Hellboy 2 - SciFi Weekly: Guillermo del Toro Interview

From the SciFi Channel's SciFi Weekly:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



INTERVIEWS

July 09, 2008

Guillermo del Toro raises a Golden Army of Awesome in Hellboy II

By Patrick Lee

The unlikeliest hero returns in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the follow-up to 2004's original Hellboy. Based on characters created by comic-book artist/writer Mike Mignola, Hellboy II is an original story by Mignola and writer/director Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning helmer of Pan's Labyrinth, who also directs.

The entire cast is back, led by Ron Perlman as the big red demon, Selma Blair as his firestarter girlfriend Liz Sherman and Doug Jones as psychic amphibian Abe Sapien. They are joined by new characters, including Johann Krauss (John Alexander and James Dodd, voiced by Seth MacFarlane), Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) and his empathetic twin sister Princess Nuala (Anna Walton).

Like the first film, Hellboy II is based on characters and situations from Mignola's Dark Horse comic-book series. But where the first film closely tracked Mignola's graphic novel Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Hellboy II is an original story in which the title character and the team at the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense must deal with an uprising against humans by magical creatures led by elf prince Nuada. Del Toro took a moment to speak with reporters last week about Hellboy II, which opens July 11.



A brief excerpt:

Would you do Hellboy III?

Del Toro: I would love that. There was a gap of four years between the first Hellboy and the second Hellboy, and provided that Ron takes his medicine, I think he can stay healthy enough and we can have a Hellboy III on the other end. The thing is, every time you take one movie, you are always postponing others, like At the Mountains of Madness [based on H.P. Lovecraft's book] or another of the small movies, one I'm trying to write called Saturn and the End of Days, which is the apocalypse seen from the point of view of a kid, a boy, a 7-year-old. And so, you know, every choice, you know—whatever day you drive on the freeway, you're not climbing Mount Everest, right?

Stargate Atlantis - Slice of SciFi: Conference Call With Joseph Mallozzi & Robert Picardo

From Slice of SciFi:

(Please follow the link for the complete transcription.)



Conference Call With Joseph Mallozzi & Robert Picardo

Posted by Sam on Wednesday, 9 Jul 2008

Our reporter Linda Craddock has been very busy these past few weeks rounding up interviews for all our fans of “Stargate: Atlantis,” the next Mummy film, the new television series “The Middleman” and more.

She recently sat in on an invitation-only press conference sponsored by the GE CORP AM INITIATIVES GROUP. The conference was attended by Linda and several other reporters as they asked questions of executive producer Joseph Mallozzi and actor Robert Picardo of “Stargate: Atlantis.”

The moderator for this conference was NBC’s Carol Janson and it was arranged by Michele Rosenblatt from the SCI FI Channel. It took place on July 1, 2008 at 12:00 pm CT.

Coordinator: Hello and welcome to the Stargate Atlantis conference call. At the request of NBC, this conference is being recorded for instant replay purposes and a transcript of the call is also being made.

With us on today’s call from Stargate Atlantis are Robert Picardo and Joseph Mallozzi. Also on the call are Carol Janson of NBC and Michele Rosenblatt of SCI FI.

[NOTE: The media included: Monsters and Critics, MediaBlvd, Crown Features, SliceofSciFi.com, FanBolt, Niagara Frontier Publication, The Deadbolt.com, SCIFI.com, TVZone Magazine, SyFyPortal.com, TVaholic.com, IGN.com, Flash News, i09.com and TVsquad.com!)


A brief excerpt:

Coordinator: Our last question does come from Jamie Ruby of MediaBlvd. You may ask your question.

Jamie Ruby: For both of you - what’s both your most favorite part of working on the show and your least favorite part?

**snippage**

Robert Picardo:...It’s not a secret, I think that the Star Trek producers were kind of ivory tower producers who rarely came down to the set to see the actors. In fact, if the producers came to the set, the actors’ response was normally uh-oh, you know, what did we do wrong.

But the Stargate producers visit the set all the time and there’s a very relaxed, you know, kind of easygoing atmosphere. They’ll pop down and say hello to us. They’re not located on the other side of the lot the way the Star Trek ones were at the other end of the Paramount lot, as far away from the sets as they could possibly get.

They’re just upstairs in the, you know, in the - in our main stage, the production office is. So I really like that - that it - what Joe described is, you know, the extended family thing is much more apparent to me here because they really do, you know, mom and dad really do come down to visit the kids on the set. And that’s, you know, that’s - that makes it a very relaxed atmosphere.

Stargate Atlantis - GateWorld: New story details for Atlantis Season Five

From GateWorld:

(Please follow the link for the complete GateWorld article.)



New story details for Atlantis Season Five

TUESDAY, JULY 8 (EPISODES)

New details have emerged on the first four episodes of the season.


A brief excerpt:

New details have emerged on the first four episodes of Stargate Atlantis's new season, premiering this Friday at 10 p.m. (9 Central) on the SCI FI Channel in the United States!

SCI FI Channel has passed along the official episode teasers for "Search and Rescue," "The Seed," "Broken Ties," and "The Daedalus Variations." Of particular interest is "The Seed," for which very little information was previously known.

The network summaries leave plenty unspoiled, of course, but they do include significant info from the early part of the episodes. If you would rather watch the episodes completely unspoiled, turn back now.

**snippage**

Stargate Atlantis - The Media Pundit:: Picardo and Mallozzi on "Whispers"

From The Media Pundit:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)



Stargate week: Picardo and Mallozzi on "Whispers"

July 8, 2008 in Television

The seventh episode of season five features a departure from the traditional "sci-fi light" formula of Stargate Atlantis that features elements of light comedy and light drama (hence the moniker) but rarely too much of either one. "Whispers" allows exec-prod Joe Mallozzi to return to his horror roots while also introducing the first ever all-female offworld team, which Joe says was an immediate hit with the other writers.

"I spoke to Will about it and he's like yeah -- Will Waring, who is our Director who directed the episode and he's also a big fan of horror movies -- so, you know, we actually did a little mini horror movie for the episode, Whispers. I pitched stuff to the guys and they really liked the idea."

**snippage**

This post is part of a week-long series on Stargate Atlantis. All posts can be found here.

Sanctuary - Broadcast Newsroom: Visual Effects for Sanctuary

From Broadcast Newsroom:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)



Anthem Visual Effects Takes On Challenge of New Virtual Series, "Sanctuary," For SCI FI Channel

New Live-Action Series, Shot Almost Entirely On Green Screen, Moves from the Web to Television

DMN Newswire--2008-7-8--

Anthem Visual Effects has announced the company is single-handedly producing the visual effects for 13 one-hour original episodes of the new television series "Sanctuary" for SCI FI Channel, set to air this fall. Leading the way in new production technology, "Sanctuary" is the only television series to shoot almost entirely on green screen with virtual sets, requiring an astounding number of visual effects. It is also the first series in North America to exclusively employ the RED camera: a filmless, tapeless system that captures images at four times the resolution of a high-definition camera.

"Clearly, when a series is shot on green screen, the visual effects play an integral role in everything the viewer sees," explained Lee Wilson, President and Visual Effects Supervisor at Anthem Visual Effects. "We want the audience to get caught up in the story and forget all about the visual effects. It's all about storytelling."

With a staggering 400 visual effects shots estimated per episode, Anthem's team is creating everything from monsters to furry creatures, sweeping cityscapes and remote locations, to the impressive Sanctuary itself.

"Sanctuary" follows the adventures of the beautiful and enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping, "Stargate SG-1") her new and somewhat reluctant protégé Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne, "Dawson's Creek") and her fearless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup, "Battlestar Galactica"), as they track down, study and protect the strange and often terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world.

**snippage**

For more information about Anthem Visual Effects, visit: http://anthemfx.com/

Stargate Atlantis - GateWorld: NEW Photos from 'The Seed'

From GateWorld:

New photos from 'The Seed'

TUESDAY, JULY 8 (EPISODES)

Visit our new Stargate Image Gallery to find 15 photos from the July 18 episode of Stargate Atlantis!

A reduced size example:

Carmen Argenziano - Babylon 5 - Video: 'Knives'

Courtesy of HULU, Babylon 5's 'Knives,' starring Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs, Stephen Furst and Peter Jurasik. With guest stars including Carmen Argenziano (Stargate SG-1's Jacob Carter/Selmak), Joshua Cox, William Forward, and Elisa Beth Garver.

Sheridan is plagued by bizarre visions. The ambitious Londo encounters an ethical dilemma with an old friend.

Brenda Fraser - Total SciFi: Mummy mia!

From Total SciFi:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



Posted on Tuesday 08 July 2008

Brendan Fraser: Mummy mia!

Brendan Fraser returns to the role of intrepid explorer Rick O’Connell in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the third in the popular series. The actor is also starring in another of this summer’s big blockbusters, the 3D spectacular Journey to the Center of the Earth. He chats to Bryan Cairns about his latest adventures.



A brief excerpt:

After his last two adventures, has Rick O’Connell fully embraced his action hero status in Tomb of the Dragon Emperor?

Before he was like, “What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have to be the guy who has to take on the undead? I have to get a real job!” The thing with Rick this time around is all that success has caught up and he has become his own worst nightmare, a gentleman of leisure who can’t find a hobby to keep him satisfied because he misses the old days. He has hung up his guns reluctantly. Evelyn is a very successful author and they both can’t come to admitting they miss the good old days. The news that their son has made a discovery comes to a surprise to them.

Stargate: Continuum - Video: Continuum Movie Clip

Courtesy of You Tube's Stargate Continuum Channel site:

Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell (with passenger Daniel Jackson) and Col. Samantha Carter, flying US Air Force F1-15's, encounter enemy Goa'uld death gliders...



Stargate: Continuum is a made-for-DVD movie being released July 29th '08.

David Boreanaz - Angel - Video: 'Somnambulist'

Courtesy of HULU, Angel's 'Somnambulist,' starring David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Alexis Denisof and Elisabeth Röhm. Guest stars include Jeremy Renner, Nick McCallum and Kimberleigh Aarn.

Angel attempts to assist Kate with a murder investigation after discovering that a protégé from his past is responsible for a series of killings.

Stargate Atlantis -TV with MeeVee: Talking With Robert Picardo of "Stargate: Atlantis"

From TV with MeeVee:



(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)

Talking With Robert Picardo of "Stargate: Atlantis"

July 08, 2008

"Stargate: Atlantis," a spinoff of the venerable old Stargate brand, has achieved the lofty goal of developing a rich enough mythology (and sufficiently dedicated fanbase) to stand on its own merits, rather than being mentioned as an afterthought to the superior original. This Friday, July 12th, the show returns for its fifth season,still going strong.

Replacing veteran Stargate actress Amanda Tapping as the head of SG:A is Robert Picardo as Richard Woolsey. No stranger to scifi, Picardo is perhaps best known for his role as the holographic doctor on another spinoff, "Star Trek: Voyager." Voyager may have been less successful than Atlantis in carving its own niche, but Picardo emerged as a much-beloved actor.

In preparation for the series premiere, Picardo, along with SG-1 and Atlantis writer Joseph Mallozzi, sat down with journalists to discuss what's coming next for the show and for the character. As Robert Picardo puts it, he didn't set out to spend 10 years in a jumpsuit, but it's worked out pretty well for him. Check out the highlights from the interview, after the jump.



Teyla Emmagan (Rachel Luttrell) and Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo)

A brief excerpt:

About Woolsey’s reintroduction to the show:

Robert Picardo: Woolsey appears briefly at the end of the season opener, “Search and Rescue,” which is a very exciting, action-oriented episode. He comes in and rather abruptly relieves Carter of command with his characteristic gruffness and lack, I think, of interpersonal skills.

So that’s your first experience of him. In the very next episode, which is called “The Seed,” he faces the first major crisis at his new command. It’s a very dramatic outing for the character. There’s not really much humor in that first one. And he learns the lesson that he can’t simply follow the rule book and do this job. By his own estimation, he’s broken protocol about five times in his first crisis.

And that puts him -- at the end of the show -- in a personal crisis because he’s always sort of defined himself as someone who knows the rule book, evaluates others ability to live by it and now in his first series of crisis command decisions he’s broken his own commitment to protocol in order to save a beloved member of the crew...

The very next episode of “Broken Ties,” although there’s plenty of adventure in the A story, there’s also kind of a B story of Woolsey getting used to the technology of the base.

**snippage**

Stargate Atlantis - MGM Stargate & Stargate Worlds: Unlock the Gate Sweepstakes

From MGM Stargate:



UNLOCK THE GATE SWEEPSTAKES

One lucky fan became part of the Stargate Worlds video game. Is it your turn?

It's time to step through once more...and Unlock the Gate!

Starting July 11, 2008, a gate code will appear during select episodes of Stargate Atlantis. This will enable you to unlock the gate and enter the sweepstakes here at stargate.mgm.com! You could win the opportunity to have your name or likeness incorporated into the new Stargate Worlds MMO Game! Subject to OFFICIAL RULES which contain the dates for episodes that will feature a gate code.


Starts at 7:00 p.m. PT on 7/11/08. Ends at 8:59 p.m. PT on 1/08/09. Open to legal residents of 1 of the 50 U.S. or D.C., 18+ or age of majority in entrant's state of residence. Prize includes a 2-night/3-day trip to video game developer on Sponsor-selected dates from Sponsor-selected airport near winner's US residence.

Stargate Atlantis All New Episodes Fridays 10/9c on SciFi - Watch it in Real Time!

I, Robot - Brooks Van Norman: Being a Background SWAT

At Brooks Van Norman's web site:



Has behind-the-scenes photos and comments about being a background actor for the Will Smith movie, 'I, Robot.'


A brief excerpt:

Being a Background SWAT Officer in i-Robot

July 8th, 2008

At the time, i-Robot was the largest made for film production ever filmed in Canada. 185 million USD was the total budget. Will Smith got $20 million. I got $1,100 for a few scenes with the back of my head and a side profile over 7 days work. But it was a blast.

My agent told me that I am well suited to military and cop role roles. (I’m sure the Buzz Lightyear jaw line has something to do with that!).

Actually, there were so many special effects in this film that they were rumored to eat up most of the remaining budget. The police station, where all of my scenes took place was so real looking.

**snippage**

Stargate Atlantis - Space.com: Vote For Your Favorite Character

From Space.com:

Who is Your Favorite Stargate Atlantis Character?



Choices include:

Abraham Ellis
Samantha Carter
Carson Beckett
Evan Lorne
Aiden Ford
Jennifer Keller
John Sheppard
Kate Heightmeyer
Katie Brown (but they have Torri Higginson's photo instead)
Chuck the Technician
Michael
Oberoth
Ronon Dex
Steven Caldwell
Teyla Emmagan
Todd
Richard Woolsey
Radek Zelenka

Burn Notice - Media Blvd. Magazine: Tricia Helfer Interview

From Media Blvd. Magazine:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



Tricia Helfer as Carla and Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen

Tricia Helfer, Battlestar Galactica’s best known “woman as machine”, Six has joined the cast of USA Network’s Burn Notice for the show’s second season. Tricia will have a recurring role as Carla, a CIA agent who was involved with burning Michael, and who now is acting as his handler. She recently took time out from filming the Galactica finale, and preparing for her multi-episode arc on Burn Notice to answer a few questions.

The second season of Burn Notice, premieres Thursday, July 10th at 10:00 p.m. on USA Network.

A brief excerpt:

Question> As an actress, how fun is it to play a duplicitous character like Carla?

Tricia> It’s a lot of fun. It’s also challenging, because you want to make sure you find the right tone and that was definitely one thing that I was concerned about going down, and that’s one place that Jeffrey really was great, because after our first take in the first scene, he’s like you have the tone. You nailed the tone. That’s exactly our show, now let’s play. I keep thinking of what Matt said is she’s serious, threatening, but with a smile, and I just try to keep thinking in that. Again, that sort of comes back to where I feel like she feels she’s sort of invincible at this point. She’s so sure of herself that she can be relaxed and a little playful, because she’s just so sure of herself. If you’re not as confident, that’s when you’re a little more wary, and if you’re super-confident about what you’re doing, or your mission, or whatever it is, you can allow yourself to relax a little bit.

Stargate Atlantis - Yahoo! TV: Season 4 DVD Featurette Video Clip

From Yahoo! TV's Stargate Atlantis site:



Stargate Atlantis - Colonel Carter (S4 DVDS) Videos

Time: 01:21

The show's creators talk about the inclusion and introduction of Colonel Carter into the Pegasus Galaxy. (Joseph Mallozzi and Martin Gero)

Brief clips from "Adrift."

Stargate Atlantis / SG1 - GateWorld: NEW Stargate Image Gallery!

From GateWorld:

(Please follow the link for the complete GateWorld article._



GateWorld launches Stargate Image Gallery

TUESDAY, JULY 8 (FANDOM)

The newest addition to the site boasts more than 200,000 photos and high-quality DVD screen captures!


A brief excerpt:

GateWorld is proud to announce the newest addition to the site, the Stargate Image Gallery! Accessible from StargateGallery.com and from the "Images" option on GateWorld's main menu, the gallery boasts more than 200,000 photos and high-quality DVD screen captures!

Each season is divided into two sections: Promotional Photos and Screen Captures. For the former, we've dug deep into GateWorld's archives to find the highest quality images we have for every episode, as well as season-by-season cast photography. Most photos from recent seasons are available in high-resolution, and (when still available) photos no longer bear the "GateWorld" logo tag.

GateWorld Stargate Image Gallery

Stargate Atlantis - Web Comics Nation: The Alien Review

From Web Comics Nation:

(Please follow the link for the full-size, high-resolution graphic.)

Stargate Atlantis - Stargate Hub: Exclusive Photos/Wallpapers

From FOX's Stargate Hub:

You must be registered with the site to be able to download the full-size, high-resolution formats of the photos and wallpapers.

Click on The Gateroom, click on Wallpapers for these NEW wallpapers from July 8 '08:



Todd the Wraith (Christopher Heyerdahl)



Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite)

Stargate Atlantis season five premieres Friday, July 11 at 10pm on the SciFi Channel.