"Stargate: Atlantis" not only premieres on the SCI FI Channel on September 28, but the 5-Disc DVD release of Season three is due out September 18th as well, getting fans, and perhaps those not caught up yet, ready for the new season.
The introduction of SG-1’s Amanda Tapping into a cast that already has established a tremendous amount of esprit de corps is also something to look forward to.
During the early summer Digital Press tour in Vancouver for the Sci-Fi series, which included a behind the scenes meet-and-greet with the cast and key crew of the hit “Stargate: Atlantis,” several new plot points were alluded to by one of the show’s executive producers and writers, Joe Mallozzi, as did some of the actors too.
The "Stargate: Atlantis" mission is headed by the departing Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson), a specialist in diplomatic relations. She managed the crew and crises artfully with her wry military counterpart, Maj. John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), a gifted pilot.
Also on board is the endearing yet a tad annoying at times, Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), an overly confident, loquacious and quick-witted astrophysicist from Stargate Command.
The team is aided by soulful and kind Athosian, Teyla (Rachel Luttrell).
The physically arresting earthy warrior Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa), and Col. Steven Caldwell (Mitch Pileggi), the commander of Earth's newest intergalactic battle cruiser, the Daedalus, round out the main players.
The series is an adventure of time bending encounters with various advanced and primitive alien and human civilizations, all while dodging the hives of arch enemy to all reasonable and peaceful beings, the Wraith.
Wraith in costume
The emotional episode, “Sunday” near the end of season three had an unexpected farewell to the Scottish Doctor Carson Beckett. His eulogy was delivered by Weir, his casket draped in the Scottish flag as pallbearers included his crew McKay, Ronon and Sheppard carrying Beckett’s remains through the Gate to the strains of a solitary bagpiper, headed back home for burial in Scotland.
His character’s demise was so unpopular that websites sprung up. “Save CarsonBeckett.com,” who appeared en masse at the last Comic-Con in San Diego, their protests spilled into the SA Sci-Fi panels as they demanded their beloved trout fishing aficionado Scot is restored to the series.
"As it turns out in sci-fi, nobody dies," mused David Hewlett in a new interview with Sci-Fi Weekly.
The return of Paul McGillion as the beloved Dr. Carson Beckett will be the most anticipated episode for the series that counts millions as loyal fans, from every country, age demographic and walk of life.
"Stargate" opens with a stirring, layered musical score by Joel Goldsmith. Writers Mallozzi and Paul Mullie slyly weave mentions of obscure popular culture, film and literary references, including known gourmand Mallozzi’s personal disdain for vegetarian fare and love of chocolate into the dialogue.
“I just won Doctor Mallozzi’s anime collection,” boasts Dr. Radek Zelenka during the “Sunday” episode, in a scene prior to the Beckett tragedy that had the crew mulling over their day-off plans.
Mallozzi and Mullie balance the drama and emotion with plenty of humor and pen lines like, “I’m invincible, I can’t be vinced,” delivered by guest actor Richard Kind, playing the ethically challenged braggart, Lucius Lavin. “Don’t leave; tonight they’re making a Schnitzel in my honor,” bellows Lucius in season three.
Then, there are the scripted digs Sheppard gets to poke McKay with, little Canadian insults that include swipes at Canadian Football and Celine Dion.
The cast not only rely on the writers and each other’s talent to make the series compelling, but also the behind-the-scenes craftspeople who excel professionally, giving Atlantis the right polish, authenticity and ambiance to make the show fly.
Valerie Halverson, Costume Designer for Stargate: Atlantis
Costume design is a key craft that helps to tell a story on film. Different from fashion design, a costume designer’s work first starts with the script. Designers have to possess an inherent sense of fashion, storytelling and being able to relate the actors with their assigned characters.
Resourcefulness is a key trait for many designers, who assemble skilled crew with every imaginable talent, jewelry and boot makers, leather smiths, ager-dyers, embroiderers, milliners, cutters, seamstresses and pattern-makers.
They often combing thrifting, flea markets and utilizing local artisans finding original vintage garments and accessories, something Sci-Fi’s “Flash Gordon’s” costume designer Heidi Samuda did for her texturally rich garment design for “Flash”. Samuda combed the Vancouver area for unusual textiles, beading, and unique fabrics to make a luxe, retro tinged futuristic look for the court of "Ming the Merciless."
After all, clothes make the alien, too.
Sci-Fi channel’s “Stargate: Atlantis” draws from the clever designs of Valerie Halverson to make the characters of Sheppard, McKay, Teyla, Ronon Dex and everyone’s favorite flying Scotsman Beckett come to life on screen as they navigate the Pegasus galaxy fighting their stylish nemesis, the Wraith.
sketches from upcoming episodes
The Sci-Fi genre offers Halverson more free reign to mine her imagination for the looks of the actors which she sketches out before pattern making, then assembling the uniforms and futuristic garments for hundreds of actors.
Valerie Halverson is a native to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where the show has its production home. Valerie shared with me her path to the Stargate.
"I went to fashion design school in Vancouver, and worked in the business for 10 years, then thought that I needed a change, so it was either teaching or getting into the film business. I am very happy with where my choice has taken me,” shares Valerie.
“I have been working in Sci-Fi for seven years now and I love it. On my breaks I like to venture into other genres like Contemporary and am always happy to return to Sci-Fi. They are fun and challenging in other ways but this is where I like to be,” added Halverson.
The process that a costume designer undertakes to flesh out verbalized ideas into two dimensional drawings, then cut and sewn into actual garments is a result of the meeting of several creative minds.
“The process starts with me reading the script and then meeting with the director and writer of the episode. We also have the supervising producers there as they oversee the look of the whole show."
Halverson continued. "At that time we discuss both the costumes on our leads and also guest stars.”
Budget, back-story and locations to be used are key factors for Halverson too.
“Deciding what works for the location, type of character (Alien or otherwise) and of course budget. This is where I get the back story on the characters which help me get an idea of what would be a good look on them.
In space they have often endured a lot on their travels and I like to reflect that in the costumes. We have a concept meeting with all heads of departments and then I present my ideas at a Costume meeting. I like to have my sketches done for that meeting as it is easier for everyone to visualize with it down on paper.
By the time I leave the Costume meeting I have a very good idea of what the director, writer, and producers have in mind. I can go ahead and get my team working on the episode,” added Halverson.
I asked if the overall mood or feeling of each scene influenced her designs.
“Absolutely, I really get a feeling of the characters; not just their personalities but I also consider the setting and the action.
For instance we are doing a story about a princess right now and I can tell you that is a real departure from the Wraith. From leather to lace as it were,” quipped Halverson.
Designers often create prototypes and hand drawn art sketches of the costumes when collaborating with the writers, director, production designers and actors for each project, and Valerie is a hands-on artist as well: “I do my own sketches, I find that helps to present my ideas and interpretation of the script to the people I am talking to."
Colour palettes and tonal attributes (cool, warm) are key for the overall consistent look of the production, in furnishings, set decoration and even in makeup. Costume designers must be sensitive to this too.
“I work very closely with the Production Designer (art department) on the colour palette,” shared Valerie.
“Over the years we have sourced out many various vendors and you tend to use them over and over again if they are film friendly. The one that I use the most is Lonsdale Leather, for obvious reasons, but we also use Home Depot a lot, Central Crest does all of our name tags and flashes, and we buy from the kitchen stores as well. They carry interesting gadgets that can be converted into a button or rank pin or some such thing,” said Halverson.
It takes a small village of special craftspeople who can work in embroidery, appliqué, beading, leather smiths and unusual textiles to make the costumes three dimensional.
Sam McKinnon
“On my crew I have I think the best in the city. I have my right hand, Koreen Heaver my Assistant Designer.
Koreen Heaver
Charis Tillson is a Breakdown artist, making thing look old and weathered. Leslie Cairns is a Cutter, she takes my sketch and brings it to life, and other cutters include Slavica Gravac, Sam McKinnon and Gloria Chan.
Nora Batista
Nora Batista is a Sewer; she works closely with the Cutter to put the design together.
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is my Leather Expert. Pat is the one who makes most of my leather gauntlets, breastplates and grieves.
Petra Bergholz co-ordinates design groupings (example being if I have a script that calls for a band of Cavemen, I will get Petra to head the team to make a large group of costumes such as that).
The team works very well together and all of these people are multi talented. I consider myself very lucky to have amassed such a group,” finished Halverson.
I wanted to know what the biggest headache or challenge was in costuming a Fantasy based show like "Stargate," versus a period or modern setting show.
“The biggest challenge is getting things done in the time we are given. Because it is in space there are no rules, design wise, so I always want to push the designs as much as I can.
We are sometimes called upon to create a new race of people that will either help our Atlantis team or be the antagonists.
It can be a real challenge to make it all work with what is already established, and what the producers are looking for. It causes some headaches but also is the most interesting genre to work in,” shared Halverson.
Valerie gave me an idea of the schedule during a typical prep day on set for her crew on "Stargate."
“I tend to come in early, 5:30-6:00AM. My team starts at 7:00AM and that gives me some time to organize our day and work on sketches if needed. I am often still here at 7 or 8:00PM. I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it."
Did Valerie have a favorite SA character to dress?
“Well that is a hard question to answer, as this is my first year on Atlantis and we are all getting to know each other. Each cast member is unique of course, and I enjoy all of them for different reasons.
Joe Flanigan is so rakish, a bit of a rebel. He doesn't require much from us as he is in military uniform most of the time.
Amanda Tapping, I know from SG-1 and she’s so lovely. We loved putting her in a new uniform this year that was not military. We also have given her a leather off-world look that she is stunning in.
David Hewlett, well what can I say, he is just fun to be around. We made all of the lead cast new uniforms this year, a trimmer, sleeker look. Also they all got off world gear that was unique to each of them. David's has a circuit board on part of his leather jacket. A nod to the McKay genius,” Halverson noted.
One cast member in particular was a small challenge for Halverson and company: Lovely Rachel Luttrell’s growing pregnancy; normally her character, Teyla, dons midriff baring outfits on SA.
“Rachel Luttrell gave us much joy. She is such a spiritual person as is her character. I found designing for the Queen of the Athosians a great opportunity to stretch my skills. As Rachel also was pregnant we had a very regular schedule of fittings. Because Rachel is such a great person I loved that we got to make her something new every week,” smiled Halverson.
“Jason Momoa, what a man. Bigger than life and full of energy. He was a challenge, in that you don't realize what is takes to make something work on someone who is 6"4". His character is dynamic, and so his costumes needed to be as well,” added Halverson.
Cast in costume
Stargate: Atlantis is back on the air for season four on Sci Fi September 28th; make sure to catch season three out on DVD, the boxed set loaded with great extras hitting the shelves on September 18th.
Your Talkback on this Story