Interview: Matt Nix & Alfred Barrios Jr. from Burn Notice

We had a chance to sit down with Burn Notice creator/writer Matt Nix and executive producer Alfred Barrios Jr. recently at the 2009 Comic Con. Here’s what was said:

Is this the first time Burn Notice has been at Comic-Con?

Matt Nix: Yes, it is.

What’s it like really getting to interact with the fans like this?

Matt Nix: I have to say, well, great, is the short answer. Our big concern this morning was whether we were going to fill a room. We were kind of going like, “Oh yeah, it might be 2000.” You know, we were hoping for like, half full. So that was stunning. You know, we all spend a lot of time with Bruce Campbell, but Jesus Christ.

Alfred Barrios Jr.: It was like being on stage with Elvis [laughs].

Matt Nix: It was obviously gratifying, but I’m not sure I will ever be able to look at Bruce in the same way [laughs].

Alfred Barrios Jr.: I think it changed our relationship forever.

Matt Nix: Yeah!

Speaking of Bruce Campbell, he mentioned possible plans about a Sam Axe TV movie. Would you like to talk to us a little bit more about that?

Matt Nix: It is something we discussed. It is something that Bruce and I would absolutely love to do. Were hoping that the powers that be can work it out. I mean, obviously in any endeavor like that, there’s a lot of stuff to be worked out and a lot of discussion on all sides. I don’t really get to control or have anything to do with that. Bruce and I are just guys, and we’ve talked about it. We think it would be great.

Is it just talk right now?

Matt Nix: It’s more than talk, less than reality.

Have you given much thought to Sam Axe in terms of what makes him tick and what things have happened in his past?

Matt Nix: Absolutely! We tend to think about the characters in that we try not to tie people down to a really specific timeline because we’re not really that show. We’re not really a show where you want fans studying like, “How long was he in Bellerose?” We do think a lot about what is the nature of Sam’s influences. How did he become the guy that he is today? One of the things that Bruce and I have been talking about, is that he’s a guy who comes from a military intelligence background, and yet if you see him now he’s more relaxed, more human, and he’s more engaged with the problems of everyday people than the average guy from that background. One of the things that I’ve been exploring creatively, and thinking about, and talking to Bruce about, is how you get a military guy from where they start to where Sam is. The idea that that’s not all fun and games. Part of it is being confronted with the human reality of what you’ve been doing your entire career. It’s realizing that maybe there’s another side of life. So, that’s part of who he is in Miami. A reflection, not just an extension, but also a reflection of who he was in the past.

Alfred Barrios Jr.: We just shot an episode where I think you get a glimpse into what may have shaped him on a personal level. Which was really exciting for us to explore and I think for Bruce to play. I think it came out terrific. I think the fans will really enjoy it.

Matt Nix: It’s not all happy Sam coming up. Seeing mad Sam is as much fun as seeing happy Sam.

Do you have an ending in mind for when the show actually ends.

Matt Nix: Yeah, those kinds of plans have to be flexible obviously. You move things, and you change things and stuff like that. We were talking from the very beginning about general ideas about where it could go because we didn’t want to just be stumbling around in the dark. I think you need to have some sense or you start making things up that you realize four episodes later aren’t compatible with what was said before. Oh God! So, we have an idea of where we want to go, an idea of where we’ve been, and how to get there. It’s flexible but it helps us stay consistent.

Interview By: Emma Loggins

– Burn Notice Official Site

– Comic Con Gallery