaginative talents and yet sometimes it seems that some need the obvious spelled out in black and white. Whatever happened to subtlety?!
Sorry, I've gone off a bit(again), so to address Liberty: indeed, if BC takes up all prospective work- 3 years worth!

Vhanja · May 1, 2017 10:55 am

I don't have a problem understanding where Ben and Martin are coming from. Yes, they enjoy making Sherlock, I think they are both being honest about that. Because, as they have both said (or implied), if they didn't enjoy it, they wouldn't keep on doing it.

However, they are now both on their rise, career-wise, and there are probably a lot of exciting opportunities ahead. And probably a lot going on that isn't official yet and that we don't know about. And as we know about Hollywood and cinema-making, there is a lot of "if's" and "perhaps", and a lot of projects are sort of up there in the air until everything is settled - and perhaps it gets cancelled if things doesn't get settled.

And then we of course have things like Marvel, which will mean that Ben has signed up for I-don't-know-how-many movies as Dr. Strange, which will add to some of his schedule for years and years to come. I have no trouble understanding that he wants to keep the rest of schedule open to new and exciting opportunities that might or might-not happen - but which will certainly NOT happen if his schedule is closed. And Martin is probably in a similar situation.

Sherlock is fun, but they both know what it is and they both are interested in new challenges. However, neither of them have firmly decided that they are not going to do it anymore, just that they want to put it hiatus for the foreseeable future to focus on other opportunities (who knows what they have had to turn down due to Sherlock already - Martin almost lost The Hobbit because of it).

If they stay too long with one franchise/series, they can easily get typecasted and lose the momentum. They have to keep up and keep up with the ball as long as it' rolling, so to speak. We as fans might wish for more, but it's their lives and careers we are talking about. That is much more important. So I have no trouble at all understanding that and wish them both all the best in their careers.

Last edited by Vhanja (May 1, 2017 10:56 am)

besleybean · May 1, 2017 11:00 am

Well said, Vhanja.
The boys are doing just fine, but yes, they will want to grab every opportunity they can.
Because one day, the work may start drying up.

Schmiezi · May 1, 2017 5:01 pm

besleybean wrote:
It's as though some people aren't happy with what they got and therefore rather than just accepting that, it feels like there somehow has to be a sense that there was more, that we missed something, or more that wasn't answered, or further that should be answered.
I do find in modern life people are demanding and impatient and believe me, I get more than enough of that from my primary school children!

So wanting more episodes of a brilliant show is something bad now?

I see another danger in societies: it's being satisfied with what you get without trying for a higher goal, and it is following what other people say just because they are in charge or something.

I prefer to ask for more when I love for something and I like to think of my own.

besleybean · May 1, 2017 5:04 pm

But that's the point, we don't own BBC Sherlock and the team owe us nothing.
But yes, I agree, there is nothing at all wrong with loving something so much you want more of it...that wasn't really what I meant.

Vhanja · May 1, 2017 5:05 pm

Well, I do think it's possible to be happy about something and still think of your own.

besleybean · May 1, 2017 5:05 pm

Indeed.

Schmiezi · May 1, 2017 5:09 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Well, I do think it's possible to be happy about something and still think of your own.

Again, I fully agree with you!

Vhanja · August 25, 2017 2:33 pm

I thought this thread was fitting for my little headscratch (which is just due to me probably not understanding the complexity of film-making):

I just saw this behind the scenes picture:

And I was a bit taken aback by how many people are needed for such a short, simple and straight-forward dialogue scene. What do all these people do?! Two camera-men, sound-guy, lighting-guy, one make-up/curl-assistent each for Ben and Martin, director - what more do you need for a scene like that?

besleybean · August 25, 2017 3:32 pm

Oh the glamour of Hollywood!

Yitzock · August 26, 2017 2:37 pm

I would presume there are people who set up the track for the camera, assistants for Ben, Martin, Mark, et. al., some of those people could be extras to move across the background at some point. There's other stuff, too, there's always more people than you might expect. That is, for a big production like that. Independent or student filmmakers probably get by with a smaller team of behind the scenes crew.

Last edited by Yitzock (August 26, 2017 2:38 pm)

Vhanja · August 26, 2017 7:51 pm

It just seems odd to have that amount a people for that simple a scene. From an outsider's perspective.

Yitzock · August 27, 2017 3:05 pm

Yes, for sure. There's always more people involved than one would immediately think of.

JP · August 29, 2017 3:57 pm

I see Mark and Big Dave and Beryl in this pic, and I know Arwel was on set too.

For the moving camera you need at least 3 (cameraman, the dolly guy, and the person who is responsible for focus aka Focus Puller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_puller). So two cameras - at least 5 ppl. Sound needs 2… Director. Light. Make-up. Costume. Electricians. People to haul things around and keep bystanders from running into the set. Catering. Drivers. Probably a paramedic…

Vhanja · August 30, 2017 11:23 am

That's a crazy amount of people for such a scene.

SusiGo · January 19, 2018 9:52 am

A question that seems to fit in here quite well:

The Mayfly Man aka Jonathan Small used the flats of recently deceased men to date women connected to Sholto, right? He wanted to find out where Sholto was living or when he was going to leave his secluded residence, right? But how did he learn about the invitation? I cannot imagine that Tessa was bringing her employer's private invitation to a date. But the script says expressly:

found what he needed ... an invitation to a wedding

So where did he find it?