He didn't name names of the more dysfunctional sets he's worked on, but was full of praise for the Fox medical drama and its star. "On that set, it's a respect game, and he sets the tone. He comes to set prepared, he's always on time and ready to go, he knows his lines and everyone else's lines. He never has his BlackBerry, he's never on his phone, you never see him texting anyone. He's always there to work. That's where the bar is set and everyone falls in line because of that professionalism."
Past versus Present
Despite the long resume peppered with high-profile series, Straiton says his career highlight is simply the privilege of working. "You don't ever think about it as being the big time. You don't feel like you've made it. I don't think you ever feel like you've made it."
Proving his theory that television allows little time to bask in past glories, after Defying Gravity he's off to shoot the second-last episode of House's fifth season and has several projects in the works for the future. He and his writing partner recently sold a show to Fox Television Studios, plus he's working on a graphic novel and pursuing producing opportunities. "I think I'm the only director who wants to be a producer," he laughed.
But for the present, production on Defying Gravity starts next week at Vancouver's Bridge Studios and at locations such as the University of British Columbia, the backdrop for the fictional future space agency. Watch for the futuristic series to air ... sometime in the near future.
Article comments