Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 189

September 5, 2020: Remembering my time on Whispers!

Name this band!

Two episodes really stand out for me over my five year involvement with Stargate: Atlantis.  The first was

“Harmony”.  The second was this one, “Whispers”.  I would occasionally venture down to set during production, but those visits were few and far between simply because I often had my hands full with either prep, post, or scriptwriting.  In the case of the aforementioned episodes, however, I was able to carve out some time and spend some extended time on set.  And the fact that director Will Waring was at the helm made all the more memorable.

I remember doing an initial test run of the smog effect on one of our closed sets and the results weren’t ver promising.  In order to get the desired density level, we would have had to fog the hell out of the place  and, at even moderate levels, it caused the crew some discomfort.  So we ended up choosing one of the bigger sound stages that offered good cross ventilation, and set up individual tented areas we could fog up for limited spans.

The creature designs were another challenge,  Between the “eyeless” applications and the smog, the performers were flying blind.  The first rehearsal was absolute mayhem.  As a result, adjustments were made to the make-up to allow for a better visibility.

In fact, this episode was full of challenges.  Another instant was the wall-crawling sequence which required one of the creatures to defy gravity.  This was achieved with the help of a false wall and some trickery.

It was a tricky, dare I say difficult shoot, but we were in great hands with Will at the helm.  And the on set mood was buoyant, no doubt in part due to our terrific guest stars, among them Nicole de Boer, Christina Cox, Javina Gavankar, and Leela Savasta.

Finally, one of my favorite keepsakes from my time working on the franchise was adorable this little something left on my chair by Production Designer James Robbins.

Good times!

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September 4, 2020: The Crime Club convenes to discuss The Man From Nowhere!

The Crime Club reconvenes to discuss The Man From Nowhere…

A reclusive pawnshop owner with a dark past befriends his neighbor, a neglected young girl.  After the girl’s mother steals a drug shipment, the rightful owners come looking to reclaim their stash – and exact a little revenge by kidnapping mom and daughter.  But our hero, it turns out, is a former covert operative for South Korean Intelligence.  And he wants his friend back.

Great performances from Won Bin as the reserved but lethal  and actress Sae-ron Kim as the precocious So-mi, but also some terrific performances by the colorful cavalcade of baddies, especially Thanayong Wongtrakul as the scarily dangerous (yet ultimately redeemable) Ramrowan.

The movie is written and directed by Jeong-beom Lee (who brought us No Tears for the Dead four years later), and he delivers a perfect action movie: dynamic fight sequences, crazy pursuits, ballistic ballets and, most importantly, at the heart of the movie, characters and a relationship you care about.

While watching the movie, before Cha Tae-sik cuts his hair (with a razor blade no less), I was struck by how much of a John Wick vibe I was getting.  Wonder if this movie offered any inspiration to the creators of the Keanu vehicle several years later?

A lot of standout scenes in this movie, but my favorite was the Bulletproof Windshield Sequence.  Watching it, I had a strange sense of deja vu, and I’m convinced an American movie stole this exact moment – but I can’t remember WHICH American movie.  To those of you saw The Man From Nowhere and know what I’m talking about, do you have any idea?

I have yet to be even mildly disappointed by any of these Korean crime thrillers.  Old Boy, Memories of Murder, I Saw the Devil, A Bittersweet Life – all equally brilliant.  And now I can add The Man From Nowhere to that list.

Alright!  Let’s try to keep the hits coming!  Next up, we’ll be watching the 1974 classic: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three…

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September 3, 2020: More from the Stargate vault!

More from the Stargate vault…

The Atlantis gate.

Setting up the gate – White Sands, New Mexico.

Fun in the sun with Jamil Walker-Smith and Brian J. Smith.

Director Andy Mikita’s On-set Brain Surgery TED Talk – “The Shrine”

You get one trip through the gate.  Where are you going and who are you taking with you?

The dynamic desert duo.

Doing a thorough sweep of the area.

 

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September 3, 2020: Temporal distortion fields, Project F, and more amazing people with whom I have worked!

Sometimes when I talk to my mother on the phone, I feel like I’ve inadvertently crossed into a temporal distortion field where time passes slower for me than the actual time would indicate.  Today, the effect was triggered by a seemingly innocuous question: “How much did it cost?”.  This a reference to the renovation work recently completed on her kitchen.  By way of a response, Mom proceeded to break down ALL of the work done to date, from the doors to the floor, cubbies to crawlspace, all the moving and the repairing and the cleaning and the painting, sparing absolutely no detail in the retelling.  And, the more she talked, the further away the answer seemed to recede, tantalizingly close yet growing more elusive by the minute until, eventually, I couldn’t even remember what I’d asked in the first place.

Anyway, five grand.

I kid.  I kid.

Closer to six.

Another stage completed on Project F today!  This time the First World section.  Keywords and phrases included: neural interfaces, future, post-apocalyptic, explore, unknown, their true identities a mystery.  Tomorrow, I move on to the Second World section.

Amazing people with whom I’ve worked….

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
The incredible Joe Turner was our a camera operator on the last season of #DarkMatter before moving on to work on #KimsConvenience and #Titans. Pictured here with the equally fantastic Alyssa Pawlak. pic.twitter.com/VZZe93vfi8

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 28, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
A veteran of the #OrphanBlack and #MurdochMysteries writers' rooms, Natalia Guled proved a powerful creative voice on #UtopiaFalls as well.
Looking forward to working with her again in the not too distant future! pic.twitter.com/oW1XDoAupT

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 29, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Sam Inayeh was the Director of Photography on #UtopiaFalls. He's accomplished, a focused worker, and a good guy. You can check out his most recent work on #Coroner. pic.twitter.com/TiTChJEEEw

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 30, 2020

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September 1, 2020: Robots! Diamond Nano Threads! Another Crime Club Selection! And more Amazing People With Whom I Have Worked!

A solid start to development work on Project F.  Today, I completed the Tease, as scheduled. Whenever I pitch, I always start with a very detailed breakdown of the pilot opening.  I’ve been running this one through my head for weeks and finally got it down.  Four full pages all told.  Keywords and terms for those  interested: graphene structure, nanocrystal windows, bioreactor panels, spider silk armor, robot, gun turret, diamond nano threads.

Tomorrow, I re-read what I wrote today, make any necessary changes, and then move on to the next section: FIRST WORLD.

Alrighty!  Since progress was made, I’m reconvening the Crime Club for another discussion.  Next up is another superb-looking South Korean offering, The Man From Nowhere:

Amazing people with whom I have worked…

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Jennifer Spence (@SpenceJen) played the role of Dr. Lisa Park on #StargateUniverse, crafting a nuanced, heartfelt, and incredibly memorable performance. pic.twitter.com/UP5uwQKHrB

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 25, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
The terrific Tal Aulbrook (@taliily) was our third assistant director on #DarkMatter and the partial inspiration for the character of Devon Taltherd (Get it?). pic.twitter.com/xImZkeL5Bn

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 26, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Dino Laurenza was the A camera operator on the first two seasons of #DarkMatter. In addition to being well skilled and easy to work with, Dino is also an incredible foodie. pic.twitter.com/PYkHaKKDLV

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 27, 2020

The post September 1, 2020: Robots! Diamond Nano Threads! Another Crime Club Selection! And more Amazing People With Whom I Have Worked! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

August 31, 2020: Post-draft discussion and the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss A Bittersweet Life!

Last weekend, I participated in two fantasy football league drafts.  Unlike past years, I went in wholly unprepared.  I hadn’t read any articles, done any research.  I just sat down, logged in, and selected my players by hunch.

So, how’d I do?

Well, if the post-draft rankings are any indication, not bad.  Not bad at all.

Both sites I consulted had my Snow Monkey at #1 in the power rankings.

Ah, if only the season had ended on Sunday – a full eleven days before the start of the actual NFL season.

My second draft wasn’t quite the rousing success, but I attribute this to NFL.com’s insistence on auto-correcting Ertz to Hertz so that, instead of landing Philly TE Zach Ertz in the 4th round, I ended up drafting Carolina Panthers TE Chris Manhertz who racked up a whopping 11 yards over 16 games last season.  As a result, my Snow Monkeys ranked #5 out of #12 in that league.

But it’s early.  We have a long way to go before the championship.

Or maybe a comparatively shorter way if the season ends up being called due to this pandemic.

Hey, Crime Clubbers, what did you think of A Bittersweet Life?

Absolutely loved it.

Back in the day, Hong Kong produced the very best in crime and gangster films. Today, it’s South Korea.

Lee Byung-hun is brilliant as Sun-woo, the mob enforcer tasked with keeping an eye on the boss’s mistress.  He has specific orders to take her out if he catches her cheating.  But a moment of sympathy sets his life and career down a bloody and bullet-riddled path.

Amid the action and mayhem, there is humor, humanity, and some truly heartfelt moments as our hero struggles to come to terms with, what seems to him, an unjust turn.  You can’t help but feel for him when he confronts his boss at film’s end and demands to know “Why?”.   And “No, the real reason.”.  He’s incredibly sympathetic, so the scenes that track his quest for revenge really pack an emotional (occasional cinder block) punch.

This movie is full of great little sequences as well.  The first awkward meeting with the mistress.  His initial encounter with the drug runners.  The race to assemble the guns.  The levity of these scenes are in marked contrast to the movie’s visceral violence – the warehouse sequence, the ice rink set-up, the final showdown – casting those elements in a much darker light by comparison but offering viewers some much needed instances of hope.  Because, at the end of the day, these things never end well.

For most anyway.

So, did any of you check out A Bittersweet Life?  If so, what did you think?

The post August 31, 2020: Post-draft discussion and the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss A Bittersweet Life! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

August 30, 2020: Suji Sunday!

Out in her unnatural habitat, stalking her prey.  Usually fallen treats.

Deep diving for coconut ice cream.

Her “Whaddya mean no more strawberries?” look.

Her favorite snooze spot – in the sun.

After her morning walk, she is so tired that crawling fully onto a bed is too much of an effort.  So…close enough!

 

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August 29, 2020: Snow Monkeys, TV Villains, and Amazing People With Whom I Have Worked!

My Snow Monkeys commence their quest for a championship tonight with my fantasy football league draft kicking off at 8:00 p.m. tonight.  In previous seasons, I have been both enthusiastic and well-prepared.  This year, I am neither.  For the first time, I am taking part in a draft having done absolutely zero research – and I’m not entirely sure that will be a detriment.  Between all the injuries, dropped passes, blown coverages, and inexplicable underperformances, I’ve become increasingly convinced that it all comes down to pure luck.  I would spend hours (days!) reviewing statistics, reading expert opinions, looking for trends and tracking historical performances, ultimately making managerial decisions based on all of the aforementioned – only to to either miss the playoffs or flame out in the first round.  So this year, I’m going to try something different.  No research.  No listening to the experts.  Simply not as much caring.  I just don’t have the time.

Let’s see how that goes.

Switching to t.v.-themed questions…

Who is your favorite t.v. villain?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/vNw7uebdBs

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 28, 2020

Amazing people with whom I have worked…

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Frank Consiglio was the lead set dresser on #DarkMatter (and on #LostGirl and #OrphanBlack before that). An incredibly hard worker and one of my favorite behind-the-scenes personalities. pic.twitter.com/eBNxldoHwk

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 20, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Alejandro Alcoba (@Alcobatron) was part of the #UtopiaFalls writers' room and ended up writing two great scripts for the show's first season. With a terrific head for character, story structure, and dialogue, he's a huge asset to any production. pic.twitter.com/6XZsRzT7dU

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 21, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Actor Corin Nemec (@imcorinnemec) played Jonas Quinn on #StargateSG1. He won a more expanded role on the series on the strength of his terrific performance in the season 5 episode "Meridian". A hell of a nice guy. pic.twitter.com/MJLFlcCQql

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 22, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Gosia Kamela is the Production Executive for Original Programming, Drama Series & Feature Film at Bell Media and is one of the best execs in the business: smart, understanding, a great problem solver, and a skilled communicator. I'm a huge fan. pic.twitter.com/dgFmHfirJg

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 23, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Chris Beach was the Art Director on #Stargates #Atlantis, #Universe, #Continuum, and #ArkOfTruth. More recently, he was Art Director on #SonicTheHedgehog. Talented and terrific to deal with. pic.twitter.com/ylRrXCM66U

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 24, 2020

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August 28, 2020: From the Atlantis archives! The Crime Club discusses The Gift!

A few little somethings from the Atlantis archives.  Episode 5.06: “The Shrine”

Getting ready to shoot.

Waiting to roll.

Gateriders.

David and Rachel – all smiles.

Getting into positions.

Writer-Executive Producer Brad Wright overseeing the action.

Alright!  The Crime Club reconvenes to discuss The Gift!

A couple moves to a new city where the husband runs into an old high school acquaintance.  It’s an innocuous run-in, but when Gordo shows up at the new house bearing gifts, things take a turn…for the weird.

Well, this movie was a pleasant surprise.  Enough unexpected twists and turns to keep this seen-it-all writer on his toes throughout.  Throw in some wonderfully suspenseful scenes and a Holy Shit turn at film’s end and you get one of the better Crime Club selections to date.  Jason Bateman is great as the frustrated hubby whose world begins to fall apart as secrets become exposed.  Rebecca Hall is equally terrific as his sympathetic wife.  But it’s Joel Edgerton who steals the show in his portrayal of the socially awkward Gordo.

Love the way the movie subverts expectations and challenges us to question our presumptions of innocence and guilt, culprit and victim.  It also serves as an effective and chilling cautionary tale about how the past can always come back to haunt.

Anyone else watch it?  What did you think?

Three days from now (Monday, August 31st) the Crime Club will reconvene to discuss the South Korean A Bittersweet Life, ranked #3 in Empire’s list of The 20 Greatest Gangster Movies You’ve Never Seen…Probably.

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August 27, 2020: Project F and more Amazing people with whom I have worked!

Well, spent most of the afternoon writing an email I didn’t want to write – but felt I had to.  Most of the afternoon for all of seven lines, two of them being “Wishing you the best” and “Stay safe!”.  I’d been putting it off for days and today, I finally decided to sit down and compose it.  Hopefully it won’t be another few days until I actually send it.

Closing the deals on those two sci-fi development projects and have already started my research on the first.  I’m giving myself a few days as breather, then plan to launch into it next Tuesday, September 1st.  I’m going to tackle the series overview first and, once that’s locked in, move on to the pilot.  This is one of the most challenging shows I’ve ever developed and I suspect the world building alone could take weeks.  Still, it’s an interesting one in that it marries four of the things I truly love: science fiction, anime, gaming, and kpop.  Crazy, no?  And, yes, crazy is the plan.  Let’s call this one Project F.

 

Amazing people with whom I have worked…

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Ryan Malone was an assistant editor on both #StargateAtlantis and #StargateUniverse who stepped up to edit his first hour of television, the SGU episode "Deliverance". He has since gone on to edit over seventy episodes of television. pic.twitter.com/3zK3QRusgZ

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 17, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Dean Goodine was property master on 60+ episodes of #StargateAtlantis and #StargateUniverse and, most recently, on #ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents and #See. pic.twitter.com/u9M9WYIj5A

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2020

#AmazingPeopleWithWhomIHaveWorked
Scott Stofer was the special effects coordinator on #StargateContinuum, the final two seasons of #StargateAtlantis, and #StargateUniverse. A terrific guy to have on your team. pic.twitter.com/ZwcvsjhPw9

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 19, 2020

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