INTERVIEW: Brad Wright (Executive Producer)

GateWorld · #1 July 14th, 2006, 04:13 PM

AUDIO INTERVIEW:
WRIGHT ON TARGET
GateWorld talks with Brad Wright

As a new season begins, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis's executive producer sits down with GateWorld for 40 minutes on the new seasons of the two series, the future of the franchise, and much more!

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FoolishPleasure · #2 July 14th, 2006, 04:58 PM

Excellent interview guys - thanks!

tsaxlady · #3 July 14th, 2006, 05:07 PM

Darren & David thanks for another great interview. Look forward to what kind of specials you will bringing to us next.

marktowler · #4 July 14th, 2006, 05:09 PM

All I can say is that is an interesting and thought-provoking interview. These interviews always remind me of how much I love Stargate, everyone cares about it! You can see it in the show. Me and my best friend both watch it religiously, and always point out to each other when we see Syler with his big spanner or see 1 of the director's in the background! It's a running thing with us, like "Hey, I was watching 'Red Sky' last night, and look for Siler's big old spanner" (or is it Wrench!?) It only started because I watched 1 of the extras and I told him about it, so we scoured random episodes looking lol! Anyways, enough of that!

I thought Brad's point about him not caring about the show and those fans saying "I would have done it this way bla bla bla" was a good point. I sometimes feel that yeh the writing could have been better in some episodes or I would have done something differently, but I've had hindsight and lots of time to think about it. For the writer's, if an actor can't do it (Like for example Sean Patrick Flanery was meant to return for "The Fourth Horsemen" 2-parter) it could mean a very harsh rewrite in a matter of days. I can speak from experience, I've re-read an essay (mistakingly like a week before it had to be handed in) and realised I needed to change a paragraph because it repeated something I already argued, so I had to delete it and research and get quotes or whatever for a whole new paragraph. Now, it's not as harsh for me, but I can imagine if the writer's had already written a substantial part of Orlin for Sean Patrick Flannery, then it would be time-consuming to re-draft with a deadline coming up so they have to think quickly.

Now this rambling is going somewhere: I have faith in the Writers. Yes, as I've stated there are some episodes I'd rather skip than watch in a Season, but that's my own preference. Since I can't obviously do anything to change what's going on over at Bridge Studios, I trust that the writer's know what they're doing and have an idea of where they're taking 2 of my favourite shows on Television. I mean, we all watch Stargate in large part because of the excellent writing team and the stories they come up with. This quality is maintained by a well cast group of talented actors. Now I'm hoping in a way that SG-1 finishes in the next couple of years, because I want it to leave on a high-note and not be cancelled or just get boring but I know the writing team is dedicated enough to let it go on further if need be. I will support SG-1 for how many seasons it will go on because I just have faith that the people know what they're doing and they've created something like 240 episodes for 2 shows and they're amazing!

sueKay · #5 July 14th, 2006, 05:14 PM

Great interview!

What I love about Brad and the other PTB is how honest they are. Brad said that Atlantis won't be as successful as SG1 (just like DS9 wasn't as successful as TNG), and while I'd like it do as well as SG1...It probably won't...Kudos to Brad for being so honest!

morjana · #6 July 14th, 2006, 06:18 PM

Darren and David, thank you for another excellent interview.

Harcourt Fenton Mudd! Lol, haven't thought of ST:TOS "Mudd's Women" or "I, Mudd" in a long time. Looking forward to the new seasons --which, hey, start tonight!

Woo-hoo!

Morjana

sueKay · #7 July 14th, 2006, 06:20 PM

LOL...I saw 'Mudd's woman' the other day!!!!

SGFerrit · #8 July 14th, 2006, 06:28 PM

Excellent interview, really shows how much the writers care about the show, and how unfair some of the comments by the anti-S9 + 10 'fans' are.

Here's to Brad, and the rest of the cast and crew on 10 great years and 13 seasons, and a brilliant sunny future for the entire franchise!

Oh, and I hope Atlantis is as succesful, I need something to watch other than Big Brother and Lost when SG-1 finishes lol

TameFarrar · #9 July 16th, 2006, 03:21 AM

Excellent job Guys

and some very wonderful questions

I am very impressed that Brad was another that tried to be open and candid and *just answer the questions*

It was a joy to read as well as listen to the interview and it just really rekindled my liking for this man

jazz! · #10 July 16th, 2006, 07:42 AM

Great Interview - Thanks again!

Pharaoh Atem · #11 July 16th, 2006, 07:53 AM

I'm 8 minutes in and I already love it

Trek_Girl42 · #12 July 16th, 2006, 04:26 PM

Great interview, and I really liked this:

Quote:

BW: I'm always surprised by how fans respond to the show. I guess I would say we are still trying to make the best show we can. Even after all these years, we're still here, and we're still doing our best.

I got a little disheartened last year as I read fan things on your forum, or about Season Nine. All the changes. Some fans just didn't buy it. And I get mail, and occasionally I'll open one or two, looking for some smart criticism. It's frustrating when people assume we're being lazy, or, "Why would you do this story when you could do this story?" Or "Why did you get rid of O'Neill?"

There are things that are not up to us. There are things that are simply not in our control. And we're trying, with the resources we have and with the limited skills we have, to make the best show we can. That's what I'd like to tell the fans.

He was pretty honest, gotta like that.

Can't wait for The Pegasus Project.

Rachel500 · #13 July 16th, 2006, 06:07 PM

Firstly, thanks for the interview - very interesting stuff - and thanks to Brad W for taking the time to give the interview.

It has been interesting to see what the reaction to the interview has been, not just on this thread but also on the more general/character forum threads.

For me there were a few points that stood out:

1. BW "It's like a new series. In fact, I was having a conversation with Ben the other day about a script, and I said, "Well, last year in Season One -- I mean ..." [Laughter] It's kind of how Rob and I think about it, and in many ways that's what it is. It's got a whole new energy...."

It was interesting because I do think there is a schism between the majority of fans (especially the veterans who've been with the show from day one) and the production team on this one. I think there is still a large part of the fan base/audience that tuned into Stargate SG1 Season Nine, expecting to see Stargate SG1 Season Nine not Stargate Command Season One, and who are expecting to see SG1 Season Ten not SGC Season Two...

Maybe the fan base would have accepted a second spin-off show with a new cast of characters (with maybe one of the original characters moving forward) with more ease than the slightly schizophrenic nature of the new format with the intro of new characters along with three of the original team and seemingly going back to its original format of a more advanced enemy, 4 person-team, General, recurring CMO character. This does tend to pose the question of 'is this SG1 or not?'

2. BW "When Jonathan and I were originally coming up with the four-person team it was a bunch of writer reasons that drove that. Two people can split off. You can write scenes about these people and these people. You can get four people in a shot. You add a person to that mix, and it adds a level of difficulty in servicing all of the characters properly."[my emphasis]

IMO, servicing an ensemble group of characters is always a balancing act anyway and when you add new characters it always proves a challenge to balance the new with the old, along with the usual 'servicing'. I sympathise that there are always going to be Seasons where a group of fans for one character are going to be up in arms because they feel their character wasn't given enough screen time, character development, dialogue, action.

I think a lot of the criticism levelled at the show in Season Nine stemmed from fans being disappointed at how well they felt the older characters or even the team dynamic was being serviced or not, or even how well the new characters were being serviced in regards to each other (the whole why did Vala dominate the beginning of the Season instead of Mitchell discussion).

3. And BW's response to the question "Well, leading into the season premieres in July, if you had a message that you could say straight to fans, what would you tell them about July?" I won't post the whole quote but what stood out for me...
BW "I guess I would say we are still trying to make the best show we can. Even after all these years, we're still here, and we're still doing our best. I got a little disheartened last year as I read fan things on your forum, or about Season Nine. All the changes. Some fans just didn't buy it. And I get mail, and occasionally I'll open one or two, looking for some smart criticism. It's frustrating when people assume we're being lazy....There are things that are simply not in our control. And we're trying, with the resources we have and with the limited skills we have, to make the best show we can....And maybe it didn't turn out as good as you hoped, or as well as I hoped. But this is a tough thing to do...And when you're coming up with your 258th story, that takes some effort."

There are always going to be those fans who take the extreme view that SG1 is Col O'Neill, Maj Carter, Teal'c and Daniel going through the Stargate and fighting the Goa'uld and no amount of discussion or debate is going to change their minds. (Quite honestly I'd be annoyed if I was BW at being criticised for something like RDA leaving - it was the choice of the actor).

I also agree that maybe calling the writing 'lazy' or 'phoned in' doesn't show a great deal of respect for the work and effort that went into the writing nor for the original intent of the writer. Having set myself the challenge once of writing just a Season's worth of epis for another fandom, I can sympathise with the huge challenge of coming up story no #258 but...

There is a lot of smart criticism out there on the forum if you hunt around (and yes, most of it is levelled at the writing or generically at the decisions of TPTB), and not all of the criticism is because fans cannot accept change.

As a veteran fan myself (I've been glued since it first aired in the UK), although I was disappointed to see RDA go, I was looking forward to seeing SG1 refreshed in Season Nine especially as the pre-Season commentary seemed to suggest it was returning to its roots and overall I like the new characters and the other changes but I do think there are weaknesses in the story-telling in Season Nine both in the premises for the changes introduced, the overall sense of team and the balancing of the characters.

To conclude, having read a lot of the promo interviews including this one in the run up to Season Ten and the latest fan comments on the forum for the Season premiere, I'm excited about the coming Season and my only regret is that I have to wait a while before I get to see it here in the UK!

Hatusu · #14 July 16th, 2006, 07:26 PM

Right on target comments, Rachel. I was shocked when I heard about the "Stargate Command" concept. I only heard about it recently on the forum, but it explained the awkward first half of the ninth season. However, I was heartened by Brad Wright's mention that he does pay attention to what fans write.

***

David and Darren, that was a great interview. You really drew Brad Wright out.

***

Mr. Wright, I did get the Harcourt Fenton Mudd reference. Funny. I love that Richard Kind was in the "Stargate" movie.

I'm sorry if we go overboard on criticism sometimes. We care a lot about the show, but It's important to hear the writer's viewpoint on some of the choices that were made.

Thanks for all your hard, creative work. I wish you the best of luck on doing the movie.

Seshat · #15 July 16th, 2006, 07:49 PM

Lots of good clues about the future if you read carefully.

Dani347 · #16 July 16th, 2006, 10:07 PM

Okay, I skimmed the interview, but one thing bothered me.

Quote:

Oh, Sam is not being replaced, no. Not at all. The way it's going to work is that because we have more people the dynamic is just going to shift every now and then. Carter may end up being in an Atlantis or two, and Daniel is only in 16 out of 20, so even then, now you're getting down to far fewer numbers where we have all five cast members -- well, six including Beau, of course.

But in "Pegasus Project" it was easy just because I put Daniel and Vala over here, and I put the rest of them on board the ship, and Teal'c is in his scout ship. And it all worked out just fine.

Okay, I don't have a problem (well, I do, but I know it's not BW's fault

) with Daniel being gone for 4 episodes, but it seems like it just convienantly coincides with his plan to handle the *sarcasm alert! Hide the kids!* huge burden of 5 people (don't count Landry as much, because I don't expect him to be going through the Gate) there. All this shifting, and when all the actors are there, splitting them up. And, another Daniel and Vala get roped together and away from the rest.

Is it really that hard to have all 5 people in scenes together? Do they really think that they can't manage to give all of them development and lines and action if they don't split them up? It sounds like tv musical chairs. If the only reason they're sending Sam to Atlantis for some episodes is because they need to rotate the line up, I think that's a problem.

I want team togetherness. If you have the cast there, use them together as much as possible. I've seen it done with large casts. Not everyone always skipping through the show, arms linked, but it's not like "how will we ever manage all of these people in the same shot! Quick! Split them up!"

Rachel500 · #17 July 17th, 2006, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani347

Okay, I skimmed the interview, but one thing bothered me.
<snipped for space>
Is it really that hard to have all 5 people in scenes together? Do they really think that they can't manage to give all of them development and lines and action if they don't split them up? It sounds like tv musical chairs. If the only reason they're sending Sam to Atlantis for some episodes is because they need to rotate the line up, I think that's a problem.

I want team togetherness. If you have the cast there, use them together as much as possible. I've seen it done with large casts. Not everyone always skipping through the show, arms linked, but it's not like "how will we ever manage all of these people in the same shot! Quick! Split them up!"

I agree I'd prefer to see the team together than separated into pairs all the time. S10 spoilers suggest...

Spoiler:

But if they are going to split them up then I would advise them to ensure they don't just have the same pairings all the time - in the old days there used to be complaints that Jack was always paired with Teal'c, Sam with Daniel.

I can appreciate BW's comment and I would say it relates directly back to his comment on 'servicing the characters'. As a fanfic writer, my answer to your 'is it so hard' question, would be that yes it is incredibly hard to write all characters in a scene together where all five have meaningful dialogue and character development (that old balancing act). It is certainly easier to have character development when there is a 'moment' between only two or three characters at a time.

But I'm also hoping that even if they do separate them, the team aspect is still fostered by showing that the characters care about each other when in a group or singularly or in a pair.

Hatusu · #18 July 17th, 2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachel500

I agree I'd prefer to see the team together than separated into pairs all the time. S10 spoilers suggest...

Spoiler:

But if they are going to split them up then I would advise them to ensure they don't just have the same pairings all the time - in the old days there used to be complaints that Jack was always paired with Teal'c, Sam with Daniel.

I can appreciate BW's comment and I would say it relates directly back to his comment on 'servicing the characters'. As a fanfic writer, my answer to your 'is it so hard' question, would be that yes it is incredibly hard to write all characters in a scene together where all five have meaningful dialogue and character development (that old balancing act). It is certainly easier to have character development when there is a 'moment' between only two or three characters at a time.

But I'm also hoping that even if they do separate them, the team aspect is still fostered by showing that the characters care about each other when in a group or singularly or in a pair.

Exactly. They don't have to be together; they can just show concern. They can communicate by radio. The real team feeling is in the special moments, when one team member is struggling and another encourages or comforts them, or when they bolster each with humor other when all seems lost.

Hatusu · #19 July 17th, 2006, 12:06 PM

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO

Spoiler:

Farscapefan · #20 July 17th, 2006, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani347

Okay, I skimmed the interview, but one thing bothered me.

Okay, I don't have a problem (well, I do, but I know it's not BW's fault

) with Daniel being gone for 4 episodes, but it seems like it just convienantly coincides with his plan to handle the *sarcasm alert! Hide the kids!* huge burden of 5 people (don't count Landry as much, because I don't expect him to be going through the Gate) there. All this shifting, and when all the actors are there, splitting them up. And, another Daniel and Vala get roped together and away from the rest.

Is it really that hard to have all 5 people in scenes together? Do they really think that they can't manage to give all of them development and lines and action if they don't split them up? It sounds like tv musical chairs. If the only reason they're sending Sam to Atlantis for some episodes is because they need to rotate the line up, I think that's a problem.

I want team togetherness. If you have the cast there, use them together as much as possible. I've seen it done with large casts. Not everyone always skipping through the show, arms linked, but it's not like "how will we ever manage all of these people in the same shot! Quick! Split them up!"

And we completely differ here. I prefer much more "characters' development" show, that's why splitting the team works much better for me. It's better for relationships.