According to the call sheet I discovered sitting in my mailbox early this morning, we have apparently started shooting Stargate: Universe’s second season. This is exciting for many reasons, the chiefest, of course, being the return of the catering truck. Alas, we’re on location until Friday and, thus, won’t see our lovable cast and crew (and Anthea’s equally lovable desserts) until Monday. In the meantime, we’re keeping busy on the home front. Paul has wall-to-wall meetings as prep begins on Intervention, while Remi, Linda, and I muse over our respective outlines. I also get to ponder the batch of notes I received on my first script, Awakening, as it heads toward Blue Draft status.
Well now, this is cool. Angela Beamer’s zombie-comedy-romance, The Loving Dead (one of I09’s “20 Books We Can’t Wait To Read in 2010) will be hitting bookshelves in July…BUT you don’t have to wait until July IF you have a computer. The novel will be serialized online, starting with the first four chapters, then a chapter a week until the official release date.
And what, exactly, is the book about? I’m glad you asked: “It tells the story of Kate and Michael, twenty-something housemates working at the same Trader Joe’s supermarket, who are thoroughly screwed when people start turning into zombies at their house party in the Oakland hills. The zombie plague is a sexually transmitted disease, turning its victims into shambling, horny, voracious killers after an incubation period where they become increasingly promiscuous. Thrust into extremes by the unfolding tragedy, Kate and Michael are forced to confront the decisions they’ve made, and their fears of commitment, while trying to stay alive. Kate tries to escape on a Zeppelin ride with her secret sugar daddy — but people keep turning into zombies, forcing her to fight for her life, never mind the avalanche of trouble that develops from a few too many innocent lies. Michael convinces Kate to meet him in the one place in the Bay Area that’s likely to be safe and secure from the zombie hordes: Alcatraz. But can they stay human long enough?”
Start reading it here: http://www.ameliabeamer.com/category/the-loving-dead-online-serial/
Also, our friends over at PYR are celebrating their fifth anniversary by holding an essay contest.
The theme? Five reasons why science fiction and fantasy is important to you.
The rules? Alas, the contest is only open to U.S. residents. Full list of rules, regulations and PRIZES available here: http://www.pyrsf.com/contest.html
Now, where did we leave off yesterday? Oh, yeah. We were perusing the Art Department package for SGU’s three-part opener, Air, and were about to get into Icarus Base, Homeworld Command, and The Hammond…
Okay, tomorrow I’ll post design work and schematics of the Destiny shuttle. Promise!
In the meantime, for those of you still playing along with the second round of Guess the Episode Titles…
Episode #6: **** *N* *R***
Episode #7: T** ***A*** ****
Episode #8: *A****
Episode #9: ???
Episode #10: *E*****N**
Today’s entry is dedicated to Shaggygirl. Happy Birthday!
An STD whose first symptom is promiscuity? Genius. Why haven’t the non-fiction STD’s thought of that?
The flu viruses know to make the afflicted sneeze. It makes sense.
OMG Thank you sooooooooooooooo much. I’m loving this art design. I’m fasinated at how the tiny sets are designed to look soooo big. Like I knew that stage 5 was small but I didn’t realize it was that small.
Do you think you could show us the design of the destiny set at stage 4. I’ve Been trying to forumlate a map in my he’d but I can’t. I’m so curious to see the layout of the ship. Please???
Thanks so much,
Major D. davis
Love that villainous photo!
6. True and Tried
Dirt and Grime
Burn and Crash
7. The Pegasus Ship
8. Rabies
9. WTF?
10. Beginnings
What’s Blue Draft Status mean? And no Carl Binder, yet?!
Thanks for the pictures.
On another note, I received an interesting email *cough* scam-spam that Agent Wexler might be interested in; seems the Nigerian scam has moved to Hong Kong. Would the loquacious agent in question be interested in having it forwarded to him?
Hey, Probie! I mean…JOEY!!! I really don’t think villains have such messy desks. 😉
das
Thanks for the birthday shoutout. Am having a great day. I even flew a helicopter!
Shaggy
nice suit
Hmmmm . . .
6. Wrack and Bruin
7. The Manager Dies
8. Havens
9. (If I told you, I’d have to kill you)
10. Revenants
Nice artwork/pictures. 🙂
So why no more one-word episode titles? (Yes, I am persistent. :D) Any change these are just preliminary and will later become one-word titles?
Isn’t the ‘Hammond’ set just the same set of Prometheus corridors you’ve been using since Season 6 (with the odd cosmetic change here and there)?
BYE
Hey Joe,
Wow, a three-piece suit…I am so very impressed. You look VERY dapper. And so official… *giggles*
Loving the “drawer” show-n-tell. It is the best..no wait..YOU are the best…Thank you. *big hug*
Okay..more more more…
Episode #6: HIDE AND TREAT
Episode #7: THE BREAKIN NEWS
Episode #8: SAWXXI
Episode #9: WHAT? NO? REALLY?
Episode #10: TEXONNINGS
Enough already..will somebody win this so we can stop playing.
Best to you anyways Joe,
Always,
Cheryl 🙂
Yep you look super duper villainy with all those toys behind ya….. *runs*
Ah the infamous broom closet, where the first rooting scene took place.
Your guessing game reminds me of ‘hangman’. What happens to us if we fail to complete the mission??
Oh yes, very villainous. I think it’s the high collar. It makes you look like a Count…or Baron, of course.
On location eh? Time to start stalking again!
Hey so is it “Awakenings” or “Awakening”? Obsessive individuals such as myself needs to know!
Snazzy looking Mr. M. Have you seen the new penguin in all black? http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/24/all-black-penguin-discovered.html
Thanks for the book link! Intriguing.
Hubby is now playing chess online. If anyone is interesting in a free chess playing cite: redhotpawn.com
Das: I read somewhere that if you crave order, then you have a disorganized mind. So a messy desk is a good sign, yes?
So Joe what did you decide on for lunch?? You really look so serious,(villain) be careful of those frown lines.
Glad to see the catering truck will return, have heard great things about those desserts, but not sure I have seen pictures…
I have been working on reading Heinlen, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and at the same time I am reading David Webers Honor Harrington series. am up to The Short Victorious War, has been fun reading. But as the weather gets better, it will be time to take to the outdoors and yard fun, so will see how the reading progresses.
Hope you have a wonderful day and remember the time change this weekend..
Episode # 6: – Rock and Roll
Episode # 10: – Testaments
How’s that?
Episode #6: **** *N* *R***
Bows and arrow
Lost one bride
Bang and crash
Race and creed
Episode #7: T** ***A*** ****
The aquatic life
The capable ones
Episode #8: *A****
Vanity
Sanity
Episode #9: ???
Insert title here
Episode #10: *E*****N**
Belongings
Dependence
Necromancy
Repentance
Resurgence
Senescence
Temperance
cheers, chev
Episode #6:
Lies and Truth
Lies and Trust
Back and Front
Food and Drink!
Keep the pictures coming! I love them!
Episode #6: **** *N* *R***
LOST: ONE BRAIN
Episode #7: T** ***A*** ****
TEN STRAITS DOWN
Episode #8: *A****
(Hey, no fair! Where’s the second letter for this one?)
SAVIOR
Episode #9: ???
I HAVE A V. IMPORTANT QUESTION
Episode #10: *E*****N**
RESILIENCY
You do look frighteningly like a supervillain in that picture. I can almost see you as Lex Luthor.
Let’s see…title game… here are more ridiculous guesses…
Episode #6: **** *N* *R***
Mars and Brick
Episode #7: T** ***A*** ****
The ***A*** Team
Episode #8: *A****
Banjos
Episode #9: ???
!!!
Episode #10: *E*****N**
Sevententh
Ooooh, lovin’ the pictures.
I thought super-villains had cheesy little ponytails. And a Power Tie. I mean, honestly, can we take your super-villainy seriously with a pastel tie around your tender throat? But nice try.
Hi Joe, I’m back from Disney, had a great time! In a few weeks Deni and I will meet up again, see , you have created monsters!! We can’t wait to see what trouble we can get into!! My hubby says he WON’T bail me out!! Sheryl.
6. Wray And Greer
7.The Greater Rush
8. Tamara (or Badass)
9. 42
10. Telfordnik
Joe, I vaguely recall that you posted a photo of hand-knit public art, from Vancouver? Tokyo? Montreal? If you didn’t, these lnks are fun anyway.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knitta
http://www.flickr.com/photos/knittaplease
http://www.google.com/search?q=knitta home page&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
@ Tammy Dixon – Hmmmm. Well, I crave order, and have a disorganized mind – however…I also have a neat and tidy desk. I can follow through with my desire for order by actually putting things in order. I’m not like Monk about it – I can’t achieve perfect order because I just have too much stuff. The stuff you see on the outside – the decorating – is orderly…however, my closets and drawers reflect my state of mind…total chaos. About twice a year I pull everything out, get rid of stuff, re-organize…and in a week it looks like a bomb went off in there.
My father is obsessive when it comes to order – he demands it – but can’t manage to achieve it himself – ever. He’s a great mechanic, but totally disorganized, especially in his mind. His desk is a pile of papers and books and parts and empty water bottles and if I organize it, it’s a total mess again in a day. When I was a kid he’d make me sort and organize his tools and all the little nuts and bolts and washers and screws in his truck on Saturday mornings. He wanted order, but couldn’t do it himself. I think that’s why – to this day – I have a compulsion to sort and straighten things, like the candy in the check-out aisle of the grocery store. But I’m not as bad as I used to be, and the last bad ‘episode’ was when I sorted all the trade paperbacks/graphic novels in Borders a couple years back. 🙄 Hey, they were out of order! (I worked in a library for 4 years, so I have even more of a compulsion to straighten books.)
So dad has ADD and OCD, and so do I. He’s a bit worse than me, however, in that he can’t see it, and since he doesn’t acknowledge it he will never change. At least I’m aware of it and try to change behaviors that I know are a bit ‘out there’…like organizing all the books in a bookstore. 😛
das
Episode 6: Lies and Truth
Joe will probably link to it in his blog tonight but here is the long version of SGU trailer:
http://sgu.mgm.com/
Salut 🙂
Comment ça va aujourd’hui? moi tranquilement…
Ahh merci pour ces photos, j’ai une préférence pour la 1ière ♥..c’est ce qui s’appel avoir la class 😉
Joyeux anniversaire Shaggygirl !!
Je pense fort à vous ♥
Anais.
**** *N* *R***
ONLY ONE TRUTH
BUMP AND GRIND
—————–
T** ***A*** ****
TWO AFFABLE CATS
THE MIRACLE MILE
————————–
*E*****N**
BEGINNINGS
RESISTANCE
Hi Joe!
OMGed, the trailer for SGU 1.5 looks awesome! ALIENS!! Holy H.R. Giger!
eddy
Das, we have something in common, I re-order the books at the local library, it REALLY ticks me off when they’re in the wrong order, under the wrong genre AND not properly alphabetised. Mother hates it when i take her to change her books and I get going LMAO.
Hey hows this for out of order, I was sitting in my car today waiting for my son and in the rear view mirror watched a guy put his Springer Spaniel IN THE TRUNK(BOOT) OF HIS CAR!! This poor little dog lives just up the terrace from my mum and lives in a garden shed, never gets taken into the house EVER.
Needless to say I got out and gave him a piece of my mind (there’s not that much left actually) Luckily I had left my screaming head at home and was actually in full scathe mode for a change. There’s no point in my reporting him to the RSPCA because they’re worse than useless unless there’s a film crew around.
Hey Joe, how’d you get on with your car windows? The bill for Will’s car is going to be £535. *swoons*
Roll on the weekend:)
@dad – Oh, yeah, it makes all the difference in the world to deal with a person who has OCD and knows it vs. someone who just thinks they’ve got safety and how to do things the right way figured out. One type will go out of their way not to make their problem someone else’s problem and the other doesn’t see any reason to.
I’m a little OCD myself. It comes in handy for organizing, though. I use it for good instead of evil 😀 .
@shingingwit. So, call some local media to have a camera crew, or let the RSPCA think a camera crew will be there. Warn them that someone is going to youtube abused animals they aren’t checking up on and see what happens.
Mr. M. I do believe you have set a new standard for villianous mastermind dress, at least on the male side. (High Commander Servalan from Blake’s 7 will forever be the ultimate role model for females). The best part of your outfit is its chameleon factor. Adopt a vacous expression, or a silly grin, and you can pass as a stockbroker or salesman.
the pics are duly appreciated. Now off to read a backlog of both books and magazines, as the real world has insisted on depriving me of the opportunities to do so until now.
@Deni- Hey Deni I saw your post a few days ago about meeting up in Tampa. The 28th Sunfest is in town and so is Weezer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – if Orange Avenue makes it to Sunfest, I am soooo there. Then we are taking the next two days to go somewhere, not sure where yet, love to see Shanks, and that would be a blast with y’alll – but we’ll be celebrating our anniversary that weekend.
Joe – nice suit, stunning
as for the episode titles; can i buy a vowel?
I’ve read at Gateworld that R. Carlyle will be directing an SGU episode. In the previous SG shows, non Canadian actors couldn’t direct Stargate episodes because there was a Canadian law that said the director needed to be Canadian.
I’m curious now, why non Canadian actors from previous Stargate shows couldn’t direct an episode but now non Canadian actors can? Has Robert Carlyle become a Canadian citizen? Or has the Canadian law changed since the previous shows were on air?
Mwhahahahaha…. and the villinous continues! 😀
I really do like all the pics and stuff and nearly spat coffee all over the computer at “sink to support actor action”! HAHAHA
Keep ’em coming Joey-boy… we’re loving it.
Hey just wanted to drop by to say
HOLY FREAKING CRAP!!! HOLY FRACKING CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE NEW TRAILER BLEW MY HEAD OFF AND TOOK MY BODY WITH IT!!!! I JUST PEED MYSELF!!!!!! HOLY COW!!!! HOLY BLOODY COW!!!!!!!
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
Loved the new trailer, bit disappointed in the aliens though, I kinda thought the writers in general were confused as to what ‘humanoid’ actually means, and this pretty much proves it. Two legs, two arms, a head and torso, yep, they’re humanoid. That aside though it really was brilliant, and I look forward to the rest of the season!
Joe, nice suit, is that a vest as well? Soemthing off topic, I was just watching the SGA three-parter, The Siege. How was Ford able to pilot the jumper and make his escape while on the Wraith enzyme? Was he given the ATA gene at some time?
Hi Joe, just catching up here, it’s been a long one. My Cocker Spaniel, Summer, had her eye surgery and dental today and is recovering overnight at the vet’s office, so I haven’t even seen her sans eye, the poor old girl. There’s some question now as to whether or not it’s a cancerous thing, so will have to wait until next week for the pathology report. Oi. Otherwise, raining buckets here all day and a couple of tornado warnings – another day in paradise 🙂 Have a good night! D
Episode #6: **** *N* *R***
Head And Brawn
Love And Greed
Life And Trust
Gate End Trail
Gate End Trips
Last One Cries
Episode #7: T** ***A*** ****
The Stealth Ship
The Pegasus Star (or Ship)
Episode #8: *A****
Galaxy
Episode #9: ???
Three Questions
Episode #10: *E*****N**
Beginnings
Hi Joe, some Qs on writing…
In the room, how do the ep titles come about and is there a core style, eg early ones in SGU were single word but some interesting stretch is taking place?
You mentioned having an Act2 breakthrough after a Lush puddle session the other day, and I’m wondering how many acts to an ep, double-ep, how you string arcs over eps, etc. Different feel in SGU to SG1 and so how does that play into the creative framework in the room – or is everything open, through discussion a consensus, evolving series bible gets into the heads and what works stays?
What’s your – and Brad’s, Robert’s – take on spinoff novels as developed on other SiFi series? Same Q on fan fiction?
Love the Art Dept imagery – where are the board, MS stacks of the Writer’s dept? Did the Baron torch the lot except for one he decided to read, the best hope they had to be allowed to take what meagre lunch was on offer? Was he acting-out the roles? Where’s the audio?
So, he descended to the studios while the others had the real, tasty, succulent morsels being offered on location – where?
Looking forward to the stories!
best, Patrick
Episode 10: EMERGENCE
That the only guess I have now 😉