The email message said: “Please check out the following lowlifes at…” and provided me with the appropriate link. At first I thought I’d been put on one of those silly group emails. Then I realized it was from Corinne, our local casting director. Oh, right. The low life! So I headed over and checked…
March 3, 2008: Hounds and Horror
I was introduced to the works of Dan Simmons by an employee at my local bookstore. He noticed I was perusing the horror section, walked over, and recommended what was, in his opinion, the most deeply unsettling book he’d ever read: Song of Kali. Intrigued, I followed his suggestion, purchased the book and, yes,…
March 2, 2008: A comforting culinary excursion
During my 9+ years here in Vancouver, I’ve seen many a comfort food restaurant come and go. For whatever reason, these places have failed to elicit much interest. It could be because, given the vast variety of offerings presented by the Vancouver restaurant scene, many diners aren’t all that interested in going out for…
March 1, 2008: Cast Dinner
March already? What happened to the rest of February? Okay, so it was killed for lack of interest and, really, it’s tough to fault those in charge. Hopefully this month will prove more to everyone’s interest. I ended my February with the annual network dinner, held this year at Vancouver’s Caffe de Medici and…
February 29, 2008: Done and done!
Rejoice! For I have completed my first draft of Whispers! Finally, after three torturous weeks (one and a half of which was spent spinning my wheels on that last scene), I’m done. For now. Once the guys have had a chance to read the draft, I’m sure that’ll change. The early reviews (actually review)…
February 28, 2008: Prepping Broken Ties, Marty G.’s rude awakening.
Martin was first up with Search and Rescue. Paul followed with The Seed. And, today, it was my turn to as prep began on my episode, Broken Ties. We kicked things off with the 9:00 a.m. concept meeting. In attendance = everyone! In addition to special guest director we frankly don’t see enough of…
February 27, 2008: Just the highlights
A late blog entry today, so I’ll make it quick by offering up a bullet point summary of my day: - Read, re-read, and re-re-read the 56 pages I’ve got on Whispers so far, hoping it would put me in the proper frame of mind that would allow me to write the final scene.…
February 26, 2008: Wraith tech
February 26, 2008: I thall thtrike fear into the very heart of Atlantith!
I almost passed out today - and I‘m not exactly sure why. It may have been my lengthy exposure to the on-set particulates that had most of the crew sporting breathing filters all morning. Or it could have been the mind-numbing reverb and thud-thud-thud of the big guns going off. Or it might have been…
February 25, 2008: Neil Gaiman’s Smoke and Mirrors
As an avid comic book reader, I’d heard a lot about Neil Gaiman over the years. His Sandman series is considered a masterpiece of the genre and yet, despite the high praise it has received, it’s a title I never got around to reading. To be honest, the same applies to Gaiman’s work in…
February 24, 2008: Baron Destructo and Cookie Monster’s Oscar Picks
It’s Oscar Night and, as promised, Baron Destructo and Cookie Monster have dropped by with their predictions for some of the major awards… Cookie Monster: Ohboyohboyohboy. Me love dis time of year. Finally, after months where it off radar and get no attention at all, Hollywood finally put itself in spotlight and hold awards show…
February 23, 2008: The Kindred, Part 1 – What the hell was I thinking?!
Long before this script was outlined or we had even sat down to spin this story, I had two scenes in mind for Beckett’s return to Stargate Atlantis. The first, was the final scene of part one. The second, was the final scene of part two. Aside from those two scenes, I had know…
February 22, 2008: Production shifts, some headway made, and that final first half slot filled
Yesterday, production shifted from Norco to the Bridge Studios, leaving the dark and sinister confines of the wraith sets for the clean sleek environs of the Earth ship Daedalus. Almost the entire cast was on the lot in addition to a few familiar faces (pictured). And I’m pleased to report that Search and Rescue…
February 21, 2008: With Special Guest Star…Lou Anders!
How cool is this! 2007 Hugo Award and Chesley Award nominee Lou Anders, editor of our standing scifi book of the month club selection (Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge), is here to answer your questions. And, he’s brought along some friends! Hopefully, once Fast Forward 2 comes out in October,…
February 20, 2008: Production progress.
An early blog entry today as I’m off to dinner with Carl tonight and suspect that we‘ll be up into the wee hours of the morning doing grappa shots and smoking volcano coolers. Oh, and squash-stuffed agnolotti with black truffle butter. Well, this week is the calm before the storm, and a golden opportunity…