Joseph Mallozzi's Blog! (SPOILERS For All SG Shows and Dark Matter)

[leiasky]

Reading and providing notes on a script draft are a bit different than writing a treatment and beat sheets for that same film. Look at the writing credits for the two current Stargate SG1 movies . . . Not every writer involved in the series is going to be involved in writing the movies.

[Pitry]

Just like almost every episode - except for very special ones, such as 200, Wormhole x-Treme, It's Good to be King etc - creditsin th end only one or two writers...

[Jumper_One]

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October 20, 2008

Photos: Robert Picardo, Gary Jones, the SGC, Paul Mullie and a car


L.A. is a go. Paul and I booked our flight and hotel this afternoon. We’ll be flying out Sunday afternoon and getting in a little after 6:00 p.m., which should give us plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely dinner, unwind, and prep for three glorious days of meetings. Some time between now and then, our agent would like us to run through the pitches with them, I assume to ensure we don’t make any egregious errors in the delivery:

Me: I came up with the idea for this movie after killing a homeless guy last summer…

Agent: Uh, let’s start again and this time avoid mentioning any past crimes you may have committed.

Me: Okay, the idea for this story came to me one night after I’d drunk a half bottle of absinthe and injected some heroin directly into my eyeball. Now…

Agent: Yeah, I’m going to have to stop you right there. Like I said, avoid talking about any past crimes you may have committed.

Me: But I thought they legalized absinthe since they stopped making it with wormwood.

Agent: I was actually referring to the part about mainlining heroin into your eyeball.

Me: Oh. Oh, right! Well, okay. I would describe this movie as Larks on a String meets The Color of Pomegranates. Anyway, what happens is…

Agent: Whoa whoa whoa. What are those?

Me: They’re movies.

Agent: Could’ve fooled me. Try to stick with movies anyone not living in Armenia may have heard of.

Me: Okay. I’d describe this movie as a cross between Dracula 3000 and Leprechaun 3.

Agent: Try again.

Me: Lindsay Lohan’s I Know Who Killed Me and the much-improved Vince Vaughn version of Psycho.

Agent: One more time.

Me: The two other horror movies I’m going to pitch out after this one.

Agent: Good enough. Keep going…

And so on. I’ll let you all know how the run-thru goes.

Speaking of prep, I’ve narrowed my Tokyo restaurant list down to 55. Sadly, having given it some thought, I’ve come to realize that even with early and late lunches, 30 is about as many as I’ll be able to pull off, especially if I plan on doing anything besides eating while I’m there.

Hey, as promised here are some behind-the-scene snaps from one of our upcoming episodes. Who does the car belong to and how the hell does it fit into the Pegasus-bound premise of our show? Hey, good question. I can’t wait to find out myself.

[Jumper_One]

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October 21, 2008

Yet another memorable email solicitation found its way into my inbox the other day, this one supposedly sent by two orphans named Ms. Gift and Danel Mellitus (I **** you not) who are in desperate need of assistance. Well, given that they are orphans, I can’t think of anyone more suited to help them than Aloysius P. Hazzencockle, a guy who built his very own orphanage/castle/sneaker sweatshop to honor the last wishes of a benevolent dying spammer (relive the inspired story here:

“Hello Friends,

Your luck is about to change because you‘ve contacted the right person! Through my work here at the ALI IN THE FAMILY - HOME FOR ORPHANS AND ALOYSIUS P. HAZZENCOCKLE, I have ensured that orphans such as yourselves grow up in a charming Dickensian milieu complete with oakum-picking, gruel, and our very own lovable Fagin who is, in actuality, a cranky Slavic groundskeeper with trowel for a hand. With regard to your heartfelt plea -

“Are You’ A Trustworthy Person?”

Am I trustworthy? Am I TRUSTWORTHY?! TRUSTWORTHY?!! ME?!!! TRUSTWORTHY?!! I hope this answers your question.

“ My Greetings To You and your family in the name of God,though its a sad and long story but we will cut it short…”

By going on for another three paragraphs? Crap. Good thing I got the condensed version. Ha ha! Just kidding. P.S. Your story is very heartbreaking.

“My Father […] ran an orphanage, had a footbridge and soccer stadium built in the slum where he grew up…”

Hey, small world. I run an orphanage, play bridge, and grew up in a soccer stadium on account of my father’s passion for the game and the fact that they never checked under the seats after the matches ended. Every night, we used to open up the concession stands and make corn dogs and onion rings for dinner. Do they have corn dogs in Kenya? If they do and you haven’t tried one yet, I strongly urge you to pick one up. They’re quick and delicious! My old man loved them and lived to the ripe old age of 36.

…and sponsored teenage mothers to go to college.”

I do something very similar except that in my case instead of sponsoring them to go to college I buy them expensive dinners. Oh, and instead of teenage mothers, they’re high-priced call girls.

“ Our Regretably,father was killed On Tuesday morning 29th of January 2008 by the political assassination rebels during Election here in KENYA , As he was going out from our official residence and they dragged him out from his car and shot him and he was rush to hospital where he spend some hours before he died, Is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously but GOD knows the truth.”

Hmmm. I think I might know the truth to regarding his mysterious passing. I’m guessing…he was dragged out of his car and shot. But I’m no detective.

“Before his death in the hospital he secretly tell I and my brother to rush home that there some documents that he kept in the house that we should take the papers and move out quickly form KENYA, down to Abidjan COTE D’IVORIE for my life’ that he Deposited the sum of ($7. 5 Million)…”

Damn. What is it with successful Kenyan businessmen who are killed by their unscrupulous relatives yet nevertheless manage to secret away millions of dollars in Cote D’Ivoire bank accounts only to end up entrusting a financial institution that makes it incredibly difficult for their heirs to access the cash? Believe or not, this is the fifth email I’ve received where the exact same thing happened. I would suggest one of two things: Either invest your money somewhere safer where the bankers are more dependable like, say, Burkina Faso or Nigeria, or don’t go into business in Kenya. Working at your local fast food outlet may not prove as lucrative, but I can honestly say that I’ve never received an email from a hard-done-by heir to the Manager of a Malawi Chuck E. Cheese.

“I and my brother have managed to escape from KENYA and we are right now in Cote d’Ivoire. […]. We are hiding in the United Nation Refugee Camp of this Country for security purposes pending when you reply back our letter and then we will know your readiness and if you can be able to come down here to see the BANK for the transfer and for your assistance 35% of the total profit made daily or per anum will be for your assistance and we will map out 10% for any expenses you may make during the transfer of the money while the remaining money will be paid to a new separete account open on my brother name in your country.”

Got it. The UN Refugee Camp in Cote D’Ivoire. I’m on my way. Do you need me to pick up something at the airport duty-free shop? Some cigars or a special fragrance for the little lady? Let me know.

Also, does the UN Refugee Camp your staying in validate parking? I’ll need to know.

Sincerely,

Aloysius P. Hazzencockle”

Today’s blog entry is dedicated to Zobby. Get well soon!

http://spambait.wordpress.com/catego...kle-ali-abbas/). Aloysius responded to their heartbreaking entreaty:

[Jumper_One]

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October 22, 2008

So I realized that my approach to planning this Tokyo trip was all wrong. Instead of building an itinerary based on what I want to do, I should be basing it on what would provide you, dear blog readers, with the most entertainment value. With this in mind, I’ve decided to divvy up my meals accordingly: Dinners - I’ll be checking out the high-end restaurants like Joel Robuchon and Morimoto XEX. Lunches - I’ll be hitting some of Tokyo’s most outlandish theme restaurants like The Vampire Café and that place where the waitresses dress up as maids. This should offer up a wonderfully varied, potentially awkward, yet no doubt memorable assortment of dining experiences.

The casual lunches probably won’t require reservations but the fancy dinners certainly will. Unfortunately, my attempts to book some tables online proved a little trickier than expected given that none of the websites are in English - and the few that are in English require phone reservations. My Japanese is passable (I possess the verbal skills of a very polite four year old Japanese boy), but I’m not sure it would pass the infamous “Maitre d‘ Test“. At a bit of a loss, I emailed The Peninsula Hotel (which will be my home away from home while I‘m in Tokyo) about my situation and received a responsible from an amiable fellow named Yian, the hotel concierge, who offered to make the arrangements for me. What a swell guy! I sent him a list of my top ten picks (actually more like thirteen just in case he’s unable to get me in at certain places since some of the city’s top restaurants book up three months in advance) and gave him the heads up that I would be traveling alone and as such, might be eating alone on more than one occasion (although I’m fairly confident that I will hit it off with the Harajuku Goth gang and thus never wont for a dining companion). Is it okay to eat alone in Japan? I’m sure that many a Japanese salaryman will saddle up to a yakitori counter and dine solo, but how often does this happen in Tokyo’s higher-end restaurants? I would prefer to know what is and is not acceptable lest I commit an egregious social faux pas. You would think that you could let common sense guide you but, in truth, you can’t leave anything to chance in a foreign country. For example, noisily slurping your noodles is perfectly acceptable in Tokyo but taking off your shirt in a karaoke bar in order to do the best possible Steven Tyler impersonation is not. I mean, seriously! What gives?!

But I get ahead of myself. Before hitting Tokyo in late November, I’ll be heading down to L.A. for three days next week. We have seven meetings lined up. Now I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to any of you when I say that I’m better on paper, but I am nevertheless confident that by the end of that seventh meeting, we’ll be fairly close to having our horror pitch down pat. I’m ready. The only thing I need now is a title. So far, these are what I’ve come up with:

Citizen Cane, Bludgeon, and Stab

Mr. Smith Goes to a Creepy Slovakian Hostel

On the Slaughter Front

It’s A Wonderful Knife

All About Cleave

West Side Gory

Birth of a Nation of Brain-Eating Zombies

Dances with Werewolves

The Dear Hunter

Queasy Rider

Bringing Up Baby…After You’ve Eaten It!

Guess Who’s Having Us For Dinner?

Damn, this is going to be tough. They’re all great!

[thekillman]

It’s A Wonderful Knife

[Jumper_One]

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October 23, 2008

Photos: Fright Night


If it was up to me, we’d spend every night down in the theater room watching movies and t.v. on dvd. Yesterday, however, I deferred to Fondy who something a little different in mind. No Boston Legal and House for us last night. Instead, we went to Fright Night at the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition), sort of a cross between a traveling carnival and a high school Halloween party.

We started our evening at Moderne Burger. There we met our friends Jodi and Steve and I enjoyed a beef burger with caramelized onions and bacon, fries, and an extra thick chocolate malted milkshake. The shake arrived about ten minutes before the burger and, by the time my meal was set down in front of me, I was no longer hungry. Still, I had ordered the burger and it would have been a shame to let it go to waste. Same went for the fries.

From there, it was off to Fright Night for an evening of fun, frivolity, and standing in line. We met up at the entrance passed through the turnstile and, in no time at all, we were on the fairgrounds - and waiting in line to get frisked by security. Eventually, it was my turn to get felt up. I assumed the position and one of the guards patted me down, reached into my pocket and pulled out one of the empty sandwich bags I keep in my pocket for emergency dog-curbing purposes. The guy eyed the bag suspiciously and threw me a look that seemed to ask: “Where’s the stash?” and then, perhaps realized he wasn’t being paid enough, stuffed the bag into my pocket and sent me on my way.

We strolled the grounds, took in the various Halloween-themed displays, then lined up for our first haunted house walk-thru. When we finally reached the front, the guy on duty advised us to “Keep your hands in front of you at all times. Watch your step. Keep moving. No swearing or hitting the people inside.” And then, we were on our way - through a dark and winding passageway. At some point, someone blasted air at us. At another, a skeleton rose up out of a chair. At another, a mysterious doorway gave way to…the exit. It takes me longer to walk across my bedroom and, with my habit of tossing my clothes into a big pile at the food of the bed, perhaps equally as scary.

We took in some sort of deranged clown show in which the clowns (presumably psychotic like most clowns) danced and rode tricycles to WHAM! Without a doubt the scariest thing I saw that night.

The line-up at the next haunted house tour was twice as long, the wait even more so. As we inched our way along, some mischievously grinning fellow clutching a bloody knife ambled out of the attraction and off. I assumed he was part of the show. Once we finally reached the front, we were again cautioned not to swear or strike the employees. I assumed they’d been on the receiving end of many an angry patron (“What’s your problem scaring me like that?!! You want to give me a freakin‘ heart attack?!!). This one was a little more inspired with costumed participants popping out of alcoves, jumping out of hiding, and generally harassing my screaming wife. Good times.

Finally, it was a stroll through the maze where Steve was startled by some guy dressed as a plant. Again, good times.

I got home last night to discover that I’ve already committed my first Tokyo social faux pas. It turns out the affable concierge who contacted me the other day, My Man Yian, is actually My Woman Yian. In any case, she and another concierge of indeterminate gender named Kaori have got me booked at ten of Tokyo’s top restaurants. I’ll have to thank them somehow. Since tipping is frowned upon in Japan, I may just treat them to lunch at the Shibuya hospital prison themed restaurant Alcatraz ER. Sadly for me, dinner is when you really want to go. According to the website:

18:30 - inmate/in-patient escapes
20:00 - ER surgery show 1
22:30 - ER surgery show 2
2:00 (on Fri. & Sat. only) mystery show

Damn! I think I would have really enjoyed a good meal over a good surgery.

Hey, I got a call from Bob Picardo today. Sounds like he’s been quite busy since leaving the Pegasus Galaxy. In addition to shooting an episode of Pushing Daisies and completing work on the SF film The Awakened Bob has been working on a little side project:

http://www.acmebrandcomedy.com/Videos/?p=158

Apparently, this is the first in a series so check back for more of Alphonso’s words of wisdom.

To all those of you impatiently awaiting some of the upcoming Q&A guest blogs - I’m going to have to ask you to be impatient a little longer. Brad Wright and Joel Goldsmith have their hands full at the moment but will be getting around to answering your many questions very soon. Atlantis Costume Designer Val Halverson’s Q&A is upcoming. Special Effects Supervisor Wray Douglas is on deck. Robert Cooper has already committed to a post-Vegas visit. And when I see Marty G. for dinner tonight, I’ll ask him if he’d care to swing by for a post-Brain Storm chat. Finally, I’d like to start gathering questions for my friend and co-worker, the spectacular Krista McLean. In addition to her many years spent overseeing the playback department, she is also our matte shot overseer extraordinaire. “What,”you may ask “is playback? And matte shots while you’re at it?” Well, whenever you see something flash up on a laptop, or scroll by on a wraith screen, or display on anything from a handheld life signs detector to a puddle jumper HUD (Heads Up Display) and much, much more - THAT’S playback. And whenever you see those establishing shots of the mainland or sweeping over the wraith facilities or revealing hundreds upon hundreds of stasis pods and, again, much, much more - THOSE are examples of matte shots. So, if you have questions for Krista, start posting ’em.

By the way, thanks for all of the inspired horror movie titles. Some were truly brilliant.

And re: the return of the mailbag. Soon. Soon.

[jjit]

http://www.acmebrandcomedy.com/Videos/?p=158

Is that mexican accent?

[Jumper_One]

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October 24, 2008

Photos: Martin Gero and dinner


Last night, Marty G. and I went to Fuel for the restaurant’s second annual Whole Hog Dinner. Long time readers of this blog may remember last year’s Whole Hog menu was comprised of such memorable offerings as stuffed pig ear with green sauce accompanied by a pig tail consommé and crispy brain served with parsley root and Dungeness crab mayonnaise. Well, this year’s dishes were somewhat more subtle and refined in what I suspect was an attempt to tempt less adventurous diners.

**snip**

Well, Martin has yet to commit to Tokyo, but he has agreed to come by and field your questions and comments on Brain Storm, the episode he wrote, produced, and directed.

Oh, by the way - I hate computers. I was hoping to bring my tiny travel laptop to L.A. (and eventually Tokyo) but, for some reason, I’m unable to connect to the internet through either a wireless network or a direct Ethernet connection. So, I phoned my internet provider who suggested I contact the manufacturer of my modem (even though it’s not really a problem with the modem since all of the other laptops in the house have no problem connecting). I phoned the modem manufacturer who, yes, pointed out it wasn’t a problem with the modem and suggested I contact my laptop manufacturer. Instead, I ran a side by side comparison with my other working laptop to find out if there was anything I may have missed. Nope. Finally, I ran the handy “repair” option on my wireless network connection. The diagnostic informed me that it was unable to repair the problem because the following action could not be completed: “Connecting to the wireless network”. Ironic, no?

P.S. One more day to get your questions in for playback supervisor and matte master extraordinaire Krista McLean.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...our-questions/

October 25, 2008 - Part 1

Photos: Costume Designer Val Halverson


My writing/producing partner Paul and I work well together because we have different strengths and interests when it comes to production. Whereas he has a great eye for visual effects and a great head for scheduling, I’ve always preferred the personality of casting and creativity of costumes. The latter, in particular, has been a favorite of mine, in no small part due to the hard work of Costume Designer Val Halverson and her team. For those of you interested in learning a little more about our costume department, I suggest you check out this piece, written by my talented friend April McIntyre, for monstersandcritics.com: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/sm...Suits_the_Cast
And, once you’ve done that, here’s that long-promised Q&A with Val:

Ytimyona writes: “Questions for Val: What is, in your opinion, the most difficult costume you have been asked to design?”

THE MOST DIFFICULT DESIGN WAS IN “MISSING”. WE MADE AN ARMY OF BOLO’KAIs IN AND EACH ONE WAS DONE INDIVIDUALLY IN THE FITTING. A HUGE CHALLENGE AND SOMETHING I AM VERY PROUD OF.

“How about the weirdest one?“

THE WEIRDEST ONE WASTHE WRAITH QUEEN IN “SPOILS OF WAR”. BESIDES HER DRESS AND ARMOUR, WE HAD TO MAKE A LATEX VINE COVERING FOR HER SO SHE WOULD BLEND INTO THE CHAIR WHEN SHE WAS FEEDING THE HIVE.

“What is your favorite part of working on Stargate: Atlantis?“

I HAVE TO SAY THAT I ADORED THE CAST, THEY WELCOMED ME AND MY TEAM WHEN WE CAME ONBOARD WHICH WAS GREAT.

“How much of the final costume design comes from you, and how much is given to you (by the writers, canon, et cetera…)?”

I AM LUCKY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ALLOW ME TO BE CREATIVE , THE WRITERS, DIRECTOR AND I DISCUSS IDEAS SO THAT WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AND THEN I JUST GO TO TOWN.

Jedi43 writes: “What was the hardest costume to make for SGA and why?“

HARDEST COSTUME WAS RONON’S COAT IN “DOPPLEGANGER”. JASON AND I HAD NOT MET YET AND WE MADE A COW (OUR NICKNAME FOR THE COAT). HE LIKED IT AND WE WERE ON A PATH TOGETHER.

Christle writes: “How do you choose what fabrics to make the costumes out of, other than what you can afford, and do different fabrics flow better on different people?”

SOMETIMES I BUY FABRICS AS I FIND THEM AND THEN HOPE THAT THE SCRIPT COMES ALONG TO USE THEM ON. THIS REALLY ONLY WORKS ON THE LEAD CAST BECAUSE I KNOW THEIR CHARACTERS. AS FAR AS TYPES OF FABRICS, I MIX A LOT OF TEXTURES BECAUSE THAT WORKS BETTER IN HD.

Angel B writes: “How did you get your start in the Stargate franchise?”

I FIRST CAME TO STARGATE SG1 AS THE ASSISTANT DESIGNER TO CHRISTINE MOONEY. SHE DESIGNED SG1 SEASON VII/ VIII/ IX AND PART OF X. WHEN SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE SHOW THE PRODUCERS GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN SG1 AND THEN MOVED ME OVER TO SGA FOR THE LAST 2(TWO) SEASONS.

“When you look at other shows do you analyze the costumes and clothes and forget to watch what is going on with the characters?“

IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN WHEN I DON’T NOTICE THE COSTUMES. THAT MEANS I AM ENJOYING THE SHOW.

“Have you ever looked at a finished episode and saw a mistake or something that you wished had never seen the light of day and said “oh crap that looks wierd.”

OH YEAH, THAT CAN HAPPEN. SOMETIMES WITH A LARGE GUEST CAST YOU LOOK AT IT ALL AND THINK THAT IT DOESN’T BLEND AS WELL AS HOPED. AND THERE IS THE ODD DESIGN THAT JUST DOESN’T WORK. YOU HAVE TO LEARN FROM THOSE!

“And, lastly, what is the most beautiful outfit you have ever designed for a Stargate character?”

I HAVE TO SAY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COSTUMES WAS FOR ADRIA IN “DOMINION”. I CREATED SOMETHING NEW BY BUILDING LAYERS WITH LACE AND LEATHER. IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO DESIGN FOR BEAUTIFUL EVIL CHARACTERS.

Patricia Lee writes: “What inspired the beautiful maternity outfits for Rachel? They were absolutely lovely! She was stunning in them… did you design them or get them off the rack? Will you be continuing with SGU or are you moving on too?”

RACHEL WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR ALL THOSE COSTUMES. I TRIED TO KEEP THE ATHOSIAN FEEL THROUGHOUT HER PREGNANCY. SO WE MADE THEM ALL. SHE WAS LOVELY, WASN’T SHE? AS FAR AS SGU, GOES THE CREW HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED ON YET.

“Thanks for all your wonderful work on the show! In my humble opinion, the cloths make the scene!”

I HUMBLY AGREE!

Arctic Goddess writes: “Are you the one responsible for Ba’al’s costumes? If so, can I give you a huge hug? Those were absolutely fantastic! And, if that was you who got to dress Cliff, was he a good boy and wore what you told him too? I know Cliff is pretty easy going. I’ve been working with him on some Motivational CDs. He has a wicked sense of humour, so I can see him giving you a hard time just for fun.”

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF DESIGNING SOME OF BA’ALs COSTUMES. CLIFF IS A JOY AND COULD WEAR ANYTHING WITH APLOMB. I DID HIS COSTUMES IN DOMINION, THE QUEST, AND ALSO THE SHROUD.

Narelle from Aus writes: “Question for Val Halverson:
1. Teyla’s costumes while pregnant were stunning. Very flattering. Was that a combined effort with Rachel and yourself to develop costumes that were flattering yet also practical for a rapidly growing stomach?”

RACHEL WAS THE MOST WILLING PARTICIPANT IN THE WHOLE SCHEME. IT WAS FUN AND CHALLENGING TO CONCEAL HER PREGNANCY FOR THE FIRST 5 MONTHS AND THEN BE ABLE TO REVEAL IT. KEEPING AN ATHOSIAN INFLUENCE TO THE COSTUMES WAS WHAT MADE THEM UNIQUE. RACHEL WAS SO RADIANT THAT IT ALL WORKED

2. I’m not sure if you were involved in the costuming for Continuum, but what happened with Vala’s sizing on her main Goa’uld costume? When she first appeared I couldn’t help but audibly say “Geez, look at those!”

I DID NOT DESIGN CONTINUUM

3. With the amazing advancements in materials over the last decade or so, has this made your job easier? What has been the best new material advancement for you?

MY FAVOURITE NEW MEDIUMS TO WORK IN ARE LATEX (USED ON THE WRAITH QUEEN IN SPOILS OF WAR #412). AND I AM STARTING TO WORK WITH LASER CUT LEATHERS DONE BY OUR MODEL SHOP.

4. Odd question - Why is Rachel Luttrell always fitted with high-waisted pants? Her shape would seem to compliment hipsters similar to Vala.

IN SEASON IV I CHANGED TEYLA’S PANTS TO A LOWER CUT BUT SHE WAS PREGNANT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SO WE HAD TO RAISE THEM AGAIN. SHE IS IN AMAZING SHAPE SO SHE COULD DEFINITELY WEAR THEM NOW.

6. I loved the detail in the Ori costuming. So few colours, but the textures were brilliant. Adria’s costumes were AMAZING! If I was still attending a lot of formal functions I would have asked if I could hijack her wardrobe. Is there a particular type of costuming you enjoy? ie: good ol’ fashioned peasants or the complexity yet beauty of Adria’s costuming.

ADRIA WAS ONE OF MY FAVOURITES BECAUSE SHE WAS SO EVIL. BECAUSE OF THAT I GOT TO PUT HER IN A LOT OF LEATHERS BUT MAKE THEM BEAUTIFUL AS WELL. A DREAM FOR A DESIGNER.

7. Do you worry about any of the costuming dating? I use the series V as an example.
Congratulations on a fantastic job. Costuming can either add to the reality of the show or pull you right out of it. Thank You.”

THE COSTUMES ARE NOT AS EASILY DATED AS THEY DON’T START FROM CURRENT INFLUENCES. THE IDEAS EVOLVE FROM THE SCRIPT, THE TYPE OF ACTION, NEW ALIENS, WHERE WE ARE SHOOTING (TYPE OF TERRAIN) AND OF COURSE THE CAST.

Breeze writes: “Oh, just on another note some question for Stargate: Atlantis Costume Designer Val Halverson. 1) How do you guys plan out whose wearing what? Like who comes up with all the ideas?

AFTER I READ THE SCRIPT I PITCH MY IDEAS TO THE PRODUCERS, DIRECTOR, AND WRITERS. I THEN START SKETCHING, BUILDING AND EVEN TRYING TO REWORK SOMETHING WE ALREADY HAVE IN STOCK. SOMETIMES THE TIMELINES AND BUDGETS DICTATE HOW MUCH I CAN BUILD FOR AN EPISODE.

2) Do you gather inspiration off other shows i.e. Star Wars or StarTrek, maybe?

I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HAVE SEEN THOSE FABULOUS MOVIES AND TV SHOWS BUT I TRY AND MAKE THE COSTUMES UNIQUE TO OUR SHOW.

3) Was there a character that you had particular troubles with designing a costume for?

I HAD A BIT OF A CHALLENGE DOING THE ALIENS IN “DAEDALUS VARIATIONS”. I HAD A DESIGN FROM OUR PRODUCTION DESIGNER AND WE TRIED TO MAKE IT COME TO LIFE BUT IT WAS A TOUGH ONE.

4) Out of all the costumes you’ve designed, which one (in your opinion) was the best one?”

I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED SO MANY OF THE COSTUMES I DID FOR TEYLA. HER COSTUME IN “THE QUEEN” WAS FUN AND OF COURSE HER LEATHERS FOR OFF WORLD MISSIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAV.

Cheeky Lil Devil writes: “Thanks Val for showing two fangirls all your wonderful costumes. We were the ones that got terrible giddy at Shep’s uniform and admired Rachel’s lovely maternity wear. Still think you could start off your own maternity range of clothing, they’d sell like hotcakes. Have you always designed for TV shows? How did you get into working for the Stargate franchise?”

YOU ARE WELCOME! THAT WAS A FUN DAY AND IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO SHOWCASE TO REAL FANS! I HAVE BEEN IN TV LAND MOST OF MY CAREER AND SCI FI IS MY FAVOURITE GENRE FOR SURE. WHERE ELSE CAN I DO THIS? SO I GRAVITATED TOWARDS THE BEST….THE STARGATE FRANCHISE.

Wolfenm writes: “To Val: First, let me say like others have said, that Teyla’s outfits, while attractive in general (and I appreciate how hard it must be to make something that’s good-looking, looks “native”, *and* is practical for fighting in), were especially fetching while she was pregnant. In particular, I loved her blouses in “Quarantine” and “The Kindred, Part 1?, and I adored that long, black coat, especially with the silvery underdress in the latter ep. Just gorgeous!

THAT WAS TEYLA AS A ROCK STAR.

And I love the Wraith costumes as well, particularly the Queens’.

THE WRAITH QUEENS ARE ALWAYS FUN.

Todd’s also suits him very nicely, a good cut for him.

TODD IS ESPECIALLY FUN AS HE IS SO TALL AND REGAL. OH YEAH, AND EVIL.

I noticed that Michael’s costume was similar to the typical Wraith commander get-up, but something of a rust colour instead of black — I thought that was clever!

THANK YOU, AS MICHAEL IS A HYBRID I WANTED TO KEEP A FEELING OF THE WRAITH BUT STILL HAVE IT EVOLVE.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...our-questions/

October 25, 2008 - Part 2

Now my questions:
1) I notice that Rodney is now wearing a plain cotton/canvas jacket in the field now instead of his leather one or his Atlantis uniform. What’s the story behind that?

WE CALL IT THE “MCKAY”. DAVID CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, HE DOESN’T GET TO CHANGE TO OFTEN SO IT IS ANOTHER LOOK FOR HIM.

And was using both “lamp black” and “ivory black” in his outfit in “Tracker” intentional, to make the pieces stand out from each other, or just how it worked out?

IT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL.

2) I like the casual, “alternative” clothes John wore in “The Shrine”, in his room. How did you decide to put him in such an outfit on his downtime — was it something Brad requested, something you felt best fit the character, did Flanigan have input? And is there a story behind the bracelet he was wearing?

AS SHEPPARD IS SELDOM IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES WE LIKE THEM TO REFLECT ANOTHER SIDE OF THE CHARACTER. JOE DEFINITELY HAD INPUT. THE T WAS HIS OWN AND SO WAS THE BRACELET.

3) For things like alien boots, do you have a cobbler on the staff, or do you use “normal” shoes as a base and just cover them with material?

WE USE MOTORCYCLE AND ROCKER BOOTS A LOT.

4) Expanding on Breeze’s q, what costume have you been the least happy with? And have you ever designed a costume that just didn’t work out at all when it was finally put on the actor?

SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T WORK OUT THAT IS TRUE, LEAST HAPPY WITH? IN “THE SEER” LINERA WASN’T WHAT I HAD HOPED FOR IN THE END.

6) Who are your idols amongst costume designers?

MARGARET ATWOOD IS THE BEST.

And do you have any non-costuming-related, fashion-industry inspirations?”

I LOVE GAULTIER,THOMAS WILD,AND BETTIE PAGE.

Smiley_face06 writes: “What’s the average day like for a costume designer?”

MY DAY STARTS EARLY (I LIKE TO BE ORGANIZED WHEN THE TEAM ARRIVES). THEN OFF TO MEEETINGS, DOING SOME SKETCHING, FABRIC SHOPPING, CALLING CAST, TALKING TO THE CUTTERS WHO MAKE THE SKETCHES COME TO LIFE, AND TOUCHING BASE WITH OTHER DEPTS, LIKE PROPS, THAT WE WORK CLOSELY WITH. IF A NEW COSTUME IS PLAYING THAT DAY I GO TO SET TO “ESTABLISH” IT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE COSTUME FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE CAST TO MAKE SURE ALL IS AS IT SHOULD BE.THAT IS ABOUT IT.

Nyssa writes: “Questions for Val:
1) LOVED the offworld outfits in Season 4 and hope to see our heros in them for the movie(s)! I remember reading Rachel, and in particular, Jason get very involved in their costumes. Do David & Joe have less to say cause they don’t get to wear the cool “I’m from another planet wardrobe”? Or are they just not that into the whole clothes thing?

JASON AND RACHEL DEFINITELY ARE INVOLVED BUT JOE AND DAVID HAVE INPUT WHEN WE ARE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, USUALLY WHEN WE ARE GOING TO EARTH AND THEY NEED A NEW LOOK.

2) The “on base” Atlantis outfits & Teylas & Ronans clothes are pretty snug. Do you usually have to resize them throughout the season as the actors gain or lose weight? I know several of them have mentioned how good the Craft Service food is

NOT TOO MUCH AS THE CAST IS PRETTY CONCIOUS OF THEIR DIETS.

3) Do the actors ever wear their own clothes? I specifically ask cause in ‘Miller’s Crossing’ the pants McKay wears look like some retro sixties Herman’s Hermit cast offs. They were so distracting & they didn’t seem like something that would belong to McKay.

AS A MATTER OF FACT DAVID AND I BOTH LOVED THE NEW MCKAY LOOK. MCKAY IS PRETTY EDGEY YOU KNOW!

Mairi writes: “Hi Val, I love the costuming on Stargate! (I have a bit of background in the field but ended up with a career elsewhere *pouts*) and just have to tell you that I think the work you and your whole staff have done is fantastic!

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A BLAST.

Where did you get your training and how did you get into working for Stargate?

I HAVE A FASHION BACKGROUND AND JUST GRAVITATED TO THE FILM INDUSTRY AS IT GOT BUSIER AND BUSIER IN VANCOUVER.

What kind of a setup does the wardrobe dept have? Do you tend to build, or are you able to rent/buy for certain costumes? Do you contract out construction of some things that you need multiples of (BDU’s etc) or is all the sewing done in house?

WE HAVE 11 TALENTED PEOPLE ON THE TEAM AND WE MAKE IT ALL IN HOUSE, FROM CONCEPTION TO BREAKDOWN. AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF JOE’S BDUs.

Where do you source your fabrics?

WE HAVE SOME GOOD RESOURCES IN VANCOUVER BUT I ALSO GET FABRIC AND FINDINGS FROM LA AND NEW YORK.

Do the actors give you feedback on designs or are they pretty much happy to wear what you give them? - I seem to recall some “interesting” discussions with stage actors over the years. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!”

THE CAST IS PRETTY GOOD, NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER BUT THEY HAVE SO MUCH ON THEIR PLATES THAT WE TRY AND TAKE THAT WORRY OUT OF THE MIX. AND YOU ARE WELCOME.

Shirt ‘n Tie writes: “Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!
Aside from all the cool costume creations and wonderful fashions that have graced our screens in the past, I’m still a HUGE fan of the BDUs! I recently had the opportunity to visit Mr Paul Brown’s Legends Memorabilia stand at Ms Tapping’s Con in London and saw close up the Blue BDUs, as worn by SG1 back at the SGC….Are these standard issue or did you guys die a navy one so that it would be bright for the cameras? The shade is a really light blue. Just curious! (…and where can I get a pair!)”

SORRY TO REPORT THAT WE DO NOT DYE ANYTHING. WE BUY THE FABRIC THAT COLOUR AND MAKE IT ALL IN THE SHOP SO THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE I’M AFRAID.

Iamza writes: “How much freedom do you have to design costumes? Are there strict guidelines in the scripts for all the alien races, or do you just get a general impression (village peasant, dress accordingly) from the scripts, and otherwise complete freedom in the colours/patterns/shapes of the clothes? How much do you have to work with other departments (e.g. art dept/set visualization) to come up with the perfect costume? Is there one person in charge of making sure everything comes together into one cohesive design (costuming + set + ??)?

I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PRODUCTION DESIGNER, JAMES ROBBINS. HE OVERSEES THE SETS, PROPS, COSTUMES, ETC. AND SOMETIMES HAS A SPECIFIC ALIEN IN MIND WHICH WE TRY TO PROVIDE. OTHER THAN THAT I HAVE A LOT OF FREEDOM TO DESIGN WITHIN THE SCRIPT PARAMETERS. AND EVEN MORE WITH THE CAST

I really love the look of the new (season 4-5) Atlantis uniforms, especially with the bell-shaped sleeves. What inspired that change?

WHEN I WAS HIRED IN SEASON IV I DECIDED TO MAKE THE UNIFORMS SEXIER SO THEY BECAME MORE FITTED ON BOTH THE MEN AND WOMEN, AND THE SLEEVES MORE FEMININE ON THE GIRLS.

I’m rather unobservant, and have only just noticed on some photos that Teyla’s leather jacket has laces on the sleeves. Was that a conscious choice to make the jacket more feminine?”

ABSOLUTELY. WHEN I DESIGNED AN OFF WORLD LOOK FOR THE LEAD CAST I WANTED TO IMPART THEIR CHARACTERS IN THE DESIGN. TEYLA HAS A VERY DETAILED JACKET AND PANTS THAT ARE BOTH REGAL AND SEXY. MCKAY HAD SOME CIRCUIT BOARD DETAIL ON HIS. I THINK RONON WAS OBVIOUS. HE WAS A HUNTER. AND CARTER WAS MORE UNIFORM WITH SOME FEMININE QUILTING DETAIL. IT WAS FUN TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR CHARACTERS WITHIN THE COSTUME.

Stormy writes: “Where do you find your inspiration to create the pieces you do?”

IT COMES FROM THE SCRIPT. THE TYPE OF PLANET WE ARE ON WILL INSPIRE ME. THE ACTION OFTEN REQUIRES CERTAIN DETAILS AND OF COURSE THE ALIENS NEED SOMETHING COOL.

Bailey writes: “Do you design the costumes to show off an actor or actresses’ “assets?” I imagine you try to do this while serving the story.”

I DEFINITELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ACTOR’s ASSETS. I WANT THEM TO BE COMFORTABLE AND FEEL THEIR CHARACTER IN THE COSTUME.

Is there explicit direction to show a little skin here and there or make the leather tighter? Or is it just something that is done so routinely in show biz that you don’t even think about it?

I DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ACTOR AND THEIR COMFORT LEVEL WITH THE COSTUME, BUT WE DO TRY AND MAKE IT SEXY AS WELL.

Have you ever had an actor/actress refuse to wear one of your creations because it was too revealing or they just weren’t comfortable in it?”

I TRY AND MAKE THE ACTOR AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE AS WELL AS GIVING THEM THE COSTUME NEEDED TO PLAY THE CHARACTER.

Enzo Aquarius writes: “Question for Val Halverson: In general, how long does it take to make a complex costume, such as a Wraith costume, and how much material is required to make one?

A WRAITH COSTUME TAKES ABOUT A WEEK TO MAKE DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DESIGN. IT IS GENERALLY THREE PIECES AND THERE MAY BE MULTIPLES REQUIRED. IT TAKES ABOUT 6-8 COW HIDES AS WELL AS CONTRAST LEATHER FOR DETAIL, GAUNTLETS, AND BELTS.

DasNdanger writes: “1. In the first two seasons of SGA, Wraith costumes seemed much more varied and detailed. Lately, the male Wraith costumes have become more simplistic in design (not in material), with little variation. Is there a reason for this?

I CAN’T SPEAK FOR SEASON 1-3 BUT WE FELT THE LOOK WAS GOOD IN SEASON 4-5 AND USED MORE SUBTLE DETAILS TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM.

2. It appears that the material on Todd’s coat has changed. Of the the three pieces on the upper arm (?epaulettes?), the center one is now smooth. Is this to signify a change in rank, or simply a design choice?

WE CHANGED A FEW THINGS ON TODD’s COSTUME IN SEASON 5, MORE FOR THE COMFORT OF THE ACTOR THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

3. Wraith finger armor thingys - what are they for? (NO one is exempt from this question!)

THAT IS A GOOD ONE! I THINK THEY ARE COOL BUT CAN’T EXPLAIN THEM.

4. Male Wraith - boxers or briefs?

THONG!

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. I really wish I could think of better questions, but right now my mind is elsewhere.”

Dr. Rodnay McKay writes: “Who got the idea of the new suits, “striped jackets” ?”

WHEN I CAME ONTO ATLANTIS IN SEASON 4 I WANTED TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE UNIFORMS. AS THE FIT CHANGED I HAD TO FIND A SLEAKER WAY TO DESIGNATE THE DEPARTMENTS, ECHNICIAN,ENGINEER,MEDICAL ETC.

It’s such a good idea. And why only the Department heads wear them ?

I COULD ONLY CHANGE THE LEAD CAST SO IT APPEARS AS IF IT IS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ONLY.

Which material are they made from ???”

THEY ARE MADE OF COTTON.

Erinblast writes: “My question is about Tayla and Kellers jackets, the women cosplayers are going mad trying to find out if these are original concepts or mods off of an existing jacket. Oh, and if so, what jacket?”

TEYLA AND KELLER’S JACKETS ARE A NEW LOOK THAT WAS DESIGNED IN SEASON 4. THEY ARE MORE FEMININE AND FITTED WITH A SLIGHT BELL IN THE SLEEVE. THE STRIPING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT DEPARTMENT THEY ARE WITH IS NEW AS WELL.

Montrealer writes: “Is there a reference photo library of all the Atlantis costumes? Will we get a look at it in some form or MGM have veto? Would be fun to have a photo DVD-RAM of the Atlantis costumes along with audio commentary.

SOME OF THE COSTUMES AS WELL AS A COMMENTARY WILL BE IN THE SEASON 5 DVD.

Which costume is the most time consuming to produce?

THE WRAITH ARE QUITE TIME CONSUMING BUT TEYLA AND RONON WIN IN THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE OF THE DETAIL IN THEIRS.

Which costume gave wardrobe the most headaches during filming?”

WRAITH ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE SNAPS, VELCRO, AND WEIGHT OF THEM.

[jenks]

I don't like Val, she wields the caps lock of DOOM!

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...le-hears-back/

October 26, 2008

An early blog entry today as I’m headed to the airport and then, from there, L.A. In less than twenty-four hours, Paul and I will be making the rounds, pitching our horror movie, meeting the movers and shakers, and trying to track down a pair of Parasite sunglasses to replace the ones that Lulu chewed up.
Success! I finally received a follow-up email from one of the many spammers I’ve responded to of late. This one came from orphans Miss Gift and Daniel Melitus who contacted me with regard to the incredible fortune they’d been willed (refresh your memory here:

http://spambait.wordpress.com/2008/1...anel-mellitus/). My alter-ego, Aloysius P. Hazznecockle, wrote back, promising to help by personally dropping by their UN Refugee Camp in Cote d’Ivoire and picking them up. Well, those lovable orphans were quick to respond:



“Our Dearest Aloysius Hazzencockle,

Thanks a lot for your mail and all you said is well note to us. Your mail have giving us joy and hope to face the future once again and we want to know that all we state in our frist mail to you is real and not joke.I am 19yrs old while my brother Daniel is 17yrs old.”

They go on to assure Hazzencockle that the money they’re sitting on is “genuine and 100% risk free”. All Aloysius needs to do is send them his banking information so that they can transfer the sum of $7.5 million into his account.

What an opportunity! Hazzecockle wrote back:

“Dearest Miss Gift & Daniel Melitus,

Fear not! I trust you both implicitly - even though as brother and sister, it should stand to reason that you would share a last name. Anyway -

I have some good news and some bad news. First, the bad news. Unfortunately, I won‘t be dropping by the U.N. Refugee Camp to pick you up after all. As it turns out, Cote d’Ivoire is not, as I initially assumed, one of those quaint little French- Canadian towns just above the Main border but, in fact, someplace in Africa - which makes for a far more complicated drive up. Furthermore, hyenas, which I’ve been told are indigenous to Africa, present another big problem in that they combine my two biggest aversions: being eaten and being laughed at. So, all this to say, you won’t be getting that lift.

Now, the good news. Instead of going through all the trouble of sending you my banking information and negotiating the red tape to secure the bank transfer, I have decided on a better solution: I am going to adopt you! In many ways, this is a dream come true for me as I have been unable to sire children of my own as a result of an incident in my youth involving two angry Chihuahua’s and a pair of loose-fitting Adidas shorts. But enough about my bojangles. I want you both to know that I have already started adoption proceedings. All I require is your personal information and for the both of you to select proper Christian names. Miss - in North America, your present name is a title used for an unmarried woman or a word used to denote failure. I would like you to choose a new, more suitable name from among the following: “Apple, Paris, Barbarella, Sailor Moon, or Pikachu”. Daniel - your name is a nonsensical mishmash of letters that don’t really mean anything. Feel free to choose a better name from among the following: “Aloysius Junior, Terminator, Dracula, Squirrel, or Pikachu”. Note: Should you both choose to go with Pikachu, then the first one to make their pick will go by Pikachu while the runner-up will have to settle for Pikachu II.

I think this will be great for all involved. As your father, I will be able to access your accounts while, as my children, you will proudly carry on the Hazzencockle name.

I am already decorating your rooms in anticipation of your arrival. Pink with teen dream Leif Garrett posters for Paris, and blue with a Super Friends theme for little Dracula.

Write back soon.

Love your new dad,

Aloysius P. Hazznecockle”

[thekillman]

Hilarious!
:d

[Kanetsidohi]

Hello, I want to ask to JM if they'd consider putting whole episodes in the eason 5 dvd, like the full version of The Shrine, with all Zelenka's scenes.

Someone knows how to to do that? I've followed the link to the blog but I have no idea where I can send a question.

Any help would be welcomed.