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Stargate SG-1 Crew Interviews: Brad Wright

Brad Wright - SciFi.com Chat Transcript
Transcript, 21 June 2002

<Moderator> <HEIZA>: Why the furly's dindn't appear?

<Moderator> That's our first question...

<Brad> That's kind of funny. Robert needed another race in his episode "The fifth race". He wrote furlings then, and ever since we've thought they must look like ewoks.

<Brad> I doubt we'll ever meet them.

<Moderator> <Thor>: Hi Brad. Cedric from France, congratulations for your work on the show! I'd like to know if you will shoot a crossover Stargate/Farscape. Thanks.

<Brad> No, I doubt that would ever happen. I've never even met the producers of that show.

<Moderator> Many people have been aking this question...

<Moderator> <cathy-michelle>: Will Michael Shanks return for the season finale?

<Brad> Right now, we've got two stories that include Daniel.

<Brad> The scripts aren't ready yet, but as soon as they are, we'll send them to Michael.

<Brad> Hopefully he'll want to do them.

<Brad> And yes, one of those stories is the finale.

<Moderator> : Question: The show has been a success and always character driven, with perhaps some fo the most involving character storylines, love it or hate it Micheal Shanks depatare had people talking about it, and was handled nicely, and we know that there will be guest appereances from Micheal in the show, but other than his name as a guest star, can we expect to see other familiar names as guest stars?

<Brad> Dean Stockwell is appearing this season.

<Brad> And John Delancie, as Simmons.

<Brad> Ronnie Cox too.

<Moderator> Here's a two-fer-one:

<Moderator> <Ribbond> to <Moderator>: Hi Brad, greetings from Barcelona! This is Stargate last season, will we finally meet the Ancients? Or is this the big bomb for the film?

<Moderator> <kitty-star> to <Moderator>: are we gonna see the ancient?

<Brad> Yes, we'll meet them...but I can't say when. (You may have already met one...)

<Moderator> <puddykat>: Brad, your doing a great job on sg-1. my question is: are there any shippy episodes coming up in season six? And is there any chance of you coming to wolf sg-5. I promise to protect your from crazy daniel fans J

<Brad> Thanks.

<Brad> It depends on what you call "shippy" I guess. Carter and O'Neill obviously can't have a relationship as long as they're on the team together.

<Moderator> Ready for the next?

<Brad> As far as the convention is concerned...

<Brad> I'm not coming to England, I know that.

<Brad> But the one in Vancouver, I might consider coming to.

<Brad> There are quite a lot of people — judging from my mail — that blame me for Michael leaving the show.

<Brad> If the hate mail dies down... maybe then.

<Moderator> Lot of people interested in the film connection:

<Moderator> <Tryda>: Hello MR Wright, is it true that the second film, in case it's finally filmed, will be a bridge between Stargate SG-1 and the spin-off?

<Moderator> <mcfrey>: Can you tell us something about Dean Devlin project? Casn coexist the 2 projects? (yours and devlin)

<Moderator> <johnson-sg3>: With propsals submitted for an SG-1 movie and with the very recent news that Dean Devlin, producer of the original movie is also interested in pursuing his own sequels, are you both competing to gain MGM's green light? And are the differences between the two camps still there or have they been resolved?

<Brad> Two things. First, the Devlin and Emmerich wanted to do a sequal to their film, forgetting the series ever happened.

<Brad> I think that's ludicrous.

Brad> The feature Robert and I have written is exactly that, a bridge between SG-1 and Atlantis.

<Brad> There won't be a Devlin and Emmerich sequal as far as I know, but MGM may not want to make our script either.

<Moderator> <Gate-Traveler2000>: What kind of character changes can we expect in season 6

<Brad> As far as differences between camps... They hate our series. They'd like to pretend it never happened. I reminded MGM that there are several million fans worldwide that might beg to differ.

<Brad> Character changes? Hmmm.

<Brad> I believe that evolution of character starts on the page, but

we follow the lead of our stars too.

<Brad> Daniel, for example, lost some of his wide eyed innocence because Michael just wasn't playing that anymore even if we wrote it.

<Brad> He wasn't wrong... We followed his lead.

<Brad> Rick will continue to play O'Neill the way he always has, because O'Neill is as close to Rick as any character has ever been to an actor.

<Brad> Hopefully, Sam won't have the answers to absolutely everything.

<Brad> Teal'c is coming across a little more human this year... something we talked about.

<Brad> (by the way, every year he asks me if Teal'c can have hair, and every year I say no.

<Brad> And of course, Jonas is brand new.

<Moderator> <claire>: hiya Brad. I love your wokr, and wanted to know if you relate to any of the characters in the show. If so, which ones and why?

<Brad> I guess I relate a little to Sam, but when Daniel was around, I guess it was him.

<Brad> It's a hard question. Maybe Major Davis too.

Moderator> <Thor>: Thanks for talking with us! Can you say more about the new bad guy: Anubis?

<Brad> Anubis is going to take on all of the other system lords combined...

<Brad> The black oily faceless thing started just as an image I brought up in the writers room, but now we've got a whole backstory to it.

<Brad> You'll have to watch the rest of the season to find out.

<Moderator> <Kami>: hey Brad.greetings from Barcelona *g*. Are you writing/gonna write a "funny" episode as you had done this last 3 seasons? thanks.

<Brad> Yes, Damian Kindler, our new staff writer, wrote a hilarious script called "The other guys" that will air this summer.

<Brad> We try to infuse humor in most of our episodes, but some stories are naturally funnier than others.

<Moderator> <mpsmith> to <Moderator>: Can you say anything about Region 1 DVD's?

<Moderator> <CreamyWhiteNouget>: Are there plans to continue releasing boxed sets of DVDs?

<Brad> The DVD's should be out sometime in the fall for season 2... But I have no control over that. I want them myself so I can get rid of all my VHS copies.

<Brad> The show looks great on DVD. (I'm biased)

<Moderator> <SG-1Tarek>: Are you gonna bring back the Tollans?

<Moderator> <Gate-Traveler2000>: Will we see the Tollans again? Personally, I don't think they are gone for good. I think they are setting something up and don't want Jack and the gang to find out what.

<Brad> We thought of doing another Tollan story, but.... there's nothing in the works.

<Moderator> <Kami>: hey Brad. greetings from Barcelona *g*...why can't Teal'c have hair? *vbg*i0m just curios ;)

<Brad> I knew I shouldn't have said that....

<Brad> I love the character the way he is.

<Moderator> <hoover>: Brad, Thanks for chattinf to us - hi from England! Are you still on set? What episode are you filming at the moment?

<Brad> Actually, we're on a two week hiatus. I'm in my office at home, looking out over the ocean.

<Brad> We're filming an episode called "Smoke and Mirrors" soon as we get back.

<Moderator> <extintor>: Hi! Greetings from Barcelona, Spain. How long does it take you to write a script? Thank you

<Brad> That depends.

<Brad> A script can take weeks or months, but sometimes, I have to write one in days.

<Brad> Also, a script from another writer may need to be re-written completely.

<Brad> Those are the toughest, because there is usually less time.

<Brad> The writer's name stays on the script, though.

<Moderator> <PaxilMan>: Kev from VIDEO&STREAM asks, how do u feel about episodes of the show either in whole or part being put online hours after they air?

<Brad> That doesn't bother me, personally, althought I guess you coud argue it takes money from MGM.

<Brad> I know that most fans will ultimately watch it broadcast because the quality is so much better. "Squinty vision?" Is that what they call it?

<Moderator> <Squeezy> Good morning from Scotland! Which character do you find it easiest to write for and why?

<Brad> It's season six. I feel equally comfortable writing them all.

<Brad> But at the beginning, it was O'Neill.

<Brad> Richard Dean hates playing the hero.

<Brad> It's always a writer's instinct to make the hero the hero, but...

<Brad> But that's what I love about the way Rick plays O'Neill. And I think I'm finally getting it.

<Moderator> <alli-snow>: Hi Brad :) Love the show, hope you come to Gatecon... What do you think about the Stargate cartoon that's being developed for Fox?

<Brad> I have nothing to do with the cartoon, but it can't hurt.

<Brad> I've only seen little bits of it, drawings, etc... I wish them well.

<Moderator> <Aniko>: Hi Brad from Hungary. About the "Squinty vision".. this is the only way for some of us to watch SG.. here we are still waiting for Season 3 cause two TV channels are sitting on the rights.

<Moderator> <Movieman>: Great Series! How did you create the new Intro? What process is involved for creating the Intro and why is different from the syndicated Intro?

<Brad> The new intro is temporary. Rob Cooper and I put it together, but the new title will be based on it. Hank Cohen is putting the new one together himself.

<Moderator> <Gate-Traveler2000>: Will the Ancient Alliance one day be formed again to become a new and improved Alliance?

<Brad> We are the fifth race, after all...

<Moderator> <Kendra> to <Moderator>: Will we know more about Sam's family and background?

<Brad> We already know quite a lot. Her father is Jacob. She has a brother in San Diego... Her mother died when she was young, and she blames her dad....

<Moderator> <Otis>: Have we seen the last of Sokar?

<Moderator> <hw-chaos>: Will the Nox return this season?

<Brad> Sokar is toast.

<Brad> We have no plans for the Nox, but I do love the litte guys.

<Moderator> <ldn83>: Hi Sébastien from Belgium... much of anybody thinks that season 6 will be the last season of stargate... which do have you has their statement?

<Brad> Stargate may well go on to another season, if the ratings go through the roof this year. There will have to be some major convincing....

<Brad> But that's not up to me.

<Brad> I have plans for the future either way.

<Moderator> <PaxilMan>: Was there ever a story line that you wanted to follow through on but for one reason or another it never was done?

<Brad> Sure.

<Brad> We really wanted to bring Martouf back, but no matter how hard we tried to move the schedule around to accomodate him -- He was shooting a movie, and was booked for months -- we couldn't.

<Brad> Enter Elliot.

<Brad> I think it turned out fine, but that was supposed to be Martouf. Rob had even written the script that way... It was a shame.

<Moderator> <TessaMac>: Hi Brad. Greetings from Holland! What will you do if/when Stargate stops?

<Moderator>

<Brad> I'd love to have a break, actually.

<Brad> Since there is a movie and spin off planned, I hope that break happens as soon as we're done with that.

<Brad> This is a very time consuming, and life consuming job.

<Moderator> <Otis>: How can we best support the continuation of the show on Sci-Fi?

<Brad> Watch, get your friends to watch, then watch some more.

<Moderator> <mRbOunTY>: HEY! I've been trying to get my friends to watch Stargate and other Scifi like Farscape, they think all Scifi is like Star Trek. They dont like it. Any suggestions on how to get them to watch?

<Brad> You know, if they don't like it, that's fine. I love Star Trek. I'm also partial to Stargate.

<Brad> There are a lot of people who have a narrow vision of what Stargate is or should be. I think we've gotten better and better. Not everyone thinks so, but that's fine too.

<Moderator> <cathy-michelle>: Will you make any more cameos on the show?

<Brad>Me? I used to be an actor. I actually wrote the Exec Producer role toying with the idea of playing it... Then I chickened out.

<Brad> Probably because as an actor, I was a pretty good writer.

<Moderator> Next question!

<Moderator> <extintor>: Hi! How do you come up with the supporting characters' names. Are they people you know or you create brand new names? Thank you

<Brad> We generally make up the names as we're writing. Alien names are the hardest. Having said that, Joe is the name of a friend of mine who gave me a ride in a T-38...

<Brad> So I named Carter's husband "Joe" after him.

<Moderator> <psilady> : Brad, what would you say is the major difference between filming under Showtime, and filming under Scifi?

<Brad> There's almost no difference. Showtime let us make the show the way we wanted to make it. Sci fi has been the same. We're gratefull for that.

<Moderator> <Otis>: Will there be any more time travel stories. The past ones were great!

<Brad> Thanks.

<Brad> I had another one in mind for this season, but I couldn't make the story work.

<Brad> My favorite episode is 2010.

<Moderator> <johnson-sg3>: Will we ever find out what chevron 9 does or did they just add too many?

<Moderator> <Shadow>: Will the ninth chevron ever come into play?

<Brad> Hmmm. Maybe in the spin off.

<Moderator> <Kami>: I know there are already 2 paralel universes....but any new idea of paralel universes??

<Brad> In "There but for the Grace of God" we established that there is an almost infinite number of possible universes.

<Brad> We're sticking to one for now.

<Moderator> <Kami>: Is there an actual reason why the Ancients left their technology across the world?

<Brad> They evolved beyond the need of it, and left it behind for other civilizations to use.

<Moderator> <Ribbond>: Will we know how ended the war between the Unas and the native people from 'Beast of Burden'?

<Brad> Peter and I were discussing that very question last week. Hopefully, what we discussed will spawn a new story that answers that question.

<Brad> I would like to revisit Chaka, not only because of the character, but Dion was fantastic.

<Moderator> Final question for the evening -- because for those of you on the East Coast, STARGATE starts in 5 minutes:

<Moderator> <TessaMac>: Hi Brad! Greetings from Holland! I have an exam to get into a directing school next week and would really like to get in. Do you have a tip for me that would get me in?

<Brad> Directing is a craft. Learn all you can.

<Brad> I have a great respect for our directors. You have no idea

how hard it is working with people and visual effects.

<Moderator> Brad, thanks so much for coming online with us! And thanks to everyone in the audience as well — GREAT questions, I wish I'd been able to pass all of them along to Brad! If your specific question wasn't answered, check the transcript — it may have been asked earlier in the chat.

<Moderator> That transcript whould be up early next week.

<Moderator> Thanks everyone!

<Brad> bye everybody!

<Moderator> We're gonna go UNmoderated now...

<Moderator> Bye Brad -- thanks so much for coming online with us!

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