Congratulations! Your twitter harrassment has paid off as, only days after mentioning his fantastic restaurant recommendation, Stargate Producer John G. Lenic finally finished off his fan Q&A and sent his responses our way. I’ve been working with John for going on ten years now and I can honestly say that he is one of the hardest working people on Stargate. First one in (regardless of how early the call) and last one out (no matter how late the shoot), he also happens to be one of the most important members of the production. And, perhaps most important of all – he’s a major foodie!
So, today, I turn this blog over to John G. Lenic – producer, gourmand, and crossfit fanatic…
Daniel Willis writes: “You started off on Stargate SG-1. What level of experience did you have at the time? What else had you worked on? What did you start off as?”
JL: I started on SG-1 as the Assistant to Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Greenburg, Co-Executive Producers at that time. I also was their Director Of Development for Gekko Film Corp. Previous to that, I had produced a music video, a documentary on the death of Kurt Cobain and was the Assistant to the Producer on 13 TV Movies Of The Week for NBC/ABC/CBS. You can check my imdb page to see all the titles, as they are too long to re-write here.
Silversi writes: “So SG-1’s theme song came with (unofficial?) lyrics: “Stargate it’s a great big world with a great big swirl and you step inside to another world…” Are there any official/unofficial lyrics to go with SGA’s theme— and possibly SGU’s?”
JL: I wish I knew…there are no Lyrics to the SGA theme that I am aware of and as for SGU, we will have to wait and hear the theme music. You can let me know if anything jumps to mind for Lyrics on that one.
Shiningwit writes: “Did you have any idea when working on COTG that the Stargate franchise would be so successful?”
JL: I knew from the time that I heard that Stargate was going to be produced as a TV series that it was going to be successful. I don’t think I realized just how successful, but I did know it had the ability to be a great series.
“What other projects have you worked on/are you working on?”
JL: Besides 13 TV Movies, I produced a couple random music videos, a documentary of how the death of Kurt Cobain affected so many young people and working on SG-1 gave me the opportunity to make a feature film with the wonderful David Hewlett. As for future things in development, Hewlett, Jane Loughman and I are developing a single camera comedy TV pilot called Starcrossed, about the behind the scenes workings of a Sci-Fi TV series. As for other projects, I have a couple in development but don’t really want to say much until we are further along, but one is with Argentinean Director/Writer Santiago Giralt.
“How do you relax in your spare time (assuming you have any)?”
JL: I have 2 dogs, so we do a lot of hiking in and around Vancouver. I also do Crossfit (www.crossfit.com or www.crossfit.ca), which is like going to the gym except a little more intense…it helps me get rid of stress and clear my mind. Crossfit is the method that Zach Snyder used to physically train all the actors for the movie 300. I also got Brian J. Smith and Alaina Huffman into as well.
Shirt ‘n Tie writes: “Many thanks for taking part in this Q&A. We often hear that the Stargate crew and cast are like a “well oiled machine.” Having been there from day one when the cogs were being put together (so to speak), you have seen all of the changes. So, what has been the biggest change (in a logistical way) from COTG to SGU? Also, what is your favorite moment of the Stargate Franchise? Your appearance on 200 as a wedding guest? Thanks again Mr. L for your time and talent.”
JL: Good question…their have been a few logistical things to speak about. Firstly, from a logistical stand point, we used to shoot SG-1 on 16mm film, then in season 3 I think, we went to 35mm film and then in season 8 we went to the Sony F900 HD cameras and then on the last couple years of Atlantis, we went to the Panasonic HD cameras and now on SGU, we are using the Genesis HD system. You must realize that there are so many idiosyncrasies with working with each camera system. We had to adapt to each one both on set and in postproduction. All of the above had some pitfalls. The best one to work with thus far is the Genesis system. Although expensive to rent, the picture looks fantastic, as close to a film look as you are going to get in the digital domain. Film still is from a look perspective and in my opinion, the best looking format to shoot on. We extensively tested 9 different camera systems over a two-day period prior to settling on the Genesis system for SGU. The only reason that we didn’t go film is financial. Film still is roughly $18,000 more per episode then digital as you have all the developing and transferring of the film to do after it is shot.
Secondly, the change of cast over the 3 series has made a huge impact on our jobs. You have personalities that can affect everyone’s job and how they do it. In SG-1, we had RDA, who was fantastic to work with and so extremely charismatic. As a proud father he wanted to get home to his daughter every weekend. As we got into later seasons the travel took its toll and we had to give him extra days in LA on either side of the weekend. That meant that we had to schedule Amanda, Michael and Chris around him. Then Amanda had a baby, which involved more scheduling. Amanda, Michael and Chris were really great about everything though. We really got to know each other working 12 – 14 hours a day together, 5 days a week, for 10 years. It was a pleasure!
Out of the Atlantis cast, I really enjoyed working with David Hewlett and Rachel Luttrell; they are both wonderful and talented people. I wish them luck in their future non-SG endeavors, as I know they both have other projects that they are passionate about in the works.
There are so many, but here goes an attempt at a few of them…
One Favorite moment was the last day of shooting on season 10. Robert Cooper, who was directing at the time, wanted to shoot the last scene of the episode as the last thing we did. He wanted it to be a moment to remember. We set it up and brought the cast in as usual, except this time they were all in tears, along with all the crewmembers that had been on the show for all 10 seasons. That truly was a moment to remember and reflect upon, as I don’t know how many people get the opportunity to work on the same project for 10 years.
Another favorite moment came on SGU when Robert Carlyle shot a scene by himself for the pilot. In the scene, he comes into his room in Icarus, puts his iPod in to listen to a piece of music, sits on the bed and looks at a picture and starts to cry. There was not a dry eye behind the monitor. It made everyone there realize we were in the presence of a star actor.
My other favorite moments for me are this season on SGU. Coming to work every day with such great people makes for a lot of laughter throughout the days. People like Julie Reider, our accountant, George Horie, my partner in crime, the amazing production office, Nathan, Tanja, David and Chad who put up with me and of course Brad and Robert, who really are instrumental in why we all love to work there and why we have had so many of the same people return year after year.
Patricia Lee writes: Thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to answer questions. We have only seen you on a few behind the scenes features. Will we get to see you more on the DVD extras soon?”
JL: I don’t know if you will see me in any DVD extras anytime soon. I tend to shy away from the camera and don’t seek them out. Probably a better question for Ivon Bartok as he produces those DVD features you watch.
“Having various jobs on the Stargate franchise over the last twelve-plus years, what were your most challenging and easiest positions?”
JL: Good question… Easiest isn’t really a position that exists in the film and TV industry but I would have to say that I absolutely loved working with Rick and Mike. Also when I worked with Rick and Mike I was in a position that, although I had my own responsibilities, they paled in comparison to the responsibilities that I have now with managing the budget and schedule for the show.
I would have to say that the hardest thing over the years was when we shot both SG-1 and Atlantis simultaneously. It really wasn’t a good way to make television, in my opinion. Although, it saved money financially, I feel strongly that both shows suffered from not only a creative stand point but also from a cast and crew burn out perspective. We had to share sets and stage space and you had to know the schedules for each show before you could schedule anything. It was something that, given the choice, I wouldn’t want to do again.
“Can you please try to convince TPTB to film a writer’s spin session for the DVD extras? As a fan, I would love to see the process. Or, if the writers are totally opposed to that idea, how about having Ivon show us the different phases a show goes through before it is completed?”
JL: I am not sure how well a piece like this would do. I know it may be of interest to some of the fans, but truly, it would be very boring and horrible to shoot as the writer’s spin sessions can last over a period of days.
“As a producer for Stargate, I am sure you have had moments when you have wondered if you will be able to organize something in time for shooting. Could you give us an example of a “SNAFU” that you were able to rectify at the last moment, thus prompting your well-deserved nickname of “Miracle Worker?””
JL: Mother Theresa was a miracle worker…I just work hard and luckily get to do what I love. Probably a question best asked of somebody else.
“Have you pulled any good or bad jokes on the set or in the office? Have any been played on you, and if so, will you share a story or two? Do you have any interesting Joe Mallozzi stories?”
JL: I don’t really have any good Joe Mallozzi stories except that he is the best-dressed man on the show and tells the best stories. He can make anyone feel gullible. Our Production Office especially one of our coordinators, Tanja Balic likes to make fun of the way I apparently pose for the camera, so above her desk are various shots of me in the pose she says I make and then a lot of other pictures of others striking as she calls it, “The Lenic” pose.
“Can I please be your date for Joe’s Chocolate Party? I can be in Vancouver in less than three hours. I had to ask! You never get anything unless you put yourself out there, right?”
JL: I would totally invite you, but I am afraid that my partner may have something to say about that as he is a huge chocolate lover and loves that party.
“Along the same lines as “if you don’t ask, you never know,” would you ever consider instituting a “bring-a-fan” workday? Joe could have an occasional contest and the winners could win a day shadowing a producer. Now that would be the best prize ever!”
JL: It is a fun idea, except we have so many labor rules and workers’ compensation issues that make it impossible for us to do that.
GateFanSamJack writes: “How hard would it be to get a theatrical release for the third SG-1 movie?”
JL: Putting a movie into theaters costs a few million dollars more then just releasing it on DVD. MGM would really have to get behind the project to invest that kind of money and I think the statistics show that even though the movie would probably do OK in theaters, I think that it is much more lucrative as a DVD release.
“How has the Stargate franchise’s relationship with the U.S. Air Force changed from SG-1 to SGA to SGU?”
JL: On SG-1 the USAF was involved heavily as we used the footage of Cheyenne Mountain in each episode. They wanted to make sure that on Earth we showed every member of military personnel the right way. They were all over us if somebody was shown “out of regs”. On one episode they actually told us that if we didn’t make an effort to fix (re-shoot) the scene where this female military officer on the Daedalus wore her hair down that they would not permit us to use the Cheyenne Mountain footage in the episode. We had to use that footage, so we ended up cutting around the scene to a point where the USAF was comfortable.
On Atlantis, they weren’t involved nearly as much as they didn’t really care what we did while we were on the other side of the universe. They did try at one point in season 1 to get Joe Flanigan to cut his hair so that it was within regulation. Joe didn’t respond too well to that, so the Air Force ended up backing off.
“What would be included in a script that would blow the budget when SG-1 started? How does that compare to 2009?”
JL: SG-1 was extremely underfunded in its first season, so every episode was extremely over budget. Usually the big sets and/or big visual effects are our biggest issues.
“Heroes 2 is one of my favorite episodes, partly because of how punked I was by that interview editing scene before they cut to big explosions off-world. The DVD commentaries hinted that this episode’s production didn’t follow the original plan. What made life interesting for you during the production of that episode?”
JL: Well, it started out as a single 1-hour episode and due to the amount of footage that was shot; we were able to turn it into a 2-part episode. That made it interesting cause we had to go back and shoot scenes that had to be seamlessly edited to scenes that shot two months prior. If I remember, we didn’t actually shoot that Alkesh bombing sequence until we shot the second part…that tremendous explosion took a lot of prep time and the amount of explosives that Wray Douglas and his team used was insane.
Morjana writes: Hi John! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions. You’re so young! IMDB writes your first credit in 1994. Were you a film school graduate? Is that how you got started as a film producer?”
JL: I went for a two-year film and TV program at UCLA and then came back to Vancouver and went to Vancouver Film School. I have always wanted to be a producer and just knowing that, at a young age made me able to choose the best path to take. It did take a lot of hard work and proving myself, but I think it has all paid off.
“Favorite memory from working on SG-1, SGA, Continuum and A Dog’s Breakfast?”
JL: SG-1 went for 10 years and 2 movies, so I have so many great memories. One that I failed to mention earlier was when I, as a producer’s assistant in season 1 was asked by Amanda Tapping to accompany her down the red carpet to the opening of the Vancouver Planet Hollywood. Seems so cheesy now, cause it was Planet Hollywood, but back in the day, it was huge. Arnold Swarzenegger and Bruce Willis were there as well as every other celebrity shooting in Vancouver at the time. They had a whole city block shut down for the red carpet…and people were everywhere cheering and it was such a great high. It was so much fun.
“Could you please explain the differences between being a production manager and a producer?”
JL: A producer is legally and financially responsible for the show. A producer is also responsible for the schedule and the execution of the final shooting schedule. A production manager works with the producer to make sure everything stays on budget. The PM deals with the day to day crew and operations side while the producer deals with the cast, script and scheduling.
“Just how awesome is Joe Mallozzi?”
JL: Joe is one of the greatest guys to work with. He is extremely gracious and sympathetic to everyone’s needs. He is also the best-dressed producer around.
“Your most favorite anecdote from all your years working on Stargate?”
JL: I left this question to the very end out of all the questions Joe sent me in the hopes of finding that one great anecdote from the last 13 years. There have been so many great times, so many hard times and so many truly memorable times over the years that I can’t name just one. This is a great place to come to work everyday, with great people and I couldn’t imagine having a better place to have called home for the last 13 years.
Major D. Davis writes: Thank you so much for doing this Q&A. I am really grateful when TPTB take time from their busy schedules to answer fans’ questions. So here come the questions. Will the budget for the upcoming movies (Atlantis and SG-1) be seven million dollars like the previous two?”
JL: We have not been given any parameters for the movies yet. It is quite a financial process to coming up with a final budget number. We are waiting to find out if BC will match the tax credits of Ontario. That will determine how much we will be able to spend on the movies.
“What is the budget for Air (all three parts) and what is the normal budget for a SGU episode?”
JL: I am afraid that we still have to have some financial secrets in this industry, which is why I cannot answer this question.
“How hard is it to arrange to shoot somewhere offsite or in the forest? How big of a crew do you normally bring?”
JL: These days it isn’t too hard to arrange an off site shoot. Most locations around Vancouver are used to it all by now so the process is pretty streamlined. Our shooting crew usually runs around 90 – 130 people, depending on how many shooting elements and/or extras are required on location.
“So far on SGU, what is your primary subtask, such as breaking up the budget, calling places and getting permits to shoot offsite, making sure there is food for everyone, making sure all of the equipment is accounted for, etc.?”
JL: Scheduling and managing the budget are my primary tasks. Secondarily, the management of the cast, the directors and their needs.
“What are your favorite TV shows that you watch regularly?”
JL: True Blood, Nip/Tuck, Brothers and Sisters, Top Chef, American Idol, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Amazing Race, The F Word, The Biggest Loser. Those are the shows I watch regularly and would probably watch more if I had the time. I watch most shows on DVD, where I can take my time; otherwise my DVR gets full too quickly.
“If you weren’t employed by the Stargate team, would Stargate be a show you would watch regularly and enjoy?”
JL: I am really looking forward to SGU as it is Sci-Fi and drama and the scripts so far have been fantastic.
Everiss writes: “I’m not sure if this is the right kind of question for a producer, but what is your understanding of time travel in SG-1 and SGA? Specifically, when someone interferes with the past do they change the base timeline, or do they create an AU branch? Also, if they are creating an AU, do the key scientists like Sam and Rodney, realize that? These questions have nagged at me, particularly as shown in SGA’s The Last Man.”
JL: I am afraid that I am not really that up to speed with the “Science” aspect of the show. I would suggest asking this question of Joe Mallozzi or Brad Wright as they have both had a hand in writing time travel episodes.
Snakey writes: “Thank you for all of your years of great SG producing and best wishes for many years to come. I have seen in some TV shows where the opening credits go on and on for sometimes 15 minutes, while also including some six, seven or eight producers or executive producers mentioned separately. Why are there so many on one episode and why couldn’t they just be named together to cut down on the length of time for said credits? You guys aren’t really that egotistic, are you?”
JL: As a show progresses in age, the only true way to show you appreciate a person’s work, and commitment, is to give them a credit for their work. Separate cards are a personal contract negotiation and industry standard.
Michelle writes: “I had the pleasure of meeting John Lenic at the A Dog’s Breakfast screening in LA! My questions are geeky, FYI. I love the whole idea of being a production manager. What software do you use for your job (for example, for scheduling and budgeting)? Do you use your mobile devices to send out schedules to everyone?”
JL: I know some shows have switched over to EP Budgeting and Scheduling but here we still use Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling. We find the Movie Magic versions to be more user friendly for the most part.
“How do you communicate last-minute production changes on-the-fly so the crew doesn’t lose too much time?”
JL: We use the Assistant Directors and Production Office to broadcast to all crew any last minute changes that happen.
“What sort of issues arise among various teams, and how do you mediate them?”
JL: Meetings — lots and lots of meetings. Sometimes, too many, but it truly is the best way to solve issues by getting everyone in the same room.
“How much freedom do you have if you need to spend more than you had budgeted because of some contingency?”
JL: We have a great relationship with MGM and as long as at the end of the season once everything is said and done, we are on budget, we are able to add some contingency to certain episodes if we feel it is necessary.
“How does your role fit with those of the director and the executive producers?”
JL: I see my role as trying to facilitate the best I can at getting both the EP’s and Director’s vision to the screen. Yes, sometimes we have to sit down and talk about financially feasible ways of making things work, but for the most part we get creative and give everybody what they are looking for.
“What percentage of your time do you spend on set/location versus around the office?”
JL: I would like to be able to spend a lot more time on set, but when you are constantly prepping the upcoming episode it is hard to break away from those meetings during the day. Once everything is on set it is often too late for change, but if you have a good prep, everything happens the way it was supposed to…most of the time.
“Great work on ADB! Was it worth all of the mud and the rain?”
JL: ADB was so much fun to make and I absolutely adore David Hewlett and Jane Loughman, so that made up for the rain. The mud and rain just made things more interesting. It was great to see a group of people who just wanted to make a movie and we all pulled everything together and it all worked. We were so happy for that.
I LOVE those glasses!!! Thanks for the guest blog! 😀
I actually forgot that John Lenic was involved in ADB… that movie was seriously awesome!
They did try at one point in season 1 to get Joe Flanigan to cut his hair so that it was within regulation. Joe didn’t respond too well to that, so the Air Force ended up backing off.
Now that’s power! One guy gets the entire USAF to back down! Let’s just hope that Mr. F. uses that great power responsibly because, as we all know, “with great power comes great responsibility.”
Many thanks to Mr. Lenic for participating. I’m really looking forward to Starcrossed making it on the air. ADB is still one of my all time favorite movies, especially as it’s one that lets me gauge if I really want to get to know a person more. (those who don’t get it generally won’t understand most of my warped humor). Looking forward to seeing more of your work, on and off the Stargate franchise, in the future.
Nice. Now let’s see what you can do with that slacker, Bendis. 😉
Side note – saw Chris H. in clip of New Moon. Not big on this Twilight thing, but I’ll go for Chris…and for Mr. Das, who is disturbingly enthusiastic about this whole chick flick vampire thing. He’s really starting to worry me…
das
Thanks to John for answering all those questions. I was very surprised by the Q&A about the USAF and their input in episodes. I had only heard that they had a positive viewpoint on SG-1/Atlantis and how the military was portrayed. Did not know you had to cut a scene just to satisfy them. And I didn’t think that Joe F.’s hair was very long in Season 1, surprised the USAF wanted him to cut it.
All I can say is WOW. John Lenic is an inspiration and a true testimant to what hard work accomplishes. SGU is lucky to have him.
Please, not again!
Stop the madness, Joe, stop it now!
Life is far too short. Just sayin’
Gah! Still need to see ADB.
das – Does Mr Das go for the wench look? There certainly wasn’t anything else going for me in that photo!
Buy Mr Das either a Team Edward or Team Jacob t-shirt and see what he does 🙂
As for Chris H’s role in it. The character is always described as looking bored. I hope he gets to use his acting talents a little more than that! Unless he has an amazing repertoire of various shades of bored?
Thanks Mr. Lenic, you are a class act too!
Loved your Q &A responses. YOU ROCK!
Cheers,
I would kill for that kind of jawline.
Hey Joe,
John was a great choice. It was nice to have a small peek into the world of creating Stargate. It’s too bad you didn’t have a few cooking questions for him. If I tweet him it is usually about cooking.
Stargate…we enjoy the finished product that requires so many hardworking hands. I am always so amazed at times like this when I get to know a little more of the process that leads and eventually finds us.
A big thank you to John for the time it must have taken to prepare these answers. It was a joy to read.
Bless both you and John,
Cheryl
P.S. I don’t believe there will ever be words to express the gratitue I feel. If I ever do come up with them…
Thanks for the Q&A! I loved the bits about the military, because that’s what I love about SG-1.
As for future things in development, Hewlett, Jane Loughman and I are developing a single camera comedy TV pilot called Starcrossed, about the behind the scenes workings of a Sci-Fi TV series.
Does this mean there’s still hope for Starcrossed? I really enjoyed A Dog’s Breakfast (several times), and I loved this bit about the film (as much as I love almost every Show-In-A-Show. Wormhole XTreme!!)
DAS
hello to you! I swing by here often (need a cute puppy photo fix) but never have time to do anything more than quick scan, normally.
i do like me midsomer. I’m lucky, my mum has them all on dvd (takes up a LOT of room on the shelf) so we do marathons of it. Drives my dad nuts.
Yep, Troy was the best offsider they had. Scott wasn’t any good, Jones isn’t bad but he doesn’t stand out like Troy did.
The next series to get is Poirot, we have some episodes but they’re all later ones. They had an earlier one on yesterday (with Hastings and Miss Lemon) but i forgot to tape it. bugger!
I haven’t seen the earlier ones so i want to catch up with them. One of my favourite lines is from an earlier one,
“first of all, i am not a bloody little Frenchie, i am a bloody little Belgian!” just the way he says it, great.
Lewis sounds familiar but i don’t think i’ve seen it. The show that’s on at the moment is one called ‘ Inspector George Gently’, but i haven’t been home when it’s been on to see if it’s any good or not.
Picked up another Elric book on the weekend, woot!, ‘The Bane Of The Black Sword’. I will eventually track them all down, i’m determined.
JOEY MALLOEY! ya forgotsies the date ag’in…
May I suggest adding some Gingko Biloba to your diet? 😉
@ Narelle – Aye, Mr. Das likes the wenchie look. He also likes blondes. Why he married me, I have no idea, because I’m neither wenchie, nor blonde. 😛 I’m more dark and artsy…which, for some reason, makes people assume I am a witch.
I think it’s because I wear a lot of black, and a lot of jewelry, and none of it is ‘identifying’ jewelry – no crosses, or whatnot. And I am a tree-hugger, too. I’ve disappointed a few folks when I tell them I’m a Christian, especially in health food stores. LOL…I guess it’s because I certainly don’t look healthy, so I must be buying the herbs to cast dark spells on urban developers!
Once I was out lunching with a friend – two middle-aged women just having a good laugh over burgers and fries – and the waiter started talking to us. He admired one of my rings – it was a poison ring. I joked about what I keep in it (which is … NOTHING!). He asked what kind of stuff I (specifically) was into…
Well, at the time, my friend and I were having a gush over ‘Archie Kennedy’ of Hornblower fame (a.k.a. Jamie Bamber of BSG fame) – she absolutely adored him! Well, when he asked what I was into we both laughed, knowing how silly it would sound to this young fella to say, “Well, we’re into Napoleonic era Royal Navy officers with bicorne hats and buckle shoes!”
So…I told him he didn’t want to know. He just looked at me with this weird smile on his face and said, “I bet you’re into some reeaally weird shit.”
And THAT just made us laugh all the more, only confirming his suspicions, no matter how erroneous they were!
RE: Vampire movies. Chris H said in an interview that he only took this part in the New Moon movie for his niece. That’s sweet of him. 🙂
And no – no ‘Team Anyone’ shirts for Mr. Das! I don’t need to encourage him in his nonsense. It worried me when he asked tonight which one I thought was better looking… Jacob or Edward. 😕 If he keeps this up, I’m revoking his Man Card!
As I’ve said before, I’ve never been into the whole vampire thing. The first movie was okay – on DVD. It was like 21 Jump Street – with vampires. Not sure how I’ll take to this new one, and – honestly – I’m a tad embarrassed going to the theater to see it with all the tweens. But I do want to see Chris, and even if he only has a minute of screentime I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
das
Hi Mr M!
@ John Lenic: Many thanks for your very comprehensive answers!! I (like the rest of the fans) really appreciate the time you have taken to reply to the Q and A. If I were to pick a common trait of the SG cast/crew, it would be simply : decency! Thanks again. I was one of the lucky fans who attended the Continuum Cast and Crew Screening in Vancouver (April 08). I spotted you there, but was a bit shy of barging over! Thanks once more for your kindness. See you on Twitter!
Mr M: Any more thoughts on the Movie question? Also, as a spin on that….famous movies you’ve never seen!!
The Reason I ask is Her Royal Highness has never seen:
ET
Ferris Bueller (recently amended by the way)
Jaws
Pulp Fiction
Reservoir Dogs
Star Wars (any of them!!!)
Lord of the Rings (any of them!!!)
Say Anything
Breakfast Club
The list goes on…. hence my seemingly encyclopedic knowledge on film when we are in company…
@ Carl Binder : The CP Fan Club (their Imperial Majesties) love Pochahontas and Annie Hall!
Best to all
THanks again to John Lenic!
S’n’T
Hey Joe,
Another great guest blog. That I missed cuz of my stupid life. Some day I’m gonna get a SMART life! One that allows me to spend more time on this blog! *shakes tiny fist* Curses!
Anyway… I totally agree with Mr. Lenic. You are the best dressed producer around. 🙂
@Narelle: If you can come over to my house we can watch ADB together! It’s just a short flight, right? I mean, how far away is Aus from Florida? It’s by the Bahamas or something, isn’t it? 😉
Trish
(who must go do lots and lots of hard work moving her sister into her house because she is the best-est sister and daughter in the world)
Great Q&A with John Lenic!
I hate Twilight.
I woke up at 4 am and couldn’t get back to sleep (okay…I confess, I couldn’t go back to sleep because I checked my DVR to make sure it was taping Lewis…it was, and I watched the end of it again). Anyhoo…with all the vampire talk, I decided to see if I could find any Chris pics from this new movie – and I did, and he looks delish… and… pained? I think that’s it. And we all know how I like ‘pained’. 😀 I think the character is supposed to be bored…and if there is one emotion I have yet to see Chris do, it’s ‘bored’ – so this should be interesting. And, he has long hair, too!! Woo!!
Anyway…after I went back to bed, I proceeded to have Twilight dreams over the next two hours. Mostly werewolves attacking what I guess were vampires, and I could see that Edward feller, and that Jacob feller. 🙄 I sure hope my husband isn’t having Twilight dreams, especially if they involve that Bella chick.
However…one good thing came of it. In browsing through pics looking for Chris, I came across this young guy who would be a PERFECT Elric, if they ever make the movie. What makes this actor so perfect is his upward slanting eyes – a very prominent feature of the Prince of Ruins. And Elric is described as being ‘beautiful’ more than ‘handsome’, so this kid’s pretty face would certainly fit that bill. So, Elric fans, take a look at this kid (in his New Moon make-up, and one without), and tell me if he wouldn’t make a great Elric in a couple of years:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/jamie.jpg
Kid’s name is Jamie Campbell Bower – thing is, I don’t know if he can act. That’s rather important to me, too.
das
@John Lenic: Thank you for your detailed answers. I’ll bug Joe for a Part 2 once SGU’s off and running.
-DP (aka GateFanSamJack)
Still need that date, Joe…how else am I gonna know what winders I have open? 😉
@ BlueJay – Glad to see I’m not alone in thinking Troy was the best! He just had this awkwardness (sweetness?) that I really liked.
And I love Poirot, too – Suchet is the BEST Poirot, EVER!!!
Lewis is a spin-off of Inspector Morse – Lewis had been Morse’s sergeant, and when that series ended (with Morse’s death, and soon thereafter, John Thaw’s), I thought I’d never have me an Oxford mystery show to enjoy ever again. With the University as its backdrop, both Inspector Morse, and now Lewis, have this richness and elegance and intelligence woven throughout, and that’s what I especially enjoy. The classical music, the poetic quotes, the literary and historical references…it all makes for the type of show I can really enjoy.
AND – THERE IS AN ELRIC CONNECTION!! (I manage to connect all of my obsessions, somehow – someway.)
Joe – you might find this interesting, if you don’t know it already. Watching Lewis inspired me to ask Mr. Moorcock the following:
Recently you said that Oxford held special memories for you… I have come to learn that Oxford is known as the City of Dreaming Spires. Of course, the first thing that popped into my mind was Imrryr the Beautiful, the Dreaming City. Is there any connection??
His reply? A simple “Yup.” 🙂
He went on to confirm that since “Melnibone in part represents England or Britain (or Northern/Western Europe) with her/their Empire(s), Immryr is not just the capital city of the country/Empire but specifically refers in some ways at least to one of its intellectual hubs…”
I have now asked him for thoughts on Cambridge. Waiting for a response…it may be a loooong wait…lol.
das
Wow! Great surprise having Mr. Lenic’s Q & A today. Very interesting comments. I wondered why some of the actors hair didn’t match military protocol.
Both shows seemed so smooth that it’s hard for me to imagine all the work that goes on behind the scenes. Thank you for this Mr. Lenic and Mr. M!
Naurelle: ADB is so funny! It’s that classic humor that Arsenic and Old Lace had. There were no explosions/car crashes, so it wasn’t my husband’s cup of tea but I loved it!
ytimynona and Das: You can both keep Captain Jack! I’ve known to many of those in my life. It’s the reason I lock my car doors and set the alarm at my house at night.
I used to be a fan of Johnny Depp but that Willy Wonka movie he did was creepy. I didn’t know I had a clown phobia until I saw that movie. Give me Gene Wilder’s version for sure. He did subtle without the clown makeup.
Trish: moving is no fun! When you figure out how to get a SMART life, please let me know 😉 .
Tam
Thanks. I’ll stop nagging about the date now.
However, I’m sure I’ll find something else to bug ya about…like…oh, I dunno…maybe something about Wraith…and their prongs. We still haven’t had a straight answer on that one…
😉
das
A great Q & A, Thanks to Mr Lenic, I enjoyed reading his answers No wonder it took longer, very good answers. ADB was very funny, thanks for that also.
And Joe, best dressed, you win, (we knew it)when is dress casual day there?
How are the pups doing? Brie all healed and Jelly, feeling better? Who is the boss, most days in the posse? Maximus? Glad to share your kids with you, someday we will get another, but not time yet.
-Are you packed for the trip, were you able to get all your reservations for food? This summer is flying by, it will be Oct 2nd before you know it. and then your trip… Thanks for enjoyable reading and laughter. Have a grand day!
There are a few fans of Inspector Lewis here. Have any of you ever watched the Inspector Lynley series? Or Foyle’s War? I enjoyed both of those series, as well. I didn’t know Inspector Lewis continued from Inspector Morse. I’ll have to watch and see when they re-air those shows.
Tam
Coucou Joseph!
ça va? Moi oui, ma journée c’est bien passé! Même si ce matin je ne me sentais pas trop bien, le froid et le mauvais temp reviennent ..snif..je détéste l’automne!
Aujourd’hui on à calculer notre IMC en sport…Mon poid et tout à fait en accord avec ma taille…..en plus cette année j’ai grand d’un centimétre et demi….ça ce fête =P
Merci pour tout ces questions à John Lenic !! J’ai appris hier qu’en Français John se disait Jean…….humm toute de suite ça casse le mythe lol..vous imaginez Jean Sheppard (^^)
Passez une bonne journer
Bisou
Whoa! That was one comprehensive Q&A. Thank you so very much Messrs Mallozzi and Lenic.
Now I need food………
Tammy Dixon wrote: “ytimynona and Das: You can both keep Captain Jack!”
Okay! 😀 (ytimynona – if you get him first, promise me you won’t give him a bath, k? You can, however, give him a healthy dose of Frontline. 🙂 )
I LOVED Johnny’s Willy (I’m not a fan of Wilder’s Willy… ). I find Depp amusing in these roles because people expect such a beautiful creature – and Johnny is the most beautiful man to ever grace this planet – to do pretty boy roles. I just love the fact that he likes dressing up like a fool, and acting accordingly. I don’t know of many Hollywood types so willing to downplay their beauty. Oh, sure…once in a while an actor will play a role that requires him or her to be ‘ugly’ – but that’s usually only once in a lifetime for these A-listers. Make-up and eccentricity is reserved for the character actors, and the B-listers…but not for the superstars. But Johnny will tackle anything, and the more make-up the better. He’s a very daring actor, and even though he’s had his fair share of misses, I think he’s earned a massive amount of (well-deserved) respect for being brave enough to step out of the box.
Plus, he’s a very intelligent person. He has this quirky sense of humor I can totally relate to – perhaps TOO much – and this wealth of knowledge wrapped up in that pretty head of his that never ceases to amaze me. If there is one person I’d just like to spend an evening with, picking his brain about life, literature, art, good wine, old movies (we are both big fans), bugs (yeah, supposedly he likes them, too), and music…it would be Johnny. I think he’d be the one person I could discuss every weird thing I’ve ever had an interest in, and somehow he’d understand. But that’ll never happen, so I have to be content with buggin’ Joe about this stuff, though I’m pretty sure he doesn’t understand!
das
Okay…THAT wasn’t supposed to happen. 😛 I think Joey’s getting me back for nagging him about the date…
AND YES! I have TOO much time on my hands!
das
I have successfully avoided Twilight, both the books and the movie(s), save for random marketing items. I like vampires, but these kids don’t pique my interest in the slightest. And I have it on good authority that the writing in the books is wretched.
Twilight Halloween chocolates? Someone knows how to make a dime, don’t they?
I’m on Team IDGAFF. I’d rather watch Titanic.
@ Tammy Dixon – I’ve watched most of the British detective series we’ve been able to get over here, though not every episode. Inspector Lynley was good – but somewhere along the way I lost track of it. LOVED Foyle’s War! Here’s a list of my favorites (I had listed them here before):
Inspector Morse
Lewis
Poirot
Midsomer Murders
Foyle’s War
Cadfael
Touching Evil
Wire in the Blood
Prime Suspect
Miss Marple
Sherlock Holmes
A Touch of Frost
Inspector Alleyn
Second Sight
A Touch of Frost
Dalziel and Pascoe
Jericho
Wallander
There may be more – but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Of them, Inspector Morse will probably always be my favorite, and Lewis is coming in right behind it. My Top six are basically in the order I listed – after Cadfael it’s hard to put them in any sort of order because I like each on very different levels.
das
Das: Captain Jack needs way more than Frontier, I’d go with Revolution.
Tam
An SGU review, courtesy of Geekdad at Wired: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/09/stargate-universe-has-a-destiny/
Hey Joe!
In SGA, those figurines that Weir had on her desk (of which McKay snatched one for his niece), where did you get those from? Were they bought (Where?! Tell me!!!) or were they made for the show? I´d love to get my hands on them, ´cause I just think they are darn lovely!!!
Must remember Chris H. is in the next Twilight movie. Must watch it because, well, HELLO, it’s Chris H and he’s made of WIN!!! 😀
That was really cool of Mr Lenic to answer those questions. I’m still trying to catch up on reading the blog – we had no internet service on Sat. – see Joe the gremlins are everywhere!!!
So in regards to yesterday:
@dasindanger “Yeah – a kilt should have nothing underneath…unless you’re my husband. I make him wear something under it because he hasn’t quite figured out how to sit without his dingle dangling for all to see.” LOL a.k.a. “meat and 2 veg” if your Austin Powers .
My favorite movie – The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton, (BBCversion) I don’t think there is another version but I am partial to it because part of it was filmed in Newport, RI. Edith was a writer, woman writer, in the late 1800’s – women didn’t have careers back then. I think that was pretty cool and it was hard for her. She had an interesting life.
Bon je vais au lit Joseph! =)
J’ai entendu quelques rumeurs ce soir, comme quoi le pilote de sgu serai disponible sur internet, j’espere qu’il ne s’agit que de rumeurs =(
On verra bien demain!
Bonne nuit!
Bisou!
“As for future things in development, Hewlett, Jane Loughman and I are developing a single camera comedy TV pilot called Starcrossed,”
I assume you’re adapting the well-known (well, once, in the sf world, anyway) Ben Bova book, which was based on his experience of being the “science advisor” to the infamous Starlost created by, er, Cordwainer Bird?
Or is this just an independent use of the title?
“I know it may be of interest to some of the fans, but truly, it would be very boring and horrible to shoot as the writer’s spin sessions can last over a period of days.”
One word: jumpcut.
Yeah, it’d be a PIA to film and edit, but what do we care about your troubles? Feed us! Feed us!
“Joe could have an occasional contest and the winners could win a day shadowing a producer. Now that would be the best prize ever!”
JL: It is a fun idea, except we have so many labor rules and workers’ compensation issues that make it impossible for us to do that.”
Somehow Battlestar Galactica managed to do it, fwiw. Well, do an extra following around a fan who won a context and got to tour around the set, etc., for a day. Although that was around the time they were shutting down production, and striking the sets, which may have been relevant.
Great Q & A!!
Question: What episode is currenly filming? What will be filming next?
As far as releasing the budget for SGU on that awful British show that Robert Carlyle was on he said the budget per episode was 2 million dollars. In today’s world I don’t know that that amount would be considered high. I think it would probably be considered normal for a big cast which would leave me to believe that special effects will be fewer. Guess we will see very soon.
Will you be listening to your fans by having a role for Dr. Weir in Stargate Universe; given the success she had in S.G.A?
@ kabra – 😆 Or…as I like to call it, his wedding tackle. 😀
AND he would kill me right now if he knew I was talking about his wee bits with all the ladies on this here blog o’ Joe’s. 😛
das
Thanks so much to John Lenic for powering through all those questions. I especially love that the jet jockeys (Navy brat here) made an attempt to tame the Flannigan mane. It cannot be done. JF’s hair is a force unto it’s self.
Glad to know that there are others who have assiduously avoided Twilght. Even my love for CH will not move me from being as much a Twilight-free zone as anyone can be with the current media obsession. Except for Spike (before re-souling) on BTVS I don’t get the whole vampire thing.
And since I’m a writer trying to make it in the paranormal romance market, that is a handicap.
Thanks to Mr. Lenic for the Q&A – very interesting!
And kudos to das for her astute observations about Elric and Oxford! Well done – I never knew about that connection. I’ve always wanted to go to Oxford (wanted to study there in my younger days – but now I’d just like to go and wander around the place) and now I have an additional incentive.
Trish – Even better, let’s meet in the Bahamas… or The Maldives, or Tahiti, I’m really not too picky so long as palm trees are native.
Das – Why exactly does Mr Das like Twilight? Does he know how it ends? Because if he likes Bella, well…um… Just kidding. Sort of. Anyhoo.
My friend started the Twilight virus in our group. And it’s much more contagious and deadly than Swine Flu. We all said, “Hell no!” to her saying to read them. Majority of us citing loyalty to Buffy, but mostly because none of us were interested. Sounded like a whiny, teenage, vampire love story. Oh hang on, that’s what it is. That was March. Now we’ve all read the series, admit the writing is horrendous, but wow do we have a laugh when we get together. It’s created some great conversation moments. Even the guys in our group are reading them. I liked it when a relatively new addition to the clan in the form of a new boyfriend was showing how he’s reading it on his iPhone and said, “So when I get to a bit about Edward; sparkly, beautiful, perfect, yeah, yeah… SCROLL!” and he whips through a good four paragraphs at super scrolling speed. Hehehe, he summed it up. And yeah, our group of 30+ers are heading off to see New Moon. Then promptly checking ourselves into psych wards.
Is John G. Lenic part of an old European (and now Canadian and American) fishing family?