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SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 101

An Interview with Mark Altman, Co-President of the Saturn Awards,

Producer on Castle and Femme Fatale

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott & Miles

Welcome to the Diner.

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On the menu tonight:

• An Interview with Mark Altman, Co-President of the Saturn Awards
• The Dark Skies Premiere
• The Green Lantern Premiere
• The Green lantern Emerald Knights
• The New Star Trek Game
• Scientist Created Monsters
• This week In Star Trek: Warehouse 13
• SciFi Five in Five with Miles: Top Ways Star Trek has impacted the Science Fiction Industry

Podcast Promos:

Gamma Quadrant Podcast

Geek Cred Podcast

An Interview with Mark Altman, C0-President of the Saturn Awards

The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within those genres were never given the appreciation they deserved at that time.^[1] The physical award is a representation of the planet Saturn, surrounded with a ring of film. The award was initially and is still sometimes loosely referred to as a Golden Scroll.

Similar to other awards, like the Oscars, the Emmys and the Grammys, the Saturn Awards are voted on by members of the presenting Academy. The academy is a non-profit organization with membership open to the public.^[2] The first awards were presented in 1972 by William Shatner.

Although the awards still primarily nominate films and TV in the science fiction, fantasy and horror categories, the Saturns have also recognized productions in standard dramatic genres. The 35th annual awards, presented in 2009, for example, included nominations for films ranging from the 1940s wartime classic Casablanca to the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.^[3] There are also special awards for lifetime achievement in the field.

TV News:

Falling Sky’s premiers this Sunday

DVD News:
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
As the home planet of the Green Lantern Corps faces a battle with an ancient enemy, Hal Jordan prepares new recruit Arisia for the coming conflict by relating stories of the first Green Lantern and several of Hal’s comrades.

E3 Impressions: New “Star Trek” Video Game Looks Amazing June 13, 2011

by Anthony Pascale

Last week at the E3 show in Los Angeles I had a chance to see a special demo of the upcoming Star Trek game, set in the new movie universe. It has been a long wait for a new Star Trek video game, but this new title was worth the wait. More details and first impressions below.

New “Star Trek” game impresses at E3

The demo shown behind closed doors to members of the media at E3 started with one of the developers from Digital Extremes promising that their new Star Trek is “not just another licensed game.” He then quickly acknowledged that this is what people always say. However, in this case, he may be telling the truth.

The new “Star Trek” game is a co-op action-adventure game set in the universe of the JJ Abrams 2009 Star Trek movie. The story for the game is a stand-alone adventure set between the 2009 Star Trek and the 2012 sequel. Players choose to play as either Kirk or Spock. If you don’t have a friend to play with (either with you or over the network) then the AI can takeover as your partner, but a real player can join you any time (and leave anytime).

The E3 demo was shown on two monitors (with two players) to demonstrate the “asymmetrical” play of Kirk and Spock, who require different styles of play. Each has their own view on the story and each has their own equipment and special abilities. For example, Kirk has a special “Captain’s Phaser” and as he gains experience he gets additional attacks, including “a really cool Wrath of Khan vaporize attack.” Spock caries a Vulcan particle canon which has kill, stun and stasis setting (helpful for stealth attacks). Spock can also do mind-melds, including using them to confuse enemies in combat.

Kirk and Spock play differently in the “Star Trek” co-op game

The game is being developed by Digital Extremes, who have been working on it since early 2010. According to Digital Extremes developers at E3, Star Trek is something “near and dear” to their hearts. They are also working very closely with Bad Robot and Kurtzman/Orci on the game, with apparently “day to day” feedback, including K/O working closely with BAFTA-winning writer Marianne Krawczyk on the game’s original story.

The demo started with Kirk and Spock returning to the Enterprise via a shuttle only to discover the ship had been captured in some “strange energy streams” and is surrounded by depth charges. As they cannot approach in the shuttle, they are forced to do a space jump to the ship and avoid debris and mines using their LSPUs (Life Support Propulsion Units). After landing on the ship and entering airlock, Kirk and Spock begin to explore the ship using tricorders to analyze the damage, override locked doors, and of course scan various red shirt corpses. In fact, scanning the red shirts is a key game point (more on that later).

After getting a distress call, they head to the Shuttle Bay, only to discover it was a trap laid by nasty aliens who are trying to take over the ship. At this point there was a cut scene, which nicely was still playable (and not like games where you can’t do anything for a few seconds). All during this you hear periodic dialog from Kirk and Spock and while the demo had placeholder voice work, we were told that Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto will be doing the final voice work for the game.

In addition to the real actors doing voice work the ship looks impressive and is recreated in great detail. But even more exciting, the game takes players into parts of the USS Enterprise that weren’t seen in the film. Digital Extremes has been given all the assets from the Star Trek movie, including blueprints and designs for parts of the USS Enterprise that weren’t seen (or seen in full) for the movie, like the Shuttle Bay.

Kirk and Spock get ambushed in the Shuttle Bay (notice Kirk has picked up a new phaser rifle)

The demo also showed interesting “buddy movie” dynamic for the co-op, such as a moment when Kirk has to get to med bay but can only make it assisted by Spock. When they get there Spock has to perform procedure on Kirk to get rid of some alien parasites, while Kirk is in bed shooting at creatures trying to attack. And it is in this scene that Spock has an easier time healing Kirk based on how many red shirts you previously scanned, so the game is not all run and gun.

After that Kirk gets up and was shown to do some serious ass-handing with his phaser rifle using interesting attack modes, including one where Spock fires at his shield to build up energy which Kirk then transfers into a massive attack, again showing how the players need to work together. This was followed by a cool scene we aren’t supposed to talk about, so I will just say it had Kirk do one of his classic snatching life from the jaws of death kind of things that shows this team know their lore.

After watching the demo I and others attending were suitably impressed. So far this game is getting excellent marks, and it already picked up a number of “best of show” awards and accolades at E3 from the Official Playstation Magazine, Official XBox Magazine, CNN, Electronic Playground, and more.

It has been so long since a Star Trek game has got me excited that I had forgotten what the experience was like. The game shown at E3 was a very promising co-op adventure with impressive game mechanics and a lot of fun. If the story for the game pans out in an interesting way, this “Star Trek” game could be the best Trek game ever.

TWIST:

Warehouse 13 Stores Up A Stockpile Of Star Trek Alumni

It’s looking like season 3 of Warehouse 13 is turning out to be one of the best places to watch your favorite Star Trek alumni strut their stuff. So far, TV Guide says that Kate Mulgrew (Voyager), Jeri Ryan (Voyager), and Rene Auberjonois (DS9) are making appearances (or in some cases “re”appearances ) during the upcoming season.

Star Trek Voyager’s Jeri “Seven of Nine” Ryan debuts as a bride named Amanda on Aug. 1, while Kate “Captain Janeway” Mulgrew begins her four-episode run as Warehouse protector Jane in September. Both characters share a shocking connection to a series regular.

Also look for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Rene Auberjonois to reprise his role from last season as computer expert Hugo Miller. “We discover a little bit more about his past, too,” Kenny says.

“I was an original Star Trek fan and loved the movies,” says executive producer Jack Kenny. “I remember loving when they cast a female captain of the Enterprise and have found her work incredibly deep, thoughtful and compelling to watch. I’m thrilled to have her play a character who will play such an important overall role in our series.”

Considering Jack Kenny’s love for Star Trek, we’re wondering if there might be more Federation Members slated for Warehouse 13 in the future.

Read the full article here.

Keck’s Exclusives: Warehouse 13 Fills Its Stockrooms With Sci-Fi Faves For Season 3

Jun 10, 2011 11:39 AM ET
by William Keck

20 Comments

Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly

Favorite sci-fi actors from Star Trek and Caprica will amp up the mystery and excitement on the third season of Syfy’s Warehouse 13, returning with new episodes July 11. Star Trek Voyager‘s Jeri “Seven of Nine” Ryan debuts as a bride named Amanda on Aug. 1, while Kate “Captain Janeway” Mulgrew begins her four-episode run as Warehouse protector Jane in September. Both characters share a shocking connection to a series regular.

“I was an original Star Trek fan and loved the movies,” says executive producer Jack Kenny. “I remember loving when they cast a female captain of the Enterprise and have found her work incredibly deep, thoughtful and compelling to watch. I’m thrilled to have her play a character who will play such an important overall role in our series.”

How important? Kenny’s not ready to reveal her big secret just yet, only that she first appears in Episode 8 and “she’s a regent who has a past with one of our characters. We’ll learn how her past is influencing the Warehouse’s present. This season, more than any other season, is about how our past influences our present.”

Along those same lines comes Ryan, whose character, Amanda, will be getting married in the new season’s fourth episode. “Amanda is a major in the Marines who also has a past with someone in the Warehouse,” says the producer.

Also look for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Rene Auberjonois to reprise his role from last season as computer expert Hugo Miller. “We discover a little bit more about his past, too,” Kenny says. He’ll appear in the third episode alongside former Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner, who is back as Dr. Vanessa Calder. “Vanessa, Hugo, Artie and Claudia go off looking for an artifact while Pete and Myka are off on a B story,” Kenny says.

Fans of Caprica can also look forward to two significant arrivals. Sasha Roiz, who played Sam Adama, and Alessandra Torresani, who played Zoe Graystone, will be coming on to Warehouse to cause trouble. “Sasha is a mysterious part of our Big Bad for the year,” says Kenny. “His character is Marcus Diamond and first shows up in Episode 3. Alessandra guest stars as a girl in trouble in our ninth episode who needs Myka and Claudia’s help.”

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