A SoSF Sneak Peek: Star Trek Magazine #20

Slice of SciFi, in partnership with Star Trek Magazine, is proud to bring you the following excerpts from edition #20 of the magazine headquarters for the Star Trek franchise.

Here is an excerpt from the interview with J.J. Abrams, director/producer of the latest Star Trek film:

(ST): Every director approaches a script differently initially; when you read a script for the first time, do you visualize it, hear it, and see it edited?

(J.J. Abrams): When I’m writing something, I tend to see it specifically, at least in ways that are usually more clear than I even realize – meaning, I’ll see things in a certain direction. I’ll see the composition of a shot or a sequence. But because it’s such a collaboration, part of the fun is discovery. The actors that you get, the director of photography you work with, the production designers: they all have ideas. While you may have a certain vision, there’s an immense amount of flexibility and fluidity that you have to approach any project with that accounts for the unexpected, which is usually the thing that makes it good.

(ST): Were there specific sequences in Star Trek where you had one idea going in, and then on the floor, it went differently?

(J.J. Abrams): What I tried to do on this movie was not storyboard anything that I could avoid storyboarding. For example, if it was any scene that didn’t require the kinds of visual effects preparation that would demand that kind of specific planning, I would try and let it go, and do it on the fly. We’d make it up as we went along, because that’s usually the fun of it. There are certain sequences where I had ideas in my head, certain scenes with the characters, that when the day came to shoot them, I suddenly found myself throwing out whatever preconceived notions I had, and seeing what felt right and what the actors would go to naturally, and adjusting things from there.

An excerpt from an interview with Alice Krige, the one and only Borg Queen:

“I came to the conclusion that the Queen was the Borg. Is the Borg. The Borg is an extension of her. I had read A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking beforehand, and in the course of trying to find out who she was, I went out and got a copy of the video. Somewhere in it he says the old adage, ‘Energy is not created or destroyed.’ And I thought of the Borg Queen. She’s been around since the beginning of time, since the Big Bang or whatever. And she is the energy source behind the Borg. She is just the physical manifestation of that energy.

“I had some interaction on the mask with Scott Wheeler, who also did my old age makeup for my character on [the movie] Skin. For the Borg Queen, there were only two things I asked him for. He had sculpted in eyebrows and I asked him to take them away. I thought it would give her a fixed expression. The shape of the eyebrows was like Cruella de Ville and I didn’t want that painted on my face. The other thing was that my mouth was quite red. In contrast to the color of my skin, my lips looked redder. It’s almost an optical illusion. They had made my skin so pale that it stuck out. And there was a point when they wanted to damp down the color of my mouth. They thought it was too red. And Scott and I hung in there to be allowed to use the color of my own mouth.”

COLLECTIVE ENCOUNTERS - A HISTORY OF THE BORG:

History records that the Enterprise NCC 1701-D’s encounter with the Borg in System J-25 in late 2365 was humanity’s first encounter with the Borg. History, unfortunately, is incorrect.

Humanity’s first encounter with the Borg occurred in April 2063, when the time-displaced Borg attempted to assimilate Earth and prevent humanity’s “First Contact” with a passing Vulcan starship. A Borg sphere, detonated by the Enterprise-E’s quantum torpedoes, rained debris down on Earth below. Much of this debris burned up in Earth’s atmosphere upon reentry, but some pieces impacted with the planet’s surface. Zefram Cochrane, the human developer of warp drive, mentioned cybernetic monsters in a famous speech at Princeton a year later, but the context for what he was describing was, at the time, unknown.

Nearly a century later an Antarctic expedition in 2153 discovered some of this Borg wreckage. The wreckage still being active, several humans were assimilated into the Borg Collective, followed by an attempt for these new drones to rejoin the Collective in the Delta Quadrant. While Jonathan Archer’s Enterprise NX-01 intercepted the rogue starship and destroyed the drones, his crew had no idea what exactly they had encountered.

A century later, on Stardate 4722.1, the Enterprise NCC-1701 under James T. Kirk’s command encountered a mysterious starship at the edge of a wormhole. Aboard the starship were thousands of mutant humanoids, each displaying some degree of cybernetic modification who carried antigens that could infect others and alter them for cybernetic implantation. Led by a young woman, these mutants attempted to overrun the Enterprise and another starship that emerged from the wormhole. Ultimately, the mutants and their ship were destroyed, but escape pods, carrying mutants, fled into the wormhole, either into distant space or the distant past. Were these cybernetic mutants proto-Borg? Was the young woman a proto-Borg Queen…?

Read the full interviews and extracts in issue #20 of Star Trek Magazine – on sale now.
Subscribe now HERE

To receive Star Trek Magazine exclusives, including sneak peeks, interviews,
promotional offers, and sweepstakes, visit: Titan Magazines Official Website. For UK fans GO HERE.

DGA - AMPTP Already Heating Up

As if we didn’t already have one major arm of the entertainment industry shut down with a strike, of course I’m speaking of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, now the Directors Guild of America (DGA) is set to start negotiations with AMPTP, the organization representing studios and television networks.

Talks haven’t even begun and already the friction between the DGA and AMPTP is already getting heated. The DGA told representatives of the studio and television group that negotiations must begin immediately after the first of the year and no later, putting increased pressure on the AMPTP to resolve its problems with the WGA.

DGA leaders said they’re willing to hold off negotiations until next month in order to give the majors and striking writers one last chance to make a deal — in a nod toward recent WGA lobbying to hold off negotiations, according to the entertainment trade paper Variety.

Speaking of the WGA, on Thursday of this week that group filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the AMPTP with the National Labor Relations Board.

“We are deeply disappointed by the breakdown of talks between the WGA and the AMPTP, with no end to the strike in sight,” DGA president Michael Apted and negotiating committee chief Gil Cates said in a press statement. “Like everyone else in the industry, we had hoped that the two parties would be able to reach a fair and reasonable deal that adequately compensates talent for the work they create.”

The chance of an amicable agreement happening any time soon grows less likely with each passing day with both sides biting at the heels of the other. Productive talks between the WGA and AMPTP have completely broken down with no healing in sight.

On the other contract front the DGA is ready to negotiate with the AMPTP if they are willing to meet the director guild’s first demand of beginning no later than next month.

“The WGA-AMPTP impasse has cost the jobs of tens of thousands of entertainment-industry workers, including many of our own members, and more lose their jobs every day the strike continues,” they added. “With so much at stake and no end to the standoff in sight, we can no longer abdicate our responsibility to our own members. Because we want to give the WGA and the AMPTP more time to return to the negotiating table to conclude an agreement, the DGA will not schedule our negotiations to begin until after the new year and then, only if an appropriate basis for negotiations can be established.”

The contents of the DGA’s points of negotiation have been kept under wraps, but one sticking point is the same as that for the WGA — proper monetization from the digital and DVD market. If the AMPTP is not budging on this issue with the other guild, it seems unlikely they will do so for the DGA.

“We look forward to talking with the Directors Guild of America in an atmosphere of professionalism and respect,” said a spokesperson for the AMPTP. “But no one should be under any illusions: this will still be an extremely difficult process. All of us - producers, directors, writers and everyone working in the entertainment business — need to get this right, because in the rapidly evolving new media marketplace, there is little margin for error.”

Slice of SciFi #134: Illusion TV

 

 Slice of SciFi #134: Illusion TV [55:35m]: Play Now | Download (10867)

This week: Illusion TV

In the News:

• Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp will be working together on a new sci-fi action film called “District 9″ instead of on the “HALO” feature that fell through
• J.K. Rowling has continued with seven handwritten stories related to the Harry Potter series in a new spin-off that will never be available, save for one copy that will be auctioned off, and those proceeds will be given to a children’s charity
• KtanaXtreme is the world’s first business-to-business portal specializing in Japanese anime, comics and gaming rights

Movie Talk: December will be loaded with viewing options in the cineplexes: The Golden Compass, I Am Legend, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep and Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem.

TV Review: Tosas from Germany submits an audio review of the upcoming “Sarah Connor Chronicles” television series.

TV Talk: Adrian Paul, famous for his Highlander television series, will change directions for his next film titled “Captain Drake.”

Paul will portray the famous English adventurer and Vice Admiral in the British Navy, Sir Francis Drake. This film will be far from reality, delving into the Admiral’s fantastical life as a pirate fighter, explorer and king of the seas.

What changes you can expect in your television viewing because of the WGA strike.

Interview: Dekker Dreyer and Caitlyn Marr of Illusion On Demand join us to talk about starting up an on-demand television network, and how the market needs an outlet to air the plethora of science fiction, fantasy, and anime content that’s out there that hasn’t really been seen in a long time.

They are here to address that market. Illusion is currently available to 10 million homes in the US, so if it’s not in your area yet, contact your cable or satellite provider and ask them if they can add it to their on-demand lineup.

Future Talk: Ron Howard is moving full speed ahead with his production on the Da Vinci Code sequel titled “Angels & Demons.” Full production and shooting is set to begin this coming February.

Sarah Michelle Geller is set to star in “Possessed”, the Americanized remake of a 2002 South Korean thriller titled “Addicted.”

Listener comments: If you have any suggestions or comments, please let us know. (Our Voicemail Number: 206-339-TREK). Keep your comments brief, or funny, and maybe you’ll hear your message on the voicemail show!

Thanks for tuning in to Slice of SciFi and be sure to join us again next week for all new content.

SAVE DRESDEN - Send in those drumsticks (not the chicken kind) to SCI FI Channel and save Harry from cancellation hell!

“Blood Ties” executive producer Peter Mohan says the time to act is now, to convince the network to greenlight a second season. Contact info:
Email CITY TV, or email Space. You can also write a letter to Space at:
SPACE: The Imagination Station
CTVglobemedia
299 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2Z5

Link: Illusion TV
Promo: Joust vs Frogger
Promo: Star Trek: The Continuing Mission– a new audio drama
Promo: Mike’s Hotdish: The Next Generation of Radio
Promo: Frogger: The Movie

IllusionTV On Demand on Slice of SciFi Show #134

We have Dekker Dreyer director, producer, actor and one of the minds behind the new online site IllusionTV On Demand, the next quantum leap in the evolutionary development of internet entertainment. With the WGA strike in full swing this new direction for getting good programming out there for all the world to see is more relevant than ever.

We also have lots of news including a SF collaboration between Peter Jackson and first-time major feature director Neill Blomkamp. Their new film is called “District 9.” J.K. Rowling will finish off her connection to Harry Potter with 7 handwritten stories not for publication, but one will be auctioned off. The international company known as Lotus, based in Japan, is launching the world’s first business-to-business portal specializing in Japanese anime and more.

If you enjoy sci-fi, animation and fantasy, with a bit of the musical thrown in for good measure, then you will love going to the movies in December. We have all the SF lineup for you.

Adrian Paul moves from Highlander to playing Sir Francis Drake in this fantasy about the great English Admiral and explorer, and we give you our best-guess scenario for what is likely to happen to your favorite SF television shows as a result of the writer’s strike.

Famed director Ron Howard takes us into Future Talk by moving his “The Da Vinci Code” film sequel, “Angels and Demons,” onto the production fast-track and the new Queen of Asian remakes, Sarah Michelle Geller is at it again. She takes a good South Korean supernatural thriller and turns it into a mediocre American film called “Possessed.”

A fan gives his own review of the pilot episode of “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” and much, much more on Slice of SciFi Show #134 ready for download from the Net on Saturday, November 10, 2007 and Monday, November 12 on XM-Satellite Radio. See you then.

Illusion On Demand Has Launched

In a follow-up to the story we did on August 16th about the new Illusion Demand VOD Channel, we now have the channel’s official Press Release for you:

ILLUSION ON-DEMAND, the first and only VOD channel dedicated to science fiction and fantasy, has officially launched in North America.

With an initial programming lineup of 21 shows and content blocks including series like “Strange”, “Venus Rises”, “Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere”, “Day of the Triffids” and “Shadow Star Narutaru”, Illusion hopes to attract sci-fi hungry fans to their video on demand lineup.

For Halloween Illusion is offering a special lineup which includes the anime features “Kakurenbo: Hide and Seek”, “Black Jack: Infection” and “Ichi: Zero”; along with a special edition of Illusion’s “Top 20″ featuring Debbie Rochon (Fangoria Radio) and Arthur Suydam (Marvel Zombies). The chills continue with Troma’s “Def by Temptation” (starring Samuel L. Jackson) “Night of the Living Dead” and a Halloween episode of the original comedy series “The Action Room”.

Coming to Illusion in November are premieres of the updated classic “The Quatermass Experiment” (starring Jason Flemyng, Mark Gatiss and Doctor Who’s David Tennant ) and a VOD airing of Mamoru Oshii’s “Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer”.

More information is available on Illusion’s new website www.illusiontv.com

On-Demand Sci-Fi

Illusion On-Demand, the first and only dedicated science fiction and fantasy on-demand channel is launching nation-wide this October. Offering a wide variety of programming which includes live-action premieres, award-winning films, anime and news, Illusion wants to define the new face of Sci-Fi culture.

Launching with a library of over 300 programming hours, Illusion is confident that Sci-Fi lovers will find a new top destination on their VOD lineup.

Included in Illusion’s initial lineup fans will find the acclaimed anime series “Now and Then, Here and There”, VOD premieres of several BBC series including “Strange”, a monthly selection of camp in the form of the “Troma Creature Feature” and the original roundtable discussion series “Analog: The Science of Fiction” moderated by editors of the renowned Analog: Science Fiction and Fact magazine. Also included in the initial lineup will be award-winning features, shorts, mini-series and the first shows on television dedicated comic book news and interviews.

Dekker Dreyer, president of Illusion, explains what makes Illusion On-Demand unique, “When my partners and I imagined an all sci-fi /fantasy VOD network we really had to work backwards. We decided that our programming needed to have a good mix of premieres, exciting movies, but all the while celebrating the classics. The sci-fi audience is very smart, and my partners and I have taken great care to program a diverse lineup that fans will really enjoy.”

Illusion’s respect for the fans and the people that made the genre great can be seen in the special events they’ve been a part of as they’ve built up to the coming Fall launch; events such as their recent tie-in with Hero Initiative and The CGC which brought fans together with industry legend Stan Lee on an Illusion-sponsored yacht during San Diego Comic Con. The event benefitted comic creators in need.

For the latest news about Illusion visit the official website, www.illusiontv.com. An upgraded site with Illusion’s lineup and web exclusives will be launching in early September.

Illusion will be launching free to the consumer in millions of homes via carriers like Verizon Fios on October 1st, 2007. Call your local cable operator to find out if Illusion will be available in your area.

Read more

Slice of SciFi #54: Interview with Bradley Thompson and David Weddle

 

 Slice of SciFi #54: Interview with Bradley Thompson and David Weddle: Play Now | Download (2741)

On This Week’s Show: Interview with Bradley Thompson and David Weddle

L to R: Grace Park, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, and Tricia Helfer
Photo courtesy of iFMagazine.com News Bytes:

• Peter Segal tapped to direct new Shazam! movie
• Director Jay Russell has his cast for The Waterhorse
• Comcast and Sony join forces to create on-demand channel dedicated to the horror/thriller genre

Movie Talk:

• Edward Norton’s The Illusionist release date set for Aug 18, 2006
• Snoop Dog invited to present a horror spoof at Cannes

TV Talk:

• Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is looking for a successor, and the search may become a reality show contest
• The Initiation of Sarah being remade for ABC Family’s “13 Days of Halloween” movie marathon

Interview: Bradley Thompson and David Weddle chat about their stories for SciFi Channel’s Battlestar Galactica, including the nomination of “Act of Contrition/You Can’t Go Home Again” for a Nebula Award (to be awarded May 5-7 in Tempe AZ).

Future Talk: What’s Coming Up?

• If you want more SURFACE, sign the petition and send your emails on May 1
• Anthony Hopkins has written and will star in and direct Slipstream
• Renee Zellwegger starring in Case 39 and The Eye

Listener comments: If you have any suggestions or comments, please let us know. (Our Voicemail Number: 206-339-TREK). We’ve got plenty of voicemail from fans to listen and respond to, but you’ll hear that in a fresh, separate show.

See you in a week with fresh, new content!