I rolled onto the lot this morning and found THIS sitting by the building…
Qu’est-ce que c’est? Set work in progress? Contemporary art sculpture? Or just a bunch of garbage being cleared out? I suppose time will tell. Or the next episode up in the production schedule.
Today, we finally finished that Day 1 mix of Trial and Error. It took us three days to watch it from start to finish. Three days! When we reconvened to sit down and watch those last ten minutes this afternoon, Remi walked and informed us he had said aside the next two hours for the viewing. Fortunately, we didn’t need it. Well, not all of it anyway. A fair amount of notes on those power ups, power downs, and general ship sounds, everything from doors shutting to muffled explosions.
Today was also all about the casting of Alliances. We have our Senator but have yet to cast Covel, although we do have someone in mind. Hopefully, that deal closes tomorrow and Paul, who is producing the episode, will have one less thing to worry about.
Finish up the August book of the month club, people! Discussion of The Devil’s Alphabet begins next week!
The latest SFSignal MindMeld question: “Comic books have be garnering more public attention in recent years due to the massive popularity of many superhero based based films. And while superhero comics and science fiction are kindred genres, not every SF fan has read a comic. What comics should a science fiction fan read?” My response:
The world of science fiction is not that far removed from the world of comic books, thus I think you stand a better chance of getting an SF fan to pick up a graphic novel than you would, say, Maeve Binchy’s Heart and Soul or the latest Nicholas Sparks novel. Of course that isn’t to say Binchy and Sparks don’t appeal to SF fans of eclectic tastes, only that graphic novels are likely to offer more in the way of familiar (or at the very least, comfortable) territory for the discerning scifi follower. Aliens, mutation, super-powered conspiracy-laden defenestrations – science fiction and comic books share a common language so it should come as no surprise that, more often than not, they share the same fanbase as well. Still, there are quite a few fans of literary, television, and film SF who haven’t dabbled in the universes created by the likes of Moore or Miller. Given the opportunity to broaden their cosmic horizons, these are the graphic novels I’d recommend them…
And then I go on to offer ten recommendations (plus two for good luck!). You can check out my list, and the suggestions of others like Lou Anders, Matthew Sturges, and Paul Cornell here:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2010/08/mind-meld-comics-for-science-fiction-fans/
Finally, help for the terminally cheerful: http://www.theonion.com/video/fda-approves-depressant-drug-for-the-annoyingly-ch,14310/
Denny’s introduces a new menu item for those who don’t give a damn about their weight: http://www.thisiswhyyourefat.com/?p=553684303
I’d expect this sort of behavior from Daffy. But Donald? http://thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/grope-claim-against-donald-duck
Mailbag:
link022 writes: “The powers of nox were even very evolved more than those of the ancients Was it a natural gift ? Have they decided not to make the ascent given their convictions?”
Answer: Sorry. No idea.
Lisa R. writes: “I’m not good with disguises, but is the mustached stranger Brian Smith??”
Answer: Oooh. Good eye.
FoX1028 writes: “and the SG-1 episode is Message in a bottle.”
Answer: Congratulations! Your grand prize, an envelope of Carl’s mustache clippings, will be delivered in the coming days along with its signed certificate of authenticity.
me writes: “Is the statue of Greedo left behind by Rob still in Carl’s office?”
Answer:
Yep.
asms writes: “Joe, you’ve written for a range of shows/genres. What has been your favourite? What one show that you are not involved in would you like to be? Why – characters? cast? plot?”
Answer: I think the most fun I had writing for television was seasons 9-10 of SG-1. As for which show I’d like to be writing for if I wasn’t working on SGU? Hmmm. House offers a nice mix of drama and dark humor and a terrific lead character. Let’s go with House.
Chevron7 writes: “So did ya miss me?”
Answer: Did I?! I was just out looking for you!
Shawn Cassidy writes: “Currently you guys have shot most if not all of the first half of season 2, and are in process of still writing the back half ep’s. How is a cross scene such as that handled?”
Answer: Unless we’re shooting a two-parter, it’s very rare for us to block shoot. We may occasionally hold a scene for later in the season to accommodate an actor or our construction department, but we rarely incorporate scenes from later scripts into earlier shooting schedules, mainly because those scripts are usually a long way from being finished.
Major D. Davis writes: “Questions for the next mailbag.1. Is Martin Wood still directing Revolution?
2. Any more rumblings on updates on either movie? There’s a lot of ifs regarding MGM (like it being bought, or going bankrupt), do you still think Revolution is going to happen?
3. Do you know how the DVD market is doing? Has it gotten better or worse lately?
4. Is there any chance we’ll see some SGU books anytime soon (like the novelization of air)?”
Answer: Sorry. No idea.
My guess is that garbage is…..
Spoilers…..
The destroyed section of whatever room is serving as the ston room for alliances.
Hahahahahahahahahahah no idea for all 4 questions. I really hit the jackpot didn’t I. 😉
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
Hey Joe,
According to the How Stuff Works podcast one in 5 houses in Vancouver are used to grow marijuana. So between you, Paul, Carl, Ivon, and Ashleigh, who’s cultivating the weed?
patrickkirby….
I think we will be more concerned when we find that the 20 houses around them are all clean…
Major D. Davis
Air – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stargate-Universe-Air-James-Swallow/dp/1905586469/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281673243&sr=8-1
It is too early in the morning for me to type a chatty message. I’m off for a couple of hours sleep.
😉
@Major D Davis…the novelization for “Air” has been out for a while. You may have to order it online, but it is out there if you want to get it.
I know what the debris is? They came across the remains of the space ship from Lost in Space. The Destiny robot came in contact with the robot from LIS and when it said, “Crush, Kill, Destroy”, the Destiny robot did just that.
Well in about 12 hours I will walk through the doors of Patrick’s old school to get the rest of his belongings. Awkward. But since I know I’m doing the right thing, my head will be held high. He starts at the new place on Monday. Fingers and toes crossed. It would nice to associate August with something good for a change.
Hi Joe:
Is Lou Anders making you promote the anthology on talk shows and at book signings? Are you autographing them? If so, are you signing your name or Lou’s?
Do you play a musical instrument? You look like a piano player to me. Carl Binder, on the other hand, looks like a drums man. I can see him pounding out a drum solo that would make Phil Collins jealous.
Looking forward to the return of SGU. Do you know when it will air in Canada?
Patricia
Hi Joe,
Have not posted lately, but I was wondering are you going to finish the Pineapple Diary’s and when will see another installment of WFPoD?
Also , I am glad to hear Jelly is doing better. ***Hugs to the Pups*** But you have not posted to Twitter lately; doesn’t Jelly have anything to say about here stem cell replacement???
Cheers!
Hey Joe, great blog as always and nice to see m’colleague Paul Cornell getting a namecheck!
@Major D Davis – More SGU novels are in the planning stages at the moment. Keep a watch on the publisher’s site at http://www.stargatenovels.com for future announcements.
It’s a good thing that I have such a lousy memory. I’ll probably forget most of cryptic and some not so cryptic hints about season 2.0 and 2.5 by the time they air.
😀
I saw at Wal-Mart for $10 usa a dvd of:
Stargate Ark Of Truth
Stargate Continuim
Stargate Children Of The Gods Final Cut it says all together but I cant buy it now just wanted to report I saw it and they had 2 left must be selling good.
asms writes: “Joe,… What has been your favourite? …”
Answer: I think the most fun I had writing for television was seasons 9-10 of SG-1.
==================
Seasons 9 & 10 evolved into a slightly different show and had some outstanding shows. I loved the characters and felt that the show could do with another 5 years with them.
This is not a condemnation of seasons 1-8 at all because there were quite a few outstanding shows then too. But the direction changed, along with the characters (kind of like how SGU is a different show) – the acting was outstanding and it added a freshness to the show. Too sad it had to end – but there again, it ended with a great show. I’m sorry to read that the actors seemed to take the brunt of fan wrath – they do not deserve it. I would like to see them in the movie that’s supposedly going to be made.
Thanks for all the info, Joe.
Good Morning and Happy Friday the 13th!
When the cast and crew are off on the mid season hiatus, does this have any effect on the months the show is off air?
My guess is that the stuff sitting outside the building is a contemporary art sculpture. It actually reminds me of something on a show my boys watch. (which was a sculpture) Hope everything is going well with shooting.
Have a good day!
Nicely balanced post. Links, show tidbits, mailbag. I am going to suffer serious withdrawal symptoms through the next week, as I’m hitting the road later tonight. In the meantime a thousand things to do. Flying these days is a headache with the non-security security checkpoints, flight delays, and sardine packed seating, but at least it promotes packing efficiently and/or lightly. Drive your car and it’s hard to leave the kitchen sink behind. K’Tesh knows something is up; she’s moping and not letting me out of sight. Little does she realize she’s about to become an international traveller.
thanks as always for the daily dose of info and entertainment, and hope your workday is productive and fun.
Dear Joe,
a question for you. Once in a while you talked about actors you worked with. I read your blog everyday since more than 3 years know.
Ther is a character about which, I think, you never made a comment: Doctor Lee. I like the character as much as the actor.
Any comments about Bill Dowe and his, very good, performances in the show? And the fun to write for his character?
Wow! Carls tall. I mean I know Brian is taller then a lot of the cast and Carl makes him look short. Lol 🙂
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
@PBMom — Good for you. I know my husband and felt much better when we changed how we were educating our children.
@Rex Carter
LOL I saw it too… I bought 2 of them (for contest for the campaign) and then there were two left. Maybe we live near the same wal mart lol.
@James Swallow
Sweet!!! I guess that meant the first one sold well. 🙂 I really really really really REALLY enjoyed the novelization for air that you wrote. I usually take weeks to read books but I read this one in about 2 days. I really look forward to more! 🙂
Anyways… Im about to head out to my schools orientation and then I start school on monday. Its a new school thats gonna be very challenging and im kinda scared, but im sure itll be fine. 🙂
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
@ James Swallow
Oh and just curious, when do you think we’ll see a new SGU novel hit shelves? How long does it usually take to write them?
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
Hi Joseph!
ça va ? moi bof..je suis malade, tous sort de tout les côtés…oui je sais …c’est pas très glamour lol..en plus je travail demain snif.
Oui, Qu’est-ce que c’est? J’aurai dit une antenne de tv tombé aprés une tornade avec un partie du mur et du toit..mais c’est pas ça ^^!
Ahhhh j’aime quand vous parlez français =)
Oh…a moi vous me dites jamais que je vous ai manquer? ^^
Alala mon dieux, petit coup de blues, j’ai trop envie de vous voir en vrai !!!!!…mais y’a des chances que je m’évanouise, rien que le fait de s’avoir parler sur FB la dernière fois je tremblé, j avais la tête qui tourné et je pleuré lol XD …sa promer…non j’essayerai de me tenir qu’en même mais bon..;ça vient du coeur:)
Bonne journée!
Bissss!!
Hello Joseph,
Had a thought the other day and just now remembered what it was that I wanted to post here.
(1) With all of Eli’s “sci fi” knowledge, how come he never made the link between the Stargate program and “Wormhole X-treme”? Was this a decision by the writers to avoid too many references to SG-1 for new viewers? or because the “X-treme” just wasn’t popular in the “SGU” universe?
(2) And will we get a better idea of what the ‘state’ of Earth is in season two? With all of the advances the Stargate program has brought, it would seem strange that more societal improvements would not be gradually brought in, things like:
-Ancient lightbulbs, they obviously are longer lasting then ours.
-Ancient ‘paint’, same idea.
-Naquadah reactors…small, portable, green.
-And i’m just thinking it’d be hard for the U.S government to justify funding things like F22’s and F35’s when they have 302’s
I know you don’t like to get too caught up in techno-babble, but it just seems strange that all these wonderous discoveries have been made over the past 10 years, yet there seems to be little “trickle down” benefits to the general population.
Cheers,
Kevin
JOE, here’s a little something for your Dogs:
http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/2010/08/beautiful-flowers-on-fabric-on-dog-on.html
Hi Joe,
I appreciate your answer to my question yesterday. I understand what you are saying, but I am still wondering then, based upon your response, for “Lost” you (not you personally, but the collective SGU production team) had to go back out to the quarry and re-set the ship in the dirt to film the scene that was originally shown in “Justice”?
I don’t know why, it’s just bugging me to know… (I hate when that happens):-)
Thanks Joe!
Cheers to you and the SGU crew!
To Kevin (comment just above mine).
Good thought! You’re right, I’ll bet Eli was a Wormhole X-Treme Fan!
Also I think it would be cool to know what’s been ‘released’ to the general public here on Earth from the SG program. I know I could use some 100,000 year light bulbs!
@ Contemporary art sculpture
Weirdly enough Joe, people actually try and pass stuff like that off as art and pay silly amounts of money for it.
I say it’s junk but Randomnes has a good point about weird art.
ganymede: Those collars are the cutest!!!
Das: I hope your hubby feels better today. Ouch! Let him milk this one for a while.
PBmom: how did it go today at Peter’s new school? I’m so glad you got your son/yourself away from that vindictive school board! Now it’s up to your lawyer to force them to make things right with tuition.
That school board reminds me of the district in California that was paying themselves enormous salaries. Did you hear about them? http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/27/anger-at-california-officials-spreads/
It’s just another case of how a little power can corrupt.
It’s in the three digit temps today but a cold front is coming. All the way down to 94F in a couple of days. It will feel like spring…..
Hey again, Joe! Question or two…
1 – When will we next see Chloe’s dad, Senator Armstrong? It seems that people who die on Destiny, or at least certain people, tend to disappear, never to be referred to again, example being Chloe never being shown looking at her dad through the airlock. My theory is that the shuttle he was in took off on auto-programming at the end of Air, Part 3.
2 – Will there be any more development of Scott’s Christian faith/worldview or degradation of it? Things like that don’t disappear overnight…
Just got through the dvds with commentaries, loved them!
Do I sense a contest coming on???
Spot the “contemporary art” in the show… don’t tell us the episode….
That’s funny. I had to take the skytrain into Burnaby today and looked over the side as I passed Bridge Studios and what do I see? That enigmatic heap of metally looking whatsis outside! Now I’m really curious about what it is 😀
I finally have a weekend at home sleeping in my own bed and I’ve started Masked, I have to finish it up quick so I can send my copy to my nephew. I love the idea of a super hero who fights in cut offs and flip flops. I invisioned Don Swayze as Wild Card after seeing him play a biker werewolf on True Blood.