The Sanctuary Keepsake Campaign

NOTE: An UPDATED POST has been added with additional items, 

as of 6 PM PST  on Friday, 9/21.

You know what's a great antidote for sadness?  Helping out someone else.  I'm sure there's a reason -- endorphins, maybe -- but I'll just go with the empirical evidence.  Doing good deeds feels good.  And I'm sure it's good for the soul.

So let's get together and help out some people in need around the world!  Let's help build houses in Haiti, let's help orphans in Nepal, let's join together in community wherever we are.  

Let's surprise our friends over at Sanctuary 4 Kids by a sudden burst of generosity.  Because guess what, gang, I've got the coolest "Thank You" gifts for Sanctuary fans. When the lease on the Sanctuary studio ended earlier this year and the sets and props were being cleared out, I rescued a few items to share with you all.    Welcome to the SANCTUARY KEEPSAKE CAMPAIGN.  

*** Please read all the instructions at the bottom of the page if you wish to participate! You MUST make your requests via the special email address provided below. ***

And please spread the word wherever people may be interested.  Let's use the hashtag #sanctuarykeepsakecampaign and keep it going on Twitter!

"SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SANCTUARY KEEPSAKE CAMPAIGN?"

A while back, when some props from the show were posted online for a charity auction, I recall seeing a comment on facebook from a fan, saddened by the knowledge that the one-of-a-kind items would quickly skyrocket beyond her budget.  She wished for something from the show to be made available at a more accessible price --"even just a pencil from Magnus' desk."  Well folks, imagine my delight -- I HAVE those pens and pencils from Magnus' desk and I want you guys to have them.  

PENCIL (OR PEN) FROM HELEN MAGNUS' DESK - minimum $20 donation

There are more than two dozen of them here -- just regular mechanical pencils and ballpoint pens, nothing special about them at all EXCEPT THAT THEY SAT ON HELEN MAGNUS' DESK in Season 4 of Sanctuary.  They'll be distributed at random to the first 30 people to donate a minimum of $20 to Sanctuary 4 Kids and request them according the the rules below. ONE PER CUSTOMER, PLEASE. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
**UPDATE: As of 11 PM on Thursday, 9/20, more than 20 remain available.**  

WINE CORK FROM HELEN MAGNUS' COLLECTION -  minimum $20 donation - SOLD OUT

I also have a dozen WINE CORKS that were used on the show.  If you know Sanctuary you know the significance of Magnus' wine cellar.  These will be distributed to the first 12 people to donate a minimum of $20 to Sanctuary 4 Kids and and request them according to the rules below. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST  **Update, as of 11 PM on Thursday 9/20, all the wine corks have been CLAIMED **

FABRIC SWATCH FROM HELEN MAGNUS' CURTAINS - minimum $40 donation, or $75 for 2 

"Were these drapes always this hideous shade?" - Nikola Tesla

"I saw it in the window and I just had to have it!" 

These familiar red and gold brocade curtains hung in Helen Magnus' office for the run of the series.  For the post-apocalyptic episode "Pavor Nocturnus" in Season 2, the curtains were replaced with these "stunt doubles" that were shredded and distressed for the scene in the destroyed Sanctuary.  This screen-used material has been professionally tailored into approximately 12-inch squares, each one unique.  Ideal as crying towels for mourning the loss of a beloved series!  Many of these are distinguished by unique rips and camera-friendly damage; others are intact and might be pressed into service as dinner napkins.  Please note in your email if you prefer an intact or a distressed swatch, and I will do my best to accomodate your request. Each one will come with a Certificate of Authenticity.  WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
**UPDATE: As of 6 PM on Friday, 9/20, I am havnig additional swatches made from a second curtain.  Therefore, delivery of swatches requested after this time may be delayed to allow time for tailoring  **  

WINE BOTTLE FROM HELEN MAGNUS' COLLECTION -  minimum $150 donation

Because of the scarcity and the shipping issues, these are a bit more expensive.  If you know Sanctuary you know the significance of Magnus' wine cellar.  These will be distributed to the first 6 people to donate a minimum of $150 to Sanctuary 4 Kids  and request them according to the rules below. Each one will come with a Certificate of Authenticity. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
**Update:  As of 9 PM on Sunday 9/23, 2 bottles remain available.**  

"I WANT ONE! WHAT SHOULD I DO?"

Step 1: Go to the Sanctuary 4 Kids website.  Make your donation.  In the comment box, please put #sanctuarykeepsakecampaign.  NOTE: Please do not use the comment box to make your item requests.  These must go to the email below. 

Step 2: Email me at athena.tv (at) gmail.com to request your item.  Please help me out by putting "Sanctuary Keepsake" and the item you are requesting (PENCIL, FABRIC SWATCH, or BOTTLE) in the subject line.  Please put your mailing address and any further details about the item you are requesting in the body of the email.  Requests will be honored in the order they are received in the athena.tv inbox.  Please DO NOT make your requests via any other channel, you will lose your place in line.

All items are WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.  I will post updates here once each item is sold out, but please note, there may be a time lag in tracking the requests, therefore you may find that the item you requested is no longer available.  I am grateful for all donations made in the campaign but I can't guarantee that all donations will receive the "Thank You" items described.  

I will cover all mailing costs.

For items requested by September 27th:
Canadian and International requests will be mailed by October 5th.
US Items will be mailed by October 31st.

Recipient is responsible for all customs and duties. 

Please tell your friends!

Gillian

#sanctuarykeepsakecampaign

Coming Soon!

I rescued some tchotchkes and doodads from the Sanctuary set when the studio shut down.  They need new, loving homes.  Details to follow.

Watch this space for instructions.  This page goes live Tuesday, September 18th at 9 PM PST.  First come first served!

Primeval Small World

Got asked to do an interview regarding Primeval: New World for a fan site called Primeval Denial.  Imagine my surprise and delight at discovering that some of the fans involved are Highlander: The Series fans as well -- and that the site's name is in fact in homage to a Highlander fan group that called itself "Clan Denial."  It really is a small world -- and it's no small thrill to me when the people who've been watching my work from the start are interested in the next thing I'm doing.

http://primeval-denial.livejournal.com/3444419.html#cutid1

I can't wait for this show to pemiere so we can start talking about it in earnest!

Hello, Blogger for mobile!

Let's put this blog back into action.

Lightning In A Bottle

In the course of my work, I'm sometimes able to attend advance screenings of unreleased films, or view screening copies of TV pilots before they are.  It's a great luxury to see some of the new pilots over the summer, because it alleviates some of the pressure in the fall to View All The Shows -- wth luck, you already know which ones you don't like and don't need to TiVo.

(And even after years in this business, I still get a little thrill from the validation that comes with any "insider" invitation.)


I recently sat down to view a selection of pilots for shows that are either not picked up, or not picked up until midseason.  2 of them Canadian-made, so I was interested in checking out the look and feel in the likelihood that I run in to cast and crew around town -- it's always nice to be familiar with people's recent work.  During production, of course, there's very little time to keep up with current releases, much less advance releases, so it's nice over hiatus to catch up on favorite shows, friends' shows, and upcoming trends.

The thing that struck me in viewing a selection of this year's crop was how cinematic 3 out of the 4 selections were.  Not just in the camerawork and acting style, but in the premises -- I kept seeing stories that seemed perfect fodder for a gripping 2-hour feature, but was hard-pressed to imagine how they were planning to continue for 13 or 22 weeks, much less 5 years  


Of course *every* year's crop of pilots serve as a stark reminder of how hard it is to make good television, and how easy a few missteps can make what must have seemed like a good idea at the time into an unwatchable mess.  No one sets out to make lame or cheesy shows, and people work just as hard -- and are likely just as excited about -- the losers as the winners

What makes the difference?  What's the ligtning in a bottle that makes one show grab you from the first week and make you eager to shout "More show!  More show!"  ?  I'm convinced that one key element is casting -- the wrong leads will tank a clever idea, and the right leads will put butts in seats.  But that's only one of so many elements.  Messing up even one can drag all the rest down.

Can this things be solved by analysis?  Or is this a case where you need to get zen and do the best you can, and then see where the cards land?

In case you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at just watching TV with my feet up.  Even when it's not supposed o be work, it turns into grist for the mill.

A Whole New World

Twitter.  You may have heard of it.  Me, I'm too verbose to be an early adopter of anything requiring concision.  140 characters?  Is that even enough room for a haiku?  I've got ThingsTo Say, people!

But if you want to get better at stuff, you've gotta do things that aren't a natural fit.  People use a phrase around here, "in his wheelhouse," meaning that a task plays to a person's known strengths, and thus they are the perfect choice, sure to succeed.

To a point.  On Season 3 of Sanctuary, I was fortunate to write a couple of episodes that were right down my alley, containing the sort of stories that I'm drawn to and known for writing.  In fact the second of my two Season 3 episodes, "Awakening," is one that I actively pursued being assigned to because I was so fond of its premise. 

In the course of writing Season 4, through the vagaries of scheduling and the needs of the ongoing story, the two scripts I wrote were well outside my usual specialty -- each in a different way.  For 403, "Untouchable," in particular, I had to tap into a style and structure that did not come naturally to me.  (More about the details of that after it airs. Spoilers, Sweetie!)  And you know what?  I am more proud of those two scripts than of anything I've done in a long time.  I had to really wake up and dig down to get 'em done, and the results are something I am very proud of.

So, lesson re-learned: Don't fall back on old tricks when you can embrace new challenges.

And so, finally, Twitter.  With ComiCon looming large in my sights, shiny new Smartphone in hand, I figured I'd jump in the deep end.  I quickly found myself tweeting from any place I was standing still -- and cursing when I couldn't get a wireless connection from inside the press room while I waited for the Sanctuary Cast to make their rounds.  No signal!  Unthinkable!

Yesterday I participated in an event organized by some of our Sanctuary publicity gurus, in honor of the release of our Season 3 DVD sets.  A number of cast and crew with Twitter Handles were recruited to play #SanctuaryTwitterTag for the day, passing a virtual baton around cyberspace by tagging one another with questions.  Of course it didn't go to plan -- which I soon realized was all for the best.  It would have been less fum and less memorable if it had all gone off without a hitch!  (This is another of those important life lessons, I assure you.)

At the end of the day, I saw tweets from fans that resonated with me, saying that they had found and were now following one another thanks to participating in the event.  I was reminded of the times when I was in frequent attendance at Highlander Conventions, realizing that while the panels with cast and crew are the initial reason for coming, after the first time the fans are gathering to see one another as much as to see us.  That they could have (and sometimes do have) awesome conventions without us showing up at all.  Their shared love is the glue to their community, online or off.  We are mere facilitators. 

And I figured out the secret to keeping it short on Twitter, too.  It's a conversation, not a lecture.  Characters on TV aren't supposed to make speeches longer than five lines, why would I? 

Except over here, of course.  Still got Things To Say.

My Ears are Burning

Pat Elrod stumbled upon this blog and put up a lovely livejournal post linking back here and reminiscing about some time we spent together in the aftermath of a con. (I'm pretty sure it was a Forever Knight event.) I can't comment on her post without joining LJ, so I'm hoping she has a Google alert on her own name that will lead her to this post. I'm I'm glad to know that my link is helping people find and enjoy the new Highlander minisode, and always enjoy the ongoing reunion of acquaintanceship that is enabled by virtual space. Earlier today I exchanged Facebook messages with a writer of Star Wars RPG's, whom I'd met at conventions years ago and remember fondly. (Although by "today" I guess I technically mean "yesterday" -- as always when on deadline, I reverse my nights and days, writing long past midnight and sleeping past noon.)