Battlestar Galactica - Los Angeles Times: Visual effects with Gary Hutzel

At the Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA):

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'Battlestar Galactica' countdown: Visual effects with Gary Hutzel

Jan 15 2009

by Jevon Phillips

The review has already been written for "Battlestar Galactica," and we have only a day left until we find out the answers to many questions, and are probably presented with many more. Over at Hero Complex, an exclusive photo of Katee Sackoff and some fans was posted today, and the site is gearing up for a major scoop tomorrow night.

It's been said that the show is a multi-layered drama -- like "The Sopranos" or "Mad Men" -- that just happens to be a science-fiction program. Well, that "happens to be" is probably a huge draw to many who swear by the genre. And usually, like music scores and sound, a major part of sci-fi shows is the tone that the visual effects help set. That's where visual effects supervisor Gary Hutzel comes in.

We were able to have a chat with him about the show, and how it stacked up against his former employers in the "Star Trek" family. Effects guys sometimes have some long answers!

A brief excerpt:

So, you're pretty seemlessly going from "Battlestar" to "Caprica." Was it just as easy to go from "Next Generation" to "Deep Space Nine?"

Leaving ["Star Trek: The Next Generation"] to go to ["Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"] was basically trading up! It was an opportunity to work with new elements. Honestly, by the end of "Deep Space Nine," I was finished with "Star Trek." I wasn't interested in "Voyager" or any of the other spinoffs because it was such a formulaic show. It was clear that it was not going to get better. They wanted it cheaper, they just didn't want a lot to change.

On "Galactica," I could go nuts! I can work with the directors, editors, writers ... "Star Trek," that was not allowed. You couldn't really do anything independent of what the producers ordered. But here, it's wide open.

Sanctuary - Video: Season Two Sneak Peek

Courtesy of the SciFi Channel and HULU:

Sanctuary - Sneak Peek - Season 2

Sneak Peek|00:10|

Take a sneak peek at season 2 of the SCI FI Original Series "Sanctuary".

Battlestar Galactica - SciFi Wire: Battlestar Stars Remember Their Favorite Moments

At SciFi Wire:

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Battlestar Stars Remember Their Favorite Moments

By Kathie Huddleston - ON 01/16/09

Some moments stick with you forever. Big moments, like when we learned Boomer was a Cylon or when the Cylons invaded New Caprica and descended upon what was left of the unprepared human race. And small moments, such as when Roslin called Adama because she didn't want to get out of bed and they playfully chatted. So many moments that together make up all that SCI FI's Battlestar Galactica has come to mean to those of us who have followed this astonishing journey.

As the show begins its final 10 episodes on Friday, Jan. 16, at 10 p.m., we talked to the cast to find out what their most profound memories of the groundbreaking series were.

A brief excerpt:



Michael Hogan (Saul Tigh)

He lost an eye while being tortured by the Cylons, killed his wife for collaborating with them, and then, horror of horrors, discovered he was one of them.

"The whole cast was there because we were burying the soldiers. It was the funeral," says Hogan. "Adama talks about how we have to be responsible for the things that we have done and at the end of that, we didn't really know each other any of the cast members, and didn't really know what to expect, especially as far acting, because this was first day of principal photography.

"Adama finishes this speech and then says, 'So say we all,' and I guess we sort of mumbled, 'So say we all.' Eddie [Olmos] kind of looked at all of us and said it again, 'So say we all.' Well, we weren't ready for that so we said, 'So say we all.' And he looked at us and said, 'SO SAY WE ALL.' And he got us all going and it was a chilling, chilling time. It was like, 'Whoa,' and by the end of it the whole room, the hundreds of us are just yelling, "SO SAY WE ALL!" And that wasn't in the script. When that was over you were kind of, 'Whoa boy, we're in for a ride now,' because Eddie just kind of looked at people and said, 'Come on. Let's go. Let's get onboard here. ...' Eddie definitely did take a leadership role right from day one and continued all the way through to the end."

Caprica - The Deadbolt: Cast Interview

At The Deadbolt:

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Back in Time with the Crew of Caprica

By Jordan Riefe

Now that Battlestar Galactica is counting down the end of its run, and with the Television Critics Association press events once again in full swing for 2009, we're looking ahead to a passing of the Galactica torch when the upcoming Battlestar spin-off, Caprica, hits the airwaves in the not-too-distant future. As creator Ronald Moore has revealed, Caprica takes place 51 years prior to the setting of the current Battlestar Galactica and centers around two rival families - the Graystones and the Adamas - that will determine the fate of the 12 Colonies.

Since Caprica still doesn’t have a confirmed air date on SCI FI, we're revisiting our time spent at the 2008 TCAs and the Caprica panel as we get set to say good-bye to BSG. But with Galactica picking up steam toward its final 10 episode run and the end of a fantastic era of revamped sci-fi, we know there's going to be a huge void once the doors close on BSG forever.

Back in July we were on hand at the TCAs where Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore sat down with producer David Eick and writer Remi Aubuchon to catch the press up to speed on Caprica. Although the panel also featured a few of the cast members, we've also included the panel additions of Caprica actors Eric Stolz and Paula Malcolmson.



Paula Malcolmson and Eric Stoltz

For those looking to a future beyond Battlestar Galactica, here's a look at the questions and what went down in July at the Caprica panel while we were there, which is still relevant today since there's no word on the Caprica premiere.

... How often in Caprica will there be reference sort of to the world of Battlestar Galactica? Will we be seeing, like, Gaeta's grandfather ...

MOORE: I don't think so. I'd like to hope that we probably don't do that.

STOLTZ: We say no now.

MOORE: We say no now. It might be one of those things you just can't resist, but I think the plan is not to really do that. We kind of felt ...

AUBUCHON: I think we made a pretty conscious decision to only make the Adamas the only touchstone to that, I think.

MOORE: Yeah.

AUBUCHON: It's also a whole different world. I mean the 12 planets in Caprica - I don't think I'm giving too much away - are not united in - at all. Each planet has its own government, each - in fact, we're calling this the - there's a prime minister on Caprica now, and there will be a lot of -- part of the plotting will be the conflict between the 12 Colonies.

MOORE: Yeah.

AUBUCHON: So it's a very different world.

MOORE: Because presumably, all the people in Battlestar, most of the people came from sort of a federalized universe where all 12 colonies -- it was one president. There's no equivalent to Laura Roslin in Caprica, a president who serves all of the people of the 12 Colonies. At this point in the story, they're all disparate and they're - they war against each other periodically ...

Stargate: Universe - TV Guide Online: Justin Louis & Jamil Walker Smith Cast

At TV Guide Online:

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Casting Exclusive: More Faces Enter Stargate Universe

Jan 15, 2009 - by Matt Mitovich



Justin Louis

The new Stargate's universe is expanding. On the heels of the announcement that Trainspotting's Robert Carlye will front the new Sci Fi Channel series (playing Dr. Nicholas Rush), TVGuide.com has learned exclusively that Justin Louis and Jamil Walker Smith have joined the nascent cast.

Louis (Hidden Hills) will play Colonel Everett Young, an experienced and married Stargate team leader, while Smith (Hey, Arnold!) will portray Sr. Sgt. Ronald Greer, a Marine with an explosive temper...and a mysterious past to account for it ...



Jamil Walker Smith

Stargate: Universe - Entertainment Weekly Online: David Blue cast in Stargate: Universe

At Entertainment Weekly Online's Ausiello Files:

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Exclusive: 'Stargate' snags Marc's 'Ugly Betty" BF

Jan 15, 2009, 08:50 PM | by Michael Ausiello

This certainly puts the kibosh on a possible Marc-Cliff reunion on Ugly Betty: Cliff's portrayer, David Blue, is relocating to another freakin' universe.

Sources confirm to me exclusively that Blue has been tapped to join the cast of Sci Fi Channel's Stargate Universe, the franchise's third (and purportedly edgiest) live-action series.

Blue, who joins previously announced headliner Robert Carlyle, plays Eli Wallace, a total slacker who just happens to be an utter genius with anything he puts his mind to -- mathematics, computers, video games. A lack confidence has left him with an acerbic sense of humor ...

Stargate: Universe - GateWorld: Stargate Universe will premiere this fall

At GateWorld:

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Stargate Universe will premiere this fall

Thursday, January 15 (GENERAL)

The SCI FI Channel has bumped the new series premiere from summer to fall.

Stargate: Universe - GateWorld: Brian J. Smith cast in Stargate Universe

At GateWorld:

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Brian J. Smith cast in Stargate Universe

Thursday, January 15 (ACTORS)

EXCLUSIVE: Actor Brian J. Smith has been cast as Lt. Matthew Scott in SCI FI's upcoming series Stargate Universe.

Sanctuary - Geek Syndicate: Amanda Tapping Audio Interview

At Geek Syndicate:



Geek Syndicate - Episode 104 with Amanda Tapping

Posted by geeksyndicate on January 15, 2009

In our first episode of the new year we chat about the stupidity of science when it comes to dinosaurs and the new Judge Dredd movie.

In this week’s Week that was we have a bucket load of reviews and other cool titbits for you.

In our main feature the lovely Amanda Tapping of Stargate fame comes onto the show to chat about her latest project, the hit show Sanctuary. We find out about the show’s journey, from it’s roots on the internet right up to the first season which has just ended it’s run. There are some behind the scene insights on the cast and the way the show is developed. Amanda reveals what it feels like working on a show that is so heavily reliant on green screen work.

We were also able to tease some hints n what we can expect from the second season of Sanctuary.

Download link

[NOTE: Amanda's interview begins at the 47:46 mark.]

Stargate: Universe - GateWorld: New details on Universe’s supporting characters

At GateWorld:

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New details on Universe’s supporting characters

Thursday, January 15 (GENERAL)

New details have emerged on the background and supporting characters in the premiere episode of Stargate Universe.

Stargate: Universe, starring Robert Carlyle, is tentatively scheduled to premiere summer 2009 on the SciFi Channel (US).

Galactica 1980 - Video: 'Conquest of the Earth'

Courtesy of HULU, Galactica 1980's 'Conquest of the Earth,' starring Lorne Greene, Kent McCord, Barry Van Dyke, Robyn Douglass, Robbie Rist, Richard Lynch, Patrick Stuart and John Colicos. Guest stars include Sharon Acker, Robert Reed, Pamela Susan Shoop and Christopher Stone.



Galactica 1980 - Conquest of the Earth

Season 1 : Ep. 1|1:38:39|

Far out in space, the ship Battlestar Galactica has at last found its long-sought haven -- Earth. Unfortunately, not far behind are their mortal enemies, the Cylons, who are determined to wipe out every Earthling in the Galaxy.

Stargate Atlantis / SG-1 - TV Guide Online: The 15 Sexiest Sci-Fi Stars

At TV Guide Online:

The 15 Sexiest Sci-Fi Stars

Celebrate the return of Supernatural and Smallville with Jared, Jensen and more sci-fi eye candy.



# 11 Ben Browder - Stargate SG-1 / Farscape



# 8 Joe Flanigan - Stargate Atlantis

Sliders - Video: 'Last Days'

Courtesy of HULU, Sliders' 'Last Days,' starring Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks and John Rhys-Davies. Guest stars include Jennifer Hetrick, Jason Gaffney, George Touliatos, Gerry Nairn and Malcolm Stewart.

The sliders must find a solution amid the chaos when they land on an Earth in jeopardy of being destroyed by a meteor.

Battlestar Galactica - SciFi Wire: Jamie Bamber Interview

At SciFi Channel's SciFi Wire:

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Jamie Bamber looks at the beginning of the end of Battlestar Galactica

By Ian Spelling - ON 01/15/09

When last seen in "Revelations," the midseason finale of Battlestar Galactica's fourth and final year, Lee "Apollo" Adama (Jamie Bamber) was as crestfallen as everyone else to discover that the Earth they'd long sought to find appeared to be a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

On Jan. 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with the episode "Sometimes a Great Notion," the SCI FI Channel's award-winning SF series will pick up where "Revelations" left off.

Bamber finished work on Battlestar Galactica several months ago and has already moved on. In fact, the British actor has been busy filming an upcoming U.K. version of the American series Law & Order. In an exclusive interview, Bamber reflected on Apollo's evolution and how the character's experiences have dovetailed with those of the audience. The followed are edited excerpts of the interview.

A brief excerpt:

You've played Lee Adama since the miniseries. Who was he when we first met him, and who is he now, as we near the end of the show?

Bamber: At the beginning, he was a lost boy whose family life had scarred him, and he was bitter and angry and in search of an outlet and a meaning for his own life. And there's also the perceived responsibility of his brother's death. He hadn't really sorted out his family situation yet.

And by the end?

Bamber: And by the end, he is an individual, a man who has experienced a great deal, who knows himself and knows those around him. Through this endless chase of being persecuted and followed by the Cylons, humans have sort of shared Lee's journey, and they've been forced to examine themselves through this creation and desperate flight from this scary "other." And by the end they have come to some sort of understanding that the other is just a part of themselves, and that they're responsible for their own journey ...