Thursday, March 23, 2006 (Con't)Carole places Darren and me in a holding pattern in front of the office workers, a team of script coordinators and writer/producer facilitators who are buzzing around the room like bees. I hear the word "Goldsmith" mentioned, indicating someone may be on the phone with Joel or his assistant.
Before we know it, Ben Browder comes around the corner. We stand to greet him and are very happy to have a chance to chat with him again. Unfortunately we won't get the chance to interview Browder during the week, but we will get to chat more with him tomorrow.
Next up, the man himself, Mr. Brad Wright. I have never been inside Brad's office. It's about the same size as Rob's, and is full of neat things, from an enormous HDTV to a row of the
loveliest panoramas from various sets from over the years (including the
Beliskner from
"Nemesis," and I believe
Togar's laboratory from
"Urgo."). Brad gives us a huge portion of his time. Sitting with him really is like a kid sitting in a candy store. Eating candy.
"I do know that on our show for the last couple of years we've had to renegotiate every year, and that is very difficult from our perspective," Wright says. "We don't know: a) whether we're going to get a network pick-up; b) how much money we're going to get to make the show. And all of those things are contingent on the cast deals that we make. Which comes first, right? So it's been difficult the last couple of years."
Next stop, Stage 5. Stargate Command. The lights are set on Beau Bridges and Peter Flemming (
Agent Malcolm Barrett), who are entering an elevator in the tunnel corridor. Darren and I wait with Carole in the control room and get a chance to thoroughly look over the equipment. While examining the star map it occurs to me to write all of the addresses down for later inclusion in the
Omnipedia, but I remind myself that it can't be so unless it's specifically been seen in the view of the camera.
"Can I go out there," I ask Carole, pointing to the Gate room. She nods, and Darren follows me out the right stairway.
If you've been to the sets, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that the Stargate is bigger than you think it is. Well, have you seen it when the only light in the room is a green screen from behind? It's bigger. I somehow get it in my head that after the inner track there is no more Stargate. In fact there's a two to three inch rim that marks the inside of it, and this makes the Gate look much, much fatter when you're only seeing its silhouette. Even thicker than the shot from
"Singularity."Two long floor mats have been placed on the ramp, for reasons which still elude me (perhaps for the cameras), and as I said before, a green screen has replaced the back wall of the Gate room. This is the first time we've been around the object when it hasn't been near some form of action, so we are really allowed to take in the moment, albeit in mostly blackness. Darren and I go from one end of the ramp to the other for a good five minutes, relishing in the experience of being with the ultimate symbol of the franchise once again. One of us, I won't say which one, reenacts Daniel's first experience with the
event horizon.
Soon Beau has a spare minute, and he sets himself down in his own chair in the control room. Peter Flemming sits near by, listening to his iPod, while Bridges and I chat. Now here is a man who could potentially say certain things to me that would make me wet my bridges -- I mean britches.
Beau Bridges has an aura about him. While I ask him my questions his eyes remain locked on mine. His expression doesn't change. I feel like his hands are reaching behind my eyeballs and into the back of my head, pulling me toward him. I cannot
imagine what it would be like to act in a scene with him. Dylan Bridges is my age, so I can't help but think that he's looking at me like he would anyone his son's age. But when he speaks, he's unexpectedly gentle and treats me like I know my stuff.
"It's [a familiar nemesis] again," Beau says about the episode currently filming. "Insiders" features the return of a wonderful enemy. "He's giving us a bad time. In fact, there's more than just one of him. And I also have the
N.I.D. to deal with. Barrett is back again, giving me a problem, like he always does. He's lurking very close to me right now, as we speak." Beau and I stare at Peter Flemming, who continues to bob his head while in his own little world, and he eventually sees we're watching him. It's quite funny.
We spend some time waiting for Beau's breaks, and the afternoon wanes. But we make our way out into the trailers for some time with Rachel Lutrell. A lot of folks, as I did, put the emphasis on the TRELL. But it's actually the LUT that gets the emphasis.
Back to the scene. Inside Rachel's trailer her dog, Nala, naps in her bed underneath Rachel's table. Darren leads this particular interview. He is quite taken with her, as I first was in my telephone interview with her. I notice a portable shoe rack, suspended in the corner, holding pairs of both Rachel and Teyla's shoes.
"I was taking the time to visit with my family and my friends," Rachel says about her hiatus time, "because I'm up in Vancouver alone. Obviously I have new family but I don't get an opportunity to really be with my family. And they, like Teyla, are a huge part of my life and who I am. So yeah, I did a lot of traveling and spent a lot of time with loved ones. Yeah, that was pretty much my focus."
Rachel gives us both hugs before we depart for the production office. We're about to have a chance to sit down for our first full interview with Miss Claudia Black.
Not being a
Farscape watcher I cannot appreciate the experience like Darren does. As far as my experience with Claudia, I've known her as Vala and as Shazza in "Pitch Black," one of my all-time favorite monster movies. "Why did Shazza have to die so early," I complain to Claudia.
She replies flatly. "I know, she didn't stay down."
If you saw it, you get it.
"I would never expect anyone to be a fan of anything I've done," she says. "And the fact that people have crossed over and started to [tune] in to
Stargate is fantastic. And I really appreciate the fact that, from what I've heard from people, that they recognize how different the characters are. And I'm glad I'm able to do something different for them."
Not only is Darren a huge
Farscape fan, but he's a huge Claudia fan. It was amusing to watch him. I think he lit up for her like no other interviewee ... Well, maybe Amanda Tapping ...
and Andee Frizzell.
Another of GateWorld's buddies, stunt coordinator James Bamford, is putsing outside the room we have taken over. We say goodbye to Martin Wood and his family and chat with BAMBAM for a few minutes. He is getting ready to practice for the following evening's stunt performance at Creation's convention. We see Ben Browder pass through again before Carole escorts us to the front gate. We grab a taxi and head back to the hotel for the convention's early registration.
To Be Continued ...
There are many certainties in my life. Here is Number 2:
When I travel to Vancouver, Don S. Davis will be in LA.
When I travel to LA, Don S. Davis will be in Vancouver.
David has been a member of GateWorld since early 2003. His interests
include Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, writing, and
multimedia. He is a DJ at a hometown radio station.
Sweet!!!! Thank you for sharing!
Cool, thanks for sharing, David.
David - thanks for sharing these set diaries with us.
I'm really enjoying your set diaries. Speaking of Ben Browder, I remember you said that you'd tell us about your experience interviewing him. I hope you're still planning on doing that because I've been very curious to hear what you had to say about it.
David, Thanks for publishing your experiences behind the scenes. I love it. I want more.
My certainty. I will never be introduced to RDA no matter how close I stand to him in Vancouver, but I expect to run into him on a Chicago sidewalk someday.
We will both say, "Excuse me." and go our seperate ways. A block later, I'll shreak and bang my head against a lightpole.
Hats