Amid all of the fantasy football researching, number-crunching, and anguishing (see last issue, ed.), I do find time for other pursuits. My supersecret projects come to mind. I know, I know. You’ve heard very little about them – but that’s only because, well, they’re supersecret. Hopefully, they’ll eventually see the light of day (and, preferably, a t.v. screen) in the not too distant future. In the meantime, allow me to offer the following cryptic updates:
Project #1
What is it?: Urban fantasy series.
Status: We completed the first draft of the pilot yesterday.
What can I reveal?: At this point, not much. We’re very happy with the script which offers a nice balance of scares, humor, and character moments. The trio at the heart of the prospective series and their unique relationships will be a blast to write for if this goes.
Project #2
What is it?: Space opera series.
Status: I’m halfway through the series bible. This week, we review the source material and then, next week, Paul and I get together and start breaking the pilot.
What can I reveal?: Oh, regular readers of this blog will figure it out. Nothing written in stone but things are suddenly looking very hopeful for this labor of love.
Project #3
What is it?: SF series.
Status: Friday night, Paul and I go to dinner with the prospective show’s creators to discuss working on the pilot.
What can I reveal?: Again, not much. This one is in the early stages – so far as our (Paul and my) involvement is concerned – but what they’ve put together so far looks great and has some kickass potential.
Project #4
What is it?: SF series based on a literary work by a major scifi author.
Status: This one is in the early stages as well. If the pieces fall into place (and, sometimes, they do), Paul and I will be starting work on the pilot next month.
What can I reveal?: Oh, this one’s the hush-hushiest of them all until a deal gets closed.
Meanwhile, our former Stargate associates are busy with their own projects, supersecret and not…
Brad Wright is working on at least two supersecret projects…that I know of.
Golden Boy Martin Gero completes work on the second season of his series, the L.A. Complex: http://www.facebook.com/TheLAComplexCW
Carl Binder has his own supersecret project under wraps in addition to a not-so-secret project: show-runner for Hallmark’s
And Robert Cooper has so many things on the go I’ve lost track.
Who knows what the future holds. Maybe some of these projects? Maybe none of them? Maybe a food cart specializing in Akemi’s mapo tofu and okonomiyaki?
Hey, Joe!
It’s always neat when you give us (your faithful fans) a little peek into the projects you’re working on. It’s also cool that you keep us in the loop about various projects that some of our other Stargate favorites are up to as well ..thank you for doing both, it’s much appreciated.
All of these super secret projects sound very interesting…
Interesting projects. Will look forward to when you can tell us more about them. It would be cool to have more good sci-fi on tv–something I can actually watch. 🙂
Hope you have a great night!
Sign us up for a spot at Akemi’s Happy Foods!
You have enuff projects to keep your mind off of Fantasy Football.
You guys should form your own Super Secret Society.
You should really tell me about these super secret projects, you know, in the event you forget one and need someone to remind you about it.
My guess on the fourth project. Joe Haldeman.
Well if anything! Sounds like sci fi may finally be making a comeback to television.
🙈 🙉 🙊 👀 💌 secrets 💭 🎪 🎭
Wow thats a lot of smooth sailing~~~~~ Take time to breathe, and best of luck on all the supersecret stuff. Fingers crossed and all that!
I think that having this time to sort out what you want, to hang out, well, it’s a good thing. I don’t have any doubt that what will come will be great.
Akemi’s mapo tofu? Please, declassify this supersecret project- photo, how-to.
Your sidebar of “Stuff I’ve worked on…” is very impressive. Hope you can add to it real soon with another big hit.
Oh, I love pretending I can read between the lines:
#1: A small core cast instead of an ensemble (with lots of who do we kill off this week choices) points to a stable society, not full of horrors. At least one has a threatening, but endearing secret that would be easily discovered in an urban setting. If it was based on Marjorie M. Lui’s work, you’d have shown more glee in your crypticness, but I’m still guessing Lui-ish with more meth.
#2: Unless you have a story that doesn’t work with the Dark Matter universe, and I don’t see what can’t work considering the universe was probably crafted for story-richness, yes, we’ve figured it out.
#3: Pod people, because zombies have been overdone, but easy suspense never gets old. Second choice (and only not-joke choice), Slingers, because work exists, your involvement is new, and there’s no rush. You said “working on the pilot”, not starting on it. I wouldn’t want to be in the position of having to murder darlings they have been cherishing for years, but murder you must.
#4: Old media attitude toward hush-hush.
A single work or body of work that would make you say “a” work, major author. Contemporary author possibly with some pull, but not so much pull that he/she wouldn’t be the showrunner like Crichton would, thus needing you. You said “literary work” when you could have said book. I can’t think of what would be old media (in this hemisphere), yet not be a book and not by an author who would attempt his own pilot.
My guesses don’t meet all those criteria. Spin. Altered Carbon. Sandman.
Is it connected to Dark Horse? Not from this hemisphere?
Clever, clever. Especially your picking up on my use of the term “literary work” when I could have said book. Damn, you’re good.
I wonder if #4 is hinted at in your “recently read” list.
Oh, I didn’t see the new confirmation before hitting “post”. It was fun.
Hello Joe,
I hear there may be a new series of a “Waterworld” (Kevin Costner movie).
Any chance you would like to work on that? Looks like it would be one big headache to me, however!
Jo
Hope either of your planned projects works out Joe, you and Paul have been out of the TV writing stuff for far too long in my opinion 🙂
@Brad Wright is working on at least two supersecret projects…that I know of.
About time too! He went quiet after Stargate Universe, wanted to see him working on something.
That’s a lot of irons in the fire! Can’t wait to hear more.
To Joe or anyone else who could answer this question:
This week the Science channel began syndication of the show Fringe. Now this is Fringe’s 5th and final season of broadcasting and it will end some time late January.
My question is how is it that this show can be in repeat on a cable network and be on what is called Prime Time and yet Stargate which ran for 17 yrs can not do better than a 3 or 4 am showing on the Syfy network?
Why is there no syndication of any of the shows?
Does the lack of syndication have anything to with the original contracts & the % to be paid?
Or is it simple that my assumption of the popularity of the franchise is wrong?
Personally, at this point I’d go with the food cart. TV is so flooded with shows that nothing sticks around for more than a few weeks. It can be quite discouraging to put your heart and soul into a project only to see it flop (*See Stargate Universe). Unless you can come up with the next Lost, I see mostly disappointment investing in television.
Food carts, however, seem quite popular in your city. Akemi is by all accounts a great cook. You are a perfectionist (not in your own creations, mind you – *See pizza and fake-poo-esque macarons* – but in your expectations of food prepared by others). If Akemi made anything that was less than excellent, you would be there to tell her how to make it better. Between the two of you you’d be like the Top Chef of the World! Whereas script and screen writers are a dime a dozen. People would flock to your cart, soon you’d be expanding into other cities, opening chef schools, and getting your very own reality tv cooking show. And we all know that if you’re going to succeed in television, you have to go with reality tv.
😉
das
Well, I’m not clever enough to figure things out between the lines you write, but it sounds like some real sci-fi could be coming our way – if it isn’t kiboshed by the network execs.
I am cautiously watching Continuum and Falling Skies and am hooked into their respective stories… and totally expect both to be cancelled for one reason or another. I really miss the 3 Stargate series and think of the characters often enough to wonder what they are up to. I have the greatest respect for the actors who did a marvelous job and like to watch anything that they happen to be in. I would like to see those actors, not otherwise employed, again and hope that you might think of using them again – if you have anything to say about it. The timing between David Hewlett and Joe Flanigan was stunning. Likewise, the sparks between Rachel Luttrell and Connor Trinneer. I could go on with good character couplings and other people would probably have different ideas. The point is that there has been very little mention of any difficulties on the sets which, I think, speaks to the professionalism of these people. I think that they would be an awesome asset to any production and I would love to see them again.
All that said, I’m sending you all cyber Stargate dust for total success of one or all of your respective projects… there seems to be hope…
Good for Carl, I loves me some Lifetime. I did a relaxing post holiday Lifetime marathon this past Sunday and yes, ice cream was included.
Das: Ouch! 😆 He won’t get a fat head while you’re around.
Good luck and I can’t wait to see what your up to!
Please forgive any spelling/grammar errors. I’m pecking on an iPad keyboard and I’m so cold that my fingers are numb. Gonna get my tech gloves out. Have a great night!
Thanks for the update, Joe!
@das: you’re like the guy riding on the victor’s chariot holding the laurels over his head while whispering in his ear “don’t get too cocky – ya’ know this success is fleeting.”
I hope those projects go into production asap. 🙂
I’ve always thought you should open a restaurant. I’m excited to see anything of yours and Paul’s work on screen.
Im going to guess that these projects have something in part with Devlin.
The thing that gets me is that Sci-Fi tv teams keep making similar mistakes over and over. Specifically when they start out with a good to great series/premise. Although the business of TV makes it tougher to develop a sci-fi/fantasy series over seasons, it can and has been done. SG-1, Smallville and Supernatural come to mind. Fringe – although only 4 seasons – also completed it’s story-arc.
One thing about all those shows is that they used relatively unknown actors. I think that sc-fi/fantasy relies on a greater degree of “suspension of disbelief” than other genres and seeing an actor associated with another role acts to subconsciously to make buy-in more difficult. Sure consciously many people may think it’s cool to see an actor they know but that doesn’t change the psychology of it. Especially now that so many shows are available via Hulu and Netflix the re-using of actors becomes even more problematic.