Commentary on Line in the Sand
Sep. 16th, 2007 06:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tenayaCommentary on Line in the Sand by Writer Alan McCullough and Actor Amanda Tapping.
First off, there was a scene cut for time at the very start of this episode. The ep was about 14 minutes over. The scene cut is where the team explains what they are doing on this mission off world and it also explains that Daniel is missing and that the team is worried him.
In the briefing scene where Vala volunteers Carter's new machine, both the actresses decided that the prop drawing looked like a uterus and they kept poking at it, causing everyone to have a hard time keeping a straight face.
They talk about the actor who plays Col. Reynolds. He always 'brings it' so they keep asking him back. AT told a story about when she was doing Ascension. Eric Breker was only in one scene but AT was running lines and he volunteered to help her even though he wasn't in those scenes. She said he is a really sweet and nice guy.
They mention Aisha Hinds and what a good job she did; AT was happy to see an African American woman as a leader on the show. AT says Aisha brought a regalness to her character. Carter, in the scene does a bit of technobabble and then Mitchell comes in and tells the leader that that's alright, they don't understand her either.
60 plus extras were in that scene where they vanish the village. They compliment the lighting during the outdoor feast at night. AM says he wrote a back story of these people, how they had resisted the Goa'uld for years. AT tells him that he writes very political story lines. This ep was the first that AT and Ben got to really work with each other for once and figure out how to push things, and how far to take other stuff.
Dropping the ring transport for quick troop dispersal was debated among the writers. It looked cool, but the fact that one guy could shoot everyone who had just appeared was a drawback.
AT says the hardest thing in the world is to pretend you've been shot because you have to sell it by screaming and going over the top, but when you do it, it's quiet and you feel like a moron. She worried that she went over the top.
AT compliments Tim Guinee as a good actor, the funniest man ever, and an amazing documentary maker. Rob added the bit where Tomin slaughters everyone in front of Vala.
There was a debate as to whether Mitchell would hold that clamp with a bloody gauze in his mouth while he was sewing up Carter. They felt because he is heroic and only trained in field medicine, he would. Another bit cut for time is that Carter wanted to see her wound, Mitchell didn't want to show her, but eventually held a mirror so she could see it.
The scene between Tomin and Vala. Rob did a pass on it, changing some of the dialogue. Rob created both characters and knows their relationship well.
Another cut for time was where Teal'c made it back to the village in time to join the fight. AT mentions the rebel guy was also one of the trainees in Proving Ground (she couldn't recall the title of Proving Ground or Ascension.)
The scene where she is lying in bed. Apparently they brought in cots and a pillow because they were going to be there a long time. AT felt Carter would not have had a pillow and it would have made more sense for her to be lying on the dirt. She remarks that there was criticism on the net that her makeup was too perfect. She says Jan just spritzed her. They both laugh and say it was just her natural beau-tay showing through. The logistics of shooting Carter and Mitchell work better with her up on the bed. A lot of the things that fans complain about are things that just happen on the day of shooting just because of circumstances.
AM says he won't write another Ori ep unless Rob gives him the Book of the Ori because he had to write all those parables. AM wanted Tomin to hit Vala, and Rob said, yeah, you have to have that and added it in. The title, "Line in the Sand" AM got early, and then he added in the parable where they do draw a line in the sand later to match the title.
They've used a lot of the same background actors for years. AT says CJ was happy that this village had a lot more African American actors in it. When Teal'c is betrayed, stands and throws off his robe, they had a wider shot of that worked well but unfortunately it looked a little too much like a bathhouse reveal. AT laughed and said, yeah, pan down to the stiletto heels.
AT notices that Claudia has this great ease of physicality that AT studies as they work together. CB sits with her feet up on a table with such ease.
This was supposed to be a Carter story but the Vala stuff crept in. It takes 2 or 3 hours for an actor to get into the Prior makeup.
When Carter is telling Mitchell her goodbye letters are on the computer under the password of 'fishing' she just keeps repeating how she loved that and it was amazing. "...and some other people." She loves it. They mention Daniel being missing here which is why they got to cut the first scene. Nevertheless, it still looks like they are heartless people to have them all smiles at the start of the ep. For Carter's scene, they realized that in ten years, there hadn't been a moment where Carter felt she was about to die. They wanted to explore how, as a scientist, she would feel about that.
They talk at length about Tomin's scene where he questions the meaning of the parable to the Prior. AM had to come up with a story that could be taken two ways. AT remarks that that is very timely with the state of religion and how they will argue over a small detail and interpret it differently. AM laughs and said he read a lot of Mad Magazine as a kid.
They compliment the actor that was going to kill Teal'c but changed his mind. That portrayal of confusion and anxiety is something that that really makes the episode.
The scene where Tomin confronts the Prior, they compliment PDL's direction because it's just two actors saying a lot of words while standing in place, yet it is very powerful. The goodbye kiss between Vala and Tomin wasn't scripted. AM doesn't buy that she would kiss him, but it really works that he would kiss her. There was more to that scene with men pounding at the door to get in, but with the semi-transparent panes, it looked a little silly.
AM says don't worry about how the ground can be cratered by the power beam, but the foundations of the out of phase buildings are fine. "It's out of phase technology, don't worry about it." Vala jumping into Teal'c's arms is not scripted. AT adds it's very Claudia.
About the tag scene where Mitchell brings the recuperating Carter a gift. AM: We write tag scenes because they're necessary; we hate them. AT says she watched Univited on the TV the night before and really liked the tag scene of the poker game. AT says when she was eating the food, she kept doing spit takes and blowing the food back in Ben's face. Rob added the line, "to each their own." AT remarks that there is a little shippy moment when Mitchell pats Carter's arm.
First off, there was a scene cut for time at the very start of this episode. The ep was about 14 minutes over. The scene cut is where the team explains what they are doing on this mission off world and it also explains that Daniel is missing and that the team is worried him.
In the briefing scene where Vala volunteers Carter's new machine, both the actresses decided that the prop drawing looked like a uterus and they kept poking at it, causing everyone to have a hard time keeping a straight face.
They talk about the actor who plays Col. Reynolds. He always 'brings it' so they keep asking him back. AT told a story about when she was doing Ascension. Eric Breker was only in one scene but AT was running lines and he volunteered to help her even though he wasn't in those scenes. She said he is a really sweet and nice guy.
They mention Aisha Hinds and what a good job she did; AT was happy to see an African American woman as a leader on the show. AT says Aisha brought a regalness to her character. Carter, in the scene does a bit of technobabble and then Mitchell comes in and tells the leader that that's alright, they don't understand her either.
60 plus extras were in that scene where they vanish the village. They compliment the lighting during the outdoor feast at night. AM says he wrote a back story of these people, how they had resisted the Goa'uld for years. AT tells him that he writes very political story lines. This ep was the first that AT and Ben got to really work with each other for once and figure out how to push things, and how far to take other stuff.
Dropping the ring transport for quick troop dispersal was debated among the writers. It looked cool, but the fact that one guy could shoot everyone who had just appeared was a drawback.
AT says the hardest thing in the world is to pretend you've been shot because you have to sell it by screaming and going over the top, but when you do it, it's quiet and you feel like a moron. She worried that she went over the top.
AT compliments Tim Guinee as a good actor, the funniest man ever, and an amazing documentary maker. Rob added the bit where Tomin slaughters everyone in front of Vala.
There was a debate as to whether Mitchell would hold that clamp with a bloody gauze in his mouth while he was sewing up Carter. They felt because he is heroic and only trained in field medicine, he would. Another bit cut for time is that Carter wanted to see her wound, Mitchell didn't want to show her, but eventually held a mirror so she could see it.
The scene between Tomin and Vala. Rob did a pass on it, changing some of the dialogue. Rob created both characters and knows their relationship well.
Another cut for time was where Teal'c made it back to the village in time to join the fight. AT mentions the rebel guy was also one of the trainees in Proving Ground (she couldn't recall the title of Proving Ground or Ascension.)
The scene where she is lying in bed. Apparently they brought in cots and a pillow because they were going to be there a long time. AT felt Carter would not have had a pillow and it would have made more sense for her to be lying on the dirt. She remarks that there was criticism on the net that her makeup was too perfect. She says Jan just spritzed her. They both laugh and say it was just her natural beau-tay showing through. The logistics of shooting Carter and Mitchell work better with her up on the bed. A lot of the things that fans complain about are things that just happen on the day of shooting just because of circumstances.
AM says he won't write another Ori ep unless Rob gives him the Book of the Ori because he had to write all those parables. AM wanted Tomin to hit Vala, and Rob said, yeah, you have to have that and added it in. The title, "Line in the Sand" AM got early, and then he added in the parable where they do draw a line in the sand later to match the title.
They've used a lot of the same background actors for years. AT says CJ was happy that this village had a lot more African American actors in it. When Teal'c is betrayed, stands and throws off his robe, they had a wider shot of that worked well but unfortunately it looked a little too much like a bathhouse reveal. AT laughed and said, yeah, pan down to the stiletto heels.
AT notices that Claudia has this great ease of physicality that AT studies as they work together. CB sits with her feet up on a table with such ease.
This was supposed to be a Carter story but the Vala stuff crept in. It takes 2 or 3 hours for an actor to get into the Prior makeup.
When Carter is telling Mitchell her goodbye letters are on the computer under the password of 'fishing' she just keeps repeating how she loved that and it was amazing. "...and some other people." She loves it. They mention Daniel being missing here which is why they got to cut the first scene. Nevertheless, it still looks like they are heartless people to have them all smiles at the start of the ep. For Carter's scene, they realized that in ten years, there hadn't been a moment where Carter felt she was about to die. They wanted to explore how, as a scientist, she would feel about that.
They talk at length about Tomin's scene where he questions the meaning of the parable to the Prior. AM had to come up with a story that could be taken two ways. AT remarks that that is very timely with the state of religion and how they will argue over a small detail and interpret it differently. AM laughs and said he read a lot of Mad Magazine as a kid.
They compliment the actor that was going to kill Teal'c but changed his mind. That portrayal of confusion and anxiety is something that that really makes the episode.
The scene where Tomin confronts the Prior, they compliment PDL's direction because it's just two actors saying a lot of words while standing in place, yet it is very powerful. The goodbye kiss between Vala and Tomin wasn't scripted. AM doesn't buy that she would kiss him, but it really works that he would kiss her. There was more to that scene with men pounding at the door to get in, but with the semi-transparent panes, it looked a little silly.
AM says don't worry about how the ground can be cratered by the power beam, but the foundations of the out of phase buildings are fine. "It's out of phase technology, don't worry about it." Vala jumping into Teal'c's arms is not scripted. AT adds it's very Claudia.
About the tag scene where Mitchell brings the recuperating Carter a gift. AM: We write tag scenes because they're necessary; we hate them. AT says she watched Univited on the TV the night before and really liked the tag scene of the poker game. AT says when she was eating the food, she kept doing spit takes and blowing the food back in Ben's face. Rob added the line, "to each their own." AT remarks that there is a little shippy moment when Mitchell pats Carter's arm.
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Date: 2007-09-16 04:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 02:58 pm (UTC)And then later, he says that they hate to write the tags. Well, I'm glad they finally admitted it. It's a serious deficiency of theirs that makes the show weaker. And it was just as frustrating when they say they'd rather write scenes where the team interacts with each other and they let the actors do some real acting instead of just battling space monsters. Do they say things like that to frustrate us? ARGH!