Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 467

March 29, 2013: Build your own wraith facility! Here’s how!

So, how’s everyone doing?  Good, good.  Enjoying the long weekend? Great.  Here in Vancouver, it looks like we’ve finally put winter behind us.  The sun is out, the temperature has risen, and my french bulldog, Lulu, is in full spring mode -

Toasty

Ready to hit the park – little buddy in tow

Out and about

As for me – well, I’m taking the long weekend off.  I plan to hit a couple of farmers markets, do a little dim sum, sit in my backyard with the dogs and read – maybe even get around to trying that bottle of Absinthe if I remember to pick up the sugar cubes.  Oh, and, of course, update this blog.  There are a few subjects I want to hit, some thoughts on the ill-fated Atlantis movie I’d like to post, a Supermovie of the Week review I need to remind Cookie Monster about, and those Art Department packages I’d like to upload.  But, for today, let’s just concentrate on one -

Unfortunately, I don’t have the entire Spoils of War package but, or the wraithly inclined, I did come across these pink tech pack revisions…

Wraith facility – cloning chamber & corridor chamber

Ah, this takes me back.  In addition to our standing stages at The Bridge Studios, we would also make use of the stage at Norco which housed, among other things: various wraith facilities, hive, Earth, and goa’uld ships.  Eventually, we consolidated production so that, in the final few years of the franchise, all of our standing sets were at the Bridge.

Wraith facility – corridors

Why did we refer to them as chicken legs and mushroom consoles?

Mmmmmm.  Tasty-looking chicken legs.

The HERO mushroom console

Wraith facility – Queen’s lair & corridors

“Projector to be hidden behind chair riser”.  Well, ideally.  I remember watching dailies of one episode where the projectors were exposed for all to see.  They were so cool and techy looking that the director (not one of our regulars) assumed it was actually part of the wraithy set dec.  Also those “umbilicals strewn across floor in Queen’s lair” and other wraith ships and facilities were the perfect cover for wires and electrical cords.

Wraith facility – entrance

Greens: “Dense mixed forest green set outside North entrance”.  Yep, one of the many talented departments that made up the production was “Greens” who were tasked with creating believable vegetative backdrops.  In this case, just a touch of forest greens give a hint of an exterior beyond the entrance way.

Puddle Jumper

From the comfy confines of Stage 1, the puddle jumper would travel throughout the Pegasus Galaxy and back through the magic of that greenscreen out its front window.

Wraith dart

I always liked the design of the wraith darts, alternately organic, techy, creepy, and comfy-looking.

Tagged: Atlantis, SGA, Spoils of War, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, wraith, wraith facility

March 28, 2013: Other not-quite-production issues!

Decisions, decisions…

When I sat down to write yesterday’s blog entry, I hadn’t really intended it to be a rant about the state of the BC film & television industry – and the willingness of the standing provincial to help out in the least.  I had planned to write about my dogs, but once I started writing I got sidetracked and, well, it was a rant long overdue.

Who dat dog?

Anyway, what I had wanted to say yesterday was that, when it comes to work, it’s not as simple as just picking up and moving.  I have other lives to consider.  A couple of years ago, when I was working in Toronto, I ended up having to make two trips to fly all four of my dogs cross-country in cabin (because it’s dangerous for pugs and french bulldogs to fly cargo), had to find an apartment that allowed dogs, had to move from that apartment to another apartment that accepted four dogs, had to find a doggy daycare for them, had to find a good local vet, had to drop them off and pick them up from their daycare every day, took them out (down the elevator, around the block to the park and back) three times a day, and, when my Maximus was diagnosed with a metastatic tumor, ended up doing the 90 minute drive to the Guelph small animal hospital (and 90 minute drive back) every Wednesday for his treatments.  That’s in addition to their regular vet visits, feedings, and meds (The tracrolimus gel must be applied directly onto their eyeballs.  It doesn’t get any easier, trust me.).

Lulu shares my affinity for uni

And I’m just talking Toronto.  Heading down to L.A. offers up a host of other complications.  Namely…

The happy couple = Akemi and Bubba

Akemi just got her permanent residence card.  Now she must reside in Canada for roughly 3 (36 months) out of the next 5 (60 months) years. That’ll prove a little tricky if I’m working in the U.S.

Dressed up for dinner

Of course, these are all problems I’d be more than happy to stew over if and when one of these shows gets picked up.

And I’m not the only one.  Despite her hip dysplasia, Jelly is just as eager to get going:

March 27, 2013: A rare political tirade!

By this time next week, I should have pretty good idea of what I’ll be working on next – and, more importantly, where.  Whether it’s the SF space opera or the urban fantasy series or the non-genre cable show or one of a number of other opportunities, scoring the gig will only be half the battle.  A change of location could well be in the cards.

I wish it were as simple as getting the green light and then moving forward on production here in Vancouver with the many talented individuals I worked with on Stargate.  That would be a best case scenario but, realistically, even if one of our shows does get the go-ahead, there’s a strong likelihood we may be headed east, to Toronto, to shoot it.  It’s incredibly frustrating because, as much as I love Vancouver, the ruling BC Liberal party has made it almost impossible for new productions to seriously consider shooting here.  Simply put, your budget goes a lot further in Ontario – which is why that province is so unbelievably busy.  BC, on the other hand, is another story.  The film & television industry here is hurting.  The work is going elsewhere. And what is the government doing to help?  Not a hell of a lot.  They claim that matching Ontario’s tax credits would be, in their words, “a race to the bottom”, in which the province would lose out on revenue. Bullshit.

This is what I had to say on the subject a couple of months ago:

“This link offers a great analysis of the situation (http://www.scribd.com/doc/121494475/Kurt-Bruun-BC-Film-Incentive-Analysis) and a great explanation of how it works.  Kurt Bruun sums it up this way:

“BC was standing around one day thinking about how it loved apple pie (yes, I’m using a pie analogy for money).

“MMM….I love apple pie,” said BC.

“What’s that?” said BC’s next door neighbor “You like apple pie?” 

“Heck no,” replied BC “I said I looove apple pie!” 

“Well,” said the neighbor “You can have this apple pie I have right here for free.It’s a delicious apple pie!” 

“Free apple pie? What’s the catch?” asked BC 

“Well, you can have this here beautiful apple pie but once I give it to you, do you mind if I have a small slice of it back….say, 7.9%?” 

“Deal!!” exclaimed BC. And BC took the pie, sliced off 7.9% and gave it to the generous neighbor.

This arrangement went on for years with the neighbor always bringing BC the apple pies and BC slicing off the 7.9% to enjoy over 90% of it.One day the neighbor came up to BC and said “Hey buddy, times are tough and I’m wondering if there’s any chance you could slice me off another couple of percent off that pie. You can still have the pie but maybe just make my slice a little closer to 10% than the usual 7.9% we’ve been doing for years.” 

“You know I sure do love your apple pies, neighbor but…up yours!” said BC. “I want to only give you back 7.9% still.” 

And the neighbor walked away with the whole pie.”

It’s not, as many think, a case of productions taking money out of the taxpayer’s pockets.  Unlike BC residents who must pay taxes here, a production will pay taxes wherever it chooses to set up shop.  By coming here to shoot a film or television series, it is helping to fill the government coffers, both directly (in the taxes it pays as a business entity) and indirectly (by employing hundreds of BC residents who, in turn, pay taxes as well).  By driving productions away to far more attractive shooting locales, it’s the BC government that is taking money out of its own pocket.”

The BC Liberals make it sound as if it’s a level playing field in which an equal amount of productions are shooting in both provinces and thus paying taxes in both.  That there is idiot talk.  They’re either too stupid to figure it out or completely disingenuous, relying on the simpleton assumption that the matching “tax breaks” the BC film & television industry will take money out of taxpayer pockets.  Again, just the opposite is true.  Matching Ontario’s tax incentives or, at the very least, making BC more competitive, would level the playing field, luring productions to BC that would spend money in BC, employ BC residents, and pay taxes in BC – rather than go elsewhere.

But the BC Liberals, apparently, can’t be bothered to help.  They’re too busy dropping 11 million dollars on a Bollywood awards show, a move many see as a transparent attempt to win votes ahead of the upcoming provincial election (http://ca.ibtimes.com/articles/446815/20130316/times-indian-film-awards-fixed-held-before.htm).  Unlike the tax incentives, this 11 million dollars IS money out of taxpayers’ pockets.

The BC Liberals don’t seem all that interested in helping those in the BC & Film Industry keep their jobs.  And I’m sure those in the BC & Film Industry are looking forward to May 14th, the date of the next general election, for the opportunity to return the favor.

Further reading:

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/03/26/bc-film-production-in-steep-decline

Save BC Film | Facebook

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/b-c-premier-christy-clark-pushed-schedule-bollywood-155849977.html

http://news.ontario.ca/mtc/en/2013/03/strongest-year-ever-for-ontarios-film-and-television-industry.html

http://www.royalcityrecord.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Liberals+support+film/8136576/story.html

Tagged: BC film & television industry, Save BC Film

March 26, 2013: You asked for it! Atlantis floor plans! The Control Room! The ZPM Room! Weir’s Office! The Adrift & Lifeline Art Department Package!

This week feels like the calm before the storm.  Of course, I could be wrong and it may actually be the calm before the calm before the storm.  Or, worse, the calm before the storm that never comes.  Paul and I are closing on several writing assignments (an action feature, an SF pilot, another SF pilot), and a few projects poised to move forward (development on one, going to camera on another pilot, and a potential series pick-up on a third), but, of course, in this line of work nothing is assured.  Things certainly look promising but, in all fairness, they’ve looked promising for some time now as we’ve maintained a holding pattern in expectation of a decision, one way or the other.

I’m considering working on another spec pilot or going the kickstarter route and just shooting that horror script, but I fear that the moment I start on either, one of the aforementioned deals will close and I’ll have to switch gears.

For better or worse, things seem to be coming to a head so here’s hoping that, sometime next week, I’ll be able to make a big announcement.

In the meantime, I’ve got this blog to keep me busy – and this entry in particular.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a slew of Stargate plans – blueprints, schematics, sketches, and designs – from the last few seasons of Atlantis and both seasons of Universe.  Most of these are huge, oversized documents that need to be scanned and digitized. About a dozen, however, are part of Art Department packages for specific episodes.  Rather than offer them up in order of their air dates, I thought it would be more interesting to just pick them at random and upload them as dedicated, individual blog entries.

And so, since you asked, today’s entry offers up a host of Atlantis designs.  From the season 4 two-part opener Adrift/Lifeline:

During prep week, the Art Department assembles a package containing an overview of the various sets and builds for a given episode.  As changes are made, the package is tweaked and these progressive stages are reflected in the color of the ensuing drafts.  For those of you interested in learning about the various revisions and their corresponding colors, check out my explanation here: March 10, 2008: THE ULTIMATE EXTREME EXTRA SUPERFANTASTIC BEST LUCKY ULTRA NUMBER ONE FINAL FINAL DRAFT

Atlantis – Control Room

While there was a four month hiatus between production of the third season finale, First Strike, and the fourth season premiere, Adrift, hardly any time had passed onscreen.  Thank goodness for our eagle-eyed Art Department who placed little continuity reminders throughout: “One monitor was askew at end of First Strike” and “First Strike continuity – windows OUT throughout/aftermath still in place”. These, of course, a reference to the blast that blew out the windows at the end of the season finale, seriously injuring Elizabeth.  A reminder also goes out to the various other departments for a Zelenka leg brace and that nasty-looking piece of glass that embeds itself in Ronon.  By the way, there’s a reference to “large piano in deep background”. Obviously, we’re not talking about an actual piano – rather, a control console that resembled one (thus the nickname).

Keller’s lab/infirmary

Clearly, the meager two-bed set-up is optimistic.  Room for plenty more in the event of some unforeseen catastrophe – like an Asuran attack.

Atlantis ZPM room

I love the reminder to “check ZPM functioning”.  And then, just in case someone actually did check and found it lacking in the expected energy requirements: “one section lights up”.  Oh, is that all?  Another reference to those darn “pianos” and continuity reminder as per “The Siege”.

Atlantis – balcony

Whenever we shot outside, on the balcony, we tended to stay on our characters and relied on lighting, the occasional breeze, and the grey practical backdrop to convey a sense of an overcast day.  In scenes where we actually wanted to see the background, we relied on our VFX team to create something convincing – in this case, a beautiful night-time twin-moon view.

Atlantis – halls & corridors

That, of course, is the gate at bottom left.  The door to Stage 4 (via the productions offices), where the Atlantis set once stood, is corner right.

Elizabeth’s office

The layout didn’t really change despite the changes in command although the set dec was a little different.  Whereas Elizabeth’s tastes ran to the artistic (ie. Athosian statuettes), Carter added a more personal touch in the various photos that lined the back wall. Woolsey’s office was a little more austere, but he did include a personal touch with the photo of his beloved yorkie, lost to his wife in the divorce.

Replicator core room

The layout of the replicator core room looks a lot like the Atlantis gate room.  Note the tiny human figure at the bottom left, included for scale.

Replicator City – control room

This being the replicator version of the Atlantis control room, set dec is reminded to strip away all Earth touches like computers, desks, and chairs.  Things should be just as they were the last time we were here – in the episode Progeny.

Operating room

The doors on the right presumably lead out to the infirmary and the area is “dressed” as such – gurneys, equipment – to suggest the operating room adjoins it.  Since the doors on the left remain closed, we have no way of knowing what’s on the other side.  My guess is the home theater room.   On the bottom left is a note to Prosthetics/Make Up re: Weir’s skull/brain swell.  I remember seeing the “brain swell” demonstration and being impressed (and slightly nauseated) by the very realistic brain that expanded as air was pumped inside.  If I remember correctly, it was the work of Todd Masters and Masters VFX.

Infirmary outside operating room

This is the area Ronon walks out of to visit Weir and deliver his bedside talk – one of my favorite scenes of the two-parter.

Damaged hallways

This was shot in the VFX stage, the biggest on the lot.  This is where we shot the space jump.  There’s a note: for the greenscreens and “Atlantian floor treatment, bordered by green” because the view of the devastation below is a visual effect.  Up top, construction is asked to pockmark the wall with “asteroid” (meteorite) hits.  Wonder where they got the meteorites?

Hallways – outer city

This, the VFX stage, was so massive it actually held several sets simultaneously including, at one point or other, the village, the hive ship, and the various Earth ships.

Chair room

And before we took over the space, it was the set of one of the Blade movies – which is why we would occasionally refer to it as The Blade set.  Love the attention to detail on the snowflake design bordering the chair.

Atlantis – halls and corridors

There’s a note regarding “Gurney will roll into McKay’s Lab/Infirmary & Operating Room”.  This is, of course, part of the frenetic opening sequence in which a badly injured Elizabeth is wheeled through the halls and into the infirmary.  So frenzied, in fact, that we didn’t notice that part of the medical equipment being wheeled through the shot off the top wasn’t medical equipment at all but actually a camera.

Replicator City – corridors

Again, similarities to the real Atlantis are intentional on the part of the Asurans – but certain visual cues suggest a different location. SPFX/PROPS are reminded what they need to bring to the party for the scenes in which the replicators hit the AR fields: weapons and, of course, aluminum shavings.

Holding cell

An interesting set.  While there was certainly enough space between the bars to accommodate our cameras, one could argue there was also enough space for a determined prisoner to slip through.  Which is why there were always guards posted on duty.  Still, I would argue you wouldn’t need guards if that cell would have been just a little more secure.  What were the Ancients thinking?

Asuran City – ZPM room

The south wall was presumably an issue so we just got rid of it.  Bless the set’s modular design.

Puddle jumpers on Asuran rooftops

I always preferred the coziness of the jumpers over the roomier Universe shuttle or utilitarian SG-1 cargo ship.  As I mentioned in a previous post, “gak” refers to the exposed inner-workings/guts of some high-tech device – in this case the ARG.

Puddle Jumper Bay before take-off

It’s amazing the amount of work and detail that went into shots that would last mere seconds onscreen.  But they went such a long way toward creating this world.  None of this: “Hey, we parked the jumper up on the roof.  You’ll just have to trust us!”.

Limbo set

One of three different looks outside our parked jumper.

Midway Station

It wouldn’t be until much later, in the aptly titled Midway, that we would actually get a tour of the place.  Check out more floor plans of the station here: March 15, 2013: Things Stargate!  Note: “All objects in this area must appear to be strapped or bolted down to sell zero-gravity”.  Check out Carter’s zero-g ballet, compliments of VFX Supervisor Mark Savela and his crew, here: September 4, 2012: Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! SGA’s Fourth Season! Adrift!

Apollo Bridge

Yes, now that you mention it, it DOES look very similar to the bridge of the Orion, the Prometheus, and the Daedalus.  Oh, and the Korolev and Sun Tzu if you must know.  But that’s because Earth built them on the same designs.  Of course you know you’re on the Apollo thanks to the “dimensional brass Apollo plaque”.

Atlantis to M35 117

And, since some of you asked, the Art Department packages also contained gate addresses when appropriate.  Point of Origin: Atlantis = Subido.

Atlantis to Earth

Always wanted to dial Earth from Atlantis?  Well, here ya go.

Tagged: Adrift, Atlantis, Lifeline, science fiction, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis

March 25, 2013: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews X-Men Origins: Wolverine!

Noooooooooooooooo!  BIRDSEYE VIEW of monster on knees, head trown back, staring up at de sky in anguish while me scream: Nooooooooooooooooo!  DAT pretty much sum up monster’s review of dis movie.  Me know, me know.  Why would monster use such a hackneyed and cliched camera shot to sum up X-Men Origins: Wolverine?  Well, read on…

Noooooooooooo!

Story begin in mid-19th century where sickly kid named James sprout bone claws and kill gardener (who turn out to be his dad) for killing his dad (who turn out not to be his dad and also not a gardener).  CUT TO CHEESY BIRDS-EYE VIEW of kid on knees, head trown back, staring up at de sky, crying out.  Him and his brother run for it…

Blood(y) Brothers

And keep running for it.  In film’s most inspired sekwence, we treated to de two immortal brothers as dey fight, side by side, in WWI, den WWII, den Vietnam, den other clashes.  It made painfully/clumsily obvious dat one brother good, de other bad.  Dey shot by firing squad (immortal too!) – but seem a-okay when military guy, Major William Stryker, pay dem a visit and offer dem a deal.

Brothers (let’s call dem Wolverine and Sabretooth) end up joining team of mutants for special op.  Among de team, fans of Marvel Comics may not rekognize Wade “super ninja” Wilson, aka Deadpool, who turn out to be a pale version of his comic book self…and, eventually, nothing at all like him.  Op leads dem to jungles of South America in search of mystery metal.  Dat where our hero, Wolverine, part ways wit de team – and his angry brother.

Six years later, angry brother kills his old teammate, a carnival hobbit. Why?  Dis never really explained.

Wolverine build new life for himself in de woods wit weird girlfriend who, in one of movie’s most ridikulous scenes, try to seduce him by telling him Native American legend of de Wolverine.  DIS be seksy?  Next day, Stryker show up at his work place and tell him someone killing off de old team members.  Based on de fakt dat one be dead.  Quite de pattern, huh?

Suddenly, Wolverine sense someting.  He find…decapitated wolverine.  ?   And diskover his girlfriend, dead.  Ish.  CUT TO: BIRD’S EYE VIEW of our hero, on his knees, head trown back, screaming.

Noooooooo!

Boy, dat’s good film making.  Good 1990′s film making.

Wolverine track down his brother Sabretooth, to a…well, it supposed to be a bar but it look more like a garage wit some tables and chairs.  Nice work, locations department!  Brothers fight.  Wolverine get beat up.

Always test de temperature of de water before getting in de bath!

Wolverine want revenge!  Stryker offer to make him indestruktible (despite fakt dat he already be pretty damn indestruktible).  He get injekted wit super metal, adamantium, dat coat his skeleton – and, somehow, his claws.  Stryker want to wipe his memory so Wolverine go beast mode and eskape.

Elderly couple diskover him in barn.  And, like most people who come across naked strangers on deir property, dey trust him completely and take him in.

And end up getting killed for it, thus confirming what monster’s grandmother, Grandma Monster, always said: “Nice guys finish dead”.

Stryker blows up barn but movie surprises us wit yet another cheesilicious shot – dis one of our hero racing away while someting explode behind him!

Noooooooooooooo!

Damn.  De only ting missing from dis film be requisite shot of our hero walking slowly away as someting else explodes behind him like -

Noooooooooooo!

Yeah.  Like dat!

Wolverine try to track down Stryker.  For some reason, he have to box former obese teammate for information.  He track down another mutant, Gambit, who less Remy LeBeau from de comic books and more a steampunk stage magician.

Finally, Wolverine track Stryker down to sekret lab where he be holding a bunch of innocent mutants and….SURPRIZE!- his girlfriend who not really dead AND a mutant!  Shocking, no?  Meh.  Marginally interesting?  Meh.

While Wolverine frees prisoners, he and his brother team up against…Deadpool!

No!  Not Deadpool!  Some stoopid movie version of Deadpool who have sword claws and a bunch of other mutant powers.  What de Fudgee-o?

Just becuz dey call him Deadpool don’t make him Deadpool

Wolverine decapitate him.  Meanwhile, his girlfriend have chance to kill Stryker but she not do it becuz…Yep, you guessed it!…dat would make her no better den him.  Movie also does a great job ham-fisting other cliche beats: brothers’ love/hate relationship, “Me didn’t sign up for dis!” speech, “You’re not an animal – Oh, yes you are!” moment, and “You don’t have to do this” appeal.  Monster not sure, but me even remember a “I’m getting too old for dis” chestnut.

Young Professor X show up as mutant prisoners eskape and offer to help dem.  Really?  AFTER dey eskape?!  Nice timing, baldy!

VERDIKT: Nooooooooooooooo!  Wolverine and Sabretooth brothers? Silver Sable and White Queen Sisters?  And Deadpool…some other charakter entirely?  A movie dat tinks it be A LOT more clever den it aktually be.

RATING: 4.5 chocolate chippee cookies.

Tagged: comic book movies, Comic Books, Comics, Cookie Monster, Cookie Monster film reviews, Cookie Monster movie reviews, Cookie Monster reviews X-Men Origins: Wolverine, superhero movies, superheroes, The X-Men, Wolverine, X-Men Origins: Wolverine

March 24, 2013: Pasta-making 101!

A little over a week ago, Akemi and I attended a gelato-making class. Today, we took part part in a pasta-making class.  Yes, we’re working our way backwards.  Next week, who knows?  Deviled eggs and pigs-in-a-blanket?

Being huge fans of Pasta Famiglia artisan pasta (available only at our local winter farmer’s market), we were thrilled to hear that owner Peter Ciuffa was offering a course in fresh pasta making.  Given Peter’s passion for food, and pasta in particular, Akemi and I knew we were in for a treat.

Akemi, as always, travels apron-ready.

For $45/person, we were given a hands-on demonstration of the pasta-making process that culminated in a sampling of our hard work, and enough take-home fettuccine and spaghettini for a couple of meals.  I know, I know.  Being Italian, I should know all about making pasta – and I do, up to a certain point. My mother used to make pasta all the time growing up – and still does.  Unfortunately, as interesting as it looked, I was ultimately more focused in the end-product and so, never really pay that much attention to lead-up.

Today, I paid attention.  Our instructors, Peter and his sister, Daniela, regaled us with stories of childhood kitchen adventures with their mother as part of a fun and informative afternoon.

Peter and Daniela

We started with 200 grams of Type 00 Italian flour.  After making a little well at the center of the flour, we add two farm fresh eggs, a pinch of salt, and started mixing with a fork – breaking the eggs and then, slowly but surely, incorporating the surrounding flour.

Eggs in the well

We mixed.  And mixed.  And mixed some more until our dough began to take shape – at which point we dusted our table top with flour, transferred the dough, and started the kneading process.

Akemi, building those triceps.

We kneaded.  And kneaded.  And kneaded some more.  Eventually, my dough began to assume the smooth, silky texture we were looking for. Done! It was at this point that Akemi switched doughs on me.  So I kneaded.  And kneaded.  And kneaded some more!

A beautiful baby dough

With our dough done, we allowed it to rest, covered, for 20-30 minutes while Peter and Daniela taught us one of their mother’s favorite pasta sauce recipes.  Olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a tomato base were slowly cooked down while we redirected focus to the dough – cutting, shaping, and then feeding our pasta through the pasta machine’s rollers, working our way through the various settings which yielded an increasingly longer, increasingly thinner sheet.

Akemi and I were a well-oiled machine (much like the well-oiled pasta machine we were using).  One of us fed the pasta into the rollers while the other cranked.  Then, we switched.  In no time, we had our sheets and then, it was onto the cutting.  We had a choice of two settings – fettuccine or spaghettini – and elected to go with both.  After dusting the freshly cut pasta, Akemi immediately went to work, laying it out so that the individual strands wouldn’t stick together -

Painstaking work. I refer, of course, to my picture-taking while Akemi sorts out the spaghettini.

With the sauce done, we all got to sample the fruits of our labor…

[image error]

“Yammy!” as Akemi would say.

Wow.  What a world of difference.  From now on, I’m only eating home made pasta.

Provided Akemi has the time to make it.

 Like tonight for instance:

Our pasta haul

Dinner:

Spaghettini with Italian sausage, broccolini, garlic, basil, and olive oil.

Thanks to Peter and Daniela for a great afternoon (and even greater dinner!).  My mother is already planning my Level 2 class: orecchiette and capundi!

http://www.pastafamiglia.ca/

Tagged: pasta, Pasta Famiglia, pasta making

March 23, 2013: Familiar faces!

There are a lot of things I miss about my days on Stargate, perhaps none more than the enormously talented people I worked with over the course of my twelve years with the franchise.  I do keep in touch with many of the old gang.  Still, emails exchanged and phone conversations are a far cry from seeing them on a daily basis and so, when the opportunity to actually get together comes along, I’m more than happy to clear my schedule and make the time for lunch, dinner, or drinks.  Such was the case yesterday when, after several failed attempts, I finally met up with former Stargate SG-1 VFX Supervisor James Tichenor.

After putting in four years on SG-1 and another one on Atlantis, James moved on.  He was a VFX Supervisor on Kingdom Hospital (where he got to work with one of his favorite authors, Stephen King, who was, apparently, a terrific guy) a season of Smallville, and various other productions.  I lost touch with him after he left Stargate and moved his family to London, so I was surprised to come across him online a month ago.  After some back and forth, canceled plans and rescheduled lunch meetings, we finally ended up grabbing lunch.

It had been almost seven years since I’d last seen James and, I have to admit, I almost didn’t recognize him.  Last time I saw him, he was heavier and bearded.  Now -

James Tichenor, male model

He’s slimmed down, lost the facial hair and, quite frankly, looks about ten years younger.  My first thought when I saw him waving at me in front of the restaurant: “Who is that kid?”.

We had lunch at Peaceful Noodle Restaurant where we caught each other up on our respective lives while enjoying, among other tasty dishes,

The house special Peaceful Beef Rolls

Turns out James moved to London, moved back, worked on various productions, went to L.A. where he took several writing courses before returning to Vancouver, working on various productions, taking some acting classes, and working on even more productions.  There was so much to cover that we continued our conversation over post-lunch coffees (okay, a banana mocha for me).

Portrait of the writer as a younger looking man.

We spent the next hour or so discussing the craft of writing – our approaches, experiences, the business.  It was a really interesting chat.  Some day, it’ll make a great blog entry.  We had so much ground to cover that, unfortunately, an hour at the coffee shop wasn’t enough to cover everything so we agreed to get together again in a couple of weeks and pick up where we left off.

Hey, speaking of writers, anyone remember this guy?

Thrilled to meet ya

Yes, former Stargate Exec Producer Carl Binder is in town prepping his new series for Hallmark Channel, Cedar Cove, which starts shooting next week.  Fortunately, Carl was able to squeeze in a dinner with Akemi and me before things got too production-frenzied.  And what did Carl feel like eating?  Foie gras and truffled potatoes?  Lobster Thermidor?  Chateaubriand?  Puleeze!

The Crack Burger at Hub Restaurant – packs a terrific cracked pepper punch.

My buddy is a man of simple tastes.  A burger, some fries, a beer and he was set.

See?  MUCH happier!

And, of course, nothing quite beats a down-home dessert -

Giant chocolate chip cookie served in an alarmingly hot skillet with vanilla ice cream.  I also get the extra scoop because the single is never enough.

At one point, we reminisced about the old Stargate days, especially those writers’ room lunches spent spinning, joking, and getting Carl to sample everything from 99% dark chocolate to ghost chili sauce…

Good times.

Getting together with a group of friends is always fun, but nothing quite beats the smaller, more intimate gatherings.

March 22, 2013: The Destiny Bridge!

In Stargate: Universe’s second season, the crew finally discovers Destiny’s bridge.  From a creative standpoint, holding off the discovery until then allowed for some great drama: Rush’s attempts to hide it from the rest of the crew, the subsequent attempts to control the ship, etc.  Also, waiting until season two permitted us to give it a truly worthy. singular reveal rather than lumping it in with the rest of the ship.  From a production standpoint, holding it off the discovery made even more sense.  The portions of the Destiny built for season one cost several millions and we simply couldn’t afford to include a massively expense bridge as well.  And so, rather than settle for something simple, we waited a year until we had the money to do it right. And, boy, did it we ever.  It was, simply put, a thing of beauty:

Destiny Bridge and adjoining corridor

Under construction.  

Early season two.  The finishing touches in place.

The bridge was located in Stage 5 on and what made it all the more impressive was the fact that it was a raised, massive second level structure.  Directly below it stood the mess and shuttle.

David Blue (aka Eli Wallace) getting a feel for the place.

James Robbins did a terrific job designing the bridge, and our construction department went above and beyond the call to build it. But the work didn’t stop there.  It had to be properly lit and, of course, we needed the Playback Department to work their magic.  ”What’s the Playback Department?”you ask.  Well, whenever you see an onscreen image be it a holographic map or computer data or scrolling alien script, you can thank the Playback Department.  On the surface, it seems like such a small thing but, in reality, those incredible, painstakingly detailed graphics go such a long way toward setting the mood.  Some of the stuff they come up with was downright incredible.

The Captain’s chair.

Commander Carl Binder

Carl makes it go

To give you an idea of the great work of our Playback Department, check out the designs for the onscreen visuals – then check out the finished product…

Bridge chair (left arm)

Bridge chair (right arm)

Bridge standard text

Ship Systems (left)

Ship systems (right)

Patrick Gilmore (aka Dale Volker) took a crash course in weapons and nav systems.

Navigation Systems (left)

Navigation Systems (right)

Sorry.  Couldn’t track this one down.  You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Weapons Systems (far right)

Weapons systems (standard)

Pretty amazing, no?

Tagged: science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television, SGU, SGU bridge designs, Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate Universe bridge

March 21, 2013: A Feast of Foie!

Last night was just like old times: me, Chef Rob Belcham, Chef Ted Anderson, and whole bunch of foie gras.  The occasion was – well, there was no occasion really.  The guys decided they wanted to do a foie gras dinner, so they brainstormed  a menu and put the word out.  My friends, Steve and Jodi, asked me if I wanted to go with them.  I said “Sure!”, went online to get tickets – and discovered the dinner had sold out!

I was, of course, bummed.  But fortune smiled down on me – and frowned down on Jodi – when the babysitter canceled.  As result, Jodi had to stay home, freeing up a seat for yours truly.  I felt bad for her. But pretty good for me.  And even better once dinner got underway…

Chef Robert Belcham welcomes us to Campagnolo, then retreats to the shadows.

The meal was served family style at a long banquette table.  Once the plates were set down, it was every man and woman for themselves!  I think someone may have lost a finger.

Four types of bread including tasty toast points the woman seated across from me used to “build a dam” around the foie gras, soaking up the rendered fat.  Top with truffle gastrique and Bon Appetit!

Apple slices tossed with foie fat.  For the (sort of) health conscious participants.

Cherries given the same treatment: sweet, slightly sour, and delightfully savory.

And the star of the evening: mouth-meltingly sublime seared foie gras.  At the end of the day, it worked out to about a lobe per diner.

My first plate included a slice of the foie, bread, gastrique, various jams, and the apple (for show).

We were also served side salads that, I suspect, received some sort of foie treatment as well.  I have to admit, I’m not a huge salad guy but I loved this one.

And then, for dessert:

Caramelized Chocolate Tart with strawberry preserve and crisp Italian meringue.

Almond Cake with cream cheese mousse, preserved peaches, and brown butter.  Damn, that cream cheese mousse is crazy good.

What?  No foie gras dessert?  Well, maybe it was for the best.  The two desserts we did get were terrific nevertheless.

Chef Ted Anderson – kitchen maestro and Japanese at heart.

A delicious time was had by all.  The next feast has already been scheduled: Get Cracklin: whole roasted pig served family style.

Book now to avoid disappointment!  Buy Tickets Now

Campagnolo

1020 Main Street

Vancouver, BC

604.484.6018

Open for lunch 11:30-2:30.

And 5pm until late,

seven days a week

Tagged: Campagnolo, Campagnolo Restaurant, foie gras

March 20, 2013: 2007 Silver Wraith-mobile for sale! Only used for picnicking and chasing down human prey! SGC Blueprints!

I had a feeling that trying to sell my car would prove a giant pain in the ass.  As it turns out, the experience has surpassed expectations. Initially, I thought I’d save myself the hassle by contacting my local Audi dealer and trading my Q7 in as part of a new vehicle purchase – but the salesman I spoke to actually convinced me that I’d be better off selling the car privately and then putting that money toward that new car.

And so, following his advice, I did my homework, snapped some photos, posted an ad on craigslist that included details like the low mileage and the fact that I would also throw in both summer and winter tires.  And waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  At first, I assumed that craigslist had failed to publish my ad, so I went to the Cars & Trucks section and found it.  Yep, there it was – along with the other 500+ automobile ads from other private sellers but mostly dealers who positively swamp the section with their listings.

In hindsight, I should’ve found a way to work my Q7 into an episode of Stargate and then auction it off.  Hey, remember the all-terrain wraith-mobile from Tracker?  Or the five passenger space shuttle with the moon roof that the Asgard use in First Contact?  Or the SUV Sheppard and the gang drive off in at the end of Enemy at the Gate (a scene, now that I think of it that, that may have been cut for time)?  Yes? No?

The other day, someone asked me if I had blueprints of the SGC.  I looked through my old Art Department handouts and these are what I came up with.  From Stargate: Atlantis episode #412, Miller’s Crossing:

SGC Facility

Shallow Money Pit Hallway?  It was used for the crucial Icarus Base evacuation/corridor cave-in/explosion sequence in the Stargate: Universe opener.   Back in the day, we used to see a lot of that Long Tall Hallway – for instance, the scene in Window of Opportunity where Teal’c keeps getting hit by the door.

The Gate Room

There’s a note for the Art Department: “Gate address “Pegasus to Atlantis” (attached)”.  In fact, pretty much every episode the gate was used included a gate address breakdown as part of the Art Department package.  If you’re interested – and if you are, then I’m assuming you must be a pretty hardcore fan – I’d be happy to scan and upload a few.

There are also notes for a greenscreen VFX and rear-screen puddle projection.  Simply put, every time someone interacted with the puddle, it was a VFX shot.  In the early years of the show, you rarely saw the puddle unless someone was actually going through it simply because it was too expensive to show.  More often than not, you would play the “puddle effect”, that tell-tale shimmer of lights playing off someone’s face as they looked at the off-screen puddle.  Eventually, we started to make use of a puddle projection that allowed us to glimpse more of the puddle – less at the beginning because the visual wasn’t all that convincing, but more in the franchise’s later years as the visual improved.

Control Room

There’s a note for Construction to include the “iris plug” in the event director Andy Mikita wanted to feature the gate in any of his planned shots.  When not active, the SGC gate had an iris in place which was fairly convincing onscreen but much less so up close.

Lab and Hallway to Lab

Sort of like childproofing a room except, instead of a toddler, you’re preparing for a soul-sucking alien guest.  I always liked the observation room/lab set-up but it’s a room we rarely had occasion to use.

There is a reference to “2 hero workstations”.  The term “hero” refers to something that will be featured onscreen/used by one of our characters.  As a result, it should be the more convincing of the various versions in a given scene.  The hero zat gun, for instance, actually had some operating parts (short, sadly, of actual stunning/killing/disintegrating/lock-picking capability) as did one of the hero staff weapon.

Work Area/Boardroom

Don’t remember the scene but I assume this was a different boardroom than the one located above the control room.  It was there, at the long table, that Hammond would discuss off-world missions with SG-1. What struck me most about the boardroom back in the day was how chipped and weathered that table was – and what pains the director must have gone through to shoot it in a way that concealed all those blemishes you couldn’t help but notice every time you visited the set.

Mess Hall

Home of the infamous blue jello and WoW Fruit Loops.

Sheppard’s Quarters

Where’s the t.v.?

Holding Room

For the “other” guests.  If I remember correctly, this was Vala’s room.

I know, I know.  I’ve really got to get around to scanning and digitizing the rest of these files.  In the meantime, interested in checking out anything else?  Destiny?  Atlantis?  Those various gate addresses? Wraith facilities or Sheppard’s family home?  Let me know.

Tagged: science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi television, SF, SF television, SG-1, SGC, Stargate, Stargate Command, Stargate: SG-1