TREEHOUSE NEWS 03 14 02
THIS WEEK ON THE PLATEAU
Editing is complete for the last two episodes of the season. CGI effects, however, are
still underway for all new episodes to come (Ever wonder what a “shifting plane of
reality” actually looks like?), together with the final sound mixes and music scoring.
Although post production is winding down and the last of the TLW team will soon be off
for a well-deserved break, all in the Lost World family are looking forward to Season Four.
FAN MAIL
Please see last week’s Treehouse News (03 07 02) for the new fan mail address to use
during hiatus.
When TLW’s in production, there’s always a big stack of fan mail on the mail-sorting table in the main office, and the mail is always passed along to whomever it’s addressed to. Also, some of the letters – especially illustrated ones from kids – are pinned up close to the office entrance for everyone to enjoy.
Picture requests have their own route. Sometimes they are individually answered from Coote-Hayes at the Movie World Studios in Australia, and sometimes a group of them are bundled up and shipped to New Line in New York for individual mailing. But everyone on the production is aware of the mail TLW gets, as well as the terrific comments that are posted on this board.
Speaking of this board, the cast, crew, and production staff often hear about the number of posts that come in for various topics. Some people on the production do check in unofficially from time to time, though producers and writers have to be very careful about which topics they read. The Story Department for TLW takes great care to avoid any discussion of fan fiction or any threads about story ideas, so we always appreciate it when those topics are clearly indicated in the thread titles.
THE FIRST LOST WORLD CONVENTION?
We passed on to Jeff Hayes this board’s discussion about the possibility of holding a
one-day TLW gathering in Chicago this summer. He’s very pleased and thanks you all for
your support. He did caution that if all goes according to schedule, though, that he
hopes the cast will be hard at work on Season Four in July. However, please keep posting
TLW convention details as they develop, because Coote-Hayes is already starting to look
into what materials they can contribute, perhaps along with organizing a special
programming event or two. We’ll keep you posted.
SHOP TALK
This week’s episode, “Fire in the Sky,” is one of several this season with a multiple writer
credit. TLW does follow the Writers Guild of America conventions on writer credits, so
when an ampersand (&) is used between writers’ names, it indicates the writers wrote as
a team. When the word “and” is used, it means the listed writers did not work together.
The first writer wrote a first draft, after which the second writer wrote the subsequent
draft/s which contributed 50% or more new material.
BEHIND THE SCENES ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: “FIRE IN THE SKY”
Though “Fire in the Sky” is a Season Three episode, its story was initially developed in
the latter part of Season Two. (Another episode that saw its first glimmerings in Season
Two was “Eye For an Eye,” though in the earliest version, Roxton was hunted by raptors
under the control of locals.) Now that TLW is between seasons again, there is another
group of as-yet-untold stories from the third season that the Story Department hopes
will come to life in Season Four.
Like most TLW episodes, “Fire from the Sky” was shot at multiple locations. The interior Treehouse scenes, as always, were filmed on Stage Two of the Warner Movie World Studios on Australia’s Gold Coast, about an hour’s drive south of Brisbane. Exterior scenes were shot in a variety of spectacular outdoor settings – some of which are used regularly, and some which appear only in this episode.
One of the recurring TLW exterior locations is a privately-owned section of ancient rainforest where the base of the Treehouse is set up. Another key exterior location is adjacent to a local farm populated by those inquisitive cows we’ve mentioned before. This location is particularly versatile, with acres of grassy fields, hills, and jungle, plus room for the Windmill, the London Street, the Big Cave, several smaller caves, and the Western Street (which used to be the Outlaw Village, which used to be the Zanga Village).
Close inspection of the dungeon scenes in “Fire in the Sky” reveals the legacy of an earlier episode — the dungeon’s curved stone ceiling was once the underside of the London Street footbridge from “The Knife.” The Lost World construction department built two walls to seal the area under the footbridge, so that all the dungeon scenes could be filmed in the middle of the London Street. Then, when the episode was completed, the walls came down and the street was restored, ready to be used again for “Phantoms,” as well as for one of the new episodes still to be aired.
“Fire in the Sky” is also memorable for being the first episode in which Marguerite sings in the shower (and that shower will make a reappearance before Season Three ends). The choice of song was simple once the Story Department uncovered the tale behind “She’s Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage.” Here’s a great link to the song’s fascinating history.
http://www.tombstoneaz.net/birdcage.php3
Now the question is: Did Marguerite sing this song because it reflects an experience in her past, or just to needle Lord Roxton?
One last note about “Fire in the Sky.” Though the term doesn’t come up in the script, the stone arch that Malone encounters in this episode is known on TLW as a story tablet. We’ll be seeing another, even more significant one before the end of Season Three
More news next week…
J&G
March 7th
TREEHOUSE NEWS 03 07 02
THIS WEEK ON THE PLATEAU
FAN MAIL
[Actor’s/Recipient’s Name]
All mail already on its way to the old Movie World production address in Australia will be
forwarded. New Line Television will then redistribute the fan mail to wherever the
far-flung cast and crew end up on their travels during hiatus, so response time might not
be as fast as it is during production when everyone’s in the same place at the same time.
The Treehouse News will update the production address when the fourth season begins.
The one exception to the above address is for TLW’s armorer. In that case, letters
should be addressed to the following gentleman:
Jody Waters
FOR THE RECORD
The blooper tape that the cast has been asked to sign off on is for Dick Clark
Productions. More news on this as it develops.
BEHIND THE SCENES ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: “THE KNIFE”
When director Michael Offer was preparing to film this episode, he wanted to shoot test
footage of the striking transitions he was planning to switch from the Plateau to Malone’s
visions. The test “victim” for these transitions did so well that the footage shot of her
was actually used in the final episode, to show what Malone experienced the first time he
touched the Knife. Appropriately enough, this first person to be cut by the Knife was the
film editor who cut the episode – a fun way to sign her name to one of Season Three’s
most memorable episodes.
NEWS OF SEASON FOUR
More news from the Story Department next week…
J&G
Febrauary 28th
THIS WEEK ON THE PLATEAU
Post-production – which includes editing, scoring, sound and visual effects – will
continue for about six more weeks, as the last six episodes are completed. (And if you
liked “The Secret,” you won’t want to miss the revelations and adventures still to come
in the final episodes.)
NEWS OF SEASON FOUR
FOR THE RECORD
SHOP TALK
THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: “SUSPICION”
See you next week…
J&G
Febrauary 21st
Judy and Gar Reeves-Stevens back again with more news from the Lost Plateau.
SEASON THREE PRODUCTION
THIS WEEK ON THE PLATEAU
EPISODE #315: “FINN”
SNEAK PEEK
More news as it happens…
J&G
Febrauary 14th
Hi Everyone,
Judy and Gar Reeves-Stevens here for today’s Treehouse News, filling in for Nick J who’s
got the week off.
This is an especially busy time for The Lost World. While it’s not uncommon for there to
be an overlap in production between one episode’s finishing and another’s beginning,
we’re currently in the midst of filming three(!) episodes — #320, #321, and #322. One
reason for the overlap is a rather elaborate set being shared between two of those three
episodes. But due to the Official Secrets Act, more than that we cannot say. (Except: In
one of those episodes, Robert Colby is reprising his role as William Maple White …)
Not much more to add to what’s already been said about this week’s episode, #314, “The
Secret,” other than we hope you enjoy it!
As always, more news to come about the remaining new adventures in Season Three in
the weeks ahead.
And, with the end of Season Three almost upon us, please know that all signs are
positive for Season Four. The moment an official announcement can be made, it will be
posted on the board without delay.
On behalf of everyone at The Lost World, thanks for your ongoing support and
enthusiasm—you’re a real inspiration to us all!
More news as it happens…
J&G
February 2nd
More Treehouse News – 08 Feb. ‘02
Hello Friends,
Nick J. here with your weekly update from Australia. Another week, another new show.
(Feel free to repost this message elsewhere.)
Here’s the latest:
1) Thanks for your help in making the move of the episode threads a success. Result --
your TLW thoughts in an easy to find place. Sounds like new and improved to me.
(Hey, the episode threads aren’t here -- look next door in “Talk About Specific
Episodes!”)
2) A warm welcome to all the new members! It seems that we’re really accumulating a
bunch of you -- So what do we call ourselves? Should we even have a nickname?
Plateau heads? The Zanga ganga? (Okay, time for bed.)
3) Back to the show. This week is ep. 313 “Phantoms.” You know the new couple but the
February 1st
Hello Friends,
Nick J. here with your weekly update from Australia. Another week, another new show.
(Feel free to repost this message elsewhere.)
Here’s the latest:
1) Episode threads moved intact!! Friends, I wanted so badly to preserve the energy and
spontaneity of your original posts regarding this season’s episodes. It’d be hard to
duplicate your initial reactions which were so fresh and entertaining -- even when you
were critical!
I’m thrilled to report that the original discussion threads for eps. 301-311 have been
moved to the “Talk About Specific Episodes” forum. A very big thank you to my web
contact at New Line for helping with the heavy lifting, Mr. Y.S.H -- computer guru.
From now on, all episode threads will originate in the “Talk About Specific Episodes”
forum. Of course this means switching back and forth between forums but it’ll be great to
have easy access to all episode topics, especially when you want to add new thoughts
after repeats.
Let’s see if we can make it work. It’s your board!
2) This week’s episode. There’s been a lot of speculation about what “The End Game”
means but I think the official synopsis sums it up best -- Roxton matches wits with the
ultimate opponent -- Ms. Death (sorry ladies but Roxton (Snowie) has to be tempted as
well as tormented, right?).
3) Romance! Yes, you’ve seen the official one-liner for “Phantoms” but do you remember
my first tease on this episode?
“...even those of us on set were surprised with the sparks that flew between the two
romantic interests in this story (I’ll let you guess). Could we have a new TLW couple?”
Could this be the new guest star that Zerls hinted about long ago???
4) Regarding the request for TLW blooper tape (goof reel) -- not yet, no way (sorry). A
bit too out there but maybe I can get a short clip posted. We’ll see what the NL guys will
allow. Usually they’re pretty cool.
That’s it for now.
The many people who make The Lost World happen wish you the very best.
Thanks,
Nick J.
(Search bug repaired!
All the live-action footage was successfully completed last Friday, but the editors, sound
mixers, and CGI-effects team are still hard at work. So even though the cast members
have gone their separate ways for the hiatus (thinking positively), it’s still possible to
walk through the post-production offices and hear Marguerite fighting for her life in one
editing bay, while Challenger argues about a startling new theory with a colleague in
another, all mixed in with sound effects for gunfire, knife fights, and a rampaging T. Rex.
Oddly enough, another sound effect that occasionally joins the others is that of London
traffic. The last few episodes are going to be… interesting…
During hiatus, the new address for fan mail is:
The Lost World
c/o New Line Television
Promotions & Marketing
888 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10106
Film FX
Warner Roadshow Studios
Pacific Highway
Oxenford, Queensland 4210
Australia
The official website has a selection for a behind-the-scenes blooper video featuring
Rachel Blakely and Will Snow, which can’t be accessed. Unfortunately, this is because of
technical problems with the original file and so that particular cut won’t be made
available again. However, it soon will be replaced by a new behind-the-scenes clip
featuring a joint interview with Rachel Blakely and Jennifer O’Dell. What’s it like? Well, at
the end, Rachel asks if the tape can be rewound so they can start over. (Fortunately, it
wasn’t.)
This story began during the first official story conference of Season Three when
Executive Producer Jeff Hayes said he’d love a Jack the Ripper story, complete with
foggy London streets. The London street in question was constructed in less than a
week, complete with patterned concrete to stand in for cobblestones. In the real world,
the pub at one end of the street had earlier been the air station office in which the
explorers met Winston “Bloody” Churchill. About ten feet farther along from the other end
of the street is the entrance to the Plateau’s largest cave complex. And after-hours, the
whole street continues to be a playground for the local cows. Fresh forensic evidence of
their revels is on the cobblestones every morning-after.
The news continues to be positive, but not yet official.
TREEHOUSE NEWS 02 28 02
On Friday, March 1st, at 6:30 AM Gold Coast time, the cast of TLW will gather on
location to film the last scene in which they all appear together – for Season Three, that
is. Throughout the day, the cast will dwindle, as scenes for episodes #320 and #321 are
completed. And sometime around 6:00 PM, after 127 shooting days, production for
Season Three will officially end (and about two hours later, the latest wrap party will
officially begin).
We’re happy to report that Jeffrey Hayes of Coote/Hayes Productions has asked the
Story Department to keep Treehouse News up and running throughout the “summer”
(“winter” in the land downunder), until Season Four production begins. So still nothing
official yet, but all indicators continue to be positive.
For those who wondered if Lara Cox (“Finn”) would soon be starring in a new series called
LEGEND, Lara did star in the pilot episode for the Australian series, but the series was not
picked up.
In a previous Treehouse News, we mentioned the term “pick-up shot,” without defining
it. A pick-up shot – unfortunately indicated by the abbreviation “PU” – is a shot that’s
left over from an earlier episode. Usually, it’s something small, such as a close-up on a
journal page, or Challenger’s hands operating controls. Occasionally, a pick-up shot might
include a line of dialogue or two that has to be reshot for technical reasons. And
sometimes a pick-up shot is as simple as pointing the camera in a specific direction
through a cave opening or up through the trees to show what a character will be seeing
in a particular scene, already completed. (That type of shot is called a POV, for Point of
View.) Let us know if there are any other terms you’d like defined, and we’ll do our best.
Here’s a clue to the classic story that helped inspire this week’s episode: Three of the
archaeologists mentioned are Nyby, Hawks, and Carpenter…
The first of the wrap parties was last week and people are beginning to disappear. Nick
and the first of the office staff and production crew are on their way, and more will
follow in the next few weeks. The Story Department will continue to post News from the
Treehouse until the last original episode of the season airs. Fingers crossed that by that
time, there’ll be news of Season Four and we’ll all reconvene on the board to discuss
Episode 401!
Meanwhile, business continues: Six episodes are in various stages from final scoring to
editing to pick-up scenes to principal photography still underway. Most momentous of all,
this week sees the Treehouse interior set dismantled and boxed (!) for storage, along
with its key props and furnishings.
This week’s episode marks another first for the Explorers. Though people from the future
have visited the Plateau in past episodes, this time the Explorers are the ones doing the
visiting. And like all good visitors, they come back with a souvenir.
The Lost World production office has a video library that includes every episode, and
that treasure trove is frequently referred to by all departments—especially this
season—to verify what’s gone before. Last week, the make-up department had reason to
check out Episode #105 (Oops - of course we mean Episode #106 - J&G) so they could
reproduce a certain Lost World birthmark…
This is what Nick posted today at the official board
More Treehouse News – 01 Feb. ‘02
See previous 'Treehouse' posts for other news from the set)
