A.J. Buckley Talks About CSI and his Real Geek Lifestyle

Is "CSI: NY" one of your favorite shows? Well if you haven't watched it before, you may want to start. The show's October 24th episode sends CSI detectives into Second Life to track down a killer in both the real and virtual world. This is one episode that has fans buzzing with excitement, since it's the first time a CSI investigation will cross over into the virtual realm (read more about it on this post). I talked to A.J. Buckley, who plays CSI's lab technician Adam Ross, hoping to get the dirt on this season's CSI virtual crossover, his favorite techie gear, and his career as both an actor and filmmaker.

On a scale from 1-10, how geeky are you?

It depends, I mean, I'm a dork for sure. I'm able to laugh at myself, at my quirks, and stuff. Geeks, dorks, I think we got a corner on the marketplace, and we rule.

What can you tell me about the upcoming CSI: NY episode that crosses over to Second Life?

Yeah, that actually was pretty trippy. I heard about Second Life, but I've never done any roles as a guy into it. Pretty crazy. People spend a lot of time in another world, and are really intense about it. Basically, this is one of the first times you have Mac (Gary Sinise) coming to my character to ask me how to solve this, how to figure out this crime, because his world, his generation of people, aren't as in-tune to what this is. And me being that representation of the generation that is very comfortable with this, I can walk him through and help him solve the crime. It's very old-school meets new-school way of thinking in cyberspace. The X factor.

Did you have to research Second Life before the show? Did you create an avatar?

I didn't create an avatar, but I did the research. I was totally fascinated by it. I could see how addicting it could get. I'm actually afraid of it because I like the sunshine. I'm no good if I stay inside too long.

Do you think more and more TV shows will take a similar "Second Life" approach?

I think that anytime a show finds a way to merge technology and viewers and has an interactive twist to it, it makes it more exciting because you become more involved in what the show is. It's more tangible.

Did you get to play in the new virtual CSI setting?

I definitely went on. It's pretty intense. I thought I was in the Matrix.

Will your character be participating in the online investigation?

It could pop up. I wouldn't be surprised if Adam is hanging out in Second Life talking to some ladies.

How do you stay in touch with friends?

My girlfriend lives in Australia, so we Skype and iChat, which is fantastic.

What's your favorite gadget?

I love my Blackberry Curve. I like it now that it can take pictures. It used to drive me nuts before. I got all my email accounts, my business accounts, my messenger, I got music on it. There's a ton of stuff on here I still haven't figured out how to use, but I like having it here just in case I want to use it.

What type of music player do you have?

I have two iPods. I have the Shuffle, and the black 40GB iPod.

Do you download music or buy CDs?

I download music. I love the Apple store, and getting music that way. I think that's the most genius idea ever.

What other Mac products do you have?

I was going to get the iPhone, but thought I'd wait for a little bit and just let them work out the hiccups they've had. I have two HVX200 high-definition video cameras, so if I do a film on my own, I download it into my G5. I also use Final Cut Pro, and I've messed around with iDVD on the iBook. I actually love the slideshows. Those are fun. After a trip, you can pull a slideshow together, and send somebody a CD or DVD of it. I think that's great.

Why do you have two HVX200 video cameras?

I have a company, Fourfront Productions. We create commercials and shorts. One of my partners has been working on webisodes, podcasting, things like that.

Do you do your own video editing?

Yes. If we shoot anything on our cameras, we'll edit it right on the computer. You can edit as you go, which is fantastic.

What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out as a video producer?

Go for it. Don't be afraid. The greatest thing about young and up-and-coming producers and filmmakers, is you're the studio. You can do it all. You don't have to outsource. Learn the technology, understand the technology, and do everything. The amount of costs you save from being able to do it by yourself, and not having to outsource to editors, is huge.

What are some must-haves for someone starting out as a video producer or as a filmmaker?

A good computer (any Apple computer). A good camera, and creative vision.

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