Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 259

Things Agreed Upon in the Writers’ Room!

When you gather up a roomful of talented but very opinionated writers and put them to work on a show, you’re bound to run into more than a few disagreements.  Often, heated debates ensue and, after much back and forth, consensus is reached – perhaps grudgingly on the part of certain participants.  There are those occasions, however, when writers will be presented with an idea so true and clear that support for the notion proves instantly unanimous.  To date, in our writers’ room, these are the handful  of ideas that have received general approval…

10:00 a.m. is a better time to start the writer’s room than 9:00 a.m.

Most of the tea sold at David’s Tea isn’t really tea at all.

Those flavored no-cal sparkling waters are fantastic.

Parenthood isn’t for everyone.

Cauliflower stew is a terrible lunch option.

And that, off the top of my head, is about it.

Thanks to everyone who offered their excellent restaurant recommendations and culinary offerings.  Looks like I’ll be criss-crossing the globe for gumbo, lasagna, and apple muffins!

Hey, anyone familiar with the beautiful Buffalo area?  Is there anything I should check out while I’m in town?  Something I absolutely, positively canNOT miss?  What is Bison City’s best restaurant?

Okay.  Good to know!

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Red Tape, Robots, Marty G., and Travel Plans!

The bureaucratic ineptitude of the Canadian government is alternately sad and staggering.  I’ll save you the rant but suffice it to say the general apathy could be readily addressed – and customer service greatly improved – by replacing these indifferent civil servants with trained monkeys.  I so look forward to the day when they all lose their rubber-stamping positions to machines.

The robot revolution can’t come soon enough for this guy!

Oh, hey!  Look who’s been busy!

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/martin-gero-brendan-gall-cbs-spy-drama-1202954914/

To quote Akemi: “He is unstoppable.”

Speaking of unstoppable, week 3 of the writers’ room kicked off with a long and involved discussion of episode 3.  Tomorrow, we start breaking episode 4 and I expect smooooooth sailing through episode 10.  Then, all we have to do is write the scripts, build the sets, and shoot the show.  Oh, and assorted other stuff in between.  And…done!

After which I think I’ll take a well-deserved trip – and visit each and every one of you.  I’m going to need to know: a) your city, b) the best restaurant in your area, c) your availability, and d) what you’ll be cooking up.

Don’t worry.  I probably won’t be free until summer of 2019, so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.

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September 23, 2018: Suji Sunday!

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The New Show Update! Presenting R.T. Thorne!

The second week of the writers’ room has drawn to a close and not only have we made great progress, but we’re picking up steam.  Following a week of world building, we started talking stories and managed to get the first three episodes broken.  I’m trying to complete all three outlines for Monday (two revisions and one first pass), but find myself struggling with a short fourth act.  It’s always the way: You distribute an outline, receive great notes, then sit down to implement them only discover your fourth act is now short.

And it’s ALWAYS the fourth act!

So, I’ve been pretty cryptic about this new series to date simply because we’re in the early stages, the production company has yet to establish a social media campaign, and, admittedly, I like to maintain an air of mystery.  But today, it gives me great pleasure to reveal the man behind the show: director, writer, producer, and just one of the smartest, most collaborative, good-natured individuals you could ever hope to work with on a new science fiction series: R.T. Thorne.

Filmmaker R.T. is so over the “Canadian look”

In the room.

On the road.

Always grasping for that ever-elusive je ne sais quoi.  Call it inspiration, ethereal epiphanies, or floating ghost marshmallows.  He will NOT be denied.      

And it turns out we have a mutual friend – none other than Writer/Executive Producer (Stargates SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, L.A. Complex, Bored to Death, Blindspot, etc.) Golden Boy Martin Gero.  Small world!

Anyway, just a good, good guy – and a major part of what drew me to this project.  Can’t wait for you to get to know him.

In the meantime, head on over to twitter and follow him: @directedbyRT

Who knows?  Maybe he’ll offer a few hints on what we’ve been working on…

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Inside the U.F. Writers’ Room – Part 2!

Can you feel the magic?

R.T. is adamant.  NO telekinetic chipmunks!

Ivon focuses on that third act twist.  That or his fantasy football team.

Everyone pretending to get along.

Sam with the kugel assist.

Birthday gal Courtney gets some donut love from Natalia.

Alex under pressure to come up with some good ideas.

And now the hunter has become the hunted!

We’re all out to lunch!

 

Researching for our Harlem Shake video.

That’s a Friday wrap.  You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.  

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A Sneak Peak Inside the U.F. Writers’ Room – Part 1!

Story Architects At Work!

R.T. has the floor.  And table.

Lakna, not paying attention to the crucial fourth act discussion.

Ivon and Andrew offer insights on characters journeys, story arcs, and fantasy football.

Natalia seems be having fun.  Let’s revisit her in three weeks, shall we?

A concerned Sam checks his notes.  It’s not looking good for that third act out.

R.T. with the deep thoughts.

Courtney, all numbered up and ready to roll.

Alejandro is just humoring you.

Alex pitches his Dachshund Detective spinoff.

Nicole throws Courtney her patented “your second act is going to be short” look.

Go ahead.  Pitch us your “brilliant” idea.

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September 19, 2018: Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorites…

Amazing Spider-Man: Red Goblin (cover art by Alex Ross)

Aphrodite V #3 (cover art by Jeff Spokes)

FutureQuake vol. 25 (cover art by Conor Boyle, Bruno Stahl)

Mister Miracle #11 (cover art by Nick Derington)

Multiple Man #4 (cover art by Marcos Martin)

Nightwing #49 (cover art by Dave McCaig, Mike Perkins)

September Mourning vol. 1 (cover art by Marc Silvestri)

Seven To Eternity #11 (cover art by Bengal, Matt Hollingsworth, Jerome Opena)

Star Wars: Lando – Double Or Nothing #5 (cover art by W. Scott Forbes)

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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Hoowee!

This, is exhausting.

I spend all day in the writers’ room, breaking episodes, then come home at night to flesh out the stories so that I can deliver outlines in the morning.  I know, I know, this isn’t how it’s done.  But, in all fairness, it saves so much time in the long run, allowing all of the writers to weigh in so that we can, ultimately, end up with a (hopefully) bulletproof outline ready to go to script.  And once this room is over and we give the writers the green light, those scripts are going to be coming fast and furious come November.  The plan is to have all ten scripts in play in October, and all final drafts in place by January.  The only variance I’m willing to brook is a possible delay on the finale – only insofar as a later version can be informed by any production developments.

Anyway, I’m off to complete tonight’s outline.

Tonight, I leave you with the insane medley of desserts we’ve been enjoying in the room including Italian cookies, fancy donuts, decadent chocolate chip cookies, custard-filled almond pastries, egg tarts, Akemi’s rum cake, Ivon’s brownies, and Sam’s grandmother’s honey cake (sadly, not all pictured, but believe me when I say they were all deeeeeelicious!)…

 

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Garlic and Chocolate!

Two of my favorite things.

On Sunday, we hit the Toronto Garlic Festival, THE place to go if you’re looking to stock up on garlic – fresh, powdered, pickled, and in ice cream or popsicle form.

There were fewer vendors and food options this year, but we made the best of things, sampling some Syrian eats and Trinidanian doubles…

I’m as big a fan of spicy as Akemi is not, so I asked for a 50/50 split on the doubles – half with ghost chili pepper sauce, the other half mild.  Interestingly, Akemi found her mild side crazy spicy while I found the entire dish not all that spicy at all.  I wonder if my general insensitivity has extended to chili peppers now.

The haul: assorted garlic, black garlic, hot sauces, jellies, jams, and spreads.  Enough to tide us over to November!

Then, for dessert, we happened by a chocolate-themed pop-up by Cove Crafted, a collaboration between B.C.’s Cove Cannabis and Beta 5 Chocolates.  The chocolates on display were non-infused, no cannabis was on sale on-site, but there was plenty of chocolate to be had…

You have your choice of three blunts: 66% dark chocolate with cocoa beans, milk chocolate and lavender, and, surprisingly my favorite, white chocolate with matcha and green mango.

Adam Chandler, the chocolatier behind Vancouver’s award-winning Beta 5 Chocolates.  I miss this place.

A peek inside Akemi’s emergency chocolate drawer.

Alright.  Off to work on an outline.  But, before I do, some shout-outs to a few blog regulars.  Sending best wishes to MaggieMayDay, positive thoughts to Hilda for a speedy recovery, and Happy Birthday tidings to gforce!

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Meanwhile, back on the home front…

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