Syfy

August 31, 2009: Stargate: Universe Pics! Stargate: Atlantis Pics! Brought To You By’s And Thank You’s!

Monday, August 31, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

Setting up the gate for the New Mexico shoot (Air III) Photo compliments and copyright MGM Television.

To those of you who missed yesterday’s blog entry (Seriously, just click on the link below if it’s not too much trouble), I have officially kicked off our No Fan Left Behind campaign aimed at getting Stargate fans and first-timers on board for the launch of Stargate: Universe. If you’re in the U.S,. circle October 2^nd on your calendars because that’s the night the series premieres on SyFy with a special double episode: Air I and II. To those Canadian fans who’ve been asking, I’ve been informed that SGU will be premiering around the same time in Canada on SPACE. As for our U.K. contingent, the show premieres four days later, October 6^th, in your neck of the woods on Sky 1. I’m well aware that there are many of you out there in other parts of the world looking forward to this latest Stargate incarnation and will do my best to get details on where and when the show will be premiering in your area.

Sgt. Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) and Dr. Franklin (Mark Burgess) explore Destiny (photo compliments and copyright MGM Television).

In the meantime, ask around and if you find out the details for your respective regions, let me know. I’ll keep an updated schedule of Stargate: Universe’s premiere dates around the world. And if your local broadcasters haven’t picked up the show yet – ask them what’s up?!

Ancient telescope on the ship’s observation deck.

We’re counting on your support, so get out there and let everyone know about the show: friends, relatives, co-workers, and those complete strangers sharing the bus ride with you. Get online and spread the word. Get the word out, Stargate Troopers!

Early concept art of Destiny’s observation deck.

As promised, I’m going to start treating readers to sneak peeks at the brand new Stargate: Universe series as well as offering up a few of the many behind the scenes never-before-seen snaps from Stargate: Atlantis. In the interest of saving myself time and space, the photos I’ll be posting will be down-rezzed versions of the originals. However, what I’d like to do is post a poll mid-month and have you all vote on your top 3 favorite pics. At month’s end, I’ll repost the top 3 vote getters in their gloriously unwieldy hi-rez versions – perfect for wallpapering your child‘s bedroom or the inside of your car.

Director Andy Mikita and co. (Grizz, Mark, Ryan, and Shannon). Photo compliments and copyright MGM Television.

Before I proceed, a few thank you’s are in order. First and foremost, a huge thank you to a guy I’ve mentioned countless times of late – MGM’s Grey Munford, a marketing machine, whose tireless drive and big picture promotion of Stargate: Universe has impressed not only fans, established and prospective, but some of the most un-impressible individuals in the business. Namely, me and my fellow producers. And thanks to Grey for offering up these terrific photos for the blog. Also on the MGM side, I’d like to thank Kelly Richards (Digital Media, Marketing, Promotions & Publicity), the keeper of the keys to the vast Stargate photo archive. Her continued support has been invaluable in bringing these pictures to you. On the SyFy side, a big thanks to Erika Kennair, the network’s SGU point-person, for her creative contributions to the many brainstorming sessions we’ve had in our search for ways to reach out to you all in advance of the premiere. Erika has some wonderful surprises in the works… And finally, of course, many, many thanks to the photographers whose work is on display: Carole Segal for the Stargate: Universe episodic photos, Gregory E. Peters for the photos from the New Mexico shoot, Art Streiber for the SGU gallery shots, and Eike Shroeter for the Stargate: Atlantis season 5 episodic stills.

 

In the script’s original draft, Sheppard is alone in the cockpit. SyFy Exec Chris Sanagustin suggested that, rather than stowing the baby away with the others, our hero should have the infant with him instead. It was a great idea and offered up one of the episode’s more touching moments. Search and Rescue, Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5 (photo courtesy and copyright MGM Television).

A reminder to all. David Blue (aka SGU’s Eli Wallace) is eager to field some fan questions so if you‘d like to ask him something, post away. We’re off to a torrid start, with an impressive six pages full of fan queries in Day 1 alone!

Familiar grounds. Das, am I making you homesick? Search and Rescue, Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5. (Photo courtesy and copyright MGM Television).

While I’m in reminder mode, allow me to remind interested parties to finish up September’s Book of the Month Club selection: Heroes Die. Discussion on the novel begins next week when we’ll be joined by author Matthew Woodring Stover.

Among the many riffs writer-producer Martin Gero used to do was one involving Kanaan’s first introduction to his son. “Kanaan, this is your baby.” Kanaan: “For Kanaan? Kanaan eat?” “No! No, Kanaan! Bad!  Kanaan NO eat baby!” Search and Rescue, Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5 (Photo courtesy and copyright MGM Television).

Hey, great news! For me anyway. I finished the rewrite on both my scripts. Well, with episodes #19 and #20 behind me, I can finally set my sights on thinking ahead to some possible second season (fingers crossed) stories, watching the various cuts and mixes, and, most importantly, whiling away the afternoons in Carl’s office talking about my upcoming Tokyo trip while he does his best to pretend he’s fallen asleep in the hopes I’ll leave.

Our intrepid trio. Search and Rescue, Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5 (photo courtesy and copyright MGM Television).

Good times. Search and Rescue, Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5 (photo courtesy and copyright MGM Television).

Tagged: David Blue, Eli Wallace, Heroes Die, Matthew Woodring Stover, Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis

August 31, 2009: Stargate: Universe Pics! Stargate: Atlantis Pics! Brought To You By’s And Thank You’s!

Monday, August 31, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

To those of you who missed yesterday’s blog entry (Seriously, just click on the link below if it’s not too much trouble), I have officially kicked off our No Fan Left Behind campaign aimed at getting Stargate fans and first-timers on board for the launch of Stargate: Universe. If you’re in the U.S,. circle October 2^nd on your calendars because that’s the night the series premieres on SyFy with a special double episode: Air I and II. To those Canadian fans who’ve been asking, I’ve been informed that SGU will be premiering around the same time in Canada on SPACE. As for our U.K. contingent, the show premieres four days later, October 6^th, in your neck of the woods on Sky 1. I’m well aware that there are many of you out there in other parts of the world looking forward to this latest Stargate incarnation and will do my best to get details on where and when the show will be premiering in your area.

August 30, 2009: No Fan Left Behind! David Blue Wants To Hear From YOU! Exclusives! Prizes! And Surprises!

Monday, August 31, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

Today, it gives me great pleasure to kick off my No Fan Left Behind campaign, a campaign designed to get all Stargate fans – past, present, and future – ready for the big October 2^nd world premiere of Stargate: Universe. Whether you’re fans of SG-1, Atlantis, or a complete newbies to the franchise, you’re all welcome aboard Destiny as it prepares for its first manned voyage through distant galaxies fraught with riddles, revelations, action, and adventure.

August 28, 2009: Deciphering the Results! Actor Peter Kelamis! And Random Set Pics!

Friday, August 28, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

My pug Jelly went in for her ultrasound this morning. According to the helpful, page-long summary of results I received when I picked her up, her “left and right medial iliac lymph nodes are sonographically normal measuring 5.1 mm and 3/6 mm in thickness respectively” which is great to know as it saves me the trouble of measuring them myself. “The small intestines maintained normal discrete wall architecture”, as opposed to the no doubt indiscrete if not altogether flamboyant intestinal architecture of the poodle who lives three houses down. “There is a mild hyper echoic outer medullary rim of both kidneys” that apparently confirms she is of extraterrestrial origin. I’d appreciate it if you guys kept it on the down low as the FBI tends to get all proprietary over Earth-based aliens. “However the corticomedullary definition is well maintained”. Well, clearly she’s been working out! Also there “is no evidence of peritoneal effusion” which is a big relief. Not quite as big a relief as I would no doubt experience if I knew what a peritoneal effusion was, but a big relief nevertheless. Hey, the spleen was “of echogenicity throughout”. Not one unechogenicitc part to be found. Beat that, Regis Philbin!

What does it all translate to? Roughly eight hundred dollars. Also, they obtained “fine needle aspirates of the liver parenchyma” (they stuck a needle in her stomach and took a sample of her liver) and we should have the results back in a couple of days. Thanks to all who asked and expressed concern. I’ll keep you posted.

August 27, 2009: A Reconciliation! A Special Guest! And Another Random Set Pic!

Friday, August 28, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

I’m pleased to report that after a brief falling out, my rewrite and I have reconciled and we are on much better terms. I admit that I was a little frustrated yesterday, and said some things I now regret. However today, things are much brighter and progress has been made, thanks in large part to the wise counsel, unconditional support, and rough explanatory sketch provided by Mika McKinnon, the show’s science consultant. Thanks, Mika. And to those of you wondering what, exactly, Mika does on the show (beside field panicked astronomy-related questions from yours truly) and how she landed the dream gig that made her the envy of geekdom, check out her past Q&A here: xxx

Much excitement at the production offices today generated by the impromptu appearance of a very special guest. No, not Richard Dean Anderson. Or that guy who plays PC in those Mac commercials. I’m talking about Jelly who spent the day lounging about my office, strolling the halls, joining us for lunch, partaking in some cajun chicken, sitting in on a notes session, and generally enjoying the attention lavished upon her by, among others, A.D. Bill Mizel, Carl, and Ashleigh. Attention of another sort tomorrow, however, as she heads off to the vet’s for that dreaded ultrasound.

August 26, 2009: Hey, who wants to rewrite the season finale for me? October’s Book of the Month Club Pick! What’s your space pirate name? And other important questions from the gang at SFSignal.

Thursday, August 27, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

Random set pic

Hey, remember when I said I was actually looking forward to this rewrite?  Well, I honestly don’t know what the hell I was thinking.  I guess I figured that, given the notes, it wouldn’t be all that big a pass.  But it turns out I was wrong.  Yep, it never fails.  Those tiny little changes you assume will be sleight and may take all of an afternoon to complete actually turn out to be fairly significant changes that trigger repercussions running throughout the rest of the script.  Anyway, I was actually making progress this morning, coasting along rather nicely, until I hit a snag and became bogged down in the new and improved wunder-science.  I started my research, got bogged down in that as well, and ultimately decided to call it a day.  On my way out, I conveyed my frustrations to my writing partner Paul who, working on his own rewrite, had to deal with frustrations of his own today in the form of the incessant BEEP-BEEP-BEEP of the construction equipment across the street.  He sympathized and expressed surprise at the requested change.  For his part, he preferred the old (in his opinion, much cooler and wondrous) science and strongly urged me to pitch Rob on keeping the original.  Something I’ll definitely do.  Tomorrow.

August 25, 2009: Tomatoes, Chatty Neighbors, Involuntary Walkers, and Actor Patrick Gilmore!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 by Joseph Mallozzi

“They make-a me a prisoner inside-a my home,”my elderly neighbor Tony informed me this morning.  Needless to say I was surprised, not so much by the implication that he was being held captive and had somehow managed to escape in order to tend to his tomato plants, but the fact that he was actually engaging me in conversation.  Prior to this sudden and inexplicable conversational outburst, our neighborly banter had been limited to his parroting my friendly observations.  “Nice day,”I’d say.  “Nice-a day,”he’d agree.  “Hey, working in the garden,”I’d remark.  “Hey-a, working in-a the garden,”he’d confirm.  “Looks like it’s going to rain,”I’d note.  “Looks like-a rain,”he’d concur.  I suspect that if I’d hollered “Woozle wozzle ding dong!”, he’d have chimed back with: “Woozle-a wozzle-a ding-a dong-a!”.  His wife, Rosa, on the other hand, always hung back and never uttered a word – until she learned that I not only understood Italian, but spoke it.  Since then, she’s been incredibly chatty, flagging me down with some cover story about passing along some beans, plums, or tomatoes from their garden and then launching into a lengthy discourse on everything from local politics to the insufficiencies of her extended family.