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Here it is!
The long-awaited blog of our trip to the set of Stargate: Atlantis!

June 6, 2005 Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

First, I should again mention how Laurie and I got here. I bid on and won a charity auction at Hollywood Charity Auctions for a one-day set visit for myself and a guest to either SG-1 or SGA. The charity which recieved my donation is called Minorities in Broadcasting Training Program, located in California.

Laurie and I got to the gate of Bridge Studios around 9:45 in the morning. Since we were a little early, we took pictures of the gate and the large MGM sign on the side of the building. (All pictures to follow!)

Once at the gate, we waited for Carole to come and take us in. Carole is the Promotions Coordinator for SGA and was absolutely wonderful for the two or three months preceding the visit. She made the whole process of arranging the set visit painless and easy—quite a feat for being 3000 miles away from me!! I cannot thank her enough.

So, Carole became our guide for the day.

First, she took us on a quick walking tour of the facility. The studio was given the name Bridge Studios because it once was a manufacturing company which made...you guessed it...BRIDGES! In particular, its claim to fame is the manufacture of the Golden Gate Bridge. The HUGE sound stages all have the original steel beams jutting out of them at roof level from the bridge-making facility. The beams are painted red and are exposed as a reminder of the buildings' amazing history.

Carole then took us to the stages that house the two gate rooms. We went to see SG-1 first. Didn't get any pictures of that gate as they were filming just up the stairs in the SG-1 briefing room.

Then we went up the stairs and were allowed to watch as they set up for a scene in the briefing room. On the set were Amanda Tapping, Ben Browder, and Beau Bridges. We didn't get to meet them, but we stood behind the director at his screen and watched for a few minutes. They called for Michael Shanks to come back in--he must have taken a short break outside—and he came past us in the long, narrow hallway we were standing in.

To read the rest, go to: Stargate Blog.

Sincerely, Carol Diehl (cdiehl78 @zoominternet.net)

I was the winner of the Lost set visit and wanted to let you know that I visited the set a couple of weeks ago and had an amazing time. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to visit one of my favorite shows and see how it is made. The producer who donated the set visit could not have been nicer or more imformative. She made sure we were close enough to view the filming of a very dramatic scene and arranged for one of the stars to chat with us at lunch, making my guest and myself feel like big time VIPs.

Sincerely, Hope Cooper(buffycooper @yahoo.com)

Here's the photo as promised! (Jay Leno VIP Tickets winning bidder). I just wanted to THANK you for what you have done. We had a great time at the TonightShow and Jay was so very nice. We got our photo with him and I'll treasure that forever. Again thanks and if you ever have meet 'n greets with any stars or set visits please let me know asap....

Sincerely, Kris Schwoch(Tonightlive @aol.com)

Thought you might like to read about our adventures on the Scrubs set. We had a terrific time! See all the photos and details at: www.justbecauseican.com/scrubs.

Sincerely, Jim H. (scrubs@justbecauseican.com)

My two days on the set of "The West Wing" were everything I'd hoped and more! The cast and crew couldn't have been friendlier and everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I got to be an extra in three scenes, and they tried to make sure I had a good spot where I'd be seen on camera. The other extras gave me lots of tips and the director, Clark Johnson (from "Homicide"), was really friendly and helped put me at ease. In between takes I was able to visit with all the cast members. Everyone was so nice, but Martin Sheen and Bradley Whitford were especially friendly and came over to talk to me whenever they had a chance. Thanks so much to The Broadcasting Training Program and John Wells Productions for giving me this opportunity!

Sincerely,
Susannah Nix < snix@wt.net >

NOTE: Read more about her experience and see more photos at her website: http://www.jedbartlet.com/ Select the link: Library.
 

We got back home yesterday afternoon. We had a wonderful time at the American Idol taping. We were in the 4th row. Before the show began we talked to the wife of our favorite contestant. We asked if we could meet "our idol" after the show. My daughters were excited beyond words to meet him. Back to the show--we loved every minute of it, and my daughters were even able to get some autographs including Paula Abdul's. Thank you for your promptness in getting the tickets to us. We had a great time, one that we will never forget. I will be giving you a great review on ebay. Thanks again!

Sincerely,
K Schier< KPSchier @aol.com>

MY VISIT TO THE SET OF CBS's THE GUARDIAN

March 25, 2003:

March 25, 2003:

I was so excited and nervous I left my house to drive over from my home in Los Feliz to Sony Studios in Culver City on Tuesday, March 25th. I was about to spend the afternoon on the set of my favorite television show, CBS’ The Guardian. I drove over early to make sure I left plenty of time in case I got lost. The day was sunny and glorious—a perfect Southern California day. I easily found the gate I had been told to enter, and the security guards had my name on the guest list. I felt like a movie star! I parked, walked onto the lot and quickly saw a sign with an arrow that read “THE GUARDIAN”. I entered the Robert Young building, a white stucco building dating maybe from the 1930’s. Once inside, I followed a sign which read: David Hollander Productions - 3rd Floor. The stairs and lighting were very high tech and modern. Once I arrived at the third floor, I found a series of offices belonging to David Hollander Productions. There was a sign on the wall stating “Guardian Casting” with an arrow leading to a big room at the end of the hall. I walked past several doorways with people on phones, and found the main office I had been directed to go to. Inside was a series of rather old desks and chairs (almost like Legal Services of Pittsburgh in the show!), and folks on phones everywhere coordinating shooting schedules, location logistics, etc. I was asked to take a seat to wait for Christian Trokey, David Hollander’s Assistant who had arranged my visit, and I sat out of the way and just enjoyed the bustle of activity. To my left on the wall hung a large white board with that day’s scenes to be shot: Scene 6 – F&F 2:30pm. As scenes were completed, they were marked off on the board. I sat next to a refrigerator full of sodas and a table full of suckers and every hard candy you can think of (fuel for the long days, no doubt!). Christian soon came out to meet me, and he was the nicest person. He told me that I probably would not have a chance to met David who was holed up in his office writing the season finale. I said that I completely understood and couldn’t wait to see what he came up with—Christian said, “we can’t wait either!” Christian entrusted me to Karin Gleason, Assistant to Vahan Moosekian, and a newer production assistant, Kate. They were incredibly nice and fun and proceeded to lead me out of the building and on to the beginning of my big adventure. We talked about episodes, our favorite scenes etc. and when I shared some of my favorite episodes and scenes (including episode titles), they commented, “Hey, you really are a fan—you remember some of these episodes better than we do!”

Our first stop was the wardrobe trailer, and the ladies introduced me to the wardrobe manager. They showed me the large inventory of clothes they had hanging up to cloth every actor and extra. Karin laughed and said, “we know whose clothes you really want to see” and they led me to the back of the trailer to see Simon Baker’s wardrobe (he is the star of the show and plays corporate attorney Nicholas Fallin). The wardrobe manager was so nice and spent a lot of time showing me all of Simon’s beautiful designer suits, as well as outfits worn by the other lead actors and actresses.

We then rounded a corner and passed by Simon’ s large trailer (I was told he was inside resting after lunch). On one side of the trailer was a little fake turf lawn surrounded by a fence. Karin told me that this was built for the puppy he brought to the set for a while, but the puppy has “now gone to another good home”. We then entered the hair and make-up trailer, and I met the stylists who make everyone look so good—very nice ladies who welcomed me in. One wall was completely covered with candids of all the cast; some shots were more formal, some were funny and very spontaneous.

Next, Karin and Kate took me onto the LSOP (Legal Services of Pittsburgh) sets. What a thrill that was! I stood in the fake elevator that Nick is always rushing in and out of (crew members stand on each side to open and close the doors). I made a point of going into each and every office and sitting at every desk. I was shown various camera ports, some hidden behind pictures, that allow them to shoot the offices from various angles. Karin and Kate shared with me how much all of the cast and crew have enjoyed working with Rita Moreno this season (she has appeared in several episodes as Lulu Archer’s mother). They are all start struck! She is a consummate professional, a true Hollywood star in all the best ways, and they all love her. They recently threw a birthday party for her on the set. Interesting detail: the buildings you see outside of Alvin’s window are actually photos printed on a huge curtain (I said it looks like a giant shower curtain). It’s amazing how realistic the buildings look on film. The same is done outside of Burton Fallin’s office on the law office set.

Moving on to the courtroom sets, I enjoyed seeing where the show’s “Judges” preside every week. I sat at the defense desk where Nick usually sits and even used his water carafe! They showed me the courtroom hallway, and how it can be lengthened or shortened to create the effect of many different hallways. We talked about the fact that sets are usually much smaller than they appear on screen, due to lighting and camera angles. That was definitely the case with the sets I visited. Karin told me that often, children of producers and staff appear as extras in courtroom and LSOP scenes.

We moved onto the police set, and I saw the interrogation room where Nick has met with clients. Nick was also interrogated in this room when he was arrested and jailed at the beginning of the season. We all laughed and said that Simon baker even makes an orange prison jumpsuit look good! They actually shortened this room and turned half of it into Nick’s jail cell in the first episode of this season, “Testimony”.

We then visited the set of Lulu Archer’s house—this set was amazingly small. On camera, her house (or as much of it as we see, the entryway, staircase and living room) look quite large, with a high ceiling. Next Karin and Kate walked me over to the sound stage where the sets of the law firm Fallin &Fallin are located. Raphael Sbarge was rehearsing a scene, and I got to stand and watch along with the crew. Karin then led me over to a spot outside the set called “Video Village”. This is where the Director sits, along with any other producers or writers who are on the floor. The video village has a number of high directors chairs positioned in front of a double video monitor system. One monitor shows the scene as it is being filmed on color film, the second monitor provides a rough videotape. Everyone wears a headset so you can hear the dialogue. The director watches filming from this spot, so he/she can see exactly how the scene looks on film. I got to sit in Vahan Moosekian’s chair directly behind the director (Martha Mitchell) and watched 5 or 6 walk-throughs of the same scene. Michael Perry sat down next to me (he is a frequent writer, and one of the co-executive producers). We began chatting about various episodes; when I could rattle off the names of some of the episodes he had written, I think he realized I was a serious, fairly knowledgeable fan of the show, and we struck up a great conversation! Interesting tidbit—he said that the episodes aren’t given a name until the very end, so often they (the crew, cast, writers, etc. remember the episodes by the plot or by their script number, but not necessarily by their name). We then watched the rehearsed episode as it was shot (8 takes). It really is very slow, tedious work, and it must be hard for the actors to stay charged up as they wait in between takes. I was still talking to Michael when Karin suddenly said, “Linda there is someone who wants to meet you,” and I looked up and there was Raphael Sabarge, who had come over just to meet me. What a smile he has! He was incredibly nice, welcomed me to the set, asked about the charity auction I had won (said it sounded like a wonderful cause), and asked me what I did. I told him I work in the investment field, and joked that, unlike Jake, I can do securities deals! We all had a big laugh over that. He asked where I lived, and I said Los Feliz. Turns out we are practically neighbors! As he left to go film another take, he said, “Well, I hope to see you in the neighborhood one of these days!” He thanked me again for being such a loyal fan, and told me to enjoy my visit. What a gentleman. And much handsomer in person than he appears on television, I want to add!

After they finished shooting Jake’s scene, Karin said there would be about a half hour break before the next scene. So we took this opportunity to walk around the F&F set. I visited Nick’s office (which is also Jake’s office), and sat at Nick’s desk. The back wall of Nick’s office (the one behind his desk) pushes out so that they can film from behind Nick toward the door. The back wall was missing on this particular day. I got to visit the reception area where Gretchen resides, the “staircase to nowhere” as Raphael called it (or as someone else called it, the M.C Escher staircase), and the conference room. The conference table can actually be lengthened or shortened, and on this particular day it was short. We walked up and down the halls of F&F, and just as it was with the courthouse sets, these hallways are not very long, but look long due to the camera angles used. Karin then suggested we head back over to the production office for a while, until they were ready to begin rehearsing the next scene. We were walking down the alley between craft service trucks when I saw Simon’s assistant approaching me, with a big grin on her face. Walking with her was a guy with his head down, fiddling with what looked like a cassette player and wearing headphones. Karin walked me right up to them, said “We have a special guest on the set today who would love to meet you”, and Simon Baker looked up, turned off the ipod, and flashed his incredibly cute shy smile right at me. I said “Hello, I am a huge fan and it is a tremendous thrill to meet you,” and stuck out my hand. He took my hand, then leaned in and kissed my cheek and said hello! Believe me, I could barely stay on my feet. Simon was wearing a tight ribbed sweater and jeans (so different from the suits he wears as lawyer Nick Fallin) and was even handsomer in person than he is on screen (hard to believe, I know). His hair was a little mussed and he looked truly adorable. He asked my name, and what I did (he said he didn’t know much about investments). His Australian accent is just wonderful. We stood and talked for several minutes, and what really impressed me was the eye contact he makes when talking to you. I got the feeling that he really does find people interesting, and is interested in what they have to say. He asks questions in a very direct, but charming manner. We started talking about episodes, and he asked what my favorite one was. I asked, “this year, or last?” “This year.” I told him that one of my favorites had to be “My Aim is True” and he laughed and said “Oh, you’re just telling me that because I directed it.” I said, no I thought it was a very powerful episode. We chatted for a few minutes about various episodes, then Karin said he had to be on the set to rehearse, do we said goodbye. Karin, Kate and I walked back to the production offices, and Simon went onto the soundstage to rehearse, headphones back on!

We returned to the production offices, and I was given a desk to sit at to kill a half hour or so. Kate asked if I would like to read a script (Yes!!!) and proceeded to roll out a huge file drawer containing scripts of every episode—this season and last. I started to pull one out, when Christian said, “would you like to read the script for the episode we’re filming now (Burton and Ernie)?” You bet! So I sat happy as a clam and read as much as I could before we headed back to the set.

After about 20 minutes, Karin said that she and Christian would take me back down to the set—they were about done rehearsing the next scene. We walked back into the sound stage and walked down the Fallin &Fallin hallway in order to avoid the crew setting up lighting and mikes in the reception area. As we walked down the hall past Burton’s office, I saw Simon sitting in a corner in a chair (still in his jeans) listening to music on his ipod! Simon shortly left to change, and we hung out on the set a bit, then headed over to the Video Village area again. A couple of minutes later, Simon’s assistant (I can’t remember her name, but I will be eternally grateful to this woman) beckoned to me to come over quickly with my camera. She said that Simon was back on the set “in uniform” and that he would sign a picture for me and I could take a couple of pictures before shooting began. Well, there he was, in full Nick Fallin splendor (dark suit, white shirt, dark tie, just the way I like him!). I said I hoped I wasn’t wearing out my welcome, and he said not at all. I told him he looked very dashing in his suit, and he and the guy hooking a mike on his tie laughed. Simon told me that from now on, I would always look to see if I saw a mike under his tie. Karin told him that we had walked all around the set, and Simon said “It kind of ruins it a bit, now that you see what it really looks like, doesn’t it”, and I said no, if anything it will make it even more enjoyable for me when I watch future episodes, because I was actually there on the sets! I then gave him my picture to sign, and I was so touched, because he made sure he spelled my name right, and really took the time to write a very thoughtful and personal note. It meant the world to me. His assistant then said, “Okay, let’s get a picture,” and Simon put his arm around me and they took a shot. He laughed and said, “Oh, I can tell she looked tense in that one, let’s get you relaxed a bit”, so he quickly rubbed my neck , put his arm back around me, and his assistant shot another picture (INSERT PIC). I really thought I had died and gone to heaven!. I thanked him again, and Karin said this would be a good time to go see Burton’s office. I said, ‘Oh, good, I get to see the Big Guy’s office” and Simon hollered, ‘Hey, I’m the big guy!” I certainly agreed!

The office used by Burton Fallin (played by Dabney Coleman) was a bit smaller than it looks on camera, and his desk is much smaller than it looks on television. I got to sit in his chair, behind the desk. Karin and Christian sat down with me, at Burton’s conference table . We laughed about the fact that in Season One, Nick ended up working at this table a lot of the time, since he didn’t appear to have an office of his own. They told me that one reason Nick didn’t have an office at first was to create a sense of mystery about his character, and to create the sense that he is always in motion between his corporate and legal services worlds.

After sitting in Burton’s office for 10 minutes, we heard the crew saying they were ready to shoot, so we went back to sit in the high chairs behind the director. The scene was one where Jake is trying to talk to Nick, who in true Nick fashion is distracted, in a hurry to head out the front doors of F&F, and is only half listening to Jake. They did a few walk-throughs in costume, then started shooting. They did eight takes in all. At one point, Simon finished the scene, then quickly walked around the back of the set to come over and joke with the director about some of the staging—he was laughing and got her laughing, too. Then he quickly (and of course, gracefully) ran back around the set, briefcase in hand, and two minutes later he was back to being Nick, looking harried and slightly put out at Jake. Amazing how he can jump in and out of character so quickly! Karin commented to me that in the interest of saving time, they try to film a series of scenes on one set, even if the scenes are out of script order. Although this saves a lot of time and effort logistically, it makes it difficult for the actors to quickly change gears in terms of the emotions they need to convey in a particular scene. For example, if Nick has a humorous scene with Jake in one scene, and then in the very next scene shot he is having an intense scene with Burton, it is very hard to change gears emotionally. She said that one reason having Simon as director was so terrific, was because he approached the job from the perspective of the actor, and was careful to stage schemes in a way that allowed the actor’s emotional buildup to progress in a more natural way.

After this scene was wrapped, Christian and Karin needed to head back to their offices, and I felt it was the perfect time for me to make my exit. Christian presented me with a crew hat and mug and some other mementos, and escorted me back to my car. I told him that this day had exceeded anything I could have hoped for, and that I would never forget it, and all of the wonderful folks I had met during my stay on the set. He said he was glad I had had a good time (what an understatement!). I said I hoped the show would be around for a long time to come—he said, he did too! What stuck me during my visit was how nice everyone connected with this show is - all of the cast and crew truly seem to like each other and enjoy working together. You could not have asked to meet a nicer bunch of folks, and I could not have asked for a more wonderful experience.

Thank you, Patrice and MIBTP, for making this dream come true for me!

Sincerely,
Linda Fetzer< Linda_Fetzer @capgroup.com >

I just returned from a fabulous 2 days on the set of Diagnosis Murder. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have the winning bid for the walk on role.
To spend two days in the company of such talented actors as Dick Van Dyke, Barry Van Dyke, Charlie Schlatter, and Victoria Rowell was a fan's dream come true. What made it even more special was how I was treated. Everyone went way out of their way to make me feel like I was a 'part of the family' from the producers to the cast and crew. I know I made many new friends and it was all due to your auction.
I would like to thank the Training Program for having the auction and Diagnosis Murder for providing the walk on role. It was fun being a nurse and being in the same scene with a legend such as Dick Van Dyke. I will check back often to see what you have listed for bid. I will definitely participate in your auction again.
I'm sending along two pictures that I took while on the set. The one is a picture of me with Charlie Schlatter and Barry Van Dyke and the other picture is with me, my Mom (who by the way had a great time too) and Dick Van Dyke. Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Penny Zervos < Theapez1@aol.com >

Dear Patrice: Thank you so much for such a wonderful and amazing experience. It has almost been a month since I taped my appearance, but I still can't stop smiling. Everyone at the Drew Carey Show went out of their way to make me feel right at home. It's incredible the amount of time and work it takes to put on a weekly sitcom. From the viewer's point of view, everything moves so smoothly and without an incident, but believe me, it's much more difficult than it looks. The actors I shared the scene with were more that helpful and kept giving me all kinds of tips. Had it not been for their guidance, I don't think I could have done it without any mistakes. I still can't believe how incredibly sweet both cast and crew were to me. The entire cast not only took the time to chat, but my script was signed by each and every one of them. Even though my entire day on the set was like a dream, the highlight of my day was when I was introduced to Mr. Carey. After he asked me what I did and where I was from, I asked him to sign my script and have a picture taken with me. While he was signing, I couldn't help but notice that the camera does not do him justice. As we were posing for the picture, Mr. Carey said "This background is not good at all, let's go to the bar". With the countless tasks I saw him perform all day long, I just couldn't believe that he cared how my pictures would come out! He still had my script in his hand and it was his idea to hold it up, he said just so I would have a certificate of authenticity. As if I could ever sell it! Again, thank you so much to you, Patrice at the Broadcaster and everyone at the Drew Carey Show for making this amazing experience an unforgettable day. Imagine, not only do I get to be immortalized on my favorite show, but I had the opportunity to meet a truly charming gentleman.............Drew Carey.

Sincerely,
Patty O.

I just wanted to thank you so much for the opportunity to allow my friend and I to visit an X-File shoot. It was fabulous.

Despite the fact that there were SO many other extras there, Tony and I were able to still make it close enough to see most of the action, and even into a few of the shots.

We got to see Gillian Anderson, but not meet her as she was busy, but we did get to meet David Duchovny, and I was able to get his autograph.

Thanks again, and I'm even more happy that I was not only able to purchase this experience, but that in doing so I was able to help out a charity as well.....what a bargain!
 

Sincerely,
Jackie Chairez < jcdc232 @hotmail.com >

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of "Diagnosis Murder's" sixth season. I an not fully describe how well the cast, crew and staff treated me during my time at the studio, other than to say it was truly a magical experience.

By the time I arrived, they had my trailer ready, my wardrobe coordinated, and a script to help me follow rehearsals. I was then introduced to the cast and crew. Everyone went out of their way to make this a wonderful experience for me.

I ate with the cast and crew and had some great conversations during the breaks. Dick Van Dyke is such a professional, but what I didn't know was how funny, witty and charming he is. He sang and danced between takes to keep spirits high and we enjoyed watching this lovely man do what he does best. The rest of the cast such as Barry Van Dyke, Charlie Schlatter, Victoria Rowell, were so gracious to me, that by the end of my stay, I felt like part of the "Diagnosis Murder" family.

I also learned a lot about the behind the scenes work that viewers don't see. Many people work many hours to get lighting, sound, script and staging arranged for one scene. I have a new found respect for the faceless members who work in the wings to make a shot perfect and for the many others in administration and public relations who keep the wheels of the series rolling.

I would like to say thank you to the people of "Diagnosis Murder" for participating in this worthwhile cause and to the Broadcasting Training Program for their part in this experience. It was a wonderful opportunity to work on this show. And I would do it again - in a heartbeat!

Sincerely,
Pam Larson < DLarson @aol.com >

As the winner of the Disneyland Mega Package I can honestly say that it was a MEGA Package! It was overflowing with special goodies and I was surprised with such a selection of quality items. I will definately be bidding again in the very near future! From start to finish the staff of Broadcasting Training Program helped in many ways! It's such a great and worthy cause! Mark me as a very satisfied customer!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Karen Hearn < gkhtoys @gamewood.net >

It was through that I believe that The Broadcasting Training Program's Hollywood Auction found me- as Touched By An Angel was included- it's a show that I never miss, on every Sunday night. They mentioned in an e-mail that they had 2 Touched By An Angel items that I might be interested in bidding on:

1- The script of Season 2, episode 2 - "Interview With An Angel", which was signed by Roma Downey, Della Resse, and John Dye

2. An 8" by 10" picture of the cast of TBAA - again signed by Roma, Della and John.

I made a bid on both of them. I never thought I'd win, but the day after the closing date of the auction, I received another e-mail saying that I'd won. Man, I was just soooooooooooo excited- jumping up and down for joy- as even though I'm really into many TV shows, I've never had anything signed by a star :) Anyway, to wind down this long story- within like 3 days I'd received my package and I'm now planning on scanning the pic & the cover sheet of the script, so that I can add it to my webpage.
 

Sincerely,
Claudine Massih < cmassih @aol.com >

The Grammy visit was problem free. Janelle and I had an incredible time and enjoyed the experience as "seatfillers". It gave us an appreciation for the behind-the-scenes aspect of a live telecast and become part of the production. Lots of unforgettable memories from Wednesday night's Grammy awards! Feel free to use my name and email address. Permission is granted. And I'll write about my experiences with the bidding process and results within the next few days. At this writing I'm stuck in Dallas for a couple days in meetings. Will return to Rancho Cucamonga this weekend and email the info to you.

Thanks!
Daniel Amich < damich @clover.net >

"Just wanted to say I think your auction is great, and even better because it is charity. I really hope you get more tickets for Party of Five, because I will without a question bid for them. You really do have some phenomenal things up for bid, and really cool things for fans to get a chance to have. Keep up the good work, and please get those Party of Five tickets again. Thanks again."

Sincerely,
Bill Tierney < goldberg @ameritech.net >