With this issue of the Briefing Room we’re happy — ecstatic, actually — to introduce GateWorld’s newest writers!
Livi Dolgin and
Sharon Fetter have jumped into the deep end as our first official staff writers, giving the editors a much-needed respite from some of the day-in and day-out copy creation.
You’ve already seen their work summarizing and reviewing the latest episodes of SG-1 and Atlantis. Starting this week, they will also be contributing news stories to the site.
Have a news tip we haven’t reported on yet? Why, off to the News Reporter with you!
Amanda Tapping (“Samantha Carter”) told fans in a live online chat with The Amanda Tapping Club that she will not be in all 20 episodes of Stargate SG-1 for Season Ten. She did confirm that she will make crossover appearances on Atlantis. “I don’t know what is in store for Season Ten,” Tapping said. “I know that I won’t be in all 20 episodes of SG-1. I do also know that I will be doing some crossover episodes in Atlantis. So, again, I don’t know for sure how many of each I will be in, but the majority will be SG-1.”
Fans who have purchased the intial Region 1 DVD release of Stargate SG-1 Season Eight have only a few days left to get the full-length version of “Threads!” The first sets released last fall included the standard, 44-minute version rather than the extended 64-minute cut. Visit CheckMyRebate.com for all the details. Your mail-in portion must be postmarked by Tuesday, January 31! Fans who recently purchased the boxed set report to GateWorld that it now includes the full-length version, so check your copy before sending away for the exchange.
New motion control technology was used for the multiple SG-1 characters on screen in last week’s “Ripple Effect.” The film crew used the state of the art Mo-Sys fitted on to the crew’s own cameras. The camera pans the set with the actor in one location. For the next pass the computer would pan the set exactly the same to find where the actor would be in the next position. This process was repeated as many times as necessary to provide the number of duplicated characters. System renter Kontrol Freax describes the Mo-Sys as being a “frame-accurate, multi-pass motion control” system which is affordable, portable, flexible, lightweight, and easy to use. It seems the convergence of multiple teams was as much a challenge for the plot as for the technical aspects.
Paul Mullie, SG-1 co-executive producer and writer, revealed a bit of trivia to SciFi.com blogger Alex Levine. The actor who played Ben Browder’s (“Cameron Mitchell”) father in “Collateral Damage” was actually younger than Ben Browder! Learn more about recent episodes at Alex’s blog.
Joe Flanigan (“John Sheppard”) gave an interview to UGO, in which he talks about his character’s development in Season Two and the upcoming third season of Stargate Atlantis. Flanigan sees Sheppard weighed down with responsibilities, but basically as an optimist. While Flanigan wrote the story for “Epiphany,” he says writer and executive producer Brad Wright came up with the accelerated time twist. He hopes to contribute to more episodes in the future. The New Yorker in its January 23 issue discussed science fiction as a genre, and The SCI FI Channel’s Friday night line up. Nancy Franklin’s article suggests that science fiction is more than just a genre, but a whole area of ‘What-if’ shows. The SCI FI Channel, of course, is dedicated to ‘What-if’ shows. She dismisses Stargate with the statement: “While the two ‘Stargates‘ are essentially adventure series (they double as employment schemes for the very attractive) …” The author then shifts to Battlestar Galactica for the rest of the piece. Will hyperdrive technology soon be a reality? Scientists working with NASA hope to test a real-life hyperspace engine in as little as five years, they say, based on a controversial theory about the fabric of the universe. Read more at Scotsman.com. ACTOR WATCH
“Swarmed,” a bug movie starring SG-1‘s Michael Shanks (“Daniel Jackson”), makes its television premiere on The SCI FI Channel this Saturday, January 28! The movie airs at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific, and co-stars Carol Alt. Actor Gary Jones (“Walter Harriman”) has relaunched his official Web site, now at Gary-Jones.net! (The site was designed by GateWorld’s own graphic designer, Gilles Nuytens.) “Ice Men,” starring David Hewlett (“Rodney McKay”), is now available on DVD. “Ice Men” delves into the fragile bonds of male friendship, where each man learns more about himself and the men they once considered their friends and brothers. It also features Martin Cummins (“Aden Corso”), Ian Tracey (“Smith” in “Prometheus”), and Brandy Ledford (guest starring with Hewlett in the upcoming Atlantis episode “Inferno”). Read more at The Hollywood News. Proud Papas Michael Shanks and Christopher Judge (“Teal’c”) were on Urban Rush on January 11. The two actors brought their children. Chris Judge held daughter Chloe. Michael Shanks sat with daughter Tatiana. The Canadian talk show featured a Stargate SG-1 behind the scenes episode. Screen captures from the show can be found at Michael Shanks Online!
If you liked Neil Jackson (“Khalek”) in the episode “Prototype,” this June you can see more of him on SPIKE TV’s new series, Blade. IF Magazine reports that the adaptation of the Wesley Snipes film trilogy about vampires trying to take over the world will feature Neil Jackson in an action/adventure story with plenty of special effects. Actor Cameron Bright, who guest starred as Orlin in Season Nine’s “The Fourth Horseman,” has been cast as “Leech” in the upcoming third installment of the “X-Men” film franchise. Mitch Pileggi (“Steven Caldwell”) guest starred in the January 19 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Pileggi played Harry Desmond in the episode “Daddy’s Little Girl.” Cable channel Encore Westerns will air classic TV western series including Cimmaron Strip, showcasing SG-1 Beau Bridges (“Hank Landry”). The entire 23-episode run of the series will be aired. Each episode was 90 minutes, but on Encore Westerns it will be shown in 70 minutes without commercials. The series originally aired for one season in 1967 on CBS. CONVENTIONS
Confirmed guests to the official Vancouver Stargate convention currently include: Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Joe Flanigan, Beau Bridges, Gary Jones, Cliff Simon (“Baal”), JR Bourne (“Martouf”), James Bamford (stunt coordinator), Martin Gero (writer), N. John Smith (executive producer), and William Christensen (Avatar Press). The convention will be held March 24 to 26. Learn more at Creation’s official Web site! Chris Judge and Michael Shanks will represent Stargate at Collectormania in Manchester, U.K., February 11 and 12. Rachel Luttrell is scheduled to appear at “Stargate Con 06” in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia. She is confirmed for October 28 and 29, 2006. Friends of Scifi are hosting the event.
Erin Chambers (“Sora”) has joined the line-up for Wolf Events’ Battlestar Atlantia event in Germany, January 27 to 29. Rainbow Sun Francks (“Aiden Ford”) and Battlestar Galactica‘s Aaron Douglas (“Tyrol”) and Nicki Clyne (“Cally”) will also attend. Joe Flanigan will not be able to attend the event due to family matters. Wolf Events has also announced the Wolf: Wormhole 2 event for November 17 to 19 in Germany. The Constellation 5: Orion convention is coming to Paris, May 6 and 7! Stargate-related guests announced so far include David Nykl (“Radek Zelenka”) and Colin Cunningham (“Paul Davis”). MERCHANDISING!
Sony is offering a special two-for-one discount on its TV show DVD boxed sets, including Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis. The full-season sets are now part of an aggressive discount program at Best Buy and Virgin stores, with many sets selling at about $35. Customers can take home a second set of equal or lesser value for free! Other featured series include The Outer Limits, Seinfeld, and Dawson’s Creek. The promotion only lasts until the end of January. Fandemonium has officially announced a new Stargate SG-1 novel. “Siren Song” focuses on the popular bounty hunter Aris Boch. Three more books are in the works for publication this spring: “Reliquary” (February), “The Chosen” (April), and “Survival of the Fittest” (May). The two Stargate comic book series are back for 2006! Avatar Press will release new issues of the SG-1 and Atlantis series this year. The original “P.O.W.” series is now available in a single volume. The Stargate Atlantis preview issue is also in stores now. Fans who have yet to play the Stargate SG-1 cell phone game — pop over to popmobile to find it! MGM has produced a wireless mobile SG-1 game for those who can’t get enough of our action heroes. “Based on the hit TV series, this game presents various challenges across four thrilling missions,” the description reads. “As Col. Jack O’Neill, you’re the leader of the Stargate SG-1 team. From the appearance of a Goa’uld mothership to the mysterious discovery of an ancient tomb, you and your team face snake head soldiers and other perils of the universe. You’ll also be called upon to defend an Abydos village, and even Earth itself.” Reporting by Livi Dolgin and Darren Sumner.
(Thanks to Cecilia ‘UgzY’, Angel, Mare, Mel, Ric Frederick, c b carnick, Denise, Daniel Darnell, Andrew Clarke, Swan Odom, Leah, and Megan for contributing)