Del Floria's Interview with JantoJones
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Del Floria's Interview with JantoJones |
| Interviewer: | Del Floria (Live Journal) |
| Interviewee: | JantoJones |
| Date(s): | July 12, 2015 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | Man from U.N.C.L.E. |
| External Links: | full interview is here, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Del Floria's Interview with JantoJones is an interview with a Man from U.N.C.L.E. fan.
It is part of a series at Del Floria's. See Del Floria's Interview Series.
Excerpts
How have your feelings about MFU changed over the years, or have they?
For a long time MFU left my life. There were so many other things going on. Then at the beginning of last year, I found an old VHS cassette which contained The Galatea Affair. I stuck it in the machine and, even though it isn’t the best episode, I was once again hooked.
As a child, I loved it for the action (and probably the eye-wateringly bright colours). As an adult, I still love the action, but I can also see the politics. The fact Illya is Russian meant absolutely nothing to the young me, but now, I know how much of a big deal it must have been. As for the bright colours, I don’t see them now. It’s the same with all the cheesiness. I only see what’s good about the show.
Addressing those who wear slash goggles, your opinion on who put those looks/those touches/that lack of personal space in the episodes, the writers or the actors? And, why were those mannerisms put in there?
I don’t wear slash goggles all that often, so I can’t really answer this. However, don’t take that to mean I can’t see the opportunities for slash. Torchwood (which I started my fanfic life with) is a veritable goldmine for M/M stories, and I wrote quite a few involving Jack and Ianto (which is where I got my user name from).
There were a lot of looks and touches in MFU which can be interpreted any way a writer wishes. To me, the looks, touches and invasion of space is simply a result of friendship. Robert and David were, and are, very comfortable around each other. As for Napoleon and Illya, they have a closeness borne of necessity, but sustained by friendship. I may not write slash, but I have read some of the less graphic stories. For me, Illya and Napoleon are very close friends, but I can very easily see what slash writers see.
Do you use betas? Or why don’t you?
I don’t use betas, although I probably should. The thing is, most of my writing is challenge responses, and I have a terrible habit of not getting an idea until the last minute. I really should get someone to proof-read at the very least. I couldn’t count the times I’ve checked something a dozen times, only to spot a glaring error after I’ve posted it.
I also have a ‘losing track of the thread’ problem. Most writers plan their multi-parters ahead of time, but I have a tendency to change my mind. If I used a beta, I may get a better idea of where I go wrong.