Stargate Atlantis: Tapping to timeshare between SGA and Sanctuary

[wraithfodder]

So, it looks like Carter will only be in 'several' episodes of Stargate Atlantis in season 5. Read the article below. No spoilers.

Web series "Sanctuary" gets slot on Sci Fi schedule

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN3145792620080131?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=10004&sp=true

LOS ANGELES/LAS VEGAS (Hollywood Reporter) - Sci Fi Channel has green-lighted "Sanctuary," the first television series to use live-action actors against virtual sets in the style of the features "300" and "Sin City."

Sci Fi has ordered a full 13-episode season of the new scripted drama series, which originated online as the first high-definition sci-fi Web series.

"Sanctuary" hails from the "Stargate SG-1" trio of star Amanda Tapping, writer-producer Damian Kindler and producer-director Martin Wood, who are executive producing the series with Sam Egan.

Tapping stars as the enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus, who is on a quest with her young protege, Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), to track down, aid and protect strange creatures that walk the earth.

.....

Because of Sci Fi's ties with Tapping, Kindler and Wood through the "Stargate" franchise, the network's brass had discussed "Sanctuary" with them even before it launched as a Web series. Talks shifted into high gear when the trio came back with a DVD containing two one-hour blocks of webisodes.

.............

ABC's efforts with "Dinotopia." But "this is the first time the technology is mature enough and inexpensive enough to do it," Stern said.

"Sanctuary," which features 90 percent CGI sets, will be retooled for its transition to television, including the creation of a new two-hour premiere episode. Still, a lot of the footage from the Web series will be used, with some enhancement of the visual effects and the CGI background to play better on the TV screen.

The cast from the Web series will remain intact.

The series is slated to begin production in March. By most estimates, the writers' strike will be over by then, but that is not a factor for the show, whose production is strike-proof because it's based in Canada. Sci Fi's "Stargate Atlantis" is in a similar position and will begin filming its fifth season in a couple of weeks. Tapping, who co-starred on that series last season, will return for several episodes.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

I'm not reading because I don't want to know anything - except this, which maybe you can tell me, having read articles: how are TPTB justifying the absence of the head of mission, if they are?

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Um, um, trying to remember. Oh, we should just know that Carter approved the missions or whatever.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

*snort*

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

The less time the better, IMO.

And now there's some comment on JM's blog about a new recurring character called Alison Porter. WTH? Where did this one come from? I'm thinking this must be their extra female character he's hinting about, and it definitely won't be Elizabeth.

[tringasolitaria.livejournal.com]

I would have to go back and reread to refresh my memory, but I had the idea that Alison Porter was supposed to be the name of the female tech (Chuckette). Hmmm.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Chuckette ;) snort.... ;)

[jackfan2.livejournal.com]

HERE HERE.. if she goes, I might start watching the show again. Of course, I demand Weir back at the helm in that case, and Beckett too. BOTH FULLTIME.

I don't even dvr it any more. I won't give JM the time of day.

[tjackson.livejournal.com]

double post

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i realized thate too late...

[never-at-home.livejournal.com]

I think that the number of episodes will dwindle down to none, because being both an Executive Producer and Star of a series will most likely take up all of Tapping's time.

I could be wrong. Maybe they will be able to get her in a few scenes at the beginning, but I really doubt that "several" episodes are possible.

I listened to an interview with her done recently (German site?) and she seemed very enthused about what was happening with Sanctuary and seemed to really want to give that her full attention. It's partly her creation, after all.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I think also as an actor, she'd want to stretch away from Stargate (no offense) and since Sanctuary is part her creation (she's got producer status), she'd want to focus on that a lot more.

[aqualegia.livejournal.com]

I've not liked the Carter character for a long time, so I hope that she isn't in too many more episodes.

That said, I have nothing against the actress, just with the way Carter was written, and I wish Amanda luck with the Sanctuary series.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I like the actress, liked Carter on SG1 but she's been a pale imitation on SGA and I just don't know why. Hopefully she'll have more creative control on Sanctuary.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

On SG1, Carter's role was the team scientist, but in SGA, that role's already taken by McKay. The other possible role they could give Carter is the military commander, but that's Sheppard, and they've gone to some lengths to fudge the exact division of responsibilities between Carter and Sheppard, keeping Sheppard as the most noticably military figure in the show. This leaves Carter with esentially nothing to do on Atlantis, other than stand in the background being, as you say, a pale imitation of herself.

Hell, they should have had *Woolsey* as the commander!

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I guess I'll be the positive light on this news which I think is perfect. Without getting into how they dealt with Tori---I've come to be fine with Carter on the show as long as she wasn't becoming focus of the show and she hasn't.

Carter's been there, almost in the background and has some nice scenes. With all the threats and wars, it made sense to have a military commander on board despite how they did it.

For me SGA is the Team....and thats Sheppard, Rodney, Ronon and Teyla. Keep to that and everyone else has always been a supporting character slot like its been and things will be fine for me.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

To me, SGA is Sheppard's team, but in watching seasons 1-3 and then 4, I *do* miss Weir. She just had more, I don't know?, presence? Carter sorta fades into the background... :(

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Oh she had more presence I totaly agree. The weird thing is I miss Weir when I watch older eppys but not in season 4..unlike Carson who I do miss in the current season.

Maybe if they had nothing something more of Weir's character, I'd miss her more. Either way, I'm glad Carter will not be getting MORE screentime and sounds like she'll have the same she had this season which makes me happy.

[volaremn.livejournal.com]

I think I'll help kristen up the positivity by saying that, putting aside whatever repercussion this has on S5, this is fabulous for Tapping. She's at the point in her career where it's slim pickings for actresses and it's absolutely a wise move to gain some producing power. And in the limited way they write the role, it doesn't make much difference to me who fills the command position as long as the actor has minimum of competence.

And for anyone wondering about the female tech who may or may not be name Alison Porter, she's pretty much the female equivalent of Chuck--about the same age, about as good-looking, not model-like. And IMO, played by a more natural actor than Chuck Campbell.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

I agree that this is fabulous for Tapping. However, I've been frustrated by the lack of command presence in Atlantis S4. Like in Travelars, Sheppard is missing and it looks like Lorne and McKay are running around looking for him on their own. One short scene of them reporting to Carter would have helped tighten the episode, IMO. While the commander isn't a role that needs to be on screen constantly, he/she does need to appear at critical points, or the expedition looks like a chicken running around without a head.

In addition, part of the reasoning behind bringing Carter over to Atlantis seemed to have been that it was hoped she would attract SG-1 fans who hadn't been watching Atlantis. She's been on screen for such a limited time that I don't see how she could be having that much effect on ratings.

Maybe it's hard to find a good actor, but if Tapping is going to have such limited time for Atlantis, I'd really rather have another actor play the role of commander of Atlantis.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Yup, I vote for Mitch Pileggi as Caldwell.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

Or even Ellis! Might be fun to watch him bicker with McKay. *g*

(sorry, I responded to the other post before I saw your note!)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

No problem :)

[volaremn.livejournal.com]

The problem with having Carter present for one short scene in an episode is that it counts as one full ep off her overall total and I can understand why TPTB would just say "You know what, that's not worth a full episode fee; the fans may not like it but they're just going to have accept that some things are going happen off camera." It didn't make Weir a more interesting character to have her in so many episodes where her participation amounted only to uneventful check-ins (which Higginson found boring, if I remember some interviews correctly), and the fewer static conference room scenes, the better. It's just logical to assume that if the team goes through the gate, then they have Carter's permission, so I've been fine with how they've elided those scenes this season. However, if Tapping can only appear in much lower episode total next season, it will be awkward for Carter to remain expedition leader.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

Since they knew ahead of time of Tapping's limited availabilty, how difficult would it have been to negotiate, say, two five minute appearances in separate episodes count as one full episode for calculating paymment? Are there union rules against that kind of arrangement?

I hadn't heard before about Higginson finding "check-in" scenes boring. Unfortunately, if true, that may have contributed to the decision to reduce her role. How many times have supporting characters, like Zelenka, Lorne, or even the "cheveron guy" in SG-1, delighted fans with a single word, a single look, in an episode? I think an expedition leader during a check-in scene should also contribute that kind of intensity to the show, and that the producers should cast the role accordingly. It is unfortunate that they have failed to do so twice now.

[volaremn.livejournal.com]

That's not how a contract works. If an actor is contracted for a specific number of episodes, appearing in even one scene, regardless of length, would count as an episode off their commitment. No actor's salary gets calculated per minute. Using Joe Flanigan's salary (revealed in the press concerning his lawsuit) as a reference point, that's over fifty thousand dollars for Carter to say "You have a go" or "How it's going, Colonel?" It's not logical to use finite resources this way.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

No actor's salary gets calculated per minute.

Even a supporting character, like Lorne? I swear there was an episode somewhere where he was in one scene and spoke maybe one line. Did Kavan Smith get paid as much for that one scene as he did for something like Tabula Rasa, where he was in maybe a third of the scenes?

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

This is why it would make a lot more sense to just, not to be cruel or anything, but to ditch Carter entirely, or have her return as a special guest star and remove from the main regular cast, as it is cost-inefficient to have Carter doing basically nothing.

[nightspring.livejournal.com]

Also, nothing against Amanda personally, but it does feel a bit outrageous seeing her get second billing in the credits, seeing how little she is actually doing on the show.