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March 19, 2010: A pitiful sight! Production goings-on! Brackets busted! And more from the Atlantis Art Department Archives!

Friday, March 19, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

The other day I was walking down the corridor when I happened upon a sight so depressing, so altogether heartbreaking, that I almost burst into tears on the spot.  Almost.  Instead, I pulled out my camera and took a picture of THIS…

Fearing she would suddenly turn on the radio and start dancing with her imaginary friends, I hastened down the hall and vowed I would find a way to inject some happiness into her lonely existence.  And find it I did this morning when I invited her to take a stroll with me down to catering truck for breakfast.

Mission accomplished!  Look at the sparkle in her eye, the warm glow of gratitude at the prospect of enjoying a meal in the company of someone, anyone, willing to take the time to say: “Hey, you’re special!  Who’s the champ?  You are!”.  It really warmed my heart.

Got most of the notes for my Resurgence outline (episode 10) and, while I’m still a little leery about the third act, I’m just going to forge ahead.  I feel it might be a little short but Brad was quick to point out that I thought Incursion would be short – and it turned into a two-parter.

VFX Supervisor Mark Savela came by the offices today to solicit our opinions on the fast-developing new aliens. Paul felt the hands were two large, the fingers too pointy, while my main concern was the potential expressiveness of the face (or, at this point, lack thereof).  Mark assured me that they were in the early stages and, as things progressed, they’d be adding layers (ie. musculature and flesh) that will address my concerns.

Second cast read-thru today.  It included regulars and a few recurring including that Prison Break veteran I mentioned in a previous entry.  Very nice guy – unlike the character he plays on SGU.  Or Heroes for that matter.

Sadly, it looks like my NCAA bracket has been busted.  First Georgetown is upset, then Marquette gets bounced, then the Texas Longhorns snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by taking an 8 point lead in overtime – and losing!  At this point, the only thing that will save me are some major upsets.  So – Go Ohio U! Gonzaga! Xavier!  And Wake Forest!

More goodies from the Stargate: Atlantis Art Department archives:

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis …Continue reading »

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March 18, 2010: The mystery bag holds an unpleasant surprise! Peaceful Restaurant! Busy on the SGU front! With Great Power…

Thursday, March 18, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

“You have to guess what it is,”said my dining companion as my hand probed the contents of the brown paper bag.  Inspired by my recent blog posts about sampling new, exotic fruit, Denise had gone through the trouble of picking me up a couple of worthy candidates.  I’d failed to guess the first one , mangosteen, but this one felt oddly…familiar.  I stroked its rough exterior.  ”It gave me an allergic reaction,”she informed me, perhaps by way of a hint. Which brought my groping to a sudden halt.  What?  ”Yeah.  My hands turned red.”And suddenly, I recognized the mystery contents of the paper bag – and the fact that what she suffered WASN’T an allergic reaction.  SHIT!  I took a peek.  Sure enough, it was a prickly pear.

You may wonder why they call ‘em prickly.  Well, apparently by handling them you run the risk of being stuck by hundreds of tiny fiberglass like shards.  No, not apparently.  You do.  Last week, when Ashleigh found out I’d be eating one, she cautioned me against touching it, giving me detailed instructions on how to peel the fruit with a knife and fork.  And here I was, a week later, petting one as if it were a particularly adorable hamster.

Needles to say, soon after, I too developed “an allergic reaction”.

On the brighter side, we enjoyed a fiery good meal at Peaceful Restaurant…

Today, between follow the various NCAA match-ups (Curse you, Georgetown and Marquette!), I managed to squeeze in some Stargate-related business.  In addition to further discussion on Remi’s episode and a meeting on a couple of the HUGE sets being built for the show’s second season, I took part in an audio commentary for Space with Director Andy Mikita and Visual Effects Supervisor (and birthday boy!) Mark Savela.  Boy, does this episode move!  It’s a visual feast and I look forward to hearing the fan reaction.  I also think that, given the episode’s spectacular visual effects, it’s high time Mark made a return visit to this blog for another guest Q&A.  Whaddya think?

Last night, editor Lou Anders sent me the final proof pages of the upcoming superhero anthology With Great Power.. (available for pre-order ici: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Power/dp/1439168822/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268968259&sr=8-1) which includes a modest contribution, Downfall, from yours truly.  Lou instructed me to review my story and inform him of any requested changes by April 1st.  Sure, sure.  I’ll get to it.  Eventually. But my story is over on page 227.  Between it and page one, stories by Matthew Sturges, James Maxey, Paul Cornell, Mike Carey, Mike Baron, Daryl Gregory, Gail Simone, Stephen Baxter, Chris Roberson, Peter David and Kathleen David, not to mention the wonderful Introduction by our fearless editor.  I spent last most of last night and early this morning reading the terrific contributions, then took an hour to re-read Downfall and, ultimately, limit myself to a mere dozen requested changes.  Between the end of my story and the last page of the collection, stories by Mark Chadbourn, Marjorie M. Liu, Ian McDonald, and Bill Willingham.  Looks like I’ll be busy again tonight!

Tagged: Lou Anders, Peaceful Restaurant, Stargate, Stargate Universe, With Great Power …Continue reading »

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March 16, 2010: I finally discover my true calling! Dinner with Erika! Atlantis Missing Memories! One More Episode Title!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

Some are born with natural musical ability.  Others are gifted with athletic prowess.  Still others find their calling in subtler but no less fulfilling pursuits: science, mathematics, literature.  Me?  I’m really good at hiding shit.  Really, really good.  I hide things so well that no one can find them.  Not even me! Several months ago, it was a story outline that seemed to disappear…into thin air!  More recently, it’s a laptop – specifically, my old laptop containing a bunch of documents my accountant requires in order to file my taxes.  Vanished…without a trace.  Impressive, no?  Take THAT, David Blaine!  I figure that when my days on Stargate finally draw to an end, I can start a second career as a magician.  ”I say the magic words – Abracadabra – open the cabinet and – Presto! – he’s disappeared!  Thank you, thank you.  For my next trick…What’s that?  You want your husband back now?  Oh.  That…could be a problem.”

Last night, Paul and I went to dinner with our SGU network point-person, Syfy’s Director of Development Erika Kennair…

Switching gears on the Stargate Art Department front, here is some design work from Atlantis’s fifth season episode Missing…

Multiple correct guesses.  I believe the first one to get it was Chevron7…

Episode #6: TRIAL AND ERROR

Episode #7: THE GREATER GOOD

Episode #8: MALIC

Episode #9: ???

Episode #10: RESURGENCE

As for episode #9 – At this point, you guys know as much as I do.

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis …Continue reading »

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March 14, 2010: A fitful night’s sleep! Dipping back into the Atlantis archives!

Sunday, March 14, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

Don’t you hate it when you spend hours working out a very complicated script rewrite and head to bed satisfied with a job well done, only to wake up in the middle of the night with the horrible realization that the Volker character isn’t where he’s supposed to be, thereby throwing a wrench into the intricate choreography of that fifth act sequence you thought you’d solved?  Yeah, so do I.

I think I might’ve injured myself while working out.  Either that or I’m suddenly arthritic as my left hand has taken to aching like hell in the middle of the night. Guess I’ll switch off dumbbell training in favor of bodyweight exercises like crossfit for the time being.  And, if that doesn’t help, I suppose I could just switch it out for one of those bionic replacements that’ll allow me to crack walnuts with my thumb and forefinger.  Anyone have a connection at The Robotics Institute?

Thought I’d switch gears today and do a little something for the lonely Atlantis fans by reaching into the MGM photo archive and uploading some pics from the show’s last season.  I believe when I left off, I’d posted a batch of snaps from season five’s third episode, Broken Ties.  Moving on to episode four, The Daedalus Variations…

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis …Continue reading »

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March 13, 2010: Foodly Adventures! The Art Department Package from Fire! Another Episode Title Revealed! The Return of the Mailbag!

Saturday, March 13, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

I had stir-fried broccoli for lunch today, using the recipe from the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated as a guide.  The first time I made the stri-fry, I used the stated amount of red pepper flakes.  The second time out, I decided to go with jalapeno flakes instead.  The third time, today, I decided to bump up the heat by doubling the amount of jalapeno flakes.  It wasn’t until I sat down to eat that I realized I’d made a mistake.  I hadn’t used jalapeno flakes.  I’d used habanero instead.  It took my mouth a full hour to recover.

Then for dinner tonight, I made myself some angel hair pasta with sea urchin.  I used the package sea urchin sauce my friend Tomomi sent me from Tokyo, then supplemented that with some fresh sea urchin.  Some diced garlic, a little olive oil, and a touch of cream completed the dish.

I also sampled two new (to me) fruit:

Ashleigh was quite excited to hear I’d picked these up.  She gave me specific instructions on how to eat the prickly pear (warning against touching the fruit with my hands and, instead, telling me how to use a fork and knife to peel it), and referred to the passionfruit as snotfruit (“You’ll know why when you have one,”she assured me).

The second half of SGU’s first season premieres in a matter of weeks (April 2nd to be exact on Syfy) and so, in preparation for the big event, I continue my ongoing peek at some of the design work that went into the show’s first ten episodes.  Today, we move on to episode #4, Fire…

Congratulations.  Yet another episode title guessed.  For those of you keeping score:

Episode #6: TRIAL AND ERROR

Episode #7: THE GREATER GOOD

Episode #8: *A****

Episode #9: ???

Episode #10: RESURGENCE

Today’s entry is dedicated to PBMom, Deni and Summer!

Mailbag:

Charlie’s Angel writes: “Hi Joe — um, isn’t it ALEC Baldwin on 30 Rock?”

Answer: Right.  I meant Alec Baldwin.  Although Adam Baldwin is mighty terrific as well.

Cat4444 writes: “I’m wondering, though, if “Rob and Carl” spending their time watching director “Robert Carlyle” is in the same vein as “Adam” Baldwin on 30 Rock, or is he really directing an episode? If so, can you leak which one? Is it his first time as a director? Are you folks breaking him in gently, or just breaking him?”

Answer: Yep, Robert Carlyle is directing the first episode on the production schedule – which actually happens to be episode 4 in the airing schedule, Pathogen.  No need to be gentle with Bobby.  He’s incredibly well-prepared, knows the shots he wants and, more importantly, knows how to get them.  He’s also got a fantastic cast and crew backing him up.  And the dailies look great!

Rafael writes: “OMG!Erika Kennair is gorgeous!”

Answer: Yeah.  We noticed.  She’s also whip smart, witty, and an absolute sweetheart.

Brian M. White writes: “How are things gearing up on the SGA movie front?”

Answer: It’s been pretty quiet on the SGA movie front.  However, there have been rumblings on the SG-1 movie front.

Brian M. White also writes: “By the way…How has your mom been doing since she left rehabilitation?”

Answer: She’s at home and well on her way to recovery, exercising every day.

Pilota writes: “The entry with the exotic fruit was fun. Ever try a naranjillo? I had one years ago in Ecuador and it was quite tasty. As an added bonus – the inside kinda looked like tiny alien eggs.”

Answer: Sold!  I’ll have to track some down.

Niall McNamara writes: “I hope you can answer this question for me i talked to you a couple of moths ago my name is niall mcnamara, i am 14 and from britian what tips would you have of becomming a script writer because it has always been my dream to become one.”

Answer: First, I’d suggest picking up a good book on the craft of scriptwriting (I used Syd Field’s book when I was just getting started).  Once you’ve got a good idea of how a script is structured and formatted, watch a lot of film and television and pay attention to things like act structure, plotting, and dialogue.  Read scripts.  Hell, read anything!  Then, sit down and write your first script – be it based on an original idea or a spec based on an existing series.  Give it to people you trust and have them criticize your work.  If they have nothing but good things to say about it, then they’re wasting your time.  Find someone who isn’t afraid to be honest with you.  That’s the only way you’ll improve as a writer.  Keep watching.  Keep reading.  Keep writing.  Keep rewriting.  Start with that.

Michelle writes: “Joe, I’ve noticed your pics lately are sort of soft-focused and the lights blow out the rest of the image. Is that on purpose to make everyone look younger or do you need to have one of your many local camera experts have a look at yours.”

Answer: How perceptive of you.  I’m now on my third camera.  Maybe I’m due for another upgrade.

Joel writes: “I’m pretty sure that this is not your department, but I’ll aks you anyway if there’s a chance that the right department will hear about this (*hint, hint*).  Do you know if there will be a region 2 blu-ray release of SGU season one for us europeans?”

Answer: Sorry, Joel.  Not my department.

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe …Continue reading »

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March 12, 2010: Spinning with Syfy! What we’re watching! Production update! Another episode title!

Friday, March 12, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

Yesterday, we received a visit from our friends at Syfy, Exec. VP of Original Programming Mark Stern and Director of Development Erika Kennair, who dropped by to talk travel, television and, oh yeah, Stargate: Universe.  We spent the afternoon discussing the first five scripts of season two and beyond – character developments, story arcs, and surprises in store for the not too distant future.  It was a pleasant and ultimately fruitful sit-down that yielded some terrific ideas that I was quite excited about… until I sat down in front of my laptop this morning and realized I would now have to incorporate these terrific ideas into the rewrite of Awakening.  Don’t get me wrong.  I really do like the notions we came up with.  They’ll help clarify some of the character motivations and offer up interesting revelations about her heroes.  I just hate rewrites.  Even more than I hate writing first drafts.

Paul, meanwhile, is hip-deep in prep on Intervention while Rob and Carl have spent the past couple of days on the set, watching Director Robert Carlyle work his magic.  Back on the office front, Remi and Linda are hammering out their stories as I try to figure out a sciFIentifically sound idea for my Resurgence outline (thank you, SGU Creative Consultant John Scalzi).

I brought a pear in to work yesterday that has mysteriously gone missing.  Either somebody took it, or I’ve really got to clean my desk.

I’m always interested in where the kitchen staff of my favorite restaurants go eat on their days off.  In much the same way, I’m always interested in what people who work in the television industry are watching.  I’m sure many of you have not wondered what we at Stargate are watching when we’re not watching our own show – which is, admittedly, on very rare occasions.  Well, wonder not no more.  What follows is a list of the shows we’re watching, compiled in a most unscientific manner: I basically kept a running count of the shows we either discussed during lunch, in our respective offices waiting for a meeting to begin, or over the course of our morning pep talks.  So, in other words, the series must have been watched by at least two people.  Ashleigh, for instance, may love Gossip Girl, but if no one else watches the show and can engage her in a spirited debate about what exactly Chuck was up to in last night’s episode or those gorgeous shoes Blair was wearing in the premiere, then it doesn’t make the list.  These shows, however, did -

House: There are those who’ll claim the show is formulaic, but I’d argue that the medical mysteries of the week, while interesting, are secondary to the show’s wonderful character dynamics.  In its sixth season and as great as ever.

Glee: A prime time song and dance show?  I honestly thought I’d hate it.  How wrong I was.  Clever, colorful, and gloriously un-PC.

The League: I’ve yet to check it out but this FX series about a fantasy football league has received a lot of writers’ room buzz.

American Idol: Some seasons I’ll watch; others I’ll miss.  This season I’ve decided to skip, but there are a few diehard fans in the office who are tuning in.

The Office: It’s a comedy with heart and boasts a wonderful ensemble cast from Steve Carell’s clueless Michael Scott to Leslie David Baker’s perennially disinterested Stanley Hudson.

Big Love: A show I enjoyed despite the fact that our protagonist is a polygamist, but as the seasons have come and gone, I’ve really grown to hate Bill Henrickson.  My distaste for the character and his bizarre choices has reached the point where I don’t know if I’ll be tuning in next season.

30 Rock: The gags fly fast and furious and while a some may not their mark, more than enough do to make 30 Rock show must-see-t.v.  And Adam Baldwin is brilliant.

Survivor: I know, I know.  It’s reality t.v. and I shouldn’t be watching but I am – an enjoying this season immensely.  Go villains!

The Amazing Race: Carl calls it the fastest hour on television and he’s right.  Time flies when you’re racing across the globe.  Although this season hasn’t captured my interest like past installments, I’m still watching.

South Park: Next to The Simpsons, one of the most oft-quoted shows in the writers’ room.  Wickedly funny.

Spartacus – Blood and Sand: Although it lacks the scale of HBO’s Rome (as well as its sense of humor), Spartacus has proven itself a well-written bloody good time.

Oops.  No wonder you’ve been having so much trouble guessing the episode titles.  I gave you the incorrect number of letters in the first word of episode 6’s three-world title.  Oh, and we have multiple winners who guessed correctly on episode 7.

Episode #6: ***A* AN* *R***

Episode #7: THE GREATER GOOD

Episode #8: *A****

Episode #9: ???

Episode #10: RESURGENCE

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe …Continue reading »

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March 11, 2010: The New SGU 1.5 Trailer! Shuttle Specs! One episode title guessed; four to go!

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Joseph Mallozzi

I’m sure most of you have already seen it but for those who haven’t, here’s the awesome SGU 1.5 trailer courtesy of Grey Munford and the gang at MGM:

For more vids, pics, and behind-the-scenes scoops, check out: http://stargate.mgm.com/view/series/3/index.html

Now, I believe I promised you some designs and schematics of the Destiny shuttle…

Congratulations to Chevron7 who was correctly guessed one of the new episode titles…

Episode #6: **** AN* *R***

Episode #7: T*E *R*A*** ****

Episode #8: *A****

Episode #9: ???

Episode #10: RESURGENCE

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe …Continue reading »

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