Today, it gives me great pleasure to turn this blog over to Stargate: Universe Executive Consultant and Resident Deputy Fire Marshal Remi Aubuchon. Remi joined the writing staff for the show’s second season, the happy result of a snafu with the Rauschepfeifes and Rebecs for Ragamuffins program that saw him land on our office doorstep instead of the underpriviledged youth originally scheduled to study the fine art of minstreling under my tutelage. Instead of seven year old Achille Zogbo, we got a guy who created the critically acclaimed Lyon’s Den, co-created the Battestar Galactica spin-off Caprica, executive produced Summerland, Wildfire, the aforementioned Lyon’s Den, and Persons Unknown (airing Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. on NBC), co-executive produced on 24, and wrote the Caprica pilot in addition to innumerable scripts for shows like Providence, Chicago Hope, and the Tom Hanks-produced HBO series From Earth to the Moon. And he also plays a mean hirtenschalmei!
Well, things worked out for everyone. I’m thrilled to have Remi on board and, last I heard, young Achille had landed a staff job on CBS’s The Good Wife.
So enjoy Remi’s Q&A, and then stick around (a.k.a. “keep reading”) for yet another special guest blogger announcement…
DP writes: “Q’s for Remi: Are yo a freelancer or on staff?”
RA: I am on staff — my title is Executive Consultant. I have no idea what that title means, but sounds fancy doesn’t it?
“What rules did you have to follow in writing your spec scripts that you get to relax on while writing SGU for pay?”
RA: What’s great about working on an established show, where the characters are defined is that you don’t have to worry about that work and just concentrate on the story. Working on pilots is hard work because you are creating the whole world, the rules, the dynamics, etc., etc. out of whole cloth — that work has already been done by the likes of Joe Mallozzi.
“What scriptwriting rules did you have to tighten up on while writing SGU for pay vs. spec scripts? Vs. scripts written for Ronald Moore projects?”
RA: Ron and I worked as partners on Caprica and really, we created the rules together and shared our stuff back and forth sort of like jazz musicians. It was a great working experience. SGU not too dissimilar but getting up to speed on a mythology that has been over ten years in the making is daunting.
“Space dolphins – what’s so bad about that?”
RA: Personally, I love space dolphins and was shocked and horrified to realize they were just kidding.
“What sea creature would you like to see in space?”
RA: Giant squid. First of all, the Destiny crew’s food troubles would be over: calimari for at least a year.
“Do you play any mmog’s (massively multiplayer online games)?”
RA: I do not because I suck at it. My daughter and I play Age of Empires via game ranger, I love doodle jump on my iPhone, and the occasional RockBand fest, and really that’s the extent of my gaming. My biggest fear about jumping into mmogs is that I will never return to the world of the living.
“Who puts more actor direction into a script, you or Ronald Moore? What’s up with that?”
RA: I try not to put any actor direction into the script. There are times when I will put it in, but it’s usually for the studio or network that doesn’t always understand the intention of the line. Actors always do.
“What science fiction element from literature do you think should be seen onscreen more?”
RA: STEAMPUNK!!!! I am working on a TV pitch for this. And alternative world lit. Why hasn’t “The Man in the High Tower” been done? “A Canticle For Liebowitz?” “Jesus On Mars?”
“Where does Joe keep the good chocolate?”
RA: Some place where the rest of us can’t get to it.
“How often does Joe bring the dogs to the office?”
RA: Not enough.
Ponytail writes: “Question for Remi Aubuchon: You always look like your fix’in to crack Joe’s camera over his head. Do you mind him taking your picture or are you just showing lots of patience with him?”
RA: I love Joe. He always says to me “look like you’re pissed” before he snaps the camera.
Bloomgate writes: “For Remi : How about one (or however many you need) word(s) to describe each of the other writers on SGU?”
RA: This one’s too scary for me.
Gilder writes: “@Remi: Congrats on premiere of “Persons Unknown”. Even Husband, who prefers historical documentaries, was intrigued. Filmed in central Mexico, ¿si? Are you dubbing in Spanish and/or Italian? If so, are any of the English-speaking cast performing in a second language?”
RA: While we did cast some actors from Mexico, most were from elsewhere. I will tell you the Daisy Betts is Australian, Gerald Kyd is British, and the little girl who plays Megan is Mexican. So we kinda have an international cast.
“My academic credentials and best skills are in Spanish; I may start graduate courses in translation this fall. If Ps Unk goes to second season, I would be tempted to offer my services…!”
RA: I’m open, if there’s a second season! Start the good vibes out into the universe now!
Gilder also writes: “@remi again : I’m particularly impressed with the hotel set…reminscent of the historic older hotels in Austin and San Antonio, TX. Did the Ps Unk set designer draw inspiation from the Fairmont, Menger and Gunter in SA, or the Driskill in AUS?”
RA: Ken Hardy, who designed the sets for The West Wing, Studio 60,Journeyman, etc. is a certified genius. He drew from all sorts of places, including a couple buildings from Pasadena, California. We wanted it to look like a town that normally you would drive through on a road trip, and not give it a thought.
Gilder also writes: “One more for Remi: I will be out of USA the next two Mondays. Will I miss a lot of exposition in Ps Unk? Or will I be able to catch up with the fourth episode?”
RA: You will be fine. No guarantees after the fourth. You can, however, catch up on iTunes.
PG15 writes: “1. First of all, thank you for entertaining our unimaginably Awesome questions. Looking over your IMDB profile, you have amassed an impressive array of drama credits, with Caprica being your first Scifi show. Now that you have added another scifi show to your credentials, how are you liking the Scifi genre? Does the added fantastical elements make it harder or easier to write stories?”
RA: I have been an SF fan since I hid under my covers with a flashlight reading comic books, late at night. I have seen the original Star Wars almost a hundred times. Don’t forget I also worked on From The Earth To The Moon, which isn’t the same genre, but I got to meet with real astronauts, and spend a lot of time at the Kennedy Space Center. I also wrote a couple of genre pilots and screenplays that just were never made. So, short answer, I’m thrilled to be getting a chance write on something I love. I consider Persons Unknown to be in the same ballpark, though there’s no SF involved.
“2. I’ve read from a freelancer who wrote a story for Season 1 of SGU that being in the series’ writer’s room is intimidating due to how quickly the others toss around ideas thanks to their familiarity with each other. Did you feel the same?”
RA: Yes, it is an intense environment. Definitely not for the faint-hearted. Part of the dynamic of the room is that these guys have been working together for a long time and they have a sort of shorthand that is maddenly difficult to decipher, and they have little patience if you can’t keep up. They also know the lore, mythology and rules about the Stargate world by heart and that’s hard to get up to speed on. I think I’m close to there now, but it’s taken months. That said, it’s also incredibly stimulating and their passion is infectious.
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“Bonus question: are there special and/or weird initiation rituals that the other writers put you and Linda through? Any gritty/disturbing/blackmail-able details would be welcomed.”
RA: Other than Joe telling me that I was scheduled for the night watch duty, and that I was required to show up at 4:30 in the morning for Destiny systems orientation (I showed up twice before I figured out it was a prank), no.
“3. Any hints on your first SGU episode, “Visitation”?”
RA: It involves a visitation from some unexpected guests.
“4. How did you get involved with SGU in the first place?”
RA: I’m still trying to figure it out — but because Persons Unknown overlapped the Caprica schedule, I wasn’t able to work with Ron and David on it. So I put it out to my agent that I really wanted to work on an SF show, and SGU came up. I met with Brad, Rob, Joe, Paul and Carl and they didn’t hate me too much, so here I am.
“And finally… 6. What’s Joe Mallozzi really like? Again, any gritty/disturbing/blackmail-able details would be welcomed.”
RA: Nothing but good things to say about Joe. He has been a gracious host, taking me out to dinner, taking time to explain details in the mythology of SG, restaurant tips, etc. Always a smile, always a good word in the morning. Scary, huh?
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E writes: “How quickly did you adjust to SGU’s writing style?”
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RA: I haven’t yet.
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“Is this series very different from what you’ve done in the past?”
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RA: Very.
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“Do you have a favourite character?”
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RA: Very difficult to answer. I relate most to Scott and Young — flawed guys who trying to rise above their own weaknesses. Nicolas Rush because he’s so complicated, so smart and yet so much in his own way. That said, my favorite character is actually TJ — she is someone who I would want to be stranded on a ship with; resourceful and enterprising. Compassionate yet forceful when she needs to be. Camile Wray is interesting in that she’s a smart person, a capable person, who believes she should be in charge but doesn’t know how to assert herself.
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“What’s the best part of writing a script? Constructing acts, tweaking dialogue or seeing how actors bring it to life?”
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RA: The best thing about writing a script is finishing it.
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Tammy Dixon writes: “Question for Remi: How much research goes into an episode? Do you have friends in different fields that you can ping about details for stories?”
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RA: I love research — maybe my second favorite thing about writing other than finishing it. The internet is an incredible tool for research. Prior to that, I hung out at libraries (still do) pouring through microfiche and periodicals. SGU is a little different because some stuff is not researchable but rather is speculative and, well, not real — I know it’s a shock. So we get to talk to futurists and guys that think of crazy things that could be possible. We try to stay within the laws of physics, but sometimes, it’s just fun to bend the rules a little. Ultimately, though, SGU is a story about ordinary people trying to survive under extraordinary circumstances. No one individual is capable of solving the problem, but together, than might just be able to make it. That story interests me and while the hardware and the SF of it all is exciting, fun and just plain cool, we never lose sight of the human drama.
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BoltBait writes: “Questions for Remi: OK, so what specifically does an Executive Producer do on SGU?”
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RA: Well, I’m actually a consulting producer, which is to say, I mostly write and throw in my two cents when asked.
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“Do you like to have your hand in everything? Or, do you like to delegate a lot?”
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RA: I was the showrunner for Persons Unknown which was exhausting, so I am happy to just be a worker and not in charge of anything.
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“How delightful Joe is to work with?”
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RA: Beyond delightful.
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Randomness writes: “Oh I noticed you asked for Remi questions. Okay I’ll join in too. 1. What Stargate series is currently your favourite?”
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RA: SGU, of course. — Though I was a fan of SG1 for years.
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“2. How did you feel when you were given the chance to work on Stargate Universe?”
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RA: Flabbergasted, actually. Like being shocked that a beautiful woman shows an interest in you.
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“3. What are some of your favourite moments thus far working with everyone, cast, crew, writers alike?”
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RA: Joe’s chocolate party was beyond fun. It was a great way to meet and get to know everyone.
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“5. Are there any episodes in Season 2 that you feel people will absolutely love?”
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RA: So many good ones, it’s hard to pick.
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“6. Any favourite books, authors?”
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RA: Huge eclectic collection. From Dickens to Duane Swierczynski, John Irving to Raymond Carver.
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“7. What made you decide to leave Caprica and move onwards to the good ship Destiny?”
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RA: See above, but short answer, I was a victim of circumstance and timing.
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“8. Do you feel Caprica can stand the test of time, and perhaps go on for a few more seasons?”
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RA: Certainly when Ron and I created Caprica we roughed out what five years would look like, so yes I believe so.
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ytimynona writes: “QUESTIONS FOR REMI: Do you blog? Tweet? Use Facebook?”
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RA: I blogged during the Writer’s Strike and had a blast. I sporadically check into Facebook. Tweet makes me too nervous.
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“Do you prefer writing/producing procedurals or serials? Comedy, drama, or dramedy?”
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RA: Not a procedural guy, though I love to watch them. I’ve always been fascinated with human interaction; people struggling to make sense of their lives. I believe humor is part of human nature, even in the most dramatic of circumstances.
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“Can (and do) you watch episodes you have written/produced as they air live, or is seeing the episode a couple dozen times before it airs enough for you?”
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RA: I don’t feel like an episode is done until I see it on the air.
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“There is no number six. There was, but PG15 totally stole it. So I’ll use the space to say a huge THANK YOU for coming to Joe’s blog and letting us give you the third degree! In all honesty, we truly appreciate it!”
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RA: Thanks and more thanks. It was cool of Joe to ask me, and I have become a fan of his blog and his fans.
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Eric.Stewart writes: “Hi Remi! I saw the trailer and like the idea put forward by you tv series. In spite of the fact that the trailer give us a fair good idea of what the show will be about, can you elaborate a bit more on the tone that you plan to give to the series ? Will it lean toward a psychological thriller with a lot of blood, a suspense /action type or do you plan to give it at one point a paranormal/science fiction aspect?”
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RA: The one thing I can tell you is that there is nothing paranormal or science fiction going on in Persons Unknown. Everything is based in the real world. Sometimes there is cutting edge technology involved, that may appear SF-ish, but it was all carefully researched. We also made sure that we figured out everything that was going on in advance of writing even one script, and then figured out how much and when we would reveal. The tone is edgy and tense; we tried to capture what it would feel like if you never knew what could happen next or what the people behind the camera are expecting. We wanted a sense of feeling like you are watched all the time.
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“How do you feel your series will differentiate itself among the multitude of new tv shows that we have at the moment?”
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RA: Well, that is the big question and almost impossible to answer. It is difficult (maybe even dangerous) to try to predict what how an audience will react to any one show. But we tried really hard to make our show fun and exciting yet still edgy and weird. We will just have to see.
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“As an executive producer are you involved a lot in the writing of the episodes or do you use the same formula utilized in SGU i.e multiple writers ?”
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RA: We had a great group of five writers on PU. As the Executive Producer, I gave notes, sometimes rewrote and often guided the story-telling, but I considered it a group effort. I perceived my job being in charge of the big picture — to see how a particular episode fit into the big story we were trying to tell in the season and beyond. It is pretty much the same at SGU: Brad Wright and Rob Cooper guide the ship.
A huge thanks to Remi for taking the time to come by. And a future thanks to…
…actress Jennifer Spence, SGU’s Lisa Park, who is next up on the Q&A block.If you’ve got questions for Jen, start posting.
And if you have questions for author Ellen Kushner, post them as well. I’ll be collecting them over the next few days, then sending them along this weekend!
A huge thanks to Remi for taking the time to come by. 
…actress Jennifer Spence, SGU’s Lisa Park, who is next up on the Q&A block.
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