Stargate Atlantis - 'Enemy at the Gate' 100th Episode Title

From Joseph Mallozzi's blog update for August 15, 2008:

(Please follow the link for the new SGA season five behind-the-scenes production photos in their original format AND a Joe food experimentation food video.)



Bob Picardo learns a valuable lesson: Don't change the scripted dialogue!

August 15, 2008: Production Update and The Weird Food Purchase of the Day

Apologies for the tardy post but I spent all day in the darkened catacombs of post-production amidst the trolls, troglodytes, morlocks, and editors. The light from my laptop screen! AIIIEEEEE! IT BURNS!!!

I was cutting Remnants which clocked in at an astounding +9.20! Trimming out the first four and a half minutes was no problem; losing the next four and a bit of a chore. The last twenty seconds was freaking impossible and, after going over the episode twice, I threw in the towel and decided to it pick things up Monday morning. It’s a great episode (Carl [Binder] says it’s his favorite among the three I wrote this season) with not one, not two, but three parallel storylines. The David’s are great together, Bob shows off his great comic timing, and our nefarious special guest star puts our helpless hero through some real physical and psychological torment. Even though Remnants is a perfectly appropriate title for the episode, Revelations would have worked as well. But it was already taken.



#100!

Speaking of titles - we finally got one for our 100th episode: Enemy at the Gate. Looks like it will shoot in the #19 slot, meaning we’ll wrap in Vancouver and finish shooting season five in Las Vegas. It’s 60+ pages of intergalactic fun and Marty G. [Gero] is looking to add to the page count by pitching out a certain scene that has divided the writers’ room. That’s Martin and Carl for, Paul [Mullie] and I against, and Alan [McCullough] firmly straddling the fence. Hey, I love the idea. I’m just not crazy about the timing. If the scene boards, we may compromise by shooting it anyway and deciding later whether or not it makes the final cut.

Ratings are the hot on-set topic, particularly the big 30% bump the show has been receiving from the Live+7 numbers. It’s nice to see the ratings upticking so early in the season. That’s either a good argument for a sixth season pick-up or cause for a congratulatory farewell. I guess we’ll find out in the coming months.

A reminder to finish up our Fantasy Book of the Month Club Selection, In the Night Garden: The Orphan’s Tale, because discussion begins on Monday.



Executive Producer Carl Binder aint buyin whatever you're sellin'

And finally, another HUGE thanks to author Lois McMaster Bujold for taking the time to visit with us and taking part in a veritable novella-length Q&A session.

Today’s pics: Around the production office.

Today’s video: The Weird Food Purchase of the Day = Sour Prune.



Leah and Wray show off an arm wound. Carl is impressed, Martin horrified.

Stargate Atlantis - Pop Culture Zoo: SDCC 08: ‘Stargate Atlantis’ Conversations

From Pop Culture Zoo:

(Please follow the link for the complete article. Photos at the link.)



SDCC 08: ‘Stargate Atlantis’ Conversations

By Joseph Dilworth Jr. ⋅ August 15, 2008

At this year’s San Diego Comic Con we caught up with Stargate Atlantis cast members Joe Flanigan, Robert Picardo and Jewel Staite in the press room for a brief chat.

We first spoke with Joe Flanigan (Lt. Colonel John Sheppard) who started things off by asking about the device I was recording with, my Creative Zen (look for my review of the Zen soon). He’s into gadgets and thought it was pretty cool. I asked him what he thought of the con, but he said that he just got there and was told he wasn’t allowed to go to the floor, but if he did he would buy out his own action figures. He recently received two boxes of his own action figure and one of the most satisfying things in his career so far has been to send his action figure to his friends and god-daughters. He joked that is what everyone gets from him for Christmas. “I can’t think of a more beautifully self-involved gift then to send someone your own action figure.”

I asked him if he had any idea what he was getting into when he signed up for Atlantis a few years ago. He answered, “Vaguely, not really…no. I didn’t expect it to run as long and as strong, having done a lot of TV and seeing the nature of the television industry. It’s rare when an audience comes out with so much passion. It’s doesn’t seem to happen in the television business all that often. It’s been a really nice surprise...”

Stargate Atlantis - GateWorld: New details on Atlantis's next four

From GateWorld:

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



New details on Atlantis's next four

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 (EPISODES)

GateWorld has just received brand new details on the next month's worth of new Stargate Atlantis episodes!

Beware of significant SPOILERS for "The Shrine," "Whispers," "The Queen," and "Tracker" in the report below.

GateWorld has just received brand new details on the next month's worth of new Stargate Atlantis episodes, courtesy of the SCI FI Channel! Don't miss brand new episodes every Friday at 10 p.m. (9 Central) on the cable network (with the exception of August 29, when the show takes a break for Labor Day weekend).

Here's how SCI FI describes the next four episodes of Atlantis...:

Eureka - Who IS the mysterious Mary Perkins?

S.A.R.A.H. has her own Twitter site now:



And just posted something mysterious:

Security sensors have detected an alert concerning a Mary Perkins. If you have information regarding her whereabouts, call 202-640-3864

And at the Eureka Unscripted site:

Their Aug. 15 update includes:

Oh. And if anyone has information on Mary Perkins, please call the number on the right. The Department of Defense has identified her as a “person of interest” and wants any traces of her whereabouts reported immediately.

WANTED BY THE D.O.D: MARY PERKINS

Have information on her whereabouts? Call us at: (202) 640-3864

AND...

What we CAN tell you about the back thirteen is…

Look for Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Jack Carter) and Joe Morton (Henry Deacon) to DIRECT episodes. (Colin is already up for Episode 310 which he’ll be shooting in September.) Also, look for a special episode in which Deputy Jo Lupo gets to be “Sheriff for a Day.” Too bad she picked the wrong day… And how about Eureka in the Old West? Heh. Well after exploding dogs, we have to up the ante somehow!

****

The phone number is a disconnected number in Washington, D.C.

*******

Also, according to IMDB, in the following episodes, some former SG1/SGA guest stars will be appearing:

Show Me the Mummy (airs Sept. 2)

Niall Matter (SGA's Lt. Kemp) and Zak Santiago (SG1's Evolution Parts 1 & 2)

Phased and Confused (airs Sept. 9)

Niall Matter

Here Come the Suns (airs Sept. 16)

Niall Matter, Dean Marshall (SGA's Sgt./Agt. Bates)

From Fear to Eternity (airs Sept. 23)

David Richmond-Peck (SG1's Orpheus and SGA's Harmony)

Stargate Atlantis - MGM Studios: NEW SGA - The Ghost in the Machine!

From a MGM Studios e-mail announcement:

NEW SGA - The Ghost in the Machine!

STARGATE ATLANTIS

Don't miss 'The Ghost in the Machine' Friday August 15th at 10/9C only on SciFi

Unlock the Gate

Watch Stargate Atlantis for the secret code to enter!

Stargate: Continuum

Available on DVD and Blu-Ray now!

Michael Shanks Discusses Continuum

Watch Exclusive Video Now

Stargate Atlantis - 2008 Emmy Award Nominee - Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series

Stargate Atlantis - 'Ghost in the Machine' - Alex Levine's Blog Update Aug 15 '08

From Alex Levine's SciFi.com blog update for August 15, 2008:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update.)



Alex Levine, Stargate Atlantis Script Coordinator, photo courtesy of Joe Mallozzi's blog

August 15, 2008

Ghost Stories and Fireside Chats

Carl Binder is the king of many things, among them: ghost stories, bawdy humor, and fireside chats. You see, Carl is an incredibly nice guy (unless you're a hotel security guard), and when he has big problems with a script, he prefers to let you know one-on-one instead of waiting until other writers are around to witness the carnage. I've experienced this myself. First, you hear the gentle footsteps, and
moments later he appears at your door, script in hand, an expression on his face that says, without even a word uttered, "I hate to disappoint you, but..." And then he sits down and explains, directly but not unkindly, how your script is structurally problematic and how all the voices are off. The problem is, he's right 99% of the time, and you'd be a fool not to strongly consider every one of his notes.
Many times I've walked down the hall to see Carl engaged in one of his fireside chats with a junior writer. The look on their face a mixture of discomfort and politeness, sort of like meeting the president when you're really constipated. I guess Carl adopted the fireside chat format after listening to FDR on the radio in the 30's...



Carl Binder - photo courtesy of Joseph Mallozzi's blog

Stargate: Continuum - Video: Red Carpet Premiere

Courtesy of the SciFi Channel's SciFi Wire and HULU, Stargate: Continuum.

SCI FI Wire

Video |05:53 |

SCI FI Wire talks to the cast and filmmakers of "Stargate: Continuum" at San Diego Comic-Con 2008.

[Interviews with Ben Browder, Michael Shanks, Cliff Simon, Brad Wright, Martin Wood, Richard Dean Anderson, Beau Bridges, Jewel Staite and Robert Picardo. Also includes very brief clips from the Stargate: Continuum movie. Interview segments have excellent audio quality (no background noise).]

Sanctuary - Amanda Tapping at Sci Fi Night - St. Petersburg, FL - Aug. 30 '08

From the UberSciFiGeek Blog:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update.)



Tampa Bay Rays Welcome "Sanctuary" to Tropicana Field

August 15, 2008

As a continuation of fun community events that they have been hosting this year, on August 30th the Tampa Bay Rays are welcoming Amanda Tapping, Damian Kindler and Robin Dunne of the new Sci Fi Channel series Sanctuary to Tropicana Field. Amanda, Damian and Robin will be signing autographs and meeting with fans from 2:00-3:00 PM. Anyone interested in meeting them can line up near the escalators at Gate 1 as soon as the front gates open at 1:50 PM. After the signing, Amanda, Damian and Robin will also be throwing out the first pitch of the game around 3:50 PM. After the game, the band "We the Kings" will be performing a concert, but first the Rays' very own Rusty will be talking to Amanda, Damian and Robin about the upcoming season of Sanctuary.

Stargate Atlantis - The Sun: James Bamford Video Interview

At The Sun (UK):



James Bamford


Stuntman from Stargate's demo

By ONLINE REPORTER

Published: 15 Aug 2008

THE MAN in charge of stunts on the set of on Stargate: Atlantis has demonstrated how to perform an action-packed fight scene.

In a video exclusive to The Sun, stunt co-ordinator James Bamford showed how Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa) carried out his fight scenes and explained how other stunts worked on the SG-1 spin-off series.

He also said the set’s metal wall had been dented by stuntmen on the show bashing into it so forcefully.

Watch the interview with James (at the site). Two mins 7 secs in length.



Stuntman Adrian Hind and James Bamford

Stargate Atlantis - GateWorld: Michelle Morgan (Fran) Audio Interview

At GateWorld:



Soul of the Machine

GateWorld talks with Michelle Morgan

The fourth season of Stargate Atlantis capped off a major story arc with "Be All My Sins Remember'd," an episode full of drama, villains, and fantastic space battles. But it also had something fans never saw coming: a captivating (if short-lived) new character, Fran. Actress Michelle Morgan helped to make that character compelling and memorable. Now, she returns to Atlantis for "Ghost In the Machine."

GateWorld caught up with Michelle on the set of the episode! In our interview, she talks about the role she was originally cast for (but had to back out), her introduction to Fran and the mythology of the Replicators, and the very unique challenges of playing Elizabeth Weir in this episode. She also answers the question, "Does Fran have a soul?"

GateWorld's interview with Michelle runs about 16 minutes. Listen online at your leisure, download it to your MP3 player, or subscribe to the iTunes podcast! The full interview is also transcribed {at the site].

Tricia Helfer: Amazon: Exclusive Video Interview

At Amazon.com:

(Please follow the link for the video interview.)



Exclusive Interview with Tricia Helfer

Tricia Helfer talks with Amazon.com editor Stephanie Reid-Simons about the final season of "Battlestar Galactica" and her new show, "Burn Notice."

(Video is 2 mins 15 secs in length.)

Wallace & Gromit - Video: The Tellyscope

Courtesy of HULU, Wallace & Gromit's 'The Tellyscope.'

Wallace & Gromit: Cracking Contraptions

Short Film |02:01 |

Wallace conjures up a new way to change TV channels, saving Gromit the effort, but the results aren't as good as Wallace might hope.

Stargate SG-1 / Atlantis - Guardian (UK): Tapping into the zeitgeist

From the Guardian (UK):

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



Tapping into the zeitgeist

Stargate's Amanda Tapping is a big fan of ... yes, you guessed it – Apple's stunningly popular iPhone

Stuart O'Connor

Friday August 15 2008

What's the most expensive piece of technology you've ever owned?

AT: "My car, an Audi S4. Oh, here's my other favourite piece of technology – Bluetooth, because I can synch this phone to my car and when my phone rings it comes through my speakers and I push this little button in my steering wheel and talk. I don't have to pick up a phone or touch anything, it's completely hands-free. My car is not really a vehicle to get me from A to B, it's just a really big telephone..."

Amanda Tapping plays Colonel Samantha Carter in Stargate: Continuum, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday (in the UK).

Journeyman - Video: 'Friendly Skies'

Courtesy of HULU, Journeyman's 'Friendly Skies,' starring Kevin McKidd, Gretchen Egolf, Moon Bloodgood, Reed Diamond, Brian Howe and Charles Henry Wyson. Guest stars include Annie Wersching, Jessica Chastain, Keith Sellon-Wright and Patrick St. Esprit.

Dan and Katie's marriage gets pushed to the side a bit as Dan travels back to the 70's, 80's and 90's tracking a young woman, Tanna Bloom.

The Colbert Report - Video: July 29 '08 Episode

Courtesy of The Comedy Channel and HULU, The Colbert Report's July 29 '08 episode.

Stephen welcomes Eric Roston, author of "The Carbon Age: How Life's Core Element Has Become Civilization's Greatest Threat."