Success! I finally completed a first draft of episode 10, Resurgence. It's a little rough, granted - but it'll do. I'll spend the weekend revising it and deliver it on Monday. Normally, it takes me about an hour to write the fifth act (usually in a white heat, coming off the momentum of the fourth…
April 29, 2010: Camera issues! Script issues! And Personal Issues!
Well this is friggin' annoying. I'm suddenly unable to upload photos to my Mac - which means no pictures of the sub par pasta I was served last night for you guys. Instead, you'll have to trust me when I tell you the ravioli in brodo were limp and underwhelming and the evening's special long…
April 28, 2010: Production update! Puppy pics! And a dire dinner – with exceptional company!
I'm pleased to report significant progress on the script front! After countless weeks of frustration, desperation, and sleep deprivation, I'm finally in the stretch run and that oh-so-elusive Fade Out is well within striking distance. I spent the day rewriting what I had (something I do while pacing which, I'm told, makes me look like…
April 27, 2010: June’s Book of the Month Club! Cynthia Cooks! Puppy Pics! Chotto Mailbag!
I'd like to start off today's entry by announcing June's Book of the Month Club - Swordspoint, by Ellen Kushner From the publisher: "On the treacherous streets of Riverside, a man lives and dies by the sword. Even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. Within this elite, dangerous world,…
April 26, 2010: It’s an all mailbag blog entry!
Mailbag: Belouchi writes: "1. Will we ever encounter the race that built the star system and the obelisk in the future or is it meant to stay a mystery?" 1. It's possible the Destiny crew will cross paths with these near-omnipotent beings again. Belouchi also writes: "2. The odysey spaceship was on a secret mission…
April 25, 2010: Entertaining – Day 2!
Another day spent entertaining my friend Cynthia who has come from London bearing chocolates, marmite cereal bars, and the Swedish film version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (that we should get around to watching sometime soon). Will be catching up on the mailbag tomorrow so if you've got questions, post 'em. If you've…
April 24, 2010: Entertaining
My friend Cynthia is visiting from London so, for the rest of the week, I'll be playing the role of affable host (as opposed to the role of ranty belligerent blog poster. No. Wait. Maybe I can do both). After picking up at the airport, I took her for dim sum at Sun Sui Wah,…
April 23, 2010: Persons Unknown! Startled NOT Scared! And office happenings!
Check it out. It's an advance trailer for Persons Unknown, a delightfully creepy-looking mini-series that premieres on NBC June 7th. And its Executive Produced by SGU's very own Remi Aubuchon! In addition to his show running duties, Remi also wrote a bunch of scripts for the series - as did SGU's Linda McGibney - so…
April 22, 2010: Awakening Day #5! Spartacus! Stewie! And some mailbag!
Production Day #5 of Awakening found me back on set at a very manageable 8:00 a.m. this morning. Understand, it's not so much that I mind waking up that early than it's the dogs simply refusing to stir if the alarm sounds anytime before 6:30 a.m. They'll actually ignore me, feigning a deep, impenetrable slumber…
April 21, 2010: Author Christopher Barzak Answers Your Questions! And maybe YOU can answer one of mine!
Production Day #3 on Awakening had me at work, bright and early, for the 7:00 a.m. crew call. There, I watched Director Andy Mikita work his magic on an extremely challenging set - with ten actors in play! Between the goings-on on Stage 6 and my office, I also found the time to join my…
April 20, 2010: Spoilers! Chocolates! And Cake!
I spent a couple of early hours on set this morning to watch Director Andy Mikita work his magic on Awakening (Day #3 of production). A lot of jumping around in this one which resulted in our block-shooting a number of successive scenes. Producer John G. Lenic swung by to inform me that we were…
April 19, 2010: A few chocolate party disappointments! Awakening Day #2! A modest mailbag!
The chocolate party was a success but, like most planned events, it didn’t go off without a hitch. There were a few disappointments, among them chocolatiers who put in previous appearances but who, for one reason or another, were unable to make Saturday's chocolate fest. Chocoatl: Sadly, Vancouver’s finest chocolate shop is no more. It…
April 18, 2010: The Greatest Chocolate Party Ever!
Every April, I hold something called a Chocolate Party, an annual event in which I gathered some fifty of my closest friends, feed them dinner, then try to kill them with massive amounts of chocolate. Over the years, this event has grown, from a modest get-together at my home to a gastronomic blow-out at Fuel…
April 17, 2010: Dinner at Shanghai Chinese Bistro
One of Carl's fondest memories of me was of the time Marty G. and I invited him, the new writer in town, out for dinner. And I guess it's been downhill from there. Well, two new writers have joined us this year - Remi Aubuchon and Linda McGibney - and I figured it would be…
April 16, 2010: Awakening Day 1
6:00 a.m.: Wake up early to get in for the 7:30 a.m. call. Check my phone and notice a message from the production office informing me that shooting ran late yesterday and the crew call has been pushed to 8:30 a.m. I go back to sleep. I dream that I offer a stranded Ashleigh a…