John Kenneth Muir interviews Chris Carter

TV and movie critic John Kenneth Muir did a wide-ranging interview with Chris Carter about the past and the future of The X-Files and Millennium!

You can read the full version of interview HERE.

Glen Morgan to adapt "Gunplay" for TV

Fox21 has partnered with Platinum Studios to develop a TV series based on Platinum's graphic novel "Gunplay."

"Final Destination" writer-producer Glen Morgan is on board to adapt the novel, created and written by Jorge Vega.

"Gunplay" centers on Abner Meeks, a buffalo soldier condemned to roam the Old West with a hellish curse slung at his waist: a demonic shooting iron that forces him to kill once a day or suffer soul-searing pain.

" 'Gunplay' is one of those rare combinations of fantastically created characters and wonderfully told narrative, which creates an inventive canvas from which to play," Platinum Studios chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg said.

Added Fox21 president Chris Carlisle, "It is a unique story of an ordinary man who must live with an extraordinary curse."

The deal was brokered by former Universal Pictures executive Randy Greenberg, CAA and the Rigberg Entertainment Group.

Platinum and Fox21 recently teamed to adapt another Platinum property, the upcoming comic book series "Indestructible Man."

The film and TV division of Platinum Studios, whose library contains more than 5,600 characters, also is developing the features "Cowboys & Aliens," "Unique," "The Witchblade," "Atlantis Rising," "The Weapon" and "Mal Chance."

Morgan's TV series credits include "The X-Files" and "Millennium."

Source

Chris Carter Reunites with “X-Files” Team for “Believe Again” Event

Chris Carter, creator of “The X-Files” and “Millennium”, has just signed on to join Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, Frank Spotnitz and Rob Bowman on November 14 at the Beverly Wilshire hotel to talk all things “X-Files” for charity.

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 03, 2009 – Series creator/writer/director Chris Carter, actress Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully), actor Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner), executive producer/writer Frank Spotnitz and executive producer/director Rob Bowman (currently executive producer and director on ABC’s hit "Castle") reunite at the Beverly Wilshire hotel on November 14th, 2009 at 2:00pm to talk all things “X-Files” and answer burning questions from fans (eg all those rumors about X-Files 3 and the 2012 mythology). This is a rare opportunity for fans and filmmakers alike to get behind-the-scenes scoops on the process of making this iconic television series, ask questions about the panelists’ new projects and raise money for some very worthy causes.

"The X-Files", created by Chris Carter starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, aired from 1993 to 2002 and spawned two feature films and a spin-off to date. Considered one of the most successful shows in Fox’s history, the award-winning show’s characters, theme song and slogans have a permanent place in pop culture’s history. Whether you were a fan of the mythology episodes or the monsters of the week, there is no denying that "The X-Files" made audiences ponder, gasp, laugh and hide their eyes-occasionally all at the same time.

Tickets for the Q&A event are now available at http://www.ibginc.org/tickets Proceeds from this amazing event will be donated in support of the participants’ chosen charities, including The Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Off the Street Kids, Fezeka and Children of the Night.

The event will be hosted by IBG Inc. In 2008, IBG established an official non-profit campaign focusing on utilizing the power of philanthropy through the arts to benefit a wide range of charities worldwide. IBG acts as a "fundraiser facilitator" for underfunded and start-up charities that would otherwise struggle with the logistics and costs associated with event fundraising.

Event Details:

Date: November 14, 2009
Time: Q&A begins at 2:30pm with pre-event raffle scheduled at 2:15pm.
Where: Beverly Wilshire hotel, Beverly Hills
Ticket Prices: $50 for general seating
To purchase: http://www.ibginc.org/tickets

Source

Chris Carter sells his houses

From Bergproperties.com:

September 28, 2009

“X-Files” creator Chris Carter stays under radar screen as he lists a 4,209-square-foot house he owns in Malibu, CA for $17.495M; also, Carter has a second home in Malibu on the market for $7.9M

Chris Carter, the writer who created the popular 1990s series “The X-Files,” has placed a 4,209-square-foot house he owns in Malibu, Calif. on the market for $17,495,000.

In a Big Time Listings exclusive, we can report on Carter’s listing of the Zumirez Drive house. We give terrific credit to Carter for somehow managing to keep his ownership of this house, which hit the market back on July 28, a secret from all of us celebrity real estate gossips for nearly two months.

Carter’s house is one that we long had had on our “to-do” list as a potential “Which celebrity’s house is this?” subject, because the house had several telltale markers of being celebrity-owned: 1) The house’s owner as shown in public records not as Carter, but rather as something called the Lucklucky Trust. As we always tell our readers, Los Angeles-area homes owned by whimsically named trusts more often than not are celebrity-owned. And 2) The seller and listing agent together decided to keep the house’s address out of the MLS. That’s sometimes — but not always — a sign that an owner is a celeb (regardless, it’s a rare move and always a sign that an owner desires lots of privacy.) We would note, however, that the money manager whose name appears on the deed for the house is *not* one of our regulars — it’s an L.A.-based money manager named A.M. Massie.

Over the weekend, however, we finally attacked this item with vigor and after a lot of work were able to deduce that the owner of the 4,209-square-foot house here is none other than Carter himself. In addition, we have learned that Carter has a second home on the same street in Malibu on the market for $7,900,000. We’ll get to that one in a moment.

First, though, let’s discuss his more expensive house that he has for sale.

Built in 2004, Carter’s house has four and a half baths, significant volume, walls of glass, wood and stone floors, “clean lines,” and “quality materials,” according to public records and listing information. The house and landscaped, 1.28-acre (or 1.29-acre, depending on which public-records database one consults) property overlook a surfing beach (appropriate for Carter, given his background as a surfer), according to public records and listing information. Outdoor features include gardens and beach access; we would caution that the house is not directly on the beach itself, but it’s darn close.

Carter (shown here with his X-Files pals David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) clearly bought this house new, since his trust paid $3,500,000 for the land (and possibly a previous house on the property) back in 2001, according to public records.

Check out an online listing sheet for the house — complete with photos — here.

Separately, Carter has listed another house that he owns in Malibu. Public records say that that four-bedroom house measures 2,981 square feet (although the Los Angeles Times’ Ruth Ryon — in the only time she ever wrote about any of Carter’s holdings — called it 3,500 square feet back in 1999) and sits on a 1.06-acre parcel. Features in the house include a spacious great room with vaulted wood ceilings, walls of glass, an open kitchen, a media area, and a master bedroom suite with a vaulted wood ceiling, skylights, a great bathroom and a walk-in closet, according to listing information. Outdoor features on the gated property include a lap pool, a spa, a lighted tennis court, a large koi pond, lush tropical gardens and partial ownership of and easy access to Zumirez Beach, according to listing information. He purchased the home from TV executive producer Dottie Dartland in 1999, according to Ryon’s report at that time.

Below is a rundown of the other properties that Carter owns, according to public records. Get comfortable; the list is a long one:

–Another 2,679-square-foot house on Zumirez Drive, on a 1.03-acre parcel, which he purchased in 2002 for $1,413,500, according to public records. That house is right next door to the one he has on the market for $7,900,000;

–A 130.39-acre farm in Santa Ynez, Calif.;

–A condominium unit in Seaside, Oregon, which Carter purchased in 2004 for $518,000, according to public records;

–A 2,077-square-foot condominium unit in Santa Monica, Calif., which he purchased in 2004 for $1,500,000, according to public records;

–Three parcels on Hot Springs Road in Santa Barbara, Calif., each of which measure about an acre and each of which may or may not contain a house;

–and a house on three-plus acres on Jameson Lane in Santa Barbara, Calif., which Carter purchased in early 2008 for $4,600,000, according to public records.

One final, notable property note: Carter also sold a 2,019-square-foot house at 1155 Via de la Paz in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades area to “Growing Pains” star Joanna Kerns in 2004 for $1,400,000, according to public records. (Kerns turned around and sold that house in 2006 for $1,655,000, according to public records.)

Mehcad Brooks speaks about Fencewalker

Mehcad Brooks, an actor who plays a lead character in Chris Carter's Fencewalker, tells something about his character in the movie:

"The biggest challenge I’ve faced as an actor was a character named Salaam Alexander from an upcoming film entitled Fencewalker. He had an innocence about him that I lost years ago. He hadn’t seen or known the world to be quite as cold a place as it can be from time to time. Humans are so fragile. And he was hard to embody because he goes through so much in the duration of the film. Some of it was so devastating that I just had to accept the circumstances of what was happening to him and it was tough. Really tough."

Source

Bryan Cranston Brings Home Second Emmy

Bryan Cranston has done it again: Breaking Bad's Emmy-winning actor picked up his second consecutive trophy as Best Actor in a Drama Series at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy awards Sunday night. "Lee Trevino was struck by lightning twice," Cranston said, accepting the award. "Now I know how he feels."

The veteran actor faced stiff competition for the honor: Dexter's Michael C. Hall, House's Hugh Laurie, In Treatment's Gabriel Byrne, The Mentalist's Simon Baker and AMC's own Jon Hamm of Mad Men. (Click here to read more about Mad Men's Emmy wins.)

The award was Breaking Bad's second of the year, the first of which went to Lynne Willingham, who picked up the best editing trophy -- her second consecutive as well -- at the Creative Arts Emmys last week.

Source

Back To Frank Black Campaign: Important News

Lance Henriksen has contacted the Back To Frank Black Campaign stuff members to inform them that he has been approached by independent investors interested in making a Millennium Movie.

There's no need to tell anyone how important this news is to us. And here's where you come in. We are so close we can almost touch this and we need to use this opportunity to generate as much publicity as we are able.

Do not stop pushing: take this news to the forums you frequent, add it to your social network profiles, share it with your friends on twitter and lets see if we can get this to go viral.

Source: BackToFrankBlack.com News

Frank Spotnitz' new projects

Source: Daily Variety

Frank Spotnitz is peering into the future for his next batch of TV projects.

The "X-Files" alum has pacted with HBO to develop two drama series, both with futuristic themes.

"Humanitas" is described as being set in a time when major advances in medicine have created dilemmas for doctors and fanned fears that a devastating pandemic is imminent. Spotnitz just turned in the first draft of a script that he is exec producing along with Gavin Polone.

HBO suggested it was interested in a show with a medical-thriller theme when Spotnitz met with execs there more than a year ago. That set him off on research about the cutting edge of medicine and the ethical and moral dilemmas raised by science's ever-advancing ability to manipulate genetics, which forms the heart of the show, Spotnitz told Daily Variety.

More than one option

• (Co) Daily Variety
  Filmography, Year, Role
• (Co) Daily Variety

"You don't have to invent much for this topic to be terrifying," he said.

The threat posed by infectious diseases -- organic and man-made -- is also staggering. "Viruses can mutate so quickly," he said. "This is a war without end."

He's also adapting for HBO a smallscreen rendition of Robert Silverberg's famed 1971 sci-fi novel "The World Inside." Book revolves around a grim vision of the future where overpopulation has run amok, and people live in carefully controlled urban centers where frustration and anger are eliminated, sex is rampant and fertility is the most prized human attribute.

Spotnitz is co-writing the "World Inside" script with Adam Rapp. Rapp and Spotnitz will exec produce along with Carolyn Strauss, Vince Gerardis and Ralph Vicinanza.

"I'm not usually attracted to dystopian stories, but the more I read this novel the more I saw its relevance to our world today."

Separately, Spotnitz is penning a pilot for FX, "Arc," based on the life of a real person involved in the covert ops world.

"It's sort of about what would happen if Jason Bourne decided to leave the spy game and try to fit into normal life," Spotnitz said. "It's a character piece and it's very reality-based."

Project hails from Tony and Ridley Scott's Scott Free Prods. and CBS Television Studios. Spotnitz is exec producing with Bazzel Baz.

Spotnitz, repped by WME, was Chris Carter's right-hand exec producer on "X-Files" for most of that show's nine-season run. More recently he's been focusing on feature projects, including a remake of 1983's "The Star Chamber" set up at 20th Century Fox. He also co-wrote last year's "X-Files: I Want to Believe" feature.

Spotnitz was the showrunner on ABC's redo of "The Night Stalker" in the 2005-06 season, and he worked alongside Michael Mann on the gritty CBS cop drama "Robbery Homicide Division" in 2002-03.

Six years ago, Spotnitz launched a website, www.biglight.com, that of late turned into a bustling social network for "X-Files" fans, among other sci-fi/fantasy fare, and a wiki about the various pics and TV series that he's worked on.

The genesis of 'Breaking Bad'

A pal mentioned a news story to Vince Gilligan. It's now 'Breaking Bad.'

By Josh Gajewski
August 3, 2009
Source: LA Times

The best person to tell this story may be the man to Vince Gilligan's right. His name is Tom Schnauz, but on this day he's known as "New Guy." That is, the new guy in the writers' room of "Breaking Bad," the Emmy-nominated AMC drama about a terminally ill schoolteacher who raises money for his family's future by cooking and selling crystal methamphetamine.

Gilligan created "Breaking Bad," the drama series nominee and critical darling that pulled in an average 1.3 million viewers this season. He also worked on the script of last summer's " Hancock," a film that grossed more than $600 million worldwide.

But Schnauz knew Gilligan when the two worked in the basement of the NYU film school in the late '80s, renting out cameras to fellow students. "Occasionally, he'd do some things that were strange, would do things just to try it out," Schnauz says. "I remember him bringing golf balls into the work-study place, and he wanted to know what was inside, so he started cutting them open. Once, this white powder shot up into his eyes."

That "inquisitive but semi-warped" mind, Schnauz says, is what made Gilligan successful. "I mean, what kind of mind would come up with a show about cooking crystal meth?"

Answer: the mind of a man who grew up in Virginia but had his eyes trained on Hollywood ever since he saw " Star Wars." Many years later -- after NYU, and after Gilligan and Schnauz both wrote for "The X-Files" -- the two spoke by phone. Schnauz had just read an article about mobile meth labs. Gilligan joked that when their respective writing careers dried up, perhaps they could do the same, drive around the Southwest in an RV with a meth lab in the back.

"He called me back a week later and said, 'Remember that idea? Mind if I use that?' " Schnauz recalls. "I said, 'Of course.' I mean, I'd never think to write a story, let alone a whole TV series around the idea of a mobile meth lab. But lo and behold. . . ."

Gilligan created Walter White, an ordinary man thrust into an end-life crisis, and now here we are: in Burbank on a Tuesday, having a hamburger with the bespectacled Gilligan just down the street from his writers' room. "Frankly, I don't know why we're here," he says. "I don't even know why I bothered to pitch this show, except that I was really inspired by the idea."

After lunch, he returns to his "dream," the nondescript writers' room where the key phrase is "What if . . . ," the key ingredient is caffeine and the key goal is to surprise. The talk always revolves around how a character might be expected to react and then, how that expectation might be turned on its head.

Several hours and maybe a hundred ideas later, Gilligan is ready to adjourn. "I feel like we're close to something, something that's right in front of us," he says to the room. "There's something we still haven't thought of that would change everything. Let's open up our minds."

And so will begin another round of what-ifs.

'Fringe' plans 'X-Files' homage

From Zap2It.com:

"The X-Files" is returning to the small screen.

No, don't freak out, the show isn't being remade a la "90210" or "Melrose Place." Instead, the season premiere of "Fringe" will simply include a wink -- or two -- to the show it so often gets compared to.

"Yes, it is true," showrunner Jeff Pinkner confirmed to Zap2it. "[There will be] an homage to 'X-Files.' In fact, there are at least two in the episode."

Jeff told us "Fringe" regularly pays homage to other things and people they love in more vague ways, but when it comes to "X-Files," there won't be any doubt about it. "It'll be obvious [to everyone]," he said. "Both of [the nods] are obvious."

While Jeff was hesitant to give us details on their little tributes, series star John Noble (Walter) shared that at least one of them is pictorial. Hmm...

X-Files Comics

According to BigLight.com, Frank Spotnitz is at work on another original “X-Files” comic book to be co-written by Gabe Rotter, director of development at Ten Thirteen Productions and author of the novel, “Duck Duck Wally.” Look for the book to hit the stands early next year. It’s Frank’s fourth comic book since Wildstorm launched a new series of “X-Files” comics in 2008.

Check out previous issues of Frank’s “X-Files” comics.

Source: BigLight.com

Dori Carter Gives Recording of the Blind & Dyslexic a Good Read

Author Dori Carter recorded her new book of short stories, We Are Rich, for Santa Barbara’s Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Her husband, television and film producer Chris Carter of The X-Files fame, and a group of six friends joined her in the studio to help her record the book, which will be made available to print-disabled students throughout the country.

Carter, a Montecito resident, is a former screenwriter and television producer. Her first novel, Beautiful Wasps Having Sex, published in 2000, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller.

“We’ve been anticipating doing this read for RFB&D since the book’s release in late April,” Carter said. “This is a wonderful organization that truly makes a difference in people’s lives. My friends, husband and I are pleased to help them.”

The Santa Barbara Unit of RFB&D was founded in 1976. Its 200 weekly volunteers spend more than 14,000 hours annually producing 220 audio books for students in all grades — kindergarten through graduate and professional schools. The books are then housed in the nation’s largest audio textbook library, which contains 55,000 digitally recorded titles, at the organization’s headquarters in Princeton, N.J. Audio books are available by download or CDs for schools and individuals.

You can read full article HERE.

Q&A with Michelle MacLaren

Michelle MacLaren (one of the key producers of The X-Files, Harsh Realm, Night Stalker and Fencewalker) directed episode 2.09 of Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad.

This is her interview for AMC.tv:

Q&A - Michelle MacLaren (Episode 9 Director)

The X-Files alum explains how Vince Gilligan's twisted mind transcends genre, discusses cooking meth in the big leagues and analyzes Episode 9's most important character -- the desert -- in AMCtv.com's exclusive interview.

Q: You worked with Vince Gilligan on The X-Files. Has his writing style changed much since then?

A: Not really, actually. On The X-Files, like in Breaking Bad, his episodes were always kind of out there. For example, one of the first X-Files episodes of his that I produced was called "Je Souhaite," which involved a devious genie. Another X-Files episode Vince did was filmed in a replica of the Brady Bunch house. Vince is sick and twisted, but I mean that with all the admiration in the world! If anyone else had told me what Breaking Bad was about, I would have been like, "What are you doing?" But with Vince, I was like, "Great."

Q: This episode was written as an homage to The Flight of the Phoenix. Did you try to mimic any elements from the movie in your direction?

A: I re-watched the movie to understand what the writers were going for. There was a grandiose-ness to it -- you really get the horrifying sense that they are stranded in the middle of nowhere, so I adopted that feeling. They did a nice job in the movie showing the gradual decline of the people physically, and the effect that decline has on their relationships. Will the crisis bring people together or tear them apart? The movie takes place over a longer period of time than our episode, so they were able to break the actors down dramatically. One of the guys actually freaks out and runs into the desert and dies. We weren't there long enough for that kind of drama, but we still accomplish the same thing.

Q: Your episode has a meth cooking montage -- as do several other Breaking Bad episodes. How do you keep that imagery fresh?

A: This montage was different because we wanted to show that Walt and Jesse have hit the big time. I wanted it to look impressive. I gave the montage a lot of movement because it covers several days, and it needed to show that their relationship is evolving. So the camera was constantly moving, almost like a dance. The message is that Walt and Jesse are getting really good at cooking meth, and the ultimate result is fantastic. The way we shot it gets that across. They could have been cooking apple pie! Luckily, meth is visually very interesting.

Q: How accurate is your depiction of the cooking process?

A: It's very accurate. We didn't actually make crystal, of course, but visually it's accurate. There are all these different stages to it, so we had these consultants we talked to about the right way to do it. There's the gray goo stage, the white smoke stage, the blue goo stage. We had a DEA consultant, and another consultant who I don't want to ask where he came from! I would ask him a question about how something was supposed to be done in the cooking process, and he'd say, "Hang on a second," and grab his cell and go around the corner and come back two minutes later with the answer.

Q: You once said that you've known you wanted to be a director since you were 13. What inspired that?

A: I always wanted to be in the movie business, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to be. When I was producing on The X-Files, my grandmother passed away. My mom was going through old stuff and found a letter I'd written to my grandmother. I'd seen a movie I liked and I said, "I hope I can direct a movie like that one day." I wish I'd written down which movie! But that was my final push over edge into directing. I went out and took classes and really put myself out there. I like producing, but directing is my passion. When I direct, I finish the day and go, "that was awesome."

Q: Had you been to Albuquerque before shooting this episode?

A: I had never been to New Mexico before. I think it has some of the most beautiful light I've ever seen. I've shot a lot of deserts, but never lived in one. The desert, as beautiful as it is, helps the show's dark and depressing premise. It represents danger, death, fear, loneliness, remoteness. Walt is so alone in what he's going though, living this unbelievable lie. And that's all put in contrast to these beautiful vistas and sunsets.

Source

Book Signing in New York

For 'X-Files,' the truth is still out there ... but what about a third film?

SOURCE: LA Times Blog

Liver-eating contortionist Eugene Tooms wasn’t there. Neither were the Peacock Brothers. Extraterrestrials? Nope, not a one. But even without those memorable characters of any of the other paranormal beasties, shadow-government operatives or little green men from "The X-Files," fans of the spooky franchise turned out in force last week at The Grove in Los Angeles to question and cheer X-creator Chris Carter and key writer Frank Spotnitz.

The two longtime collaborators (or is that conspirators?) were joined by Matt Hurwitz, a co-author of the lavish new book “The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, Myths and the Movies” (Insight Editions, $49.95). The event was on the third floor of Barnes & Noble and a crowd that went into triple-digits was eager to get autographs and answers, many of which were delivered by Carter with his wry, mellow-surfer baritone.

Is Walter Skinner still infected with nanotechnology? “He’s been to the doctors a number of times.”

Is the Agent Dana Scully immortal? “It’s kind of true, if you think about it. I mean, she’ll never die. She beat cancer.”

Any plans to take "Millennium" to the big screen? “That seems to be the question all the fans want answered. Nothing has been discussed.”

Carter’s favorite episode? “Beyond the Sea” and “Home” make the short list, but, he insists, he has a lot of favorites.

When is the series going to be available on Blu-ray? “There’s a technical problem ... we just have to figure out how to solve it.”

But the pervading question of the night centered on one yearning hope: A third installment of “The X-Files” as a movie franchise, which would pick up where last year's "X-Files: I Want to Believe” left off. In an interview after the book signing, Carter was elusive ... but he did give fans a reason to believe.

Noting the lackluster commercial success of the second film, Carter said the venture was hurt by its timing. The U.S. release “was foolish, opening a week after the blockbuster hit “The Dark Knight ... it was really the worst weekend to open any movie.”

The film pulled in an anemic $21 million in the U.S., which fell short of expectations for a film that cost $30 million to make. It did go on, however, to make $47 in foreign markets. “The movie did a lot of business worldwide so, I think, it’s really up to Fox to decide,” he said.

Despite the lackluster grosses, there’s no denying the impact of the television series and its characters on pop culture. It demonstrated the potential of what the sci-fi genre could achieve on the small screen. And though recent sci-fi series like "Battlestar Galactica" (a show Carter “likes”) and "X-Files"-influenced "Fringe" have picked up the torch, Carter said crime dramas have handcuffed TV’s limited programming schedules for scripted dramas.

“When you look at what’s on television right now, there’s a little bit of science fiction, but there’s mostly cop procedurals,” said the 52-year-old Carter. “People see every episode of 'Law & Order,' and all its incarnations, so I don’t know … if you do science fiction on television it’s a little bit of a gamble sometimes.”

But, hey, if that doesn’t work, there’s always the Internet, right? "X-Files" fans have proven there’s an audience out there for all the fan content they’ve created. From fan-fiction to mash-up YouTube videos, people have taken notice. Even the actors that inspired the content, Spotnitz noted.

“You know, there’s a story that David [Duchovny] told when we were doing the movie last year,” Spotnitz said, “about how Gillian had seen a YouTube compilation of all their kisses and David saw that and said it actually affected his performance in the film because it was like reminder of the power of their relationship. So it just tells you how meaningful they are. It really is part of what the 'X-Files' is now. It’s just the way the fans re-interpret it.”

And with the release of the book -- practically an encyclopedia of “The X-Files” franchise -- fans will now have more to interpret, because as one fan said, “The truth will always be out there.”

-- Yvonne Villarreal

SHE MADE THIS: Dori Carter's new book

Dori Carter's long-awaited second book, "We Are Rich," has just been published. You can check out the website for the book at http://www.doricarterbooks.com/.
Please be sure to pick up a copy!

Source: Big Light

Some Fencewalker news... sort of

In her recent interview for The Warren Report, young and very talented actress Jeannine Kaspar revealed some information about Chris Carter's new movie "Fencewalker."

Jeannine said that Chris "was so humble and generous... He is incredible and powerful to be so real... He is a very neat guy."

Jeannine said that during the wrap party Chris told her "I've found you" meaning that he was the first one to notice her talent.

According to Jeannine, she is not a lead actor of "Fencewalker." "There are couple of great leads in that film," she said and then mentioned Mehcad Brooks, Katie Cassidy, Natalie Dormer and Austin Nichols.

Recently Jeannine Kaspar won Special Jury Citation of Ashland Independent Film Festival for her lead performance in an independent movie "Paper Covers Stone."

Listen full interview HERE.

X-Files comics: #6 preview

Check out X-Files #6 comic book preview here --

http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/11539_x.pdf

The X-Files #6 on Sale April 15, 2009.

Katie Cassidy talks about "Fencewalker"

In her recent interview for Collider.com, the multi-talented actress/singer/musician Katie Cassidy spoke about the upcoming top-secret Chris Carter drama Fencewalker.

Question: What can you say about Fencewalker and working with Chris Carter (The X-Files)?

Katie: Fencewalker was really great. It was actually really challenging for me to take on that role. I can’t say much about it, but I was going through a place in my life, while I was shooting that movie. I went through a difficult time, but it’s something that needed to happen, in order to get all the colors that Chris wanted out of this girl. That needed to happen to me. It was definitely an emotional experience, but nothing that I would ever take back. Chris Carter is a great director and a great writer. The script was amazing! And, I’m so happy to have been a part of something like that. It’s going to be really great. I think that will be out at the end of the year.

Question: Is it hard to keep working on projects that are so secretive?

Katie: I hate secrets! But, it’s fun. It is secret and you can’t talk about it. I’d love to sit here and tell you all about the things that I’ve gone through. It makes it a little difficult when it comes to stuff like this because I can’t really get too in-depth with any of it, as far as the storyline goes, but it makes it exciting.

Read full interview HERE.

Dedicated to Kim Manners

Ten Thirteen alunmi Vince Gilligan, John Shiban and the crew of "Breaking Bad" dedicated the fifth episode of the second season "Breakage" to the memory of their friend, Kim Manners.

Vince Gilligan re-ups at Sony TV

On the heels of the early third-season renewal for his AMC series "Breaking Bad," creator/executive producer Vince Gilligan has inked a new two-year overall deal with the show's producer, Sony Pictures TV.

Under the pact, said to be worth about $4 million, Gilligan will continue on "Bad," whose first season nabbed an Emmy for star Bryan Cranston and a Peabody.

The show, which also earned Gilligan an Emmy nomination and a WGA win, is off to a strong start in its second season. The premiere drew 1.7 million viewers, up 21% from the first-season bow.

Gilligan's negotiations with Sony TV were smooth and relatively quick, a stark contrast to the six-month, headline-making drama surrounding renewal talks between Matthew Weiner -- creator/exec producer of AMC's other awards darling, "Mad Men" -- and series producer Lionsgate TV.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Frank Spotnitz Exclusive Interview for Back to Frank Black Campaign

Source: Back to Frank Black Campaign

To fans of any of 1013's hit shows, Frank Spotnitz requires no introduction. It was Frank Spotnitz who, probably unwittingly, gave rise to the Back to Frank Black campaign. His prophetic prediction that 'the time is near' prompted the Millennium Fan Community to wear their hearts on their sleeves and exercise their voices on paper. Of all 1013's luminaries Frank Spotnitz is an extremely busy man, yet finds time to give back to the fans as much as he receives and this interview was no exception.

Read full interview HERE and don't forget to support Back to Frank Black campaign by writing a letter to FOX!

AMC renews Vince Gilligan's 'Breaking Bad'

Four episodes into the second season of "Breaking Bad," AMC has picked up Vince Gilligan's drama series for a third cycle.

Following a well-received first season that earned the series a Peabody Award and an Emmy for star Bryan Cranston, "Breaking'" second season has garnered even more critical acclaim and commercial success.

The second-season opener of the Sony TV-produced series drew 1.7 million viewers, up 21% from the first-season premiere.

Created by Gilligan, "Breaking" stars Cranston as a high-school chemistry teacher-turned-meth manufacturer after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Co-starring on the series, exec produced by Gilligan and Mark Johnson, are Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, RJ Mitte, Dean Norris and Betsy Brandt.

Source

Glen Morgan adapting 'Anita Blake' books

Cable network IFC is adapting a popular vampire novel as its first theatrical-length movie production.

IFC is teaming with Lionsgate for a TV movie based on the "Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter" books. The telefilm could be the basis for more Blake projects if successful.

Laurell K. Hamilton's novels, at 16 books and counting, include elements familiar to fans of "True Blood" (vampires are part of regular society) and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (tough young female fights supernatural forces). The project will be adapted by Glen Morgan ("The X-Files," "Final Destination"), who also is an executive producer with Courtney Solomon ("Dungeons & Dragons").

IFC is targeting the movie to its core base of men 18-34 and plans to air it next year.

"The popularity of the network in this demographic indicates that there is a clear demand for films that delve into provocative topics, and nothing is more classically provocative than vampire lore," said Jennifer Caserta, executive vp and GM of IFC. "Anita Blake fits perfectly with our successful original programming."

In the books, Blake is a vampire hunter with a lousy dating life who also works as a police consultant investigating supernatural crimes. She attempts to come to terms with her own abilities and navigate romantic and political relationships within the vampire community.

"Laurell has created a fascinating heroine in Anita Blake, and we quickly recognized the onscreen potential for this vivid character," said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate president of TV programming and production. "We have an outstanding creative team and are excited to be moving forward with IFC, which will allow us to fully explore the complex world of Laurell's highly intriguing and erotically charged novels.

Source

Chris Carter in Japan

According to X-Files News site, Chris Carter is on a publicity tour for The X-Files: I Want to Believe DVD and Bluray to be released on April 2nd in Japan.

He's having interviews with major magazines, radio and TV stations in Osaka and Tokio to promote the release and you can see him and his wife Dori here at the restaurant "Kurosawa" on March 17th. This is Akira Kurosawa's favorite restaurant, hence it was named after him. Chris enjoyed the Shabu-Shabu and Shochu with the Japanese FOX Home Entertaiment staff.

Source: X-Files News and Big Light Social Network.

New book signing with Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz and Matt Hurwitz

According to Frank Spotnitz's Big Light Social Network news, Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz and Matt Hurwitz will be doing a book signing for The Complete X Files: Behind the Series, the Myth, and the Movies on April 22 at the Barnes and Noble in The Grove, which is located in Los Angeles. The signing will also include a Q&A event much like the one last month at Book Soup.

Thanks to Big Light Social Network administrator Alison Groves for this wonderful news!

This will be Chris Carter's first public appeareance since the X-Files: I Want to Believe promotion tour last summer. Let's hope we'll hear some news about X-Files 3, Fencewalker, Millennium and other new Chris' projects.

Tribute to Kim Manners on Supernatural

The crew of Supernatural dedicated entire 4th season of the show to beloved director Kim Manners who passed away on January 25th.

You can watch their dedication at the end of episode 4.15 HERE.

Breaking Bad: 1013 Reunion

1013's alumni Vince Gilligan and John Shiban (The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen writers and exec. producers) work together again. Shiban directed 5 special "webisodes" (mini-episodes) for Vince Gilligan's award-winning TV-series Breaking Bad.

One of the webisodes, called "Marie's Confessions," was wriiten by Vince Gilligan.

Watch all 5 original Breaking Bad minisodes HERE.

X-Files comics: #5 preview

Check out X-Files #5 comic book preview here --

http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/11365_x.pdf

X-Files #5 On Sale March 18, 2009.

Mark Snow speaks to the Italian XF fan site

In his interview for the great Italian fan-site BeyondTheSea.it Mark Snow revealed that a 4 CD boxed set of the X-Files music from the episodes will be released this spring

This is the quote:

Question: Frank Spotnitz told in his blog that some of your X-Files works will be released in a new album. Could you say us something about that?

Mark Snow: In this spring, La La Land records will release a 4 CD boxed set of the X-Files music from the TV shows only. It will have all the shows that I have been nominated for plus probably pieces from episode, I'm sure some of your favorites will be included.

Judging by that statement, we can guess that the CDs will contain music from Paper Hearts, The Post Modern Prometheus, S.R. 819, Theef, and The Truth.

Read full interview here.

Vince Gilligan's interview about his work in The X-Files and Breaking Bad

Source: The Futon Critic

INTERVIEW: VINCE GILLIGAN TEASES THE NEW SEASON OF "BREAKING BAD" By Jim Halterman

AMC is on a roll with both "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" cleaning up a multiple awards as well as making a name for itself in the world of original programming that is the talk around the water cooler. With the second season premiere of "Breaking Bad" airing this Sunday, our Jim Halterman sat down with creator Vince Gilligan about how TV dads can get mixed up with crystal meth, the relationship between this show and "The X Files" and the fuzzy line between what is legal and illegal. Jim Halterman: When you were you shooting the first season, did you know that you were onto something that audiences would click with or did you just kind of move into it and see what would happen? Vince Gilligan: It's definitely the latter. [Laughs.] I was always excited about telling the story from the moment I came upon the character. I love the idea of this guy having the worst mid-life crisis. This straight-arrow guy who decides to transform himself and become a criminal for the good of his family. I was intrigued by this character and I had no idea if anyone else would be. I mean, you always hope but you also always hope when you buy a scratch-off ticket that you're going to win the lottery but you don't know. You can only hope. I kept my fingers very tightly crossed and hoped people would respond to the show and I'm just so gratified by how people have been taking it to it. I'd be lying if I said I saw it coming. JH: Bryan Cranston appeared in an "X Files" episode called "Drive" where he was miles away from sitcom characters on "Seinfeld" or "Malcolm in the Middle." Was there something in him playing that role that made you think of him for "Breaking Bad?" I honestly can't see anyone else playing Walt. VG: The "X Files" director loved him, the crew loved him, David Duchovny had a great time with him. [Cranston] was professional and pleasant, just happy to be there and working his butt off. After his episode was over, I remember thinking, 'I wonder where that guy came from?' I'd never heard of him. I remembered he was the dentist on "Seinfeld." And then I realized he was Buzz Aldrin in "From the Earth to the Moon" and he was the one-armed officer who sends Tom Hanks on his mission in "Saving Private Ryan" and I came to realize that this guy is a real chameleon. He can do anything. He just really submerges himself into a part. And then "Malcolm" came along and for seven years he was America's Dad in this zany, very funny comedy. In 2006 or 2007, when the pilot started to come to fruition, I started thinking that if Bryan would do this show the extra benefit would be to take a wonderful TV dad and really turn that image on its ear. Taking this long history of great TV dads from Hugh Beaumont on "Leave It To Beaver," Fred MacMurray on "My Three Sons" or "Courtship of Eddie's Father" and you've got a guy who's known for playing a bent, twisted version of that but a warm-hearted TV dad nonetheless but what if you had "Malcolm in the Meth Lab." [Laughs.] Malcolm's dad making crystal meth? I just thought it would be a little bit of a delicious juxtaposition and it felt a little naughty but that was an added benefit. First and foremost, though, he had the acting chops and I knew it so when he said that he wanted to play the part that was a great day for me. JH: If Walter's lung cancer were to ever go into full-on remission, it kind of takes his rationale for his cooking and selling of crystal meth away. Is that something that is going to be a part of the new season? VG: Well, we have a battle plan... season two starts and the very first images you see refer to the ending of the season and so with that in mind we knew where we were going ultimately but we didn't know how we were going to get there. So, the first images you see this season will give you not only a taste of where the show is going to wind up but it's pretty mysterious and purposely so. We found some very interesting twists and turns along the way and quite a lot of it does surround the idea of Walt's rationalization for what he does. You hit the nail on the head. Walter is a guy, in theory, who is doing these terrible misdeeds for a good reason he's doing them to help his family. But even in season one, we started the process of turning that on its head when he had a real deus ex machina situation when a former colleague of his, who is a multi-millionaire, basically says, "I'll pay for your treatment, I'll give you a great job, I'll throw you a lifeline, I'll let you win the lottery" and Walt ultimately turned him down. He turned down a wonderful, no-strings attached offer and, to me, that was the point of last season where Walter really, truly, for me, began to get very interesting because you can create a character and a set of circumstances where a character has to be bad. Walt ostensibly is doing this for his family but is he really? These are the kind of questions I want the audience to be asking because these are the kind of questions that we in the writer's room are always asking ourselves, 'Why is Walt really doing this especially when someone is offering him money, offering him a lifeline which he turns down?' JH: On the surface, "The X Files" and "Breaking Bad" seem very different but what did you bring from it to this series? VG: Up until "Breaking Bad," "The X Files" was hands down the best job I ever had. I couldn't do "Breaking Bad" if I had never been on "The X Files." I learned so much from Chris Carter and from working with Frank Spotnitz and John Shiban and everybody there but Chris Carter especially was a guy I learned an awful lot from. I sit here some days on "Breaking Bad," and I think 'Where would I be if it weren't for the seven years on "The X Files?"' I became a much better writer on the show than I would have been without it and also I learned how to be a producer. Story wise, they seem pretty dissimilar. You know, a show about two FBI agents looking into the paranormal and then a show about a pasty white guy having a mid-life crisis and becoming a criminal. But I think what they have in common are my favorite moments on "The X Files," which are character moments. I loved writing them and I loved watching them. In particular, I loved the stand-alone episodes where we were telling the story about a particular character of that week who was damaged in some way or was needing something or lacking something or was one of life's losers that somehow found the humanity in him. Some of those are my favorite episodes whether it was a story about a young guy who craves human brains or a character who is made out of cancer and needs to be around it in order to survive. A lot of self-loathing, really complicated characters who had problems hoisted upon them but who were just trying to get by. Those kinds of episodes are the ones that resonated the most with me, though I loved all the episodes. That kind of character writing is something I cut my teeth on for seven years on that show and I continue to do it today. This is a show about a damaged individual. A very complicated man who is, in Walt's case, a guy who just lies to himself constantly and rationalizes all kinds of terrible behavior but is also a good man. He's complicated. He's not a white hat or a black hat. He's a grey hat. JH: In the first season finale, there was some great dialogue between Walt and his DEA agent/brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) about the blurry line between what is legal and illegal. Is that something you think about often when you're coming up with stories? VG: Some of our best days in the writing room are talking through that stuff. For me, what our show can do best is just post questions. I don't want to give answers because first and foremost I don't have any. If I had the answers, I'd be running the country instead of writing a TV show. [Laughs.] I think if we can pose questions... I always say the writers want to give the audience water cooler moments [and] a good water cooler moment is when people are arguing over your show. 'Why did he do what he did? I think he's reprehensible for doing that.' versus 'I think he's justified." We love looking for those water cooler moments and that scene you refer to from season one, I'd love to take credit for that scene but every word in that scene is written by one of my writers, Peter Gould. I think that was one of my favorite scenes of last season and I didn't touch it. He wrote it all. He poses some very interesting questions in that scene. The line of legal and illegal is constantly shifting in the sand. Is there an absolute morality? Is there a technical legal morality? These are all questions that I don't propose to answer in our show but, nonetheless, I love to pose and let the audience discuss.

The Joy Of X: Documentary About Chris Carter

Thanks to TheQuiet1's Youtube channel, now you can watch and download "The Joy Of X," a very interesting documentary about Chris Carter and all his projects. This 40-minutes long documentary was first aired in 2001 on British BBC2 channel. The documentary is full of very rare footage such as clips from Carters' home videos and clips from Chris Carter's first ever TV show, "Rags to Riches."

Youtube links: Part I, Part IV, Part V.

All parts (full version of the documentary) can be viewed and downloaded on Veoh.com HERE.

Once again, BIG THANKS to TheQuiet1 for recording and uploading this little gem! ;)

XF Comics: THE X-FILES #6

Written by Doug Moench; Art and Cover by Brian Denham

The latest Badlands disappearance is a local woman who may still be alive. While Scully pursues the presumed abductor and escaped serial killer known as "Dante," Mulder explores the Hollow Earth – an underground realm of caves and tunnels with no small resemblance to Hell. Will he find the missing woman? Or will Dante reach her first? And what happens if the demons Dante claims haunt him turn out to be real?

On Sale April 15, 2009

Source

Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad Lands WGA Award

The Writers Guild of America has awarded Breaking Bad's Season 1 Pilot, written by creator Vince Gilligan, as the best episodic drama of the year. The show beat out Fox's House, USA's Burn Notice, ABC's Eli Stone and Showtime's Dexter for this prestigious award, which was based on voting by the 12,000 WGA members. Breaking Bad's first season episode "Gray Matter", written by Patty Lin, was also nominated in this category.

Kim Manners Dies

Kim Manners, the man behind the camera of some of The X-Files best episodes, as well Supernatural, has passed away. The producer/director died in Los Angeles after complications with cancer.

Official statement from Frank Spotnitz:

"Kim had a blazing intensity that inspired everyone -- writers, producers, actors and crew. "Kick it in the ass!" he'd say to us. And "I love you," really meaning it. As long as he'd been a director, he never lost his passion for his work. Every time he got a script, he gave it his all. He was driven to execute what he saw in his mind's eye in the most powerful and beautiful way he could. On "The X-Files," the friendly sparring between Kim and Rob Bowman to see who could out-direct the other was a beautiful competition between two fiercely talented friends. Kim was an incredible force of life. It is hard for me to believe or accept that he is gone."

More recently, Manners lended his dark and inventive style to the CW's Supernatural, helping creator Eric Kripke fine-tune the series' tone, which features the brothers Winchester hunting down various demons.

In a statement from Kripke regarding the passing of his colleague: "Everyone at 'Supernatural' is walking around in a daze, shocked and absolutely devastated. Kim was a brilliant director; more than that, he was a mentor and friend. He was one of the patriarchs of the family, and we miss him desperately. He gave so much to 'Supernatural,' and everything we do on the show, now and forever, is in memory of him."

In addition to working on both X-Files and Supernatural, Manners also directed episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Mission: Impossible.

Rest in peace, Kim. Thank you for everything.