04.Nov.09
Posted in Merchandise, News, Press Watch, Universe at 12:22 pm by DeeKayP
James Swallow was interviewed by Unreality SF about several of his projects, including the upcoming release of his novelization of “Air”, the three-part premiere of Stargate Universe written by Brad Wright and Robert. C. Cooper.
Swallow isn’t a stranger to Stargate, having written several of the Big Finish Audio Dramas for both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. He’s recently joined their staff as a story editor to work on the next set, or season, of plays.
From the Stargate portion of the interview:
His next Stargate project is a novel, though: James’ novelisation of Air, the opening episodes of the new Stargate series Universe, will be published in November. There are always horror stories floating around about how secretive some production studios can be when it comes to providing the authors of novelisations with information, so how much access did James have to inside information about the series while writing the book? “I was working directly from the three episodic scripts that made up the pilot storyline, along with a few scripts from later episodes, photos, story synopses and character notes,” he explains. “Early on, I had to work from out-of-date versions of the scripts where many details were still in flux – names and ranks, order of scenes, that kind of thing – but later I got access to the final drafts, thanks to the help of John Scalzi, the show’s creative consultant, and used a combination of all the elements to build the novel.”
Some studios demand very strict novelisations of their episodes/movies, with little to no added material, but that wasn’t the case with Air. “I got to add a fair bit of new stuff,” James reveals. “Mostly what I did was expand and ‘open out’ existing scenes from the scripts with added dialogue and more narrative depth, but there are a couple of places where I wrote some totally new scenes. I was lucky in that I had a pretty free hand.”
By now, the episodes have aired, and James has been able to compare his novelisation with the final episodes. “It’s fascinating to see how scenes were actually shot compared to how I had visualised them,” he ruminates. “I guess in a way, the novelisation is the way I would have ‘directed’ it. There’s not a lot of differences between the two on a gross level, but on a smaller scale there are variations – for example, Air has a lot of quick, choppy flashbacks in it, and while that works well on TV, it’s not so good for a novel, so I wrote a strictly chronological version of the events. There’s also a couple of scenes that were moved to later episodes of the TV show that appear in the novel, and some that were scripted and shot but cut for time.” He admits that there are “some things I would have written differently if I had seen the episodes first, but I kinda like the fact that the book and screen versions don’t exactly marry up – it means that fans who watch the show and then read the novel get to experience two versions of the same narrative.”
With the novelisation of Air, James has written for all three TV incarnations of Stargate. What does Universe brings to the table to stand out against the two previous series, in his opinion? “You can see from the outset that SGU is a very different show, in terms of look and texture. I think this series has the potential to be Stargate’s equivalent of Deep Space Nine, with a darker take on familiar tropes. I imagine that, like DS9, SGU will be the red-headed stepchild of its franchise,” he laughs. Asked if there will be original Universe novels following his novelisation James reveals that “there are indeed plans in the works for Fandemonium Books to produce original Stargate Universe tie-ins in the future, adding to the existing line of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis novels.” Another James Swallow book in the Universe line could be a while off, though. “I certainly wouldn’t rule out writing an original SGU novel myself – but I think I’ll wait until the first season is complete to get a better handle on the show’s direction before considering it.”
Make sure to visit Unreality SF for the rest of the interview, which discusses many of Swallow’s other projects. Stargate Universe: Air will be out this month, according to this article, and is already available for pre-order at Amazon.com.
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27.Oct.09
Posted in Merchandise at 8:40 pm by michelle
The Official Stargate Magazine, produced by Titan Publishing in the UK, is offering a special edition of the magazine as a free download:
FREE! Stargate Magazine: Special Download Edition
Get a taste of the official Stargate Magazine with an exclusive free download edition. Check out our guide to the new show, go inside the writers’ room, read interviews with stars Robert Carlyle and Louis Ferriera, and much more! Either print it out or browse on screen.
To download this Stargate Magazine: Special Download Edition, visit:
http://www.titanmagazines.com/stargate
The special edition is 23 double-width pages long, PDF format, in full color, with many photographs from all three series. It includes interviews with Michael Shanks and Ben Browder, which are not new, and interviews with Robert Carlyle and Louis Ferreira.
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08.Sep.09
Posted in Merchandise, News, SG-1 at 2:33 pm by DeeKayP
From Reuters comes the announcement that Brad Wright’s Stargate: Continuum has won the 2009 DVD Critics Award in the category “Best Nontheatrical Title.”
From the press release, submitted by Home Media Magazine:
The Fifth Annual DVD Critics Awards honor the top DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles from 2008. The awards, presented by Home Media Magazine, are traditionally held during the summer Home Entertainment Summit, which has been delayed this year.
“We still wanted to honor the best titles on DVD and Blu-ray as soon as possible,” said Thomas K. Arnold, Home Media Magazine publisher and executive producer of the Summit.
The delay allowed organizers to create special categories for an online consumer vote, a first in the history of the DVD Critics Awards.
More than 130 entries were judged by a panel of critics and journalists. Submitted titles also were placed in eight special categories for the consumer vote, bringing the total number of awards to 21.
[...]
Home Media Magazine (HomeMediaMagazine.com) is the leading home entertainment trade magazine, delivering the latest news, research, analysis, product information and reviews in the DVD and Blu-ray Disc arena, with expanded coverage of digital distribution.
Stargate: Continuum was released July 2008 and was also the recipient of the 2008 High-Def Disc Award back in November 2008 for the category “Best Nontheatrical Blu-ray.” This award was also presented by Home Media Magazine in cooperation with The Hollywood Reporter.
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12.Aug.09
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise, Press Watch, SG-1, Views at 11:46 am by michelle
Stargate executive producer Robert C. Cooper gave an interview over the weekend about the prospects for new SG-1 and SGA direct-to-DVD movies. In this exclusive interview, he cites the current economics of DVD sales as the major stumbling block:
“We’re ready to go,” Cooper said in an exclusive interview over the weekend in Pasadena, Calif., where he was promoting SGU at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “We’re just waiting for the right opportunity,” he said. “We want to be successful with it. The studio wants to be successful, and we really don’t want to proceed with something in the wrong climate, which I think financially it is right now.”
Two previous SG-1 straight-to-DVD movies, Continuum and The Ark of Truth, sold well, but the current economic downturn makes DVD premieres less lucrative than they were in the past.
“It’s tough, because we were very successful with the first two SG-1 movies,” Cooper said. “Since then, the economics have changed a little bit. DVDs aren’t selling the same way they were when we released those even just a year, and a year and a half ago.”
This line of reasoning matches what producer/writer Joe Mallozzi has said numerous times in his blog, for example, here, as we discussed here back in June.
Fans may wonder why the studio can’t look at alternative distribution methods to DVD, such as iTunes, Amazon UnBox, and other pay-for-download media. Consumers aren’t watching fewer movies; they’re just watching them differently. In any case, this confirms what we suspected back in June: the movies are by no means a sure thing. Filming for Stargate Universe wraps at the end of October, and the producers had hoped to keep the crew on board to move directly to filming the movies. With no green-light nor deals in place, this becomes ever more unlikely as the weeks pass. David Hewlett recently expressed doubts via twitter as well:
cast has heard nothing about Atlantis movie. I think the chances of it happening now are slim to none…such a waste!
Watch this space for more news as it arrives.
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03.Aug.09
Posted in Merchandise, News, SG-1 at 9:54 am by DeeKayP
According to The HD Room, “Lionsgate Home Entertainment is using the upcoming premiere of SyFy’s Stargate Universe debut … and the 15th anniversary of Roland Emmerich’s original Stargate film to answer the call of Stargate fans who weren’t satisfied with the first release of Stargate on Blu-ray Disc.”
The new release will have both the theatrical and extended cuts, as well as over four hours of supplemental features, including a never-before-seen gag reel! The new disc set also includes “a new 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track and a ‘newly remastered’ 1080p video transfer.” The release is scheduled for October 13, not too long after SGU’s premiere on the Syfy Channel on October 2 at 9 PM (ET/PT).
More than likely Amazon.com and other online sources will have the new release for pre-order soon, with the suggested retail price of $29.99 USD.
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18.Jul.09
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise at 8:59 am by michelle
Amazon.com has announced that the Region 1/North American version of the Stargate Atlantis complete series DVD collection is available for pre-order. The current price is $168.99, and the release date is 6 October ‘09. This is not particularly a good deal considering some of the early seasons are available for less than $25 each. But, for those fans who like a compact collection all in once place, it’s a great option.
Pre-order the SGA Complete Series Collection here.
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01.Jul.09
Posted in Merchandise, Press Watch, SG-1 at 9:34 am by michelle
Michael Shanks is featured on the cover of Issue 29 (July/Aug 09) of Stargate magazine; the issue also includes an extensive interview with Michael. Here is an excerpt, reprinted with encouragement from the publisher, followed by info on how you can order your own copy:
Stargate Magazine: Since it’s been a while, how happy were you with how the two Stargate movies turned out?
Michael Shanks: I was quite content with the process of both. Continuum seems to be the favored one by the people involved. It benefited from the fact that we didn’t have to resolve any ongoing arc issues. The first one [The Ark of Truth] carried a lot of baggage in terms of resolving a two-year story arc. We built up this enemy to such a degree, there was so much story to tell, and they were such a fierce antagonist that to get rid of them over two hours was a bit of a conundrum. It seemed to be a bit of a quick convenient fix to have this device that you magically open and the bad guys go away. Continuum could stand on it’s own. It was a different story and there wasn’t so much exposition. Continuum also seemed to be a lot more fun. The visuals were quite fantastic, with filming in the Arctic and the use of the jet planes. The return of Richard Dean Anderson is always fun, as well.
Stargate Magazine: Both were so well received it must have felt rewarding that there was still that fascination with the Stargate characters.
Michael Shanks: Yeah, obviously that is the amazing thing about this show. The series has survived many cast departures (and returns!) and plotline shifts. It’s been a 12-year journey, and those characters are still around. The fact that the audience is still with us is very flattering.
Stargate Magazine: Next up, it’s been reported you’re guest starring in the Stargate Universe pilot.
Michael Shanks: I will say I got the script and there’s a good chance Daniel will be making a brief cameo along with some other people from the Stargate universe. That’s probably as much as I can say without getting my nuts chopped off. I’m literally in there for two seconds to provide some brief information. I’m not an integral part of it at all.
Stargate Magazine: In the end, what has kept Daniel Jackson so fresh over all this time?
Michael Shanks: I attribute it to the genre. Every time I’m on a different show and we talk about our careers and I mention the fact Stargate went on for 10 years, most actors’ jaws drop to the ground! When I was in London last year and was talking with Patrick Stewart, he was like “10 years! Wow!” And he was on a successful show for seven years [Star Trek: The Next Generation] and the movies as well, so he had some perspective. Ten years is quite a stint when you put the double digits on there playing the same character. If I was on CSI where you are doing the same thing with the real-life character, it might be a little boring. It’s kind of the same old, same old. I got to do so much more with Daniel over those seasons. You get to be different people: possessed, drugged up, schizophrenic, and multiple personalities downloaded into your head. It was always interesting and [there was] always something new to play. Because of the fantastical nature of the genre in terms of anything being possible, the stories were never dull to read or even participate in because there was always something extraordinary happening. We were always trying to push the envelope with visual effects. The best part of playing Daniel was having the chance to evolve the character, taking his experiences, banking them, and seeing what they would do to his psychology. Playing off people like Claudia Black, Richard [Dean Anderson], or Beau Bridges always brought you to a different level. We had great guest stars, too. There was a lot going on, so that made Daniel fun to play.
Read the full interview in issue 29 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis Magazine On-Sale Now!
To receive Stargate SG-1/Atlantis Magazine exclusives, including sneak peeks, interviews, promotional offers, and sweepstakes, visit: http://mailing.titanmagazines.com/mailing/
For more information and to subscribe visit http://www.titanmagazines.com/stargate
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30.Jun.09
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise at 7:55 pm by michelle
Your intrepid editor’s Season 5 DVD box set arrived today, and the first things watched were the deleted scene featurettes. Since those weren’t detailed in the published content description, here’s a rundown of what’s in the deleted scene specials.
All the scenes are unfinished in terms of music, sound, and visual effects, but they are still very fun to watch. The features and many of the scenes are introduced by Martin Gero, and other writers as well as stunt coordinator James Bamford introduce scenes they wrote or were involved in.
Part 1, Disc 4
Search and Rescue — Three scenes introducing Capt. Alicia Vega as a new character were shortened or cut for time and momentum. In the first, Vega approaches Carter to complain that she’s been there a week and hasn’t been assigned to a team. She comes on strong, and Carter ends up putting her in her place. The second scene is a longer version of Vega taking out the Wraith Dart with her machine gun; in the longer scene, Vega takes some credit for the lucky shot. Martin Gero feels Stargate is far too heterosexual, so he wanted Vega to be a lesbian. But, since Keller was the only single female on the show (really?), it had to be Keller that Vega went for. So the third cut scene is Vega chatting up Keller about what there is to do for fun on Atlantis, and finally asking Keller if she can buy her a drink later. Keller tells her yes, if she can get free. Keller seems very puzzled by the offer.
Broken Ties — The scene shown is a much longer version of the fight scene between Ronon and Tyre, with Sheppard holding off Wraith with his gun.
The Seed – The cut scene has Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon discuss Woolsey just after their first conference room meeting with him. Teyla and Ronon decidedly don’t like him, and Sheppard is left to say it could be a lot worse, and that Woolsey is still new. Ronon is not convinced Woolsey will get any better.
The Shrine — Brad Wright had written a scene to help set up Stargate Universe that got cut. In it, Zelenka catches Rodney in the corridor on his way to the mission where he gets infected. Zelenka tries to tell Rodney that the ninth chevron may enable one to travel millions of light years across the universe, rather than only across a galaxy. Rodney rejects the idea completely The scene ends with a funny exchange between Teyla and Ronon, who have been watching the discussion.
Part 2, Disc 5
Whispers — The scene, introduced by Joe Mallozzi, is a much longer version of the one where Carson is packing to leave Atlantis to be a roving doctor, and Rodney argues against it. It includes Carson saying he wants to take his turtles with him, and Rodney being sad to hear it, then pitifully describing their natures, since the clone Carson had never really owned them. Carson relents and lets Rodney keep the turtles, named Jeffrey and Michelle. Then Sheppard arrives, as he did in the final scene as aired.
Remnants – Joe Mallozzi introduces an entire cut scene in which Shen questions Woolsey on all the mistakes she feels he has made, such as not killing Keller when she was infected with the Wraith contagion, permitting Ronon to remain free after swearing allegiance to the Wraith, and allowing the Replicators to establish a corporeal form on Atlantis. Woolsey describes how and why he had to stop going “by the book” to run the city. Woolsey gets the upper hand in the war of words.
Brain Storm — Gero introduces the three scenes that were cut for time. First is a short walk-and-talk between Sheppard and Ronon on the way to the cafeteria, in which they argue about the value of playing video games, with Ronon in the “against” category. Sheppard assures Ronon there won’t be any video games on the surfing planet. The second scene is an interchange between Rodney and Tunney, in front of the white board, talking about a potential solutions to their predicament. The third cut scene is Bill Nye actually being himself in a scene he wrote, talking to the audience about how science fiction reminds us that we can work together to solve our real-life planetary problems.
Stay tuned for more tidbits as we watch the box set. The special in filming Vegas was the next thing I watched, and it was incredibly awesome.
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Posted in Merchandise, News, SG-1 at 9:04 am by DeeKayP
Amazon.com is running a special today on the Complete Series Collection (all 10 seasons) of Stargate SG-1 for the impressive price of $131.99! That’s an incredible savings, so if you haven’t gotten all seasons yet, now’s your chance at an unbelievable price!
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26.Jun.09
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise, News at 11:57 am by DeeKayP
TVShowsOnDVD.com has announced that all five seasons of Stargate Atlantis are to be released in a Complete Series DVD set on October 6 (Region 1/North America)! The set will include all 100 episodes and most likely all of the extra features that are included on the individual seasons’ sets, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Visit the website for packaging art and other details. The set is featured at Amazon.com for both DVD (Amazon says there are 26 discs in this set) and Blu-ray formats.
For those who already have Seasons One through Four and just lack Season Five to make their collections complete, the Season Five Box Set is coming to Region 1 at the end of this month (June 30).
Update: Amazon.co.uk has the Complete DVD set with a release date of August 10 for Region 2 (Europe)! This date is subject to change.
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