fanstRAvaganza two, Day 5!
We’re in the home stretch now! At this blog, you can vote on my poll (which Porter trousers?) till the end of the event next Monday; learn about fitzg’s opinions on Mr. Armitage’s work; participate in the attempt to write a restraining order to prevent undue violence to John Porter in Strike Back, series 2; and read about Angie’s development as a fanfic writer. And of course, there’s still plenty of really meaty and really fun stuff to engage with has gone up on the different participating bloggers’ sites, below:
An RA Viewer’s Perspective (Mulubinba)
The Spooks Fan Blog (Skully)
The Squeee! (Traxy)
Avalon’s Blog (Avalon)
Phylly’s Faves (Phylly)
RA Frenzy (Frenz)
The Richard Armitage Fan Blog – (Nat)
From the Quill Tip (Sarah)
CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks (CDoart)
Mesmered’s Blog (Prue)
White Rose Writings (Musa)
Confessions of a Watcher (Judiang)
Richard Armitage Fan Videos & Graphics (bccmee)
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Thanks to Nat and Traxy for their organizational efforts.
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… from the serious to the frivolous … since Angie ended her interview with a reference to the “blue-eyed wonder,” I’ve been thinking about Mr. Armitage’s amazing eyes. They’re not only expressive, but changeable in color. Mmmm. It makes me curious to see which eyes he’s going to bring to every encounter, and I thought about what color I like them to be best. John Porter is particularly flexible in this regard, and since I don’t want to force my own preferences upon the reader, it may just be time for another poll.
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WHICH PORTER EYES?
1. Pupils dilated to the max, so black for nighttime:
John Porter first encounters As’ad in Strike Back 1.1 (Fenar Mohammed-Ali). Source: Richard Armitage Net
2. Grey / gray:
John Porter (Richard Armitage) tries to convince Hugh Collinson of his theory regarding Katie Dartmouth’s kidnappers in Strike Back 1.1. Source: Richard Armitage Net
3. Woodland camo green:
John Porter (Richard Armitage) insists to Lt. Thompson that Hakim al-Nazeri has been radicalized in Strike Back 1.1. Source: Richard Armitage Net
4. Imprisonment Oxford shirt blue:
John Porter (Richard Armitage) tells Katie Dartmouth that he’s come to rescue her in Strike Back 1.2. Source: Richard Armitage Net
5. Who needs to see his eyes when he’s got those cool sunglasses on?
John Porter (Richard Armitage) scouts out Chikurubi Prison in his guise as blood diamonds dealer John Dean in Strike Back 1.3. Source: Richard Armitage Net
6. Desert camo tan:
John Porter (Richard Armitage) reacts to the bodies of murdered refugees near the Zimbabwe / South African border in Strike Back 1.4. Source: Richard Armitage Net
7. Dark shirt dark blue:
John Porter (Richard Armitage) reacts to Lt. Thompson’s questioning about his past with Collinson in Strike Back 1.4. Source: Richard Armitage Net
8. Keffiyeh light green:
John Porter talks to Gerry Baxter in Strike Back 1.5. Source: Richard Armitage Net
Here’s your poll. One choice, one vote per person. Poll remains open until the end of the event. Have fun!
Me + Richard Armitage 
LOL! We must be channeling each other in posts. First the interviews, now the eyes. You’ll see mine in about 3 hours. 🙂
Is this the logical progression of Armitagemania? It’s getting spooky!
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Yes, I’m working on a description of the symptoms for an article in JAMA 🙂
On a more serious tone, that interview with Angie was great, but it was really long — I didn’t want to publish another wordy piece today. This topic was not originally planned but I wanted something that had mostly pictures.
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Oh, Servetus, I am sorry I wax so rhapsodic about my RAmania! *wears sheppish expression* I know it was a lot of work for that post and I really appreciate it.
I am trying to wind down–I was ready to choke the office cleaners tonight as they apparently thought I returned to the office to simply chat and look decorative after that meeting LOL I was trying to concentrate and get that web story done and they kept interrupting me every five minutes, NTM the roar of the World’s Loudest Vacuum Cleaner. Even the mop is noisy . . . *sigh*
But tomorrow is Friday!! I love this topic. His ever-changing eye color really does fascinate me. My eyes change from their primary blue to green to grey, but I don’t think they are as chameleon-like as his. *sigh*
I am going to have to give this some thought . . .
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That was NOT me complaining, Angie 🙂
I am the original prolix writer. One of the things I’ve learned via blogging is to be shorter, but also that you can keep people reading if the prose is energetic and lots of pictures are interspersed. Your interview was great content.
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Reminds me of our rule at the newspaper: avoid excessive amounts of “grey matter” on a page. People like photos to break up content. And photos will draw a person to read the article, too. 😀
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I’m sure everybody agrees your interview was marvelous. Don’t be sheepish.
THe *mop* was noisy? You poor thing, here have a cuppa tea.
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Thanks, Judy. Yeah, it was some sort of Swiffer-type thing and it was making wierd squishy sucking noises . . . I wanted to scream. I should have just thrown all my stuff together as soon as I hit the office and headed home and written and posted the story from there. Next time . . . Kevin, who went down and shot photos for the story, said he came back to the office and saw they were there and immediately left, because “those people make me NERVOUS.” LOL
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The interview was so interesting, I didn’t notice the length. Mine was long too but it didn’t feel right to break it up. This entire project has been very educational but fun.
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I agree. If the content is good, the audience will stay with you. And I know a lot of people would want to read that interview. Variety is also good, though 🙂
As far as education: oh yeah. It’s one of the things that justifies me continuing to do this beyond the dopamine rush of constant examination of things Armitage. I’ve learned a ton about writing, for instance.
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I’m sensing a post-mortum post about this experience. Aside from us moving in a similar groove at the moment, I had the odd experience of commenters suddenly talking about things to be in the next day’s post. It reminded me of living in a woman’s dorm and all of us getting our period at the same time.
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lol, me too, both on the post-mortem and on a comment pointing to the next post … 🙂
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It’s occurred to me that if I end up a rabid fan, I’ll put the blame totally on you. 😉
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ummm, no. Put the blame on Armitage.
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It really all Armitage’s fault, dang it. So much to appeal and to fascinate in one man . . .
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I was hoping to provide some insight into the writing process, fiction versus non-fiction, with that interview. I don’t have a journalism or English degree, although I did consider it before settling on art education; I just love working with words, I always have, both in the written and spoken form. I learned on the job after I started here part-time in 2000.
Maybe I will get caught up with my words on this blog this weekend! 😉
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BTW I voted for imprisonment Oxford shirt blue. This was a big leap for me, I am not such a fan of blue eyes …
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Uh huh… suuuure. I picked Keffiyah light green. The desert light reflecting off his eyes were arresting.
BTW, may I have a dreamerfic voucher please? Gotta have my smut, YES!
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Yup.
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I was going to vote for those blue eyes (knew you would!), but I thought the last picture was so amazing I couldn’t help myself! Great poll! You should know how I love his eyes!
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yeah, he looks so potentially feline in that last photo. Yum.
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That’s what made me ultimately go with the light green–like a giant cat. Prrrrrrrrrrrr . . . .
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Waah! Stop making me have to choose!
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I’m a real meanie that way 🙂
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I chose grey, as I always have the impression that his eyes are grey and can take on every colour in reflection of his environment. In N&S I thought he had brown eyes and only later detected that he had not.
For light eyes, his can be remarkably dark. Really impressive changes.
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I thought his eyes were brown in N&S, too! (my favorite color for a man’s eyes, oh well).
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My favourites as well, so I am very partial to brown eyes. (By the way, mine are brown too and perhaps for that reason I find brown eyes softer and easier to read than e.g. blue or light eye colours.)
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I agree. Brown eyes=more emotional 🙂
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Well, my other crush has lovely soft velvety brown eyes – but – that’s still HERESY woman!
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it’s something that makes me feel a little saner — that there are things I’d have to change about him to make him into THE PERFECT MAN.
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But his eyes are brown, there would be no need to darken the hair to make the eyes pop – no, no, no, I think the blue-gray is really connected to his beauty.
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yeah, I like the brown hair better, too 🙂
brown eyes, brown hair, beard = boy next door look and the kind of man Servetus tends to date
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No, this is heresy! There are plenty of brown-eyed, boy-next-door actors to have crushes on, Servetus! I wouldn’t change a thing about this man, either appearance or personality, and this is what makes him unique!
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I think his real eye colour is a very light, almost translucent grey, with a dark grey ring around the iris that prevents them from appearing “wishy-washy”, as very light eyes tends to.
http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Richard/Promos/2004%20Promo/slides/2004_ra06.html
http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Richard/EventsandAppearances/ChildBAFTA_261106/slides/ChildBAFTA03.html
Hope the links work.
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I was studying that close-up of his eyes from the Spooks 9 DVD extras–I just used it in my Lucas North vid–and they appear to be a pale, dappled slate grey color with a hint of blue. And yes, that dark ring–which my light blue eyes, alas, do NOT have, thank goodness for liner and mascara–make the eyes very arresting.
I have wondered if he can dilate his eyes at will. Look at the close-ups of him in broad daylight in his mad Guy persona in ep 1 of S3 and they look black as he is heaving Robin up to toss him over the cliff . . . the man even seems to have talented eye color, if that is possible.
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I wondered about some of those shots as well and thought perhaps they were made in front of a blue screen with only minimal light? – Otherwise I have no idea how he does that.
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I don’t think anyone can dilate their pupils at will. It’s an involuntary reaction, I believe, and one way to tell whether the man you’re kissing is really into you or not.
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Thank you very much for the links to these lovely pictures, Jane. They show his dark rings very well.
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I thought they were dark in N&S too, even knowing their grey-blue I watch each ep and I see only dark eyes. The same happens to me with SB, I see them different shades of green all the time.
OML 🙂
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I agree. In Strike Back I also have the feeling that his eye colour takes on a life of its own. Very fascinating and I think he is really beautiful there, though they did not make Strike Back to show his beauty. But though a shoot and fight film, he shows the involved emotions of John Porter so brilliantly with a flicker of his eyes and with the scenes in the mine field he always gets me.
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Oh Servetus, LOL on sacrificing your favourite eye colour for Armitage! No sacrifice needed on my part as this brown-eyed gal likes blue-eyed men! I voted for the kheffiyeh green as I love how the heat of South AFrica brings out the luminous quality of his eyes. It’s similar to his role as Claude Monet in The Impressionist where the warmth of Southern France brought out the azure of his eyes. This also gives him a depth of expression that is captivating!
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There’s also a very topaz moment in RH 3 — where he’s in the dark with Toby Stephens. Amazing.
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Voted to light green. Always fascinated by green or brown eyes. However, RA has amazing blue eyes, and is the only blue-eyed guy which I can’t tear my eyes.
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I agree. He’s my first blue-eyed crush 🙂
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Keffiyeh green! He has truly amazing eyes, not only do they changer colour, but the intensity of the colour varies as well. I suppose it depends on the bloodstream in the eyes.
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Blue. I think it’s amazing how his eyes change colour. I thought initially that he might have coloured contact lenses but that isn’t possible given the range of coours his eyes go.
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Haven’t even voted yet!! Experiencing a really bad bout of total indecisiveness! This marks the first case of personal obsession with a blue-eyed actor! A sea-ahange (blue/grey/green seas whatever…
Blue eyes must have an incomparable capacity to change colour according to clothing/lighting/pupil activity. Envy: my eyes don’t change 😦
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wow, I have finally stumped fitzg!
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Never noticed Porter’s different eye colors. Cool poll idea. Love the Porter stills.
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I have given the eyes a lot of thought. When I first saw the promo picture for Strike Back, I thought John Porter’s eyes might be brown! However, that would require brown contact lenses which would likely be visible in HD. Still, I would love to see a Richard Armitage character with brown eyes, although that wish is unlikely to come true. The eyes also change color dramatically with the John Mulligan character. Let’s face it, the man has many talents and can even change eye color!
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Wow! What a neat week you have going on! Okay, your comment peaked my interest. I have no clue who he is linked with, I’ve had a look around your blog and can’t find it and when I googled Richard Armitage Girlfriend 2011 and well my own blog came up 😉
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Glad you like the event. It’s frivolous but fun. As to the woman: her name is Annabel Capper; she’s a London-based stage actress. There’s never been any official word on her relationship to him; she may be “just a friend,” but she’s the only woman he’s been photographed in public with more than once who’s not a co-star.
Apologies for tearing you from your virtuous ignorance. 🙂
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lol that’s OK! I don’t think he is with her 😉
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well, how could he be, if he’s with you? 🙂 None of his fans thinks he’s a two-timer. 🙂
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Not our boy! 😉
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I chose dark shirt, dark blue. Watch TV.com Spooks interview uploaded by Bcc Mee, enough said. 🙂
I wonder if Keffiyeh light green is the most popular choice because it is also the best picture of the lot.
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possibly. Those are all caps from the HD files from RANet. There are plenty of good shots of Armitage in SB, but I don’t think you can ever say that the cameramen were setting up just to get good shots. You’re right that many of those settings are less than optimal for making him look good.
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What’s amazing to me is not his changing eye color (mine do that too) but the fact that #2 and #8 could be two completely different guys. How does he DO that?
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training for Spooks helps him 🙂
Seriously, though, you can see why he might actually disappear in a crowd. It’s like there’s a switch he turns on for charisma or something.
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Well, the dodgy wig in the first photo has something to do with it, but he does have an uncanny ability to seemingly transform his very facial features at will. He is like a human chameleon.
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Yes, the wig does add…something, but I really think it’s a quality of the performance. You and others have remarked on how you never really see traces of one character permeating through to another. Which is quite extraordinary, since most of his characters are, on paper, rather similar.
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One of the things I have noticed is with many well-known actors, you feel as if it’s the same actor just with a different haircut or costume or whatever. Tom Cruise is always Tom Cruise to me, unless he’s heavily made up as he was is Tropic Thunder.
But Richard’s combination of finely honed acting technique and that amazing natural intuitiveness of his–sometimes I think he’s no mere mortal, frankly–seems to allow him to breathe something new and fresh into each new role, adjusting his body language, facial expressions, the tone and pitch of his voice, all to craft a fully realized human being.
And, of course, he has also gained and lost weight for various roles and adjusted workouts so his actual physicality also matches the role: compare the fragile, damaged, cerebral Lucas, gaunt-faced and schockingly thin, that we met in Spooks 7 with brawny, tough-as-nails SAS man John Porter, for example.
As I have said before, other than the fact they are both with the special services, those two characters are nothing alike to me, and that’s setting aside the muscle mass difference.
He is extraordinarily gifted, that one.
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I completely agree with that. For some roles I would not have found out that it is the same actor without the help of the fan-community or without reading the name.
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[…] John Porter in Strike Back, series 2; read about Angie’s development as a fanfic writer; or decide which eyes you’d like John Porter to wear to your first encounter with him. Make sure to visit the participating bloggers’ sites, […]
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fanstRAvaganza two, Day 6! « Me + Richard Armitage said this on March 19, 2011 at 1:51 am |
I was between the sun-glasses which suit him very well or Keffiyeh green, finally I decided for the latter.
OML 🙂
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That last pic got me…
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[…] to John Porter in Strike Back, series 2; read about Angie’s development as a fanfic writer; decide which eyes you’d like John Porter to wear to your first encounter with him; or read about khandy’s journey as a writer of fanfic and now, original fiction. Also, do […]
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fanstRAvaganza two, Day 7! « Me + Richard Armitage said this on March 20, 2011 at 11:38 pm |
Ohhhhhhh those eyes. They really do change colour don’t they ?
I’d love his eyes to be as soft and gentle as they are in the prison scene with Katie…and I’m rather taken with the dark shirt, dark blue combo.
That said if he was mid action, rather dirty and wearing camo then I’d be more than delighted.
Getting serious…Prayers coming from me too for Lybya. Those poor people have been made to suffer enough by their own leaders.
Let’s hope the matter can be resolved without them having to suffer much worse.
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I’m always afraid of these multilateral initiatives — they’re supposed to keep Qaddafi in check, but they also remove any incentive for him to back off, I fear.
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