Commentary for The Shroud
Sep. 23rd, 2007 06:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tenayaCommentary for the Shroud with Executive Producer Robert C. Cooper and Director Andy Mikita.
RC said Michael Shanks' contract necessitated that he be written out of a couple of episodes in the back half and he opted to take the time off connective with the mid season hiatus. The shows were filmed out of order. AM said that that was not an unusual thing for them to do and they were in that situation pretty regularly so it wasn't something highly unusual for them.
The opening scene is in the village so they decided to stick with tight shots so the buildings just become a background texture and make it more about the faces. And they changed the color of the light to make it look different too. In the script it's easy to make a dramatic reveal but as soon as you see this character you'll know it's Daniel. And the moment he speaks you know it's him. It was more the 'oh my gosh' factor that you see him full on in Prior makeup. That pullback of Daniel's hood took endless takes as it kept getting hooked on something. In hindsight, if Daniel hadn't been carrying the book, it wouldn't have been so awkward for him to handle that and the staff and needing one hand free for the cloak. They just should have gotten rid of the book.
There's an outside shot of the briefing room (taken from the gate room looking through the windows) and they both say they really like that. Will was the first one to do that. They remark that after ten years it's hard to film the standing sets differently so why bother? Besides, says RC, he thinks the audience doesn't really notice as they are more focused on the content.
It was Brad's idea that Daniel should become a Prior and he pitched it way before the beginning of the season. It was going to be a longer arc but the fact is that the back half of the season really got condensed. Cooper felt they really needed to get going on the story. This ep could easily have been a two parter but Michael would not have been happy to wear the makeup for that long. It was very uncomfortable for him, particularly the contact lenses. They only used them if it was anything closer than a medium closeup, for everything else they took them out as they were too uncomfortable and therefore too distracting for him to wear. Peter used a lot of top lights so you couldn't see his eyes terribly clearly on wide shots and that helped. AM said he'd read some fan based reviews since the ep had already been shown in England and people mentioned it should have been a couple of episodes. RC said it's a very dense story and he remembered pitching it out to the room and how complex it was. It was interesting that they would be killing the gods of these people but their belief was so strong that they would be continuing to be our adversaries. They left the ending unknown as to whether the Ori were gone or not, but they needed to have the feel that this ordeal Daniel went through had a purpose (Adria kisses Daniel at this point. RC sentence kind of trailed off as she closed in for the kiss.) AM mutters "lucky guy." And RC says, "speaking of distractions." Morena is a truly sweet, down to earth person. AM adds she was terrific and lots of fun. And looking at Michael in close up AM recalled all the uncomfortable times he was experiencing. RC said it added to his performance; he was supposed to be uncomfortable in the Prior's skin.
In the ship, you can see hyperspace going by and it was RC's idea to have a rear screen projection of it going sideways and not just always through the tunnel. AM remarks about what a great set the ship is; they've expanded it and it's a great set to shoot in.
Because Jack was in 200 and the two SGA eps around this time, they didn't make a big deal of Jack being back, and they both liked that understated entrance. It underscores that even though we don't see him, Jack is always around, though maybe not always on base. RC came down to watch the scene between Jack and Daniel, and you really felt that old magic, didn't you? AM agrees. RC said he knew when he wrote this that there needed to be big scenes between the two of them. They both obviously bring so much to the table. I think Rick likes acting with Michael because Michael challenges him and that elevates both of their performances. It goes back to the pilot where you just felt this chemistry that occurred in the dynamic between their relationship of the characters that just worked. AM added that it was a genuinely fun, comfortable, relaxed vib on the set; these were easy scenes to shoot and to rehearse. It was a lot of fun. It was great having him back. RC said it was such magic that they didn't want to bother to go back and reshoot them when they noticed a small continuity error. O'Neill only has one star on his color and he's a two star general. It goes back and forth during the episode--they promoted him, they demoted him, they promoted him.... And this just goes to show how hard it is to make a TV show. This was shot by a second unit crew who isn't as familiar with the show and the costumers talk to the Atlantis costumers where O'Neill had just been on that show. "He's a one star general, right?" "oh yeah" but they didn't even really remember. In fact that dress blue uniform he wore in The Return had two stars on it. So, they pulled out the green BDU uniform that he hadn't worn since season eight when he was a one star general and it just slipped through. No one noticed. They had previously shot the briefing room scene where he had both stars on but then he went back to one. The next scene with Carter he has two stars. Everything on the main set was first unit and he'll have the two stars. RC noticed it when they were shooting that scene and AM said he just felt horrible and wanted to sink through the floor.
The chair that Daniel sits in was first used in Prototype, but they acquired it from that John Woo film, Paycheck.
In the scene were Daniel is constructing the device, AM says, "and Daniel stairs into the pig snout as I so loving refer to it as. Sometimes on paper things seem alright but then when you see them in person...they are what they are. RC said at least it only has the one nostril. They speak highly of the Ori ship set. Even though the Ori gave their followers the technology to build a space ship, the workers just brought their furniture in and decorated it themselves. It was a cool idea to have wood in a space ship.
Robert Picardo. RC likes that these guest characters who are signed for one or two eps keep coming back and become these strong, almost secondary lead characters. The arc of his character over four seasons is a lot of fun to watch him get to this point where he's made some mistakes and now he's at a point to recommend that they kill Daniel based on his experiences in a previous ep.
In the scene where Vala sits on Daniel's lap, that was Claudia's choice that was embraced by Michael and by AM but he did have reservations about it and went up to ask RC about it. AM didn't want to be in a position to have to revisit it. RC laughed and said it was either this or she'd be roller skating around him. RC says Claudia's character is always outside the box and that's what he loves about her. It makes the scenes that she's in that much more interesting, and unique.
They talk at length about how the writer doesn't usually get what he envisioned but RC is usually pleased about how close they came. AM says some to the directors obsess over what they think the writer might have wanted. RC said they trust their directors enough to give them leeway in interpreting the text. RC says they have to allow the process, because if he dictated every little thing...well, he's smart enough to know he isn't always right and it's nice to see what other people bring to the table. Sometimes when RC is directing, he's frustrated with himself as the writer. Blocking the scene is where the direction really takes place in TV. Once it's blocked, the camera will go where it goes. RC goes on at length about blocking a scene and shooting a scene. Sometimes he imagines what a scene will look like, block it as such, but if you have the wrong lens it won't look right. A wide angle lens will push people apart and you have to encourage your actors to stand closer which can make them uncomfortable. Sometimes you have to put the doubles in place and have the actor come around to look into the camera.
Ben Browder is the most camera savvy actor he's ever met. He's so well aware of not only where the camera is and why it has to be there, but how to perform to the camera. It's a very unique talent to be able to deliver a performance that feels nature for the space but at the same time is in fact delivery the performance to the camera. Everything he's doing doesn't look natural for the environment but looks natural for the camera. It's a very special thing that not all actors have and he is very good about it. AM agrees. He noticed that immediately on Avalon...and they agree that he's good that way to sometimes an annoying extent. Sometimes one wants to pull one over on the actor to get your shot and he knows exactly what you are trying to do. You can't fool him into doing something he doesn't want to do.
The most frustrating thing about being a director is knowing what you want but not being able to get it, because of the space you're in, or the lens you've got, or the action and that is why television ends up looking like television instead of a feature film. They will shoot 9-10 pages a day and a feature will shoot one page a day and spend time to build the set specifically for that scene.
RC talks for a while about the sangraal and how he was disappointed it was the Lost Nose of Bozo. One tries to be original but somethings don't work out and you have shoot with them anyway.
It's amazing to RC the response of fans to how much a big deal it is to have the Odyssey cloaking, it registered a ten on the Richter scale. The Asgard beaming technology has had such a massive impact on the show, both positive and negative. Now one has to go to extremes to figure out ways for them not to be able to beam out. They talk about the zats, and why are people running around with P-90s shooting people when there are perfectly good stun weapons around? AM asked about the third shot rule and RC said they don't talk about that. And it hasn't been used since before season 4.
The special effects of the supergate--it's hard to convey just how big it is. Ori ships are almost a mile from front to back.
For the ending scene where Daniel wakes up, AM said it was fun to film. He says he remembers when they were blocking this scene and Rick reached over to ruffle Daniel's hair, and then he looked up at him and asked, "too much?" RC adds that back in the days, he would have expected Rick to call Daniel 'Spacemonkey.' AM said it was just so great because it hearkened back to the old days and the level of comfort they all have with one another, the friendship and comradely is great.
RC's favorite joke is when Jack asks how do they know Merlin is gone and Daniel waves his hand at Jack. Unfortunately, Michael ran those two sentences together (If I were Merlin you would know. What about Adria?) because Rick's reaction was priceless. There just wasn't space to get the editing scissor in there. They had other takes of him saying that line but he said it the same way each time. When you are on the stage, you see everything and you don't realize that there will be a problem with the editing. And even if you do, sometimes the actor feels a change might make the line delivery so unnatural. RC says the best thing to do is shoot the scene from every eyeline possible. AM chuckles and agrees, though he admits you won't get anything else done that day.
AM says that he tends not to do them, but when they are done well, he loves them and that is "oners." A beautifully choreographed oner is great. RC says that unfortunately they are slaves to show length, as we are in this case as our conversation is now over (said as the credits role.)
Again they make a joke about that they hope the three or four people watching this got something out of it.
RC said Michael Shanks' contract necessitated that he be written out of a couple of episodes in the back half and he opted to take the time off connective with the mid season hiatus. The shows were filmed out of order. AM said that that was not an unusual thing for them to do and they were in that situation pretty regularly so it wasn't something highly unusual for them.
The opening scene is in the village so they decided to stick with tight shots so the buildings just become a background texture and make it more about the faces. And they changed the color of the light to make it look different too. In the script it's easy to make a dramatic reveal but as soon as you see this character you'll know it's Daniel. And the moment he speaks you know it's him. It was more the 'oh my gosh' factor that you see him full on in Prior makeup. That pullback of Daniel's hood took endless takes as it kept getting hooked on something. In hindsight, if Daniel hadn't been carrying the book, it wouldn't have been so awkward for him to handle that and the staff and needing one hand free for the cloak. They just should have gotten rid of the book.
There's an outside shot of the briefing room (taken from the gate room looking through the windows) and they both say they really like that. Will was the first one to do that. They remark that after ten years it's hard to film the standing sets differently so why bother? Besides, says RC, he thinks the audience doesn't really notice as they are more focused on the content.
It was Brad's idea that Daniel should become a Prior and he pitched it way before the beginning of the season. It was going to be a longer arc but the fact is that the back half of the season really got condensed. Cooper felt they really needed to get going on the story. This ep could easily have been a two parter but Michael would not have been happy to wear the makeup for that long. It was very uncomfortable for him, particularly the contact lenses. They only used them if it was anything closer than a medium closeup, for everything else they took them out as they were too uncomfortable and therefore too distracting for him to wear. Peter used a lot of top lights so you couldn't see his eyes terribly clearly on wide shots and that helped. AM said he'd read some fan based reviews since the ep had already been shown in England and people mentioned it should have been a couple of episodes. RC said it's a very dense story and he remembered pitching it out to the room and how complex it was. It was interesting that they would be killing the gods of these people but their belief was so strong that they would be continuing to be our adversaries. They left the ending unknown as to whether the Ori were gone or not, but they needed to have the feel that this ordeal Daniel went through had a purpose (Adria kisses Daniel at this point. RC sentence kind of trailed off as she closed in for the kiss.) AM mutters "lucky guy." And RC says, "speaking of distractions." Morena is a truly sweet, down to earth person. AM adds she was terrific and lots of fun. And looking at Michael in close up AM recalled all the uncomfortable times he was experiencing. RC said it added to his performance; he was supposed to be uncomfortable in the Prior's skin.
In the ship, you can see hyperspace going by and it was RC's idea to have a rear screen projection of it going sideways and not just always through the tunnel. AM remarks about what a great set the ship is; they've expanded it and it's a great set to shoot in.
Because Jack was in 200 and the two SGA eps around this time, they didn't make a big deal of Jack being back, and they both liked that understated entrance. It underscores that even though we don't see him, Jack is always around, though maybe not always on base. RC came down to watch the scene between Jack and Daniel, and you really felt that old magic, didn't you? AM agrees. RC said he knew when he wrote this that there needed to be big scenes between the two of them. They both obviously bring so much to the table. I think Rick likes acting with Michael because Michael challenges him and that elevates both of their performances. It goes back to the pilot where you just felt this chemistry that occurred in the dynamic between their relationship of the characters that just worked. AM added that it was a genuinely fun, comfortable, relaxed vib on the set; these were easy scenes to shoot and to rehearse. It was a lot of fun. It was great having him back. RC said it was such magic that they didn't want to bother to go back and reshoot them when they noticed a small continuity error. O'Neill only has one star on his color and he's a two star general. It goes back and forth during the episode--they promoted him, they demoted him, they promoted him.... And this just goes to show how hard it is to make a TV show. This was shot by a second unit crew who isn't as familiar with the show and the costumers talk to the Atlantis costumers where O'Neill had just been on that show. "He's a one star general, right?" "oh yeah" but they didn't even really remember. In fact that dress blue uniform he wore in The Return had two stars on it. So, they pulled out the green BDU uniform that he hadn't worn since season eight when he was a one star general and it just slipped through. No one noticed. They had previously shot the briefing room scene where he had both stars on but then he went back to one. The next scene with Carter he has two stars. Everything on the main set was first unit and he'll have the two stars. RC noticed it when they were shooting that scene and AM said he just felt horrible and wanted to sink through the floor.
The chair that Daniel sits in was first used in Prototype, but they acquired it from that John Woo film, Paycheck.
In the scene were Daniel is constructing the device, AM says, "and Daniel stairs into the pig snout as I so loving refer to it as. Sometimes on paper things seem alright but then when you see them in person...they are what they are. RC said at least it only has the one nostril. They speak highly of the Ori ship set. Even though the Ori gave their followers the technology to build a space ship, the workers just brought their furniture in and decorated it themselves. It was a cool idea to have wood in a space ship.
Robert Picardo. RC likes that these guest characters who are signed for one or two eps keep coming back and become these strong, almost secondary lead characters. The arc of his character over four seasons is a lot of fun to watch him get to this point where he's made some mistakes and now he's at a point to recommend that they kill Daniel based on his experiences in a previous ep.
In the scene where Vala sits on Daniel's lap, that was Claudia's choice that was embraced by Michael and by AM but he did have reservations about it and went up to ask RC about it. AM didn't want to be in a position to have to revisit it. RC laughed and said it was either this or she'd be roller skating around him. RC says Claudia's character is always outside the box and that's what he loves about her. It makes the scenes that she's in that much more interesting, and unique.
They talk at length about how the writer doesn't usually get what he envisioned but RC is usually pleased about how close they came. AM says some to the directors obsess over what they think the writer might have wanted. RC said they trust their directors enough to give them leeway in interpreting the text. RC says they have to allow the process, because if he dictated every little thing...well, he's smart enough to know he isn't always right and it's nice to see what other people bring to the table. Sometimes when RC is directing, he's frustrated with himself as the writer. Blocking the scene is where the direction really takes place in TV. Once it's blocked, the camera will go where it goes. RC goes on at length about blocking a scene and shooting a scene. Sometimes he imagines what a scene will look like, block it as such, but if you have the wrong lens it won't look right. A wide angle lens will push people apart and you have to encourage your actors to stand closer which can make them uncomfortable. Sometimes you have to put the doubles in place and have the actor come around to look into the camera.
Ben Browder is the most camera savvy actor he's ever met. He's so well aware of not only where the camera is and why it has to be there, but how to perform to the camera. It's a very unique talent to be able to deliver a performance that feels nature for the space but at the same time is in fact delivery the performance to the camera. Everything he's doing doesn't look natural for the environment but looks natural for the camera. It's a very special thing that not all actors have and he is very good about it. AM agrees. He noticed that immediately on Avalon...and they agree that he's good that way to sometimes an annoying extent. Sometimes one wants to pull one over on the actor to get your shot and he knows exactly what you are trying to do. You can't fool him into doing something he doesn't want to do.
The most frustrating thing about being a director is knowing what you want but not being able to get it, because of the space you're in, or the lens you've got, or the action and that is why television ends up looking like television instead of a feature film. They will shoot 9-10 pages a day and a feature will shoot one page a day and spend time to build the set specifically for that scene.
RC talks for a while about the sangraal and how he was disappointed it was the Lost Nose of Bozo. One tries to be original but somethings don't work out and you have shoot with them anyway.
It's amazing to RC the response of fans to how much a big deal it is to have the Odyssey cloaking, it registered a ten on the Richter scale. The Asgard beaming technology has had such a massive impact on the show, both positive and negative. Now one has to go to extremes to figure out ways for them not to be able to beam out. They talk about the zats, and why are people running around with P-90s shooting people when there are perfectly good stun weapons around? AM asked about the third shot rule and RC said they don't talk about that. And it hasn't been used since before season 4.
The special effects of the supergate--it's hard to convey just how big it is. Ori ships are almost a mile from front to back.
For the ending scene where Daniel wakes up, AM said it was fun to film. He says he remembers when they were blocking this scene and Rick reached over to ruffle Daniel's hair, and then he looked up at him and asked, "too much?" RC adds that back in the days, he would have expected Rick to call Daniel 'Spacemonkey.' AM said it was just so great because it hearkened back to the old days and the level of comfort they all have with one another, the friendship and comradely is great.
RC's favorite joke is when Jack asks how do they know Merlin is gone and Daniel waves his hand at Jack. Unfortunately, Michael ran those two sentences together (If I were Merlin you would know. What about Adria?) because Rick's reaction was priceless. There just wasn't space to get the editing scissor in there. They had other takes of him saying that line but he said it the same way each time. When you are on the stage, you see everything and you don't realize that there will be a problem with the editing. And even if you do, sometimes the actor feels a change might make the line delivery so unnatural. RC says the best thing to do is shoot the scene from every eyeline possible. AM chuckles and agrees, though he admits you won't get anything else done that day.
AM says that he tends not to do them, but when they are done well, he loves them and that is "oners." A beautifully choreographed oner is great. RC says that unfortunately they are slaves to show length, as we are in this case as our conversation is now over (said as the credits role.)
Again they make a joke about that they hope the three or four people watching this got something out of it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-23 06:28 pm (UTC)I was almost afraid to listen to this commentary, since RC is not my favorite person, with his little "inside jokes" and other occasional meanness. Sounds like he was okay here, so perhaps I really will listen to it.
Thanks for the synopsis!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-24 12:12 am (UTC)But, yeah, aside from my feelings, it was a fairly decent commentary. They did get deep a few times on techie stuff, but it was nice to look at the pretty Daniel stuff on the screen while they blathered on. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-24 12:37 am (UTC)Oh, yeah. I figured even if he said something nice, it would probably come with a little dig at Daniel or Michael. Glad to see he rose above it a tiny bit. Perhaps because he wants to make more movies and realizes he needs MS as well as RDA?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-24 04:33 pm (UTC)How much do you want to bet there won't be a juicy Jack and Daniel scene in Continuum?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-25 12:34 am (UTC)After seasons 7,8,&9 of disappointments, I hold out no hopes of a nice J&D scene ever again. It just ticks me off even more that Cooper KNOWS it's good chemistry, but he still won't write it if he thinks he can get away with it. Ah well, I'll still buy the Continuum DVD, so Cooper gets what he wants in the end. Sigh. It could just be so much MORE!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-25 02:02 am (UTC)He had the same glee in his voice as he did when he and Wright were snickering over the events about Paul M. You know, the more I read of Mallozzi's blog, the more I think what an ass and bastard he is. I thought only this morning, why would you want someone like him on the staff and now it clicks: birds of a feather.
And not only was Cooper pissed that Michael had other priorites than toading up to them, I think it infuriated him that Michael got to have weeks off that he, the Mighty and Powerful showrunner, didn't. The only other one to make Bridge cater to their schedule was RDA. Deals like that speak of the kind of power to demand perks. Cooper likes to sideline Daniel so being forced for budget reasons to honor a such a perk must have really irritated him. He wants Michael marginalized, and not allowed to grow in status.
Plus, apparently Mallozzi was surprised to hear that Michael wouldn't mind showing up on SGA. Michael was like, Daniel would want to go. I rather imagine Cooper had given Mallozzi a negative impression about the possibility, though to be fair, Michael has made a few personal remarks about both Cooper and Mallozzi.
SG1 could have been, like you said, so much more. The writers are so incredibly petty.