Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[golfbooy]

I noticed that all the writers who did commentaries (JM, DK, AM etc) all commented on how different the final product turned out from the script. Television/Film is the domain of the directors, and they probably have more to do with how the product turns out than the person who wrote the original script. AM, for example, commented on how differently the scene in Off The Grid (where Mitchell escapes from the bad guys with no explanation) turned out from the script. He'd written it so there was just the one bad guy there, so it wouldn't seem as silly when the next scene he's suddenly free but the way it was shot there were about 15 men surrounding Mitchell. Which seems illogical, and was brought up in the episode thread here.

Yeah, I can sympathize to a point with feeling like their intentions and their story have been misrepresented, but when they're all walking around with Producer and Executive Producer credits after their names I can't help but also feel like the burden is all on them. To a large extent, I think that it's in situations just like this where no longer having Mike Greenburg around shows itself on screen. Without him sitting there in his chair next to the director (a la the Reckoning Director Series) too much gets overlooked or misconstrued.

And the other problem they have, is if they suddenly stop using it what's the explanation? Would people say 'well why didn't they just beam out?'. They'd written themselves into a corner with that, but at least they've been setting up the beam out in advance now (ie The Scourge their plan was to get the outpost to let the Odyssey know they were there, Counterstrike had Sam working on the Ori ships shields to let them beam out). And apparently in the S10 midseason two-parter, they're coming up with a way to prevent the beams from working. Or Something.

No doubt they're aware of the problem, even if they can't entirely mitigate the heinous nature of the device. They even joked about it themselves with their "hanging a lantern" bit in 200. And the hope that they might hit the kill switch on the technology makes my day. Here's hoping that something isn't nothing.

BTW, thanks for posting this stuff.

[DEM]

I noticed that all the writers who did commentaries (JM, DK, AM etc) all commented on how different the final product turned out from the script. Television/Film is the domain of the directors, and they probably have more to do with how the product turns out than the person who wrote the original script.

Okay, there's a problem here. In film, directors have the power; a writer has to be one of the elite to have control over her/his script. By contrast, in U.S. television the producers/regular staff members are the writers; whereas directors are 'freelancers' (even when a show employs a stable of directors). The writers -- not the directors -- are the ones who develop and know the seasonal or longer term arcs; thus, directors are restricted from making substantive changes on-set.

Looking at Off the Grid, however, I noticed that Peter DeLuise was the director. I wonder whether, because of his long association with the show, he is given (or takes) more leeway. It could prove interesting to note who the directors are for the these "changed" eps. I'm referring to cases where the writer says that the scene was constructed substantially differently than what was intended, not just "Oh, huh, that looks different than what I imagined."


ETA: Thinking about OtG a bit more... I'm confused. How could he have written it for there to be only one guy there? How did he write the rest of the guys out of the scene? The script changed that much? I don't really remember the ep very well.

[Agent_Dark]

Okay, there's a problem here. In film, directors have the power; a writer has to be one of the elite to have control over her/his script. By contrast, in U.S. television the producers/regular staff members are the writers; whereas directors are 'freelancers' (even when a show employs a stable of directors). The writers -- not the directors -- are the ones who develop and know the seasonal or longer term arcs; thus, directors are restricted from making substantive changes on-set.

The directors are still the ones that have the most say in how the final product turns out though, since it's the Director's interpretation of the script that will end up on the screen. And it doesn't have to be major things that will get fans up in arms either, look at Ripple Effect with the Sam/Cam kiss that was filmed.

Looking at Off the Grid, however, I noticed that Peter DeLuise was the director. I wonder whether, because of his long association with the show, he is given (or takes) more leeway. It could prove interesting to note who the directors are for the these "changed" eps. I'm referring to cases where the writer says that the scene was constructed substantially differently than what was intended, not just "Oh, huh, that looks different than what I imagined."


ETA: Thinking about OtG a bit more... I'm confused. How could he have written it for there to be only one guy there? How did he write the rest of the guys out of the scene? I don't really remember the ep very well.

I don't think the rest of the guys were really written in the first place. SG1 (Mitchell) goes to talk to the Dealer guy who pulls a fast one on Mitchell. Presumbly, the rest of SG1 help Mitchell escape from the one guy and that leads into the scene where they were getting chased. But with the addition of the other 15 guards, it makes Mitchell's escape seem illogical.

[majorsal]

http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/7596/goalmf6.jpg

continuing
Sam: Hurry up Sir, I'll hold off Majorsal as long as I can, but you know how persisent she is.

i have no reply to this that isn't nc17 tinted, so i must, out of my extreme decency, refrain from captioning this picture.




sally

[majorsal]

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...or/DVD_215.jpg

Sam: Well this will certainly keep her away...how dare she to go that close to my man!!

(this i *can* continue)

sally: sam, don't worry! i'm not after jack, i'm after jack's stunt double named rick anderson. really, don't shoot!






sally

[DEM]

The directors are still the ones that have the most say in how the final product turns out though, since it's the Director's interpretation of the script that will end up on the screen. And it doesn't have to be major things that will get fans up in arms either, look at Ripple Effect with the Sam/Cam kiss that was filmed.

And look who directed Ripple Effect. Surprise! PdL made an unwarranted assumption, and I honestly believe it's because PdL is practically staff and believes he can take such liberties.

I hate to argue with you on this rare occasion when we're having a meaty conversation , but we aren't communicating well about this teevee director thang. In general, a teevee director does not have the authority to hire and add extras to a scene independent of producer approval. Those extra guys in OtG would NOT have been due to PdL's "vision".

Yes, of course, a director will have influence over, say, the "mood" of the scene, but a non-writing teevee director doesn't have the authority to, for example, independently create a romance arc between characters. That is why JoeM was so irked about Ripple Effect, and moreover, why he was able to call for a change after seeing the dailies. In film, the dailies are for the directors to check their work; in television they are for the producer/writers.

I can't help but wonder whether RCC rewrote AM's script -- as is within his purview as showrunner/head writer -- and AM was unaware of it.

[majorsal]

Yeah, the Camelot commentary was good. Amanda was very, very sick when they were filming the space suit scenes

PLEASE, more detail on that!



sally

[Gate gal]

(this i *can* continue)

sally: sam, don't worry! i'm not after jack, i'm after jack's stunt double named rick anderson. really, don't shoot!






sally

MajorSal, I'd help you, but she's a whole lot tougher than me. I'll just keep Rick company while you two work this out.

[L.A. Doyle]

Spoiler:

look at Ripple Effect with the Sam/Cam kiss that was filmed.

Spoiler:

Wasn't that between the Sam and Cam in the black outfits..the Sam that had recently come back from a honeymoon? Er, either she was cheating on her husband or that reality doesn't have regs and they were married...or they do and they were majorly broken. Either way,

[Chelle DB]

I just watched Standoff on Fox. pretty good show. time will tell if it'll last for longer than a few eps without getting old. but it could be good for AT, or a show like that. they're hostage negotiators that have to 'talk down' people holding others hostage

great range of emotions. bravado, heroics, humor, fear, empathy

a good rounded role. and normal clothes to boot

Sounds great...hope we get that down here. Wonder what AT is gonna do once SG1 is finished...she might want to take a break for a while...hopefully she'll have time to come to Australia and do another con!!

[Chelle DB]

Second page again Samandans... not good

Here's an unusual pic of Amanda... no idea where I got it... mais elle est tres belle, non?

Spoiler:

Someones gonna want to pick AD up off the floor when he sees that!!

[Chelle DB]

Heh heh - nah the smart ones have already seen S9 and aren't buying IMHO

Actually a fair few of Aussies haven't seen S9 as it is on really late at night and not advertised - I think it is only about half way through the season (obviously I'm not watching). A lot of sales are because they want to see it based on previous years expectations or because they don't want to wait to watch the series on telly and the sets are reasonably cheap.

I have heard vastly ranging opinions from people who bought them without seeing the season first - ranging from "Where the hell is Sam?" "Who is that bogan leading instead of Sam" "This is great!" and "Meh" so a very mixed bag of reactions.

Hey, are the boxed sets for SG1 cheaper than the ones for Atlantis in other countries too?

I bought the season 9 dvd's...I want to have all the Stargate dvd's...regardless of whether the season is good or bad.
I knew before seeing season 9 that Sam wasn't in the first 5 eps because Amanda was busy with her new baby so it didn't phase me at all.
But you shouldn't under estimate the audience...there are a lot of Aussies out there who like season 9...me included. Actually, my friends have just started watching again for the first time in years and they have been borrowing my dvd's to catch up on previous seasons and they actually like season 9 too...even though they miss RDA!
And although I've seen season 9, I still watch it when it airs on Thurday night at 11pm...but you're right...it doesn't get advertised...well, it is listed in the tv guide but that's pretty much it...and they did have a couple of stories relating to it in the TVWeek!!

Oh...and congrats on your milestone...WTG!!!

[Chelle DB]

If she does a bunch of commentaries I may weaken.

Well then you may want to get it...Amanda does a commentary with Martin Wood for Camelot....thank you RepliCartertje for telling me about it...I started to watch it this morning when I was having breaky but I only got about 20 mins into it!! It's great!

[Chelle DB]

andi'll add to this. if someone doesn't have a scanner, pm me and i'll give you my snail mail addy

you can mail it to me and i'll scan it and e-mail it to MG

Just don't put it off too long, how about the end of sept, so that i can have plenty of time to get it done and to her

Thanks sky...it's on its way as we speak!!!

[Chelle DB]

not just too ominscient, for me, too REAL

the world is already full of folks that would willingly and gladly kill me because i'm the wrong religion and i wear the 'wrong' clothes

i live with that (even more so since i'm gonna be getting ona trans atlantic flight in a couple of months) and i don't find it entertaining

my second issue with the ori, they don't have a weakness and there's no way to 'beat' them short of killing them...which means we only beat them by becoming them

not very heroic if you ask me

See that's why I hate the Ori...for the same reasons as you just listed. To me they're just too damn scary...at least with the Goa'uld you could kick their butts and know you had a good chance in defeating them...it was fairer...more equal standing...but I guess lifes not always fair either!