Interview With Dan Woods - Part 1 by Natalie Earl

NE: So tell me about your show Classic Car Restorations on SpeedVision

DW: My show has now finished its first season and we are waiting to here about a second.

NE: I hope it makes it. I like classic cars. My husband has a Ford Mustang from 1969.

DW: That's a great car.

NE: Finding any Degrassi information is hard. Thank god for the Internet. Americans were not as hip to Degrassi as the rest of the world.

DW: That depends on where they were watching the show.

DW: PBS did not supply the series as a network feed that had to be aired at a specific time. Each program director at each affiliate had the option of airing it whenever they wanted. Some chose prime time. Others after school. Some even put us on late at night after Doctor Who. (That was Dallas I think)

NE: Because Degrassi was such as hard-edged, real life show, it did not get the commercial fame as say 90210 or Saved by the Bell. Perhaps the program directors thought that the adult audience would be more appreciative.

DW: Degrassi was sort of cult like. PBS also created a teaching guide for the series. Plus a number of schools showed it in class or in counseling sessions.

NE: Kate Taylor is trying to get Degrassi back on the air in America at WGBH Boston. Degrassi should be on the air forever.

NE: I feel so left out because my cheap cable company does not get Riverdale, Liberty Street, Degrassi reruns, or any of the other Canadian imports.

DW: I think Linda is trying her best to sell the series to the US. But it is not that easy.

NE: How long was Liberty Street on the air? Was it really just a "Melrose Place meets Degrassi"?

DW: I don't think it started out that way. Liberty Street was a concept that Kit and Linda developed as "X-Rated". Liberty Street was on for two seasons. It started with Stacie as the lead, but the ratings were poor, so CBC asked for a stronger Degrassi connection. So Linda hired Pat. However, Stacie did not want to be tied to Pat again and left the series. Pat's presence did bring up the numbers, that combined with bringing back Degrassi's head writer helped too.

NE: I occasionally see Michael Carry (Simon) listed as a grip on television and movies, is there a connection?

DW: The kids were encouraged to find an area that they enjoyed, either in front of or behind the camera. There was a fund set up to help them get into an area they enjoyed. Some preferred behind the scenes after being on the show for a while.

NE: I am mad at New York and Hollywood for not discovering more of the Degrassi cast, and helping them become stars in the USA.

Well, I don't think that is the function of New York or Hollywood. Producers want to use your fame and status. Not build it.

NE: You know the media well. Of course you gained experience by helping to launch Classic Car Restorations.

DW: Well, the Program Director at Speedvision was a Degrassi fan. He grew up in an area that aired the series in prime time. So he assumes that everyone saw it in prime time. He thinks he landed a big star in our series. (Ha ha ha.. if only he knew)

NE: To us Degrassi Cultists, YOU ARE BIG STARS

DW: That's true. I guess that if you were a fan we are a big deal. But I don't think that many people view us in the same way that they would one of the 90210 stars. We were not as slick. There was a much more realistic angle to our series. No makeup people. No big union crews, no trailers. ... no one was ever called Mr or Miss by the crew.

NE: One of these days when you have nothing to do, I would love to hear all the gruesome details. We fans think that it is charming that the show was low budget and gerry-rigged.

DW: Well, it was definitely low-end compared to other series. Do you get the series Due South?

NE: I wish I did, I hear that a lot of Degrassi characters get bit parts on the show.

DW: Cool. Maybe you could do some press releases for my show. If you think Degrassi was low budget... you ain't seen nothin yet!!

NE: But Classic Car Restorations looks so sophisticated on television. Good bluffing!

DW: Thanks. Rob and I have put everything into getting it off the ground. We still haven't taken a pay cheque home yet.

NE: Your own money? Your own blood, sweat, and tears?

DW: Yep! The specialty channels all pay the same for shows... practically nothing.

NE: CCR should be connected with Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction.

DW: Done that one. In our second season we will be restoring a Ferrari that is going to be sold there.

NE: The problem with classic cars is that only the rich and famous can afford them. DW: Are you rich and famous? You have a 69 Mustang! They are not that expensive if you do the work on them yourself. What is expensive are the Cords and Deusnburgs... those are the costly ones. Mustangs and GTO's can be found cheap.

DW: For a lot of people fixing cars is their favorite pastime. Not everyone likes to golf when they get older. I was in Florida last week and saw some great salvage yards that were specializing in old autos. They all will sell you a junker for $500.00 and then your on your way! But the real hot cars now are Mustangs, T-Birds, Vettes, and Chargers. VW Beetles are hot too.

NE: Unfortunately, people need "work horse" cars (Hondas, Toyotas, minivans) to tote their children and fight hush hour traffic. Vintage cars are a rich mans realm. Unless you include teenager cars like VW bugs, and souped up Mustangs from junkyards.

NE: Do you promote your show in those Classic Car magazines?

DW: We have been trying to get some promotion but Rob and I have been concentrating on producing the series on time for Speedvision and haven't had the time to do a proper job on promotion.

DW: Rob is in Montreal at a trade show with the Vette this week.

NE: Where is CCR based and where do you live?

DW: We shoot the show in a warehouse that Rob and I rent Burlington, Ontario. We built the set ourselves with the help of some friends. I live in the town next to it.. Oakville.

DW: We have embroidered Classic Car Restoration T-shirts coming. We'll have them on our web site in the Gift Shop section. They are $36.95 (Canadian) or $24.00 (USA). If you specify that you are a Degrassi Junior High fan, I will personally sign it for you.

NE: Do you watch Degrassi reruns on Showcase?

DW: Occasionally. I've seen all of them already though and I know how they end!

NE: The big challenge with writing Degrassi World Fan Fiction is that 1) I never saw all of the episodes, 2) I have not seen the show since high school, 3) So many topics were covered that they did not leave much to the imagination

DW: Number 3 was why they stopped producing it. Yan Moore was going nuts trying to come up with content. I'm sure that if you asked him he would tell you he ran out of good things to write after the 3rd season. The rest he needed to get from the kids.

NE: Were the episodes based on the kids REAL lives and REAL personalities?

DW: Yan was famous for having an open door and asking the kids what was happening at their schools. I'm sure that a couple of events happened to the kids or someone they knew at school.

NE: Please describe the Degrassi filming schedules.

DW: I would be on set (either Daisy Street or Centenial ) for my scenes only. There was no reason for me to attend other set locations. We would take most of the day to shoot two or three scenes. Because Degrassi was not video, it took as long as it takes on a major film shoot.

NE: Did people in public approach you as Mr. Raditch?

DW: Yeah they still do too! Even with the beard on! I was asked for an autograph on my honeymoon in Bangor, Wales! But most people don't think it's really you. I guess they don't think they would see an actor outside of New York or Hollywood.

NE: I know that if I ever met the cast and crew I would probably start crying or jumping up and down

DW: Jumping up and down and screaming was what the last girl who recognized me did. I was at my local pub and she was visiting some friends that live here. She was from Vancouver and couldn't believe it.

NE: I do not think that the cast and crew understand how much the show changed people's lives. Degrassi was better than therapy.

DW: Well, I don't know if it tried to change their lives. In fact, Yan would probably be concerned if you said that. From my conversations with him, I think he only wanted to hold up a mirror to the lives of teenagers. And to show the consequences of actions.

DW: Yan is now the head writer for Riverdale. Katherine Ellis is his wife.

DW: PBS still loves Linda and Kit.

NE: WE ALL LOVE KIT

DW: Kit is very approachable. I was trying to get him into my company as an advisor and investor. Unfortunately it did not work out. It is so great that I have my own show, I could hire some of the old cast and crew if I wanted!

DW: Why don't you tell Yan about your chronicals (Degrassi World Fan Fiction). He may be interested as part of the Degrassi paperback series.

NE: The whole reason I am doing Degrassi World and Degrassi Legacy (besides to live a childhood dream vicariously) , is to gain experience as a freelance writer. I would love to create a book series or television series in the Degrassi tradition. I have been working on a manuscript for the last ten years. It is called "Sweet and Sour Sixteen".

DW: Another angle would be to ask for a writers guide from Due South and set it on Degrassi Street in Toronto. That would be very cool too.

NE: I like to ask the cast and crew for advice on DW Fan Fiction. I asked Rebecca Haines if I should set up Kathleen with Rick. She said that Rick was not her type.

DW: That kind of stuff was always fun to hear. Yan would pair up two characters and there would be two very angry kids at his door when the script came out.

NE: Did any of the characters date in real life?

DW: Well, I didn't know a lot about specifics because I was much older than the kids and we didn't socialize much. But, I did hear that a number of them went out. But, I don't think it was common. After you work so closely with people in this type of series, there is almost a brother-sister relationship that develops. You know too many secrets of the cast members.

DW: Besides, the kids could date just about anyone they wanted at their schools. They were hot! Pat Mastroianni couldn't ride public transit after the 3rd season, he was getting mauled. It was like the Beatles almost.

NE: Which of the actors seemed to get the most fan mail and worshippers?

DW: I think Pat and Stacie got the most. Neil, Stefan and Amanda would be next.

DW: Nicole Stoffman was the most dominant in the early years though. No one could touch her for fan mail.

NE: Why did Nicole leave the show? Why did any of them leave the show?

DW: She was getting very big and had an offer to do a couple of series. But PWT was not in the position to offer her more money or better conditions. I know that she talked with me for most of the day just before she left the show and she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing.

DW: Others were asked to leave or just didn't like it. Some of the kids were having trouble maintaining their grades too, so I'm sure that the parents got involved.

DW: Director Kevin Smith is dying to get Stacie Mistysyn to be in his new film. He is crazy about her. He wanted her for Mall Rats but the producer said no. They wanted a bigger name, so they got the girl from 90210 (Shannon Doherty).

DW: But Smith put a Degrassi jacket on Shannon. Apparently it really pissed her off because a lot of people had told her that her show was a Degrassi rip off!

NE: I am rooting for Stacie, Pat, and the others to get their big breaks. It would be so great to see the Degrassi faces on prime time again.

DW: Well, write that Due South episode on Degrassi Street!

NE: I am hoping that the right eyes will see my interviews so that the cast and crew can get some publicity for their current projects.

DW: That's a tough one because not all of them will want to publicize their current status. Some may only be serving tables right now. In Canada people say, "oh you're an actor? What restaurant do you work at?"

NE: People say that here in Los Angeles too. Even if they are only waiting table, parking cars, or baby-sitting, I still want to know every juicy detail about their lives. The rest of the world has forgotten them but in the Degrassi universe, time has stood still. We live as if the show never ended.

DW: Well, it's still on a lot here! One hour every night on Showcase. My wife calls Thursday's Dan TV. CCR at 6:30, Then DJH at 7, then DH at 7:30. And I'm still broke!!!!!

NE: It must be exciting to see yourself on television. Did Degrassi pay scale ACTRA wages?

Note: ACTRA stands for the Alliance of Canadian Television & Radio Artists, the main performers union that is based in Toronto. Scale means the minimum wage that an actor can be paid for a designated job. Buyout means that the actors will only be paid for their initial session (work day). they will not recieve residuals for reruns. Residuals are percentage fees that performers get each time their program is aired.

DW: Well, it wasn't a union shoot. But they actually paid better than scale. However, we were on a buyout so there are no residuals. But those are tough to get. The producers have to really want you on the series to get residuals.

DW: Warner Kempler from Hogan's Hero's never made a dime off the series in reruns! He had a buyout contract too.

NE: Was Degrassi a non-union production? Does public television have certain waivers?

DW: It was non-union because it was not produced directly by PBS or CBC. It was sold to them as a produced and packaged series. So the union would have to hit PWT and they were not very good for the series anyway. They did not understand the concept. We would have had to hire 15 tutors to be on set. The fact that the kids never had to leave their school to work on the series was irrelevant.

NE: What about wardrobe, makeup and hair?

DW: Wardrobe was provided by PWT if you wanted it. I had them buy some suits for me. There was no official hair or makeup. Craft services were provided by PWT. For hair or makeup, the costume person usually just checked to see if you were OK. They would also be on set with powder if you were getting shinny under the lights.

DW: PWT gave the kids a makeup course as part of the education process. Irene Courakos and one of the extras would do it. They were very interested in it a career. Perhaps they are doing for a living now.