Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 537

June C, 2011: Five film/t.v. projects I'm looking forward to!

Despite the fact that I work in television, I don't watch a lot of t.v.  I could say it's because I'm incredibly busy (which I am) but the truth is that, given the choice, I'd much rather read, cook, work-out, or spend quality time with my dogs.  I do, however, manage to make time for some my favorites (House, Top Chef, Spartacus, and the occasional HBO offerings), squeezing in a viewing while exercising or before lights-out – which is more than can be said for my movie-watching.  After building a home theater, I decided to never again visit a theater and, instead, chose to wait for films of interest to come out on dvd – until the introduction of blu-ray effectively dissuaded me from ever buying another dvd (much less a blu-ray player which, I assumed, would, in turn, be rendered obsolete by the next big thing so why bother?).  As a result, I would be completely lost in any dinner party conversation that shifted to Inception, Avatar, Toy Story 3, Star Trek, and every James Bond installment since Golden Eye.

Still, despite my seeming disinterest, every once in a while the announcement of an upcoming project will pique my interest.  And, occasionally, I may even get downright excited at the prospect of actually checking something out.

What follows is my list of the Top 5 Projects (some in development, some in production) I Most Look Forward To…

Seth McFarlane's reboot of The Flintstones

After much back-and-forth, a deal has finally been struck that will allow the Family Guy creator to reboot The Flinstones – and I couldn't be happier.  To those of you who say Seth McFarlane is going to ruin The Flinstones, I say: "Did you watch The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show? Or The Flintstone Comedy Hour?  Or every t.v. special, television movie, and live action feature film made since the original show went off the air in 1966?"  Hell, some purists will even argue that the show jumped the shark with the introduction of Pebbles at the end of its third season.   In my mind, there's no better candidate to bring back television's first prime time, politically incorrect animated series than McFarlane.  His sense of humor is perfectly suited to recapturing the show's original adult sensibility.

The live-action version of Noir

I'm admittedly torn on this one.  On the one hand, I can't wait to see what Sam Raimi and co. do with one of my top ten favorite anime of all time; on the other hand, I'm bummed that I wasn't fast enough in snapping up the rights when they were available.  This styling series about two young, female assassins and the mysterious order they work for was one of several anime properties I identified for potential live-action treatment.  Alas, my commitment to Stargate kept me from seriously pursuing it but, all the same, it looks like the property is in good hands.  Don't know how they plan on translating Noir for a North American audience but so long as they make liberal use Yuki Kajiura's soundtrack for the original anime, they can't go wrong.

Powers

One of my favorite comic book series is poised to hit the small screen. Focusing on Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, partners in homicide investigations involving superpowered individuals, the graphic novels are whip smart and a lot of fun.  Don't know much about the prospective series beside the fact that it will premiere on FX, but the fact that writer Brian Michael Bendis is listed as an Executive Producer gives me confidence the production will do right by its source material.

World War Z: The Movie

Tired of zombies yet?  No, me neither provided they're done right – and author Max Brooks did them all sorts of right in his book, a collection of first-person accounts of the zombie apocalypse.  Clever, frightening, and incredibly engaging given the personal nature of a lot of the interviews – a must-read for any fan of the horror sub-genre. Translating Brooks' unique narrative will no doubt prove a challenge but I'm cautiously optimistic….

Transporter: The Series

Loved the movies for the creative fight sequences and the overall sense of fun that pervaded the action, so when I heard they were going to be doing a television series based on the film franchise, I was interested. And when my agent called to say they wanted Paul and I to showrun – well, I was REALLY interested. European production is already underway while main unit photography kicks off here in North America in July.  The early footage looks great, the scripts are tight, the cast is terrific, and the production is stacked with talent.  Fans of the movies will not be disappointed!

Tagged: Brian Michael Bendis, FX, HBO/Cinemax, Max Brooks, Noir, Powers, Sam Raimi, Seth MacFarlane, Starz, The Flintstones, The Transporter, Transporter, Transporter: The Series, World War Z

June 18, 2011: Set construction begins on Transporter: The Series! Looking back on Stargate: SG-1′s ninth season! Links!

Since work has commenced on the standing sets for Transporter: The Series, fellow Executive Producer Alexander M. Ruemelin and I figured the least we could do was swing by and check out the work-in-progress before redirecting funds and manpower to construction on the sundecks of our new cottages in Muskoka.

Hey, look! It's Frank's place!

Series Director Andy Mikita (who you may remember from such shows as Stargates SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe) says "Tadaa!" (or "Chadaa!" for those of you in Japan).

Stairs leading up to...upstairs! Where else?

Sarah documents everything from the future lawsuit.

The room where Frank keeps his collectibles (ie. comics, Randy Bowen supervillain statues, etc.).

Not sure. Fireplace? I tried testing it out but only got as far as lighting the kindling before I was tackled and escorted off the premises.

Alex presides over construction, offering such helpful input as "Let's move everything two feet that way.".

And…

Tarconi's office.

Getting back to my reminiscing on Stargate: SG-1′s ninth season…

STRONGHOLD (914)

In this episode, a Jaffa undergoes the Rite of M'al Sharran to rid himself of his symbiote – and dies in the process.  The rite was performed a grand total of three times before and only one of those instances proved successful (Teal'c being the rare exception).  Them 25% odds are pretty bleak.  Compare to the Tok'ra extraction process which, if the Tok'ra are to be believed, has a better but still iffy 50% success rate.  Paul and I called BS on that.  Every time we could remember it being performed, it worked beautifully, so it seemed to be more like 100%.  Which brings to mind one of the many amusing stories from our early days on the show.  Way back when we first started on Stargate, Paul and I wanted to know more about this Tok'ra extraction process.  Brad suggested we check out an episode called Pretense.  Apparently, all we needed to know about the extraction process was covered in that episode.  And so, Paul and I fired up the VCR and sat through forty-five minutes of Stargate's version of Boston Legal and Zipacna walking around with a Carmen Miranda headpiece and, all the while we kept wondering: "When are they going to get around to extraction process?!".  Then, as the episode was drawing to an end, the character of Skaara was ordered to undergo the "extraction process".  Finally!  I was all sorts of curious.  Would it be a surgical procedure or something much techier and advanced?  Would Skaara be awake through the procedure?  If so, how would he react?  So many questions about to be answered!  We watched as the court made its ruling, then watched a time cut to the next scene in which the tok'ra trot out the goa'uld symbiote and proclaim the extraction process a success!  End episode.  WTF?!!!
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention guest star Reed Diamond who plays the part of Mitchell's doomed buddy in the episode.  The former Homicide lead turns in a brilliant performance and, for the record, was terrific to work with.

ETHON (915)

This episode marked the last episode of the earth ship Prometheus, and its unfortunately named commander Pendergast.  To be honest, I would have felt a lot worse for him had he been named, say, Evans or Fitzgerald or even Pangbourn – but Pendergast?  Whenever his name came up in a script, I would always ask where the name came from.  Did some fan win a contest that necessitated we use their name in a script?  Close!  Apparently, Pendergast was the last name of a friend of one of the writers.  With Stargate over, I now regret the fact that I didn't name one of my characters Jelly.

OFF THE GRID (916)

Look out!  That corn is highly addictive!  Ah, sweet sweet Kassa.  How you've been mocked, forced to share ignominious conversation company with the likes of explosive tumors, Zipacna's silly hat, and Carter infamous "Just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle" line.  Granted, it was one of our sillier episodes that saw the team going undercover decked out as extras from The Road Warrior while, back on Earth, Landry matched wits with the gluttonous goa'uld Nerus (played to pompous perfection by the late Maury Chaykin).  At one point during the editing process, Brad objected to the amount of food Nerus had in his cell on the grounds that it was "over the top".  !  In my mind, that ship sailed the second Mitchell uttered the line: "Get all the population jonesing for space corn."

Speaking of silly – a number of fans complained about the fact that the Lucian Alliance weren't cool enough, that they were a little too silly to be considered a formidable threat to Stargate Command.  Well, to be fair, respect was admittedly an uphill climb considering the concept of the Alliance was introduced by these two lovable members -

Longtime blog regular Paul O'Dwyer gives our little Book of the Month Club a shout-out in the Irish Times (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2011/0618/1224298893096.html).  Thanks to Paul for the mention.  And a reminder that July's book of the month club  kicks off July 4th with a discussion of Jeff Lemire's Sweeth Tooth (volume 1) -

A heads up from another blog regular, Steve Eramo, who has just posted a recent interview with actor David Hewlett (SGA's Rodney McKay) here: http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/scifiandtvtalk/2011/06/stargate-atlantis-david-hewlett-checks-in.html

And, of course, opening this weekend: Remember Green Lantern?  Sure you do!

Tagged: SG-1, Stargate, Stargate: SG-1, Transporter: The Series

June 17, 2011: I've become that crazy dog guy my writing partner warned me about. And barbecue! Oh, and the weekend alarm sounds early!

With Fondy heading out of town for the week, Akemi and I assumed temporary possession of her house.  And dogs, Brie and Stewie.  As a result, we'll be hosting a veritable pooch party for the next little while…

From left to right: Lulu, Brie, Stewie, Jelly, Bubba, and Maximus. But you eagle-eyed observers already knew that.

Stewie and Brie, all bummed after mom left.

They're tough guys, but they do stick together.

Bubba settles in for the long haul.

Lulu is always in play mode, regardless of locale.

Stewie makes himself comfortable.

Brie doesn't seem to mind subbing as a seat cushion.

Lulu and Bubba practice their tennis spectator look.

Jelly enjoying the great outdoors.

Maximus doing what Maximus does best.

Jelly and Brie getting reacquainted.

Slow progress on the script rewrite front.  It seems that whenever I sit down to tackle Act III, I'm distracted by meetings, requests for 1 liners, 5 liners, character descriptions and approvals.  I finally put everything to bed and redirected my focus to the rewrite – only to have Trevor walk in with a first draft of Carl's new script.

Thanks a lot, CARL!!!!!!!

Things were much brighter on the lunch front today.  Following a somber offering of pasta so thoroughly cooked that fully fifty percent of blind taste testers would have certainly identified it as wallpaper paste, we got barbecue today!

Finally, something Alexander and I can agree on!

Best brisket sandwiches ever! Barque Smokehouse!

Later in the afternoon, I finally sat down to work on that rewrite.  And then, just as I was about to start, an alarm that sounded very much like Donald Sutherland in the last shot of Invasion of the Body Snatchers went off – only a hell of a lot louder…

Not sure what the problem was, but I suspected it may have had something to do with THIS -

Got some great photos of series director Andy Mikita in action, manning the fire hydrant but, alas, none of the pics came out (time for a new camera).  Anyway, after being informed the fire department had been called, I decided to leave early – not to go home, mind you, but to double-check and make sure the firemen were, in fact, on the way.  Also, as I explained to Andy, I probably wouldn't be back because, as so often happens in these situations, I invariably end up staying to help volunteer put out a few fires before eventually calling it a night.  I'm just that kind of guy.

Tagged: french bulldogs, pugs

June 16, 2011: That was one night I'm glad I wasn't in Vancouver for! Dinner with Alexander and Sarah! Another class field trip! Lunch so bad I want to punch the chef in the face!

Yesterday, Akemi and I joined Alexander and Sarah for lunch at Terroni Restaurant on Adelaide Street.

Alex and Sarah putting up with the requisite pre-meal photo op.

Facing off against Akemi and me!

The pizza was fine, the pasta was cold, but the clear high point of the night was the surrounding decor.  Specifically THIS ill-advised piece of art (?):

I think this particular piece is called: "Making an example of potential collaborators". Enjoy your meal!

After dinner, I went home, worked out, watched part of the hockey game, grew disillusioned, then walked the dogs and started reading Charles Yu's How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe.  It wasn't until this morning that I heard about the riots.  What amazed me was not so much the fact that these assholes would be stupid enough to loot and destroy property, but that they'd be stupid enough to pose for pictures or brag about it on their facebook pages.

Would love to see all three of these douchebags face charges.

As for the game itself – meh.  There's no denying the best goalie and best team won.  Although Vegas had the Canucks favored to win last night (-160 to the Bruins +140), one has to remember that the guys who set the odds do so ever-mindful of, not who they think will win, but who the betting public thinks will win. In other words, people were putting money on the Canucks to win, no doubt betting with their hearts and making Vancouver a pricey favorite…much to the delight of Bruin fans who ended up making $40 on every $100 bet.

No doubt feeling the pressure to come up with consistently creative bento breakfasts, Akemi delivered this little culinary masterpiece this morning…

I didn't have much time to appreciate it though because, today, we were off on another location scout for Transporter: The Series…

Alexander, rarin' to go!

Tim Owen, Location Manager by day, Sears model by night.

First stop = Creepy hospital location.

While the rest of the survey moves on, I'm prepped for surgery.

They're labeled now because I always used to get them confused.

Okay. Let's make it quick.

I'll take one from column A and two from column B. I would also request a sneak peek at the dessert board.

No hospital would be complete without a basement prison.

Tim Bider is locked up until he finishes designing the interior of Frank's house.

Hate to say it, but Alex seems quite at home.

The almost perfect spiral parkade ramp.

Alexander is Vitamin D deficient and, sadly, also lacks the ability to separate good food from bad.

We returned to the Production Offices late - and hungry. Awaiting us was THIS.

Pasta so offensively bad I wanted to punch the chef in the face.

Alex on the other hand...

I ended up tossing my lunch and going out for a burger…

My Gourmet Burger burger with tomato, lettuce, mayo, mushrooms, and caramelized onions.

That's it.  I'm going to have to start going out for lunch!

Tagged: Bento, Cute Food, Transporter: The Series

June 15, 2011: Bento Breakfast! Transporter: The Series production update! Stargate fans still fighting!

Today's bento breakfast, compliments of Akemi.  It gave me the much-needed energy I needed to watch the dailies from the European shoot while listening to tracks upon tracks of potential music for our new show, Transporter: The Series.  Some truly amazing footage coming in from Berlin and Nice.  Fantastic work on the part of our European crew led by Camille Delamarre and Stephane Leloutre, with Exec. Producer Klaus Zimmerman overseeing the action.  Grab a sneak peek (and brush up on your French) by checking out the video…

And the accompanying article: http://www.nicematin.com/article/cinema/tournage-course-poursuite-sur-la-promenade-des-anglais

Speaking of interesting articles, I received the following from former Stargate Production Coordinator Tanja Balic: http://blogs.forbes.com/michaelhumphrey/2011/06/13/dude-and-50k-friends-serious-about-saving-stargate-universe/

Can't tell you how touching it is to read that fan efforts are still ongoing despite what most (myself included) consider very long odds.  According to Tanja, half of the FX stage (that once held the village and hive ship sets) is filled with stuff from the shows.  I believe there will be a public sale of items this Friday and Saturday.  Sad, sad, sad.  :(

Back on the Transporter front – today, I continued work on the rewrite of my second episode.  Also, got together with rest of the writing team to discuss: Frank's watch (are we going with the Panerai from the movies?), spinning and breaking the final three episodes, and the fact that we could save ourselves a lot of time and energy by just casting Carl Binder as Dieter the mechanic.  He'd be perfect!

A little bit of a panic over on the neighboring Little Mosque on the Prairie production offices when a french bulldog named Norman went missing this afternoon. A search team was organized and I was just about to head out myself when I received word that, happily, Norman had been found safe and sound, in the building, sleeping under someone's chair.  Whew!  Reminds of the time we first got Jelly.  She was so tiny that, when Fondy and I came back from a night out and couldn't find her, we initially assumed that one of the cats had eaten her.  After a thorough search of the premises (and several dirty looks at the feline onlookers) we eventually found Jelly curled up in the lining of the underside of the living room couch.  The incident turned out to be a hint of what was to come.  I can't tell you how many times we panicked, assuming Jelly had somehow escaped and was running wild in the neighborhood, only to discover her tucked away in the back of a closet, snoozing away, oblivious to the pandemonium.

Off to dinner with Alexander and Sarah tonight for a multicultural double-date that will see representatives from France, Japan, Germany, and Canada in attendance.  And we're going out for Italian!

June 14, 2011: Ripple Effect! The deleted scenes!

Of all the scripts I've written/co-written over the course of my 11+ years on the Stargate franchise (some 70+ scripts in all), season 9′s Ripple Effect remains my favorite.  It had all of the elements I love most in a story: humor, twists on classic SF tropes, character insight, What If's, twists, turns, and a slew of in-jokes, call-backs, and winks to the audience (for the rest of my  Stargate Top 10: August 15, 2010: MY Top 10 Favorite Stargate Episodes).  I ended up packing so much into the script that the episode ran long and, as a result, a significant amount ended up on the cutting room floor (or on the page).  Although I posted these deleted scenes as part of my Making Of series on Gateworld way back when, I thought it would be fun to revisit them here as I continue my stroll down SG-1 memory lane…

Scene 1: Landry and Lam

In the episode as aired, the action begins with Landry stepping into the control room off Harriman's "Unscheduled off-world activation!" In fact, the episode was scripted to begin with a Landry-Lam walk and talk. After their reconciliation of sorts at the end of "The Fourth Horseman," I thought it important to show father and daughter finally starting to connect. With that in mind, I wrote the following scene which, unfortunately, had to be cut for time. Incidentally, it was also a nod to the infamous "Cheyenne Mountain Zoo" controversy of Season Eight -

INT. CORRIDOR – SGC — DAY

Landry and Dr. Lam head down the corridor. As they walk, Dr. Lam references the medical update file and informs Landry -

DR. LAM: I'm recommending Dr. Reinhart be cleared for return to active duty. Lieutenant Parker's x-rays came back negative, but Colonel May suffered a fractured fibula that should keep him out of action for a while. And it turns out that rash Sergeant Hunter thought he had picked up off-world was — um, definitely not of alien origin.

She hands him the update. He gives it a once-over, throws her a sideways glance.

LANDRY: What are you doing Sunday?

DR. LAM: No plans. Why?

LANDRY: Want to go check out the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo?

DR. LAM: You know, come to think of it, the last time I visited a zoo was with you. I believe I was ten.

LANDRY: They're not just for kids you know.

DR. LAM: No, I know. Alright. Sunday.

LANDRY: Great. While we're there, we can take a ride on the Shongololo Choo Choo.

Off her look.

LANDRY: I'm kidding.

She smiles despite herself. Suddenly, the ALARMS SOUND.

HARRIMAN: Unscheduled off-world activation.

Scene 10: The Green Team steps through the gate to end the tease

With all of the different versions of SG-1 coming through the gate, the various departments were as confused as our onscreen heroes. In a revised version, I was careful to label each team by the color of their outfits: Green for the real team, Desert Camo for Janet/Martouf team, Tiger Blue's for the team that steps through the gate at the end of Act I, and, of course, Black for the bad guys.

Now, one of the things I'm sure the nitpickers will seize upon is the change in uniform. The real SG-1 left in greens yet the first return team comes back in black. Surely someone would have noticed. Maybe — but, in reality, probably not. SG-1 could have headed off-world a day or two prior to returning and there's no guarantee the same personnel would be manning the gate room.

Scene 13: Mitchell interviews Black Daniel

I had a lot of fun layering in subtle hints at the various AU relationships, and this was an opportunity to drop a clue about Mitchell and a certain someone-else. Unfortunately, in trimming the episode, the following exchange was lost for time.

Black Daniel takes a sip. Green Mitchell settles in, taking the seat across from him.

GREEN MITCHELL: So, can I get you anything else? Something to eat?

Black Daniel sizes Green Mitchell up, considers, then tests him -

BLACK DANIEL: Know what I feel like? The ginger beef from Hunan House.

Clearly, Green Mitchell doesn't know what he's talking about.

BLACK DANIEL: Hunan House on Academy Boulevard? Your favorite Szechwan restaurant? The first place you and …

GREEN MITCHELL: Me and …?

BLACK DANIEL: Never mind. Check it out. I have a feeling you'll love it.

Scene 20: Tiger Blue SG-1 come through the gate to end Act I

Alternate takes of the team coming through the gate included a confused Tiger Blue Mitchell asking "What the frell is going on here?!" and "What the frak is going on here?!"

Scene 25: Green Mitchell interviews Desert Camo Daniel

This entire scene was lost for time, but it included a reference to this particular AU Daniel's allergies, and a reference to his still very-much-alive wife -

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM #2 — DAY

Green Mitchell is seated across the table from Desert Camo Daniel. A glass of water and a pill dispenser sit in front of Desert Camo Daniel.

DESERT CAMO DANIEL: So how do we get back to our reality?

GREEN MITCHELL: We don't know yet, but we're working on it. In the meantime, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Desert Camo Daniel nods. Green Mitchell turns on the tape recorder sitting on the table. Desert Camo Daniel opens up the pill dispenser, pops a couple, and washes them down. Off Green Mitchell's look -

DESERT CAMO DANIEL: Antihistamines. I have terrible allergies.

Green Mitchell nods, moves on -

GREEN MITCHELL: Where were you gating in from?

DESERT CAMO DANIEL: Abydos, my wife's home world. With her help and the support of our friends there, we were going to try and capture a Prior. But things didn't go as planned …

Scene 26: Green Daniel and Green Teal'c interview Desert Camo Fraiser

This was a great little scene reuniting Teal'c and Daniel with Fraiser (albeit an alternate version of the good doctor). Again, due to time constraints, we had to lose some references to Cassie. Here is the exchange as originally scripted:

GREEN TEAL'C: You have been greatly missed.

Suddenly, she realizes -

DESERT CAMO FRAISER: How's Cassie?

GREEN DANIEL: She's fine. She moved in with Sam after it happened.

DESERT CAMO FRAISER: I can't imagine what she must have gone through.

GREEN DANIEL: It was tough for her — but she got through it. She managed to deal with her loss by focusing on her studies.(beat) She's majoring in Biochemistry at UCLA.

Desert Camo Fraiser can't help but smile.

DESERT CAMO FRAISER: She's doing well back home too.(then, catching herself) I mean — my home.

GREEN TEAL'C: Hopefully you will be able to return to her shortly.

DESERT CAMO FRAISER: Hopefully?

GREEN DANIEL: For the moment, it looks like your trip here was only one-way.

Scene 28: Green Carter talks with Desert Camo Martouf

This scene, as aired, actually picks up in the middle of the scene as shot. We had to cut about a minute of Carter getting this AU Martouf up-to-speed on how events played out in this reality -

INT. CAFETERIA – SGC — DAY

Green Carter and Desert Camo Martouf re-connect.

DESERT CAMO MARTOUF: So I died, not once but twice?

GREEN CARTER: The second time was the symbiote, Lantash. He gave up his life by allowing himself to be captured so he could release the symbiote poison aboard a mother ship. The first time…(beat) The first time was the host. You were compromised by a Goa'uld mind control device. I killed you. I had no choice.

She tries to read him. His look betrays nothing.

GREEN CARTER: You died in my arms.

DESERT CAMO MARTOUF: Well, if I had to go …

She is surprised by his reaction.

GREEN CARTER: It doesn't upset you at all?

DESERT CAMO MARTOUF: Why should it? With all due respect to you and the Martouf of this reality — it wasn't me. I'm very much alive.

GREEN CARTER: (concedes)I suppose there is no reason why it should bother you.

DESERT CAMO MARTOUF: I didn't say it didn't bother me. To be honest, the prospect of you killing me is very unsettling.

Again, she tries to read him.

GREEN CARTER: So … How are things in your universe?

Scene 30: Kvasir, Landry, and Green SG-1 discuss a possible solution

In the original script, the scene ended with Landry's "Shut this thing down." However, Ben came by my office and requested Mitchell make some sort of comment on Kvasir. This was, after all, the first time his character had ever laid eyes on an Asgard — something the other members of the team now take for granted. After giving it some thought, I decided to parallel Sheppard's reaction to Hermiod in "Intruder" -

GREEN MITCHELL: Even though I read all the mission reports, the Asgard are a whole lot different than I'd imagined them.

GREEN TEAL'C: And what were you expecting?

GREEN MITCHELL: Well, pants for starters.

Scene 33: Desert Camo Fraiser makes her case before General Landry

Thematically, this was, in my opinion, the linchpin scene of the entire script. Throughout the episode, we're offered glimpses of the hardships faced by the various AU realities and the seemingly insurmountable odds they are facing. The question begs asking: To what lengths would you be willing to go to save your Earth? In the case of Black SG-1, they're obviously willing to go very far — but that doesn't make them bad people.

In fact, in the later scene on the Prometheus in which Black Mitchell explains to Green Mitchell why they're doing what they're doing, its very hard not to feel some sympathize with his position. It's clear that when push comes to shove, sacrifices will be made as evidenced by Landry's refusal to delay the mission, thereby stranding these various AU SG-1′s and potentially damning their realities. As Fraiser rightly argues in this scene: "How can you prioritize the lives of one group over those of another? What makes my Earth any less important than yours?"

Scene 38: Black Mitchell and Black Carter scheme and disappear into the elevator

We were watching the dailies of this scene over lunch one day when I saw something that made me choke on my turkey club. In more than one take, Black Mitchell and Black Carter discuss as they head toward the elevator and then, inexplicably, take one another's hand and step inside. As the elevator doors close, they lean in for a kiss … What the hell? I went down to set and asked Peter DeLuise, the episode's director, what the thinking was behind that scene. He explained that he was just offering up a visual cue to the relationship being hinted at throughout the episode.

Apparently, Peter had assumed that the references to AU Mitchell's dinner at the Hunan House (which didn't make the cut), AU Carter's pregnancy and honeymoon, all pointed to the fact that these two were "an item." An interesting interpretation I'd never thought of — and not the one intended.

Scene 40: Green Daniel and Black Teal'c walk and talk / Green Daniel and Green Teal'c walk and talk

Hated to lose these scenes as they contained a bit of foreshadowing re: a later Season Nine episode. Also, it was fun exploring the feelings of the various SG-1 members to their AU selves, and I liked contrasting the Teal'c's discomfort and refusal to talk with one another with the Mitchell's great comfort and animated exchange.

INT. CORRIDOR – PROMETHEUS

Green Daniel and Black Teal'c head down the corridor.

BLACK TEAL'C: In truth, the familiar aspects of this world have proven more disquieting than comforting. This ship in particular.

GREEN DANIEL: How's that?

BLACK TEAL'C: In our reality, the Prometheus was recently lost in battle.

Before Green Daniel has a chance to follow up with a question, the real Teal'c (Green Teal'c) turns the corner in front of them. He informs Green Daniel -

GREEN TEAL'C: We should be arriving at the singularity shortly.

BLACK TEAL'C: I will inform the others.

As Black Teal'c moves off, he and Green Teal'c exchange the briefest of looks. Green Daniel and Green Teal'c make for the bridge.

GREEN DANIEL: Can't help but notice you and the other Teal'c haven't exchanged a word since he got here.

GREEN TEAL'C: Why would I wish to engage him in conversation?

GREEN DANIEL:I don't know. You guys must have a lot in common.

GREEN TEAL'C: So much so that I'd imagine it would be not unlike talking to myself. I fail to see the point.

GREEN DANIEL: Okay. Never mind.

They continue on their way.

Scene 54: Black Daniel suffers a crisis of conscience

Here's another scene I hated to lose. The Black Team has just sprung their trap, assuming control of the ship. But I wanted to make it clear that, rather than being evil versions of SG-1, this team has simply been pushed to the point where they have no other option if they are to save their galaxy. But it doesn't sit well with Daniel who, ever the voice of reason, even in an alternate universe, makes his feelings known.

INT. CORRIDOR – PROMETHEUS

Black Mitchell rejoins the rest of his team waiting out in the corridor.

BLACK MITCHELL: Alright. We did good.

BLACK DANIEL: Did we?

Black Daniel walks away. Black Carter moves to go after him, but Black Mitchell stops her.

BLACK MITCHELL: I've got it.

He goes after him.

BLACK MITCHELL: Jackson, hold up!

He catches up with him.

BLACK MITCHELL: What's wrong?

BLACK DANIEL: What's wrong? How about what we're doing. What we're about to do.

BLACK MITCHELL: Come on. We're not the bad guys here.

BLACK DANIEL: Oh. And you're telling me that they are?

BLACK MITCHELL: It isn't that easy on this one. There's no black or white here. Just a whole lot of grey.

Black Mitchell turns and steps in front of Black Daniel, stopping him.

BLACK MITCHELL: If there was any other way to save Earth, we wouldn't be here — but the fact is we're out of options and we're running out of time. So I'm sorry if our tactics don't mesh with your code of ethics, but we don't have a choice.

BLACK DANIEL: Yeah. I'm sorry too.

Black Daniel walks off. Black Mitchell glances back down the corridor at Black Carter and Black Teal'c watching. He slams his fist against the wall in frustration.

Tagged: SG-1, Stargate, Stargate: SG-1

June 13, 2011: Akemi's latest culinary creations! Food! Checking out one of the new cars! And, the new, improved, more cerebral me!

 

The other day, Akemi shifted her creative focus to eggs.  I almost didn't have the heart to eat my breakfast…

Dinner is my job on weekends and so, on Saturday, I took requests and made Akemi's favorite: Braised Short Ribs.

Sear them on all sides, make a mirepoix (onions, celery, carrots and herbs), then add port and reduce.  Actually, the recipe calls for a half cup of port and two cups of red wine but I go full port, reducing a full bottle by half, then topping the whole with beef stock and popping it in the oven at 325 for four hours.

By the time it's done, it'll practically melt in your mouth.  I accompanied our meal with a selection of cheese:

Chateau de Bourgogne, Riopelle, and Pierre Robert. A celebration of triple-cremes!

Inspired by Throwdown with Bobby Flay, we decided to have a sandwich-off on Sunday.  I spent most of the day planning my sandwich and, when the time came, Akemi decided she would just eat mine…

Pan-fried oyster mushrooms, Berkshire pork bacon, caramelized onions, St. Andre triple creme cheese, avocado, and polish mayo on ciabatta.

Today, we welcomed one of the stars of our new show – Transporter: The Series – to Toronto…

I spent the day tweaking scripts, talking casting, and eating sushi so bland that I suspect it was ordered from "White Guy Sushi".  Oh, also picked up and modeled my new glasses for the girls in the office.  I thought they made me look more intellectual so I made it a point to wear them in meetings today, taking them off and thoughtfully chewing on the end piece whenever someone said anything remotely interesting.

Hey, it's a veritable Stargate reunion in Toronto.  First Rob Cooper, then Carl Binder and Martin Gero, and now two actors are headed thsi way.  Alaina Huffman (SGU's Tamara Johansen) will be here shooting a secret project (AlainaHuffman) while Michael Shanks (Michael Shanks Online – The Official Michael Shanks Website) comes to town to shoot a pilot (Saving Hope).  Congrats to both!  Looking forward to drinks, dinner, and having someone to pair off with all four dogs.

Tagged: Alaina Huffman, Michael Shanks, Saving Hope

June 12, 2011: Bubba update! Ivon Bartok hits Banff! Woofstock! Pugs eating ice cream! Mailbag!

Bubba update!  We took him back to the vet's for a second visit, this time getting him checked out by a second doctor.  We explained that he'd been quite lethargic of late and, every so often, was given to brief trembling bouts.  The vet informed us that this was a sign he was in pain and proceeded to test his range of motion: pushing, pulling, tapping, and tweaking.  Ultimately, he discovered that Bubba was displaying discomfort along his upper spine and shoulder area, suggesting he may have twisted or pulled something at daycare.  So now, he joins Jelly on the metacam train.  Hopefully he'll be back to his old high-strung self in a couple of weeks.

My friend (and former Stargate Special Features Producer) Ivon Bartok is on his way to Banff.  And what will he be doing in Banff?  This! =  http://www.banffmediafestival.com/deal-makers-live-with-jonathan-torrens.php#contestants  Ivon is one of the eight lucky finalists in Deal Makers Live competition that will see him present a 30 second on-stage pitch of an original show idea.  Ivon and his seven co-contestants will "go head-to-head in a high-profile, high-tech battle for the hearts and minds of both our expert panel and the live BANFF audience".  You can follow my buddy's progress here:  http://twitter.com/ivonbartok  Wish him luck!

Damn!  Visited a couple of the local comic book shops yesterday to discover the exclusive Randy Bowen Modok statue has sold out.  One less villain to add to the office decor.

Today, we took in Toronto's annual Woofstock festival with two of my four dogs.  Since Jelly has a hard time getting around due to her bad hips, and because Bubba is generally high-strung and anti-social in crowds, we elected to take Lulu and Maximus out for the day…

Akemi rarin' to go.

Lulu wonders "Where's the party at?"

Maximus. Totemo hansamu!

Dogs in silly outfits…

GO CANUCKS!!!

Dogs in strollers…

Pitbulls doing their best Hannibal Lecter…

And various sights…

Maximus - ten minutes in and he's already tired.

Cooling off on a hot day.

Lulu tests out the custom dog furniture on display.

Testing...

...testing...

Maximus helps.

Lulu sucks up for attention.

Check out that tongue! I think this pug is half frog.

Lulu cools off.

Akemi makes a new friend.

The St. Ignatius Pug Choir

Maximus wonders: "How much longer?".

Bored!

Stewie!

Meet 'n Greet!

Maximus is DONE!

Today's blog entry is dedicated to blog regular Lisa R.'s husband.  Well, she's the regular.  Anyway.  Good luck!

And GO MAVS!

Mailbag:

squishy writes: "

In Ripple Effect (one of my favorite episodes!) when the 'bad' SG1 team is leaving, the bad Mitchell turns around before the Stargate puddle and says to the 'good' Mitchell: 'When the time comes, cut the green one'. Enlighten me please?"

Answer: Among the notes I received on the script's first draft from my fellow writer-producers was a suggestion from Damian Kindler that alt. Mitchell should throw out a cryptic line like: "When the times comes, cut the green one.".  I loved the idea and put it in the script.  It wasn't a set-up to any specific pay-off but, having said that, it was something we certainly could have touched on had the show gone another season.

dasndanger writes: "I've been meaning to ask how your mom and sister are these days. Are they glad to have you closer to home?"

Answer: They're all fine.  I'll be seeing them this Christmas, provided they don't come up to visit me earlier.

fsmn36 writes: "I wondered about your thoughts on Marvel as a great comic book connoisseur. What were your favorite issues of X-Men (I figure you must have read some at one point)? Did you read the ones written by Joss Whedon? And ultimately…DC or Marvel?"

Answer: My passion for comic books ebbs and flows.  I'll pick up every title out there, then start dropping them as I lose interest.  Eventually, I'll drop the last one and go months without buying anything – then go out one day, pick up every title out there, and start over again.  My favorite X-Men were the new incarnation introduced in Uncanny X-Men #94/Giant Size X-Men #1 (well, "new" back then).  My favorite issues = #132-137, the end of the Hellfire Club storyline and the Dark Phoenix saga.  Haven't checked out Astonishing X-Men yet but have eyed the omnibus.  Recommended?  DC or Marvel?  Depends on who's writing.  TPB I'm reading now: Chew (Image), The Walking Dead (Image), Scalped (Vertigo), DMZ (Vertigo), Sweet Tooth (Vertigo), Secret Six (DC).

@iom666 writes: "How about cats ? Did you ever have a cat ? What do you think of 'them' ? "

Answer: I've had cats and love 'em as well.

Patricia-Stewart Bertrand writes: "My sister's dogs are terrified of rain, and thunder and spiders and cats. They are two very large and friendly Border Collies. Any suggestions to help them conquer their fears?"

Answer: Just sit with them, pet them, reassure them.  Having the t.v. on helps as well.

Sebastian Meyer writes: "So you write /block the chase and stunt sequences yourself as the episode's writer? Not all shows do that. How detailed do you get and did you do the same on Stargate?"

Answer: When writing a script, we do try to craft creative action sequences that will serve as a launch point for our stunt coordinators.  Realistically, they're only guidelines because, when the time comes, what can or can't be done will be entirely location dependent.  On Transporter: The Series, for instance, fight coordinator Cyril Raffaelli and car stunt coordinator Michel Julienne will no doubt use the scripted sequences as inspiration, but won't be beholden to what's on the page.  So why do we write them into the script?  Well, they do offer some insight into what we are expecting in terms of action.  Also, some people who read scripts have a hard time imagining "the good version".  If I was to simply write "a car chase ensues and Frank gets away" the response I would no doubt receive would be something alone the lines of: "BOOOORING!  Can't we come up with something better?".

Randomness writes: "Have you had a chance to watch Spice and Wolf yet?"

Answer: Not yet.  Season one is sitting in my DVD room back in Vancouver.

Randomness also writes: "Also how are your Japanese skills coming along?"

Answer: Last night, Akemi and I went out to eat.  Over the course of our meal, we conversed in Japanese.  Our waiter marveled at my command of the language. I told him I only sounded proficient because he didn't understand Japanese.  I possess the verbal skills of a very polite four year old Japanese boy.

Randomness also writes: "Code Geass has 2 movies in Japan on DVD/Blu Ray, they basically cover Season 1 and 2, and have some new footage here and there, they're Japanese only with no subtitles, but if you want to watch Code Geass abridged, its something you might want to pick up from Japan next to you go Joe."

Answer: One of Akemi's favorites.  Already watched!

Randomness also writes: "And lastly any plans to get Chris Vance to do a blog appearance?"

Answer: Would love to have him come by and do a Q&A but, realistically, I don't think he'll have the time.  He's going to be VERY busy.

chupeto writes: "Are the people who made the Ascension (like Alterans, or like the people of Abydos) called : "The Others" or "The Ancients" ?"

Answer: Sorry, I don't understand the question.  If you're asking whether all Ascended beings are Ancients, the answer is no.

paloosa writes: "So starting Monday, I'm headed to the Death Valley of the Valley…Woodland Hills. No studios nor even production companies. Despite the name, the Warner Center is just a bunch of boring corporate industrial buildings. I'm happy to still have a job, but it's three times the mileage, cost and time. And over 100 degrees most of the summer."

Answer: We're following parallel paths!  Good luck!

Tagged: Dogs, dogs eating ice cream, french bulldogs, Ivon Bartok, pugs, pugs eating ice cream, Woofstock

June 11, 2011: Screenwriter James Moran Drops By To Discuss Cockneys, Zombies, Stabby-Arm Aliens, and Girl Number 9!

James Moran's list of credits include Torchwood, Spooks, Dr. Who, Girl Number 9 (premiering on FEARnet this week), Cockneys vs Zombies (presently in post-production), and now, no doubt the crowning achievement of his writing career: his reader Q&A for this blog!

Check out what he has to say, then check out his blog (the pen is mightier than the spork), THEN check out Girl Number 9: "FEARnet will air the first two episodes on Tuesday, June 14th, and then release one episode per day on Wednesday and Thursday, with the two concluding suspense-filled episodes airing Friday, June 17th.  After the initial airing onFEARnet.com, Girl Number 9 will be available at a later date on the FEARnet On-Demand network and FEARnet's emerging cable channel."

A huge thanks to James for taking the time…

Star Fire writes: "Questions for James Moran: 1. What can you tell us about your experience working on Dr. Who and Torchwood? How did the opportunity to work on both shows come about? How did the experience between them differ? Did you prefer one over the other and why?"

JM: I wrote a horror comedy movie called Severance, which came out in 2006, and did quite well. Off the back of that and another, unproduced movie script I got a meeting with the Torchwood producer and script editor. That went well, I was invited to pitch some episode ideas, and that became Sleeper from season 2 (the stabby-arm aliens). After that I was offered a Doctor Who episode, and the rest went from there. They're both quite similar, in that they're big, exciting shows run (at the time) by many of the same people, but Doctor Who had the weight of history and expectation behind it, making it even more tricky (despite being a lifelong fan of it). I loved both experiences, and couldn't choose between them.

"2. Cockneys versus Zombies is pretty self-explanatory, but could you tell us a ittle bit about Girl Number 9. What's it about and how did it come together? Given your experience, do you think web-based productions are something that will catch on quickly, or are they something that will take some time to win an audience?"

JM: The police have finally caught a notorious serial killer, but the evidence turns out to be completely circumstantial – if they can't get a confession, they might have to let him go. And then things go horribly, horribly wrong… That's the setup, it has lots of twists after that. It came together when me and Dan Turner, who directed eps 1-3, wanted to make something without waiting for permission or funding etc etc, we just wanted to get on with it. The tricky thing about web stuff is the random nature – sometimes a series will hit big, sometimes it will vanish without a trace. You just never know! So while I think there are a lot of great series out there, it's never a sure bet, your show could just get lost in the sea of other stuff. When we finished Girl Number 9, we took it to a web distributor, which sounds like an odd thing – surely you can just put it on the web yourself?? But it actually makes sense. They team up with places that are known for web stuff, with lots of viewers, so your work has more chance of being seen. I think people are slowly realising that web shows are just another cool thing they can watch, they're not going to "take over from TV", as some producers are fond of saying. Web shows have already caught on, but the people who fund these things are still a bit hesitant to get involved.

3. Even those it's pretty self-explanatory, dish. What can you reveal about Cockneys versus Zombies? Thanks"

JM: When builders unearth a centuries old plague pit, they accidentally unleash a zombie outbreak in the East End. We've got Michelle Ryan, Harry Treadaway, Honor Blackman, Alan Ford (Brick Top from Snatch), and loads of other brilliant actors. It's very funny, silly, but clever too, and will hopefully surprise people. We've all seen a lot of zombie movies, so I tried to make sure there were several zombie moments that you've never seen before. And I don't want to spoil any of it, so that's all I can really say!

TimC writes: "Mr. Moran – Do you have a preference between film and television. What, in your experience, are the high and low points of both fields?"

JM: Film: High points – bigger budgets, bigger scope, chance to reach more people and tell bigger stories. Low points – they can take ages to set up, writers are usually low on the totem pole, and so many things can go wrong before, during and after filming.

TV: High points – more time to tell your stories, explore characters in more depth, writers are considered quite important to the process. Low points – the relentless worry of "what channel is it for" and "what audience demographic is it for", which really doesn't matter in today's DVR/PVR-based world. I don't know or care what channel a show is on, I like shows, not channels.

Preference: I love them both, and both have occasionally kicked me in the face, so no preference. Whatever I'm working on at the time, usually.

"I see that you're still blogging despite the ugliness surrounding the whole Lanto controversy. What would you say you have taken away or learned from the experience?"

JM: To make sure I set boundaries and limits, and don't get too involved. I took a break from blogging and reassessed why I do it and what it's for. When I came back, comments on the blog were turned off, as it was turning into a very narrow focus group. I'd been worrying about making sure everyone was happy, which stifles you creatively, you have to just try and tell a good story without trying to please everyone, that's impossible. Hopefully, if you tell a story that you like, then lots of others will like it too. Weirdly, I now have more of an online presence, with the blog, Twitter, and an official Facebook page, but it's all on my own terms – the FB page is because I want to keep my personal page private, I don't have to reply to everyone on Twitter (and would never have the time anyway), and blog comments are off to stop me overanalysing everything. Biggest thing I've learned is this: sometimes, Moran, you need to just shut up and not reply… Although I don't always remember that.

KellyK writes: "Hello James.  Some questions – 1. Could you tell us a little about your journey to becoming a professional writer. Is it something you always wanted to do? Did you always see yourself working in film and television?"

JM: Always wanted to be a writer, but never imagined it would actually be possible. I thought that was for important, clever people who lived in Hollywood or something. Been writing stories since I was 3, discovered the script format at college, kept writing stuff and trying to get better. Still never thought it would happen though. Years and years of hard work later, won a short film script competition, which gave me the confidence to approach agents with more scripts. Got an agent, wrote Severance (over a year, evenings and weekends while working a full time dayjob where I had to type all day too), sold it, and was on my way. Never thought I'd get into film and TV, growing up I thought I'd *maybe* write books in my spare time one day. I have never written a book and have no intention of doing so…

"2. Can you tell us about your writing process? Are you, like most writers, ON 24/7, constantly working on that latest project? And how do you unwind between projects?"

JM: I used to avoid a routine, because I hated being in a routine for so many years at dayjobs, but now I've fallen into one that sort of works – get up as early as I can, coffee and breakfast, surf the web, email, Twitter, check blogs, faff around, until I feel so guilty I can't stop myself from starting work. Then I just keep going, once I've started, until the end of the day or until I'm exhausted, usually around 6 or 7pm. Once I'm on a roll, it's best to keep going with it. Okay, that's not much of a routine, but it is for me.

And yes, I'm always "on", can't help it. I've learned that I *need* a hobby or distraction from writing/thinking about writing. Before I broke in, writing was my hobby, and I had a dayjob. Now that writing is my job, I can't stop myself thinking about it even when I'm supposed to be relaxing. If you're halfway through a script, you can't just turn off your brain – you keep worrying about it, trying to solve problems, etc. At the moment, videogames, comics, TV, movies, and non-fiction books keep me sane. I haven't been able to read prose fiction for a couple of years now, weirdly, I'm too aware that it's been made up by someone and I start analysing it. I've heard the same from several other writers, and it's a shame, because I used to read several novels a week.

Oh, and there is never any "between projects", one thing ends, but you're usually in the middle of something else, then something new starts soon after that, it's a constant cycle of keeping your career going. Unless you're on a long running show which ends, in which case, you are able to take a break if you want. But I haven't got my own show off the ground yet. Fingers crossed that'll happen soon.

"3. Were you a fan of Dr. Who before writing for the show? And, if you're willing to say, who is your favorite Dr.?"

JM: Absolutely, I've been watching it since before I can remember, I grew up on it. Favourite Doctor was and always will be Tom Baker, who is *actually* an alien in real life.

Joanie C. writes: "Could I ask James Moran a question?"

JM:  NO! Oh, okay then.

"I love Spooks, and am a long time Doctor Who fan. Would James be willing to say who his favourite Doctor is?"

JM: See above!

"And is he the one responsible for that horrific scene in the first series – where the girl's head was shoved into the deep fryer? If so, both shame on him, and congrats…it was such an outrageously horrific scene, I still have nightmares about it. The sign of truly great writing."

JM: Oh, I *wish* I'd written that. No, I'm responsible for a different horrific scene, I wrote season 7 episode 7, where SpoilerPerson is revealed as the mole, and cuts the throat of OtherSpoilerPerson, killing them. I'm glad I got to be part of the Spooks tradition of killing someone in a shocking way, I'm really pleased with how that episode worked out. Spooks is an incredibly hard show to write for, because it's so clever and complicated, it's very easy to get lost in your own plotlines – who knows what, and when, and all the double, triple, and quadruple bluffs that spies get up to.

Lou Zucaro writes: "Question for James Moran: When you're writing a single episode of a series that has such a rich mythology (Doctor Who's 'The Fires of Pompeii') and you have to include references to things that have come before and will come later on, how much more difficult does that make your job as a writer? Who tells you what you have to include? Do they tell you why?"

JM: My episode was very early in the season, so I didn't have to have much included from before and after. I snuck in a few references to things like City of Death (one of my favourite Tom Baker stories) and The Romans (because William Hartnell is cool, and the joke amused me), but the mysterious story arc stuff ("she is returning" etc) was put in by Russell after I'd finished. They're very good at keeping stuff secret, they have to be.

The hardest one was Spooks, as mentioned above, because you have to make sure you don't do anything they've already done (and they've done EVERYTHING), *and* fit into the serial arc which they (and you) are making up as they go along and is insanely complicated, *and* make sure it has 857 twists and turns, *and* make sure none of those twists contradict the other twists, or the serial arc which just changed again, or the previous 7 seasons… Oh, and I had 6 weeks between getting hired and the first day of filming the episode. Yeah. But that's why I love TV, it throws impossible things at you, and you haven't got time to sit around and second guess yourself, you have to just get on with it.

Don Matthews writes: "oh and a question for James Moran: I have noticed certain often repeated story elements over the last few years. The Doctor dies and then we see him from another time still alive with the implication that he will die because he already did sorta. They've gone to that well more than a few times. Then there's the Doctor scares off the bad guy by sheer force of personality, which is okay if you don't overuse it but before long it starts to feel kinda Deux Ex Machina. Do you think Dr Who lends itself to more arbitrary story resolutions just by the chaotic nature of the Doctor himself?"

JM: The Doctor always makes it up as he goes along, except when he secretly knew everything that would happen in advance… But yes, I think that he would hate to have any kind of routine, so always tries to keep things fresh, hence the last minute plans that have a tendency to go wrong, and his recent delight at discovering a new feeling (even though it was the result of something really dangerous happening). And the personality thing *isn't* a Deus Ex Machina solution, he really has done all the stuff he says he has, and is known and feared all over the universe – sometimes, when a plan goes wrong, you just have to bluff. As for the timey wimey stuff, if you have a show involving time travel, and you *don't* play around with that, then you're missing a trick, really.

AvidReader writes: "If you could be any supervillain, who would you be?"

JM: Magneto. There are a *lot* of things I could achieve with his power. And yes, it worries me that I've already started planning, just in case I ever mutate.

EmilyFitz writes: "Color me intrigued.  What can you tell us about Cockneys vs. Zombies?  How did the idea for the script come to you?  What hoops did you have to jump through to get the movie made?  It seems like zombies are the new vampires.  Next year, what do you predict the new zombies will be?"

JM: See question near the top for plot stuff. The director had the idea a couple of years ago, and I was hired to write it. Not sure what hoops were required, as I came on board after the producers and distributor were already involved, so only had to worry about writing it. As for next year's new zombies?? Rabid chickens. I don't know, but judging by the amount of stuff in production, next year's new zombies will still be zombies. I'm hoping vampires come back again, but as proper, scary monsters again, and not sparkly, harmless underwear models. The ONLY people allowed to sparkle are dead Jedi.

Danforth writes: "Hi, James.  Thank you for visiting and taking questions.  What I'd like to know is – Do you have a favorite between science fiction and horror genres?  If you were given the chance to run any show on television, what would it be and why?  And in what direction would you take the show?"

JM: My favourite is the one I'm writing at the time. Or, if I get stuck, the *next* one, because it's bound to be easier than *this* one. That's not a joke, I love them both. Showrunning: I usually prefer watching things that I enjoy, if I took them over it'd ruin all the surprises. Although I'd love to play with Doctor Who for a while, several years from now when I'm more experienced. Where I took it would depend on where it was before I took over. But there'd probably be lots of explosions.

FullSheet writes: "What advice would you give young aspiring writers looking to break in television or movies?  What was the magic formula you used?"

JM: Read a lot of scripts, write a lot of scripts, rewrite them over and over. There really is no magic formula, just lots of hard work and persistence. The more you write, and rewrite, the better you get. There are no shortcuts, tricks, secret doors, you have to work on your writing. After that, it's really easy, all you have to do is write a brilliant script that everyone wants to make… I have lots more advice than that, which I've put on my blog in a handy FAQ post which will probably take you about a week to read. But it's all there (based on the UK writing world, obviously).

The Inquisitor: "I'm interested in the process of setting up a web-series.  Is it all that different from producing a t.v. show?"

JM: Yes. Unless you have a sponsor or financier, you have to pay for it all yourself, and probably do everything yourself too. You have to convince people to work for little or no money, then borrow, hire, or buy equipment and figure out how to use it. Then you have to try and get people to watch, using Twitter, Facebook and blogs to promote it. It's a lot of work and financial trouble with no guarantee of anything. But it can be a lot of fun, and is a good way to get your stuff out there and noticed. The big advantage is that you're in charge, you own it, and can do whatever you want. Hardest part, though, is getting people to see it. You might go viral and get millions of viewers and a sweet deal with a TV or movie company. You might get 15 hits and disappear without trace. It can be quite random like that, but then it's the same with anything creative, really. Make sure you have a decent paying job while you do the web thing, and don't expect anything in return. Treat it like spending money in Vegas – don't bring anything that you can't afford to lose…

Tagged: Cockneys Vs. Zombies, Girl Number 9, James Moran

June 10, 2011: Assuming bento duties! Dog pics!

Akemi took the day off so I was left to craft my own inspired oatmeal/fruit/peanut butter masterpiece.  Pretty impressive, huh?  Akemi took one look at it and made me promise I wouldn't try to pass it off as one of her bento creations.  Personally, I think she was just jealous.

Long overdue gratuitous dog pics…

Jelly sleeps. HARD!

Jelly, undercover babushka.

Lulu dares you to take her toy.

Bubba and pal take their afternoon siesta.

Lulu and Maximus in "Two on a Bed".

One third of the way through the rewrite of my second script for Transporter: The Series, working out the moves for the big parkade sequence.  Also, checked out the slew of stills from the second unit shoot in Berlin.  They look awesome.  Looking forward to checking out the dailies next week.

An early blog entry today as I head home to take Bubba to the vet, his second visit this week.  Not sure what's up but he's not his usual excitable, tail-waggy, barksome self.  Lately, he's been very quiet, very lethargic, won't negotiate stairs or jump up onto the couch, and has been an incredibly slow walker.  X-rays and blood tests turned up nothing unusual.

'Sup, Bub?

Today's entry is dedicated to blog regular Das!