David Winning, Talks about life as a Director and the Stargate Universe
Saqqara Aleister
November 02, 2007
Q: Of acting, directing, producing what is your favorite job?
A: Probably after twenty years, I guess the honest answer would be producing and directing. I've never had the total control since my first feature that I had in the 80's and i'm finding a desire to get back to the my roots. Episodic television has been very seductive, lucrative and educational but you really hunger to get back to the reason you picked this business; independent features. That's happening now. Danny Boyle's film 28 DAYS LATER... starring my good friend Naomie Harris (DINOTOPIA) has such a profound effect on me last year, and I've been so inspired to get back to Indy features. That's were all the fun is anyway.
Q: Of all the movies and TV shows you have worked on which has been your favorite...Movie....TV show?
A: I'm really enjoying my stint on Andromeda this past few years and I'll be sorry to see it go. I can vividly remember being fourteen and running home after school everyday to watch re-runs (even then) of the original Star Trek on an old B&W television in my parent's basement. It's very cool to come full circle three decades later and still feel like I'm contributing in some way to the Roddenberry legacy. Careers seem to take funny paths. In the early 90's I couldn't get out of Children's TV (Goosebumps, Afraid of the Dark? Sweet Valley High), then the Lance Henriksen thriller PROFILE FOR MURDER abruptly threw me back into adult gruesome murder thrillers. Now I'm behaving myself in Science Fiction. It's a fun ride. It's always good to have stuff you can actually show your mother.
Q: This one comes from some females who have viewed your site, Are you married?
A: Only to my work :) Taking photos and applications on my website. I am so kidding
Q: Low budget or High Budget? and why...
A: I used to be asked the question; what would you do if you hit the lottery and won $20 million. Make a movie? Of course not, I'm make ten!! Big budgets can really be overrated. The creativity on the screen does not have have a dollar figure attached. In some ways, my earlier feature work was forced to be more creative because we had no money and had to cut corners. Makes you think further than "outside the box" -- forget the box, there is no box. My only big budget experience to date in the feature world has been the Power Rangers Sequel for 20TH Century Fox. 23 million dollars and a 12 week shooting schedule. I was directing eight camera units; including an underwater and miniature unit. The movie grossed nearly $170 million in video sales and was the 4th Highest selling cassette in the US in 1997. Makes you think. All the other movies have been shot in 16 days for less than 1.5 million. A few of them are better movies too.
Q: Vancouver or LA...why...
A: I was born in Calgary, Canada and lived there thirty years. Moved to Vancouver in the early 90's for work, then south to LA in 1996. Got my green card, then five years later applied for US citizenship (lots of hoops) -- last year I became a US citizen so i'm officially dual now with Canada. I love LA. It's an oasis and a haven to run away to for me. To be honest I'm seldom there because of all the travel -- and so I treat it as my own vacation of sorts. Most of the time the past few years has been split between Vancouver and Toronto -- with a four month tour of duty in Budapest Hungary for ABC's DINOTOPIA. To be honest, i hate to take vacations because I always want to be working. Fortunately work has provided me with chances to vacation AND work in Eastern Europe, Scotland and the U.K. I'm probably happiest when I'm getting off a plane and starting a new job somewhere. There is never enough time to do it all.
Q: 9 features films and now 17 TV shows, what do you look for when accepting a directing job?
A: Paycheque :) Something differerent. It's a hard business to be original in as is proven by the durge of sequels and remakes in Hollywood. When I'm accepting a job, I'm most happy when I can find someway to be excited by the project, as if I were a kid again and an audience member. Doing a great job feels like payback for all the directors that have entertained me.
Q: What was it like to direct at 27, that's pretty young by hollywood standards?
A: Absolutely terrifying. I was 27 directing my first network gig on Paramount's Friday the 13th: The Series in the late '80's and they didn't know my age. I'm tall so that helps but I think they assumed I was 35 (going grey early was a huge advantage). I remember walking on the set and staring at alot of faces staring back at me with a "this is the boss?" look evident. I asked the first assistant if there were camera angles that hadn't been used alot. He rolled his eyes. Still does.
Q: How were you chosen to direct the epi of Stargate Atlantis?
Q: Seven years of knocking on the door. Finally a year ago I was at an awards show in Vancouver and won the directing thingy for Dinotopia. The other directors in the category were all Stargate guys. That was fun. Truth is John Smith, exec producer on Stargate, really started me in the business in Vancouver in 1992 with Cannell's "Street Justice" series. I think he's been a fan ever since, but it's tricky working schedules, getting timing to gel. Also show creator and producer Brad Wright wrote an episode of a series I directed eleven years ago and remembered me. Am very happy to have been given the chance to direct one of the first season episodes of Stargate: Atlantis. It aired recently in the states and the feedback has been strong; very proud of the episode. It's kind of a cross between Lord of the Flies and Logan's Run, with a litte "Miri" thrown in from ST:TOS. As much as I like Kurt Russell and James Spader, I was not a fan of the movie. I thought Richard Dean Anderson captured a much funnier more human character and thus the series was much better. I think the producers want to freshen up the series with a new young group of explorers headed by Joe Flanigan as Major John Sheppard. The team discover another Stargate in a far away galaxy – and set up their base at the legendary lost city of Atlantis. I think the biggest challenge of the new series is to be faithful to the audience that has been with the original so long, and at the same time, take it some exciting new directions.
Q: What drew you to that particular script?
Was it the one offered or did you get to choose it....
A: Televison directors don't have the luxury of picking episodes but I was very happy.
Q: What if anything would you want viewers to take away from "Childhood's End"?
A: Childhood's End ultimately is a story about compassion and understanding. Sheppard and his team crashland on a planet where the inhabitants are all children; no one lives past the age of 25. Our heroes soon learn the disturbing reason. The series presents some interesting dilemmas and political choices for the fans; how much interference is too much in a new culture -- and what is the real purpose of the SG teams exploration. The script was the first from new Stargate story editor Martin Gero and I enjoyed it's twists and turns immensely. Also had a great time with the cast of actors, including gueststars Courtenay J. Stevens and Dominic Zamprogna who played the opposing village "elders". There an amazing amount of untapped talent in Canada that always impresses me. signed proud Canadian. Every new series is a challenge because you don't want to let down the anticipation of the fans, and at the same time you have to somehow read the mind of the producer to give him what he wants. Not always easy or possible. The story was almost entirely filmed on location in a beautiful forest near Langley, British Columbia, where the art department created an amazing forest village. It is a physically different Stargate housed in an incredible huge new Atlantis main complex set. The two stages are physically only about thirty feet apart in two giant separate soundstages in Burnaby, B.C.. It was kind of thrill to visit the original SG-1 and stand inside the ring. Very glad I didn't get "sent" anywhere!
Q: What would you do if you ever won an Oscar?
A: This is so easy. Ask any of my friends. Shave my head.
Q: What do you do in your off time {vacation}?
A: Work :) or plan more work...
Q: What was your first impression of Scifi fans when you attended your first convention?
A: I love doing the conventions; great to meet the fans you're making the shows for. My first convention was in Springfield, Missouri a few years back. I sat down at the autograph table and a 400-pound-man in a wheelchair hummed up to me in a full Klingon warrior suit. I say hello. He screams "MALTZ... CHOOOOIII CHEW..." I'm scared that I know this. He was asking to be beamed up!. My brother speaks Klingon. Turned out to be a very sweet guy and very dedicated Andromeda fan. I think sci-fi folks are perhaps the smartest single group of fans with the biggest hearts. And they always think you know as much as they do about every series -- which is impossible. Believe me.
Q: Which do you prefer, A story driven script or a special effects laden script?
A :Story driven scripts will always last longer than effects laden ones. Effects are amazing but they can really only enhance a story about characters and real people with real problems. The best scifi is about people, not things.
Q: Which is easier to direct?{of the above question}
A: Neither :) Everything presents it's own challenges. I will always lean toward strong drama just because it's something that be related to universally. Although I'm convinced some of the best actors work in science fiction. I've seen alot of great performances acted against giant greenscreens; the other character just isn't there...
Q: If you were to write your auto-biography, what would the title be?
A: "Winning Big" ha ha. You can't ask me this question. Depends on how fat I get in later life -- or next year
Q: Hollywood, being a rough place to be an actor, writer, director, what kept you going thru all the nos and not interesteds?
A: I'm very naive. The truth is when I was 22 directing my first feature STORM in the woods of Alberta, I didn't realize I couldn't make a movie. Didn't realize I coudn't direct, act, write, produce... One of the hardest things to creativity and getting older is finding ways to turn off the self-critic. "Oh, this won't be any good... Nobody will want to watch this... It's been done so much better, so many other times before..." It's endless. I always encourage people to write and create as much when they're younger before the fuddyduddyness of "I CAN'T" disease starts creeping up on you. You CAN do anything.
Q: What is your favorite crayon color?
A: Burnt Umber.
You can learn more about David on his website at
http://www.davidwinning.com/
Print
Email
