- Carl: “This better be good.”
- Tuna appetizer
- Short ribs
- Carl gives the food the thumbs up.
- Green tea opera cake
Well damn. Looks like I’m on the clock tonight. I forgot my power cord at work meaning I only have as long as my laptop battery lasts to get this entry out. According to the power meter: 45 minutes. So, today in broad strokes:
Stage 4 = Destiny set = Robert Cooper directing the Day #1 of Time.
Air III = Director’s cut = David Blue = Hilarious!
Dailies = Robert Carlyle = Blistering Performance!
Production office = Chat with Jamil Walker Smith = laid back and intense behind the camera, dark and intense in front of the camera.
Prepping Justice = Brad Wright producing/Will Waring directing.
Stargate Extinction = Still unread.
Dinner tonight = Market = Carl’s treat as a thank you for the chocolate party invitation = Rice Cracker Crusted Tuna with Citrus Sriracha Emulsion = Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Passion Mustard and Avocado = Soy Glazed Short Ribs with Apple-Jalapeno Puree and Rosemary Crumbs = Green Tea Opera Cake.
And…Time!
Mailbag:
DasNdanger writes: “I was referring to the similarities between Shep and Todd (’you’re more like Wraith than you know’), and whether or not that idea is carried over into how the characters are written… are they considered to be doppelgangers – is Todd Sheppard’s ‘twin’ – and if so, is his presence an omen that something bad is going to happen?”
Answer: There is a definite sense that Sheppard and Todd are two sides of the same coin although I can’t really say whether this is foremost in our minds when writing the characters and their relationship. I’ve often said that I’m less a fun of black and white than I am a fan of grey, characters who fall somewhere off-center between good and evil – the broken anti-hero, the charismatic and admirable adversary. In other words, protagonists with a hint of darkness and antagonists with a touch of honor.
Mackenzie’s Momma writes: “So how is Lulu doing any better? The meds working?”
Answer: Lulu is much better. Thanks for asking. She’s over her touch of pneumonia and ever since I’ve started hand-feeding her, she’s stopped her daily vomiting as well.
PB Mom writes: “I tweeted Lexa, when she tweeted that she visited you today, that your dogs were now tweeting and they were hoping to get 1000 followers by the end of the month. She put a link to them in a message she tweeted so I hope the dogs get a jump in followers. Lexa has a LOT of followers.”
Answer: She’s a sweetheart. I’ve always been a big fan.
Luis writes: “I recently watched the episode “FULL Alert” SG-1 The truck That O’Niell is taking the beer out of is that his personnel or a prop???”
Answer: Don’t recall but safe to say it was probably a prop.
Lexa writes: “Oh, and I’m now officially following your dogs on Twitter – they’re far more erudite than you give them credit for.”
Answer: They thank you for your support. Lulu intends to dedicate her first published collection of poetry to you.
Paloosa writes: “Now that there are several episodes under everyone’s belts, are the actors and their characters nuancing where the stories are going?”
Answer: So far, they’ve been pleasantly surprised by the story and character developments.
Wandering Wolf writes: “Could you please settle an argument between a few friends of mine and let us know what episode number Earth is now in SGU?”
Answer: 7.
Shirt ‘n Tie writes: “Keep meaning to ask…Any Summer hols planned?”
Answer: Maybe Montreal for a week.
Michael A. Burstein writes: “Gateway was amazing, I agree. Believe it or not, I’ve never read Camp Concentration.”
Answer: I highly recommend it. One of my top ten favorites.
Karen writes: “So, when Michael was in your office you asked him to do a
Q & A and he agreed? Right?”
Answer: I have asked him in the past and he was receptive to the idea, but having recently completed a Q&A for his official site, I think it would be best to wait a while before asking him to do another.
Shirt ‘n Tie also writes: “Had a thought recently, would you ever consider putting a “Classic” on the BOTM selection?”
Answer: I’ve considered it, but I like the Q&A aspect of the book of the month club. It allows established authors to shed light on their work and career and also offers a spotlight opportunity for less well-known writers.
Antisocialbutterflie writes: “ How often do you come up with an idea for a script and find out that someone else has already written a slightly different version of the story?”
Answer: A lot. One of the things I look forward to in my retirement is to never again having to hear the words “Star Trek already did it”.
Ruffles writes: “1. The Stargate movies have identified themselves with the franchise (Stargate: Extinction, Stargate: Continuum) instead of with their specific show (SG-1, Atlantis). Is that an attempt to reach a larger audience?
2. In Outcast, Nancy mentioned a man named Grant. Is he her husband? Any plans for her to appear in the movie?
3. If you could chang one episode of season 5, what would it be and why?”
Answers: 1. Nope. I just think that Stargate: Extinction sounds better than Stargate Atlantis: Extinction. Also, it’s in keeping with the titles of the preceding movies.
2. Don’t recall. I believe he was her boyfriend.
3. No sense in second-guessing yourself. Unless you have a time machine. Uh, you don’t have a time machine, do you?
Matt writes: “1. Is SGU being written like most popular tv shows around now such as 24, Prison Break, Lost, Heroes etc, where each episode ends in a cliffhanger giving us all something to think about with it carrying on or tied into the following episode.
2. When can we expect to see some more promotional and behinds the scenes photography and videos for SGU?”
Answers: 1. It won’t be as arc-driven as the shows mentioned. That said, it will certainly be more arc-driven than the previous two Stargate series. We’re trying to strike a nice balance between the two – a show that develops its characters, their relationships, and an overall story while, at the same time, proving accessible to first-time viewers or those who may only join us several episodes into the season.
2. No idea. This one is a studio and network call.
Haina writes: “Will we be privy to your short story perhaps? Will you be getting it published or something? I love sci-fi short stories. (If you are writing a sci-fi one.)”
Answer: Yes, the story will be published (unless my editor was pulling my leg) in a forthcoming 2010 anthology. It possesses certain SF elements…
Dovil writes: “However, there is of course a difference between expressing this on a personal journal and turning up on your doorstep with a list of demands and holding your dogs hostage. There is a difference between wording something to you as “I was disappointed when…” and “You should, you have to, you must do, x” when it comes to storylines. There is a difference between realising that this might just boil down to the fact that the story being told is no longer the one that a viewer wants to hear and the umbilical cord needs to be cut, and hey, this can be difficult when it’s not just about losing a tv show, it’s about losing the community that surrounds it when you’ve gone off the deep end to be an internet fan.”
Answer: Funny you should post as I was going to use you as an example of a someone who has clearly been unhappy with the direction the show took and expressed their opinion in a take-no-prisoners, snarky and amusing, occasionally way waaaaay wrong, but reasoned manner. I disagree with certain of your arguments but I respect them nonetheless. This is in marked contrast to other individuals whose critiques read like nothing more than negativity for negativity’s sake. It’s like someone has forgotten to switch them off auto-pilot.
Dovil also writes: “I think it also can become problematic when fans reactions obviously DO influence the writing of a show: case in point Carson’s return (or at least I believe that because certain fans became organised and protested, it was a major factor of the character coming back). Sometimes being loud and entitled gets you what you want.”
Answer: You can call Carson’s return more of a “perfect storm” of events. Sure, it was great to see he had much support among fans, but that alone would not have been enough to secure his return.
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