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Blood and Chrome

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Blood & Chrome
Blood & Chrome
Created by David Eick and Michael Taylor
Starring
Theme music by Bear McCreary
Statistics
Production company NBC Universal
Number of seasons 1
Number of episodes 1 episode consisting of 10 installments (list)
Debut channel Machinima Prime
US first-run airdates USA November 9 through December 7, 2012[1]
UK first-run airdates UK
DVD release
Production staff
Executive producer(s) David Eick
Michael Taylor
Producer(s)
Supervising producer(s)
Associate producer(s)
Co-producer(s)
Story editor(s)
Series Chronology
Previous Next
Caprica (series) Blood & Chrome TBA
(Chronological: Razor Flashbacks)
Online Purchasing
Available at iTunes – [ Purchase]
Related Media
Photo Gallery @ BW Media

Blood and Chrome (also known as Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome) is a webisode series that follows the exploits of a young William "Husker" Adama (Luke Pasqualino), Coker Fasjovik (Ben Cotton), and Dr. Becca Kelly (Lili Bordán) during the First Cylon War.

Blood and Chrome is a sequel to Caprica and a prequel to the Re-imagined Series.[2] On the condition that it performed to expectations, it would act as a "backdoor pilot" (much like the Miniseries) for a future series, to be aired either online or through the traditional television route.

The produced story is split into ten parts, each between seven to twelve minutes in length, debuting on Machinima's YouTube channel, Machinima Prime, starting Friday, November 9, 2012. Additional parts were aired over the following four weeks.[1]

Unlike previous installments in the Re-imagined Series universe, Ron D. Moore was not involved in this production due to his development contract with Sony Pictures. However, many of the creative personnel who worked on Blood and Chrome have worked on both the Re-imagined Series and its prequel Caprica, including Michael Taylor, Doug Drexler, Glenne Campbell, David Eick, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, and Jonas Pate.

Production History

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Blood and Chrome was officially announced on 27 July 2010 by Syfy Channel executive vice president of programming Mark Stern as a 10-part webseries using "cutting-edge digital technology and special effects to depict the Cylon War" and following a young William Adama.[3] The plan called for the production of a two-hour pilot written by Battlestar Galactica and Caprica vet Michael Taylor directed by then co-executive producer of Caprica Jonas Pate for release online as a 10-part webseries. It was also revealed that the series would be shot on green screen and utilize computer-generated virtual sets.[4]

In October 2010 it was announced that Blood and Chrome would be upgraded from webseries to "full-blown pilot for a series" based on positive reception of Michael Taylor's script.[5] The announcement prompted speculation that Blood and Chrome was intended to replace ratings troubled Caprica which was currently airing on SyFy. In an interview with Maureen Ryan at Huffpost TV Mark Stern denied this saying, "if anything, Blood & Chrome going to series would only be a great opportunity to pair it with Caprica."[6] Caprica was canceled by SyFy four days later on 27 October 2010.[7]

On 25 October 2010, LA Times Hero Complex published an interview with co-creator and producer David Eick discussing Blood and Chrome and its new characters, particularly Becca Kelly. In the interview, Eick also elaborated on the series' placement relative to Caprica and joked about Ronald D. Moore's lack of involvement in the show's creation.[8]

In a 11 November 2011 radio interview, actor Nico Cortez - who had previously played William Adama in the Razor Flashbacks, also written by Michael Taylor - expressed interest in reprising the role in Blood and Chrome.[9]

On 20 December 2010, concept artwork appeared on SyFy's website blastr depicting the Wild Weasel Raptor, an apparent Cylon-human hybrid, a snowy battle scene, and a possible design for a new Cylon Centurion. The artwork also included a glimpse of a Cylon snake called a "Cython".[10]

Green screen stage with minimal set pieces representing Galactica CIC.

By 26 January 2011 the casting of Luke Pasqualino as Ensign William Adama and Ben Cotton as ECO Coker Fasjovik was announced.[11] The following month on 10 February 2011, it was reported that Lili Bordán had been cast as Becca Kelly, revealed to be "a Ph.D. who worked for Graystone Industries."[12] Other casting additions included Caprica stars Brian Markinson, Zak Santiago, Carmen Moore, and John Pyper-Ferguson as characters unrelated to their previous roles.[13][14]

On 2 February 2011, Mark Stern published a photo of a production meeting for Blood and Chrome showing David Eick and many other crew members on the set of SyFy's Eureka.[15] As of 10 February 2011, production had begun on the pilot on green screen stages in Vancouver, British Columbia.[16] On 13 February 2011, several photos appeared on Carmen Moore's Twitter feed showing the actress with castmates Karen LeBlanc and Adrian Holmes in costume.[17] The photos were subsequently removed.[18]

In a 21 July 2011 interview, Lili Bordán suggested that Blood and Chrome could be presented in 3-D.[19]

In August 2011, Mark Stern revealed at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con that Blood and Chrome was still a work in progress, with many VFX shots still incomplete and a release date yet to be determined. Stern also stated that while executives had seen a rough-cut of the pilot, SyFy was still weighing whether to release the series on television or online.[20]

On 12 November 2011, Doug Drexler reported that all VFX work on Blood and Chrome had been completed.[21] A month later, Drexler indicated that a decision regarding the fate of the series would be made around February 2012.[22]

On 21 March 2012, an unofficial teaser trailer for Blood and Chrome began appearing on YouTube, however NBCUniversal quickly ordered its removal. At that time, several sources revealed that the project would not be moving forward as a TV series on SyFy, but could still be viable as a webseries. It was also stated that the pilot episode could air on SyFy as a standalone television movie.[23][24][25]

While promoting her work on the animated series TRON: Uprising, Number Six actress Tricia Helfer hinted at her involvement in Blood and Chrome, saying "I can't really say without giving away a little surprise, possibly, except to say maybe [there's] a little something I had to do with it." She also expressed her excitement at having seen the leaked teaser.[26]

Bear McCreary announced on 18 February 2012 that he had recently finished scoring the two-hour Blood and Chrome pilot.[27]

Early promotional image released 5 November 12 featuring Luke Pasqualino as Ensign William Adama.

On 5 November 2012, an Entertainment Weekly exclusive revealed SyFy's plans for Blood and Chrome, detailing the pilot episode's division into ten shorter episodes to be aired on Machinima's YouTube channel, Machinima Prime, beginning Friday, November 9, 2012. The additional seven to twelve minute episodes would be released in the following four weeks, with the complete pilot episode airing on SyFy in January of 2013. [28] On 7 November 2012, Machinima Prime released a clip from Blood and Chrome featuring a short scene from the episode. [29] An unrated, uncut Blu-ray and DVD version of the pilot episode was announced on 8 November 2012, with a 19 February 2013 release date. As announced, the Blu-ray and DVD will include deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes documentary, "Blood & Chrome: Visual Effects". [30] The announcement coincided with the release of another teaser trailer featuring additional footage from Blood and Chrome. [31]

On 9 November 2012, CGSociety published an interview with VFX supervisor Gary Hutzel detailing the creation of Blood and Chrome and its 1,800 CGI shots. The article stated that Blood and Chrome carried a budget of $2 million.[32]

Producer David Eick described the "unfortunate rap" Blood and Chrome had received from the long and confused post-production phase in an interview with the LA Times the day parts I & II premiered: "What became public perception was that we were doing a pilot for Syfy channel. Then when Syfy ultimately decided that it was so cool and so tailor-made for exactly the kind of experiment that we initially planned, that came off as 'Oh, Syfy made a Battlestar pilot but they're punting it and not gonna air it.' And that's just not how it came down at all — it just went right back to the original plan."[33]

Regarding the future of Blood and Chrome, Eick stated that he, David Weddle, Bradley Thompson and Jonas Pate had "hatched a next mission".[34]

Plot

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A dorsal view of Galactica as it appeared in the First Cylon War and Blood and Chrome. Note the large array of gun turrets, armour plating and decal on the ship compared to the re-imagined series.

According to co-creator and executive producer Michael Taylor, Blood and Chrome is "about a young man's [William Adama] initiation into war: both the realities of war as fought by soldiers on the ground (and in Battlestars and Vipers), and the somewhat less real version portrayed in the media."

Further, Taylor pointed out that the scope of the series "isn't confined to Galactica. Far from it. It's a story that will take us to new corners of the Battlestar world (or worlds), and yet it aims to be a very contemporary war movie in a lot of ways. I would say I'm thinking as much of Afghanistan and Iraq--the reality of [The] Hurt Locker, Sebastian Junger's Restrepo, and similar movies--as I am about about the largely implied past of Battlestar."

Blood and Chrome was also meant to feature adult situations as, according to Taylor, the series will not "[shy] away from R-rated blood and guts and sex" due to it being initially meant for online consumption. As was the case with The Plan, an unrated, uncut version of Blood and Chrome will appear on Blu-ray and DVD while the webseries and television movie versions will be edited for time and content.

Music and Sound Design

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Musical Approach

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Composer Bear McCreary returned to score Blood and Chrome, marking a significant evolution in his approach to the Battlestar Galactica musical universe.[35] Unlike his work on the Re-imagined Series and Caprica, which relied exclusively on acoustic instrumentation, McCreary introduced electronic synthesizers and heavy electric guitars to create what he described as "the angry, rebellious teenage son of my Battlestar Galactica music."[35]

The decision to incorporate synthetic elements was made to match the more action-oriented and adventurous tone of Blood and Chrome, which "departs from the heavy political and religious subtext of the previous two series and emphasizes action, adventure, sex and aerial dogfights."[35] McCreary worked with legendary guitarist and keyboardist Mike Keneally, known for his work with Frank Zappa and Steve Vai, to create the heavy synthesizer bass lines and distorted guitar parts that would define the score's new sound.[35]

Instrumentation and Production

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The score retained the core ensemble of musicians from previous BSG productions, including Chris Bleth on woodwinds, MB Gordy on taikos and percussion, Paul Cartwright on electric violin, Steve Bartek on electric guitars, Brendan McCreary on vocals, and Raya Yarbrough on vocals.[35] The film's budget of $2 million included approximately 1,800 CGI shots, with extensive post-production work on both visual effects and music.[35]

To blend the synthetic elements with the traditional acoustic instrumentation, McCreary employed innovative recording techniques. For one sequence involving the characters on an ice planet, he conducted the string orchestra in real-time, having players perform tremolo patterns on open strings while he shaped their dynamics through hand gestures, creating "a blurry, beautiful chord" that would have been nearly impossible to notate traditionally.[35]

Thematic Development

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McCreary developed several new musical themes specifically for Blood and Chrome. The Military Theme, originally composed for the BSG episode "33," was adapted to represent Adama's character development and his bonds with fellow soldiers, particularly his relationship with Coker Fasjovik.[35] McCreary chose this theme over the Adama Family Theme because "Adama's relationships in Blood & Chrome are not familial. We are seeing a totally different side of his character."[35]

The Becca Theme was created for Dr. Becca Kelly, featuring piano, gamelan, vibraphone and rhodes to produce "a shimmering, vibrating quality" with harmonies that evolve from mysterious and dissonant to increasingly emotional as her chemistry with Adama develops.[35] The Coker Theme, a simple six-note melody played by bansuri and supported by duduks, was reserved exclusively for the character's emotional moments.[35]

Notable Musical Sequences

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One of the score's most significant moments occurs when Adama first sees Galactica, for which McCreary quoted Stu Phillips' classic "Theme from Battlestar Galactica" from the Original Series. McCreary described this as "the most rousing rendition yet" of the classic theme, augmented with "heavy synths and soaring electric guitars."[35] As Adama peers out of his transport window, McCreary wanted to create "a nearly religious experience" for fans of both the 2004 series and the original 1970s series.[35]

As the scene transitions into the hangar bay, McCreary wrote an elegant vocal line for singer Raya Yarbrough, sung in Latin: "Domini ducem dederunt agmen qui ducat caelorum," which translates to "And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the Caravan of the Heavens." McCreary felt this was "perfectly appropriate text to use as Bill Adama first sets foot inside the Battlestar Galactica."[35]

The film concludes with "Apocalypse: Blood and Chrome," an adaptation of a piece originally written for The Plan. This marked the first time in the BSG universe that a song featured English lyrics, written by Raya Yarbrough and performed by Brendan McCreary, as McCreary wanted to ensure "that listeners immediately understood their meaning."[35] The song combines Brendan McCreary's powerful vocals with Mike Keneally's distorted guitars, while Raya Yarbrough's ethereal vocal layers float above, creating what McCreary considers "one of my favorite cues I've ever composed for the 'BSG' universe."[35]

Recording Techniques and Innovation

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McCreary employed several innovative recording techniques throughout the score. In one notable sequence on the ice planet, he conducted the string orchestra in real-time without written notation, assigning each section (first and second violins, violas, and celli) specific tremolo patterns on open strings. Each player oscillated between their assigned pitches at their own unique speed, creating what McCreary described as "a blurry, beautiful chord."[35] He then shaped the sound by pointing at different sections with his right hand while controlling their energy levels with his left hand, essentially composing the cue in real time while watching the scene.[35]

For the destroyed battlestar Archeron sequence, McCreary created a mournful synthesizer melody doubled with a solo duduk played by Chris Bleth. The mix was carefully balanced so that "the duduk is tucked inside the synth and becomes nearly inaudible," with the synthesizer drawing attention while gaining "an unmistakable humanity" from the duduk's vibrato and the subtle sounds of the player's fingers and breath.[35]

Soundtrack Release

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La-La Land Records released a limited edition CD of the Blood & Chrome score in March 2013, followed by a comprehensive Caprica album in April.[35] The soundtrack includes the complete version of "Coker's Interlude," a classical piano piece performed by Joohyun Park that represents a composition Coker learned as a child. McCreary composed this piece to feel natural and spontaneous, including deliberate mistakes and allowing the music to start and stop based on Coker's body language during the scene.[35]

Cast

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Crew

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hibberd, James (5 November 2012). 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel being released online Friday—EXCLUSIVE (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 5 November 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Syfy Greenlights "Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome" (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). TV By the Numbers (22 October 2010). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome Announced", Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2010. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (22 November 2010). Deadline.com: Four Drama Pilots Land Director (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 23 November 2010.
  5. ↑ SyFy Orders Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome to Series (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). AOL TV (22 October 2010). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  6. ↑ Mailbag: Why Won't SyFy's Mark Stern Just Admit Caprica Is Cancelled? (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). TV by the Numbers (23 October 2010). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  7. ↑ Report: Caprica Cancelled by SyFy (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). TV by the Numbers (27 October 2010). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Boucher, Geoff, "Battlestar movie will introduce Beka Kelly, an enigmatic software genius", Los Angeles Times, 25 October 2010. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Nico Cortez: Bring Me Back to Battlestar (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Airlock Alpha (11 November 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  10. ↑ Concept Art from Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Blastr.com (20 December 2010). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Young William Adama Cast for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Entertainment Weekly (26 January 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  12. ↑ New Character Ties Blood & Chrome to Caprica (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). IGN (10 February 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Esai Morales on Fairly Legal; Brian Markinson for Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Zimbio (February 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  14. ↑ Caprica star John Pyper-Ferguson for 'Alphas' finale (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Digital Spy (20 September 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  15. ↑ Stern, Mark (2 February 2011). Blood & Chrome production meeting photo (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Twitter. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Filming Begins on Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Blastr.com (10 February 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  17. ↑ Battlestar Galactica Reboot Starring Karen LeBlanc, Adrian Holmes Likely Headed to SyFy (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). IndieWire (13 February 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  18. ↑ First Look: Set Pics from the Battlestar Galactica Spinoff (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). GeekWeek (February 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  19. ↑ New SyFy Battlestar Series Could Be Presented in 3-D (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Airlock Alpha (21 July 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  20. ↑ Battlestar Galactica Stars Jamie Bamber on Caprica and Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). AOL TV (22 August 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  21. ↑ Drexler, Doug (12 November 2011). Update on the Update: Time to Get the Mains Back On Line (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Drexfiles (WordPress). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  22. ↑ Doug Drexler Gives an Update on Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome TV Series (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). TrekWeb (17 December 2011). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  23. ↑ Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome Cancelled by SyFy (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Deadline (21 March 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  24. ↑ Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome Not Moving Ahead as a TV Show (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Bleeding Cool (21 March 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  25. ↑ Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome Not Moving Forward as Series (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). E! Online (21 March 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  26. ↑ Tricia Helfer Reveals Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome Spoiler (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). The Insider (March 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  27. ↑ McCreary, Bear (18 February 2012). Blood & Chrome scoring completion announcement (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Facebook. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  28. ↑ http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/11/05/battlestar-galactica-prequel-date/
  29. ↑ http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Battlestar-Galactica-Blood-Chrome-Clip-Shows-Young-Adama-Viper-Maneuvering-Skills-49086.html
  30. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Battlestar-Galactica-Blood-Chrome-Blu-ray/dp/B00A3718IS/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1352428671&sr=1-1&keywords=blood+and+chrome
  31. ↑ http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Battlestar-Galactica-Blood-and-Chrome-Blu-ray-Release-Date-New-Trailer-and-Clip/11589
  32. ↑ Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome VFX Feature (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). CGSociety (9 November 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  33. ↑ "Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome online on purpose", Los Angeles Times, 9 November 2012. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  34. ↑ Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome – David Eick Sets the Record Straight (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). TVOvermind (November 2012). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  35. ↑ 35.00 35.01 35.02 35.03 35.04 35.05 35.06 35.07 35.08 35.09 35.10 35.11 35.12 35.13 35.14 35.15 35.16 35.17 35.18 35.19 35.20 McCreary, Bear (10 February 2013). Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  36. ↑ Boucher, Geoff, "Battlestar movie will introduce Beka Kelly, an enigmatic software genius", Los Angeles Times, 25 October 2010. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
  37. ↑ Dopud, Mike (February 2011). Mike Dopud casting confirmation (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Twitter. Retrieved on 27 July 2025.
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