When it comes to being in the forefront of sci-fi and genre-related film and television production there is one name that stands out above all others and that name is Gale Anne Hurd. She is one of the busiest and most prominent producers in the entertainment industry having tucked under her belt such huge SF and action-adventure films as both Hulk features, all three Terminator movies, “Aeon Flux,” “The Punisher,” “Armageddon,” “Dante’s Peak,” the original film production of “Alien Nation” starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin, “Tremors” and “Aliens,” as well as at least half a dozen other genre films. She is currently working as the producer of the next Punisher film titled “Punisher: War Zone,” starring Ray Stevenson and the new action-thriller “Mercury.”

Gale also works as one of the writers for the hit Fox television show “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”

Somehow our very busy reporter Linda Craddock and Gale both found a few minutes to be able to sit down together and talk. Enjoy this exciting interview with one of the greatest SF producer/writers living today — Gale Anne Hurd.

Linda Craddock (SoSF): Welcome to Slice of SciFi, thank you for joining me.

Gale Anne Hurd (GAH): Glad to be here.

SoSF: Everyone knows The Incredible Hulk which has thus far grossed a little over $125 million is based on the Marvel character and it is the second installment on the big screen. What aspect of the first film did you want to improve with this movie?

GAH: We were very responsive to the fans’ comments that they wanted to see The Hulk go up against a villain from the comic book, a formidable foe like the abomination and that was something we took to heart and I think there was also a desire to make The Hulk a more heroic character in that battle.

SoSF: Of course the concept is a man who when pushed to the edge of anger, has this thing that rises out of him. Talk a little about the soothing effect Betty, played by actress Liv Tyler, has on the Hulk, sort of the “Beauty and the Beast” story.

GAH: Yes, very much so. The relationship between The Hulk and Betty actually reminds me and is more powerful and emotional then the relationship between Betty and Bruce Banner in the sense that Hulk is raw emotion and Betty has a calming effect on The Hulk. One of my favorite scenes is when they are huddled together in a thunder storm in a cave and we see her ability to calm the beast.

SoSF: Yes, that was really great! Tim Roth plays one of the best villains in the business. Talk about shooting the sequences between Blonsky and the Hulk.

GAH: One of the great things as you point out when you hire someone like Tim Roth with his great pedigree of playing great villains or anti-heroes like “Reservoir Dogs” or Oscar nominated roles like “Rob Roy”, you get someone one who is well, small in stature, has that commanding presence and you don’t doubt that he can take on The Hulk and of course he’s had a couple of injections of serum to help him along. We really wanted to setup a real conflict between Hulk and Blonsky who becomes the abomination and we were able to stage it on a University campus. It was tremendous and Tim Roth embraced the roll and I think it’s pretty remarkable when you consider he was acting opposite nothing.

SoSF: The production closed down 4 blocks in downtown Toronto. How long did it take to complete that sequence between the Hulk and creature?

GAH: With respect to actual shooting days?

SoSF: Yes.

GAH: We shot for 5 days on Young Street, right at the intersection of Dundas and we also shot for 3 more days down in Hamilton, Ontario.

SoSF: That battle sequence was quite amazing.

GAH: And that was the titanic battle between the two in the streets. We also created our own back lot exterior film set at Toronto Film studio for the final fight at the plaza.

SoSF: Camera angles were incredible and very entertaining. Is it difficult to gain that type of movement without fear of too much activity for the eye to enjoy?

GAH: Well, Lee’s perspective on capturing the action was to treat it as if there was a real camera operator trying to film a fight so sometimes the camera won’t settle properly and it gives the kind of verisimilitude so that the framing isn’t always perfect the camera’s always trying to capture something, catch an element of the fight and I think that helps especially when you’re dealing with two fully CGI characters.

SoSF: There was a lot of emphasis on the Hulk as a hero in the end. Why a heroes ending?

GAH: The great thing about “The Incredible Hulk” is that he’s not a villain and when you think about it every time The Hulk comes to life, he’s being pursued, he’s being attacked and yet he is a defensive character. He doesn’t pick the fight but he does defend himself and in the end we’re also able to have him save Betty when she’s in jeopardy which he actually does twice. And I think it’s consistent with his character the analogy you used with “Beauty and the Beast” I think is an accurate one. He does not have evil intentions. He’s misunderstood and when rage does take over he can destroy a lot of real estate.

SoSF: The scene when the military tracked Bruce in the factory, when he bled into a bottle on the assembly line, and unfortunately the elderly gentleman consumed that bottle of beverage…

GAH: Right, a very important elderly gentleman.

SoSF: Yes, that scene was shot in Brazil, correct?

GAH: The interior sequences were actually shot in an abandoned glass factory in Hamilton, Ontario. The exteriors, when you see Bruce Banner racing down the street into the building those were filmed on location in Brazil.

SoSF: Sadly, I see by the clock that our time is up. I want to thank you Gale on behalf of all our fans at Slice of SciFi for taking the time from your busy schedule to talk to us.

GAH: Well thank you so much.