Additional Vampire Diaries pilot details

Posted by Vee | June 2, 2009, 23:40 (EST) | 24 Comments
Category: Books, TV Series

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore Man, we wish this trailer had been released a week ago. Context makes all the difference. Not to knock the footage we’ve seen so far, but this trailer is about a million times better in every way. We have tons of new footage and alternate (and, in our opinion, superior) takes of scenes we have seen. We’re also ridiculously pleased to have some answers to questions floating since the pilot’s filming.

Anyway, as promised (and because it’s what we do), we’re going to touch on spoilery stuff beneath the cut so if you don’t want to know anything, or have yet to read the books, we recommend saving the surprises.

As we’ve suspected for a while now, it seems Chris William Martin’s character Zach is a renamed version of “Pete” from the pilot script.
Marci T. House is indeed the recipient of Stefan’s Mind-Whammy Special while registering at Mystic Falls High School. (Anyone else get an eerie sense of deja vu watching this scene? Egads. My inner 12-year old was “eep!”ing.)
Oh, look, it’s Brooke. We finally know what she looks like; now we just need to know who’s playing her!
We now have much better close-ups of Stefan’s ring. Definitely, 100% for sure lapis lazuli. We’re trying to see if we can make out the silver decoration covering the stone itself. Bit difficult, but I’m sure we’ll come up with some theories.
We’re given a pointed close-up of Stefan’s chest as he’s getting dressed. We think we can work out the reason why. No, the other reason. The lighting’s dim, but there definitely seems to be some sort of mark there. Whether it’s intentional or not, we can’t say. He does not, however, seem to be wearing a ring around his neck.
There is a photo of Katherine (and yes, it’s Nina Dobrev). It is dated 1864 (Civil War-era). Tie this in with what we’ve known since late February – that Stefan and Damon would be from Mystic Falls – and you can work out how that story goes.
We learn more about the circumstances of the car accident that killed Elena’s parents (she survived it). They echo the end of The Struggle.
Note Stefan’s disappearing act just before Vicki is attacked. Hello, groundwork, you are being laid. As Vicki is the sister of Matt and the girlfriend of Tyler here, we foresee interesting, book-esque developments…developing. Yes.
Damon and the crow are not one and the same. If you know what a “familiar” is, you’ll get the change.
Elena’s diary is green in the trailer. In the books it was blue and Caroline’s was green.
ZACH IS TOTALLY WEARING A (huge!) SWEATER. The Vampire Diaries Sweater Legacy lives on!
Really love the reaction from Stefan when Elena invites him in.
The rose title card may in fact be the final.
We have it on pretty solid authority that the music has been changed from a previous version. We’re told the original heavily featured “Decode” by Paramore, which in turn was heavily featured on the Twilight soundtrack. Good call switching it out.

We reserve the right to add to this post with details both significant and insignificant as it gets later and we get more loopy.

Tags: Chris William Martin, CW Network, CW Upfronts, Damon Salvatore (TV), Elena Gilbert (TV), Matt Donovan, Paul Wesley, Pilot, script, spoilers, Stefan Salvatore (TV), trailers, Tyler Lockwood

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http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

If it is Nina in the photograph of Katherine, I wonder if she will be acting Katherine too? If she is I’ll have more respect for her as an actress, as while she comes across sweet (SWEET? ELENA?!) in the trailer, I’d love to see her doing bitchy/mean. And cruel/crazy Katherine (hopefully!) would be awesome!
http://www.vampire-diaries.net Vee

It’s always made sense to me that she would be playing both. But yeah – it’s definitely a different Elena. Though the summary takes pains to point out she was very popular, etc. before the accident, so I’m hoping perhaps we’ll see peeks of a former Queen Bee attitude here and there? I’m really interested to see how the dynamic between Elena and Caroline is going to play out.
InkVamp

The crow is a familiar? Really? Does that mean the brothers won’t be doing any shifting?
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

I’d have assumed she’d play both too. But, it does take a certain type of actor to be able to do that. Unless they are reimagining Katherine too? We haven’t heard much of her so far. But that IS good, considering she is important and it is better if she is sekrit.

I hope we get a bit of bitchy!Elena, mostly because it is nicer to see her character have a real arc. Caroline, while having a bit of gentle snark in the trailer, isn’t overly bitchy either. Then again, it isn’t like they ever really show that snark too much in front of Stefan at the start.

Oh, I also noticed Caroline said he was a Gemini, so that contradicts what LJS told us (well, me). …then again, she never said it, she asked if we all assumed he was a Virgo.
Victoria

I wonder if the crow being like a familar is to cut back on effect costs of having the crow shift into Damon or they just thought it wouldn’t work as well. *shrugs*

It doesn’t matter though. I got all giddy and excited just the same when the crow flew in and Stefan said “Damon.” Thanks for posting the link! :)
http://www.vampire-diaries.net Vee

Yeah, Gemini – we caught that too and wondered. And you’re right, she didn’t say specifically that he was Virgo, so maybe…I dunno, perhaps little things like that may have been talked about? We all know she was in touch with the creators. I’m still wondering if the names of Elena’s parents were decided by Williamson and Plec or LJS. But then maybe that’s a legal gray area, as many things obviously have been (like the names).

I dunno, I see great potential for extreme Caroline nastiness. I got a little thrill when she was standing with Tyler. Perhaps they’ll end up in the photography room after all. ;)
Gabrielle

Ugh, I can’t wait for this show to air. I read these books before Twilight and absolutely feel in love with them, as i did for Twilight. My fav in the Vampire Diaries is Damon….. Yeah i know he’s bad and evil and so misguilded, unlike Stefan, who is the more good and more grounded brother. To me, it seems that Damon needs a girl that can change him for the better, to help him get along with his brother, definitely end the fued with him and be brothers. I so would love to be that girl for Damon….. But only in my Dreams, -sighs- I can only wish that more footage of the show comes out as trailers or clips of the show…
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

How involved was LJS? From her blog post she seemed rather vague about the series. It would have been nice if she’d been able to fill in those tiny details us crazy fans get wild about (names; star signs and so forth!).

I’d love to see some bitchiness from characters like Caroline and Elena too! Only if it is done right, and isn’t stupidly handled.
…doesn’t help that Tyler is kinda hot in the TV series and won’t be painful to watch XD
http://www.vampire-diaries.net Vee

I get the impression there was a conversation. And that’s it.

I don’t care if Tyler is hot on TV – I still want to see him get the crap kicked out of him. ;D
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

The fact that he is hot will probably have new fans slashing him and Stefan based on the fact that boys who hate each other belong together!
http://www.vampire-diaries.net/ Red

NOOOOOOOOOO! *sobs* I’d rather pair Stefan with Mrs. Flowers than Tyler!
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

Well, there will be slash with him and that random guy he is shacking up with instead of Mrs. Flowers?
It will really be interesting to see what pairings will come of having a wider (more rabid, giving it is showing before SPN) audience.

But with the CW SPN girls, there will likely be a whooooole lot of Damon/Stefan.
http://www.vampire-diaries.net Vee

Don’t know for sure, but Damon and the crow are definitely separate in the footage. You can see the crow on the windowsill when Damon is standing at Stefan’s desk.
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

I’m not really sure Damon needs any sort of “fixing”. What VD4 really did show (though we sort of knew it already) that Damon does have a “code”, a bit misguided though it could be.

Damon wants his Mum more than a girlfriend. XD
http://www.vampire-diaries.net/ Red

He’ll have to get under Zach’s sweater before there’s any shacking up to be done in that corner. And that’s one hell of a formidable sweater. ;)

I’ll resign myself to being the one waving the Matt/Stefan flag then. I’m kind of used to it by now, anyway. ;)
http://www.salishna.net/damon Adia

Well, that is why I question it. Because TV series can really change the way fans view relationships. And it is not a given that everyone will fall for the “traditional ships” (though, do we even have that in this fandom, we are really quite easy going about it all).

God, what if we get ship wars? Meeeeep.

I figure Matt/Stefan might take off too, depending on the interaction they get. Lingering looks at “Elena” could transform to “Stefan” XD And the fact that Vicki is Matt’s sister could throw in a lot more tension.
http://www.vampire-diaries.net/ Red

Logically, Matt and Stefan should still be friends. Stefan absolutely needs a guy friend who isn’t Zach (who doesn’t seem as if he wants the role and is an adult, anyway), and that really just leaves Matt. So, I’m staying hopeful with that one.
Nilly

I agree with what you say about Damon wanting his mum more, he was supposed to have been very close to her (:
Stacey

Im not happy. To many reasons to list.
Yes, Stefan is hot and Damon is hot but,…
Julia

i thought id never say this but i thought that stefan was hotter than damon in the trailer. im starting to like bonnie and caroline as characters. and tyler is HOT!
i wonder if matt and bonnie will hook up.
http://leftoverluncheonmeat.blogspot.com Glitterati

Oh yay! This trailer is much MUCH better. So much less overly faux-tense and melodramatic.

Hm… this sudden warming towards Paul Wesley wouldn’t have to do with that lingering topless-torso shot, would it? ;)

And I think I’m missing something — what’s the deal with the giant sweater? (Keeping in mind I’ve only read the original 4 books…)
http://www.vampire-diaries.net Vee

Sorry, it’s a long-running inside joke of sorts amongst some of the older fans (started by a few people we know and love dearly). The best way to explain is to recommend you go to Amazon and Search Inside This Book on The Awakening/The Struggle, keyword: sweater. I think you will be impressed with the results. ;)
Lily

Familiar = sortof a pet that follows you around? Noooo… T_T Let there be shape-shifting still!
michelle

I think the familiar is not a vampire trait but may be damon can transform a crow and also used a crow to see or spy on people. may be that. I am do love damon. I wish they show the pilot already and we could see it

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