Pitch out the door

Well, the 11th has come. So - as promised - the pitch has been send. (At 19.30 hours, I threw it into the nearest mailbox.) Taking into consideration the 3 to 6 workdays it takes for it to get there, that means it should arrive somewhere between Monday the 16th and Thursday the 19th. After that, it's a waiting game. Now, the pitch itself is not going up until the 14th. However, I can post the bulk of the accompying letter. Be warned, it is more then a tad (not so) subtly angry. I tried to write it with the fury of a Time Lord. But I don't think I succeeded. Agree or disagree ? Decide for yourself.

The Letter

Regarding season three of Stargate Universe

Regarded Mr. M. Burnett, Mr. C. Brearton and Mr. R. Hastings,

In 2010, the Stargate franchise went off the air with the cancellation of Stargate Universe. This year, it was revived in the form of Stargate Origins. While the makers of Origins did a splendid job with the resources at their disposal, it is my humble opinion that the franchise deserves a continuation in the form of a full-budget television series. (Hopefully to be produced alongside a second season of Stargate Origins.) It is also my opinion that the best way to go about, is to finish Stargate Universe.

And I am not alone in this conviction. Let us take a look at the internet landscape since the end of SGU. There have been several petitions – including a 2013 one aimed at Netflix – a Facebook page, a Kickstarter campaign (in 2014) and Twitterstorms. All of which had totally ignored by both Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Netflix. Now, I apologize in advance if this makes me a rude fan, but…

If you care so little so for Stargate’s (on-line) fan base, why did you bother to make Stargate Origins (a webseries) ? Why do you even bother with websites at all ? I know that studios are about making money. But…..have the words Ars Gratia Artis become hollow ? Thus making the Stargate franchise nothing but a cash cow ?

Do the cast and crew whom have worked their rears off for two years making the first two seasons not deserve better ? And the fans ? And what about the brave men and women of the United States Air Force ? Do they not deserve better than to suffer character assassination by suggesting that they would abandon Destiny’s crew ? Or is that not what you are suggesting by abandoning Stargate Universe ?

Now, in order to get the ball rolling, two things are needed. One, a proposal for season three. I have taken the brazen step of writing one. Is it actually any good ? I have no idea. And two, a place to call home. So why not SyFy Channel ?

Well….there is no polite way to say this, so…..I do not trust them as far as I can throw them. It is not just what happened with Stargate Universe… (Bad air times, insufficient commercials, etc.) It is as if Battlestar Galactica ended, SyFy Channel developed an allergy for the very thing the channel was supposed to stimulate, science fiction. Eureka, Warehouse 13, Sanctuary….in my humble opinion, the post-Galactica history of the SyFy Channel is a string of bad choices and cancellations.

Netflix on the other hand, has its act together. And with Disney soon beginning its own streaming service and taking their properties with them, they will be in need of new content. What better content then a third season of Stargate Universe ?

Edit: A little something that was gathering dust in the archive

Stargate Origins and Season 2

Or....so much for silent running

So....the weirdest thing happened. People started following me on Twitter. Apparently, if you keep slamming random buttons and messing around long enough, stuff actually starts happening. Can you believe that ? What's next ? You can actually post stuff on YouTube without being a rocket scientist ? As if.... But we're drifting off topic here....

First, a piece of good news....The Star Trek Frontier Fleet website is not off-line (yet). Turns out their was indeed something technically wrong with it. See it @ http://www.frontierfleet.net/ before GDPR forces us to take it down. (The site is Ancient and there's no way that we can fix it in time.) And with that piece of shameless self advertisement out of the way - although SG fans might recognize some of the photos with the bios - let's get down to what we' re actually here for....

Stargate Origins - Season 2 ideas

1) Alternate Mitchell (SG Continuum) - Have come out of the Gate in 1929, Cameron Mitchell had to wait a while before Baal actually showed up ? What did he do all that time ? How did he affect history ?

2) Young Daniel Jackson - We saw Daniel's parents die in The Game Keeper (SG-1), but we don't really know that much about them. Developing them a bit more might give us some insight into Daniel as well. (And where his theories came from.)

3) How did the Ancients and the Asgard meet ? From what we know, the Ancients were doing their thing in the Galaxy of Ida, while the Ancient spend their time in the Milky Way. So, how did these two species cross paths ? Something tells me there's a yarn there. (And maybe a chance to finally show the Furlings.)

Final Note (or two)

Crossover idea:  Agents of Shield + Doctor Who ?: So Fitz has this evil version of himself called The Doctor in his head. Maybe the only person who can rescue Fitz from The Doctor.....is The Doctor ?

And for record, I'm still no fan of Twitter. Because once you have followers - and don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I have some now - there's this pressure to keep pumping out stuff. And it has to be good too. Because it's just as easy to jump off the wagon as it is to get on. (One click of a button.) But that's just me, if you do like it, good for you.

Edmond Dantes

Hail Marys and Choices

Hello world,

So today I took a (desperate) gamble. I created a twitter account in the hopes of using it to promote Stargate Universe 2.0. To be honest, I am no fan of Twitter. So why not ?...well, it kind of turns life into a competition. 'Look at me, I'm so much fun, I'm so much better then everybody else.' And the same is true for Facebook. (I tried that for a week once, then ran away screaming.) But at times, you have to try everything but the kitchen sink.

Also, why did I not post before today ? Well - maybe I am contradicting myself here ? - there is such a thing as trying to hard. (And being downright impatient. And the content of the post would not have been any different. But that is hindsight, which is always 20/20.)

EDIT: At this time, I think I should really take a good, hard look at my ego. I've been going yack, yack, yack about this pitch of mine....which I think warrants the question.....is it really that good ? Maybe the reason I have not been getting any replies is not because the people whose attention I've been trying to get are busy, maybe the pitch is simply rubbish ? And that is probably true. (But I was hoping to at least get back a note/reply that said...this is rubbish !)

But if can make enough noise, maybe I can get the discussing about SGU coming back going again. If I can pull that off - which would be minor miracle - (maybe) that's enough. So what's the plan now ?....

Well, like I said earlier, I will (E-)mail the pitch on the 11th. As for this Blog, the plan is up go back on silent until the 14th. (Barring any major developments, of course. But my instinct is telling there won't be.) On the 14th, I will post the pitch on this blog. (It'll have to be pieces, because it's to big to fit in one post.) That way....rubbish or not ?.....(You'll be able to) Decide for Yourself.

Finally, for long-term readers (Hi, mom ! waves), the Star Trek Frontier Fleet is down. But if this is a technical issue or if the site has already been taken down is unknown as of this writing.

Edmond Dantes

News that will surprise nobody....

....and changing plans

So, as expected I have gotten zero replies. (The force is strong with these agents. Alas, they have fallen to the dark side.) And to be honest, I'm getting tired of waiting. On top of which, waiting until 1 May won't really accomplish anything. So....I am reducing the time to the deadline. But to when ? Time to do some match.

I mailed my pitch on Saturday the 24th of March. But I put it in the post box late in the evening, so let's not count that day. And Sunday is not a workday, so let's not count that either. Which means that the first day would be Monday the 26th. Now, delivery time for the US is between 3 and 6 workdays. And in the US, Good Friday is not a Federal holiday. Which means US Mail is open for business. Alas, that leaves us one day short. So let's put the latest delivery date possible at 2 April. (The Monday after Easter Sunday.)

Now, what is most likely, is that my pitch went straight into the trashcan. But....what if they did send a reply ? Well, that's another six days. (Let's not count 2 April.) Which would make today, day four. Skipping the weekend, that means day 6 will be Tuesday the 10th. So - presuming I can even find the right address to send to it - the 11th it is.

Motivation

First of all, I want to make it clear that am not an Stargate Origins hater. In fact, I am hoping for a second season. I hope they up the budget and increase the run time of the episodes. There are plenty of untold chapters to fill in. But why not be more ambitious and go for a Stargate Universe soft reboot ? Not only was it a good show, I am not a fan of unresolved cliffhangers. (Who is ?) But there is more to it....

Realistic Writing

A key rule in writing is to stay true to the character. If we are talking to about a person or an organization is irrelevant in this context. So let us ask the following question....(If this was real life) would the US Air Force abandon the people on Destiny ? In my humble opinion, the answer is....NO. And to claim otherwise is not only bad writing...I would even go so far as to call it character assassination. Or at least a grave insult at the address of the USAF.

Also, to declare Stargate Universe non-canon or simply dismiss the issue with a few lines of dialogue in a possible fourth series is also - in my opinion - quite insulting. Not only to the fans, but also to the cast and crew of Stargate Universe. We are talking about people whom work twelve hours a day, six days a week. These people have worked their butts off for two years.

To summarize: To do anything other then wrap up SGU is insulting to everybody involved. (The fans, the cast, the crew and the USAF.) At least, that's my opinion. Do you agree ? Decide for yourself.

Edmond Dantes

Today's action (and Stargate Origins)

Hello world,

Today I continued my efforts to promote SGU 2.0. I dusted off my Gateworld profile, which - I won't lie - I had totally forgotten about. I stopped visiting Gateworld in 2014, because there was no new Stargate and it felt like there was nothing left to say. But with Stargate Origins, things have changed.
I have also tried to get in the attention of Darren Summer (the owner of Gateworld), alas to no avail. Finally, I posted a basic pitch for SGU 2.0 on the Gateworld forums. (Twice, for the record.)

I also send two more messages to the US Air Force, hoping to draw their attention. And upgraded my previous post with a section on the Back to Destiny comics. That done, I have decided to go silent for a bit. Tomorrow is 1 April and sending out mails on that day might not have the desired effect.

The Long-Term Plan

For now, the plan is to wait and see what happens. And if I don't get any response / feedback ? Well, I am still going to send my pitch to MGM. And, yes, I know it's a long shot. (If not sub-zero.) But I will not be one for those people who never tried and then feels guilty about it. So, if I don't get anything before 1 May, I'll take my chances, poor as they are.

Stargate Origins

With all this talking about Stargate 2.0, it might come across like I didn't like Stargate Origins. This is not true. In fact, I think it was terrific. I can hardly wait for the feature cut version. And really hope it gets a second season. I'm hoping that they do a season about the alternate Colonel Mitchell that came from the Stargate in 1929. (Stargate Continuum.) I'd love to see what Mitchell was up between then and Baal's arrival in 1939.

Another interest idea kicking around my skull would be about a young Daniel Jackson. We know that Daniel's parents were archaeologists who died when he was young. I'd like to see what happened before that. What planted the seeds for Daniel's later theories ?

Regards,

Edmond Dantes

Comics, Bones and Leftovers

Hello world,

In order to keep the Stargate Universe 2.0 brief well....euhm....brief (and clear). I left out the mailing list and some other things. Which are now getting their own post. So, here goes....

1. Stargate: Back to Destiny

Today, I realized that - as much as I don't want to - I have to address these comics. There is a conclusion to Stargate Universe in the form on an MGM endorsed comic book series. The problem with these is....

I've read the first three issues on-line....And - without giving anything anyway -  I have to say that the plot is a convoluted string of conveniences and happenstances. It is lazy writing in its most extreme form. On top of that, the artwork is uneven. The whole thing leaves me feeling like MGM tried to throw the fans a bone.

The cheapest bone they could find. Both the fans and the show deserve better.

2. Updated SGU 2.0 mailing list

Physical Printout:

1)      General David L. Goldfein – Chief of Staff, US Air Force
2)      Mr. Goran Visjinic's - Actor
3)      Mr. Paul McGillion - Actor
4)      Mr. David Nykl - Actor
5)      Mr. Corin Nemec - Actor
6)      Ms. Amanda Tapping – Actress
7)      Mr. Robert Carlyle – Actor

By Electronic Mail

8)      Mr.. David Blue – Actor (29-3-2018)
9)      Mr. Robert Picardo – Actor (29-3-2018)
10)   Mr. Louis Ferreira – Actor (29-3-2018)
11)  Mr. Pierre Bernard - Graphic Designer, Actor and Recliner Rager (30-3-2018)
12)  Public Affairs Office Cheyenne Mountain - USAF (31-3-2018)
13)  Entertainment Liaison Office - USAF (31-3-2018)

By LinkedIn Invitation/Note

14) Mr. Mike Dopud - Actor (30-3-2018)
15) Dr. Bill Dow - Actor/Teacher (30-3-2018)

Yellow Text indicates further updates to this post 

Edit: Just wondering....why should the US Air Force wait for MGM ? Because that's the way its always been done ? I'm sorry, but I'm am sick and tired of that argument. Since when has doing it the way its always been done ever advanced humanity ? If we listened to people accept the status quo all the time....we wouldn't have airplanes...(After all, bicycle makers are not supposed to build flying machines.)....the sound barrier would never have been broken....(Because there were people who said it sound be respected.)....landing on the moon ? Impossible.

If history has taught us one thing, it's that sometimes you have to take the manual and throw it into a supernova. So if Mohammed won't come to the mountain, perhaps I can convince the mountain to come to Mohammed.

3. Frontier Fleet Trouble

I am member of Star Trek: Frontier Fleet. Alas, we have hit a major snag. The folks in Brussels have passed a new privacy law. And making our really, really old website compliant with that law is impossible. So, now we need a new site. And worse, we need a new server and a new mailing list. The only good news in this situation is that we have until 1 May to make this happened. (And something is already being discussed with the upper echelons.) If you want to see the current site (and learn more about Frontier Fleet) before its gone:

http://www.frontierfleet.net/index.php

And that's it for now.

Regards,

Edmond Dantes

Stargate Universe 2.0 Briefing

Hello World,

I am continuing my attempt to rally support for Stargate Universe 2.0. Today, I used my LinkedIn page - in a professional capacity - for the first time. (Up until now, I have simply been gathering family and friends, slowly building up my network.) I send an invitation to Mr. Mike Dopud and Dr. Bill Dow. I am well aware that the chances of them replying are not big. But if they do, what's on the blog now, is not really helpful. And even if they do not, the information will - hopefully - be interesting for other people. So without further ado, on to the.....

Stargate Universe 2.0 Brief / Q & A

Q: Why a soft reboot ?

A: Its a combination of practical and story telling reasons. A couple of practical reasons: The sets are gone. The actors have moved on. (And in some cases - such as Robert Carlyle and Ming-Na Wen - have long-term commitments.) Also, a new central character would work as McGuffin for explanation scenes. (With the new character being a substitute for new viewers, lowering the threshold for them.)

Q: Who would the central character ?

A: Lieutenant-Colonel Marc Vale. Vale is the commanding officer of the Beta Site. (The IOA tried to cut corners by modifying an existing base, instead of building a new Icarus Base.) However, something does wrong - is this project cursed or something ? - and Colonel Vale ends up leading his people through the Stargate (and a nine chevron wormhole).

Q: So they end up on Destiny ?

A: No. This is were the reboot kicks in. Instead of ending up on Destiny, the crew finds themselves aboard Spera (which is Ancient for Hope). Spera is the Destiny's Alpha Site. The actual pitch has a whole page of technobabble to explain how this fits into the established lore of the show. But for here I'll just say that I was able to make it fit like a glove. (I can't remember who wrote the season 1 episode Solitudes, but thank you !)

Q: But Destiny - and the original crew - will feature ?

A: That is the long-term plan. For long term, read: Near the end of season. Around episode 17 (out of 20). Of course, right now, the chance of that happening is extremely remote. Because right now, I have not gotten a single reply and this pitch has not gone within a light-year of MGM.

Q: Finally, who would play Colonel Vale and why ?

A: I have send a copy of my pitch to Goran Visnijic. My reasoning was that for this proposal to work, I needed an actor who was.... A) Really good at his job. Having seen Mr. Visnijic in ER (as Doctor Luka Kovac) I felt this was the case. B) Had not been in the franchise before. C) If possible, was a Stargate fan. According to Amanda Tapping, this is true for Mr. Visnijic.

This concludes my briefing.

Regards,

Edmond Dantes (aka Ruben Hilbers)