Questions for Hatusu (previous 'Get In The Gate' contest winner)

[Saqqara]

No one would EVER peer at you strangely, Hats!! They were just all totally envious that the actors seemed to know you, just like I am!! ((((HATS))) Thanks for sharing so much about your experience here! It's been a delight to read.

ROTFLMAO OMG Set I might SO use part of your siggy for my own voicemail/answering machine I've started a book about Alien Abductees and I tell you, some days that siggy is SO how I feel the day has gone LOL

[email protected] always just stand in line making funny faces at them {after they see me} I did it to David Copperfield and he so threatened to whip my bum the next time...I waited at the very end of the line and chatted with all his staff and made him wait to say Hello LOL I know I'm so mean

[Hatusu]

ROTFLMAO OMG Set I might SO use part of your siggy for my own voicemail/answering machine I've started a book about Alien Abductees and I tell you, some days that siggy is SO how I feel the day has gone LOL

[email protected] always just stand in line making funny faces at them {after they see me} I did it to David Copperfield and he so threatened to whip my bum the next time...I waited at the very end of the line and chatted with all his staff and made him wait to say Hello LOL I know I'm so mean

Thanks Seshat. Thanks Saqqara.
It's been fun remembering...but it's old news now. We'll have a new winner soon. Now, between the two of you, you should be able to come up with a good idea for having fun with the actors in Vancouver

I'm of now. Good night. Sweet dreams.

[Saqqara]

LOL Ya wanna see David Hewlett blush mention The Hewlett Harem LOL

[Hatusu]

Tell me more!

[Saqqara]

The Hewlett Harem is a yahoo group of David Hewlett fans. He wants to know if he's suppose to have slept with all members

[Seshat]

Thanks Seshat. Thanks Saqqara.
It's been fun remembering...but it's old news now. We'll have a new winner soon. Now, between the two of you, you should be able to come up with a good idea for having fun with the actors in Vancouver

Well, it's only old news if you've heard it before! I hadn't read your entire story and so found it fascinating. Can you tell me what is the one thing that you liked best about your experience?

[Hatusu]

Can you tell me what is the one thing that you liked best about your experience?

That's very difficult. May I do two?
1. ) Sitting on tall stools in a cubbyhole behind the the Oval Office set, with Martin Wood and Michael Greenburg and watching a feed from the camera inside the set. Nancy was with me and she was trying not to have a coughing fit because of the ozone fumes from the equipment, so I gave her my juice. Even though we were behind the set, loud noises could be heard. There was some hammering somewhere that was interfering with the sound recording. They were filming the scene in what looked like a conference room at the White House (It was really part of the hallway set that you saw in "Inaugeration"). Kinsey was showing Weir the records on the Stargate project and SGC.

So we're back there listening and watching them film it. Martin Wood and Michael Greenburg are discussing things. The camera director comes back to discuss the scene, several times. Both Ronny Cox and Jessica Steen come back to discuss their lines. Martin Wood wanted Ronny Cox to be bigger. Ronny Cox was embarrased and laughed that his character would have nothing left (be over the top), but Martin Wood assured him that it would work.

Eventually Martin Wood told me to go out front to do my bit, but I would've stayed there the whole day, ozone fumes and all.

2. ) "Acting" with William Devane. I've been a fan for years. The first time I saw him, he was playing President John F. Kennedy (a reference he used in "Inaugeration'). And here he was the President again. I tried not to think about that when I worked with him, or I would have been frozen with fear and awe.

He's a powerful, very charismatic, funny personality. It was easy to act with him. The difficulty I had was NOT to act with him. You see, I was not allowed to talk and every time I went through that door he'd shake my hand, pull me in asking me something totally different. It was very difficult not to answer him, or to laugh. I was supposed to be a government official with a top secret document on the Stargate Program (Dr. Jackson's file, to be precise). In the take you see on the screen, I walk toward the door, get blinded by the camera light and crack up because Mr. Devane suddenly decided that I was a big hot shot donor to his campaign and he was telling me to get my checkbook out. I think it must be wonderful for real actors to work with him. He's professional, but really good and really generous. In RL I'm more noted for working with him, amongst my co-workers and relatives anyway.

Epilogue: While in Italy, a fellow travelor told me that she saw Devane on Letterman and she was sure that they talked about me (the contest winner).

[Hatusu]

The Hewlett Harem is a yahoo group of David Hewlett fans. He wants to know if he's suppose to have slept with all members

Did they all raise their hands and nod their heads, "Yes!!"?

[ForeverSg1]

Some people visiting Nathan's thread asked about my article. It used to be on scifi.com, but has been taken down recently. I realized that I still have the original version of the article. It's much longer, with more detail. I hope you don't mind; I prefer this version:

My Trip through the Stargate
by Bonnie Arbuthnot

Part 1

Oh, the Windy City!

I live in Chicago, and I work at not-for-profits, most recently as a Development Director. Just like most of you who entered the contest, I was working on the computer when I heard the ad to enter the "Stargate SG1, Get in the Gate Sweepstakes", so I typed in scifi.com and entered. Less than two months later I was on a plane from Chicago on my way to Vancouver, Canada where I was told I would have a "walk-on role" in the television series "Stargate SG1".

My friend, Nancy and I had started out at 6 AM. We had spent nine hours going through security and customs, and flying. We were now in the final long line to go through Canadian customs at Vancouver airport. I had already been through this routine several times. A guy in a blue uniform would start questioning me:

"So why are you traveling to Vancouver?"

"I’m a tourist."

"So what are you going to see?"

"Uh...I’m going to the set of a T.V. show, ‘’Stargate SG1'. I won a contest!"

"The one with McGyver in it?"

"Yes, that’s the one!"

"I don’t watch it."

So after standing in a hot, long line at Vancouver Airport, when the nice looking gentleman in blue asked me, I was a little embarrassed and I tried to be discrete:

"So why are you here in Vancouver?"

"I’m a tourist. I’m just visiting."

"Who will you be visiting?"

" Uh, the set of a T.V. show"

"What T.V. show?

"Stargate SG1"

"The show with Richard Dean Anderson? We see him here all the time."

Mr. Richard Dean Anderson has to stand in the same long, hot, boring airport custom lines that we do!

A teamster named Ed who works for Stargate picked us up at the airport in a van. He told us that he would drop us off at our hotel, and wait for us while we checked in and dropped off our luggage. He said that we’d be getting there just in time for lunch. We checked in , threw our luggage into the room (They gave us a suite with a balcony view of the ocean!), and rushed back downstairs.

Ed drove us outside Vancouver to the set. On the way we passed a few places that we recognized and Ed confirmed had been used for locations on the show. Then we arrived at Bridge Studios, which you’d remember from the "Wormhole Extreme" episode. Bill Vigars, the Stargate publicist escorted us over to craft services, an outdoor lunch area in the parking lot, with a few picnic tables. He told us to get lunch and sit down which we did, although I was too nervous to eat much of the surprisingly good food. We saw the two guys who play the super Jaffa. They had nothing on above the waist. It was a hot day, and I will tell you that they are a lot better looking under those costumes than we saw in "Evolution, part1". Unfortunately, we couldn’t talk to them because their table was full.

We sat down at an empty table next to a cheerful group of ladies and one gentleman. It turns out the ladies were from the Canadian Cancer Society. They were there to present the show with a plaque for support. The cast and crew had attended their fund raiser. They told us a funny story about Christopher Judge having possibly a little too much wine and getting the bidders all revved up by matching, then doubling the highest bid on a chair from the show. The gentleman was British and a reporter from a science fiction magazine. When he heard I was a contest winner, he told us that they had put a lab coat on him and placed him in the control room. I actually remembered him from "The Tomb" episode because of his distinctive black hair and beard.

While we were gabbing, Nancy alerted me to the actors coming out to get their lunch, Ronny Cox, the scheming Senator Kinsey sat down at a table. We saw Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks come out, but they left with their food. I had mentioned to Bill Vigars that I wanted to meet Michael Greenburg, RDA’s production partner and one of the shows Executive producers, because I had seen his name on the credits since the "McGyver" days. Surprisingly he came right out to meet me. It seems it’s a lot easier to meet the producers than the actors. For those interested, he is good looking, athletic, with shoulder length graying dark wavy hair. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. I thought producers wore expensive suits and smoked fat cigars!

After that, Bill Vigars brought us up to the production offices, where Nancy and I met three friendly black labs owned by one of the producers and Don Davis (General Hammond). I also got to meet some of the people I’d been talking to long distance. It seems that I needed a Canadian work permit. I was going to get to go to the set now, but I’d be pulled out to take a trip to the border, to "go around the flag" and come back to Canada, and get my permit.

Bill returned and rushed us up and down stairs to the sets (in the same warehouse type building). We were walking through a hallway that had familiar colored tape on the floor, and I realized that we were on the set of Stargate Command. We approached a doorway, and I sucked my breath in when I saw the beginnings of a metal grated ramp. Nancy said,"Oh, my God!" It was the Gate room! It looks just like it does on TV, minus some props and fancy lighting. We could see the windowed control room and the conference room above us and opposite the gate. It doesn’t look at all like a set. It looks real. Bill rushed us through, past the gate room. I wanted to plaaay!. Then he took us up the stairs to the conference room where they were setting up to film a scene. Bill introduced us to Martin Wood, who I knew to be the Director of this episode, and a Co-Producer and N. John Smith whom I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know is a Co-Executive producer. We shook hands I babbled about how honored I was to meet them, then Martin Wood told us where to sit down so we could watch. We were sitting amongst all sorts of equipment right in front of the window with a view of the gate. Once again, this room doesn’t looks like a set. It looks like the conference room on the show with lots of camera equipment, lights and extra people sitting in director’s chairs stuffed into it. The only jarring note was that the conference table comes apart (I assume to make close up shots easier). I suddenly realized that I was sitting on one of the conference table chairs. But the director told me to sit there, so it must be OK.

None of the actors were in the room. The crew was setting up the lights and cameras using stand in for the actors. Nancy and I easily could figure who was standing in for whom, by their hair color and skin tone. Ronny Cox came in the room and sat next to me. I’m not shy, so I introduced myself. He was very nice. He just started up a conversation with me when one of the crew came over and asked him to move. He was causing a reflection in the window that could be seen on camera. The crew member told me I was Ok, but then they moved me almost immediately. I ended up sitting under the Stargate Command emblem on the wall, Nancy right next to me. Some of the crew and stand ins came over and introduced themselves. That’s when the running joke started."So where are you from?". My answer of "Chicago" was invariably followed by "Oh, the windy city!" After hearing this several times one of the stand ins even started cracking up. It must be a Canadian thing. I was honored that the crew was so nice to us, since we were obviously in there way. They were fascinating to watch, speedily moving and adjusting all the cameras lights and sound equipment. The stand ins were very nice too. They also get a chance to act once in a while on the show. Teal’c’s stand-in is easy to spot as a Jaffa or as the Teal’c like character in "Wormhole Extreme"

After reading the above high lighted line, it sort of gave me a deja vu moment, like I had heard it before. And after doing some searching I think maybe it might have just been more of a Stargate inside joke than a Canadian thing.

In the season 2 episode Family there is a line between Fro'tak and Jack:
Fro'tak: "Teal'c! Master Bra'tac! You are the warriors from the Tau'ri. I have heard much of you. I am Fro'tak of the High Cliffs."

O'Neill: "Jack of the Windy City. This is Jackson and Carter."

I may just be grasping at straws here, but it just seems to me that RDA and the other members of the cast might have had a bit of fun during this scene, seeing as it's quite well known that many of the cast enjoy breaking wind.

Btw, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading about your time on the Stargate set. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

[Hatusu]

After reading the above high lighted line, it sort of gave me a deja vu moment, like I had heard it before. And after doing some searching I think maybe it might have just been more of a Stargate inside joke than a Canadian thing.

Hah! I never thought of that at the time. 'Good thing, too because I would have had to defend my hometown.

And that's funny because at the Chicago Convention last year, I heard Don Davis tell a very funny story on that same theme.

And you're welcome.

[Seshat]

That's very difficult. May I do two? ...

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Each of those is a wonderful memory, I can easily see why they would stand out in your mind amongst all of the great experiences you had while on set. How nice of you to share! Your descriptions gave a real sense of what it must have been like to be there -- thank you again! (((HATS)))

[Hatusu]

Thanks, Seshat.

[Seshat]

I guess I should follow up my last question with its opposite: what did you like LEAST about the experience? Or was everything that happened on the plus side?

[Hatusu]

Hi Seshat. Three answers. And remember, you asked for it.

1.)I didn't like being pulled away from the set to waste half a day to get my Canadian work permit. Our first day was airports, flying, 2 hours on set then driving to and from the American border so I could come back in to get the work permit. And then standing in line for about an hour at the Canadian Border office. We could have been on an episode of the "Amazing Race". Poor Nancy was dragged with me. The only good thing about it was that on Jay Leno, Will Ferrel told of a very similar experience when he filmed "Elf", so if I ever meet Will Ferrel, we can bond. Oh, and I have a Canadian document stapled to my passport that says my profession is actor.

According to Nathan, they sent someone to get his work permit.

2.) I was never actually introduced to Richard Dean Anderson although I was introduced to or greeted by everyone else.
3.) The next day after shooting at the Oval Office set, I was supposed to have lunch with SciFi channel people and then hang out at the Stargate Command set with the actors who were doing a photo shoot. I was hoping to meet RDA and to have my picture taken by the Gate.

But that didn't happen because Martin Wood decided to re-shoot the scene from a different angle. That's when I got the good news and bad news speech. Nancy did eventually get driven back over there. Martin Wood was right. The fancy Hitchcock/"Strangers on a Train" tracking camera work was great.

Did I tell you they gave us a suite with a balcony and an ocean view? I don't want to be all sour grapes.

So, Now you know why I want to go to the Vancouver convention. Nancy has a picture of herself at the Gate and I DON'T. Sigh.

[Seshat]

Hi Seshat. Three answers. And remember, you asked for it.

1.)I didn't like being pulled away from the set to waste half a day to get my Canadian work permit.
2.) I was never actually introduced to Richard Dean Anderson although I was introduced to or greeted by everyone else.
3.) The next day after shooting at the Oval Office set, I was supposed to have lunch with SciFi channel people...

So, Now you know why I want to go to the Vancouver convention. Nancy has a picture of herself at the Gate and I DON'T. Sigh.

I can understand your disappointment on all 3 counts...I would have been especially sorry to have gone all the way to the set on Vancouver and not ended up with at least a pic of myself and the gate! You would think that would have been the easiest thing for them to make sure you had. (That's how shallow I am!)