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LIVE CHAT - Paul
Gertz
(Executive Producer of Gene Roddenberry's EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT)
Chat transcript from 04-21-02 (Content edited for readability)
J Street
Mr. Gertz. I was just wondering, do you believe it was a good move to take Robert and Leni and Anita off the show?
Paul Gertz
I guess we're starting with the easy ones! We didn't have much choice with Leni and Anita. We had to make a change from the Taelons for a variety of reasons, and I think Leni and Anita were also ready for that to end. Fortunately, Anita was able to come back this season and I think she was wonderful. As far as Robert, that's a much tougher question. I think there were pros and cons to losing Liam Kincaid, but one of the positives we did get was that Jayne Heitmeyer really got a chance to be featured and I think she rose to the occasion in a big way.
Mike
Hello Mr. Gertz, its great to chat with you, I love EFC. I have a question Why was it that When Boone asked Renee about Lili Marquette she said I assume she died when jaridia imploded and he showed no emotion, after all in his mind wasn't it like he just saw her yesterday? Also I don't like how she was killed off, just a person assuming she's dead.
Paul Gertz
Hi Mike...
Paul Gertz
Good point. I think that overall, Boone was supposed to be playing a guy that was trying to gather his wits after three years in the tank. But you're right, he should have definitely reacted to Renee's description of Lili's alleged fate.
Djrmac
What made you change from Producing animated children's flicks to E:FC, Paul?
Paul Gertz
Paul is fine Djrmac. I loved doing the animation, and I've still got my hand in it. But come on, the chance to do a show created by Gene Roddenberry?! It was the opportunity of a lifetime, so when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it.
Hella
Mr. Gertz, hello! I have a question about the possibility of an EFC movie...
Paul Gertz
Hella, if the question is whether I would like to do one, then the answer would definitely be yes. If you're asking whether one is ever going to happen, I seriously doubt it.
Nighthawk
In hindsight, do you believe it was a good idea to so abruptly end the Taelon storyline in Season 4? (I don't include Ra'jel's existence since he has had so little to do with the Season 5 storyline). Knowing what you know now, especially with regards to fan reaction, would you have changed anything there?
Paul Gertz
Nighthawk... as I said earlier, we really had no option regarding the Taelons. Plus we had a directive to take the show in a more good/evil way. So could we have created better aliens? That is for you to judge. We tried to rely on the series mythology to create the new aliens, which is why we brought the Atavus back. But of course, I wish it would have worked better for the fans that didn't like them. When you think of Gene Roddenberry, you don't think superhero--you think of average human beings meeting with extraordinary circumstances and reconciling them. EFC started this way, but lost that thrust.
Aestrae
I've enjoyed many aspects your creative team gave to EFC, the Taelons, their symbiotic relationships with everything they use, hints of their past and our future - up until Point of No Return. I assume the abrupt truncation of the Taelon Arc and the substitution of the Ata-Babes was Tribune's last ditch attempt to impose THEIR vision on the universe that the fans preferred. If you'd been give more artistic control to realize the more Roddenberry feel of the show, where would you have gone after Atonement?
Paul Gertz
I'm not sure, to be honest, because if I had control to do what I wanted, we would never have made it to Atonement. I would have stayed the course that we charted out in Season One, trying to hold up a mirror to humanity through the prism of the Taelon P.O.V.
Mike
Hello Mr. Gertz, its great to chat with you, I love EFC. I have a question Why was it that When Boone asked Renee about Lili Marquette she said I assume she died when jaridia imploded and he showed no emotion, after all in his mind wasn't it like he just saw her yesterday? also I don't like how she was killed off, just a person assuming she's dead.
Paul Gertz
Hi Mike. Lisa Howard (Lili) became pregnant toward the end of Season 2. We brought her back for 4 shows in Season 3, and then Season 4 also. But she's a full time mom now, in fact I just got a card from her announcing the birth of her adorable son Jasper.
wpharr
My question to you is Mr.Gertz, is if Earth: Final Conflict was the Humans and Taelons coming together as they over come their porblems, why did you take us down this dark road
Paul Gertz
wpharr... good question, and of course there isn't really a defensible answer other than what I've said earlier, which is that there were competing visions of what the show should be among the partners that controlled the show's fate. As I said, it would have been nice to have had the freedom to stay true to the original intent.
Nighthawk
Why, in your opinion, was the continuity of this show so darn rocky? I'm not just talking about season to season (when the crop of writers changed) but even within a season? Facts given in one episode would be contradicted in another. This seemed to happen *a lot*. What could have been done to improve it?
Paul Gertz
Nighthawk... that was my role on the show to ensure that didn't happen, but I agree with you that it did happen. Some were screw-ups, sometimes we opted to go for drama over continuity, and sometimes we had these changes imposed on us. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what the excuse is, we shouldn't have done it.
J Street
Mr. Gertz, what is your personal opinion on the atavus in season 5? I think they're stunning.
Paul Gertz
J Street...
Paul Gertz
I thought they looked great, and the actors were phenomenal, both Alan and Guylaine. They had to create brand new lead aliens in a show that had already been on the air for 4 years, and with beloved aliens to boot. Not an easy task, but I think they stepped up to it.
Ryuuri
Mr. Gertz is anyone going to create an EFc comic. I live Howlyn and Juda there great.
Paul Gertz
Ryuuri... Not sure, not that Rod or I are aware of, you can check with Tribune, but I think the fans would know best.
Aestrae
Why do the Suits disregard Fan Feedback when used intelligently it could be, as Buffy's proven, a useful tool? Is there anything we FANS can do to insure more intelligent Science fiction, like that which you've often sneaked into even the latter EFC, hits the little screen? I suspect that the Suits wanted higher ratings in a genre that never gets more than a small market share. Why don't they court the OLDER EDUCATED FEMALE set who buy minivans and don't like Hallmark stories, fluffy kittens and given a choice between Sleepless in Seattle and Armageddon, chose the latter?
Paul Gertz
Aestrae... so I guess you don't feel to strongly about this! Your question is totally on point, but it doesn't only apply to Sci-Fi. I think the biggest impact is made through the Internet honestly (other than ratings of course!), because it's so immediate and it's a direct conduit to your viewers. So keep making a lot of noise and you'll get the programming you want.
KESTRA_MODERATOR
Rhi'a asks: I would simply like to know if any production companies currently exist that are interested in tapping the extremely large and well educated middle aged north American audience who need more character driven plots, true Roddenberry philosophy, and interesting un-humanized aliens in their science fiction /fantasy entertainment?
Paul Gertz
Rhi'a... I'm sure there are plenty of production companies that are interested, but the networks/distributors are the entities that put shows on the air. Wouldn't you say that some of the shows t hey are doing on the Sci-fi channel fit your criteria? The direct answer to your question though is that every signal distributor would be interested if they believed a show like that could get huge ratings.
Cyncie
Since so many fans are interested in a rescue of this show, what would you suggest could be done to bring a satisfactory (to the fans) conclusion?
Paul Gertz
Cyncie... it's nice to know that there are fans interested in the show. The only way to change the ending of the show would be to produce more episodes, which I just don't' see happening.
hyperlexiaPlus
Both EFC in "ART OF WAR" and ANDROMEDA had soulful clip shows recently...... I liked the feel of Ms. ETHLIE ANN VARE's episode..."THINGS WE CAN'T CHANGE". Is there any potential for an EFC + ROMMIE crossover? as in a multi-dimensional timeline romp thru several galaxies?
Paul Gertz
hyper...glad you liked Art of War, I was really happy with it as well.
Djrmac (Apr 21, 2002 7:04:18 PM)
What happened to the Skrills and CVIs in Season 5?
Paul Gertz
Djrmac... the skrills were really fun, but when we went for more reality and less sci-fi, they were harder to sell. I thought that Von Flores mastered the shooting of the skrill the best. As far as the CVI's, they were really hard to write for because they were all about internal conflict in a character, which is difficult to dramatize.
Hella
Had Van Sprang and St.Onge have any problems joining the more seasoned cast?
Paul Gertz
Hella... Good question. I know this sounds like a cliché, but our cast and crew were not just phenomenally talented, but the nicest group I've ever been around. They were very welcoming to Alan and Guylaine, no problem at all
M
Mr Gertz, what is your relationship with David Kirschner and Mr's Roddenberry? how did you become a part of EFC? And how do you think EFC would have differed if gene Roddenberry was still alive
Paul Gertz
M... David Kirschner and I have been friends forever. Mrs. Roddenberry was involved early on and then backed away to focus on her other projects. I was working with David when Majel came to us to produce the show. Of course, it's an impossible question to know how Mr. Roddenberry would have done the show. It certainly would have been different, but impossible to say what direction he would have gone.
wpharr
Mr. Gertz, we know you are the one calling most of the shots and if you want something in the T.V. or film field you fight for it. So if Mr Eugene Roddenberry and you pushed for something, you're saying, you couldn't do it?
Paul Gertz
wpharr... There's no easy answer to that question. For many of the big issues, the answer is no, even if Rod and I wanted to do something differently. Speaking for myself, I did push for things every single day of the five years I worked on this show, and much of it made it onto the screen.
Aestrae
It would be great if we'd get the Suits, Gertz, and an organized group of fans to take TIME to hammer out what could wind up being as good an EFC universe as Trek's has been. Laying the groundwork, using the NET, picking our collective brains could insure that the arrow hits the target most of the time. Where would you suggest we go to get you funding, eventually? TNT?
Aestrae
enigma -- sci-fi channel is floundering. You WILL NOT ever attract the mud wrestling set to real science fiction. Watch the old Outer Limits and see how wonderfully they critique the then recent or on going Korean war.
Paul Gertz
Aestrae...I'm not sure what you mean, since we're not out of production.
Paul Gertz
Sorry, I meant we are out of production
JStreet
Mr. Gertz, when Liam returned for the last episode? can you define how he returns, is he dead or alive?
Paul Gertz
J Street... he's alive, in the truest sense of the word!
Enti
mr. gertz, I have one question for you, will there ever be a motion picture for efc, or even a cartoon series?
Paul Gertz
Enti... I'd love to say yes, but it doesn't seem likely
Nighthawk
A lighter question.... what the heck was up with Street's hair this season? A lighter question.... what's up with Street's hair this season?
Paul Gertz
Nighthawk... we tried to do something different, but I think it's safe to say it didn't' work. And it's unfortunate, because Melinda is really adorable and we did have trouble getting her hair right this year.
Ryuuri
when was filming completed ?
Paul Gertz
Ryurri... we finished shooting in December, and we're just finishing postproduction now on our final shows...
wpharr
To be truthful, I don't believe what has happen? People loved Da'an, they love Zo'or. I just want to know why as fans should we just follow you when don't understand us.You hear us but you don't listen.And you think we're really watch those other two show?
Paul Gertz
Wpharr... it's not accurate to say that we don't listen. I read a great deal of the feedback I got, and took a lot of suggestions. But remember, a lot of the time, you don't get the feedback in time to make changes to future scripts, and not every suggestion is a good one.
Cyncie
So, how much fan involvement would it take to get a movie, mini-series, etc, to fix things. B5 came back, Star Trek came back-and yes I NEED TAELONS!
Paul Gertz
Cyncie... the best way would be to get as many people as you can to watch the shows on Sci-fi channel, and then inundate Sci-fi with letters, calls, emails etc. that tell them you want more of the show. That would be our only hope to do more.
Liara
Are the rumours about a spin-off true?
Paul Gertz
Liara... no, unfortunately not.
Liara
thank you
M
Mr. gertz, what is your overall impression of the entertainment industry. Is TV different from film?
Paul Gertz
M... TV is more of a writer's medium and film is all about the directors, they have authorship over a movie. It seems that you can take more chances now in TV since the market is so fragmented, and most movies are so expensive to produce that its hard to get a studio to take chances.
Nighthawk
Are you a sci-fi fan yourself? What kinds of stories do you like watching and writing the best, personally?
Paul Gertz
Nighthawk... I love sci-fi, but it's certainly not all I'm interested in. I was a lawyer early in my career, and I'm a sucker for good legal dramas. Plus I love thrillers, I'm adapting a NY Times bestseller now that is a legal thriller, so it's two of my favourite genres rolled into one!
Ryuuri
Will Sandoval ever find out Liam is his son?
Paul Gertz
Ryurri... No, we never paid that off the way we should have. A missed opportunity!
JStreet
Mr. Gertz, where do you get your inspiration to write from?
Paul Gertz
JStreet... On this show, it was definitely from Mr. Roddenberry. How could it not be? In my life experience, Mr. Roddenberry and Star Trek WAS sci-fi.
Paul Gertz
Depends on the project, from every aspect of my life.
Paul Gertz
My pleasure... thanks so much to Rod for inviting me in and for all of you for allowing me to visit with you.
