Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 548

February 23, 2011: A final visit to my Stargate stomping grounds?

I got up early this morning to tackle the rewrites on both scripts, a task that took me a little over three hours to complete.  Once done, I fired them off to the various interested parties, along with an email to Alex breaking down how I'd addressed his notes and, occasionally, arguing why I thought certain aspects of the script should remain unchanged.  As it stands, we're a several months away from production and the scripts will undoubtedly go through a few more revisions before then, so there'll be plenty of time to discuss and tweak between now and then.

On my way into work today, I dropped off the dogs at the daycare for a half day of exercise and a nail clipping.  I figure they haven't had their nails clipped in a while and, with that post-flight weigh-in losing, every little bit of weight loss helps.  I then swung by a liquor store and picked up a bottle of wine for Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/Universe Creator/Executive Producer Brad Wright.  Now for a foodie, you'd figure I would know a little bit about wine but, the truth is, I know even less about wine than I do about the finer points of golf (as opposed to Brad who knows a lot about both).  All I know about wine is that I like the German whites that most aficionados fine cloying, and disdain reds because they give me indigestion.  Armed with this information, I scoured the liquor store until I came across the upscale wine section where I selected a bottle by considering such important characteristics as bottle shape and general label appeal.

 

Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/Universe Co-Creator and Executive Producer Brad Wright.

The wine was a thank-you gift to Brad because if it weren't for him and Robert Cooper, today I would probably be raising stock for the lucrative camel milk market.  They welcomed us to the Stargate family with open arms (way back at the beginning of SG-1′s fourth season) and allowed us to learn at our own pace, accept increasing responsibilities, and, ultimately, thrive doing something we loved.  For that, both Paul and I will be forever indebted to them.  And so, as thanks for eleven glorious years, I gave him a nice bottle of wine.  Oh, and a promise to take him to dinner whenever he's in Toronto.  As for Rob – If you can make Vegas, dinner's on me!

While Brad and Paul had lunch, I took the half hour to finish clearing out my office.  Among the items I packed away were my books, that terrific blog calendar Chevron7 sent me, my People's Choice Award, and -

 

A slew of digital dailies from my Stargate: Atlantis episodes.





And the red flag. Whenever a story session or notes discussion would take a crazy turn, someone would invariably wave the red flag to signal trouble ahead.

And that was that.  After eleven great years, our amazing run had come to an end and it was time to say goodbye.

But before we could get around to goodbyes, we had a mix to watch – to be more precise a Day 2 mix of The Hunt.  One of the things I loved about this episode is that there is so much going on – an A, B, C, AND D story, all of which allow all of our principals and supporting characters their moments to shine.  The mix was great.  We only had three notes: 1) Lose what sounds like a cat meowing during the Exterior Alien Planet scene, 2) The popping sound we hear when Greer adjusts his shoulders is so loud, you would think he'd just broken his own neck, 3) We want the sound of Varro snapping the magazine into his gun to be more present.

Then, it was off to post to approve some EXPLOSIVE visual effects shots and sequences for Epilogue and Gauntlet.  Oh, to those of you asking about the SyFy promo for the back half of season 2 – Yes, the promo does state "Every Destiny has an ending…" but, in all fairness, it should also add "…except in the case of Stargate: Universe because the final episode WILL end on a cliffhanger."

On a completely unrelated topic – cool Stargate-related online videos – we walked into post after lunch and found Visual Effects Producer Mark Savela sitting, mesmerized, by the following fan-made video.  We stopped to watch and, in seconds, we too were thoroughly entranced.  It's epic, expertly edited, and includes almost every awesome visual effects we've ever done.  Check it out -

JaapVSWDelta, don't know who you are, but that is one bad-ass video!  Also, you misspelled "universe" in the closing rolling credits.

Anyway, we approved those visual effects shots, I chatted with Kerry, then said my goodbyes to the editors who happened to be there -

 

Ryan – he of the man awesome trailers.





Mike Banas, P.I.





Mike's assistant – Ruby.

After approving two different sets of visual effects in two different rooms, we headed across the lot to the does-not-meet-minimal-Earthquake-proof-standards VFX building to approved a third and final set of visual effects…

 

When the Big One hits, that building is coming down like a house of cards.





Bones greets us in typical fashion.





The gang at work. They have to finish up and clear out by this weekend because, next week, the offices will be teeming with children making sneakers for a nickel an hour.





VFX Supervisor Mark Savela considers a shot.





Krista hates having her picture taken.

I also snapped a few pics of their working environment…

Explains a lot, don't it?

And with that, my business at The Bridge was done.  I loaded up by SUV and rolled off the lot for what could be the last time.

I've been toying with the idea of doing a Memories of Stargate entry covering my 11 years with the franchise, but the more I think about it, the more it looks like it would be a looooongis  multi-part posting.  Perhaps when my time frees up.

 

Mark bids you all a fond farewell. Hope to see him in T.O.!

Tomorrow, I shift focus to that series bible.  One more character breakdown to finish, about a half dozen episode springboards to type up and I'm done.

Then, it's smoooooooooooth sailing!

February 22, 2011: Well, I guess these scripts aren't gonna rewrite themselves!

Went through several more of the boxes sitting in my crawlspace, threw it more stuff, came across more forgotten treasure:

VHS dailies from SG-1. Chances are I'll never get to watch these again, but they're chock full of terrific alternate takes and bloopers (Michael Shanks dances a little jig in one outtake of It's Good To Be King) and I can't bring myself to toss them.

An animation cel from the very series I ever wrote for: The Busy World of Richard Scarry. You'll, of course, remember my breakout script for "Patrick Pig Learns To Talk".

Planet of the Apes premium trading cards. Not the crappy Tim Burton version or the no doubt destined to be crappy prequel presently in the works, but the Roddy McDowall original! And unopened in their individually sealed packages no less!

My Toyfare exclusive yellow daredevil! Fully half of the hundred or so boxes in that crawlspace are packed full of comic-book themed toys, from Batman busts to supervillain action figures.

For lunch today -

Akemi made pork belly sliders in steamed buns.

Alex got back to me today and provided some excellent feedback.  I started work on implementing the notes on both scripts with an aim to putting out the next draft of each  tomorrow.  Meanwhile, have almost completed my preliminary pass on those character breakdowns.

Headed downtown to get my new passport picture taken, exchanged emails about possible Toronto accommodations and car, agreed to head back into the office tomorrow afternoon for the Day 2 mix of The Hunt (and a final office cleaning), took the dogs out for a run (or in Maximus's case, a leisurely stroll – or, in Jelly's case, a staggered walk and stand about, eyeing the yappy black lab across the street).  It was a sunny day in Vancouver, and the dogs in particular enjoy sunny days.  Lulu just parked herself in front of the living room window and watched the world go by…

Then, eventually growing tired of world-watching, she retired to the kitchen for a nap -

I finalized my Vegas dinner list.  Guy Savoy is closed on Mondays, so it looks like I'll have to wait until my next trip to check it out.  Instead, on Monday, I'll be dining at Scarpetta, a modern Italian restaurant by Chef Scott Conant.  Yes, the same Scott Conant who made my list of The Top 10 Food T.V. Personalities That Kind of Get on My Nerves (January 10, 2011: The Top 10 Food T.V. Personalities That Kind of …).  Well, his onscreen pesona may be annoying, but his menu looks all sorts of intriguing: puree of chestnut soup with oxtail and smoked robiola dumplings, cream polenta with a fricasee of truffled mushrooms, tartare of wagyu with cured egg, duck and foie gras ravioli, Amedei chocolate cake.  So come March, will I be eating my words?  Maybe.  Will I be eating that Amedei chocolate cake?  Definitely!

After dinner tonight, I got back to work on the script rewrites.  I was halfway through the first script when I heard the front gate creak and clatter.  I opened the door to find my friend Denise, decked out in an adorable chapeau, halfway down the stairs and almost home free, a bag of macarons she had dropped off hanging off my door.  Sneaky, but not quite sneaky enough.  It's tough to execute a stealthy drop-off when you have to contend with a stubborn gate.  I took some time off to sit out on the front steps with her and chat, then she resumed her evening walk and I headed back inside to resume work on the scripts.

I've completed my first pass.  I'll go over them one more time tomorrow, then send them off.

Back in the office tomorrow.

And we've got to start putting together that writers' room.  Mid-March is coming up fast!

 

 

February 21, 2011: Script and bible work! My Vegas line-up! My dieting dogs! And WHY are WE capitalizing RANDOM words?!

I'm simultaneously exhausted and wound up, ready for bed yet hankering to finish work on the half dozen tasks I've been hopping between all day.

Because of a minor hand injury I sustained yesterday, I was unable to hit the weights this morning so I skipped my work-out and focused on writing that series bible.  Unlike scripting, creating one of these documents is a grueling process.  It took me the entire morning just to write the introductory series overview. I got halfway through the character breakdowns before running out of steam somewhere between Dieter and Olivia.  I'm happy with what I have.  I'll tweak it tomorrow, finish up the characters, and bounce it Rob's/Paul's way.

After taking a break to prepare some lamb ribs for lunch, I shifted focus to R&R and booked that Vegas trip.  Flying in late Monday, leaving early Friday, with three terrific dinners in between (and probably four once I nail down that final late Monday night reservation).

Tuesday night, I'll be dining at Joel Robuchon. Robuchon, who had the title "Chef of the Century" bestowed upon him in 1987 and boats a total of 26 Michelin stars, has about a dozen restaurants worldwide.  Two years ago, I ate at his Tokyo flagship , Chateau Joel Robuchon, where I enjoyed an excellent meal in impossibly grand surroundings.  Marty G. highly recommends his Vegas restaurant so I'm looking forward to sampling the sixteen course degustation menu.  Menu items vary, but some of the dishes that caught my eye on the winter line-up include a crispy truffle tart with onion confit and the bone marrow and vegetable ragout with corn and spices.

Wednesday night, I'll get my first taste of molecular gastronomy in North America when I visit to E by Jose Andres.  I've done Tokyo's Molecular Tapas Bar three years running and I'm eager to see what the brilliant Jose Andres (who introduced the small plates concept to North America) has in store for his lucky diners.  And I do mean lucky.  Apparently the restaurant is new and a bit of a secret. It's very intimate, able to accommodate a grand total of eight diners at two seatings a night, but the food, I hear, is exceptional.  Kind of reminds me of another inventive and equally intimate Tokyo restaurant, Aronia de Takazawa, that was only accessible through a non-descript door in an equally non-descript alley.  No secret doors in this case, only a secret email and a bit of luck that helped me secure my reservation.

Thursday night, I'm off to Twist by Pierre Gagnaire for "classic French cuisine with a modern twist".  I didn't have the opportunity to check out Pierre Gagnaire Tokyo in the ANA Intercontinental the last time I was in Japan, but the restaurant had certainly piqued my interest for its Grand Dessert (multiple inspired desserts), an apparent mainstay at all Gagnaire's establishments. Menu highlights include the oven roasted Muscovy Duck with cumin, cinnamon, silver thyme, and bitter chocolate; and the black Perigod truffle with sweet onion and smoky bacon.

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I'm hoping to get a table at Guy Savoy for our first night.  The restaurant wasn't open today, so I was unable to make a reservation, but I'll try my luck tomorrow and hope for the best.  If all goes as planned and I do manage to get a table, I'll no doubt go with the ten course Menu Prestige that offers, among other things, a chocolate fondant with crunchy praline and chicory cream to end the meal.

Done and done.  My evenings are booked but my days are free.  So what the hell else is there to do in Vegas beside eat?

Speaking of eating, my dogs continue their Spartan regimen in a bid to get down to the 22 lb weight limit for in-cabin air travel.  Their progress so far…

 

Jelly. Minor weight fluctuations but well under the limit at 17 lbs. I'm surprised. A dainty eater she aint.

Maximus. Dropped a whopping 0.2 lbs. Must be all that mud he eats. Easily exhausted.

Bubba. Has benefited most from the new exercise routine and reduced diet. Down to a trim 24.6 lbs!

Lulu (right). Dropped 0.6 of a lb. Slow but sure progress.

Now, I turn my attention to doing my pass on Paul's script.  Actually, I already did my first pass earlier today – a laborious hour and a half spent lower-casing his random capitalizations.  GLOVES?  BRA?  LAUNCHED?  Why are some of the character names intermittently capitalized?  And why capitalize only the first part of LANDING gear? I think my writing partner may need some Vegas time  as well.

February 20, 2011: Vegas, baby! Another middling lunch! More spring cleaning! And more mailbag!

Screw it!  I'm going to Vegas!

If things go the way I think they will, then next month is going to be crazy between planning for the Toronto move and the move itself.  And it aint gonna get any easier once I get there.  We're going to be starting up a new series and that will require the assembly of qualified personnel, the establishment of a sound production structure covering everything from scheduling to sign-offs, the coordination of the various entities involved, the spinning, writing, and rewriting of scripts, general pre-production, general production, general post-production, early morning, late nights, and – of course – the odd disagreement over everything from second unit shoots to lunch orders. Alex, Paul and I will have our work cut out for us.  So before I launch headlong into the abyss, I've elected to launch headlong into a culinary extravaganza.

Back in SG-1′s final seasons, we would hit Vegas on a semi-regular basis, celebrating our birthdays in spectacular fashion at places like (then) Aqua, (the dearly departed) Alex, and Aureole (home of the wine angels).  It's been a while, but with the impending move to the other side of North America, I figured now would be the time to go back for one final delicious blow-out.  To hell with Texas Hold 'Em and Cirque de Soleil, I want my Chef's Table d'Hote!  I touched base with my former culinary wingman and Sin City expert, Martin Gero, who threw some suggestions my way – Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Bouchon – and offered to drive down for a night and meet me for dinner.  Just like old times!  And, if Paul and I do end up in T.O., it truly will be like old times as Marty G. will be in town show running his own series as well (Epitome Pictures Releases Info For New Show "HIGHLAND GARDENS …).  Hey!  We're getting the band back together!

On the flipside of the culinary coin was today's lunch at Trattoria Restaurant on 4th. It's owned by The Glowbal Group who have seemingly made a habit of following the same predictable pattern: opening strong with middling to above-average food, then coasting and eventually dropping precipitously in quality.  So it was with Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar where, on our last visit, Fondy was served a chicken so suffuse with rosemary flavor as to render it inedible.  So it was with Sanafir, a restaurant I thought highly enough to bring an out-of-town foodie to – with disastrously disappointing results.  And so it was, today, at Trattoria.  It wasn't all bad.  Akemi had a very good omelette.  My meal, alas, wasn't even close.  I sat down and ordered a bottle of sparkling mineral water only to be informed the restaurant serves up its own distilled carbonated water at $3 a bottle.  But, our waitress was quick to inform us, we could have as many glasses as we liked.  Bottomless tap water!  What a steal!  My experience with distilled water served at restaurants hasn't been great.  The flavor is far from crisp or neutral; at best slightly chlorine in taste, at worst fishy.  I ordered a smoothie instead: the Strawberry-Basil.  Okay, okay.  I'm sure you're thinking "Strawberry-basil?!  What do you expect?!".  Well, in truth, the basil wasn't the problem.  It actually worked.  It was the strawberries that were the culprit – sour and wholly unpleasant.  I hate to bring this up again, but no one puts up with this crap in Japan.  When you buy a fruit at the local supermarket, its ripe and incredibly sweet.  Here in North America, you take your chances.  Why?  Well, pick up Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything and check out the chapter titled "Ripeness Is All" in which he details American agriculture's push to harvest earlier fruit and greener produce.  All this to say: didn't love the smoothie.  And REALLY didn't love the Spicy Italian Pizza with house made sausage, caramelized leeks, fingerling potatoes, and burricotta.  I remember visiting this place when they first opened and ordering (AND ENJOYING) a similar pizza: crisp and flavorful, the potatoes thinly sliced and heavenly.  Fast-forward to today's lunch and the pizza is soggy in parts, weighed down by flavorless potato chunks, a starchy mess.

For the life of me, I can't figure these guys out.  First Glowbal Grill, then Sanafir, and now Trattoria.  What gives?  Do they have an A-Team that opens their latest restaurant and then moves on to other projects?  Are they easily bored?  Or is it more a case that, once their clientele is secured, they simply stop caring.  Not sure, but its a clear pattern that will have me steering well clear of Coast or Society, their latest additions to Vancouver's increasingly mediocre restaurant scene.

In preparation for a potentially permanent move, I've decided to start clearing out my crawlspace.  I spent an hour today going through just a few of the hundred or so boxes full of toys, scripts, contracts, receipts, and general crap I've accumulated over the years (and have been sitting, unopened, since my last move five years ago).  I've decided I'd like to get through five boxes a day from now until mid-March and whittle down my holdings.  Among the treasures discovered today: the complete run of Star Trek: Voyager on video (tossed), my old animation contracts (tossed), hard copies of some of my old animation scripts (kept – they're my only copies), a pile of 11+ year old receipts (tossed), spiral notebooks full of football stats from my old wagering days (tossed), a bunch of floppy disks (tossed), Hong Kong Penthouse magazine featuring Qi Shu (kept – for its collectible value).

Mailbag:

Ryan writes: "E writes: "Once SGU's fate is determined, will you share with us an AU season 3, like you did with SGA S6?" What did you do with s6? What did I miss?"

Answer: September 30, 2008: An AU Season 6!

Lev writes: "Are there going to be any SGU fiction books and if so, how canon are books considered to be in Stargateland?"

Answer: Sorry, I have no idea.  This is a question for MGM.

JYS writes: "i'm going to New York on Tuesday. Got reservations at Jean Georges, Daniel, Eleven Madison Park, WD-50….Per Se i'm going to walk in for the salon menu."

Answer: Hope you plan on blogging about it.  With pics!

Anna Cookie writes: "What about the MMO Game? Is the whole idea scrapped or just permantley on Hiatus?"

Answer: Unfortunately, I know even less about what's going on with the game.  Sorry.

Thornyrose writes: "So, are you flying out to Toronto again before the final move, to confirm your new digs, or are you relying on an agent or other proxy to provide you livable quarters?"

Answer: I'm only going to make one trip (if I can help it).  I'll trust Fondy, who is in Toronto, to scope out the place and sign off on my behalf.

Sam V writes: "Has there been any news on an MGM trailer for SGU 2."

Answer: Nope, and I don't think we're going to see one.

Zach P. writes: "You "disagree" with your accountant? That'd be like if your accountant disagreed with some of your writing. I don't understand why people go to professionals and then disregard some of their suggestions.  Maybe you want to be like an American and live past your means."

Answer: My accountant works for me, not the other way around.  And his suggestion has nothing to do with living beyond my means.

Erin writes: "Ever try any Cajun/Louisiana cuisine? If so, what particular dish(es) did you enjoy?"

Answer: I'm a huge fan of Cajun cooking.  Unfortunately, there are no good Cajun restaurants here in Vancouver.  Many years ago, I went to New Orleans and enjoyed some terrific meals at Arnaud's, Brennan's, Antoine's, The Court of Two Sisters, and Commander's Palace.

squall78 writes: "I have someone on the Syfy.com forums, posting plot info from episode 211. They stated something about a flashback with the Asgard and them developing something and whatnot."

Answer: Hey, squall.  You could ban him for lying but not for giving away spoilers since his inside information is complete and utter bullshit.

DP writes: "My sister insisted I watch this show called Modern Family last night. I suddenly became very uncomfortable. "Who are they talking to?" I asked.

Did you notice what TV has slipped in on us? The characters occasionally sit in front of the camera and talk. To us. "Hey, look up from your iPhone a sec, here's what we're doing on this show you're sorta' watching."

What am I measuredly ranting about? The characters on sitcoms talk to us now. Who let this happen?"

Answer: Years ago, there was a British show called The Office that used this technique.  The conceit was the events depicted were being shot/covered by a documentary crew. When the American version of the show was produced, they kept the same technique/conceit.  Don't know why Modern Family does it.

Montrealer writes: "SPACE channel in Canada is getting a free ride from Skiffy (AKA SyFy) since they didn't spend any money on producing SGU. IIRC the show was funded almost solely by Skiffy with financing in place for 2 seasons. Also SPACE only pays MGM not Skiffy for a licensing fee."

Answer: Sorry to say you know a lot less about the situation than you see to think.  Both SPACE and SyFy paid a licensing fee to MGM to broadcast the show.  The amount they paid may have differed, but that's because the broadcast markets differed.  The show was most certainly not "funded almost solely by Skiffy".  And, for the record, SPACE did an incredible job promoting the show, from their terrific trailers to their fan-focused Innerspace features to the big pre-Gemini SGU special they aired spotlighting the cast and Creators/Exec. Producers Brad Wright and Robert Cooper.

dasNdanger writes: "Today I broke down and bought something I really shouldn't have – really don't have the money to waste these days – but I just couldn't resist. It's a picture taken in 1947 for Harper's Bazaar. SO mesmerized by this picture – it's so ethereal and serene – I could not take my eyes off of it. It now hangs in my reading corner:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/womanfloating1947.jpg"

Answer: Awesome.  I probably would have splurged myself.

Miko writes: "Just wondering, if I just won the lottery for a 100 million €, could I make you guys produce like 10 more episodes for a season 3 SGU?"

Answer: Once you win, let's talk.

February 19, 2011: Cranky!

Hey, you know what I hate more than moving?

Nothing.  Nothing even comes close.  I hate the packing, the boxing up, the hiring of the movers, the move itself, the unpacking and unboxing, the farewell to your old comfy place, the hello to your new weird surroundings.  As I mentioned in a previous post, even though I'm moving cross-country for work, I don't intend to give up my home in Vancouver.  At least not yet.  That will entirely depend on how things pan out with the new job and the city of Toronto in particular.  THEN, I'll decide what will be in my better interest.  According to my accountant, regardless of how things go in T.O., it would be in my best financial interest to sell it and downsize.  He argues that, now that I'm separated, I no longer need a big house.  I disagree.  My dogs need running room, especially Jelly who, since her spinal surgery, has slowly but surely started to regain her ambling ways -

I'm in a cranky mood, the result of no one major annoyance but, rather, an avalanche of tiny little irritations.

Like, for instance, the "grilled cheese" croutons served with the tomato soup at Romer's Burger Bar here in Vancouver.  When they first opened, the croutons were nice, large squares of grilled cheese.  Between then and last month, they'd been reduced to about a third their original size.

And then today, I go for lunch, and they serve me this -

I mean, seriously.  Now they can't even be bothered to grill them?  I'm afraid that next time I go, they'll just toss me a slice of bread and a pre-packaged Kraft single and tell me to knock myself out.  Ah, screw it.  With only a month to go before I hit Hogtown, I've got to be selective about my final meals.

Refuel, for instance, is one of the restaurants on my Farewell Tour – especially since owner Tom Doughty has advised me Chef Rob and Chef Ted have designed a special going away menu for me. Very much looking forward to it – and seeing them.  On my last visit to Refuel, they weren't around.  I enjoyed two fantastic additions to their pasta menu – and then was utterly baffled to be served a dessert containing fruit and chocolate (note: You know what I hate more than moving?  Nothing.  But you know what comes in a close second?  Fruit in my dessert.).  Apparently, Chef Ted took ill and the rest of the kitchen staff was unaware of my dietary requirements.  Anyway, Tom assures me there'll be no fruity desserts on my next visit.

Oh, and another thing that bothers me is this ridiculous ten film limit for the best picture nominations.  Why only ten?  Why leave equally worthy candidates on the outside looking in.  What about Clash of the Titans, Sex and the City 2, Furry Vengeance, and The Back-Up Plan?  Where's their reward for getting made?

Also the SGU cancellation.  Which brings me to this – another behind the scenes vid.  This one, console playback of (a section of) the cool new section of the ship the crew discovers in the back half of season 2:

Mailbag:

woody woodward writes: "I am trying so hard to locate a SGU Ball cap for my bald head. Is there some place I can order,buy,steal …well, not steal one?"

Answer: There's one sitting in my office.  You can have it if you're in the Vancouver area.

IggyMing writes: "BTW, I love how Space/CTV was such a great supporter of SGU and the Stargate franchise in general. They really pulled out all the stops to market it, and it paid off big time."

Answer: Exactly that.  A perfect example of a terrific promotional campaign paying off in the form of great ratings.  Also, the trailers Space cut for the show were nothing short of fantastic.

for the love of Beckett writes: "Aw, Joe. This is just sad, this pathos of departure. And you've taught us that until you and Paul sign your contracts, it's too soon to celebrate. Where does that leave us?"

Answer: In a comfy little limbo.  But don't get too comfy.

hal ehlrich writes: "He must be pretty upset with them,, along with all of the other Stargate people."

Answer: You have to understand that this is a business.  Nothing personal.  At the end of the day, unfortunately, Universe wasn't getting the strong ratings that SyFy's other Fall scripted shows were pulling in.

Bryan M. White writes: "Is Rob planning on doing any directing for the new project? -or is it too early to tell?"

Answer: Too early to tell, but I certainly hope so.

E writes: "Once SGU's fate is determined, will you share with us an AU season 3, like you did with SGA S6?"

Answer: Unlike SGA, we didn't have stories in place – more general ideas of where we wanted our characters, and the show, to go.

DP writes: ""It can now be found at the end of Act III." Is that a cryptic hint about what the "suspicious character" talk is all about? Just being silly?"

Answer: Sorry, not a clue to anything beyond my skewed sense of humor.

DALLAS MARSHALL writes: "Sir, Is there any truth to this rumor? "There was a report over here in the UK last week saying that Robert Carlyle asked to be let out of his contract and that the new head of scyfy was not a fan of the series.""

Answer: Absolutely no truth to the rumor that Bobby wanted to leave.  He had a great time making the show, loved Vancouver and the people he worked with – and we were very, very lucky to have him.  He was a class act who put his heart and soul into the character of Nicholas Rush and I know he was just as disappointed as we were to have it come to a premature end.

walkersguidetomiltonkeynes writes: "How are you supposed to submit mailbag questions? Every time I try it this way nothing happens…"

Answer: Maybe you're doing it wrong.

Mike McGinnis writes: "So, are you a rob or russel fan this season?"

Answer: I'm in the Boston Rob camp.

Michael writes: "Have you decided on an area in Toronto that you find suitable to look for real estate?"

Answer: Not yet.  Still looking.  Have a month to decide.

glennh73 writes: "Question, want to start reading books. Havent read book for about 10yrs. But want to start up but need a good book to start. I love scifi like Stargate an Charlie Jade. Any suggestions?"

Answer: Old Man's War, by John Scalzi (who was, incidentally, a Creative Consultant on Stargate: Universe).

Gina writes: "As you are now currently between two different shows, are you finding it hard to shift back and forth between them or has Stargate been a part of your life for so long its just second nature?"

Answer: Not much shifting going on as the work left to do on SGU is minimal: commenting on the remaining mixes.  It certainly will be a different to go from a well-oiled machine that has been in production for some 15 years to a fledgling production.

February 18, 2011: Behind the scene vids! Post-production office update! And Carl hits the road!

Well, I've almost finished clearing out my office.  This -

- was my second carload of books.  One more trip (some time next week when I'll head in to watch Day 2 mixes of The Hunt and Common Descent) and I should be done.

Well today, in addition to doing a little spring cleaning, I also took in a Day 1 mix of Epilogue.  Kudos to writer/producer Carl Binder on this one.  It has a it of everything: humor, charm, dramatic developments, and a couple of truly heartbreaking moments.  A great episode that, once over, had me really excited for season three – until I remembered: Oh, right.  We're not making a season three.  It's really a shame because the back half of season two sets up a lot of terrific story elements. You'll see what I mean when Stargate: Universe returns for its final ten episodes TUESDAY, MARCH 8th on SPACE (http://www.spacecast.com/article/The-Journeys-End-Draws-Near-for-SPACEe28099s-Acclaimed-and-Beloved-STARGATE-UNIVERSE)

And since we're on the subject, here are a couple of behind the scene clips from an upcoming episode -

What the hell is going on in this scene?  Not sure, but I suspect that THIS suspicious character -

- may figure into the mix.

Speaking of the above-depicted suspicious character, he was in today, as were other production types like John G. Lenic, Ivon Bartok, and Lawren Bacroft-Wilson.

After lunch, we headed down to post where I spent some quality time with Kerry -

- approving episode credits.  Yes to Paul and my "written by" credit on The Hunt.  Yes to Paul and my producer end-card at the conclusion of Common Descent.  Sadly, no on Carl's "Executive Producer" credit at the beginning of Epilogue.  It can now be found at the end of Act III.

To make it up to him, I joined him for dinner (I wanted to say "I took him out to dinner" but that would be inaccurate since he paid after I pulled the old left-my-wallet-in-my-other-suit gag).  Tonight, we feasted!

 

What's this?

Who's the hungry Executive Producer?

A great dinner at Danube.  And then, it was time to hit the road…

Goodbye for now.  But I have a feeling we'll be reconnecting real soon.

 

February 19, 2011: Behind the scene vids! Post-production office update! And Carl hits the road!

Well, I've almost finished clearing out my office.  This -

- was my second carload of books.  One more trip (some time next week when I'll head in to watch Day 2 mixes of The Hunt and Common Descent) and I should be done.

Well today, in addition to doing a little spring cleaning, I also took in a Day 1 mix of Epilogue.  Kudos to writer/producer Carl Binder on this one.  It has a it of everything: humor, charm, dramatic developments, and a couple of truly heartbreaking moments.  A great episode that, once over, had me really excited for season three – until I remembered: Oh, right.  We're not making a season three.  It's really a shame because the back half of season two sets up a lot of terrific story elements. You'll see what I mean when Stargate: Universe returns for its final ten episodes TUESDAY, MARCH 8th on SPACE (http://www.spacecast.com/article/The-Journeys-End-Draws-Near-for-SPACEe28099s-Acclaimed-and-Beloved-STARGATE-UNIVERSE)

And since we're on the subject, here are a couple of behind the scene clips from an upcoming episode -

What the hell is going on in this scene?  Not sure, but I suspect that THIS suspicious character -

- may figure into the mix.

Speaking of the above-depicted suspicious character, he was in today, as were other production types like John G. Lenic, Ivon Bartok, and Lawren Bacroft-Wilson.

After lunch, we headed down to post where I spent some quality time with Kerry -

- approving episode credits.  Yes to Paul and my "written by" credit on The Hunt.  Yes to Paul and my producer end-card at the conclusion of Common Descent.  Sadly, no on Carl's "Executive Producer" credit at the beginning of Epilogue.  It can now be found at the end of Act III.

To make it up to him, I joined him for dinner (I wanted to say "I took him out to dinner" but that would be inaccurate since he paid after I pulled the old left-my-wallet-in-my-other-suit gag).  Tonight, we feasted!

What's this?

Who's the hungry Executive Producer?

A great dinner at Danube.  And then, it was time to hit the road…

Goodbye for now.  But I have a feeling we'll be reconnecting real soon.

February 17, 2011: Almost smoooooth sailing! And more mailbag!

A double-note session with Rob today for both scripts, Paul's in the morning and mine this afternoon.  I was a little concerned going in given that we had both emailed our scripts out yesterday and received the following email from Rob: "You guys okay with 11am your time, 2pm my time to do some notes?  Paul, I left you a message.  Good job.  Call me if you want, or we can talk tomorrow."  I scrolled down for the "P.S. Joe – Good job too" or "P.S. Joe – the fuck you thinking?" but, alas, that was it.  In all fairness, chances were he simply hadn't gotten around to reading my script but, of course, that didn't stop me from considering the worst. No, not loss of face or the revocation of the job offer.  Much, MUCH worse: a significant rewrite.

As it turns out, he hadn't gotten around to reading the script.   The notes turned out to be quite manageable and – dare I say – pretty darn good.  Now, I all I need is for Alex to weigh in with his thoughts and, once that's done, it's smoooooooooooth sailing.

Yep, all that remains is another round of approvals and then finding a place to live in Toronto before March 21st.  I've found three possible candidates to help me ferry the dogs cross-country, but will have to check the Air Canada regulations covering pet travel.  From what I've heard, it's a maximum of two pets per cabin which I took to mean two per flight – but Fondy insists Economy and Business class are two different cabins so it WOULD be possible to get all four on the same flight.  That would, of course, be the runner up best case scenario (the best case scenario, of course, being the production moving to Vancouver).

Busy, busy day tomorrow.  Lunch with a visiting Fondy and our accountant followed by packing up my office followed by a Day 1 mix of Epilogue followed by schnitzel dinner with Stargate Exec. Producer Carl Binder (and, perhaps, others) followed by working on the script rewrite followed by work-out.  And Saturday don't look any less busy.  I've got a slew of movies to clear off my PVR.

Speaking of PVR-clearing, did anyone else catch the season premiere of Survivor or was it just Carl and I?  Usually, it takes a couple of episodes for the show to get going but this season really hit the ground running thanks to that crazy former Federal Agent (?) who had a complete meltdown at tribal council.  If he truly IS a former Federal Agent, then I think the U.S. is in A LOT of trouble.

Last night, it was with great sadness that I read about the passing of Chef Santi Santamaria, the first Catalan chef to earn three Michelin stars.  Years ago, I had the good fortune to attend a special event at Vancouver's Lumiere Restaurant: a spectacular, multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Santamaria, resident culinary bad boy Rob Feenie, local chef Pino Posteraro, and dessert master Thomas Haas.  It was a wonderful, wonderful meal, one of the most memorable epicurean outings I've enjoyed here in North America, and the evening that introduced to me to one of my favorite – albeit rare – dessert accompaniments: the Pedro Ximenez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1910.  This weekend, I'll break open one of my two remaining bottles and toast the man, his memory, and the great meal.

Mailbag:

PG15 writes: "Been a busy couple of weeks over here, thus explaining the lack of commenting."

Answer: How goes CalTech?

Thornyrose writes: "When do we get the official word on what it is you're going to be working on? And little details, like when the show will be airing?"

Answer: Hopefully in a few weeks.

Sean D. writes: "Does Brad Wright have a blog or could he perhaps get one?"

Answer: No, and doubtful.  Sorry.

sparrow_hawk writes: "Just spring for one of the economy plus seats."

Answer: That would be a step down from how I usually fly to Tokyo (on points).  Even the comfiest of seats get a little uncomfy after ten hours.

Sandy writes: "So Joe, did you check out Richard Morgan's books?"

Answer: I've read Thirteen and The Steel Remains.  Enjoyed both.

DALLAS MARSHALL writes: "Since you say you will not be privy to new SGU developments after your move, do you have any suggestions regarding other people "in the know" that we should be watching on Twitter, blogs, Facebook or web sites?"

Answer: Again, if production does proceed on Stargate in some form, I have no doubt most of the cast and crew will be twittering away on a daily basis.

Saryn writes: "Remember, you'll also miss the Richmond Night Market!"

Answer: Apparently there are a few in Toronto as well.

dasNdanger writes: "Are you keeping your place in Vancouver, then? If so, will you rent it out until you figure out where you're going to settle?"

Answer: Keeping it for the time being.  We'll see how both the new show and the new city work out.  While I'm away, some friend(s) will be enjoying the home theater and low-to-the-ground, dog-accessible king size bed.

dasNdanger also writes: "How's Secret Six coming along? Can't wait to hear what you have to say about 'Doll…"

Answer: Finished!  A big fan of all of the characters, Ragdoll and Jeanette in particular.

Josh writes: "What I was wondering is, how do you suggest to go about the making dialogue, and how much information of the technology in a SF book is a good amount?"

Answer: Tough question.  It varies and is entirely dependent upon the subject matter and the author's writing style.  There is no set formula, so I'm afraid you'll have to discover the proper balance through the act of of writing your novel.

Chris L. writes: "If you have the option, make the transportation your main character uses, the 2011 Audi A8 .. it appears to be a damn nice car."

Answer: Maybe something like THIS but in black?

Shadow Step writes: "What purpose ? MONEY – they are not in it to be nice. Previously canceled shows have been yanked rather than shown because, apparently , ratings matter even for non returning shows."

Answer: Matter to who and why?  Also, money for who?  The producers?  We've already been paid for our work on the show.  The studio? They've already been paid a licensing fee by the network to air the show.  The network?  I believe their ad rates have already been set and, even if not how does that involve me?

Quade writes: "Joe just remember, You can't judge a neighbourhood by the neighbours."

Answer: Actually, that was my line.  As was Volker's response: "Are you kidding?  That's exactly how you judge a neighborhood."

Randomness writes: "But anyway, I'm sorry. I wasn't angry at you or anything. If I came accross like that. I'm sorry =/"

Answer: No problem.

David J. writes: "the we were canceled not renewed part was crossed out. is this a mistake or is this telling us something in a subtle way?"

Answer: No, it was my way of having fun with someone who maintained the show hadn't been "canceled", simply "not renewed".

Nick Danger writes: "Have you ever read any of the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett? If so, which one is your favorite?"

Answer: Yes.  The Light Fantastic.

whovian writes: "Also, are you having to fly all the dogs out there? Are they small enough to fly in the cabin with you?"

Answer: Yes and that's the plan.

Morticae writes: "Why don't you visit Korea? The food is better here than in Japan."

Answer: I would love to go to South Korea.  I'd make it part of my Asian culinary tour alongside Japan and Hong Kong.

hal ehlrich writes: "One question I have is knowing that the show was cancelled back in late Decemeber and you still had several episodes that were being edited and going through the VFX process , was there anything that could be done to somehow put closure to things. I know all of the scenes were already shot, but I wonder if things could have been done using Visual/Special Effects to change things up a bit ?"

Answer: Short of blowing up the ship in the final shot, no.

February 16, 2011: Musings on the move! Mailbag!

Things I will miss about Vancouver: my house, the restaurants, easy access to fresh produce and seafood, the summers, Greek Fest's spit-roasted lamb, great sushi, close proximity to terrific vacation destinations (Vegas, San Francisco, L.A.) and closer proximity to others (Hawaii, Tokyo, Hong Kong), going outdoors in winter and not freezing my ears off.

Things I won't miss about Vancouver: narrow car lanes and parking stalls, outrageously high-priced public parking, the rainy season, cyclists.

These lists are a work in progress.

Today, I read Paul's draft of the pilot.  It's very good and, as is always the case with my writing partner's work, very tight.  We'll discuss tomorrow and I'll give him my thoughts, then one of us will do a pass after which it'll be smoooooooth sailing.  Oh, and I suppose he'll have read my script and undoubtedly have thoughts on it as well (ie. "Great job!").

Thanks to everyone who offered recommendations and references for the coming moves: ideal neighborhoods, real estate agents, even tiny little houses.  Come February 28th (or sooner) things are going to happen very quickly.  I've already lined up one (maybe two, even three!) friends to housesit while I'm away and already have a (sort of) game plan for transporting the dogs.  Rather than hire a moving company, I figure I'll just pack the bare necessities into three suitcases (x 2 trips = 6) and pick up any necessary extras (ie. dog beds and corkscrews) there.  The big decision has been made (we're heading east) but the equally big decision will come at year's end when, circumstances permitting, I face a choice between moving rolling the dice and moving back to Vancouver, or staying put and shutting down my westcoast operations.  I suspect many variables will be taken into account.  How much will I miss Vancouver?  Will there be an opportunity awaiting me if I choose to return?  How much will I enjoy my Toronto experience?  Enough to settle down and call the city home?  Finishing up production on a show on the other side of the country is going to throw one hell of a wrench into plans for my annual Tokyo trip.  Not loving the prospect of a 13 hours flight.  Of course I could just go somewhere closer and nowhere near as enjoyable.  Suggestions?

Damn.  Whatever happened to just taking a year off and going to cooking school?

Mailbag:

hal ehrlich writes: "I was noticing that you have been keeping a bit quiet about stargate lately."

Answer: Have elected to remain silent on the subject until I hear definite word either way.

hal ehrlich also writes: "Are you still going to keep us informed on any news about the future of the franchise, or are we going to have to look at other places for any new news?"

Answer: Tough to say.  I'll certainly know if we'll be proceeding with more Stargate (or not) and will let you know – however, given that I'll be moving on to another show soon, I'll no longer be privy to the type of detailed behind-the-scenes Stargate information I offered in the past.

hal ehrlich also writes: "It seems to me that you are trying to move on in your life with this new show."

Answer: I love Stargate (the franchise, the people, etc.) but, realistically, I can't wait around for something to happen.  Another opportunity presented itself and I have to think of the the future.  The dogs gotta eat.

Narelle from Aus writes: "My tip on finding a decent suburb; the less shoes over power-lines, the better."

Answer: Yeah, what does that signify?  I checked out Yahoo Answers and the responses varied: drug front, gang turf, murder, and – my favorite – "It means that somewhere on that Block, some poor kids is walking around without shoes."

fsmn36 writes: "I can't quite recall; are you joining a current show, or crafting a new one?"

Answer: IF all goes as presently planned (and, honestly, who knows?) we'll be heading to Toronto to Exec. Produce a new series based on an established franchise.

cherluvya writes: "I am looking forward to finding out more details of your show. You are telling us…without telling us. *giggles* Do you get any input into cast? Is it set yet?"

Answer: Yes, IF things pan out (see above), Paul and I will be weighing in on casting.  In a few weeks, things will be moving very quickly.

Honza "Torp" writes: "At one SG Forum in the Czech Republic we debating about whether seederships mined raw materials themselves or not. Then, too, how puting Stargate on the planet, they land or send it from orbit?"

Answer: Can't answer this one because we discussed several possibilities in the room.  We talked about doing a story that would offer details on the seeding process but, alas, we were canceled not renewed given the opportunity to pursue other interests like not working.

Anais a ecrit: "Aprés mes années d'étude je vais faire une formation de doublage VF"

Reponse: Felicitations!  Et bonne chance!

Kevin writes: "For some reason, It makes me fuzzy inside to know that Joe is probably moving closer to where I live in the US."

Answer: Does this mean I can now look forward to the occasional home-cooked meal?

Allen P. writes: "I know the purpose of the pilot is to establish much of the foundation of the series, so should I take the time to write a bible for my series?"

Answer: If you think it'll be helpful to you and your co-workers, then by all means.

Wintermute writes: "Anyway, what I really wanted to ask you was, do you read Iain M. Banks at all?"

Answer: Yes.  Consider Phlebas, The Player of Games, Use of Weapons, and Inversions are among my fave SF novels.

Narekke from Aus writes: "What do you think of the Kindle as a Reader?"

Answer: I like it a lot – and will no doubt make good use of it in Toronto.  The two drawbacks are 1) an inability to flip back and forth with ease and 2) the lack of a reading light.

Lloyd67 writes: "Hi Joseph, can you answer a few questions?"

Answer: All of your questions focus on the future of the Stargate franchise and, at present, I don't have any of those answers for you.  Sorry.

irish pete writes: "Is it true that jason statham is on board for the transporter tv series??"

Answer: There's going to be a Transporter t.v. series?  That sounds awesome.  Will definitely check it out (as should you).

Shadow Step writes: ""And I'm not sure what you're suggesting at when you say "are we all being played?". To what purpose? " Getting as many as possible to watch the remaining 10 episodes on TV?"

Answer: Again – to what purpose?  The show has been canceled not renewed placed on permanent hiatus relieved of its broadcast duties.

February 15, 2011: Pre-Production update on one show and post-production update on another! Some Lady of Mazes discussion!

Well, I've got a solid first draft that I'm ready to hand off (following the addition of a late fourth act action sequence) and Paul is about finished his script.  I expect we'll switch off sometime tomorrow and take a couple of days to criticize and revise before sending them off in turn to Rob and Alex for their input.  Right now, I'm feeling very good about what I have.  It's fast-paced and fun with a lot of nice character moments not only for our hero but for our supporting cast as well.  Sure, there may be a beat or two that will have the guys questioning my sanity (there's at least one in every script I write), but overall it's going to make for a kick-ass hour of television.

Once the scripts are done, I'll have to shift focus to the series bible.  In the early years of my career, I wrote a lot of them – pitchy sales documents, ubiquitous at the various MIP's and NATPE's, offering detailed series overviews, character breakdowns, and episode springboards in glorious, garish copy ("Buckle your seat belts and hold onto your hats because the Rescue Bears are back and looking for adventure!!!")  - and I hated every minute of it.  I've always felt that if a series pilot did what it was supposed to do (a.k.a. introduce the series), it would obviate the need for a bible.  But, sadly, I'm in the minority opinion on this one.

So it's looking more and more like I'll be calling Toronto home – for a while anyway.  As much as I'd enjoy the convenience of condo-living, I think that the dogs would be much happier in a house, so I've started looking.  Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with the city (and its suburbs).  If you know the area, help me out.  I'm looking for a nice, quiet, crack and meth-free neighborhood reasonably close to downtown.  If that's at all possible.  Recommendations?

Long-time Stargate Exec Producer (and friend) Carl Binder heads back into town later this week.  This may well be the last time I see him.  In Vancouver.  For a while.  Kerry has given us the heads-up on the Stargate: Universe season 2 post schedule.  We'll be convening on Friday to watch the Day 1 mix of Epilogue, then again the following Tuesday for the Day 2 mix of The Hunt.  Over the course of those two trips to The Bridge, I'll attempt to clean out my office and clear off those last four bookshelves.  I've got my work cut out for me!

Some Lady of Mazes discussion:

Lisa R. writes: "I got the sense that Livia never wanted to be a leader that she felt forced into the role, but the only alternative, giving up, was just as foreign to her."

Answer: I agree.  She was an atypical heroine in that respect, and that was something I really liked about her.  She felt overwhelmed at times and I could really sympathize, but she possessed an inner strength that drove her to persevere – and that was something I respected.

Lisa R. writes: "The ability to tell what was real and what wasn't was also a focal part of the book, I thought, and at the end, the author leaves a mystery when the reader is not sure whether Livia is alive or not."

Answer: How did you interpret the ending?  I ask this question of you and everyone else who read the book.

GuyNoir writes: "Does anyone think Lady Ellis' proposed reinvention of science within Westerhaven would have ever been truly successful? Or would the tech locks (or rather the consequences of the tech locks) have inhibited any developments that were not within the set of technologies allowed in Westerhaven?"

Answer: Hmmmm.  Good question.  I suppose the question is what specific parameters had the tech locks established for Westerhaven?

Guy Noir also writes: "On the one hand a virtual program is doing what is 'best' for Ishani and enticing her to forget her troubles and questions."

Answer: And that opens up a host of interesting questions about what IS "best", not only Ishani but for anyone living within an A.I.-directed virtual reality.  Even if it isn't considered "true reality", in the end does it really matter if we can interact with it and are influenced by it to such a deep degree?

Alexander House writes: "It is definitely a good cover done by a very good artist, it clearly tells me that what the story is about and it sounds very interesting. I'd by this book on the cover alone as well."

Answer: Agreed.  The cover art is by Stephane Martiniere, one of my favorite artists working in SF today.  For more of his work, check out: Stephan Martiniere Concept Illustrator Beautiful, beautiful stuff.

anneteldy writes: "I found the idea that we may someday do away with government a bit unbelievable as was the lack of crime. Maybe I'm just too pessimistic about humanity's future?"

Answer: Maybe.  Or maybe you're having a hard time imagining to what extent humanity may be willing to let go of established systems (government) and actions (theft) if everything is provided for them by managing A.I.'s.  There wouldn't be a need for easy and that would, logically, do away with both.  In an ideal society of course.

anneteldy also writes: "I liked Livia and Qiingy but I was never able to connect to anyone which is a negative to me when reading books. Perhaps the premise was just too fantastical for me to imagine myself there?"

Answer: Actually, I can empathize.  Although I quite liked Livia, I thought the supporting characters (Aaron in particular) weren't as well-defined and that made it more difficult for me to emotionally invest in them.