TRANSCRIPT FOR BOB COCHRAN: AUGUST 31, 1998

WB Admin: Warner Bros. Online presents: Cybertalk! TM

WB Admin: "Overture, burn the lights ~ this is it, the night of nights…." Welcome to the very first celebrity chat here in Cybertalk! Tonight, we are pleased to welcome Bob Cochran to our online auditorium.

Bob is currently the series creative consultant for the hit USA Network show, "La Femme Nikita," I'm sure he'll enlighten us all on what his duties entail, as well as some of his previous projects. Bob is helping us tonight launch our Official La Femme Nikita Weekly chat sessions, so stay tuned for more details about that and other information during tonight's event.

To ask a question, simply type /ask and then your question. For instance: /ask What sign are you? Your question will then be added to the list of questions for Mr. Cochran to answer tonight. We will be picking and choosing questions and we'll try to answer as many as we can tonight.

So, without any further delays, please join me in welcoming Bob Cochran! Welcome, Bob!

Bob Cochran: Thank you! I'm very happy to be here! And I want to welcome all the fans who have taken the time to sign on!

Wrigley asks: How does fan feedback affect the writers?

Bob Cochran: Fan feedback is very important to us. And when you write you write for an audience, you want people to watch what you write, and want people to enjoy it and respond to it. On the other hand, as writers we have our own ideas on how the show should be done and how the story should be told. So we don't want to become too dependent on fan opinion. But we do monitor it and appreciate it, and we pay attention to it.

Wrigley asks: What contribution do the actors provide to the writing process?

Bob Cochran: My experience generally with actors over the years, is that they are extremely perceptive when it comes to the characters they are portraying. Perhaps less so when it comes to the show as a whole. So the short answer is, we do get suggestions from time to time from the actors about how their characters should behave or not behave or about how they should deliver certain lines, or play certain attitudes in a scene. These suggestions are often very good, and we do listen to them and use them in the scripts.

WB Admin: These are some great questions ~ keep sending them in!

Southpaw asks: What role does current events play in the overall storyline of LFN?

Bob Cochran: We definitely do keep an eye on current events to use in episodes. The problem is by the time the episodes are storied, written, shot, and aired... the events don't always seem very current anymore. However, as we've seen during the last couple of weeks, terrorism is going to be around for a long time. I'm sure there will be enough material to provide us with many story lines that echo what's happening in the news.

Minuet asks: From the perspective of a writer which character is the most difficult to write and why?

Bob Cochran: Its a very interesting question! Probably each writer would have his own answer to that. When I first started writing the show, I found Michael the most difficult to write because it was necessary to convey his emotions without really letting him say anything emotional. But as I've written more episodes, I've become better at that and he's my favorite character to write. It helps that Roy Dupuis is a terrific actor.

Merlynne asks: Will you be exploring the pasts of some of more of the supporting characters, like Birkoff or Walter?

Bob Cochran: Yes, I thnk we did explore their characters more in year 2 than we did in year 1. And that's a trend we expect to continue in year 3.

Wrigley asks: The writing in the last two episodes was superb. How do you and the other writers intend to keep that same intensity in Season 3? Thank you.

Bob Cochran: Thank you for the compliment! The biggest challenge in writing for any television show, particularly after you get past the first season, is to come up with new stories, new situations, new facets of the characters, and yet remain true to the core concept which made the show successful in the first place. We consider that our main challenge, and are dedicated to meeting it. Unfortunately, there's no formula or magic answer to making it happen. We'll just have to keep working hard and pushing each other to do our best, and hope that we succeed. We'll be monitoring your responses over the next season to find out the answer to that question!

Bayoubo asks: What is the time involved in the shooting of just one episode?

Bob Cochran: The actual filming takes seven days. Of course, this doesn't include the time spent working out the story, actually writing the script, prepping it (going over the pages with the director and the line producer), editing, etc.

SamanthaC asks: Do you ever get writers' block, and if so, do you have any tricks for getting past it?

Bob Cochran: In television, the constant deadlines mean that you can't afford to get writer's block, in the sense that you literally can't think of anything to write. What happens instead, is that you write something but you hate it. I think the best way to deal with it, is just get through the scripts as fast as you can, so at least you can tell yourself you have something to work with. Then you spend a lot of time going over it, trying to figure out what's wrong with it, and trying to make it better. And of course, this is where the idea of a writing staff is especially important. We help each out constantly, and work together to make all the stories and the scripts as good as we can. If somebody's a little off, the others can take up the slack, and the next time it's the other way around.

WB Admin: To ask a question for our special guest, Bob Cochran, simply type /ask and then your question. An example would be: /ask What's your sign

Peepers asks: Are you surprised at the show's cult popularity?

Bob Cochran: In a way I am, because success in the television business is totally unpredictable. Shows that seem that they can't miss fail... and other shows that start out as sleepers become extremely successful. However, the thing about Nikita, that was true from the start, is that it really is different from just about everything else that's on television. So, perhaps its not that surprising that people who like it really like it a lot.

Mikeylover98 asks: What is it like working with Peta and Roy?

Bob Cochran: They are both total pros! The demands on an actor, particularly the lead, are enormous. In the first season, there were stretches of shows where Peta was in just about every scene of every show. She held up, but we tried to structure things so that she had a little more time off in year two. That also gave us a chance to explore some of the secondary characters in a little more depth.I think both Peta and Roy enjoy the show, enjoy working with each other, and it shows in the final product.

Sjenea asks: Casting Sian Phillips as Adrian was wonderful. How did TPTB come to select her?

Bob Cochran: We're all big fans of "I, Claudius." which can be viewed as Section One set in first century Rome. When we came up with the idea of the founder of Section One coming back to haunt Operations and Madeline, we knew we needed a strong actor or actress who could hold her own with them, who could do things that might be distasteful... but still hold the audience's interest and a certain amount of sympathy. Sian Phillips came to mind immediately. We were absolutely delighted to get her, and thrilled with her performance.

Caneq asks: Will more empasis given to the missions in season 3 ? This season the mission often seemed to be an afterthought? The main emphasis will continue to be on the effect that the missions, and life in Section, have on the characters. But I agree, that the missions as such, received less emphasis this year than they did in season one. And we will try to address that by emphasizing missions more and by having more larger than life villains in the style of the first year.

Wrigley asks: What methods do you use to keep the creative sparks flowing?

Bob Cohran: Desperation helps. Also... sitting around in a room with guys that you like and have fun with is also important. It's funny how the story process works. Sometimes we can sit in a room for 2-3 days straight and come up with nothing that works. And then on the fourth day, we'll have an idea that works, and then we'll realize that the ideas we've been throwing away can be combined in different ways to make good stories. So at the end of the week, we might have 3-4 stories, but they all seem to come at once. The other crucial aspect of story meetings is an ample supply of York Peppermint Patties.

WB Admin: Every Monday at 9:00PM Eastern, 6:00PM Pacific, join us in the Nikita chat room here at chat.warnerbros.com! This unmoderated chat area is your place to talk with other fans ~ hope to see you there!

Guest829 asks: Are the stories written to cover only a single season at a time, or to be played out over a few years?

Bob Cochran: We like the stories to be as self-contained as possible, in the sense that the audience can enjoy a given episode without knowing everything that led up to it. On the other hand, we also try to lay in enough history so that we can pick up threads when we need to in later episodes. Some of these threads will extend across more than one season.

SamanthaC asks: I love how the show allows the viewers to interpret different scenes different ways and draw varying conclusions...do the writers specifically write with this in mind?

Bob Cochran: Yes and no. Just kidding..... The answer is yes. It's more fun for us to write that way too.

Scathach asks: your dialogue in the show seems to indicate, that less is more - how do you accomplish the great balance that moves from gestures to words?

Bob Cochran: Short answer is you have to trust the actors. We're fortunate to have a terrific cast, that can make less seem like more on the screen. And we try to use that whenever we can.

Koooo111cat asks: how much does LFN differ from the movie?

Bob Cochran: For me the biggest difference, is that in the show Nikita is not a killer. And frankly, though I enjoyed the movie, I think the premise of the show gives us more layers and conflicts to work with.

Wrigley asks: Will there be additional mystery elements and arcs in season three?

Bob Cochran: There certainly will. We will go deeper into Michael's character and come to better understand his sometimes conflicting attitudes toward Nikita. We will also find out something about Operations and Madeline's relationship that may surprise fans. You have to remember, Section is not completely autonomous. They do have to answer to a higher power and that will be addressed.

Meow507 asks: will we know were Micheal lives

Bob Cochran: Yes.

WB Admin: Want to talk more in depth about the show with other fans? check out the message boards located at wbboards.warnerbros.com/nikita

Trueblood asks: Why is that Operation and Madelaine are the only "directors" of Section One

Bob Cochran: What makes you so sure that they are... Next question...

Alix asks: What is your take on the character of Michael? How would you describe him?

Bob Cochran: There are lots of different ways to describe Michael. One that I've used to myself on occasion when writing his character is that he is Sir Lancelot. Lancelot was a perfect knight with one weakness... a fatal attraction to Guinevere. You could say that Michael is the perfect Operative with one weakness: a fatal attraction to Nikita. Like Lancelot, he tries with all his strength to keep this weakness from threatening his total dedication to the ideals he believes in. Like Lancelot, he is not always successful. Obviously, by this, I do not mean to imply a relationship between Operations and Nikita. Although, in a perverse way... you might think of Operations as a King Arthur in the mirrors and shadow world that he inhabits.

Hollydream1 asks: In End Game, Adrian said that Maddy had s e x with the young studs. Did she ever sleep with Michael or birkoff? I'd hate to be the one to ask her that question!

WB Admin: We have time tonight for a couple more questions!

Visco asks: Will we get to see "George" or other members of oversight in Season 3?

Bob Cochran: Yes.

Marquise asks: Do you ever see Nikita reaching level 5 status and becoming Michael's "equal"?

Bob Cochran: It's certainly possible that in time, Nikita could reach Level 5 status. The question would be, what is Michael by then. Maybe he'dbe running Section, so she still wouldn't be quite his equal.

Eugenia asks: where do you think section is located?

Bob Cochran: I know where it's located... but if I told you, I'd be taken to the white Room immediately.

WB Admin: We have time for one more question for Bob tonight...

Karon asks: Can you give us any season three teasers?

Bob Cochran: Actually, we have a couple of incredible developments planned. I probably shouldnt tell you this, but we're going to

WB Admin: Well, that's about all the time we have tonight... Thanks for joining us for our first celebrity chat here at Cybertalk! Remember to join us every week starting next week, for our La Femme Nikita chat, located right here at chat.warnerbros.com! Also check out the Nikita boards at wbboards.warnerbros.com and share your thoughts on the show! The transcript for this event will be posted on the Nikita site soon! This has been a Warner Bros. online production of Cybertalk! C) & TM 1998 Warner Bros. Online