Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 465

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

March 19, 2013: Sports Talk!

Next to NFL Football, there’s nothing I love more than College Basketball, especially this time of year.  It’s March Madness!  64 (okay, actually 68) teams take part in a win-or-go-home six (okay, actually seven)-round tournament to crown the nation’s best.  And it never fails to impress with unbelievable upsets, fantastic finishes, and the occasional Cinderella confounding the experts.  How much do I love college ball?  About as much as I hate the NBA.  And how much do I hate the NBA?  Well, given the choice, I’d rather watch baseball.  In other words, A LOT!

Anyway, our good buddy Ivon forwarded me this year’s bracket and reminded me to fill them out before Wednesday night.   Wednesday night?  I’m already done!

So, what do you think?   Crazy?  A little? The Billikens upending the fashionable-favorite Cardinals?  The Aztecs taking down the mighty Hoyas?  And the New Mexico Lobos knocking out the Buckeyes, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, AND the JAYHAWKS to win it all?!

Yep.  Maybe.  But I’m expecting big surprises in this year’s tourney. Hell, it hasn’t even started and, already, surprises abound with the Kentucky Wildcats on the outside looking in – along with the state of Texas.

For what it’s worth, picks aside, I’ll be rooting for: Missouri, Memphis, Gonzaga, Mississippi, New Mexico, Iowa State, VCU, San Diego State, UNLV, Butler, and Marquette.

And rooting against: Louisville, Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, North Carolina, Georgetown, Indiana.

Go fill out your own bracket: bracketchallenge.ncaa.com

Meanwhile, NFL.com is doing its own bracket challenge (Here’s our bracket), pitting 64 of the greatest plays in NFL history against each other.  Well, THEIR picks for the greatest plays in NFL history.  Given the ones that did make the least, a few memorable plays are conspicuously absent.  Like this one -

Ray Rice catches the ball and runs for the first down – on a 4th and 29! This play is all the more memorable when one considers it helped them win a game that ultimately  allowed them to tie the Bengals for the division lead, and take it on the tie-breaker.  If not for that run, the Ravens would have had to go through Houston and then New England before traveling to Denver for the conference championship where they would have faced a decidedly different Broncos team.

And, speaking of the Broncos, here is one of my favorite plays of all time because it demonstrates how quickly fortunes can change.  With the game tied at 24-24, the San Diego Chargers line up for a 40 yard field goal to win the game in overtime.  Denver’s Dennis Smith’s leaps up and blocks the kick – BUT his amazing defensive play is nullified because the Broncos called a timeout prior to the snap.  So San Diego lines up to kick it again – and again Dennis Smith blocks the kick – BUT this time, it is scooped up by a fellow Bronco and run back for the game-winning touchdown.

March 18, 2013: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews Watchmen!

Who watches de Watchmen?  Well, Monster for one.  All 3+ hours of direktor’s cut.  It longer den a superbowl halftime show and inklude raspy-voice narration dat, at first, gimme flashback to craptakular Spirit – BUT, ultimately, monster like dis movie.  A lot.  It be smart, engaging, and thought-provoking.  For instance, scene where Nite Owl and Silk Spectre save people from apartment fire make monster wonder “Hey, did me forget to turn de stove off before me left apartment?”.  It also a visually spekatular movie full of beautifully composed shots and sekwences.  Dis Zack Snyder guy know what he doing.  If me ever find monster after my own heart (to love, not to devour so dat rule out chupacabra girl who always eyeing me outside Mr. Hooper’s shop), me want to hire Zack to shoot de wedding video. And, if necessary, dat chupacabra girl.  But only if he firearm trained.

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De Comedian say: “Ha ha. Joke on you, mofo!”

Movie open wit de death of de Comedian, a superhero who, despite his name, not very hilarious.  If Oscar de Grouch and Lindsay Lohan had love child, he would be de result.  Anyway, he get thrown out apartment and plunge to his death by VERY strong mystery attacker (hmmmm) – which segue into brilliant opening credit sekwence dat reveal backstory of dis Alternate Universe Earth where superheroes exist but outlawed by Richard Nixon who got voted into office six times (!), all accompanied to tune of Times Dey Are A Changing by Matt’s father, Bob.

Roarshack: Oooh! Ooh! Mr. Kottah! Mr. Kottah! Oooh! Ooh!

We introduced to a guy who dress up like a incognito ink blot.  His name be Roarshack.  He keep a written journal and movie interspersed wit his gravely-voiced entries.  But, luckily, only de interesting ones (ie. September 12: Baloney for dinner again.  Forgot to pick up milk.  Next time, remember: Milk.  Dozen eggs.  Pop tarts.)  He investigate death of Comedian and pay visit to an old friend, Dan (aka Nite Owl II) who hang out wit an even older friend, Hollis (aka Nite Owl I), and warn him about possible superhero-killer.  Also pay a visit to super rich businessman and former hero Ozzy to warn him.  Finally, he drop in on blue, occasionally pants-less energy guy Dr. Manhattan, and his girlfriend, Silk Spektre to warn dem.  But dat de least of deir problems. Doc Manhattan can see de future.  Possible nuclear armaggedon on de horizon!

Dr. M. Why so blue?

Comedian buried while we flashback to origins of dese heroes.  Ozzy tried and failed to unite heroes into policing force like Team America World Police.  Doc Manhattan and Silk Spectre having relationship issues becuz she needy and he emotionless douchebag.  So she end up hooking up with Dan Nite Owl while Doc help Ozzy build nuclear energy plants for poor people.  Awwww.

During live interview, Dr. Manhattan ambushed by reporter.  Reveal his best friend died of cancer, and his ex-girlfriend now suffering from de disease.  Did he cause it?  He be radioactive?!  Why he always shirtless?  Doc M get annoyed and leave Earth for more laid back surroundings of Mars.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Russia mobolizes its forces.  World on brink of nuclear armaggedon!

Nite Owl.  De Dark Squire.

Roarshack continues his investigation.  Suspekts someone is targeting superheroes.  Ozzy avoids assassination attempt.  Roarshack set up while following a lead and sent to prison where he kick convikt ass and demonstrate improper use of hot kitchen grease (Check it out if you always wondering what to do wit dat leftover oil).  He finally get sprung by Nite Owl and Silk Spectre who don their own costumes and KICK ASS!  While dis going on, Hollis, de original Nite Owl, get attacked by street gang and killed.  It be one of movie’s best sekwences, wit Hollis punching gang members who transform into de various supervillains he fought in his past.  Great!

Silk Spectre.  Close, but her boyfriend gets the award for “least dressed superhero”.

Silk Spectre travel to Mars with Doc Manhattan and plead wit him to save Earth, setting up another brilliant sekwence in which Doc M. diskusses de concept of time.  Meanwhile, Roarshack and Nite Owl follow leads and diskover individual behind death of Comedian, attack of Ozzy, setting up Roarshack, and giving cancer to Dr. Manhattan’s friends be…Ozzy!  In de words of Lou Diamond Philips: “Holy Shnikeys!”.

Nite Owl and Roarhack travel to Ozzy’s Antarctic base where he beat de crap out of dem and den reveal his master plan: to detonate nuclear facilities around de world.  Roarshack and Nite Owl vow to stop him – at which point Ozzy point out he not your stereotypical villain who reveal his plan so dat heroes can stop him.  Dey already too late.

Major cities have been destroyed including New York!  Energy signature connected to Dr. Manhattan!

Ozzy. Evil genius or misunderstood evil genius?

Doc Manhattan and Silk Spectre also show up – but too late to do anyting.  World now united (Hurray!) against greater enemy: Dr. Manhattan (B00!). Earth has pulled back from brink of nuclear armaggedon (Hurray!) = just like Ozzy planned (Boo!).  He sacrifice millions to save billions!  Everyone realize dey better off not revealing de truth.  Except for Roarshack, so he get blown up for his troubles.

Verdikt: Long but great movie, smart and visual spektacular.  But at times, Snyder a little too true to de original comic book and, as a result, Roarshack end up being de only charakter wit any true depth.

Rating: 8 chocolate chippee cookies.

Tagged: comic book movies, Comic Books, Comics, Cookie Monster, Cookie Monster film reviews, Cookie Monster movie reviews, Cookie Monster reviews Watchmen, superhero movies, superheroes, SuperMovie of the Week Club, The Watchmen, Watchmen, Watchmen movie

March 17, 2013: Akemi says thanks!

Hurray!  Akemi finally received her Canadian Permanent Residence Card.  All it took was a lot of paperwork, a year and a half wait and, of course, the support of friends, family – and visitors to this blog who took the time to post comments on her behalf.  Akemi prepared a little video thank you over on her blog: Common-law Visa.  So, yes, thank you.  It’s certainly a relief to not have to worry about my girlfriend being deported.

She wants to look her best for those potential job interviews.

Now, Akemi looka forward to finding a job.  She has decided to start with a part-time retail position as she works to improve her English. Given her past experience working at the Pierre Marcolini Cafe in Ginza, she’s looking for something in desserts, preferably chocolate.  So far, however, she’s been disappointed with the response to the handful of resumes she has dropped off – or, more to the point, the lack thereof. Apparently, in Japan, a prospective employer gets back to you within 1-3 days of your leaving your resume, whether it’s to express interest or to say “Thanks but no thanks.”.  I explained that, even though it may seem as if her resumes fell into a black hole, she should follow up. That’s what North Americans do.  She has to learn to be annoyingly persistent.

Career advice time.  You’ve all gotten to know Akemi on this blog.  What kind of work do you think she’d best suited for?

Mailbag:

Secondlook Dan writes: “How does one sign up for this Gelato 101 class?”

Answer: The class was hugely popular and sold out within minutes of being announced.  I’m not sure if James is planning another round, but you may want to ask the next time you’re in (1001 W Cordova St.) or check out Bella Gelateria’s twitter feed for the latest updates: James ‏@bellagelateria

john writes: “I guess you hear this a lot but I’ve an idea for the continuation of stargate which would tie up lose ends…”

Answer: While I appreciate the enthusiasm, you’re better off trying to get one of your own, original ideas off the ground rather than attempting to come up with series ideas for a pre-existing property.

Jaqaril writes: “And I don’t want to sound arrogant or entitled, but I really hope you guys at least try it and get in contact with MGM.”

Answer: Well, as you pointed out, it’s clear that MGM is aware that a audience for Stargate is still out there.  It’ll be interesting to see how the app does.

Joey Wayne Suggs writes: “Joseph could you please tell me without breaking any secret vows ( kind of kidding but not really ) lol could you please tell me why you make a specific reference to the number 3 in every episode of Stargate SG1 and SG atlantis.”

Answer: I’m not sure what you mean by specific references to the number 3.  Could you give me some examples?  At first, I assumed you were referring to the rule of 3 (The rule of three is a writing principle that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. – Wikipedia) which I tend to adhere to because I find it rhythmically satisfying.

Karen writes: “How’s Bubba doing?”

Answer: Better!  Just a few moments ago, he was back to his old self, barking at Sarah Jessica Parker when she appeared on t.v.  Thanks for asking!

Today’s entry is dedicated to birthday gal PBMom.

March 16, 2013: Gelato 101!

The other night, Akemi and a few of our closest friends were fortunate enough to attend a Gelato 101 class hosted by the award-winning James Coleridge (winner of the 1st “Maestro Gelatiere Award” at the Florence Gelato Festival, and considered one of the world’s top artisan gelato makers) at his Bella Gelateria in downtown Vancouver.

Rob and Steve

Jodi, Akemi (brought her own apron), and Hillary.

The Master of Ceremonies: James Coleridge.

James, a graduate of Carpigiani Gelato University, started off by giving us an overview of the world of gelato, pointing out the differences between gelato and the more readily available ice cream (gelato has roughly half the amount of fat and air, and is actually served at warmer temperatures).  He talked about his education in Italy and a reprimand he received for daring to question the prevalent use of chemicals in the gelato-making process.  To his credit, James doesn’t criticize those who make use of the chemical mix, instead lauding them for trailblazing the gelato movement in North America.  All the same, he eschews the mixes and chemicals in favor of premium, all-natural ingredients.  It’s something he feels he owes to not only his customers, but his family as well.

The Bella Gelateria selection.

Following the preliminary introduction, we were ushered into the laboratorio (Italian for “laboratory”, natch).  Apparently, most gelato shops maintain an air of secrecy surrounding their products and recipes, so no photography is ever permitted within their walls.  He, on the other hand, has a more open approach and invited us to snap as many pics and videos as we wished.  Which was great because it meant I didn’t have to rely on my hidden button cam.

Once we were in the kitchen, the real hands-on instruction (and tasting) began!

My fellow students

James talked about his education in Italy and winning first prize at last year’s Florence Gelato Festival for his toasted pecans, sea salt and maple syrup gelato.  He started us off by allowing us to sample an unbelievable caramel base.   We then moved onto a base for one of his chocolate ice creams…

Steve “The Cleaner” Boska polishes off the chocolate base.

We were then offered a taste of the various chocolates that go into the different gelatos – only the best of the best, Michel Cluizel, ranging from creamy 45% milk to darker than dark 99%.

Let the sampling begin!

The Cluizel collection

We melted some dark chocolate, heated it in a pot, then blasted it with this industrial mixer…

Rob takes her out for a spin.

Akemi at the wheel.

After which the whipped mixture was poured in here -

- to complete the process.  The mixture gradually set and cooled, growing denser as it spun.  The process was downright hypnotic.

Rob checks out a piece of equipment for checking out sugar levels.  Oh, steering clear of sugar?  Well, you can go sugar-free – but you’ll need roughly 9-10 times more of whatever chemical sugar substitute you use to achieve the same melting point.

Then, it was paddling time!

Once around the lake, James – then home.

We each took turns using the ice cream paddle to scoop the finished gelato out without breaking the machine, paddle, or our jaws.

Jodi shows us how it’s done.

Further tasting ensued.  James demonstrated the correct way to spoon a sample, using a sideways swipe that yielded roughly 3-4 times more gelato than the the more traditional straightforward scoop.  We sampled one of his newest, a Limoncello Cheesecake gelato that was so good I ended up buying myself another scoop after the class ended.

We also sampled the greatest pistachio gelato I’ve ever had made from the world’s greatest pistachio’s (Bronte pistachios that are the most expensive of expensive Sicilian pistachio’s which are, in turn, the most expensive of Italian pistachio’s which are, in turn, the most expensive of the world’s pistachios).

Akemi is rewarded for her learning skills.  And cute apron.

Fun, informative and, above all, delicious!

Screw television.  I’m going to Gelato University!

Welcome to Bella Gelateria – Home of Old-World Handcrafted Gelato

Twitter

Tagged: Bella Gelateria, Gelato, Gelato 101, ice cream, James Coleridge

March 15, 2013: Things Stargate!

Every so often, I like to check out this blog’s site stats to get a sense of the daily visits, most popular posts and, most interestingly of all, what leads people to check out this little corner on the internet.  In the case of the latter, if you go by recent search engine terms, it’s “Stargate”, “Joseph Mallozzi”, and “Julia Benson” – and not necessarily in that order.  Site stats also include  a rundown of Top Referrer’s who have provided links to this blog.  They’re usually fairly vague – facebook, google image search, etc – but, occasionally, they’re quite specific.   Like, yesterday, when I clicked on one of the Referrer links and ended up on Reddit where somebody asked: Does anyone have some deck plans for Prometheus?  Another user offered the following advice: “Joe Mallozzi used to be a writer/producer on SG-1 back in the day. He has a blog where he occasionally posts pictures of set blueprints. I’ve seen him post a bunch of set blueprints from Atlantis, but you might get lucky and find some Daedalus/Prometheus stuff. Gonna take a lot of digging though.”

Yes, admittedly, a time consuming process.  According to Site Stats (again), this will be my 2 333rd post.  That IS a lot of digging. UNLESS, you have an affable executive producer willing to take the time to wade through the mountain of Art Department handouts he received over the years in search of Prometheus schematics.

Sadly, I don’t have anything in the way of an actual ship plan.  I’m not even sure if one was ever drafted but, even if it was, that would have been during the SG-1 days, long before I started collecting these pre-production mementos.  However, I DID find a few Daedalus-related plans which, I hope, will prove somewhat helpful because – here’s a secret: the Prometheus was the Daedalus was the Odyssey was the Apollo was the Korolev!  They were the same sets and, for design purposes, the same ships.  When it came time to shoot them, however, one was able to distinguish them in a variety of ways: besides specific crews, there were the distinguishing plaques that adorned the walls. In addition, the lighting on the various bridges differed.  From what I recall, the Apollo was slightly blue while the Daedalus was slightly green.  The Prometheus, I believe, was white.

Anyway, this is what I was able to dig up:

From The Kindred Part 1 Art Department package: The Daedalus Bridge, Corridors, and Mess Hall.  Note the reminder to swap out the Apollo plaque for a Daedalus plaque.  Also note the reminder to repair/restore the section of the Mess Hall damaged during “Ark of Truth”.  Was it damaged in an actual scene in the movie or did Director Robert Cooper kick a crew member through the wall?  Again.  I don’t recall.

The Daedalus Bridge from the Be All My Sins Remember’d Art Department package.

Daedalus Engineering, also from the Be All My Sins Remember’d Art Department package.  Note the additions of Asgard tech that came with the last engineer, Hermoid, in Siege 3.  Also note the use of the term “gak”, used to refer to circuitry/wires/panels – essentially, cool, high-tech looking “ship innards”.

Sadly, that’s it.  BUT, I did find this cool layout of the Midway station:

 

Some interesting comments to yesterday’s blog entry “March 14, 2013: Veronica Mars fans are finally getting their movie! So when are Stargate fans getting THEIR movie?”  A few thoughts on your thoughts:

Matt writes: “Would a CG/Green screen set be more affordable now?”

Answer: Hmmm.  How shall I put this?  The problem with green screen sets is that they look like…green screen sets.

stargateatlantisseasonsix writes: “Have you ever thought of asking the fans to donate their abilities in effects making, set building, make-up and prosthetics, etc. for just the simple exchange of putting their names in the credits at the end. I don’t know a single fan that wouldn’t be estatic to see their name or see their work on the official film.”

Answer: While I’m sure many talented and dedicated fans would do wonderful jobs, there are agreements in place that require a production engage the services of unionized professionals – individuals with proper training and experience.  I’d argue that, at the end of the day, you’re better off hiring someone who has made a living building that sturdy set.

Emily H. writes: “And just as a side note, when the fans brought Farscape back from the dead, they did it with a 4-hour miniseries, complete with an epic story, space battles and astonishing special effects — all to the tune of about $20 million dollars. I may be an optimist, but I think that’s doable.”

Answer: Well, okay.  The fans did bring back Farscape with that 4-hour miniseries – but, in all fairness, they didn’t foot that bill to the tune of $20 million dollars.

Chris L writes: “Can someone please send MGM an email?”

Answer: Oh I’m sure MGM is receiving plenty of emails from Stargate fans.  It’ll be interesting to see if they receive enough to reconsider their options… 

March 14, 2013: Veronica Mars fans are finally getting their movie! So when are Stargate fans getting THEIR movie?

This was the question many Stargate fans were asking themselves yesterday after news broke of the astounding success of the Veronica Mars kickstarter campaign.

For those of you who haven’t heard, series creator Rob Thomas approached Warner Bros. about making a Veronica Mars movie. According to Thomas: “Their reaction was, if you can show there’s enough fan interest to warrant a movie, we’re on board.”  Well, the fans stepped up and demonstrated their interest, pledging $1 million dollars (in a record 4 hours and 24 minutes) to the project’s kickstarter campaign [http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/13/technology/veronica-mars-kickstarter/index.html].  And, last time I checked, over 47000 backers had pledged close to 3 million dollars, about a million dollars over their goal – and this is only day #2 of their month-long drive! [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project].

It’s awesome news for Veronica Mars fans that has also energized fandom in general.  Already, loyal viewers are asking about their own favorite shows ['Veronica Mars' Movie Funded...Could a 'Chuck' Movie be Next?! (Poll)].  Could a similar strategy work for us?  Well, I suppose it depends.

Over at Forbes.com, Paul Tassi asks: “How did a show that’s been off the air for eight years raise two million dollars in barely half a day?”, and then proceeds to break down exactly how they pulled it off [http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/03/14/how-exactly-did-veronica-mars-fund-a-movie-in-ten-hours/].  It offers great insight – and food for thought.

So how successful could a Stargate movie campaign prove if it attempted to follow the successful five-step strategy he outlines?  Well, according to Paul, “There are a number of factors at work here, and they’re worth exploring in order to understand if this kind of thing can or will happen again…”

1. The fanbase must be religiously devoted

Check.  There’s no doubt the Stargate fanbase is still strong and more than willing to support the franchise as evidenced by their continued involvement on fansites like Save Stargate Universe | Facebook, GateWorld | Your Complete Guide to Stargate!, and Stargate Solutions.

2. Get everyone on board ahead of time

Okay, proper planning is key but, in this case, it requires MUCH consideration.  In the case of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell approached the studio and cast first, and THEN started their campaign. Which is, of course, what would be required here.  So, how interested would MGM be in a Stargate movie?  That’s the biggest question.  And the answer all comes down to economics.  Would it be worth their while (aka – not only financially feasible but lucrative)?  Will the potential rewards outweigh the risks?  Five years ago, the answer would have been  a resounding “Yes!” given the fact that Ark of Truth and Continuum surpassed expectations.  But, of course, that was before the bottom fell out of the DVD market.  Could alternate viewing platforms make up the shortfall?  Streaming?  Broadcasters?  Maybe the big screen treatment?

Which brings us to another question – “What does MGM have planned for Stargate? – because, let’s face it, as one of their most successful franchises, it’s not going to lie fallow for long.  Do they already have something in the works?

But, for the sake of argument, let’s say, it’s a best case scenario for fans of SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe.  The studio proves amenable to the idea.  Next up is ensuring we have a cast in place.  So, which cast? SG-1?  Atlantis?  Universe?  Or would it be a selective amalgamation of all three (which was Brad Wright’s original idea for an SGU movie)?

3. Offer rewards people want

Now this one is much easier to deliver on.  I, for one, would be more than happy to send you a signed script, arrange a set visit, or deck you out in prosthetics before blasting you out an airlock if it would ensure your support.

4. Leverage social media

Are you kidding?  Stargate fans are the kings (and queens) of social media.  We’ll get word to them and they’ll get word to EVERYONE.

And finally 5. Understand that not everyone will be able to do this

Why not?  Well, some former cast members may well be too busy to participate (Robert Carlyle now stars on Once Upon A Time while Jason Momoa has been burning up Hollywood post-SGA) while others may have simply moved on.  Still, provided we manage to cross this particular bridge as well, there’s the question of money.  To put it bluntly, we would need A LOT more money to produce a Stargate movie.  A LOT more to pay for the construction of new sets (alas, the Destiny, Atlantis, and Stargate Command are no more and would have to be rebuilt from scratch) and visual effects (I haven’t read the script, but it’s unlikely the Veronica Mars movie will feature much in the way of space battles), not to mention other related costs like cast, crew, and the onset aerobics instructor for my pug, Bubba.

So, conservatively, three out of five aint bad – unless you’re looking to make a Stargate movie in which case it aint good either.  Even if you could convince MGM to get onboard – and that’s a mighty big IF – there’s still the matter of the amount of money that would be required to produce a scifi movie.  How much?  Well, ballpark, I’d say significantly more than the 3 million dollars the Veronica Mars campaign has raised to date, but somewhat less than the $39 million dollars the Forbes article claims Serenity cost.

Certainly not impossible but, damn, them’s long odds!

Tagged: Atlantis, film & television, science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television, SG-1, SGA, SGU, Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate: SG-1, Universe