GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Galactica remake's concept feels like Firefly's

POSTED BY: JUGGERNAUT
UPDATED: Friday, November 7, 2003 15:36
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Wednesday, August 6, 2003 6:49 AM

JUGGERNAUT


I was reading a (probably dated) concept statement on the Battlestar Galactica remake's official page, and I couldn't help but feeling like their mission and style was largely hosed from Whedon's concept. The two will of course look remarkably different, but the unified philosophy is curious at best. Take a look for yourself:

http://www.galactica2003.net/articles/concept.htm

A few highlights:

Quote:

Our ships will be treated like real ships that someone had to go out and film with a real camera. That means no 3-D "hero" shots panning and zooming wildly with the touch of a mousepad. The questions we will ask before every VFX shot are things like: "How did we get this shot? Where is the camera? Who's holding it? Is the cameraman in another spacecraft? Is the camera mounted on the wing?"


Quote:

Our spaceships don't make noise because there is no noise in space. Sound will be provided from sources inside the ships -- the whine of an engine audible to the pilot for instance. Our fighters are not airplanes and they will not be shackled by the conventions of WWII dogfights.




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Wednesday, August 6, 2003 11:49 AM

JUSTICEMCNASTY


Yeah, this is starting to sound a little familiar, eh?


Johnny H.-
"How'd you like a bite outta this green apple, America?"

Quote:

Story. We will eschew the usual stories about parallel universes, time-travel, mind-control, evil twins, God-like powers and all the other clichés of the genre. Our show is first and foremost a drama. It is about people. Real people that the audience can identify with and become engaged in. It is not a show about hardware or bizarre alien cultures. It is a show about us. It is an allegory for our own society, our own people and it should be immediately recognizable to any member of the audience.


Quote:

And finally, Character. This is perhaps, the biggest departure from the science fiction norm. We do not have "the cocky guy" "the fast-talker" "the brain" "the wacky alien sidekick" or any of the other usual characters who populate a space series. Our characters are living, breathing people with all the emotional complexity and contradictions present in quality dramas like "The West Wing" or "The Sopranos." In this way, we hope to challenge our audience in ways that other genre pieces do not. We want the audience to connect with the characters of Galactica as people. Our characters are not super-heroes. They are not an elite. They are everyday people caught up in a enormous cataclysm and trying to survive it as best they can.



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Wednesday, August 6, 2003 3:44 PM

XION47


Uh...I think that Ron Moore made those comments nearly a year before "Firefly" premiered. He also wrote the mini-series close to two years before "Firefly" premiered. I don't think the producers were copying from FF, since production wrapped up late 2002/early 2003, certainly not a lot of time for the "Battlestar" producers to watch "Firefly" in Fall 2002 and to decide that's how they would produce BSG. Pre-production would have been going on months before "The Train Job" aired.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2003 9:02 PM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN


While it does describe Firefly quite well, I think it's shiny that there may be another show with such high standards.

Maybe someone should check it out.

See if it lives up to the hype, eh? And if it does, and is good, what's the harm? They aren't ripping off Firefly.

Keep flying

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Thursday, August 7, 2003 4:51 AM

FLATRACER


My theory is that we owe our thanks for the "new realism" in Sci Fi television to...........................Galaxy Quest!!!
They parodied all the SciFi TV cliches so well that there's no returning to them.
Galaxy Quest managed to finish what Spaceballs and Ice Pirates started which is to bring about the demise of Hollywood style SciFi by making it into a joke.

Just a theory.
FR

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Thursday, August 7, 2003 9:09 AM

CYLONCENTURION


I noticed a few hits have been coming from this forum in the latest website report so I decided to drop by and say hello to everyone. I just want to clarify some things. Battlestar Galactica 2003 is NOT the official website of the new miniseries. The official website is www.scifi.com/battlestar. We are what you would call an "unofficial" website. We have connections within the production and we play the spoiler role just like TheForce.Net does for Star Wars fans.

As for the concept, that came from a memo Ron Moore sent out back in 2002 to USA Studios and members of the production staff. It is sort of the mission statement and the basis for where the project is going.

Also, I am sure you are aware that the talented team from Zoic Studios, the same Effects House that did Firefly, is doing the Visual Effects for the new Galactica.

From what I have seen and heard, the new series visuals will have a similar flavor to Firefly. Anyways, there is a special preview of Battlestar Galactica on Friday during the Tremors Season Finale. It shall run just about a minute. Stay tune for it.

Ted

http://www.galactica2003.net

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Thursday, August 7, 2003 6:02 PM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN


I LOVE Galaxy Quest! Great movie.


BTW, I also like how whenever you thought Firefly would do something cliche, it suddenly does something else. I realize now when Firefly hooked me. It was near the end of Our Mrs. Reynolds, when they needed the plan B. Tell me a Star Trek episode where telling the engineer to work faster/harder didn't solve any problem in the nick of time! And Firefly throws that cliche in their face!

I knew then and there that this show was the beginning of the next generation of science fiction. And then, of course, it was cancelled and I was crushed. Dumb Fux!

~AFf

Keep flying

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Thursday, August 7, 2003 6:27 PM

CHRISTHECYNIC


Quote:

Originally posted by FlatRacer:
Galaxy Quest managed to finish what Spaceballs and Ice Pirates started which is to bring about the demise of Hollywood style SciFi by making it into a joke.

Just a theory.
FR



I hope not, I've been laughing at that joke for a long time and it's still funny.

It's one thing to bring in realism, it's another to kill off the old hilarious crap sci fi. I think the first should be done but not the second.

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Tuesday, September 30, 2003 4:34 PM

CYLONCENTURION


Some of the CG of the Cylon Raider by Zoic:
[img]
Head of a Cylon Raider

[img]
2 Cylon Raiders

[img]
Cylon Raider

[img]
Cylon Raider attacking a Viper

[url] http://www.galactica2003.net

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Tuesday, September 30, 2003 4:49 PM

DUTCH


I'm a big fan of the original BSG series, i grew up watching it, but I'm pretty sure I won't be watching this new incarnation.

I would have loved to see a continuation of the original, instead of it being "reimagined". I still can't believe they made Starbuck into a girl...

And what's up with these Batman ships in these screens in the post above me?!?!

At least vipers look like vipers..

I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.
--Stephen Hawking

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Tuesday, September 30, 2003 5:21 PM

SERGEANTX


Quote:

Uh...I think that Ron Moore made those comments nearly a year before "Firefly" premiered. He also wrote the mini-series close to two years before "Firefly" premiered. I don't think the producers were copying from FF, since production wrapped up late 2002/early 2003, certainly not a lot of time for the "Battlestar" producers to watch "Firefly" in Fall 2002 and to decide that's how they would produce BSG. Pre-production would have been going on months before "The Train Job" aired.


I remember when this first came up. The best information I've been able to find reported Sci-Fi giving the official green light for production on Dec. 4th '02, with this mission statement being released by Moore a few days after.

http://www.filmjerk.com/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=35
3


I'm sure the new Galactica will have plenty of original concepts all its own, but nearly every one of the points of the 'mission statement' were pioneered by Joss Whedon in Firefly. Now, nothing new under the sun and all that, and I'm sure plenty of others have been down this road before Whedon or Moore, but I think its a bit disingenuous for Ron Moore to make any claim to the "reinvention of the science fiction television series" , especially after watching the brilliant episodes of Firefly's doomed premiere season.

Imitation, sincerest form of flattery? I suppose, and if this makes for a positive change to sci-fi television then its a good thing. But it really burns to see someone else touting 'revolutionary ideas' when we seen them done already, done fantastically and tossed aside by the short sighted fools at fox.


SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith


edited to add: If there are any doubts of Firefly's influence on this "new" production style, take a look at how much behind the scenes talent the producers of the new Galactica have recruited.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2003 7:34 AM

JAHZARA


Hmm.

There are some questionable similarities in Firefly and Galactia. Some of them may be coincidental, some may not, I'm just happy that another intelligent science fiction show is in production.

I think that the reason so many people were hired from Firefly to Galactia was probably experience and the fact that they already made an incredible show that is (possibly) similar.

There are too many variables and idiots in charge however to begin to assume the shows will be anything alike.

Done now.


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Friday, October 10, 2003 7:44 PM

CYLONCENTURION


Well, I know in the past some users have had problems with the WMVs so this time I encoded in standard Quicktime (MOV format). The file is 28MBs and which features a 5 minute tour by Jamie Bamber around the CIC of the Battlestar Galactica. The link to the video is located in the News Section:

http://www.galactica2003.net/articles/index.htm

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Saturday, October 11, 2003 9:30 AM

SERGEANTX


OK, through clenched teeth, I'll have to admit that looked pretty cool. I kind of like the idea about keeping with analog electronics to defeat Cylon digital intrusions. I honestly hope this show does well. I like the new direction television sci-fi seems to be going, regardless of who is responsible. But I still want my Firefly back!

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Saturday, October 11, 2003 11:40 AM

PSYKOTEK


MY GOD, IT'S THE BATPLANE

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Sunday, October 12, 2003 12:46 AM

CALHOUN


Those trailers for the new Battlestar have to be streamed? Is there anyway of just downloading the files? I'm way over here in Australia and with dial-up connection.. not good for streaming.

I used to like the old Battlestar when i was a kid, cant wait for the new one. I seriously doubt it'll be anywhere near as good as Firefly!.. but i need a sci fi fix...

After all this time I am still BADLY pissed at the fools who cancelled Firefly. I am a hard person to please when it comes to tv shows but am hard pressed to fault Firefly.

BEST DAMN SHOW EVER!

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Sunday, October 12, 2003 10:42 AM

CALHOUN


Erm.. streaming Vs Downloading? whats the go?

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Tuesday, November 4, 2003 1:51 PM

CYLONCENTURION


Two new trailers are online. One of them shows the new Viper launch sequence.

http://www.galactica2003.net/videos/creation.htm
http://www.galactica2003.net/videos/hidden.htm

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Tuesday, November 4, 2003 4:25 PM

FAHQ


You have GOT to be kidding me.......

Lets' see...... The inevitable comparisons begin. It happened with Babylon 5 and Star Trek, especially DS9-Anybody hear about how Paramount blitzed out the "new" idea after Straczynski Pitched Babylon 5 to them?

How about this one? Maybe the powers in charge of BSG decided that the proper way to depict space flight/action would be without sound? Because that is the way it would really be!
Maybe it has nothing to do with Firefly?

Wait! A story about the people and not the technology? Oh, NO! They MUST be copying Firefly! Does that mean Firefly copied BABYLON 5? Not seeing too many statements regarding THAT one.

Kind of like Heinlein's Starship Troopers novel. It was about the people. Oh, NO-EVERYBODY COPIED HEINLEIN!

Get over it.

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Tuesday, November 4, 2003 5:19 PM

SERGEANTX


I just hope its done well. I'd hate to see another show 'revolutionize' TV sci-fi with so many of the great features that Firefly utilized and muck it all up. It would give the whole notion of 'naturalistic science fiction', or whatever you call it, a bad name and just leave the money people thinking what we really need is more of the same old character-light, technobabble stuff.
We'll see. Like I said, I hope they pull it off. It would be great for science fiction TV in general. But what it all comes down to as far as I'm concerned is the writing. Regardless of the production technique, what was really revolutionary about Firefly was the quality of the scripts and unique nature of the dialogue.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, November 5, 2003 5:19 AM

STILLSHINY


I think I'm just gonna grow a long black mustache. and watch my Firefly DVD's. Long live Dirk Bennedict & Richard Hatch. & the guy who played Boomer.

You think I look good now, wait till you see me in my new "Browncoat T-shirt"

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Friday, November 7, 2003 3:36 PM

CYLONCENTURION


[img]

[img]

High resolution versions are available here:

[url] http://www.galactica2003.net/colonials/battlestar.shtml

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