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Alpha: 2012 Space: 2099 (Jace Hall) Panel

Introduction

Details on the Alpha: 2012 convention panel on Jace Hall's Space: 2099 project. This panel was in the afternoon of Saturday, 2012/09/15. I was a few minutes late to the panel, so I did not catch the name or role of the woman who was on the panel with him, though it sounded like (from an audience member's reference to her later in the panel) that she was a representative of ITV, though I cannot verify this. During my time there, I do not recall her saying anything, suggesting she was, in this context at least, an observer.

Warnings

"They" is usually used by the Editor in a generic way here, to reference Jace Hall and any development team he may have. It may or may not refer to ITV as well. Please do not read too much into the "they" unless it is clarified.
Quoted items may sometimes be mild paraphrases or compressions.
Unquoted statements are more heavily paraphrased or compressed, but some phrases may still be as originally spoken.
The editor's own Opinion(s) is/are presented as a separate section.

Details

(As previously stated, the first few minutes were missed. There were perhaps statements early on about development secrets that cannot be divulged at this point? It would seem likely given the early stage of this project and the that during the session, there were a number of times he deferred on some details or key points when asked.)
Jace stated that ITV "have heard every pitch for years, but we heard nothing we are interested in until now."
"We not only need to bring this franchise back, but the process is important too." [Perhaps related to the point after the next one? Perhaps about marketing? Uncertain.]
With videogame development, the producers "have to get it right from the start [beginning?], because it is not like movies that can make it up in DVD sales." (The editor perhaps missed some context to this comment and is unsure if was implying anything about S20 or used as an example of some kind.)
They "wanted to engage fans earlier" than is normal for development of a televison project, and ITV decided to approve.
Themes ("ideas"?) they wish to keep (three cited):
* the "epic" and "discovery" factors;
* the "near future," to show 2099 in a way that looks "plausible" to us; and
* "having to solve problems beyond normal scope."
They want something that "moves science fiction back towards something thoughtful" while still satisfying the fans.
There was a question about "How do you solve the problem of getting the Moon out of orbit?" Jace would defer on this key point several times through the session, while audience members were suggesting that the concept could be updated while still getting the Moon out of orbit (and see also the point after the next).
"The Eagle Transporter will be in the show." However, "What you see in the poster is not intended to be that." He further stated that they "may need to update the interior, but the exterior looks like something that could exist then [2099]."
There was a question from the audience in regards to the speed of the Moon and how S20 would update this, given it was sometimes a question/criticism about S19. [Notes did not list an answer, presumably because this too was likely deferred.]
Jace Hall, referring to himself and apparently ITV as well on this point, indicated they have "no desire to tell the story of Space: 1999 because that has been told." Also: "The intention is to capture these things that make Space: 1999 compelling."
In referring to the epic journey, Jace asked an apparently- or explicitly-hypothetical question (the Editor is not sure which): "Why does it need to be the Moon?" An audience member replied, either directly to this question or in some subsequent follow-up that, "The Moon is a character." (Further discussion was deferred again for the moment, but (and the Editor does not feel this is opinion) it was very clear that the lunar questions were of growing concern to the audience.)
Jace: "Use of magic is out." [The editor is not certain whether or not this was explained or clarified (sorry).]
An audience member asked about the color scheme, that this had a distinctive look (and was sharp?), as opposed to rather "darker" sets/scenes seen in many recent SFTV series.
S20 is "not supposed to be a special effects extraveganza, but when they are there, they should be good."
Jace finally stated: "The Moon will be present and part of it, but will not play the same role." This appeared to be as much as he could say. (See also Opinions.)
Jace gave his contact information:
jace@hdfilms.com
Jace stated: "We are not remaking Space: 1999. We are making Space: 2099." Also added that, "From a story perspective" that it "is not a story you have seen before," and that "its closest is Space: 1999." It will have a "similar 'accident' theme."
From the audience, the reporter (as a fan) brought up what he called a "murky shakes" problem that many modern SFTV series have, of not only murky sets with the intentionally shaky-cam but that the character(ization)s are often of a narrow range of murky shades of grey, rather than a wider range -- and asked if Jace had approaches in mind. Jace replied that they "do want characters they[?] can relate to" and that "it has been considered."
Asked if there would be "spiritual elements," Jace replied yes.
Asked(?) if they had been given a green light for a pilot or a full season, Jace stated it would (likely?) start in a similar way to the 2000s Battlestar Galactica. [Note: My notes are not clear if he fully answered the "green light" part of the question. Sorry.] [Note: BSG started with a miniseries, and from what the Editor understands, it was from strong response to that which led to commissioning a full series.]
Jace added that he "wants to put in some references to the old series."

Notes

Time was somewhat limited, and reduced compared to original plans, given last-minute changes earlier in the day. Jace was ready to wrap up taking questions and yield to the next panel. However, the next panel's sole member, Robert Wood, was present in this S20 panel and spoke up to yield some of his time, stating something to the effect that these were important questions. Uncertain when this exchange occurred, thus this being mentioned in Notes rather than Details. It was at some point prior to the "murky shakes" question, however.

Opinions

It seemed clear that he could not reveal a lot, that he could discuss a few things but was also there to capture some of the pulse of the fans (and I think he did state at some point that he too is a fan of the original S19 series).
It was something of a "tough room" from the audience, with pointed but constructive questions (especially about the Moon). He seemed to respect and welcome these and other questions, stating something about wanting to hear fan response.
It seemed clear that it was the question of the Moon's place in the new series that caused the most questions and concern. I too am concerned, as it was the Moon as a storytelling platform which was striking and was a key part of the theme of the characters as castaways stuck on something they had virtually no control over and wanted to leave for greener places -- two important themes. That it was such an unconventional platform may be causing some of this apparent possibility of not using it the same way, that perhaps it is perceived in some quarters as an implausible basis, as some critics did for S19's Breakaway premise back in the mid-1970s. Whether Jace intends to replace this with some other unconventional platform, a spaceship instead, or some entirely different basis, is not at all clear to me, at least as I write this nearly three weeks later. Obviously, how much and how the Moon will be used is very unclear too, though the implication can lead one to believe it would be less. It seemed the greatest audience concern was over making S20 into yet another spaceship-based series.
I do not think this phrase was used in the panel, but the impression I got at the end is that Space: 2099 could be called "inspired by Space: 1999" -- and that inspiration could be on some of the character, plot, and theme points, to greater or lesser degrees. It is the "greater or lesser" that I find a major unknown, though at this point it is probably not a surprise (how much other series projects reveal about themselves at this point in development is not something I know about, however).
I feel it likely that if this project does come to fruition as a series, that I would approach it in that fashion, as a largely new series, and judge it on those merits while hoping it has taken good inspirations from S19, while remaining a fan of S19 regardless of whether or not I see S20 as a worthy re-imagining. This is not to say I don't have opinions on other possible S19-related projects, but is simply my Opinion at this point about Jace Hall's S20 project.