GateWorld: Could it have affected the quality of either show at all? Maybe?
N. John Smith: Oh, totally. It may have affected it a bit, but the shows were getting good ratings then. Both of them were. So, how it affected it I don’t know. And it was tough on the writers. And unbelievable because again they had to tailor the scripts around. We’ve got a set coming up with a village so we need a renovation on the village [set]. But, you know, I’ve got an episode of Atlantis coming up that is all in the effects stage. And they are both the same places. So you can’t build them there, and you can’t shoot at the same time.
We were always figuring out different ways to do things. The collaboration between writing and production and the physical aspect of the construction crew and the painting crew. Choreographing what they had to do and then having it finished enough in time so the lighting guys could go in with the director of photography and light the set. So when we walked in to shoot for 12 hours it was all ready to go. So it was a deal.
The years went by quick. I can’t honestly say that I ever went home. I’ve never ever had to set an alarm clock to get up in the morning. It was never about that. It was always about “its fun to go to work.” It was a great, great experience and I have to say probably one of the best production experiences anybody could ever have. I don’t think anybody has ever done two at once like that in that type of show. Small projects but not big ones.
GW: As a producer, in your years doing it, what would make you happiest on set? Was it the synergy and things working together the way they should?
NJS: Oh, totally! And seeing when you read a script — you envision as you read it. This is going to look like this, and this is going to look like that. And when you actually see the finished production on the air. Seeing an actor like Rick come in and read the thing four or five times, four or five different ways, give it to the director, and then smoke a different one in there and that’s the one that was used at the end of it. Just watching that kind of talent and understanding, “OK, that’s why Richard Dean Anderson is Richard Dean Anderson. That’s why Amanda Tapping is Amanda Tapping.” They had an instinct. I’m sure it was translated on film or tape. Because, you actually can read that. If actors aren’t getting along. I can watch a movie and know those two actors don’t like each other at all. There is a jealousy thing going on there.
With SG-1, it was there at the very beginning. Everyone kind of felt each other out, but then it all came together. It was wonderful. Seeing that whole thing. Atlantis was the same. Atlantis, the first year or two everybody is kind of figuring out where they are going to be. What the character is going to be. The writers are trying to figure out if this actor can deal with the script the way I’m writing it. Is his acting credentials going to be able to pull this off? So, after a year or so, you get that all happening. You know that you can write a bit of comedy for this guy, you can’t for this guy. And putting that all together, and then seeing the final project. You know, you are reading the script eight months beforehand and then there’s the finished product. It’s like ‘Ah, that’s cool.” So that was always interesting.
GW: Has the role of producer changed at all as technology in the industry has aged and grown? Like responsibilities that are there now that didn’t exist 20 years ago?
NJS: 20 years ago in Vancouver, there was not the availability of stuff that you need to make a television series. Now, there is lots of gear, there’s lots of cameras. There’s competitiveness. There’s different styles of cameras. Yeah, you have to keep updated.
The technology and the film, with lights and cameras, with everything is changing rapidly. So, you have to do a certain amount of research and keep up with that type of stuff. Stargate has always been on the cutting edge. We shot HD [high-definition] before any other shows in the Vancouver area. There was one company back east that was shooting it before us. We have always tried to be on the edge of the new stuff.
GW: When MGM gets back on its feet, maybe we’ll get some [more Stargate on] Blu-ray.
NJS: MGM has been terrific over the years. It’s been a wonderful company to work with. They have been really, really good.
GW: The economy has affected everything in North America last year and TV/movie productions are no different. What’s your outlook on the future? Are we on the upside/upswing of the slump that hit?
NJS: Well the slump — the problem in Canada of course is, we shoot our television shows and they are budgeted in U.S. dollars. And the U.S. Dollar-Canadian Dollar … there was up to a 50% difference. So for every million dollars in the U.S. spent, that was two million dollars Canadian. Now it isn’t like that … it is almost par. So it becomes very difficult. Our production costs go up every year,
but the audience is about the same. So you have to try and figure out more ways — there is more than one way to skin the cat. So you have to figure out more economical ways to shoot the same product or make the product different. That’s what everybody is up against. That is a timeless thing with production. Whether it is television or feature films. It’s been like that since the beginning.
GW: Finally, you’ve spent so many years in this franchise and have had a hand in so many different aspects of it. What message would you give to fans who are thankful for the work that you put into it and your efforts over the years to make the franchise as a whole as great as it is?
NJS: For us as production — if the show is successful — we need people watching it and buying the products like the TV movies and things like that. Then the show will go on. But as soon as the audience drops off, the ratings drops off and it becomes economically not feasible to do the project. There won’t be the project.
It is about as simple as that. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen for a long time. We’ve set some records in longevity already and hope to continue on with them.
Interview by Chad Colvin
Transcription by Avi Zisook
I actually thought the SG-1/Atlantis back-to-back years were really fantastic. I loved Atlantis, but I felt it dropped off a lot when it had to stand on it’s own. The cross-overs between the two series’ were great. It’ll always be my fondest memories of Stargate. SG-1, followed by Atlantis. One awesome night.
Thanks for the interview. It’s interesting to hear from those who are so influential in producing the shows we love, but who keep a fairly low profile.
Interesting statement that SGU cost twice what Sanctuary did. That was the first season I’m assuming?
nice interview! i especially loved what he said about amanda and rick. :)
also interesting that he didn’t directly answer your question about the future of the franchise… :o :/
YAY! ^_^ I m happy
Well, no wonder that SyFy took Sanctuary over SGU, with similar ratings, Sanctuary must be much cheaper, what with SGU’s budget being twice what Sanctuary spends.
What’s really interesting is that the talk of budgets mentioned that the budget was defined in US dollars. That means that through the lifetime of SG1, the amount that could be gotten for the budget would have gone from a ratio of like 1.8:1 to around 1:1. And even with SGA it would have probably gone from 1.3 or so to 1:1. This means SGU would have been much, much more expensive from the beginning. So it’s ratings would have had to have been much better to be kept around since it didn’t have an established fanbase. I don’t know… Read more »
Thanks for this intervieuw. I think John Smith is a very nice man. I loved the intervieuw, and how he spoke about Rick and Amanda.I wish him all the best in what he is going to do now and that he now can enjoy his private life more as well.It looks likes that all from Stargate falls apart and even the magazine just ended wich is very sad. Looks like we loose it all.Well thats my personal feeling about it.Will it all be gone soon or do we get more of Stargate.I hope so. I also think that in this… Read more »