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Burn Notice Set Visit Print E-mail
Interviews - General
Written by Daniel W. Butler   
Monday, 21 July 2008

burnnotice_gabrielleanwar.jpgA torrent of explosions, rapid gunfire, and quirky quips work as a mainstay in USA network’s action/comedy, Burn Notice.  Now on location in Miami, filming the much anticipated second season of the unexpectedly top-rated show; actor’s Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless are hard at work portraying the intricate relationships and realities of their respective characters (Michael Westen, Fiona Glenanne, Sam Axe and Madeline Westen). 

Burn Notice is a menagerie of intriguing questions and situations.  Michael Westen (Donovan) is an  agent that has been given a burn notice, the pink slip of the spy world, and has been dumped in Miami in hopes that he will forget his past, and begin a new life.  Unwilling to settle down, Michael ceaselessly pursues information on his burn, the lingering questions that drive his character:  Why he got burned, and by whom?  

Michael searches for the answers to these questions while dealing with the antics of his trigger-happy, semi-psychotic ex-girlfriend, Fiona Glenanne (Anwar); and Sam Axe (Campbell), his only apparent friend, who happens to be an FBI informant.  Meanwhile, Michael has the added stress of trying to handle dealing with the family that he joined the action-packed career to escape.  Michael’s mother, Madeline Westen (Gless), is a hopeful figure who is trying to make up for allowing Michael to have a traumatic childhood.   

All of these elements are weaved together through the writing of the series creator, Matt Nix, who deals out a wonderfully crafted story, filled with exclusively detailed characters.  With a different director steering through nearly each episode, Burn Notice has an intense freshness that appears each time the show begins. 

burnnotice_jeffreydonovan.jpgThe old Miami Convention Center was refurbished into a television studio to film Burn Notice.  With very real and interactive sets organized throughout the building, neatly separated into segregated areas, they are kept in preparation for filming.  Madeline’s house lies just over a wall from Michael’s apartment, and the rest of the sets are just around a corner, providing easy access for the crew to film wherever they need to. 

With a very friendly and insightful cast and crew, Burn Notice is run with the same seriousness and levity that are the trademark of the show.  On set, Gabrielle Anwar states that “it’s a really fantastic crew.  Everybody’s really, really good at what they do. It’s a lot of fun.”  Everyone on set, the cast and crew included, seem to get along wonderfully; they all seem to enjoy working together, and show a real respect towards each other.   

On the Miami set of Burn Notice, Jeffrey Donovan speaks of the authenticity of the scenes that are shot on the set by his method of acting. “I am a believer in rehearsal so that we are all on the same page, but we haven’t decided what we’re actually going to do in the scene. So that when we actually go through it, it’s actually being created right in front of the camera and that’s what you capture. Then you cut it together and find out what you have, rather than deciding beforehand, planning it all out, shooting something that has now become stale.” 

Gabrielle Anwar explains that “last season we had a different director for every episode,” and that she believes that “the theory is that it keeps it fresh and they can also determine which of those directors really has a unique vision for the show." 

Bruce Campbell himself joined the cast because he “thought the pilot was good, because it felt fresh,” and he was attracted to Burn Notice because of the authentic feel of the script.  Sharon Gless explains that the show is “very real… It’s a fun show, but there’s a reality to it,” and that she accepted the part as Madeline Westen because she read the script and “laughed out loud. There was nobody around, and I thought… That’s sort of a key to me,” and that convinced her to join the cast of Burn Notice.   

This group of experienced and enjoyable actors come together to create a cast of interesting characters that have very realistic personalities, which is a very important aspect to the show since everything in the show has a basis on reality.  Jeffrey Donovan explained that “everything we do on the show, you can actually do in real life.”  The freshness of the show, mixed with the realism of it, makes it a very authentic and intriguing experience for any viewer. 

Catch Burn Notice on USA every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.

Comments
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fan too   |2008-07-22 09:09:28
I thought he did work as a contractor for the FBI?
Stephanie   |2008-07-22 00:32:02
Actually, Michael never worked for any organization. He was an independent contractor, so to speak. Can't believe the guy that wrote the article got it wrong.
fan   |2008-07-21 16:27:04
Michael used to work as a contractor for the CIA, not the FBI
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