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Monday, February 22, 2010

SONS OF ANARCHY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS



I posted this on my new Facebook page, but I figured I'd blog it as well.  It'll be an ever-growing list of FAQ's.  It was fun to do.  I hope you dig it.

1. I have a great idea for the show, can I send it you?

No.  I cannot accept any ideas, pitches, stories, scripts, notions or dreams from anyone.  It's a legal issue.  It protects me and you.  If you send it, post it or email it -- it will be shredded, removed and deleted.  Sorry. 

2. I want to be an actor on your show, how do I audition?

If you are a SAG/AFTRA actor who has a permanent address in Los Angeles you can have your agent submit a picture and resume to our casting director, Wendy O'Brien.  If the picture is not sent through a signatory agency chances are the envelope will never be opened. 

3. How can I be an extra on your show?

If you a union or non-union actor who has a permanent address in Los Angeles you can contact Jim's B-List -- jimsblist.com .

4. I'm a singer/songwriter, I have a band, I have a perfect song for the show, how do I submit music?

As with the actors, a musical artist is best served by an agent or manager submitting their music through the proper channels.  Bob Thiele, my composer and musical supervisor is trying to come up with a realistic system where submissions can actually get heard.  Right now, we get hundreds and simply don't have the manpower or time to listen to them all.

5. When is the Season 2 DVD coming out?

Summer, 2010.

6. When is Season 3 beginning?

We never have an exact premier date until a few weeks before.  We did very well with the timing of season 2, so my guess is that we will air some time in early September, 2010.  But right now, that is just speculation.

7.  Is Half-Sack really dead?

Fuck, yes.

8.  Is that Katey singing "Ruby Tuesday"?

Yes, Katey sang "Son of a Preacher Man" in Season 1 and "Ruby Tuesday" in Season 2.  I hope to have her sing a song every season. 

9.  Who is Edward Winterhalder and why is he saying that the character of Jax is based on one of his books?

I do not know Mr. Winterhalder, never read any of his fiction.  From what I am told he is a former outlaw biker who turned rat and now makes his living as an author and outlaw biker "expert".  I can only speculate that my choice of using real outlaws as technical advisers instead of a celebrity one somehow upset Mr. Winterhalder.  I guess his claims are sour grapes and his parasitic attempt at getting a piece of SOA's success.

10. Are you really afraid of dolls?

Fuck, yes.

11.  Why do you swear so much?

Fuck, yes.

12. I have something very special I want to give you, can I send it to you?

Fuck, no.

13. How come you only do 13 episodes?  Why not 22 or 26 like network shows?

The model for FX and many other cable networks is 13.  Yes, it's about money and scheduling, but it's also about quality.  First of all, we cram more story into 13 episodes of SOA than most network dramas fit into 26.  Second, this model allows us to make what I hope are 13 thoughtful, provocative 44 minute independent films, instead of 26 formulaic, predictable big-budget movies.  Thirdly, my writers, cast and crew spend 7-9 back-breaking months making this show.  It's guerrilla film-making and a labor of love.  Any more than 13 would fucking kill us.

14. I live in a remote village in the Ukraine, when will "Sons of Anarchy" air there?

International sales and scheduling is not my job.  I have no idea if, when, where the show will be airing outside of the United States.  I know it's selling very well internationally, I just don't know any details.  I suggest you contact your local cable company and ask them. 

15. My friend watches the show over the internet for free, how does he do that?

Your friend steals.  If you want to watch "Sons of Anarchy" over the net, I'd ask that you do it legally through the FX website, Hulu or iTunes.  Pirating hurts the artist more than the conglomerate.  I know it may not seem like a big deal, and you probably justify it by saying, "Oh, Fox can afford it", but it's a huge problem.  The truth is every time you illegally download an episode of "Sons", you put actors, writers, and crew out of work.  Think about that next time you watch a lime-wire episode.

16.  I see "Sons of Anarchy" merchandise all over e-Bay and other internet sites.  Is this real SOA stuff?  Where can I buy official "Sons of Anarchy" stuff?

No.  The stuff on e-Bay is all pirated merchandise.  Some of them even blatently say "official SOA" shirts, hats, etc. -- they are not.  It's someone selling illegal gear.  It's criminal and there is very little we can do to stop it.  Again, people justify it by saying, "Oh, Fox can afford it", but once again buying that shit doesn't help the show.  The Fox/FX Store is the ONLY place to buy real SOA merchandise.  We will be expanding the line extensively very soon. 

17. Who is Sam Crow?  What does Samcro stand for?  Is there a difference between the two?

SAMCRO is an acronym for Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Originals.  Sam Crow is the personification of that acronym.  It's how the club refers to themselves.  Kinda the way Bob Dole called himself Bob Dole.  Over time, the locals began calling them Sam Crow as well.  In fact most of the members live in a part of Charming called "Sam Crow's Corner". 

18. What is Redwood Originals about?  Why isn't the charter called Charming?

Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club was created by John Teller and Piney Winston in November of 1967 and the first charter was called "Redwood".  Simply because they weren't settled in any one city.  They cruised the Northern California coast from Eureka to Big Sur -- Redwood country. It wasn't until after Gemma became pregnant with her first son, Jackson, that they decided to settle in Charming -- the town where Gemma grew up.  At that point, John Teller thought Charming was a little too cute for a charter name, so he called the charter the Redwood Originals.  That's when the SAMCRO handle was born.

71 comments:

Xander Bennett said...

There's some irony in placing the question about overseas distribution next to the question about watching for free.

What's the person in the Ukraine supposed to do? Wait a year or two to watch the latest season, assuming their local stations pick it up at all?

So they have to watch online. But Hulu and the FX site don't work in their country, and maybe they don't want to use iTunes -- taking an ethical stance against Apple software is not uncommon -- or they physically can't install iTunes (as in the case of a Linux user).

So the choice is either A) bittorrent, or B) waiting for the DVD. Or, you know, both. Viewers in the USA get to at least check out a few episodes of the show before paying for a DVD boxed set. Why shouldn't international fans watch online before buying your DVDs?

The point is that torrenting a show is justified in some situations. It's often the only way people in other countries can view your show, and it's probably the reason WHY your international demand is so strong. Pretending that some dude in the Ukraine is going to put your cast and crew out of a job is hyperbolic and misleading.

Cali said...

Thanks, Kurt! I'd been wondering where the "Redwood" part came from because there are no redwoods in the vicinity of the coordinates given on the website for where Charming is supposed to be.

Can't wait for season three!

J.B. said...

Thanks:)

megan said...

thank you.

that must have been just itching to be written.

Anton said...

Thank you, that post rocked.

Indianacat said...

Great FAQ! Answers a lot of questions that you're probably asked time and again. Especially nice to know how the 'Redwood' tag came to be. (Something tells me that you'll still hear/read the same questions).

It must be annoying to have some writer hack wanna-be hitch his dying star to your meteor by claiming you 'lifted' a character from him. Sheesh! The dude needs to either put up, or shut the duck up. By the way, you do know the meaning of 'expert' don't you? A has been blast of gas. Annoying for a while, but quickly dissipates. Like a nasty fart, Winterhalder's claims will pass. As will the hack writer wanna-be's out there that think it's ok to tear up what they don't like under the guise of 'critism'. Critics tear up because they can't create.

Anyway, enough of that soap box.

Thanks for taking time out of the creative process to share some great information on SOA and the process.

Congrats on the new FB page, too. Notice you do respond to some of the posts, and that's awesome.

Lookin' forward to the box set for S2, is it summer yet?

Thanks for sharin' this info with us!

njames said...

Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for this show to keep rolling out. You've got me as a lifer in your fan club.

Unknown said...

#14 and #15 are a bag of hurt for the studios, but also for the (international) fan. I buy stuff I like, I don't mind doing that. Rather I hope to support people who make quality stuff make more of that. If studios don't make things available international there is usually no other resource. I know it's not your business but I end up with a big FU everytime I contact studios about those things, and I think that side of the story should be told too.

andrea mangiri said...

Satisfactory?...
...FUCK,YES

Iberostar said...

Great answers! What the heck do people want to send you? That's just too creepy.
FAQ could stand for Fuckin'Answers for Questions.
Lookin' forward to September!

Anonymous said...

Here's a Q that might be FA...

...besides the 1-9ers, are there any other elements of the "Shield" universe that cross over to "SOA" that you can tell us about?

Are The Horde from "The Shield" a factor in the "SOA" universe? They seem like an appropriate fit.

Thanks for your work.

-B

SHough610 said...

Great FAQ. As someone trying to break into writing I find the writing process fascinating. I'd be interested in how much depth the backstory for each character there is? I'm sire there's a lot for Gemma, Jax, and Clay but what about someone like Juice?

Garpu said...

Think it would be funny if you showed some of the weird things people send. Then again that could be more attention than they should get.

Manos Torgo said...

I find it even more ironic that Xander's comments trying to justify pirating come from a guy who is a writer. Maybe instead of buying Xander's books from Amazon, I can just make photo copies and hand them out to anyone who wants it. Yanno, as an ethical stand against Amazon.com.
I'm sure Xander would have a whole other view on hyperbole then.

Everytime music, software or tv/movie is legally purchased or donwloaded or viewed, someone somewhere can track that and see that X number of people LIKE that work of art, etc. That tells the bigwigs to keep these people employed and supports them. Its like voting with your pocketbook. But if you choose to illegally view or take something, then the bigwigs don't see those numbers and they say "shit, this work isn't popular, let's cancel this show or not renew this contract."

For what it's worth, I don't care much for iTunes, but to get caught up on season 1 of SOA, I downloaded all of season 1 from Amazon and it's worth $2 bucks an episode. That's $2 for an hour of quality entertainment. Beats paying $10 bucks for 2 hours of some shitty Hollywood movie.

Anonymous said...

On point 14, I have to agree piracy is a tremendous issue particularly outside US. Please purchase the Season DVD. In my case I use iTunes / Apple TV to get and pay for the current season (which is sort of a circumvention of the idiotic distribution schemes).
However once the Season DVD shows up I purchase it, as a matter of fact I purchased both the Blu-Ray and the DVD (for the laptop).
In that sense, the show / actors / producers will be better served if the DVD was available in shorter time.
My 2 cents. Again, thanks for the show.

Anonymous said...

Hey SutterMan,
Can’t believe that you actually had to do a FAQ for the show! Any viewer should already know this stuff. But I do have a bone to pick. You shouldn’t piss on Ed. I’m no lawyer, but I occasionally sleep with one. And she think that there’s grounds for defamation of character action here with what you said. Winterhalder is no rat; never turned any of his brothers and from where I sit, isn’t crying sour grapes about SOA. Didn’t you guys settle this shit a few years ago? He’s not riding the SOA bandwagon either; he started publishing his books long before SOA hit the airwaves. I watch SOA more out of curiosity but am sorry that our little part of the world is becoming even more mainstream. It’s bad enough that accountants and financial planners are wanna-be/weekend warriors and if one more of these pricks call me ‘bro’, I swear that I’m gonna poke ‘em in the nose. Try to keep it a little more MC real in S3 please, otherwise, Wednesday nights will be spent at my favorite strip club laughing at the show rather than enjoying it.
I figure you’ll never post this and that’s ok. At least you read it.

jengod said...

Thank you so much for the clarity on SAMCRO v. Sam Crow! Now maybe my commenters will stop being bitches about it when I use Sam Crow instead of SAMCRO. :)

Anonymous said...

You are so cool. Sometimes I do the community blog over on the web site that FX has up and I have a 'cut and paste' FAQ that I put up over there. This is so much better. Thanks for reminding people that pirating in any form hurts the artists who create more than it hurts any corporation. And, on that note, FX and it's parent FOX maybe seem to be nameless and faceless corporations but they employ a lot of very good people who are just trying to make a living and when you steal corporate profits you are also stealing jobs. Stealing is stealing and when enough people steal just a little bit each, it becomes a lot and hurts all of us who enjoy quality shows like yours. Keep fighting the good fight and reminding all of us to do the right thing, just because it is the right thing. Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Gemma's first son? Great show!! Cant wait for season 3!

Caffiend said...

7. Is Half-Sack really dead?

Fuck, yes.

Goddamnit, no good deed goes unpunished. I need a drink and to go light a candle.

GB, RN said...

Great post. Especially the Redwood origins. It would be kind of hard to be taken as a serious badass when you have the word "Charming" sewn on your cut.

I do have one question. I don't know if this is something you plan on addressing in future episodes, but we can assume that the sons of members grow up to become members themselves. What becomes of the daughters? Do they grow up to be old ladies, or would the fathers just as well not have them in that lifestyle at all?

shovelhead said...

Brother Sutter,
Thanks for the info,but to be honest if these people were paying attention all these Q's are answered in your writing.So fuckers put down your chips and salsa stop your SOA viewing party and fucking pay attention dont text your ol'lady call your girlfriend.Clay talked about men sitting around a REDWOOD table.Bobbie told Alverez killing a VP of a mother charter is not a good thing.Hey Jackasses you can watch the lastest episode of most shows on HULU usually 24-48 after it airs and sometimes a week depending on the network.Dont steal shit I'm tired of paying more for shit because fuckhead pirates dont work for their belongings and do shit properly.I may be scooter club trash but my father told me if it ain't yours dont fucking touch it.Watch the show, pay fucking attention a so Kurt does not have to explain shit 3 or 4 times.In my Club the sarge would fine you guys for being fucking stupid

kacado said...

Hi Kurt Sutter i wanted to take the time to say thanks for answering the questions of fans. I do go through the boards where i have limited acsess and see how others view and discuss elements of the show and most of the time the questions you answered are asked! i did read last year that when a character dies on s.o.a. that we can count on they are not coming back,in the reaper crew world ;)i do love searching for info myself to be honest and from my sociological perspective break it all down with a great fan\friend sweetiepiepen who gives me the external viewpoint i always need:)i too have a theory with a photograph from seas 1 and note a correlation with a major character? but i will save that for another time. thank-you kacado (Aussie fan)

Erik said...

Siding with Xander (#1) on this one - I live in Japan and there is no way I'm waiting a year or two to see the latest ep. 'Sides, after watching the two seasons in what must be described as a frenzy, I immediately bought season 1 DVDs as gifts to my sister and my mother-in-law. How is this hurting you? The alternative would have been me not watching it, thus not buying the DVDs as gifts, also thus not spreading the word to all my friends that this is a great show that needs to be seen.

Believe me, I would like nothing more than putting money in the right pocket (yours, the writers, actors etc), and if there was a way for me to watch the show legally with less hassle than downloading it "illegally" I would definitely do it. But the onus is on YOU (meaning "the industry") to make that happen. We live in a globalized world where location simply doesn't matter anymore for media consumption. Get on that train asap.

Anyway, looking forward to season 3 which I undoubtedly will have to get access to by unofficial means unless there's some rethinking done on your ("the industry's") part. I'll most likely end up buying season 2 DVDs as gifts when they come out anyway, so I don't feel bad in the slightest.

Peace
/Erik

Anonymous said...

By saying "Gemma became pregnant with her first son, Jackson" are you implying that there's another child out there that we may meet? (That would be awesome!!)

Thanks for posting this, I finally gave up trying to figure out when Season 2 was coming out on DVD because I couldn't find the info anywhere!!

Anonymous said...

Xander Bennett you're my new hero!
I couldn't have said it better.
I'm a litlle disappointed that Inter'l viewers are only regarded as bank robbers putting "artists" out of work!
If not for the good words of mouth by people streaming shows, there would not be any International success ( which apparently you don't give shit about anyway). There is no legal way to watch shows outside the US and personally, if i cannot check it by myself beforehand, i wouldn't spend 50$ on a DVD set - coming out only at least a year after US release-just because some journo said it's good!

This said i love the show & will keep watching it!
Take care

Denise Shelton said...

Good call about not accepting presents from fans. I met the horror author Clive Barker once and he said some guy once sent him his tatoo with the chunk of skin attached! Even the baddest badass has got to say "ick" to that one!

Prolo said...

Awesome post and thanks for the insight and bringing it to the blog. My wife and i absolutely love this show, and recently watched season 1 again. Its amazing to see the characters grow like they have. I truly consider myself a SOA disciple and love you giving us more background on the story. I seriously hope you release "The life and death of Sam Crow" for everyone to read!!!! Thanks again for bringing TV back into my life!

shovelhead said...

People do you really watch the show.Episode one when Jax and Gemma are huffing a hooter in Jax's house they talked about the congenital heart defect that Gemma had repaired hence the scar we see at the opening of every fucking show.Jax in season one epi 13 was standing in front of Thomas Teller's grave marker when Piney handed him the second manuscript of the JT's book.Let's see how many of you noticed the name on the moseleum that Jax passed out on the steps of.It said PATMOS that is the island that apostle the John was exiled to when he had the vision that lead to the writing of the book of revelation.
John Teller is the SOA apostle that wrote the clubs REVEALING.
Hey Kurt the homeless begging lady that Gemma gave a 20 to she
"Abel will help the boys"
and then when Gemma asked her what she said she replied "im able to help my boys."Was that a mess up I dont believe so you writer type guys are always specific in your words.
OKAY PEOPLE fucking pay attention SOA has many layers there is a whole lot more than bikes, babes and bullets.I double posted this comment I forgot to sign in so people know who I am

thejerseychick said...

@ dozenroses13 said...
By saying "Gemma became pregnant with her first son, Jackson" are you implying that there's another child out there that we may meet?

I believe that Kurt emphasizes first son so that we don't think that they arrived in Charming when Gemma was pregnant with her 2nd Tommy who was 6 years younger than Jax.

schmut said...

+1 on Xander's & Eric's comments.

The show didn't air over here and without the some beloved piracy, we would never have heard of the show let alone watched it. Without piracy we wouldn't have purchased the DVD and we wouldn't have gotten our friends hooked on the show either. My guess is they wouldn't have gotten their darn DVDs either and without that, no domino-effect.

I know everything is about the States, rating, sales and having a better deal than your neighbor, but that doesn't mean there aren't countries on the other side of the puddle. Think about the big picture. Don't be all Lily Allen post-Myspace.

Unknown said...

Fuck yeah!!!

Murilo Herik said...

Thanks, i can wait for third season. You deserve for the best drama show quality of tv.

Connie said...

You now need to add that Jax is Gemma's first born son and that you have no idea what Conan is doing or if you will film in Ireland to your FAQ's. I swear I don't know how you can do it. My kids drive me crazy asking the same questions over and over, I can only imagine after 2 years how frustrating it must get, but it is done out of love for your work so I guess you grin and bear it. Rabbid fandom does have its downfalls.

Anyway I have asked you several times on your FB page if you would publish John Teller's manual so we could have some backstory/canon for SOA. I am sure you are intentionally sketchy with chronology and details, but I think it would be a great read. There is even a special paper my daughter used that you can burn the edges around for the charred look of the original. Just a thought. Take care and God Bless
Connie

Outsider said...

But they could've been called the Princes of Charming Chapter.....fail.

mikonos said...

Connie...it's a TV show, not a documentary, John Teller's manual is a stage prop.

Mikonos

Adri said...

A couple short comments:
#7 Half-Sack's death was a blow. In an episode that had so much happening, we almost didn't have a chance to mourn him. It was like "oh shit, he's dead!" followed by an "oh fuck, no way!" about the very next scene. It wasn't until after the credits I stopped and said to the girlfriend, "woah, I just realized, Sack's dead!"
#11 - well, fucking, said.
#13 - Ah, 13. The "director's take" of it. I thought it was 13 episodes because of the biker influence... 13th letter, M, for Motorcycle... common tattoo and all that. Anyway, I don't think the seasons are too short, or too long, they're great, we just want more of them! (how dare you rest haha)

Still here waiting to see what'll happen next on "our show",
Adrian and Ashley from Canada.

PS: The story line is far from predictable, but it's not rocket science to follow either. All the answers and plenty of clues to questions we still haven't asked are in the episodes somewhere. "What is SAMCRO? What is Sam Crow?" - People really couldn't figure it out? Damn!

Connie said...

@Mikonos:

I know it is a stage prop. There are many television shows which publish short stories based on their shows. It is a common practice of Joss Whedon. You might have heard of him.

Condescension does not equal intelligence. It has never made any sense to me why fans who share the same love of a show would be so rude and disrespectful to each other for no reason other than to feel good about themselves. Have a lovely evening.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Xander for that post. Additional info - i-tunes does not offer tv-shows in certain countries, neither does amazon. And if you live outside region 1 you'll have to make sure to get a region-free DVD player and then buy over-priced imports. That's asking a lot if you've never had the opportunity to watch a show. And not ever tv-station is keen on getting new US-shows unless there's a certain buzz surrounding them already. So yes, a big part of the international demand you're boasting about is caused by word-of-mouth by the very same people you accuse of destroying your job.

mikonos said...

Connie:

A) Sorry to offend you. I did not mean to be rude or disrespectful. The post read kinda wierd, wasn't sure about the daughter charred paper thing so I assumed you really did not understand it was a stage prop.
B) Sometimes I like the show, sometimes I love the show, sometimes I hate the show, and sometimes I'm indifferent...I have watched all episodes
C) My sense is the blog needs a little balance. The posts all seem a bit similar "Kurt your so wonderful, Katy is so great, the show is awesome, anyone that has any other opinion is an idiot"
D) I don't like groupthink and I get itchy when everyone agrees, sorry.

Outsider said...

I see Jeff Zucker's network is bringing out some bilge called "The Marriage Ref".....it looks like the penultimate forced laughter show...with
big name dinosaurs doing color commentary....
He is definitely killing the Peacock worse than
Sarah Palin's Thanksgiving Backdrop Turkey Plucker

indianacat said...

The issue of illegal copying, pirarcy or whatever you want to call it is a loaded one, sorry to say, and has been that way since the first person copies over the shoulder of the person sitting next to him/her. It will continue to be a touchy subject.

To those of you who have posted defenses for copying, I feel a need to say this: Mr. Sutter was replying to a question that is frequently asked of him. The man was/is callin' it like he sees it. That's his right. SOA and The Shield are creations he has given a lot of time and effort to create. Wouldn't you feel the same way if someone copied something you put a lot of work into and sold it for their own gain?

That's the point I believe Mr. Sutter was making. It's how he feels. Agree or disagree with him, that's your right. More than likely, he is aware of the difficulties fans in foreign countries have in getting access to first run episodes as well as DVD box sets. If it were possible for him to do so, he'd probably move heaven and earth to enable all fans all over the world to have access.

Alas, though the world wide web has made the distances between countries less of an issue, there are still gaps that can be insurmountable. The unfortunate fact is access to SOA and other American shows can still be limited for reasons other than access. All y'all know your situation better than I do.

Mr. Sutter certainly wasn't intended to alienate anyone by his FAQ response. He seems to be the type of person who appreciates his fans. If he didn't, there wouldn't be this blog site, Twitter and Facebook pages were he posts information and responses to his fans!

Though it may be only one post to us, he takes the time to read and often responds to posts on those pages. That is time that comes from his creative process, time with his friends and family, and time for himself. There's not a lot of people who do that for the fan base.

It's time to move on from the copying question. Mr. Sutter, thanks for keepin' it real, even when it's not the popular thing to do. You were asked, you answered. I respect your opinion.

If that makes me a brown noser, Hell, I've been called worse.

Jamie said...

Hi Kurt,
All I can say is SOA is an EXCELLENT show. I haven't been so obsessed about characters in a really long time. Thanks for the great writing and casting. Looks like it would be fun to go to work everyday. Looking forward to Season 3!

Jonathan said...

Bro, I love the show. I'm completely addicted to it. I went on to the site and ordered a shirt for myself and one for my girlfriend. I didn't go to zazzle or one of the other sites offering unofficial SAMCRO stuff. I gotta say though, I'm completely pissed. The shirt's lettering isn't even straight, the cap I ordered came completely bent out of shape. Clearly this is not your fault, I just wanted you to know the crap they are sending out as 'official' SAMCRO merchandise.

Jonny Stranger said...

I was thinking of making a Texas Chapter fan video, but I will refrain in order to respect your copyright.

Unknown said...

Great thanks for the clarification,bring on season 3...but please, just one thing, go easy on Auto this time :-)

JLuka said...

@Anonymous
I agree, partially.

After downloading ,watching and enjoyin the show for free from other regions,"as a preview", then you must definitely support the show, buying DVD or turning your TV on or whatever, once it becomes available in those country. That's just a couple of suggestions among others....thought a decent compromise would help!

..if the show is regularly airing in your country, you have access to all the options to watch it legally, and you regardless decide to go for free,...yeah fuck, that's stealing!

my 2 cents.

Viva Sam Crow!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi... I was wondering if there's a way of going about getting the series Bible or the one page pitch document for Sons Of Anarchy. It's definitely one of my favourite shows, and since I'm going to be pitching shows to networks (hopefully) in the near future, I'd love to see how SOA was sold.

Lindsey said...

I have to do a monologue in school, and i really want to do one from sons of anarchy. I need a 1 minute monologue, and i wanted it to be from tara, please help. I've been searching for monologues on SOA for a while.

mikonos said...

Kurt, I been bustin' your balls a bit on Twitter about working on your bike. But you latest twit bothered me a lot. I suggest you don't publish this but you are worrying me. I've seen several dozen middle career guys fuck up their lives in the motorcycle business INCLUDING myself. I acted like a complete asshole when I was the head of Von Dutch Kustom Cycles when it was one of the hottest brands out there. I've seen countless guys at middle age get into the business of custom bikes...which brings along with it clubs. An every one of them, to the man, is broken and out of the business. These guys have there own sub culture that has admirable qualities but do not believe for a minute you are one of them and don't throw away your career on this. The cunt comment was over the top, careful dude, you can't make that many enemies! If things go South you are making your bed. Trust me, none of the posters here will "have your back" when things go awry. I almost ruined my relationship with my father, calling him a "corporate criminal" when I thought the bike culture was my life. I could be wrong, you have had way greater success with me in this endeavor, I just think you need to moderate this a bit. It's good to be the King, don't let it go to your head.

Brian Lubocki said...

Sir!

I ditched work this morning and sadistically braved Woodland Hills-to-Fairfax traffic with only half a pack of cigarettes to read your SOA pilot at the WGA library. My boss called and the ringing pissed everyone off in the library. And why must I stow my computer bag in a locker when they have my driver’s license? But shit, I WOULD have stolen that script. I don’t mean to lube the ole’ Sutter wang, but I loved everything about that pilot. It was unpretentious yet completely precise. The characters drew me in immediately and there was a subtly to their development that was still completely accessible and yet made me feel somehow smart for getting it. The Lowell Apartment scene had so many layers to it and yet it didn’t feel crowded. I loved the world you set up very clearly and specifically (with not a lot of words, by the way – hating you jealously for that) in the information pages before page 1. The prose was like a scalpel: (forgive me for misquoting you, I’m going off memory here) “Handsome, in a broken Cowboy sort of way,” and the Gemma description. And how the hell do you use the word “fuck” so damn descriptively?! A show-creating Johnny fucking Cash (see I can’t do it justice, but you’ve got me trying).

Thank you so much for your show. It’s inspiring that a show like SOA exists.

MNBeans said...

Its funny so many people out there trying to give you advice on the biker lifestyle when they don't know what the fuck they are even talking about. Believe me the "outlaws" that are working with Kurt have his back, they are not going to let anything happen. WHY...because FINALLY they have an outlet for the fucking TRUTH. This is the life baby, ride hard and fast and die free. For all of you out there with a opinion, you can love the show and the characters, but unless you have lived this life like I have since I was 9 years old, you don't have a clue about being a real outlaw and I won't explain it to you because you wouldn't understand. The stereotype put on our outlaw lifestyle is changing, but this life is not for the faint of heart. You gotta go heavy or go home...Thats how we do it in Minnesota. Oh and we don't tolerate rats..here that Matter!

Adam Donovan said...

Kurt, is it possible kenny Johnson is likely to make a reappearance? I'm beyond a massive fan of his work in the shield and would love to see him in another full time role!

DIRTBIKE.COWBOY said...

Hi Kurt,

I actually found the show by accident while channel surfing in some hotel room somewhere. That was episode 1.4
I wanted to catch the first 3 in reruns. I actually watched all 13 and then season 2 after that. Now I'm hooked. Can't wait for season 3.

Great writing, casting and the attention to the little details that make this whole story come together and play very well.

Anonymous said...

Dear MNBeans, the "Outlaws" are a diverse group of clubs and individuals within those clubs. Do you really think the have Kurt Sutter's back? He's not a patch holder in any club to my knowledge. Groups of people that have such animosity for each other to the point of killing each other all come together to protect a Hollywood producer?

If you are correct Mr. Sutter needs to go to the Middle East as a special envoy. He can straighten up that area of the world.

Anonymous said...

Just an idea for Merch. I am unlikely ever to buy anything with Sons of Anarchy on it, or that looks like an MC club patch/logo. But I would buy some more subtle stuff: maybe an "Unser Trucking" T shirt or cap or workshirt, or a "Welcome to Charming" Tourist T shirt, stuff like that: kind of expand on the TM workshirt idea.

michele said...

Thanks for all the Q and A!

adam donovan said...

i just read kenny johnson is returning for a 6 episode part in the show!
you are a beautiful man!

Aaliyah said...

Kurt,

This was a not only funny, but interesting. Thanks for keeping us on our toes.

Liz said...

Was a sunday morning
the boys were still drunk
theyd pulled an all nighter
stead of hitting the bunk

The pornstars
were in full force
to Tigs endless glee
Yo,Juice back off
he said menacingly
keep your hands off that merchandise
them bitches are for me

And Juice in his ire
wanting to lash
said to hell with you tigger
keep your hands off my stash

Those brownies you love
and the shrooms and the weed
im not gonna share
oh hell no indeed

While they were going rounds
over pharm vs hole
Chibs and Bobby were ogling the hooker
working the stripper pole

How the hell does she do that
said Chibs with a grin
not sure said Bobby
as she gave another spin

the stripper smiled at the guys and said my name is Blynn,who's going first? well how about rps to see who would win.

In a mad dash.........they ran to her side
Each hoping to be the first to take the WILD RIDE!

As they landed beside her, all in a pile...
She hitched up her G-String and said
This could take a while!

someone get me a phone so I can call a few friends,cause if not, after awhile you all just start to blend

So Half Sack sraggered to the bar and grabbed up the phone......
And came back running to the END ZONE

therealzenobia said...

Finally, word about Goggins on Justified: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/10/1801000/justified-is-just-about-perfect.html

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear that Kenny Johnson is coming back, but I still don't git the tension between his character and the Tacoma chapter and Tig!
What up with that? ANybody?

Anonymous said...

I don't know if you have been asked this but are you aware of the South Park Episode in which Harley Riders are referred to as "fags"? I love South Park and found this particular show quite humorous. I also love Sons of Anarchy and can appreciate both perspectives. What are your feelings on the episode?

Luke

Anonymous said...

Is Auto ever gonna get out of prison?

CaptainChet said...

I think even though SAMCRO is a fictional MC, it deserves to be shown the same respect as any other MC club and by purchasing anything that even resembles patch of the club would be not only disrespectful to SAMCRO, other MC clubs might also not take too kindly to seeing someone wearing a patch they didn't earn.

Now offering a line of support stuff, that might be a great idea.

Anonymous said...

O.K. my wife and I are anxiously awaiting an explanaition of to the scar on Katies chest.

Rob Donaldson said...

Hey Kurt:

This is the reason why your blog is in my opinion the best blog out on the internet. I'm glad to hear that you are updating the merchandise on the FX's website, because there isn't much selection on there. I live in Canada, which means I wear a sweatshirt 8 months out of the year, and the sweatshirts on the website don't have such great designs. I would like to support FX over some random shirt manufacturer on the internet, but if you take a look at some other websites designs, they look a lot more appealing then just "samcro" across the front of the sweatshirt.
Besides all that, the show is definitely in my top 5 shows of all time, and I can't tell you how many people in my area watch this show now because of me. Keep up the good work.

Rob

Unknown said...

First of all, I do not agree Xander. I used to download movies all the time. I used to pirate. I used to watch them for free. Somehow I lost my way, I chose greed. Now I choose quality. I found some stories I wrote in high school and realized that when a movie is made, it is someone's baby. Everything that is ever created is a vision of something good by the writer, director, producer. Is that one person in the Ukraine going to derail the whole show? No. But you did what many people do, take it too literally and miss the whole fucking point. See, you're the guy who is trying to flip the story because you probably have done the same thing and are now trying to justify it. There is never a justification. Just because you are not directly stealing, doesn't mean a theft does not occur. The simple fact is this, one day, far from now, you'll have to answer for all the things you have done. What's better is if you take some time to reflect on the decisions you have made and where it has taken you and how you got to where you are. It's the only way to grow. To try and become a better person, shit you might not make it, most of us don't. I'm not. But I try. I use Hulu, last I heard it works pretty well. Justify it any way you want, pony up the dough, or better yet, do some original thinking on your own, work your fingers to the bone writing and rewriting, pitch it, pour your heart and fucking soul into a project so much, and then find out that some people are ripping it off. Is it Kurt's fault? Does he negotiate the international distribution rights? No. Did you have nothing better to do then be an asshole for the 6 minutes it took you to write that post? yes. But hey, G#D Bless America, you have the right to say that here, or better yet, head off to the remote village in the Ukraine so that you can continue to stick up for the plight of poor Europeans. Either way, your ignorance is just fodder. I know this was supposed to be a good thing, but I can't stand to listen to people with too much free fucking time on their hands. Which means I just became one just in opposition of what he said. Pay for it. Simple as that.

Anonymous said...

Great fucking show. Why are there rumors that it's cancelled? Please don't let it be true. S.O.A is so fucking gripping man, such great writing, and what a cliffhanger at the end of season 2! I was jumping out of my skin man. We need a third season!

Anonymous said...

Stuck in Afghanistan and can't get on the internet to watch the episodes, because of this war and shit.

Any chance I could get a DVD? Has season three started? This place sux...you all should do a USO Tour here and enjoy the hell with us!

Firedowsr said...

what happened to the junkie bitch mother of Jax's son. It is the only question I can't answer for my cage driving friends who don't really get it.