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

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...crazy-mailbag/

July 31, 2010

Video: Bubba

Photos: chocolate chip cookies, Akemi, Bubba


Well, this is beyond awesome. Locus, THE Magazine of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Field, has a review of Masked (that superhero-themed anthology edited by Lou Anders I’ve been strongly urging you all to pick up) in its August issue. It has plenty of nice things to say about the collection and even makes special mention of my story, “Downfall”, which reviewer Rich Horton describes as “nicely twisty [...] involving throughout, with some worthwhile surprises.” So swing by your local magazine shop and pick up the latest issue or, better yet, head on over here – http://www.locusmag.com/ – and get yourself a subscription.

I celebrated today by doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time...


That’s right. Make ice cream sandwiches from scratch! I made the three custard bases this morning churned them this afternoon and popped them in the freezer, then made a batch of chocolate chip cookies just before dinner.

I couldn’t decide between the vanilla and the two chocolates so I ended up having all three along with the accompanying six chocolate chip cookies for sandwiching purposes. Coincidentally, not too long after, I suddenly started feeling under the weather: nauseous, headache, slightly dizzy. I suspect the bean sprouts in the ramen I had for lunch.

Hey, check it out. Bubba’s no ear style makes him look ten dog years younger -

Anyway, yes, he’s the epitome of cool when he’s chillin’ on the couch. But, come walk time, he’s anything but -

Today’s blog entry is dedicated to Narelle. Don’t be a stranger!


Mailbag:

link022 writes: “oris and ancients formed only one before. We have never had the opportunity to be able to observe one of alteran ship.
given that the destiny is the oldest ancient ship we have ever known. Is that possible he could looks be like the ships were before the seperation of ancients and oris.”

Answer: Hmm. Apologies. I’m not sure I understand the question. We did encounter an Ancient ship back in the Atlantis’s third season, the warship Aurora.

link022 also writes: “A generator of supplement was used by o neil to join ida’s galaxy. Is you it as powerful as the E2PZ of the ancients?”

Answer: I would imagine it was as powerful as a ZPM – but not powerful enough to dial Destiny.

Fangsong writes: “Nope, we’re actually going to do a story where Destiny topples off the edge of the universe. Either that or reaches the end of the universe and has to turn around and go back the way they came.” I feel your reply was somewhat ironic but a lot of people are taking it quite litteraly (at least on French forum), should I do so?”

Answer: Really? They think we’re going to end the series by having Destiny topple off the edge of the universe? If anything, it would ride the waterfall at the edge of the universe down through the ravine of time.

Runciman writes: “I know you have the audi which is a nice car do you have an interest in them at all?”

Answer: Unlike Mercedes and BMW, Audi has yet to piss me off so I will continue to purchase their product.

Runciman also writes: “Hows jelly doing now shes had her stiches out? has there been any more improvement.”

Answer: She continues to improve. Although she moves around with obvious discomfort, she is doing more of it.

Runciman also writes: “would there be any possiblility of seeing a vfx screenshot of the whole of the destiny or are you keeping certain parts of it a secret?”

Answer: We’re definitely not holding anything back. If we have a VFX shot of the Destiny, we’ve used it in the show (and are continuing to add shots as well as we head into season two).

Runciman also writes: “or could we see the concept art like the one you released fro episode 10 Justice.”

Answer: I’ll see what I can dig up in the Art Department when I get back.

Runciman also writes: “P.s. Have you ever eaten pigeon or rabbit? both are very nice in pies lol (i’m from the uk its normal here)”

Answer: Yep. Pigeon is a menu mainstay at most high end Chinese restaurants, although they call it squab to throw you off. And my mother makes the best rabbit.

Escyos writes: “Is the Destiny Expedition going to find some supplies of alien coffee, and then become addicted to said alien coffee?”

Answer: Have you hacked into our Season 2 Stories database?

Major D. Davis writes: “1. Just curious, why do you film episodes out of order? Specifically why did you film Visitation out of order?

2. When you film the movies, will it be over hiatus or is it possible shooting (or at least prep) will overlap with SGU?

3. A few months ago you said…. “As I’ve been saying all along, the hold-up in the movies comes not from a lack of desire on anyone’s part. It’s a result of several market factors that will hopefully see a turnaround in the coming months”….. So, did they see a turnaround for the better?

4. MGMs latest Debt extension goes to mid september, so its unlikely they’ll greenlight any projects till then. However, if you received the greenlight for the movies in late September or October, could you still film the movies over SGUs season 2 hiatus?”

Answers: 1. It can be anything from actor availability, timeline for set construction, or scheduling issues for whoever happens to be producing the episode. In the case of Visitation, Brad was producing the episode and since he had already finished Twin Destinies, which he was also producing, he decided to put TD in the #9 slot which gave him time to do a pass on Visitation.

2. No idea.

3. That response was to positive rumblings with regard to the SGA movie. Since then, I haven’t heard anything re: Extinction.

4. Theoretically possible but very, very tight.

Tim Lade writes: “In the past we haven’t really judged the food based on anything other than taste. What would you suggest – as a foodie – to base the judging model around?”

Answer: Well, taste is obviously of paramount importance. I’d also judge the look of the dish (ie. plating) and the dish’s complexity (textural and flavor contrasts, how challenging to prepare, etc.).

steph writes: “Have you read ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’?”

Answer: I did. I thought the time travel worked well and the ending was great.

Valaur writes: “1. If someone were to use the stones and they had a symbiote or a tok’ra or goa’uld, would the consciousness of that being also be transferred?”

Answer: No idea. I would think the dominant consciousness (ie. the symbiote) would be the one to switch out.

“2. Has Dr. Perry’s condition improved through the use of technology and knowledge acquired by the SGC? Tritonin? Symbiote? Experimental procedures?”

Answer: No. And we’ll be seeing Dr. Perry again this upcoming season.

“3. What are your favorite stories, or preferences, to write for Stargate-related episodes? New civilizations and their culture? Ancients? Character-centric? One-offs? Tok’ra? Jaffa? Arcs? Techno-related?”

Answer: I’ve always preferred the stand-alone episodes. Team heads off-world, encounters a problem, solves it, and heads home. I also prefer the more character-oriented episodes although.

“4. Will we see any hand-held Ancient energy weapons similar to the Zat or wraith stun gun?”

Answer: Possibly.

“5. Will SG: Extinction use the kino? You said in an earlier post that the Kino was originally planned for Atlantis but some difficulties came up and used the MALPs instead, I believe.”

Answer: Nope. No kinos in Extinction.

“6. I’ve read many bloggers who hate the show yet still watch it for some strange reason that bringing an Atlantis cast member or so into SGU for an episode really means that SGU is a sinking ship and are desperate for a ratings boost. Any comment?”

Answer: As I already said, if that was the case, the guest casting would take place in the first ten episodes because those first ten will decide the fate of the show.

“7. When an episode is spun, do you use story boards? And does the person who receives an episode to write require a dexterous hand for drawing? Or is that done by a separate department? For that matter, could you explain how an episode of Stargate goes from the drawing board to our viewing pleasure?”

Answer: Nope, no storyboards, but we do board our stories (write the various beats up on the white board).

Jim of WVa writes: “How did you learn about Alastair Reynolds?”

Answer: I’m a voracious reader, particularly in the field of SF, and you can’t get much bigger in SF than the Banks-Reynolds-Scalzi triumvirate. I’d heard great things about Revelation Space, read it, and loved it.

Adam Rosalky writes: “One question I have for you – will we be seeing Eli get out of that “You Are Here” t-shirt?”

Answer: For sure. Oh, you mean “and into something else”. Unlikely. Actually, no, scratch that. There’s an early season two episode…well, judge for yourself.

victor writes: “1.Is earth basicly deffensless if an attack from the Lucian allience were to occure? or from any other enemy for that matter?”

Answer: There are defenses in place to intercept incoming ships – but they are far less effective than what he had in the past.

“2.If so will the lucian alliance or other enemy make a run for earth in future episodes?”

Answer: Stay tuned. An interesting scenario, no?

“3.Any chance of finding out what happened to the ori followers and there ships in the milkyway following there defeat, in the future?”

Answer: Alas, no plans to revisit the Ori storyline in SGU.

Arctic Goddess writes: “Since I’m taking things easy while I recover from a 10 day hospital stay, I’m reading Stephen King’s “Under The Dome”.
I like Stephen King, although, at 1072 pages, I find him a bit wordy. He seems to have trouble telling a story in 500 pages or less. I know you said you wanted to read this book once it was in paper back. Have you picked up a copy yet?”

Answer: Yep. It’s sitting on my to-read pile – which I intend to dive into just as soon as I’ve finished the 1200+ Essential Ellison.

riley writes: “And why do you assume people with a social conscience don’t practice what they preach?”

Answer: A few do but most are very selective about the sacrifices they make. All I’m saying is I don’t feel like being lectured to by anyone who isn’t willing to walk the walk.

Rex Carter writes: “Hey Joe do you like any british sci-fi like Doctor Who or Torchwood or Ufo?”

Answer: I watched the first two seasons of Dr. Who (Eccleston and Tennant’s first year). I’ve been meaning to check out a few of the later episodes written by Paul Cornell.

Alexander of Houston writes: “I am thinking of a venue in Japan or S. Korea and Tex-Mex cuisine, or some similar “American” Cuisine being the featured food. I need your help, in your opinion as a foodie as well as Akemi’s opinion as a Japanese, would there be a market for that in Japan?”

Answer: Hate to say it but Akemi is dubious. I think it would really depend on the marketing as the Japanese consumer is very finicky yet drawn to exclusives. I recall a Tokyoite telling me that one Starbucks in the neighborhood was always busy while another, only two blocks down, did barely any business at all. The reason? People went to the busy Starbucks because it was busy.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...s-and-cosplay/

August 1, 2010

Photos: Akemi's breakfast, brunch, chocolate, Samantha, Yu-Wei


Happy Birthday to my sister Andria. I marked the occasion by phoning her up and singing Happy Birthday, complete with a stunning sixty second long final note that sent my dogs into full panic – after which I was informed was informed she was going to lunch with a bunch of friends and had me on speaker phone the whole time.

After my morning workout, I showered, shaved, dressed, and then it was off to lunch – or, in this case, brunch. We happened to find parking right in front of DB Bistro, a sure sign from the food gods that we were fated to eat there. They started us off with a tasty, complimentary little fruit parfait before we moved on to the heavy hitters: a very delicious terrine, one of the best Quiche Lorraine’s I’ve ever tasted (for her), and phenomenal smoked salmon club for yours truly...

As much as I would have loved some dessert (I was eyeing that flourless chocolate cake), I was so stuffed I felt I’d regret ordering. On the other hand, I knew I’d probably regret NOT ordering as well. Fortunately, General Manager Chris Gonzalez was on hand to offer up a compromise solution in the form of some home made lemon Madeleines...

Chris boxed up the leftovers and had them waiting for us as we headed out.

From there, we headed out to the Japanese Street Festival going on down in Oppenheimer Park. After driving aimlessly around for some twenty minutes looking for parking, winding my way through drug addicts and drunks, it was decided we’d made the most of our outing and we headed home.

But, on the way, I decided to stop off at...

Like it says on the sign in the picture: Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France. And what were we there for?

With the untimely demise of Chocoatl, this has now become my go-to place for my chocolate fix. Owner Anne-Geneviève Poitras puts much love into her delectable little creations – well, love and cacao – and has, over time, built a discerning and loyal customer base. On this day, while I was waiting for the dark chocolate and sea salt tablettes to cool, about a half-dozen regulars came through, each one picking up “their usual” indulgences be they the delicate house truffles or the home made dark chocolate. Speaking of the truffles, Akemi had the Earl Grey and was mightily impressed by its elegance and flavor.

Today’s was a much more successful lunch outing than yesterday when we checked out local ramen-ya Benkai.

The ramen here was just alright, surprisingly lacking in the fuller flavor of many of its competitors (and, in this neighborhood, there are quite a few of them). The side order of chashu (pork) was rather dry and had me yearning for rival Santouka’s simmered pork jowl toroniku.

Since we were in the neighborhood and Akemi was in the market for a new English language manga to tackle, we stopped by Sakura Media – the place for all your anime and manga needs. For a brief instant, I thought I’d been transported to Comic Con -

[Egle01]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-rant-mailbag/

E writes: “Is it true that there will finally be a TJ backstory episode in the back half of season 2?”

Answer: Working on it right now.

We're talking about "The Hunt", correct?

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...sundry-others/

August 2, 2010

Photos: The Devil’s Alphabet by Daryl Gregory, Atlantis and SGU pics, Bubba, chile rellano


When editor Lou Anders first approached me about the possibility of contributing a short story to his upcoming superhero-themed anthology, I was admittedly leery. Having spent my entire career scripting for television, the prospect of producing my first work of short fiction was – well – daunting. I considered Lou’s offer, went back and forth countless times, and ultimately agreed to participate. Sort of. I told Lou that I would be happy to write a short story for the collection – however if, for any reason, it failed to meet his expectations, we would both write it off as a terrific learning experience and I would just go ahead and serialize the story on my blog.

I had a story in mind. Actually, two stories. No, actually, one scene and an arena involving a former supervillain gone straight who must, as a condition of his early parole, assist the FBI in solving superhero-related crime. I took a few days to think about it and, eventually, it took form. I had what I thought was a great opening, an engaging protagonist, and a fun little ending. Now, all I had to do was write the damn thing.

Easier said than done. On average, it takes me about a month to write a script, from pitch to finished draft. This short story took me about ten times as long as I wrote and endlessly rewrote what I had (and at approximately forty pages, I had a lot!). Yes, only ten months to write a short story. I say “only” because, if Lou hadn’t needed it for publication purposes, I’d no doubt still be rewriting it. And, please understand, it didn’t take that long because I consider it a masterpiece that needed perfecting. It took that long because writing prose fiction is damn hard, at times – dare I say it – even more agonizing than scriptwriting. Yet, unlike writing for film and television, you’re more or less going it alone. Aside from your trusty editor who is there to backstop you, offer words of encouragement, deliver constructive criticism, and inevitably talk you off that ledge, you’re flying solo. Once the story has been completed – or the deadline looms and you have to stop obsessing over it and just deliver the damn thing – it’s all on you. There’s no blaming the actor for not holding the prop high enough or the director for failing to get the shot of the platypus’s feet or the steadycam operator for having hiccups on the day or the Director of Photography for forgetting to take his sunglasses off while on set and lighting the scene as bright as the Rockefeller Center Christmas display. If the story crashes and burns, you’re the only one who’s going down with it.

Fortunately, when Lou eventually got back to me, he was very positive about “Downfall”, and I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. And have continued to do so as the reviews for the anthology have slowly started to come out. A few have even had nice things to say about my contribution. One of the most interesting things about the Masked reviews I’ve read to date is the different stories that have been highlighted as favorites in the various write-ups.

It’s a fairly diverse collection from some very impressive talent – and, over the next few weeks, I’d like to introduce you to some of the great company I keep in the anthology. Yes, Masked is our September book of the month club selection but, in the lead up to the discussion, I’d like to whet your appetite with a peek at its fabulous stories and their amazing authors. So, in the very near future, you can look forward to visits from the likes of Marjorie M. Liu (Dark Wolverine, Black Widow, the Dirk & Steele Series, Hunter Kiss series), Paul Cornell (Dr. Who, Dr. Britain and MI13, Dark X-Men), Daryl Gregory (Pandemonium, The Devil’s Alphabet, Dracula: The Company of Monsters), Matthew Sturges (Jack of Fables, House of Mystery, Midwinter), and Mark Chadbourn (The Age of Misrule series, The Dark Age series, BBC’s Doctors) for starters. And I’ll also see if I can convince our esteemed editor, Lou Anders, to drop by for a pre-BOTMC chat.

Oh, speaking of Masked reviews, here’s another one from Tor.com: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/08/review-masked

In his article, Jason Henninger writes: “Many of the stories in Masked remind me of Astro City, a series that investigates the daily lives of superheroes. Astro City takes archetypal heroes and shows how being super-powered affects them personally, or looks at how living among the super-powered changes the lives of bystanders. If Masked can be said to have a central concern, it would be “What does it mean to be a superhero or villain?” The characters’ powers are integral to the stories but displaying this or that neato power isn’t the main thrust.”

And that’s why I highly recommend this collection, not only to comic book fans and fans of superheroes in general, but to discerning readers who enjoy engaging, character-driven stories.

Hey, speaking of our Book of the Month Club and fellow Masked contributor Daryl Gregory – you all have two weeks to finish off The Devil’s Alphabet because discussion begins the week of August 16th with author Daryl Gregory.

In addition to the aforementioned, I’ve got some goodies in the works. With the premiere of Stargate: Universe’s second season less than a couple of months away, I thought I’d start offering up some subtle little teasers for year two. Specifically, every so often, I’m going to post a pic from the show’s first season that, while seemingly random or incomprehensible at first glance, will actually prove to be a hint of things to come. Sort of like this -

And I’ll continue to post pics from the sets and behind-the-scenes of both Stargate: Universe and Stargate: Atlantis. Like, say, this one -

And, of course, this blog will continue to offer an eclectic mix of coverage spanning everything from adorable dogs -

- to disastrous attempts at chile rellano -

So welcome, one and all – from regulars to first-timers to those who, for form’s sake, publicly insist they don’t read this blog but secretly do anyway. Welcome!

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-pics-mailbag/

August 3, 2010 - Part 1

Photo: Paul Cornell, SGU and Atlantis pics, Alex Pappas


In the recently released Masked anthology of all-original superhero fiction, ace editor Lou Anders assembles talent from the worlds of comics, television, and prose fiction. In the case of author Paul Cornell, we have a veteran of all three in addition to accomplishments in the fields of non-fiction, audio-plays, and determined blogging (http://www.paulcornell.com/). All three episodes he scripted for Dr. Who (Father’s Day, Human Nature, and The Family of Blood) received Hugo Award nominations as did his novelette ‘One of Our *******s is Missing’ and his work on Captain Britain and MI13 for Marvel Comics (with artwork by Leonard Kirk). Some of his other comic book work includes Wisdom (with artist Trevor Hairsine who also illustrated the cover for Masked), Dark X-Men, and Black Widow: Deadly Origin. He has a horror pilot, Pulse, set to go to series and, as of issue #890, Paul is taking over the writing reins on Action Comics.

His contribution to the Masked anthology, “Secret Identity”, is a terrific tale about an atypical caped crusader – The Manchester Guardian – protector of the Canal Street gay quarter. Although others have tackled the premise of gay superheroes, I’ve yet to read one that delivers the depth of humanity and good-natured fun of of this protagonist. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Paul ranks “Secret Identity” his personal favorite of all his own short stories. Yes, it’s that good.

I asked Paul to offer up his thoughts on “Secret Identity”, perhaps share a little insight into its genesis, and he responded with the following for this special blog entry:

Lou Anders asked me to take part in the Masked anthology, because we go back a long way, and he’s hoping I’ll forget he owes me money. I’ve always been fascinated by the Shazam type of superhero who turns into a completely different person when he’s a hero. Given that this was to be an SF anthology, I felt that could easily open up questions of identity, nature vs. nurture, etc.. Given that superheroes often represent a community, and that those questions are written large in the gay community… well, here we’re at the point where one can say ’it wrote itself’. I showed it to some of my gay friends, particularly the ones who’ve frequented Canal Street, a line of bars and clubs in Manchester that prides itself on being the city’s gay quarter, and made changes accordingly. The Manchester Guardian’s name is a bit of a pun, because that’s also the full name of one of the UK’s leading broadsheet newspapers. I’m very proud of this short story, to the point of thinking of it as the best I’ve written. The shape of it pleases me. And I think I’m in some brilliant company. Introducing comics writers to prose and prose writers to superheroes seems to me to be an exciting thing to do, particularly since there seems to be so much crossover these days. Myself, I write comics, prose and television, notably Action Comics for DC, a BBC3 pilot(we’re waiting to see if it goes to series) and a novel out from Tor next year. It’s great to see more and more writers becoming ’amphibians’ like that.

Thanks for letting me go on and on, Joe, and for SG:U (my favourite show!) and for a blog that brings media and prose fans together.

And a Stargate: Universe fan to boot! How cool is that?

Speaking of Stargate: Universe – as promised, I continue to offer cryptic clues to the show’s second season using pics from a few first season episodes...

And, also as promised, a couple more behind the scenes pics from Atlantis starting with – Aint they the cutest? Nicole de Boer and Paul McGillion...

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-pics-mailbag/

August 3, 2010 - Part 2


Mailbag:

Ponytail writes: “Think there is something in that book for me, who has never read a comic book in my life?”

Answer: Absolutely. If you like good, character-driven stories, you’ll enjoyed Masked.

link022 writes: “1 Is destiny looks like the ships before oris and ancients part”

Answer: That’s a safe assumption.

“2 Shall have we the opportunity to see one of them”

Answer: Hmmmm. I’m going to go with “no comment”.

“3 Is it possible the database of atlantis Could contain the solution of return to earth for the destiny (we have translated everything yet)?”

Answer: Possible but unlikely. It’s more a power issue than specific strategy.

“4 Will you do a movie a movie about the fourth alliance?”

Answer: No plans to touch on the fourth alliance in either movie.

Lana writes: “Hey sorry if you already said this, but when are the answers to our questions for Erika being posted?”

Answer: Great question. Ask here: twitter.com/ekennair

BMc writes: “Who is Alex?”

Answer: Assistant Director Alex Pappas, Master of the Blade...

ytimynona writes: “Hey Joe, when does the hiatus end?”

Answer: Production resumes next week.

SG7 writes: “Just curious if you’ve ever written a bucket list?”

Answer: No. Why? What’ve you heard?! WHAT’VE YOU HEARD?!!!

german_2 writes: “A few days ago in your blog are submitted questions from Russian Stargate community. Perhaps it is not correct to bother you with this, but our fans are very much looking forward to your comments.”

Answer: To be honest, next to questions about the Ancient timeline, I find technical queries the least interesting to field. And when these technical questions arrive in a bunch, my eyes glaze over and I tend to move on – especially when there are eighteen of them. If I have to field tech questions, it’s far easier for me to do them in smaller batches. In this case, I’ve picked and chosen from among your questions…

“Ancient communication stones. Does the terminal have the opportunity not only exchange the bodies, but also to transmit data, for example, text information, drawings, reports?”

Answer: No, it doesn’t.

“How did the Ancients themselves plan to get on the Destiny? Is there a specially equipped place, which could, if found, to use the earthlings?”

Answer: Presumably they possessed a power source capable of getting them aboard.

“What happened with a young clone of O’Neill? Will he be mentioned in Revolution or in other franchise series, because he has almost all O’Neill memories. Will he generally join SGC?”

Answer: Given his experience and knowledge, he probably will join Stargate Command – but we have no plans to follow his story in Revolution or SGU.

“What dishes makes Destiny’s chief cook?”

Answer: Protein powder porridge at first. Eventually, the cooks will incorporate off-world produce as well as produce from the ship’s hydroponics lab into the menu. Lots of ratatouille and caponata.

Arctic Goddess writes: “You have bars on your windows? Don’t you live in a safe area, or is that normal for Vancouver?”

Answer: I put bars on the windows out of concern for the dogs after this incident: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...t-id-break-in/

Adaminator1 writes: “1.What 3D Program are the Visual Effects created in? I just wanted to know, because i’m learning Lightwave3D which is a pretty cool 3D app!”

Answer: Not sure. This is a question for VFX Supervisor Mark Savela. I’ll ask him when I’m back in the office – and happen to remember.

“2.I’m currently writing a book called Project Scythe, its in its first draft stage at the moment and im about halfway through writing a basic mass-description-free draft which is around 45,000 words so far, and was wondering: What do you do to cure Writers Block?”

Answer: I write. Nine times out of ten, pushing myself does the trick. When it doesn’t, I just set my script aside and take a break.

“3.Also, would you have any tips for a new writer? Just like, things to watch out for?”

Answer: Read a lot. Write a lot. Rewrite a lot. Learn to accept constructive criticism.

E writes: “If you had given the pregnancy storyline to some other female character instead of TJ – as it was originally planned – would’ve the outcome still been the same?”

Answer: No. The pregnancy storyline was originally planned for a minor character in the episode Faith. When Alaina became pregnant, we excised the storyline from the episode and gave T.J.’s pregnancy a more significant arc through the back half of season one.

Gabriele writes: “you said that we have not heard everything from Goa’uld-possessed Kinsey. Are we going to hear something in the movie “Stargate: Revolution” or generally speaking in the future of “Stargate” or there are no plans yet?”

Answer: No plans to revisit Kinsey in Revolution.

Major D. Davis writes: “1. When do you resume filming of season 2?”

Answer: Next week.

“2. Do you think reuniting the cast of SG-1 and SGA a problem for the movies, or do you think it won’t be a problem?”

Answer: No idea.

“3. I remember you talking about VFX shots in SGU. What counts as a VFX shot. When theres VFX in a live action shot, or just pure VFX shots?”

Answer: Both. A VFX shot can be anything from a pure CG shot of a shuttle in flight to a shot of someone being zatted.

Simon writes: “1) Was at my Dad’s tonight (UK time) and we were both watching the SG-1 episode you wrote called ”Prodigy” how was it writting a scene for General Ryan?”

Answer: Both General Ryan and General Jumper were a pleasure to work with. And they were much better actors than we expected!

“2) On the subject if ”Prodigy”, are the glowing creatures we encouter in that episode the same creatures that appear in SGA’s ”The Defiant One”?”

Answer: I don’t think so.

“3) Any chance of getting Robert Carlyle to do a Q&A?”

Answer: It’s possible. I’ll have to ask him.

“4) I’m writing a fic based on SG, but I am unsure what the usual number of pages/scenes go into an episode. I know you said a while ago it usually comes down to five scenes per act, but what I was unclear on was, is that a story factor?”

Answer: It’s not written in stone but, from my experience, it usually comes down to 4-6 scenes an act.

“5) Will we be seeing an AU storyline in SGU sometime?”

Answer: The magic 8 Ball says “Signs point to yes.”.

susan the tartan turtle writes: “Is Akemi a ‘foodie’?”

Answer: Not yet. I’m working on her.

Juergen writes: “1. Have you ever watched any fan movie about stargate? I know, you aren’t allowed to copy the stories , but have you ever seen one? And if so…which one? What’s your opinon about such projects?”

Answer: Alas, no, haven’t seen any fan movies.

“2. Do you have any plans to appear yourself as a cameo in SGU? Or have you been in there before and we only didn’t see you? “

Answer: No plans to make a cameo. I’m holding out for a much meatier guest role.

“3. Asuming, SG-1 movie will be green-lighted in winter 2010/2011. How long from that moment on would it be, until the movie get’s finished?”

Answer: That’s a pretty big assumption. Three weeks of prep. Three weeks to shoot. About five months of post. However much time the studio will need to put together a push for the release. A while.

silver_comet writes: “There was an article in our local newspaper about the characteristics of pets. According to them pugs are anxious to please their owner. Are you under the impression this is true?”

Answer: Quite the opposite, actually. Pugs are anxious for their owners to please them.

dasNdanger writes: “How does Akemi pronounce her name? Like A-chem-ee or Ac-eh-me?”

Answer: The former.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...ntis-archives/

August 4, 2010

Photo: Matthew Sturges, Atlantis pics


Story placement is all-important when assembling an anthology. You want that first tale to really grab the reader, engage them, and ultimately leave them with a deep impression, the kind that remains long after the story has been read, sort of like the lingering flavors of a fine wine or the bruise bestowed upon an unwitting brainpan. ”Cleaned and Set in Gold” does just that, delivering an outrageously delicious narrative that will leave readers at turns surprised and delighted and, in some cases, even a little dizzy. It’s the tale of a superhero, The Wildcard, who acquires his powers through peculiar, downright disquieting, means. While the source of his powers may be at odds with his role as a reservist for the League of Heroes, David Caulfield manages just fine – until a reporter starts looking for answers. It’s a story about secrets, secret identities, and the questionable sacrifices made in the pursuit of justice.

Its author, Matthew Sturges, is no stranger to the world of comics, having worked alongside fellow Masked contributor Bill Willingham on the Eisnery-nominated Jack of Fables and House of Mystery for DC/Vertigo. He’s also lent his writing services to titles including Blue Beetle, Justice Society of America, Shadowpact, and the terrific six-issue Crisis Aftermath: Run! Fantasy Book Critic called his first novel, Midwinter, “the best pure genre debut of 09″. Its sequel, The Office of Shadow, was just released and, in its review, Publisher’s Weekly points out that “Sturges has an easy ear for dialogue and character”. And, having just re-read “Cleansed and Set in Gold”, I couldn’t agree more.

I asked Matt to offer up his thoughts on “Cleansed and Set in Gold”. He kindly obliged with the following…

When Lou Anders approached me with the concept of Masked I knew that I wanted in immediately. What appealed to me most was that Lou presented it as a book that would take the concept of superheroes seriously; no “wink, wink, aren’t we clever” stories whose intent was to deconstruct or condescend to the genre (Daryl Gregory’s story is, actually, fairly deconstructive, but it’s brilliant and done with love, so it gets a pass). Instead, these were to be actual superhero stories, and what’s more, he wanted people who’d actually written superhero comics to write as many of the stories as possible.

Having experienced superhero writers is key, I think, because it meant that the stories would be far more likely to avoid cliché. We who work in those particular trenches have seen the classic stories told and retold, and this was an opportunity to tell a kind of story that just couldn’t be told in the context of mainstream superhero comics. I think most superhero writers have a few stories in the dugout that are permanently benched because they can’t imagine who would dare publish them.

“Cleansed and Set in Gold,” for instance, is a story that could never have been printed by DC or Marvel for a number of reasons, not the least of which being the core subject matter of the tale. It’s pretty dark, and even the best artwork would have given a cast to the story that would have rendered the protagonist a difficult character to relate to. One of the great freedoms of prose is that it allows the writer to imply rather than to show. And there are certain instances where showing events gives them an unintended cast because of the viewer’s gut emotional reaction to images.

The genesis of the story was pretty straightforward, and started with a simple What If. What if a superhero had a power whose source was so distasteful and immoral that it was difficult for him to know if what he did with those powers outweighed what he did in order to get them? As I wrote it, it grew and turned into a story about friendship, and the extent to which we define ourselves in terms of those around us. The central premise of the story serendipitously became a metaphor for something universal, which is always a nice thing to happen, because it makes us writers seems smarter than we really are. At least, I hope it does.

And failing all that, it has numerous scenes of people in tights punching monsters. As one of my editors is fond of saying, “When in doubt, punch someone.”

Coincidentally, my grandmother used to have a saying that was not too dissimilar. And, before you start criticizing her, you should know that she was a tough old bird who lived to 112. Stories about my grandmother can be found by searching this blog. Stories about and by Matthew Sturges can be found over on his blog, here: http://matthewsturges.com/wordpress/

Okay, it’s time for another season 2 picture tease (in which I use a photo from a season 1 episode to hint at what’s to come). Oh, I have a feeling more than a few of you are going to go crazy for this one...

And a little something from the Atlantis archives -

[Egle01]

Okay, it’s time for another season 2 picture tease (in which I use a photo from a season 1 episode to hint at what’s to come). Oh, I have a feeling more than a few of you are going to go crazy for this one...

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...ntis-archives/

August 5, 2010

Photos: Dinner, SGU and Atlantis pics


Whenever a spam comment manages to find its way into my moderation queue, I’m always quick to trash it. But this one I couldn’t help but set aside because it was refreshingly unique. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else but a straightforward link dump. With a twist:

I’m currently being held prisoner by the Russian mafia (penis enlargement link) and being forced to post spam comments on blogs and forum! If you don’t approve this they will kill me. (penis enlargement link) They’re coming back now. (name of company selling penis enlargement product with link) Please send help! nitip (penis enlargement link).

Normally, I do everything I can to help save kidnap victims, but WordPress is fairly strict about spam content. Sorry, buddy. Rules are rules. I did, however, run a search of on the IP and traced it to somewhere in Illinois. So if you’re out there reading this, buddy, hang in there. Help is on its way!

The other night, Akemi and I hit Refuel for a long overdue visit. We enjoyed...

Refuel co-owner Tom Doughty informed me that he and Chef Rob Belcham have teamed up with their returning patissier, Paul Croteau, to open Paul Croteau Confections, offering a host of delicious desserts for the discerning palate. He was nice enough to provide a few samples. For review purposes of course.

Scout Magazine does a nice piece on Paul here: http://scoutmagazine.ca/2010/08/05/p...oakridge-mall/

And if you’re looking for more information on were to pick up some of these goodies, head on over to the Oakridge Mall or check out: http://www.pcconfections.com/Welcome.html

On to Stargate: Universe. Another hint at what’s to come in season 2...

And a few snaps from the Atlantis archives especially for Das who has been a little aggravated of late. All photos courtesy and copyright MGM Television...

Another awesome review of Masked (the anthology of all-original superhero fiction that will appeal to comic book fans and non-fans alike) here: http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.c...08/masked.html

About a week ago, officials in Tokyo were planning to honor the city’s oldest living resident, only to discover the guy had been dead for thirty years. Not to be discouraged, they moved on to the city’s oldest living woman, 113 year old Fusa Furuya – who it turns out has been missing for a couple decades: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10848254

Today’s blog entry is dedicated to (belated) birthday gal Anais!

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...tlantis-vault/

August 6, 2010

Photos: Lou Anders, Atlantis and SGU pics


Editor Lou Anders is a busy guy. Lately, he’s been doing the internet rounds for not one but two recently released anthologies. The first, Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery, co-edited with Jonathan Strahan, includes stories by the likes of Gene Wolfe, Steven Erickson, and Scott Lynch, as well as former guests to this blog James Enge, Glen Cook, Michael Moorcock and Joe Abercrombie (How’s that for a partial line-up?!). The second, Masked, is a collection of original superhero fiction that, like Swords & Dark Magic before it, has been receiving a fair amount of positive buzz. And what I’ve found particularly pleasing about the initial feedback is that, so far, the anthology has appealed to both comic fans and neophytes alike. I think that says as much about the quality of the stories as it does Lou’s ability to assemble and guide some very talented people. Though I suppose it should come as no surprise given that Lou, who is the editorial director of the SF&F imprint PYR Books, is a four time Hugo Award nominee for Best Editor and a Chelsea Award Winning Art Director. He’s also been nominated for the PKD and WFC Awards and presently has nine anthologies to his credit.

I invited Lou to come by, give us an intro to Masked, and offer a little insight into what led him to put together this unique anthology. Lou offered up the following thoughts…

Hello wonderful fans of Joe. It’s good to be back on this blog. As I sit here, very slowly nursing a Newcastle (“for inspiration”), I’m trying to think what I can say about Masked that is different from what I’ve already said. I’ve been thrilled–and deeply grateful–for the amount of attention Masked has been getting since it debuted. There was almost no pre-buzz on this anthology, and I was worried it was going to be missed, that it would be passed over by SF&F fans and never noticed by comic fans who didn’t venture into SF&F shelves. But from the moment it debuted–at the San Diego Comic Con no less–the interweebs have been quite vocal about it, with multiple new reviews showing up every day and a lot of requests for interviews (one from the Wall Street Journal’s blog, no less). We’ve had a couple producers call requesting copies, done a “soundtrack” feature on largehearted boy, and been praised very enthusiastically on io9. I think that the anthology is really striking a chord with people, and that I was more right than I knew when I wrote in the intro that superheroes were coming into their own in a way they never had before. Not that sophisticated storytelling was anything new for the genre–it’s been around a quarter century since The Dark Knight Returns debuted–but the mainstream acceptance of superheroes has never been higher, as evidenced by the critical-and-box office success of films like The Dark Knight. I’ve been reading comic books since I could read (I have Batman and Detective comics going back to the 50s, though FYI I wasn’t around when they came out), and I think that’s part of it–that the generation that grew up on geek culture is now calling the shots in entertainment as well as being catered to by that entertainment. There have been many attempts to do superheroes in prose over the years (I have the The Further Adventures of the Joker anthology lying around somewhere), but a lot of them have been done in the spirit of camp, outsiders poking fun at the genre, or taking a post-modern, ironic spin on it. I didn’t want to do superheroes with a wink and a nudge. Rather, I wanted Masked to be the kind of book that current readers of DC/Vertigo, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, et al. would recognize and appreciate, and for that, I turned to the people who actually write comics, plus a few award-winning SF&F author, and one television producer (whose first-ever prose story is so staggeringly good that it will be a sin against god, the future, and the English language itself if he never writes another). And I think that’s the real reason that Masked is getting the attention it is. The calibre of the contributors and the level of talent they bring to its pages. I’m just the guy who cajoled them all into one volume, they did all the heavy lifting. And for that, I’m really, truly grateful. Because they are a super bunch.

And, to cap it off, yet another Masked review: http://superheronovels.com/2010/08/0...ew-golden-age/

For more of Lou, head on over to www.louanders.com

Another pic from Stargate: Universe season one that hints at things to come in season two...

And continuing our trip down memory lane, we turn to the Atlantis archives...

Well, I should have four solid acts of my script, The Hunt, completed by the time I head back into the office on Monday. Since I’ll be on set for most of the week, surveying the action on episode #9, Visitation, I’ll have plenty of time to re-read, polish, and forge ahead into that fifth and final act. I like what I have so far and I’ve always been partial to these types of stories with various intersecting throughlines running on parallel thematic narratives. It also offers some wonderful insight into a number of different characters (even a few you wouldn’t expect!). The location shoot should be tons of fun...

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...d-the-mailbag/

August 7, 2010

Photos: Daryl Gregory; SGU and Atlantis pics, Michael Shanks


When editor Lou Anders sent me an advanced copy of Masked for proofreading purposes, I ended up reading the entire anthology over the course of two days. I remember emailing Lou soon after to discuss, among other things, Daryl Gregory’s brilliant contribution to the collection. I enjoyed “Message from the Bubblegum Factory” so much that I decided to make Gregory’s The Devil’s Alphabet our August Book of the Month Club selection (Oh, and here’s a perfect opportunity to remind you all that discussion on the novel begins next week, so hurry and up and finish!).

Daryl Gregory is no stranger to anthologies. His short fiction has appeared in numerous Year’s Best collections. His first novel, Pandemonium, won him the 2009 Crawford Award for Outstanding New Fantasy Writer and was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award. His second novel, The Devil’s Alphabet (did I mention it’s this month’s book of the month club pick?), was named One of the Best Books of 2009 by Publisher’s Weekly and nominated for the 2009 Philip K. Dick Award. His first comic book, Dracula: Company of Monsters which he co-wrote with the legendary Kurt Busiek, will be out this month from BOOM! Studios. His next novel, Raising Stony Mayhill, will be out the summer of 2011 by Del Rey Books. Between writing, family, and being a self-described “web guy”, Daryl also blogs here: http://darylgregory.wordpress.com/.

Like previous Masked contributors, I asked Daryl if he could tell us a little about his story and how he ended up a part of the anthology. He offered the following:

The only reason I’m in this anthology is because Chris Roberson, another MASKED contributor and a great writer, pushed a story of mine called “The Illustrated Biography of Lord Grimm” into Lou Anders’ hands. That story, which appeared in an SF/Fantasy anthology called ECLIPSE, was a minion’s-eye view of life in a nation run by a Dr. Doom-like figure, but played straight. I thought SF readers might not know what to make of the story, but I really wanted to write it.

See, I’m a science fiction writer who’s just now breaking into comics, but I’ve been a comic book fan my entire life — even longer than I’ve been a reader. I have a distinct memory of sitting in my father’s lap as he read aloud to me from an issue of Spider-Man. And today if you come to my house, you’re required to salute the statue of Captain America I keep in my living room.

In “Message from the Bubblegum Factory” I was trying to have my cake and eat it too — by writing an SF story that spoke to my love of comics. As Matt noted in his post a few days ago, “Message from the Bubblegum Factory” feels a bit deconstructive, and Publisher’s Weekly called it metafictional — but I’m here to say it’s neither! Okay, maybe a little. But not really.

Let me explain.

In these big comics universes — like DC, Marvel, or the brand new one Bill Willingham invented for the closing story in MASKED — there’s no coherent explanation for how these people got their powers. Everything is true: super-science, aliens, lost civilizations, mythology, mutations, magic… it’s all up for grabs. Aquaman can fight side by side with the Martian Manhunter and Zatanna against Zeus. Which can be an awful lot of fun, but you can’t think too hard about it.

It seemed to me that if you’re going to write a prose story about superheroes, you can go the Wild Cards route and invent a shared origin, or you can ignore the incoherency and just have fun with it. But what I decided to do — this is the cake-eating-and-having part — is come up with a science fictional explanation for a Marvel-style universe.

The main character of “Bubblegum” is Eddie King, a former sidekick who believes the whole world has been invented for the amusement of Soliton, the world’s first superhero and Eddie’s adoptive father. After Soliton arrived, supervillains and more superheroes started popping up, freak accidents began giving people powers instead of killing them, and the laws of physics got rubbery.

Eddie knows Soliton came here from a mundane parallel universe that sounds suspiciously like the reader’s. So that raises some questions for Eddie. Is everyone in his world living in some kind of virtual reality, or personal artificial universe? And is every event — even Eddie’s plot to kill his father — part of Soliton’s script? Like poor old Oedipus Rex, Eddie King is trying to figure out if he’s fated to play out his role, or if he has free will… or if he’s just crazy.

I have a couple more stories planned about Eddie and the team he’s assembled to kill Soliton. Maybe if folks buy lots of copies of MASKED, Lou will make a home for another one of them.

And more Daryl Gregory to come in the coming weeks…

Once again, a little pic from Stargate: Universe’s first season that hints at something to come in season two...

And a few somethings from the Atlantis archives and, specifically, one of my personal top ten favorite episodes I’ve written...I keep meaning to put together a countdown of my top ten favorites. I’m credited on a little over 70 Stargate episodes and have been able to come up with 15 that I consider personal faves. And, as you probably guessed, my list doesn’t exactly line up with the fan choices. In fact, many fan favorites like Siege II, Space, and Exodus don’t even make the cut.


Mailbag:

link022 writes: “1/The origin of the evolution of goauld is another mystery, Have they really discovered on their own initiative how to travel by the gate (It is very difficult to compose an address in the good order knowing that it has 7 symbols, without counting the fact that some would correspond to no planet)?”

Answer: We know that the goa’uld appropriated much of their technology from other civilizations. It stands to reason that they acquired knowledge of the gate system the same way – through their host bodies.

“2/Nox was left of quoted in SG1 contrary to asgards, Will reinstate them you one day in one of your movies or in SGU?”

Answer: No plans to revisit the Nox.

“3/We see in one of the episodes of SG1 that some asgards stayed under their original shape (cf 5X22) is it possible that like the asgards of pégase, several factions not agreeing with the program of cloning exile themselves?”

Answer: It’s possible – and also likely they’d have died off by now.

“We know that the ancients put in by drones possess beams of plasma as weapon. will they put in evidence in your next movie of stargate atlantis”

Answer: Nope.

ytimynona writes: “Hey Joe, what’s the name of the actress who plays Eli’s …female friend… this season?”

Answer: Might you be referring to the lovely and talented Julie McNiven who’ll be playing the role of Ginn in SGU’s second season.

Deni writes: “Hi Joe, thanks for the pics, I really liked “Brainstorm”. So, like, if I’m having a lousy day (which I am), could you post a couple of pics of Daniel Jackson tomorrow, or does Das get all the perks?”

Answer: Here you go.

Lewis writes: “What were some of your favorite comic titles/characters you read while growing up?”

Answer: I kind of did a blog entry about it here: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-news-of-note/

Winst writes: “Joe……..FYI…check out the cover image of the new issue of Time Magazine.

Looks a lot like your adorable Maximus.”

Answer: Well, whaddya know. It DOES look a lot like Maximus.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-back-to-work/

August 8, 2010

Photos: Lulu, Bubba, Jelly, Maximus


Every one in a while I like to check out the blog stats on this site to find a little more about you, the readers. For instance, what were the most popular referrer links to this blog over the past few days? (http://michaelshanks-online.com/news/index.shtml and http://forum.gateworld.net/threads/7...ad-2.0/page659) What was my top post of the month? (July 15, 2010: Atlantis crossover? Which). And, my favorite – What were some of the search engine terms used to find this blog? The most popular ones tend to be “Julia Benson” and “Elyse Levesque”, but it’s the not-quite-as-popular ones that never fail to amuse. Some of the more noteworthy of these logged over the past couple of days:

“elyse levesque hot” (15 views)

“cowgirls” (6 views)

“old industrial shacks” (4 views)

“a liquor that ends with oo” (3 views)

“chicken morsels” (3 views)

“gilligan’s hat” (3 views)

“bubba from bubba beyond underwear” (2 views)

“trail of breadcrumbs” (2 views)

“gene simmons tongue” (2 views)

“sesame balls” (2 views)

Come for the industrial shacks. Stay for the adorable dog pics...

Well, back at it tomorrow. I’ll be on set for the 7:00 a.m. crew call (ish. The doggy daycare doesn’t open until 7:00) and the first scene up after hiatus. Alas, I’ve misplaced the call sheet I received four weeks ago, but I’m pretty sure we’re shooting something from episode 9 (on the airing schedule, episode 12 on the production schedule). In the downtime between shots, I’ll no doubt be working on those final few pages of my script, The Hunt, which I seem to have stalled out on near the end of Act IV. I foresee a lot of pacing/running of dialogue on Stage 4 over the next several days. At some point, I’m also going to have to find time to head over to post and visit Mike so we can lock Resurgence, episode 1o. Provided, that is, we receive those network notes. However, my thinking is no news is good news and they probably felt my cut was perfection and doesn’t require any tinkering.

Tonight, I’m going to try to answer that SFSignal Mind Meld question JP Frantz sent my way the other day: “Comic books have been 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?”. I’ve got seven recommendations so far and would like to round it out to an even ten. You can read my response later this week at SFSignal.com

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...set-with-pics/

August 9, 2010

Photo: Mark Chadbourn, Jelly, SGU set pics


My love of comic books has waxed and waned over the course of my life. I’ll go years without reading a single issue and then, one day, pick up a copy of every title on the racks. I’ll continue to follow the books that appeal while dropping those that fail to hold my interest, whittling that lofty initial pile down a scant few titles before shifting my focus elsewhere…only to renew my interest months, perhaps years later. Interestingly enough, there is one title, one hero, who always seems to hold my interest longer than any other: Batman. Partly because he is an atypical hero, a mere mortal blessed with a keen mind and sharp, but not superhuman, fighting skills, partly because of his colorful rogue’s gallery, and partly because his stories have always been a little darker, a little grittier, than the adventures of other costumed crusaders. And it was while reading author Mark Chadbourn’s “By My Works You Shall Know Me” in the Masked anthology of original superhero fiction that I was reminded of those very best elements of the dark knight’s tales. So it’s not surprising to learn that Mark, like me, is a fan of the bat.

Mark Chadbourn is a former journalist who presently straddles the television and literary worlds. The author of sixteen novels (The Age of Misrule and Dark Age trilogies among them), a non-fiction book, and several comic-related works including The Book of Shadows, Hellboy: The Ice Wolves, and Hellboy: The Oddest Jobs – Straight No Chaser, he is currently a scriptwriter for BBC. He also blogs. Here: http://www.jackofravens.com/

I asked Mark if he wouldn’t mind offering up some thoughts on “By My Works You Shall Know Me”, his dark and canny contribution to the Masked anthology. He was kind enough to respond with the following…

‘Masked’ editor Lou Anders also happens to be my editor on my recently-launched historical-fantasy-espionage-adventure sequence (yep, I’m invading all genres…) Swords of Albion, which concerns Elizabethan spy Will Swyfte fighting a brutal cold war against the forces of Faerie. It’s amazing I ever hit my deadlines because Lou and I seem to spend more time talking about all sorts of interesting stuff rather than working. One particular point of interest happens to be our shared love of comics, especially Batman. And my involvement with ‘Masked’ spun out of that.

I’ve never wholly enjoyed Superman, preferring my heroes human and flawed, so my story in this anthology was pretty much a love letter to the ‘masked vigilante of the night’ trope. I had fun, pure and simple. Fight sequences, screwy psychology, mad science and an arch arch-enemy. As others have mentioned, the aim was not to parody superheroes or even to deconstruct in the manner of Watchmen. It was simply finding a superhero story that resonated in today’s world. For me, modern society is very much about how we attempt to assimilate runaway technology while coping with the many stresses battering our individual psychology. The struggles of the supermen seem a perfect metaphor for that.

There was a pleasant surprise waiting for me on my return to the production offices today. Well, not exactly waiting for me. More hanging outside John Lenic’s office when I happened to walk by. Richard Dean Anderson, General Jack O’Neill himself, was back in his old stomping grounds. While he awaited the arrival of the trio of lucky fans he’d be hosting that day, we caught up, chatting about his conversion to twitter (his daughter’s doing), his tireless charity work (http://www.seashepherd.org/ and http://www.waterkeeper.org/), and my pug Jelly’s recent stem cell procedure -

Anyway, Rick is in town shooting a new series (Facing Kate), he looks great, and is in even greater spirits. But then, Rick has always been the affable sort, remembered fondly by all who worked with him on SG-1 those many years. And it was obvious later, when the grand tour passed through my office, that his three guests were thoroughly delighted with his company. Just a great, big-hearted guy.

On set today for Day 1 of Visitation, and it was a good thing too. My episode-saving contributions included a suggestion that the actor not smile while delivering a certain line and a request to emphasize the word “they”. I also spent some time in post with my editor, Mike Banas P.I., locking my producer’s cut of Resurgence. As it turns out, the network didn’t think it was perfect after all. We got their notes this morning.

Set pics...

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...show-and-tell/

August 10, 2010

Photos: Carl Binder, SGU pics, John G. Lenic, Menu


Hey, look who’s on the move...

With Robert Cooper, gone, Carl wasted no time in exercising squatting rights on his recently-vacated office. Although the premises were originally earmarked for a local children’s charities, it looks like the tots are out of luck. Carl is, after all, an Executive Producer. AND a birthday boy...

Yes, that’s right. Today, we celebrated Carl’s birthday in grand style – with schnitzel, poppy seed strudel, and the traditional off-key rendition of Happy Birthday. In addition, Carl received a surprise gift...

A delectable variety from http://www.cookiesbygeorge.com/. Soft and chewy, now THESE would have been perfect for ice cream sandwiches. Ashleigh had about seven or eight.

Today’s random Stargate: Universe potential spoiler/teaser...

After lunch, as part of the week-long Carl’s Birthday Celebrations, Producer John G. Lenic brought in goodie bags from his recent culinary excursion to Spain, highlighting a host of menu items Carl would never eat in a million years.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...ls-new-office/

August 11, 2010

Photos: SGU pic, Carl Binder, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, figures, Martin Gero, Pegasus crystal, Pocahontas Pez dispenser, Jelly, dog memory stick


Holy smokes! It’s taken us a day and a half to watch the Day 1 mix of Trial and Error – and we’re still not done!

Had our sit-down with the Art and Construction departments today about the new late season set we’ll be discovering in my episode, The Hunt. We talked playback, atmosphere, functionality, and numbers – some of which will play in episode 16, most of which will very late in the season.

What else is going to happen in SGU’s second season? Well, here’s a hint at things to come by way of a pic from the show’s first season...

Today, we helped Carl move into his new office. I made it a point to snap some pics of the stuff that decorates his new digs...