Several weeks ago, I was leaving Stage 3 after saying my goodbye’s to the crew when somebody called my name. I stopped and turned to meet the guy who fast approached. He looked vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place the face. “Tyer,”he said, no doubt reading my confusion. “Tyler McClendon.” Of course. Tyler, our new resident wraith. The reason I hadn’t recognized him was because, outside of the audition in which I’d cast him, I’d never seen him out of prosthetics and make-up. In a most unwraith-like display of professional courtesy, he thanked me for casting him and told me he’d had a wonderful time on the show. I, in turn, thanked him for all of his hard work and asked him whether he might be interested in doing a fan Q&A. Well, it turned out he was familiar with the blog and assured me he’d be more than happy to interact with the fans. Convention organizers take note…
DasNdanger writes: ‘First, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed your Wraithy performances, Tyler – you had big boots to fill, and you have done so quite nicely. I really enjoyed your roles so far in Broken Ties and The Queen, and look forward to any future appearances. Too many favorite moments to mention, but I will say that I love how you’ve played the whole ‘irritated Wraith’ thing, and in such a way that isn’t over-the-top. It made Kenny quite entertaining, especially with his ‘I do not know, I’m not on the ship’ line, and then when – without a word – he obeyed Sheppard’s order to head to the nearest gate, giving him that ‘Happy now?’ look afterwards. Very well-played!
Which leads me to my first question:
1. How difficult is it to convey expression/emotion with your face concealed under all of that make-up?
2. Was it ever explained to you – or do you have your own ideas – as to what the Wraith finger armor is supposed to be for? Is it a tool? A weapon? Just ornamentation? (I am determined to find this out!)
3. In your mind, why did the Wraith in Broken Ties want worshippers? Is it just a power thing, an ego boost, or something else? And what was his motivation behind turning Ronon in particular? In some ways, it almost seemed like he was trying to make Tyre jealous.
4. Some Wraith actors have said that they do not see the Wraith as inherently evil, though they are portrayed as the villains. What is your perception of them?
5. Was that really you who visited us on Gateworld as ‘tubbs’? If so, thank you again. I hope we didn’t scare you too much.
That’s all for now…I’ll leave something for others to ask. Thank you, Tyler, for your time, and for being a part of Atlantis, and especially for creating exciting new Wraith characters for us to watch and enjoy and discuss. We love these guys, and really appreciate all you’ve done in bringing them to life.’
Thank you for the kind words Das. 1. Well, it’s kind of a double-edged sword. Though your expressions are limited by the make-up, it also does a lot of the work for you. Things like a glance or a flick of the eyes are more exaggerated when your face is so ‘enhanced.’ Being my first episode as a Wraith, I spent a lot of time during BT experimenting in the make-up.
2. Ah, the finger armor. I’ve never officially been briefed on its function; however, I recall quizzing the prosthetics team (this will be the first of several times I will mention how amazing the prosthetics team is on this show . . . they’re amazing) during my virgin voyage into wraithhood on Broken Ties. Aside from some speculation, I didn’t get too far. Then I started looking for clever opportunities to use the finger armor during the filming of BT. No Luck. Next thing I knew, my hand was severed and the opportunity to find a use for it became irrelevant. I’m sure the writers would have an explanation if I were to ask, but I’m more interested in discovering a cool function for it. I’m sure I’ll find one when the opportunity presents itself.
3. Good question. In my opinion, ‘Rhys’ considered the Satedans a genetically superior race. So if he was to recruit worshippers, they were probably high on his list. Tyre’s addiction to the enzyme made him reliant on ‘Rhys’ and vulnerable to manipulation. Rhys used Tyre to track down Ronon, the one person he saw as the key to defeating Atlantis – making Ronon a far more valuable asset than Tyre. So turning Ronon was really just a strategic decision.
4. Since SGA is told through the eyes of humans, any threat to the human species is inherently evil – to the implied audience. To embody a Wraith, I need to view the world/universe through their eyes and sympathize with them. And because their hierarchies are rather strict, I need to be absolute in my choices. That means completely committing to every decision my character makes, with zero doubt. Are they evil? Evil according to whom?
5. It was . . . and yes, ‘Tubbs’ is a childhood nickname I was blessed with (insert chubby kid story here).
BlueJay writes: ‘We named the Broken Ties wraith Rhys, did that wraith have a name that was used on set?
Provided Kenny survives the season and you were available would you continue this role in the Atlantis movie? (hint hint Joe)
Which eps are you in this season and how many different wraith do you play?
What have you done that could find its way onto the dvd blooper reel?
How do you think Kenny felt about his commander playing nice with the humans? About having humans on the ship to begin with?
We see Kenny take an order from sheppard, to take them to the nearest Stargate. Standing orders from Todd made him obey? just glad to be rid of them?
Todd has been betrayed by his fellow wraith before, do you see Kenny as the loyal type?’
1. No. Thanks for naming him though. I like that name. Think it should be on the name list for my first born?
2. Absolutely. As Joe has said before, scheduling is usually the main factor. But yeah, in a heartbeat.
3. BT, The Queen, First Contact, The Lost Tribe, Outsiders, Enemy at the Gate. Four.
4. There may be a copy of Rhys doing his best Christopher Walken impression floating around out there somewhere.
5. Violently opposed. We had other concerns to deal with. Allowing humans on the ship was a sign of weakness and if another hive was to discover this . . . well, you know the rest.
6. Just following orders. There wasn’t really an advantage to doing anything else, since Kenny was also unsure what was going on.
7. Loyal to the hierarchy. But, if the hierarchy is breached or reveals a weakness . . . you never know.
Rachel writes: ‘1) If you had to pin point one thing, what would you say is the most difficult part of the costume/prosthetics to work with? What is the easiest?
2) What made you decide to take the role?
3) How much creative freedom were you given in playing your characters?
4) Running on the assumption that it was actually you who dropped by on the Gateworld forum, on a scale of one to ten, how crazy do you think we all are?’
1. Most difficult thing to work with? Well, everything has its own level of difficulty. The make-up is out of my arena. The prosthetics team (have I mentioned how amazing they are) is all over the make-up. Most of the time I’m reduced to just standing there and letting everyone do their jobs. That means, two people adjusting the costume, one person touching up my make-up, one person adjusting my contact lenses, one person strapping on my weapon, one person putting on my microphone, one person fixing my hair, and one person fixing any loose fingernails. All at once. But, the fingernails are the most difficult. It makes you realize how much you use your fingers throughout an average day. Things like putting on your boots can become a ten-minute ordeal.
2. To play a monstrous, life-sucking, genetically superior, intimidating, highly intelligent alien being on a top rated Sci-Fi series? Sounded pretty good.
3. Good question. More than I thought I would. Obviously I had to fit the general parameters of how Wraith behave, but I wanted to find my own way into the role. Seeing what others had done in the past, I was eager to find something new and interesting. Luckily, Joe wanted the same thing.
4. Nine . . . kidding. Not at all. SGA has a worldwide following. So to call yourselves ‘crazy’ is to call a lot of people around the world crazy. Besides, ‘crazy’ seems kind of negative. I prefer passionate.
MyFavoriteWraith writes: ‘1. While filming on the Wraith sets (I believe it’s Stage 2?) did you encounter feeling funky, strange or even ‘hungover’ from the atmosphere there, as other people have reported in the past?
2. In your previous acting experience, had you ever gone through this much make up and costume before? And now that you have, would you ever do it again?
3. Any hope of seeing you in the SGA movie(s) as Wraith or human?
4. You and Aaron Cravon seemed to get on quite well, at least according to Joe’s blog video clip. Anyone else you struck up a friendship with or bonded with while you were on set?
I would love to hear you talk ad nauseum about what it was like to play a Wraith but I’ll be merciful and just leave it at those questions. I’d also like to add my thanks and congrats on playing two of the most outstanding Wraith characters on the show. In Broken Ties you were creepy, sadistic and yet alluring. I loved Kenny – he was snotty yet endearing. Bravo for those amazing, memorable performances. Hope to see you on the small or large screen again soon.’
1. I believe you are referring to the Norco Studios. Located about 15 minutes from the Bridge Studios. Yes.
2. No. Yes.
3. Well . . . I’m hoping. Does that make my answer yes?
4. Yeah, Aaron and I know each other as actors local to Vancouver. He’s one of the finer actors I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Any bonds? Well, my appearances are pretty sporadic, so that’s a tough one. The crew definitely grows on you. I mean, they work their butts off and still have the courtesy to treat the actors like gold. How can you not bond to that? The problem with being a Wraith is once you’re out of make-up, no one recognizes you. So I have an attachment to a bunch of people who have no idea who the heck I am!
Laura Dove writes: ‘First of all, I want to say that I enjoyed the wraith you played so far, especially Kenny. While not as impressive as Todd, I loved his calm assurance and sense of superiority (and I loved he outlived the episode *sigh*). He seemed to think ‘stupid humans!’ whenever they were asking stupid questions.
So, here are my questions:
1. Was it really you who came on the ‘Wraith Defenders Club’ GateWorld forum? If yes, I must say I admire your courage to affront us crazy wraith fangirls.
2. Did you discuss wraith topics with Chris Heyerdahl, especially for ‘The Queen’? How much backstory do you add to your characters, beyond the episode script itself? I know Chris added a lot of personality to Todd: Did you do the same with the ‘Broken Ties’ wraith or with Kenny?
3. How do you view Kenny’s opinion of Todd’s relationship with the humans from Atlantis? Is he considering it a mistake, or on the contrary an interesting opportunity? Or does he simply follow his Commander’s decisions without questioning them any further?
4. Do you feel underused as an actor, since we can’t really recognise your real face? (Actually, I find it even more impressive to be able to display emotions with wraith makeup, but I’m curious about your opinion.)
5. Kenny is named on-screen, but when your wraith is not, such as in ‘Broken Ties’, do you invent (the crew, or you personally) a name for him? If yes, how did you name the ‘Broken Ties’ wraith?
6. You must know that some of us (dasNdanger, I, and a few other rabid fangirls…) immoderately love wraith. How do you view our fascination for the ‘bad guys’? Are we scaring the crap out of you? Do you feel sympathy for the wraith despite their need to feed on humans?
Thanks Laura. No, they haven’t ‘killed Kenny’ yet. He-he. 1. See above.
2. Not really. Chris is a veteran on the show and he had a lot more work to do in that episode than I did. So as the new guy, I just try to stay out of the more seasoned actors’ way. There’s sort of a mutual respect between actors where we assume the other person has their act together (backstory, character arc, etc.). The director is usually the only person I seek advice or collaboration from. Other actors, especially those playing Wraith, just have too much to deal with (wardrobe and costume). Backstory? I guess I add as much as the script demands. The temptation is to create all this cool backstory for your character and show as much of it as you can during shooting. But that’s just not realistic. It’s important to have the backstory, but you need to know when it’s applicable to that scene, episode, etc. Yeah, I wanted to add a lot of personality and backstory to both the BT Wraith and Kenny – as any actor would. Pulling back was the hard part.
3. Red flag, error, stop, do not collect $200 and pass go. Bad, bad, bad.
4. Not in the least. Before playing a Wraith I would commonly get cast as the young cop, young deputy, rookie FBI agent, young priest, etc. This role gives me the chance to play a ‘villain’ when most of the industry doesn’t see me that way.
5. No. Most of the time it was just ‘bring in Tyler’ or ‘the baddie.’ I thought ‘McNasty’ would’ve been funny, but it doesn’t really fall in line with Sheppard’s more common name assignments (Bob, Steve, Kenny etc.). I believe a fan named Rhys.
6. Well, they are pretty cool bad guys after all. I think it’s great that you’re so into it. I’m that into it. Yes, I do feel sympathy for them. Even though they’re considered the ‘villains,’ there’s a lot about these guys that we can relate to. They need to survive on a limited amount of resources. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
I’ll transmit questions from Degilwen in the ‘Wraith Defender Club’:
1. How do you feel under all this make up and with long hair?
2. Do you know that girls love you in this Wraith Costume?
3. Have you problems to eat with this make up?
4. What do you think about the fact that SGA ‘Close the Gate’ and make now a new Show/movie?’
1. Hot. Temperature I mean.
2. Insert *blushing* here.
3. Yeah, it can get a little tricky. I try to drink everything from a straw and eat everything from a fork, so as to insert the food without any snags. I know that sounds awful, but it’s not so bad. I don’t like to eat a lot when I work anyway. It makes me sleepy.
4. Well, nobody likes it when the show they’re working on gets the axe. I’m sure SGU and the Atlantis movie are going to be great. These guys have a pretty good track record.
Noir writes: ‘- How does it feel to play a Wraith? Does the behaviour of the people around you change when you appear in fully make-up and clothes? And what about your behaviour? How much does your appearance influence your way to talk, walk etc?
– What do you think about the Wraith in common? About their culture, their social behaviour etc.? Do you like them?
– Have you ever been tempted to leave the Bridges Studios – in fully make-up! – to drink a cup of coffee somewhere or go by bus, only to see how the people outside react?
– I really love the hair of the Wraith – especially of that one of Broken Ties – btw: one of the most handsome Wraith I’ve ever seen. This Wraith’s hair seems to be really soft and thick. How does the hair of the Wraith feel in reality?
– Is there any character you would really like to play someday? And what kind of roles do you prefer as an actor: comedy, drama, action films or love stories?
Thanks for answering our questions and my best wishes for your future. Hope to see you in the movies.’
1. I feel mean. Really mean (tongue-in-cheek doesn’t translate so well on a blog). You can always tell who’s new to the show by the way they act around you. While the regular crew barely even notices you, new people tend to be a little more fascinated by the make-up so they stare a lot. I don’t think it influences my behaviour too much. As I said before, it does a lot of the work for me.
2. See above.
3. HA! That would be a trip. Yes, I’ve often thought of it. Just to see the reactions on people’s faces would be priceless. But I like my job, so that’s as far as it goes. Also, the make-up is very frightening in real life, so the public’s safety would be a concern.
4. They do not go cheap on the wigs. These are some of the best wigs I’ve ever seen. Incredibly authentic and heavy.
5. Any megalomaniac villain really. I don’t have much preference in terms of genre. If the material is good, I want to do it. Thanks Noir.
Davidd writes: ‘Hey Tyler. I have two questions for you if it’s alright, I’m not sure if they’ve been asked already, but I’ll try anyway:
1) What got you started in acting? Had you always wanted to act?
2) What are the pros and cons of being a Wraith?
Well, I guess that’s actually three questions, but…’
Hey Davidd. 1. As a kid, I remember being completely flabbergasted that the guy who played Mork from Ork was the same guy who played Popeye in the feature film. Is that when I decided to be an actor? I doubt it, but I think that’s when my interest in the craft began. I started studying acting seriously as a teen. After high school I earned my BFA in theatre, got an agent, and started auditioning . . . and auditioning . . . and auditioning. Three years and 4 agents later I landed my first paid acting job – a one liner on Andromeda. Can you say ‘things looked pretty grim?’ Why I persevered is beyond me. But here I am playing a character I love on a really cool show, so it looks like things are starting to pay off. 2. Pros: see above (the life-sucking, genetically superior stuff), plus it’s a lot of fun. Cons: Overheating. In full costume it’s easy to begin perspiring and it’s difficult to cool down. If we’re rehearsing a death scene, I’ll try to limit the amount of times I get down on the ground because of the energy I expend doing it. Obviously certain things have to be rehearsed, but just trying to cut down on vigorous physical movement until the cameras are rolling usually helps.
Wraithfodder writes: ‘1) Just what is the process it takes for you to be made into a Wraith, such as how long does it take to put on and remove the makeup, how long do you have to be in it, what are the drawbacks? Like those contacts that cover your nice blue eyes (yes, I was looking at pictures at IMDB)
2) Have you done roles like this before (extensive makeup)?
3) How did you get into acting?
3) Are you in anymore SGAs, and if not, what is your next project?’
1. The prosthetics team usually works on my face for the first couple hours, then the hands, next I’m sent off to the hair department, then final touches (like fingernails and contact lenses). The entire process usually takes between 3 and 4 hours. The length of time in full make-up can vary, depending on how many scenes I’m in that day. Drawbacks, see above. 2. No. 3. See above. 4. See above.
Naamiaiset writes: ‘1. What first interested you in acting?
2. Who have been your favourite people to act with/interact with on and off the SGA set?
3. Any funny bloopers on the set you can tell us about?’
Hi Naamiaiset. 1. See above.
2. I don’t think I have a favorite. As a Wraith, I spend the majority of my time with the prosthetics team. I mean, we spend 4 hours together at the start of every day, so I’m definitely the most comfortable around them.
3. See above.
Karen writes: ‘Aren’t you just waiting for someone to say ‘Hey, you killed Kenny?’ (tho I am not a fan of South Park)
I see that you played hockey when you were 7, Do you still play? What or who is your favorite hockey team/player? I am a Panther fan, I hope they do better this year. Luongo is one of my favorites. And what do you like to do in your spare time to decompress and relax?’
I may have heard it once or twice. Yeah, I still play about two or three times a week. I grew up in Vancouver, so my team is definitely the Canucks. Actually, I’m listening to the game on my computer as I write this. We just scored against Anaheim! Favorite player is probably Todd Bertuzzi. He’s got speed, good hands and can absolutely lay guys out when he wants to. The whole Steve Moore incident was a real shame. Yeah, the Panthers are due for a good run. I’d like to see them go far in the playoffs this year. My secondary fav team is usually Montreal, but I’ll keep an eye on Florida and see if they’re worth cheering for this year. Thanks for the goalie by the way. He’s not bad 🙂 Any spare time I get is usually gobbled up by hockey or golf.
Lberostar writes: ‘1. Do you ever find yourself wanting to put on the Wraith gear and go grocery shopping or to the car wash just to see people’s reaction?
2. How long does it take to go from Tyler to a full Wraith?
3. How do you mentally prepare for being a Wraith?
4. Do you get to keep the cool coats?’
Hey Lberostar. 1. See above.
2. Three to four hours.
3. I did an interview for a local publication called Yaletown Magazine. In the interview, they asked me the same question and I told them: ‘Spent some time with an ex-employer – took notes. Spent some time with an ex-girlfriend – took notes. Gave myself a blistering hangover – and voila.’ Joking aside, I don’t really know if I can give you a concise answer to that question. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of it has to do with seeing things from a Wraith’s point of view and finding an unflinching dedication to their cause. So I guess it’s a combination of that mindset with the physicality of the creature that needs to be intact before I hit the set. 4. I wish. I can’t even imagine what one of those costs to make.
GoSpikey writes: ‘In the promo shots for ‘The Queen,’ we’ve seen something that wasn’t shown on television, namely Todd with brushed out hair and a smile on his face. Was that part of a cut scene? I was maybe expecting an official welcoming for Queen!Teyla on the Hive, but we went from Teyla in the infirmary straight to ‘Throne Lessons,’ instead. So, if indeed it was a cut scene, is there anything that you could tell us about that? Were you in it? How did Kenny react to having a fake Queen on board? I do not think we’ve seen much interaction between her and Kenny, unfortunately. Unless there was again something that wasn’t shown due to a time problem?’
I can’t recall. Sometimes those shots are taken between takes, so that might explain the discrepancy. Other than that, I’m afraid I don’t have much of an answer for you. I’m usually only there if it’s a scene I’m in, so I don’t really have a way of knowing if something was cut. Kenny wasn’t terribly fond of that plan, so having a fake Queen on board didn’t make him a happy camper. Thanks GoSpikey.
Jean writes: ‘How did you approach your audition for a Wraith role? It’s not like you could draw on personal experiences….could you?’
I actually did a lot of work on that audition. More than I do for most. I knew every actor in town was going to do their best Wraith impression, so I really wanted to find something unique about my take on the character. I did my research first, then I worked on it with everyone I possibly could. I must have gone through a dozen different voices and a dozen different postures until finally settling on something I liked, something that would work for the show, and something I knew I could make repeatable. When my agent called to tell me I got the gig, it was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had.
Well, I wanted to answer every question and I think I came close. Thank you all so much for your questions. It’s been a real pleasure for me to be part of the show and hear all of your feedback. All my best and here’s to future discussions.
‘Til next time.
Tyler McClendon
Mailbag:
Ytimoyona writes: “So are you and Paul gonna stay together? Do you have the same agent?”
Answer: We do have the same agent and, yes, we do plan to continue the partnership. I think we compliment each other well both as writers and as producers, especially given that many of the production aspects that he enjoys I despise, and vice-versa.
StellaByStargate writes: “What is Carl up to these days anyway?”
Answer: Oh, he’s working on the SG-1 movie script, presently hammering out an outline with Brad.
Michelle writes: “ Wait, and what the hell? I thought you were in talks to work on Universe… and why did the front office team leave, given there’s about to be a new show?”
Answer: When all is said and done, I believe that Paul and I will end up consulting on SGU, writing a few scripts, and writing and producing the SGA movie. That said, we’ll have significantly more free time next year which opens up the opportunity to pursue other projects. As for the office gang – well, their work on Atlantis is done. They’ll go off, hopefully enjoy a well-deserved break. Hopefully some if not all will be back in January when production on SGU gears up.
PG15 writes: “Finally, what about Cookie Monster and Baron Destructo? They’d say. In truth, I’m sure the Antis think that they were kicked off of the blog to “add risks” and to “shake things up” to increase the number of hits on the blog! Did it work, Joe? I don’t think so.”
Answer: Baron Destructo (who, incidentally, made an appearance here just last week) and Cookie Monster are valued and respected members of his blog and will continue to contribute here in the significant yet haphazard fashion we have grown to accustomed to.
Luis writes: “Joe I see your blogsite is valued at around 15,000.00 does the figure have to do with the hits a blog gets?? can you actually sell your site for tha much or is that just a numbers thing???”
Answer: 150 00 what exactly? Old LP covers is my first guess.
Shirt ‘n Tie writes: “By the by…anything planned for next Wednesday?”
Answer: Nothing. I’m prefer to celebrate in low-key style: dinner and a movie. I’m sure Fondy has it all planned out.
Ytimyona also writes: “I’m gonna go back to the blog entry where you first mention insomnia and try out some of the suggestions people gave you…”
Answer: What’s worked for me is to lie back and take a deep breath, then exhale, then take another deep breath, then exhale – repeating as deeply and as quickly as possible. I’ve found that after about a minute, I get all light-headed and sleepy. Seconds later, I am out!
Pilota writes: “The company I work for has a genre division ROGUE Pictures (they released The Strangers earlier this year) and I’ve pointed them in your direction. A call was made to your reps. What genre is your feature film that you are pitching?”
Answer: Thanks for the recommendation. We’re presently pitching horror, horror-comedy, and sci fi. I’ve given my agents the heads up.
AMAZING what a good skincare routine can accomplish 😛
Wow! A whole different side to a wraith. Fantastic Q & A! 😀 Thanks Tyler!
Can someone catch Das before she hits the floor?
Many Thanks to Tyler for the very cool answers to our questions…
We will miss you, but look for you in other programs.
Joe,
Can you tell us what the ratings for First Contact were….PLEASE!
Thanks
StellaByStargate writes: “What is Carl up to these days anyway?”
Answer: Oh, he’s working on the SG-1 movie script, presently hammering out an outline with Brad.
wooo hooo!! 😀
Thank you Tyler for your answers. From the way you answered the questions, I sense you are a really great and fun guy.
Now that you can sleep Joseph, maybe I will (lol).
To Das: You are too funny with your persistant question on the finger jewelry. I always thought it had some kind of chemical in it for the feeding then I saw one on the left hand and well that idea was out.
What an funny, sweet, entertaining guy! Who knew. Please thank him for putting up with us, Joe and thank *you* Joe for doing this for some of your show’s most crazy – er, ok, passionate fans! (I know, we’re very demanding! :D)
mfw
Not sure if my previous post got through, so please pardon me if this shows up twice!
Good luck in LA, Joe. I really enjoyed your description of the meet & greet, the entertainment biz isn’t too far removed from the real world after all, because that sounds a lot like most of the job interviews I’ve been to.
As for places to eat in the LA area, I would recommend you head down to the Chinatown area around N Broadway, northwest of Olvera St and Union Station. There are dozens of excellent little restaurants there worth checking out.
If you want something a tad bit more upscale (though not as upscale as Fuel), you might try one of the Northwoods Inn restaurants. They have excellent steaks, but the scallops are my favorite and their blue cheese dressing is out of this world, as is their red cabbage slaw (I like to mix the blue cheese dressing into my red cabbage). The décor is what you would probably call “rustic kitsch”, but the food is great!
Now, if you want a pizza that is to kill for, you’ll have to drive out to Matteo’s in San Dimas. Believe me, it’s worth the drive! I’ve had pizza on three continents and across the US and his is still the best I’ve ever had, bar none. The rest of the dishes there are also excellent and Matteo and his family make everything from scratch and use only good, fresh ingredients. If you do go, tell him that Doris’ daughter sent you and that she says hello. *sigh* Man, I miss his pizza, it’s almost worth the road trip from Washington state just to get it. 🙁
Lastly, I don’t know how much of a fan of museums and such like you might be, but the Huntington Library out in San Marino is definitely worth an afternoon if you want to de-stress a bit.
Das Hugs and supportive thoughts to you and your family. As for insomnia, I’ve found that a tea made up of dried hops, catnip, chamomile and lavender flowers helps relax me and lets me drift off to sleep without the usual after effects of most sleep aids. A little Valerian root added makes it more effective, but it tastes and smells godawful and you have to be careful about using too much of it.
Shirt ‘n’ Tie You can get the navy blue BDU’s from just about any online military surplus store. You might try Brigade Quartermaster and Military Clothing.com, among others.
Questions for Val Halverson
1. Did you have input from a US Air Force advisor regarding the military uniforms used in production of Stargate Atlantis or were you just given copies of various military regs (Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Army Regulation 670-1, etc.) covering wear and appearance of uniforms and told to just ‘wing it’?
2. I really love the new costumes you made for Rachel Luttrell and Jason Momoa, especially those coats and Teyla’s maternity wear! Would you ever consider designing a regular clothing line?
Dear Mr. Mallozzi,
Enjoyed this Q & A!
Have you read “Eats, Shoots and Leaves” by Lynne Truss?
It would be a pleasure to see Mr. McClendon at a convention sometime; I’ll certainly be putting his name forward as a potential guest to the few cons i attend. It seems to be a theme with the Stargate franchise; they find and cast people who are not only good at their jobs, but are simply good people. I’ve yet to see a Stargate actor or actress at a convention that didn’t impress me. Something I cannot say about actors from certain other franchises. Many thanks for inviting Mr. McClendon for participating, and for his doing so.
A few last minute questions for Ms. Haverston. First, when approached to do an episode, how much are you told, such as “we want italian medieval”, vs. how much interpretative input are you given for doing costumes? What sort of source materials do you use for creating designs? Is there any sort of material you find yourself having to work with that you particularly like, or dislike? What would you consider to be your “dream project”, whether in film, television, or theater? And thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions.
So Joe,
You’re not into wild surprise parties? Oh well, I guess the striper / land shark, singing candy gram I was going to send for your birthday is a bad idea!!! Giggle Well I hope you have a very Happy 43rd Birthday on October 16th!
Cheers Mate… have a tall gin and tonic and enjoy the day!!!
This comment is about a week old, but I just now got back into my old routine and have finally caught up on your blog entires.
I took the Law School Admission Test last week and one of the “games” (which require drawing diagrams and making inferences for eight different questions) was about people getting off a bus at different cities. One of the cities was named something very close to the name Fondy. Anyway, with only seconds left on my final question in the section, I accidentally diagrammed Fondy as a person’s name, instead of a city. The whole diagram was completely messed up and I ended up having the leave the question blank because time was called as I fervently tried to turn Fondy back into a bus stop.
I’d like to personally blame you and your blog for training my brain to recognize Fondy as a person’s name!
Hi Joe:
I’m really looking forward to the Brad Wright blog. I met Brad at the Continuum Premier on the Midway. He is a very thoughtful and interesting man.
I have a question for you, however. When you are pitching a new show to a new group of producers, do they look at the ratings of your previous work? After doing some research, I discovered that actors are better off sharing their big name projects first when sending off their “resumes”. I’m assuming it works the same for writers?
Thanks, and Bonne Fete.
Patricia (AG)
Woah woah woah man! Carls bounce-I mean, Carl’s helping Brad write the 3rd SG1 movie?! Holy hell that’s awesome!! I also find it hilarious that you just threw that out there like it’s no big deal. Haha.
Good to know you’ll be staying with Stargate, even if it’s on a reduced capacity.
I can’t wait to have Cookie and the Baron back. Could they be more than recurring characters? Hint hint.
Meanwhile…what? Your birthday is on the 16th? Well! As regulars we must do something special for you!
Perhaps…perhaps we should burn an effigy of a person of your choice in your honor! I like that. Fire is good.
Linda Gagne wrote:
Contrary to popular belief, there are left-hand feeders among the Wraith. In the Season 2 episode “Instinct”, Ellia left a feeding mark on Sheppard’s right forearm with her left hand. Both Sheppard (at the end of that episode) and Beckett (in the beginning of “Conversion”) identified it aloud as a “feeding mark”.
Anne Teldy
(*picks head up off floor* Psst…Trish. Too late. *bonk!* )
Tyler, if you’re reading this – thank you so much! I can’t believe I survived that…especially the “Hot. Temperature I mean” thing. 😆 Yup. Gonna have insomnia tonight… 😛 I’m so sorry…I think I’m starting that objectifying thing again. 😳
Adorable pup! Wot? Joe didn’t give us a name? He’s sooo falling down on the job. 😉 And Tyler, nice to know you really were tubbs at GW – it was a pleasure meeting you there…and very nice of you to pay us a visit. Come back anytime – we’ll be gentle, we promise.
Thank you for answering my questions (of course, now I have a dozen more 🙂 ). First, just how you described Rhys’ view of the Satedans helps me get my head around that episode a bit more. Seeing it as a strategic move makes much more sense than if he acted out of evil intent (which, unfortunately, often is suggested when the writing is a bit too cryptic. And Joe does cryptic soooo well. 😉 ). In my opinon, I think you’ve got a good grasp on how the Wraith think. They seem very practical to me, so using someone for strategic purposes instead of mere self-indulgence fits their image of a manipulative, yet somewhat stoic, race.
And I especially appreciated your valiant attempt to answer the one about the finger armor. Alas, I am slowly, but surely, coming to the conclusion that it’s just a glorified nose picker. 😀
So much info here – I’m going to have to read it over a couple times before I can absorb everything. I especially appreciate your take on Kenny’s opinion of what Todd’s up to, and the insights you’ve shared about being in costume, and in having the opportunity to play these characters. I gotta say, this is the BEST Q&A, EVER!
And thank you so much, Joe, for making this all possible! *smooches everyone!*
@ sulien – Thanks for the hugs, and the tea tips. Much appreciated. I have a tea like that – bought it for my husband – and always forget to try it. I just might have to brew myself a cup…and then take a bath in it. 😛
I’ve over-smilied again, haven’t I…
das
Hey Joe,
Your post today sort of jogged a little thought I had hiding in the back of my head. Is there any film/television job opportunities available for a 19 year old college kid with no experience in the field? I’ve been trying to find something to get me some experience in the industry, but all my attempts at searching online have come up empty. Is there any suggestions you could offer that might point me in the right direction? That would definitely be awesome.
Thanks.
Ack! Finally, after two delayed vacation requests and massive antibiotics for a stomach ulcer, I’m driving up to Vancouver next weekend to chill out (evidently literally considering it’s been in the 90’s here in L.A.), and do some quake preparedness meetings.
I was going to drop off some UMG goodies for you and whoever else was left of the crew or production staff as a thank you for the show, but it looks like everyone’s left the building. OK for me to leave a box at the gate?
And good luck to you and Paul pitching your projects in Tinseltown. Bring sunscreen and anti-bullsh**t spray.
I have an idea about this finger jewellery doohickey, all the goths in this village of the damned wear ’em I think its an ostentatious nose picker, (Das, you beat me to it JUST!) lets face it you don’t get any more “goth” than a Wraith I bet they’re really pissed at the lack of black hair dye in the Pegasus galaxy!
Joe, I seriously look forward to your future projects especially if you are making your way in a horror direction with that twisted mind of yours.
I’m looking forward also to SGU and any movies that make it our way. I’m a hopeless case alright:)
Right now I’m up to me ears in books again, can’t seem to decide which room I want them in and there are SO many and counting.
Hi Mr Mallozzi !
How are you ?
I’m sorry to tell that I come in here to complain. It’s the second time that happened to me which is odd generally I come to say how much I love your work. But I had a bad news and I come in here to help me feel better. Yeah Stargate is so much a part of my life that it helps me and I make criticism like if I could *lol*
My complain is about Keller. No no this isn’t the anti Keller thing simply because I like Keller. I don’t joke I find her fun and all but honnetly I find her more fun in Whispers than now in Kung Fu Keller. You know I really really think the problem isn’t Keller but the us you mae of her. (What a shame I can’t believe I said this) but it’s as McKay, she is everywhere.
I will say my problem. My problem is that I’m a fan of Teyla and Keller had in less than 2 seasons more than Teyla. I mean Teyla has someone now (you let it large enough for us to believe what we want, as I ship Teyla yet I prefer to think that they stay friends) but in all honnesty if you said that Teyla lives with Kanaan, I would be happy but now I evn ask myself kow Torren borned and if it wasn’t as for Vala. Even with the father of her child she hasn’t confirmation so I don’t even imagine something for my ship. You see the difference with Keller.
But my biggest problem is that Teyla was so good in this season I loved all her ep and yet she missed two eps. I agree there is a lot of reason who can explain it but even if they are busy Shepard or McKay are always there !!
And I so wanted a girl team that I’m disappointed that I’m jealous of Keller because I am under the impression that it lets Teyla behind. Why haven’t we seen Teyla fight ? Wasn’t she sensed to fight with Ronon ? While it seems that Keller knows how to fight did you exchange their roles ?
OK ok it’s so critic and without proof except the few that I saw and I totally know that it’s my fault I spoil myself with pics and resume and it will probably not be like this. I know it because I always loved all the eps of Atlantis (except The Shrine where nevertheless David Hewlett was awesome but it was the only interesting thing for me). So I hope it’s that I’m totally stupid and I know nothing. So in order to be less stupid could you say to us if we will see Teyla fight ? And I had the impression that the second half is a lt more team oriented. I so hope it I love team eps it was always what I prefer. So Yes for more team eps or once again I’m totally misleading ?
Sorry for bothering you as I said I have a bad news which really bothered me but to say this help me a lot even if now once again I feel stupid *lol* but it happens daily (?).
Thanks for listening and thanks for all the great eps First Contact was pretty cool and there was MY Daniel Jackson. Thank you so much 😀
Bye
*smacks self in forehead* Oh my god, Joe, I don’t believe I forgot! While you are in SoCal, don’t forget to make a side trip to San Diego, if possible! They are hosting a Star Trek exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Flight in Balboa Park. They have a replica of the bridge set of the Enterprise (NCC 1701, no letter) as well as several other sets from the Next Generation and original series. Not to mention original models and props galore and enough information to make a Trekker expire from the geekgasm. Oh, and you can have your picture taken on the bridge set in one Kirk’s chairs used in filming the original series. 😀
If you do manage to make it to San Diego, you might want to check out a Persian restaurant called Bandar in the Gaslamp district. The food is almost worth the trip to San Diego on its own.
And please mention to Brad Wright not to get rid of the gateroom sets from Altantis and the SGC after filming for the movies is complete, they really do need to go into a museum!
thanks to Tyler for answering all our questions, come back and visit us crazies at gateworld sometime.
Come on Joe, tell us what’s up with that pic of Todd with neat hair and a smile on his face. pretty please.
@DAS glorified nose picker! *snort* love it!
you’re the only one making promises. Wraith who innocently stray into the WDC are fair game as far as this fangirl is concerned. hehe.
Narelle from Aus (Response to yesterday’s comment as I went to bed X]) I shall certainly try! Maybe if we both sit down and perform rain chants, coincidence may provide us with what we’re both hoping for!
Thanks for the great Q&A Joe!
First Contact was pretty good, can’t wait to resume with Lost Tribe tonite.
DD
Mornin’, Joe..
Sooo.. an October baby, like me, huh? Interesting. And to which end of the Libra scale would you attribute yourself? The chilled, laid back and cannon-resistant end that’ll weather almost any storm.. Or the finely-balanced type that could tip the scales at the drop of a hat?
According to my dearest Mother, i’m so laid back i’m almost horizontal. Although, whether that’s simply the outward signs of sheer, genial laziness at work, i’m not sure. I do know i’ve next door to no fuse on my temper and can go off like a nuclear blast without any prior warning. That said, the fallout doesn’t usually last too long and i’m pretty quick to apologise. Well.. mostly. It depends alot on who’s head i’ve just chewed off >_>
“Baron Destructo (who, incidentally, made an appearance here just last week) and Cookie Monster are valued and respected members of his blog and will continue to contribute here in the significant yet haphazard fashion we have grown to accustomed to.”
I found a vid on YouTube the other day and was completely enamoured with it for the best part of two hours (gotta love the ‘replay’ features modern technology gives us). T’was my favourite of the furry, cuddly, multi-coloured Muppets.. Animal doing a drum solo. Absolutely classic and I still stand by my belief they modelled him on Mick Fleetwood. As a kid, I used to wonder why he always wore that heavy chain around his neck. As an adult, i’d like to grab the nearest chainsaw and find out.
Small things and so forth..
Thanks for the great Q&A, Tyler! I didn’t have my act together to post questions earlier, but I think the other fans covered everything.
Tyler, I’m afraid you have your boyish good looks and baby blue eyes to blame for the “type-casting” up to this point. But now that you have “Wraith” on your resume, I’m better that future employers will look at you with renewed respect and an open mind as to your potential for playing baddies!
I’m looking forward to seeing Kenny (and any other Wraith you play) in future episodes of SGA.
p.s. – your dog is adorable.
And thanks, Joe, for bringing in another wonderful guest blogger! I’ll look forward to seeing what you have planned for our favorite Wraith (plural) in the remaining episodes of SGA and in the upcoming movies.
thanks for including my questions to Tyler! i really enjoyed his comments. can’t wait until tonight!
Here’s a link to my Flickr album – yesterday I took some shots of the balloons that came over my house (and almost into it) during the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. An octopus nearly came down in my yard.
Sadly, we had two that crashed today.
http://flickr.com/photos/dagobatracker
named after my favorite chocolate bar – Dagoba
Hello,
My name is Jonathan, I’am french. I LOVE Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis … I ‘am a big fan ! I love your work ! And I find it unfortunate that we never had a ”Prequelle”, with for exemple, the society of Anciens in the earth, the beginning of the reign of goa’ulds, construction of the city of Atlantis on Earth … You could introduce this with a story, a book that someone reads … This would be really cool !
good luck to all other episodes that you produce!
Jonathan
Please tell Tyler Thank You for aswering all those questions and yeah, he’s welcomed for the goalie – Anyone who has played for the Panthers is now excelling on another team. I have never been able to figure this out. It’s a conspiracy.
Kenny wraith made me laugh, I always love Sheps’ naming of the wraith. Thanks for the fun interview, it was a pleasure to read!
Coucou Joseph=)!!
Ah enfin le week end^^!!! En plus mon cheri vient demain!! C’est vraiment bien!!!
Vous avez combient de visite ?O_o je ne comprend pas car il n’y a que 2 zero a la fin, normalement c’est 3 ..mais sa fait combient a la francaise lol? Moi j’ai bientot 60000 visites^^!
Je suis happy car il fait trés beau en ce moment, jespert que sa va durer!
Bon et bien, bon week end!!! Bissssou!!!! Je vous adore fort♥
*cracks eyes open*
Och. Man. You’re still writing. Good good.
Yep.
*rubs eyes*
No, I’m good.
*sigh*
K. I’m gonna start commenting again.
Woah! You had a Wraith on here for question and answer and I didn’t ask any questions! Dear Cod! And here your lemon sits on my desk NEXT TO (emphasis) a bubble envelope waiting as patiently as Dr. McKay in a coffee queue to be mailed.
No, but I did read Tyler’s Q&A and, really cool man. Really cool. Give my regards to another guy who makes the Wraith so friggin’ amazing.
And I got the job!
I got the job!
I got the Trader Joe’s artist more than I’m making at the Target job job!
Calling over and over again totally works! Be a prick! That’s all you have to do! Who know it could be that simple?
Well…Woolsey, McKay, Cavanaugh, the entire Wraith population…but besides that, who knew?
@ iberostar – You have some lovely pictures in your album! I love the cactus – they look like feet with little toes! And that dancing dude at the Earth Day festival…mmmmmm! Loved the octopus balloon! Too cute! Thanks for sharing! And, I too, am a Dagoba fan…especially the Xocolatl. I really should just order straight from their site, now that the weather is cooler. I love Green and Black’s, too…I think it’s a bit smoother.
And now, I’m hungry.
@ Sparrow_hawk – Stop flirting. 😉 You don’t know how many times I took out my comment about Tyler’s beautiful eyes, only to put it back in, then take it out again…until I finally just said it over on GW. 😳 I was shy about saying it here, but now that you have, well…yes, they are lovely. It’s like they just pop right out at you… (the color, of course, not the literal eyeball or anything…that would be creepy… ).
das
@sulien: COOOOOL! Thanks for the tip about the San Diego Flight Museum! I think I’m soooooo going to that next week! AHHHH!! I’m a Trekker for sure. Raised on the stuff. Can’t help it. *must sit in Kirk’s chair*
OMG!!! And Allie just found my favorite glasses! Not the ones that make me look extra nerdy. The ones that make me look smart. I was beginning to think they were lost forever. *does happy dance of joy*
Maybe it’s a sign! A sign that the inspection tonight will go well and the call to my vet will be fine, too! Maybe we’ll be bringing home a certain pyr pup that I’m already in love with before too long! WOO HOO!! I’m gettin’ a puppy! (I hope.)
Sorry for the emotional outburst.
Anyway, sulien, IF we go to the museum, I will let you know how great it was. 😀
@Green: CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is great news! I miss Trader Joe’s so much. Haven’t had one near me in over 10 years! *sob* You lucky squirrel, you! 😀 Hey Green, how are YOU so awesome?! 😆
@Das: Yes, everyone can have a bad day. I had a bad day yesterday. And it seeped into this morning. But things are looking up now. I am all for venting/complaining/crying/throwing a tantrum/eating your own shorts, etc when things aren’t coming up all for Trish. So no worries! ((((hugs)))) from me, too. I’ve certainly been there. And I vent all the time. If I didn’t, I’d certainly explode and take out half the eastern seaboard with me.
Now excuse me while I go freak out for the next two hours. My *home inspection* is at 7pm eastern time. Let’s hope I survive.
*eek!*
Trish
dasNdanger It’s like they just pop right out at you… (the color, of course, not the literal eyeball or anything…that would be creepy… ).
Or totally awesome!
Huge thank you to both Joseph and Tyler for the great Q&A!! I loved the insights about Rhys and Kenny. Tyler, even if you can’t express it as much as you’d want to, I love that you give each of your wraith a full personality. I keep my fingers crossed in hope Kenny survives “The Lost Tribe” and we see him later; and I’d love an argument between him and Todd about the Atlanteans (hint hint to Joe and the other writers 😉 ). I’m looking forward to your other wraith too. Thank you again!
Aww, I saw in the previous entry I’m too late to ask questions for Brad Wright. But just in case…
I’ll begin by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed “The Shrine”, and I’ll miss Stargate Atlantis after it’s over at the end of the year. The movie seems very far away. 🙁 As for Stargate Universe, as long as wraith are not added to the mix, it’s unlikely I’ll tune in. So here’s my question: Many fans are worried that SGU won’t feel like Stargate. Without giving away the plot, can you tell us what it will feel like? Can you compare its mood with previous Stargate episodes?
And finally, I have questions to Val Halverson:
1. About Todd’s coat: The added pieces on the top of his arms changed between “The Queen” and “First Contact”: The middle ones went from rough leather (like the top and bottom ones) to smooth and brilliant like satin. Is there a specific reason why?
2. What material are wraith clothes made of? Is it actual leather, or an artificial imitation?
3. How much time does it take to design the various types of costumes you worked on? And then, how much time does it take to actually make them?
4. I loved the clothes of dead alternative Teyla in “The Daedalus Variations”, but I don’t think we ever saw her in them alive. Was it a costume reuse or did you design them specifically for this scene? Do you sometimes have to create a complex costume that will have no more than a few seconds on screen?
5. What happens to a costume when it has no reason to be used again (say, because the character dies)? Do you use parts of previous costumes to create new ones?
Hi Joe!
Since we’re talking to wraithy-types, any chance of a Q&A with Connor Trinneer?
Questions for Val:
Firstly may I join everyone in congratulating you and your department on the wonderful costumes on Atlantis, particularly Teyla’s pregnancy clothes.
1. Why was there the change from the grey outfits for the offworld teams to the black?
2. Whatever happened to Sheppard’s black zip top? He seems to wear his offworld uniform everywhere (shirt with the rolled up sleeves).
3. During the first season Weir went through a multitude of uniforms. What was your favourite? I rather liked the brown, although it didn’t match anyone else.
4. Who wriggles the most during costume fittings?
5. In early seasons it seemed like Sheppard didn’t wear socks. Was that a personal choice by the actor or, like my house, did Atlantis have a problem with socks going missing in the wash?
Thanks for visiting.
Cheers, Chev
@Trish – best wishes for the home inspection. I know it will go well.
Cheers, Chev
Hi Joe,
First thank you for Tyler Q & A did enjoy that. Any chance of Chris H or even Connor T 2 other great Wraith characters. Rachel l doing a Q & A?
Second about Ronan in the Lost Tribe.
He seems to have got some bad press about his activities in defence of the ship.
He didn’t listen to Keller advice. But you can’t blame him for 3 reasons.
1) The Wraith killed his family, his love, his people and lefted his planet stripped of resourses.
2) He spent many years as a runner.
3) Rhys did alot of damage to Ronan when he turned Ronan into a worshipper. Ronan had to face that he was not as strong as he theought he was.
Could it be that his actions where of someone who would not be taken prisoner again or his loyality to his team or he just simple just blindly reacted, after Rhys actions. Maybe if Shepherd was there he would have listened to him.
Also why should he listen to Keller she is just a doctor not a soldier, as far as he was concerned what could she know about strageties.
Thanks MCH
Thankyou so much Tyler and Joe for the Q&A. It was wonderful to gain insight into what the actor experiences as a Wraith. Please keep up the great work. PS: Please put Todd in the SGA movie next year..I’m begging you! : )