SCI FI PI

In SCI FI's Live Chat last night, Producer of Gemini Division, Brent Friedman announced that Afterworld will return with a second season, as will Gemini Division. He also reminisced about his time in Australia - spending a Christmas in Oz was a slightly different experience to what he's currently used to, living on an island off Seattle, in chilly Washington State.

So when he's not eating Sushi around Australian pools, it seems he's working - up till 2am most nights. Lucky for us, because our 7.30pm chat session had him up well past midnight.

SCI FI fans got to ask him questions directly, with some extremely direct and candid answers.


What gave you the idea for Afterworld?

Afterworld was a way to explore my own phobias. Specifically a loss of technology and the need to walk. ;) My company, Electric Farm Entertainment, produced both AW and G-D.

MANWICH

What are the crucial ingredients of a 'manwich' and is there a specific size it must become for it to convert from just an ordinary sandwich?

A Manwich is a meal! It's an American product akin to a "sloppy joe" (kinda like a chili burger.) Rather disgusting actually. Comes in a can and you pour it over a burger, or just straight onto a bun. Rock stars love 'em, I'm told. We got the idea off a list of Axl Rose's backstage demands... It was 2nd only to green M&Ms.

Good god! That's not Sci Fi, that's horror!

LOL That's me MR HORROR/SCI FI

Here's a weird techie question. Anna does a 'Retinal Eigenvalue Shift' with the green lights on her eyes. Sounds too complex to be just all made up - is there any way you can explain it?

Not a chance. We had a science advisor who phoned in all the jargon.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Can you tell us Aussie Sci Fi fans any hints for the next ten eps?

Let's just say that everything comes to a head in a very interesting place. Also, you have not seen the last of The Cleaner. Nor, possibly... Nick?


If Afterworld was about fear of loss of technology and walking, what was it about Gemini Division that compelled you to create it?

G-D is about the dangers of bio-tech. What happens when we open the proverbial Pandora's Box and start to play God. (Hence, G-D.)

It's weird how the technology that man creates becomes more compassionate than man himself.

Another thing... I wanted to do the inverse of Bladerunner, which is about what makes us human (dreams, memory.) I wanted to explore what makes us inhuman (fear, prejudice.) It's a chilling irony. One we intended.


I think that's how we all like our irony - well chilled...

We always imagined G-D as a cautionary tale. One that would raise hard questions we will no doubt face very soon...

WHO IS ANNA TALKING TO?

Okay, I think the big question our Forum posters have had - can you answer without giving away spoilers - who is Anna talking to?

Who is Anna talking to? She's talking to... let's just say that person is the star/focal point of Season 2. That vague enough?

Nice. And good to hear that GD will be returning for a second season! I do know there are still lots of local fans who want to see Afterworld continue, too.

Yes, we are currently planning our second seasons of AW and G-D. Got sidetracked on AW when our business really took off. But rest assured, the story will be concluded... on both fronts.

On both shows we are planning a shorter 2nd season with more interactivity and involvement with the viewers.

ROSARIO DAWSON

Having someone as charismatic and attractive as Rosario Dawson to star was a huge coup - was it something that you really had to fight for, or was Rosario a bit of a cyber-pioneer?

Rosario did a voice in AW - Delondre. She had such a good time doing it, and really enjoyed the show, that she approached us about doing a webseries together. So we developed G-D specifically for her, and with her - she was also a producer.

Yea, everything in the show was meant to be "5 mins in the future." My fave thing was the Agri-Defense company with killer Beetants. Yikes! Also liked the "Smart Cows" shepherded by an automated farm. A lotta that cool stuff came from Andy Black, one of our writers and former researcher on the show "Numbers."


How hard is it to concentrate on work when the Rosario Dawson is sitting across from you? Or is it easy to see a superstar as a normal person once you get to know them?

It was never easy. Especially in some of those outfits! ;)

PRODUCT PLACEMENT

Obviously Cisco helped out a little. Was product placement a big part of your financing?

Cap - Yep, brand integration made up about half our budget.


For local fans, ears pricked up when they heard of a Gemini Division facility in Tasmania - will this play a part in the finale?

Yes. The show will go to Tasmania for a few eps.


You've spent some time in Australia - would you consider working with local talent to produce more shows?

We would love to produce something in AU. There are great crews and lotsa talent. Maybe a Sci-Fi Channel original?


As long as there is plenty of 'brand integration'!

Without a doubt. ;) Maybe we could get the company that makes Manwich! You wish Manwich had man in it. More like horse. Or rodent.


Now I know the one thing on Earth I will never, ever eat. The plotline for shows like Afterworld and G-D are formidably twisty and complex - how long does it take to hammer it out? Do you have a team or is it just a select few writers that work at EF?

On both shows we had a micro-staff of 4 writers. About 1/4 what you have on a reg TV series. And even tho the eps are short, there is - as you point out - a lot of plot compressed into those little eps. So it took a looooong time to work out both those first season plotlines. Especially AW.

THE COST OF BUSINESS

How do the production costs compare with regular tv series?

The budgets are a fraction of a TV show. If an ep of Lost cost 5 mill per, we're spending less than... I'm terrible with math, but about 15K per ep.


You were talking before about possible interactivity between upcoming shows and their viewers. Can you sketch out examples of this?

Here's an example. In AW2, we are toying w/the idea of allowing viewers to hunt down backstory hidden all over the internet when Russ finally turns the power back on. Some of that backstory would be infused into the plot, but much of the details would require viewer excavation.

Wow. Incorporating Google et al to spit something cool out when you search a particular topic would be awesome.

Never thought of that... we can brand integrate Google!

WORK LIFE BALANCE

Is it a tough business to be in? You said before in your interview that you were working on quite a few projects. Does it make for a hectic life, or can you enjoy, and truly savour your work?

In many ways my work is my life. It's what I live for. I've got a great wife and kids. We live on an island. And moved out of LA so I could write and enjoy my family. For me, the more projects the better. But then, I'm ADD.


All writers write for different reasons - besides 'to pay the bills' - Sci Fi writers more so. Was there something that made you want to write SF?

Reality bores me. I've always been more interested in what could be than what is, or what was. And that is the domain of sci-fi.
Everything is better in our imagination. Which is why I love the movie Brazil.

I've always said, the human brain is the greatest piece of technology on the planet.

Brent thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us Down Under. I will be posting the good bits online so that other GD fans can share.

Great to be here. Happy Holidays! May Santa bring you a really hot Sim. ;)

If you'll excuse me, I'm off to Google images of 'Manwich'...



Ladeez and gentlemen - here it is!