Our agent contacted us with the good news. A one hour action series had just been greenlit and the production was looking for writers. The timing couldn’t have been better as Paul and I had just finished work on another show and were looking for a steady gig. Of course there was that possibility of landing a job on Stargate but, in all honesty, it was a long shot. This series, on the other hand, looked very promising. Plus, it was going to shoot in our hometown of Montreal which meant we wouldn’t have to pack up and move to the other side of the country.
We went in and met with the showrunner, an affable fellow who was, himself, part of a writing team. Unfortunately, his partner had opted out of the show just as it was going to camera for reasons unknown. I suppose in hindsight that should have been a warning but, at the time, we were just too darn keen to give it a second thought. Sure, the series was a U.S./Canada/France/Belgium/German co-production (I suspect Albania and Swaziland were unable to meet their financial commitments to the project and had to back out), but that only ensured that the quality control would be that much higher what with so many different players weighing in. Still, the showrunner was a great guy and, judging from the pilot script he and his M.I.A. partner had written, it was going to be a fun show.
Except that one of the partners (it may have been either the German or the French) didn’t want fun. They wanted serious action. This we found out after handing in the first draft of our first freelance script. Everything that had been received with much enthusiasm twenty-four hours earlier was suddenly problematic and we were looking at a page one rewrite. But no big deal. We went back to it and had the revised version out within the week. Again, congratulations all around. Until one of the partners (it may have been either the French or the Germans) decided the show needed to have more emphasis on espionage. Less guns, more gadgets and savvy. “No problem,”I told the showrunner, eager to give it another go. To his credit, however, the showrunner held off. It became very clear early that the producing partners had drastically different visions of what they wanted the show to be. Rather than address this minor quibble in the development stage, they had apparently elected to work it out once the show was actually in production.
While the French and Germans slugged it out over creative issues, we were offered the opportunity to do a pass on somebody else’s script. This somebody else was a gruff, opinionated, bear of a man who was often given to dropping cryptic hints about his every-changing mysterious past during story meetings. One day, he was a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who still did undercover work for the force. The next, he was an ex-outlaw biker with connections to the C.I.A. He was a self-proclaimed expert on any subject and would happily muscle his way into a conversation to remind everyone of the fact. Now my writing partner, Paul, is an infinitely patient guy (he’d have to be, having worked with me for going on 12 years now), not easily pushed to the breaking point. But if there’s one thing he can’t stand, it’s an arrogant know-it-all who doesn’t know when to shut up. In the many years I’ve known him, I’ve only been witness to three individuals who managed to engender Paul’s loathing. One was our former boss at the student bar we worked at. Another was an actor. A third was this guy. Let’s call him Oswald.
“It just needs a polish, nothing serious,”Oswald assured us after sending me the script. “Give it a pass and get it back to me as soon as you can.”
All well and good until Paul and I read the script. It needed a little more than a polish. It needed a fourth and fifth act that made sense. I emailed Oswald, detailing the plot holes that needed to be addressed. His response: “These kind of notes are really counter-productive at this point.”
And I suppose it would have been equally counter-productive for Paul and I to have accepted staff positions on the production – especially after that Stargate longshot came through. On the one hand, we sincerely did like the showrunner and the series was being filmed in our hometown which made things very convenient for us; but on the other hand the weekly salary we’d been offered was equivalent to the weekly per diem we’d be receiving should we decide to take our chances out west.
We did.
And last I heard, the French and the Germans are still going at it.
Today’s pics: Snaps from work.
Hi Joe!
Great puppy and people pics. Hmmm…who’s that getting his face sucked by a Wraith? Paul? Connor? Angel?!
Paul M. and I have something in common. I can’t stand arrogant know-it-alls. I’ve had to deal with the same person, housed in different bodies, for several years in one of my non-SG fandoms. Every time this asshole implodes in his own self-delusions, he reappears a short time later with a new name and face. What?! It’s not the same guy?! Go figure.
The dead giveaway is the pathetically obvious “hinting” they are more important and connected than they are. In fact, maybe your Oswald has been reincarnated as the current incarnation of Important (to Self) Guy. He’s making claims of being a C.I.A. agent too.
(As someone who’s actually known someone who actually worked for the C.I.A., agents do NOT tell anyone or even hint they are agents while they are agents.)
As a long-time SG fan, I’m glad you and Paul joined Stargate. 🙂
Rock on!
eddy
Thanks for the story. I’m sure we’re all glad you guys went the Stargate way, as well.
So, does Carson become some wraith’s new pet or something? What’s the deal with that pic?
Sheesh, when does the new season start again? All these teasers are killing me.
Oh sounds like a job I currently work at. I won’t say which one as I sort of like working there and its only temporary. That is if I pass my re-hire interview(yes I work for them already and they MUST re-interview me weird eh?)
Soooo since again no mailbag, I’ll copy the question from yesterday.
So after much research and debate several of us are curious as to when we might see Lorne’s character promoted. We’d LOVE to have more opportunity to see him in his dress blues.
See, we *cough*me*cough* did some digging into promotion’s and the Air Force. Seems that a Captain, is eligible to become a Major after 9-11 cumulative years in service. A major is then eligible to be promoted to Lt. Colonel after an additional 2-5 years as a Major(13-16 years cumulative service).
Now we are assuming that Lorne became a Major shortly before “Enemy Mine”. Say he was on the ‘low end’ of the range so, 9 years of service. He transfered out to Pegasus and Atlantis back in 2005, with 11 years of service under his belt. Lorne’s now been stationed on Atlantis for 3 years(or so), thus bringing his total years of service as an officer to 15. See our logic?
Does “Project Twilight” have to do with planning for a possible SAG strike?
Well we are all lucky it worked out that way!
Serendipity!
Thanks for the story.
Joe…you so gotta stop teasing me with Tyler Wraith…
Unless, of course – one of his characters survives the season. Otherwise, I don’t know if I can deal with watching him die over and over again, like poor James…
(But thanks for the pictures anyway!! ALWAYS a delight!! And dang, now I want a Wraith finger thingy, and a stunner…and, well…a Wraith. Got any extras hanging around? 😉 )
das
Hi, Joe!
Uh oh?
Uh oh is right — whose face is behind that Wraith hand?
New NBCU Stargate Atlantis 5 promotional photos are out — I have reduced sizes at my blog:
http://morjana-subductionleadstoorogeny.blogspot.com/
17 days until the premiere!
🙂
Morjana
Oh my. A cast iron season five spoiler, Wraith, and a familiar hairline beneath the Wraith hand. gods, its still three weeks before the show starts up! And I refuse to even look for an illegal copy. Though I’m getting impatient with both Amazon and itunes. I want to hurry up and pay for my season subscription to ensure my downloads are legally on time.
An intriguing story of your earlier career. Any particular event trigger this memory? And oh, but to know what actor could annoy Paul Mullie so much as to make the “short list”.
Thanks for the pictures, however much they are likely to keep me too hyped up to go to sleep promptly. Enjoy the luau, or whatever passes for one in the offices in BC.
Mr. M wrote:
The Expedition is doing Macbeth? 😀
Anne Teldy
Hey Joe, What’s with no mailbag for the last few days… I thought you promised to catch up on the mail bag while on your semi-break from work? Are our questions that bad?
And will you tell us what show that was that you turned down! Don’t get me wrong… I’m glad you did turn it down. Stargate is great because of you and Paul.
Thanks for all you do.
Patricia
Joe, Today I went and bought a copy of Androids Dream. I only got a chance to read the first chapter before I had to go to work, but it was great and kind of WTF. Can’t wait to finish it.
Awesome pictures! I love tonight’s story. I doesn’t seem like you and Paul have been working together for that long. Do you think that people who work in animated television end up participating in a much greater number of projects than people in other genres of television? Just looking at a typical voice actors imdb profile yields tons of results versus a live action tv actor of a similar age/status.
Yeah…couldn’t resist…sorry for my lame-o ‘jokes’…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/amen.jpg
das
Great pictures. The cauldron – hope no one gets cooked!
Please 2 mai tais, some kahlua pork, poi, and lomi salmon with the umbrellaed table….coool! You guys know how to furnish/decorate.
Started reading Scalzi’s Old Man’s War – and the first few pages could have been writen by you in your inimitable style. It was great. Have to get back to it.
Love all the pictures you give us.
Hi Joe,
Just had a real quick question for you. Just watched Ark of Truth for the millionth time and wanted to know, especially with Continuum weeks away, where in SG canon does Ark of Truth and Continuum? It’s driving me and several friends of mine nuts….
Thanks for all you do, the updates and the food reqs. If i ever get out of the desert that is the Southwest, I’ll be sure to look these places up!
Ouch. That CANNOT be good for the complexion. And I thought zits were bad.
Thanks for the prequel of your Stargate adventures. I guess you made the right choice after all. Thank goodness.
Here are some questions:
1. Are you currently accepting pitches from freelance writers?
2. Will the Wraith be involved in Episode 100? Will Episode 100 end on a cliffhanger?
Thanks in advance!
The Stargate marathon reviews will return in 3 days.
Look, don’t listen to these people here, while I would love a promotion for Lorne, I bet there won’t be two Lt. Colonels on Atlantis. So, nope, definitely no promo for him, I want my Major on the Show. Thanks!!!
The Game on Wednesday will be much better. Germany against Turkey. The Turks are gorgeous this Year and really for once make me proud. 😀
Well I am certainly glad that the other job didn’t work out cause I can’t imagine Stargate without you now.
One quick question. I know that you said that you critique the writing of other shows while watching them, so my question is, who is your favourite non Stargate writer? or perhaps a group of writers?
Jade
So much for mulitnational productions, huh? Sounded like World War 3 was about to be tabled, based on whether the Germans or French claimed their idea was best….
Got a question…who does SciFi’s promotional photos for SGA? Would you please shoot the designer for the most atrocious Photoshopping exercise I’ve ever seen? High school kids using GIMP have done better! And who ‘poses’ the actors for those shots? I had a good laugh on someone’s LJ when they suggested Sheppard looked like he should have been photographed on a big game safari with his boot on the kill.
something I ran with, by the way…
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b341/Squishy_Bean/?action=view¤t=goodshephunting.jpg
Isn’t it fun what you can do with half an hour, Google images, Photoshop and creative ideas!
Oops! Delete the first post of mine (sorry!)
Hmm that spoiler pic Joe… reminds me of a Bugs cartoon.
I hate know it alls too. Usually they’re Jerk of all trades, master of none.
Writing and Why it’s amazing:
People who are blessed with the ability to write have the great responsibility and opportunity to deliver information of all kinds. Depending on the type of writing you specialize in, writers are able to educate, inform, enlighten and entertain — all through the written word.
Writing and Why its amazing:
People who are blessed with the ability to write have the great responsibility and opportunity to deliver information of all kinds. Depending on the type of writing you specialize in, writers are able to educate, inform, enlighten and entertain — all through the written word.
Read this in a magazine and it was labeled as one of the top 5 most Amazing Jobs.
Coucou Joseph!!!
Sa va bien?? Moi super bien^^! je me repose!!
Merci pour toutes ces photos!!
Allemagne vs France??? aller la france biensure^^!!
bon aller gros bisou joseph, passez une bonne journée, je voud adore♥
We should really thank the French and the German!! They have send you throught the Stargate and the show only gained from your imagination. 🙂
Stargate without you? Now there’s a parallel universe story idea. Glad it worked in our favour.
Very intrigued about the screen shot of someone with a wraith’s hand over their face.
Hi Joe,
Coolness! More great pic’s! Who’s the Wraith? In the pic!
Take care & happiness always!
Cathie
So Joe…what are the chances you’ll spill the name of the aforementioned multinational and wholly craptastic show?
Great pics! Poor Carson!
Ha I almost right clicked and then clicked show picture on the cast-iron spoiler. Joe you crack me up and almost got me on that one. HA
Ah, typing with eyes closed, this is a recipe for disaster.
I have a problem but am willing to accept it. A while ago das mentioned when flicking through channels she saw Setanta Sports and thought it said Sateda. While I didn’t put up my hand at the time, I’m confessing now that I too thought the same. So Das, your therapy group now consists of at least two.
The reason I mention it, tonight…
“Coming up tonight on Channel 7” – it went on to list the shows for the night. One was “All Saints”. Yes, I managed to somehow read that as Atlantis and got all “ooh, ooh” before being horribly disappointed.
Then, I’m watching S01E08 “Underground” on Sci Fi and in my work brain state realised how much the Genii symbol on their flag looked a lot like the conference call speaker I had been speaking into for a very long time. No, really, I’m serious. Anyone that finds themselves hunched over a big board room desk talking into an inanimate object on a regular basis, check it out.
Sulien, if you have Haldir can I come and visit? Pretty please??
On the topic of elves, I’m waiting for an Atlantis team member to ask of Sheppard, “Sheppard, what do your elf ears hear?”
DeeinSouthAfricaLoved your Doctor Lubo story. Would be so fascinated to hear his thoughts on life 🙂
Joe, I’m sorry, but I caved in and saw S&R. Figured it would be 3 years until I can get it here (love the way we all try and justify it). I too hope that the Sam Carter situation is resolved within the Season. I have much respect for Sam Carter as a role model for women and Amanda Tapping who brought her internal beauty to the role. I would love to see her given the respectful send-off she so deserves. I’m really going to miss her.
Well, gale warnings issued for tomorrow. Here’s hoping the Weather Bureau is horribly wrong about their prediction like last time, just in reverse. Sunrise should give a good indicator as to what the weather has in store for the day.
You have me intrigued as to your story today. Glad you got picked up for Stargate but everything is an opportunity, so it’s always fascinating to see if you would have still ended up at Stargate if the original idea took off. Sometimes, things like that just happen 🙂
Good night all.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
As a french guy, I say that is the german who wanted more action, in France, on adore tout ce qui est fun !!!
A bientôt !
“The Game on Wednesday will be much better. Germany against Turkey. The Turks are gorgeous this Year and really for once make me proud. :D”
Except for the fact that whoever wins that game, there will be casualties. I’m actually afraid of the outcome of that game :/
Anyway, what I wanted to ask: Being a German, the whole post made me curious… What the hell was supposed to be that show’s title? (if it turns out to be “GSG 9”, I’m in serious danger of falling off my chair laughing)
I am glad you decided on Stargate instead.
Oddly, I thought of you on my way to Quebec City when passing the highway signs for Montreal (isn’t that bad?). Although I don’t speak french, everyone was very kind and friendly.
You do know how to go after a wraith lovers heart! Love the pictures, and love the picture of your pup yesterday. Anyway, I have a work party today, then I’m off to get some ingredients for a cocktail. I’ll post it here…it’s wraith related, so it should be tasty. Anyhoo…what else was I going to tell you/ask you? Oh ya! Yesterday, I was thinking of the wraith worshippers. I watched an interview with Andee F. a while ago and she mentioned a little bit about the mindset of these people. What I thought was interesting were the feelings the wraith seem to have about their worshippers. It is definitely a type of affection, but it is almost more than that…almost like security. Perhaps they do not experience unconditional devotion from anyone else especially in their own society. It appears the worshippers fill a psychological need for the wraith…hmm fascinating. Will there be more on the followers this season? Also, do you think the team will capture a queen and see what she’s made of?
🙂
WK
Hi Joe,
I wasn’t planning on leaving a you a comment, but I figured it was only fair. You write your blog every day, so far without fail, giving us an entertaining insight into the world of television, fine cuisine and the trials and tribulations of dog rearing…
Sorry about that, I had a whole bunch of things to say thank you about, but then this damned thing called work got in the way and I lost my train of thought. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for my morning entertainment each day, and for the fine list of books you’ve recommended and for putting out a great show. Ok, back to work now…
I love the beach moment in the office! We need something like that in my office, especially in February. Is that a leftover prop from something?
Re: The “Uh oh” picture – The biggest hint is his clothing. Pics were posted just yesterday of someone wearing that same clothing (in different lighting, of course – that does make it less obvious, I suppose). 😉
Joe!!! Thank you so much for the Beckett whump! We need more more more, please! 😀
Joe,
Someone from the Scifi Channel press dept. got a hold of me yesterday.
Thank you for setting that up.
What’s the best office prank someone has played at your work?
Cheers, Chev
Okay spill the beans what was the proposed name of the show and should we hold our breath for it?
Hard to imagine Paul being even slightly peeved at anyone!
Poor Oswald with his ‘Mittyesque’ mentality, he probably shot Kennedy as well.
And the big pot in the pic hmmm! How about Sheppard having to under take an ordeal of hot water for crimes against hairdressing?
In the 6th century the ‘Lex Salica’ a body of law written in the reign of King Clovis 1, (I kid you not) mentions the ordeal of hot water which requires the accused to dip his or her hand in a kettle (big pot) of boiling water.
Some times to retrieve an object at the bottom of the cauldron if the judged was particularly pissed with the accused.
If, after three days, God had not healed his/her wounds, the suspect was guilty of the crime and either exiled or executed. In their defense there was no cable TV!
Mad half hour over back to relative sanity.
Pauline
I liked this headline from Comcast this morning “God accused of selling cocaine near Tampa church”. Kind of eye catching, and has a very “the world is going to hell” feel about it.
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-odd/20080623/God.Arrest/
@ Narelle from Aus – Glad I’m not alone! I watch Setanta nearly every day, and STILL call it ‘Sateda’. 😛
@ Wraith Cake – I like that concept very much. Not sure the creators have the same thing in mind, but it would compare to humans with pets. We eat some animals, but have others as pets – pets we have affection for – pets who ‘worship’ us as their protectors and providers.
So, just as our pets fill a void, perhaps worshippers fill a void for the Wraith and – acknowledging that – the Wraith, in turn, feel a sort of ‘affection’ towards their human ‘pets’. Works for me.
OF COURSE, JM will just poo-poo this idea because Wraith are malevolent life-suckers who could never do or feel anything that remotely resembles anything good, unless it’s to their own evil, self-centered advantage. Isn’t that right, Joe? 😉
das
Hey Hiya Howdy, y’all miss me?
Catching up on the blog, nice pics, as usual. Thank you.
I survived camping in 115 degree temps, wildlife wandering through camp (horned toad lizards, coyotes, bugs and heat frazzled hippies), cacti and vicious yukkas, the Party Naked Tiki Bar, Pirate Pornaoke, the Mens’ Hot Legs contest, Necrophiliac Hearse (worst band ever), Bad Idea Theater, Human Pong, 24/7 electronic music, bad coffee, the Shrine of Bucky, Wayward Art, FukkaYukka, Khaki and Lackey, MyLarry in vinyl hot pants, swimming in Lake Mead, being searched by guards before crossing Hoover Dam with our trailer of suspect camping gear, real-deal French absinthe, three gallon batches of mai-tias, a windshield which cracked in the heat, getting terminally lost in the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Place (thank god for the Vosges chocolat oasis), dragging Desi up onto the Coyote Ugly Bar to dance and being speared by her Look of Death, bad behavior at IHOP, massive amounts of acts of consumerism at the outlet shops, and … it will all end up on my blog over the next few days. Best non-burning burn I’ve attended. Mean old Arizona wouldn’t let us set the desert on fire.
How was everyone’s week? And what is the correct pronunciation of Vosges?
[About the s5 cast pics]
I know you have nothing to do with this, Joe, but maybe you can tell us where to write to complain about the bad photoshopping 😀 Or maybe you could tell the appropiate people about some fans concerns.
It goes beyond the usual airbrushing of the actors’ faces (up to a point where they look like plastic dolls). I think that’s a trend in the industry in general, and I lost my hopes that it’ll change someday.
I’m talking about the poses and, more important, about clearly plugging the pics of the actors over a pic of the set. If they couldn’t arrange to have the photo session on the actual set due to a conflict with the shooting schedule or whatever and they had to take them in a studio with a plain background, why not releasing them with that background (like they did with many of the s2 and s3 cast pics).
I don’t want to sound obnoxious or anything, but if you look at the pics, the actors are clearly floating over the set’s stairs. I didn’t know they could levitate. 😉
*shakes head*
Hey Joe,
Excellent pictures! Thanks again.
Trips down memory lane are always fun, aren’t they?
Thank goodness TPTB @ Stargate realized you and Paul had to be part of the team. I shudder at the thought of life without “Window Of Opportunity.” Without that ONE epi, I couldn’t recruite so many people into Stargate fandom! It’s the best tool I’ve got.
BTW, I’m being a VERY good fangirl. I’m NOT watching the S5 show on the internet. Shame, shame to those that have. 👿 I will watch it on the sci-fi channel. And I will not even Tivo it. I’ll watch every commercial AND I will make a note of trying to buy from every company that is advertising during the show. Hopefully it’s not a bunch of car companies.
Also, Jeremy found a copy of Kage Baker’s “In the Garden of Iden” for me! I’ve read the first several chapters already. I was so excited about reading grown-up books instead of books about cats with hats. Imagine the irony at learning that the company is referred to as Dr. Zeus. 😯 But no green eggs and ham in the story… yet.
@ Lt.Col.Errandboy: exactly my point… Legolas is immortal and can handle any wraith suckin’ on his life force. (Which is what I said yesterday). I imagine a Sizzler buffet-esque feeling for Todd, as well. Great analogy. 😀
@das: Ok… that’s it. Now when I actually get to WATCH that scene YOUR voice is gonna be playing in my head as some charismatic preacher yellin’ “Be heeeeled! Praise Jeeez-US! Hall-lay-luu-YAH!” Thanks for that. 🙄 I’m so going to find a way to get you back. 😉
Trish 🙂
Im glad you went with stargate. I love the show. Thanks to all of you for making friday nights great!
Now lets talk about your pics . One looks like carson getting his face sucked off. one looks like two fish that have been turned into guns and fossilized on the roof of a wrath cave.?? One looks like you went over to see Harry Potter and borrowed a caldron. You have been a very busy boy. lol…KEEP HAVING FUN!
I have to agree with Lily about the horrible photoshopped promo pics. From the bad composition to the groin-level camera to the horrible floating feet (photoshop can do shadows, you know), this is really the worst they’ve done so far. Even worse than the extra fingers on Teyla last year.
Are these images done by a summer intern or something? Honestly, there are many skilled fans who’d be happy to work on the original images for MGM.
If you could point out who “owns” these, I’d be happy to complain to them instead of you. 🙂
Sounds like the background story of a fan con (or two or three).
that whole behind the scenes story could be a tv movie or an episode of some tv show.
wasn’t david hewlett planning a tv show about the behind the scenes workings of a sci-fi series? or was that just one of those rumors?
@ whovian – 😆 😆 😆
(BTW – you’re welcome 😉 )
das
It has been too long since I was last on here… it’s been the start of a new job at McDonald’s, a week-long trip to Scotland (beautiful, beautiful place… with truly excellent cuisine), my sixteenth, a week of finals, my sister’s graduation (a surprise for all), and a much-needed trip to a therapist… and yet, still just under a month until season 5. Oh, and I’m heading up to Quebec in August – should be fun.
Just under a month until Season 5, Continuum, Dark Knight, and the X-Files movie!! What are you looking forwards to the most?
Sorry for making yet another post, but I just looked at those promo pics…and…THEY HAVE NO SHADOWS!!!! 😮
Sheesh. You call Wraith ‘vampires’ – but now I’m thinking maybe you should be lookin’ a bit closer at those so-called humans…
. 😉
das
Enjoyed the backstory, almost thought at first it was present day, but glad to see the way it turned out, those longshots can be good.
Can’t wait to get to the beach/luau, roasted pig,coconutty drinks,men in grass skirts playing with firesticks… sorry got carried away..
Thanks for another round of fine pictures to peruse. Enjoy the day!! 😀
Michelle said: “Even worse than the extra fingers on Teyla last year.”
OMG. I had forgotten about it. Yeah, you’re right. 😀
*dies laughing*
Hey Joe.
Cool pictures. Since there was no mailbag today, the same Q as yesterday…
Do you have an e-mail that I can get you at and you could respond to somewhat fast? Or even, could you e-mail me with an address…that way you don’t have to display it?
I need to ask/request something of you, but I don’t really want to display it all that much.
Thanks Joe!!!
I know this is an old story but it has been in the news over here recently so I guess we’re all going to die a lot sooner than I thought.
Apparently some scientists in Geneva (Is that where the Genii come from??) have been watching a bit too much SGA, got this idea from the ‘McKay and Mrs Miller’ episode, and decided to re-create a black hole *cough* I mean Big Bang (coz that sounds much better!).
http://www.dabbledoo.com/ee/images/uploads/gadgetell/large-hadron-collider.PNG
Look familiar??
Martin Gero may indirectly be the cause of the end of the Universe. I would write him a very stern letter but it probably wouldn’t get there what with the time dilation (I can already feel time slowing down considerably the closer I get to my work in the morning) so I was just wondering if you could just let him know in advance that I’m not very happy with him.
Thanks,
Soon to be Dead, Demon Hunter.
This is a great cautionary tale for other writers out there. Paul and Joe are lucky that they didn’t end up stuck on either of those shady projects and got SGA instead.
Some people just want to be told their script is fabulous and that they should get Steven Spielberg on the phone right away to make it. It’s always wise to be wary of anyone who doesn’t know how bad their script is or who cannot point out the flaws that you know are in your script.
I took the bait on a rewrite of a truly horrendous script and a year later I’ve got a crap script full of cheesy notes from the producer-wannabe and I’ve only just found out that the producer-wannabe has been schlepping this crap project around for the good part of this decade. Which means many, many people have already passed on it and won’t want to read it again.
I’ve learned (the hard way of course) that if the script sucks then to not bother signing on for the rewrite, because chances are good the producer was the one filling the script with their own godawful notes. Once I started getting the same godawful notes it was too late unwind the deal. I kept hoping that my instincts were wrong but sadly I was right to doubt that rotten deal.
At least I can now join my writer friends in having the “rewrite from hell” story to tell at the campfire.
Sometimes it’s best not to take the chance with the shiny Mystery Box and hold out for a studio/producer/company that has a proven track record. It seems like a no brainer but when you are a hungry writer standing out in the cold with your cap in your hand it’s easy to be lured into that white panel van by the lunatic producer with the candy.
Oh yes, the promo pics are not good and look artificial. We are lucky to have your pics at this blog – they are way better. How about you’ll shoot the next promo pics? 😉
Do you and Paul always work together or do you sometimes make different projects, too?
how old is lt col sheppard?
i’ve gotten kind of fuzzy on his age.
he lost all those years, when todd the wraith snacked on him. then todd gave him some back. was it the same amount? i seem to remember Mckay exclaiming that sheppard looked younger than he had at the beginning of the show. then on the last man episode sheppard is in stasis for about 750 years. weir was frozen for 10,000 years. she aged anywhere from 45-65 years during those 10,000 years and came out anywhere from 85-100 yoa. so in 750 yrs, sheppard would have aged somewhere from 3.4-5 yrs.
so is he in his late 40’s now?
can he claim early retirement for time lost as well as served?
Hey, great entry Joe. I think there are a lot of people out there who are really happy you went with the long shot.
I was wondering, did you originally hope to get into producing as well as writing?
Hi Joe, I too have been passed the link to the leaked epi from S5, I haven’t watched it, and there is not much point me watching it as S4 has only just started.
Off to the uyniversity library to suggest the addition of Ursula Le Guin’s book “Lathe”. They dont have a copy.
I’d say ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth.’ 😆 Be glad that you are not longer involved in that…hm….botch. 😀
What was the story about?
Hi, Joe.
Thank you again for the new photos! Still wondering whose face is behind the Wraith’s hand…
I have some new publicity stills from Search and Rescue on my blog at:
http://morjana-subductionleadstoorogeny.blogspot.com/2008/06/stargate-atlantis-new-promotional.html
16 days until the premiere!
Woo-hoo!
Morjana
the first picture is somehow funnier in the small version with blurry text 😀
Hey, I loved the new promo pictures, it’s as if the gravity got switched off in Atlantis and everyone turned to plastic – I think there could be a future storyline right there!
Your anecdote shines light on why I often see writers strewn across the footpath outside my work, weakly sobbing into their fistful of notes, a bottle of meths tucked under one arm.
I always wanted to be a writer, but alas my tolerence for substance abuse was as low as my talent. Maybe I should start off slowly and begin with tagging, ease my way in. If you see ‘dovil woz ‘ere’ scrawled outside the studios just think of it as me submitting a CV.
Have you seen David’s and Jane’s wedding pics?
http://dryope.livejournal.com/393955.html
Jane looks lovely and David has a nice shiny suit.
Dovil I want to see you do a “Flight of the Conchords” style documentary of your rise and rise to international writing fame.
But I’d also settle for watching your tagging career which would consist of you writing a witty, grammatically correct tag on a toilet wall and then you running as fast as you can to safety. No one can stop the Dovil. **nods reassuringly**
If anyone is interested the follwing link has a few pictures from David Hewlett’s wedding. Nope, they are not ‘photog in the bushes’ type photos – they are official!!
http://dryope.livejournal.com/393955.html
Thank you for such an interesting and fun look at life before Stargate! I echo the other commenters who have already expressed how pleased they are that you made the decision you did.
RE: today’s pictures–images of the Wraith doing everyday human things will never, ever not be funny. Hee.
~Darsy
@Narelle – if it’s grammatically correct I’m assuming I’ve found an editor for my tagging. One step closer to fame and fortune!
Plus I’m the only person in NZ who is yet to see Flight of the Concords, though it’s also 2pm and I’m sober so apparently I’m all about shattering national expectations.
@whovian:
Do Wraith burp if they’ve overfed of Elf-meat?