Admiral Al Calavicci

[Karine]

I love that kind of jokes in that show.

Originally Posted by The Caz

I got another one!

Sam: Don't sneak up on me!
Al: What do you expect a hologram to do?! Knock?!

[The Caz]

I got another one. ^_^

Al: Don't tell me, let me guess, you've been invited to a costume party and your going as a baked potato.

[TessCrazy]

there's this song i wrote called "what they say"... for some reason it always reminds me of Al - i thought you might wanna hear it. here's a link : http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=39040
but if you cant get the player on that site to work for whatever reason, here's a link to the mp3 on my website: http://www.tess.beightons.net/whattheysay.mp3
i think i originaly wrote it about this guy who'd been shoved in jail and was tryin to keep his mind off the horrible reality - but that got me thinkin of how Al coped in the POW camp...
anyway, enjoy

[The_P_Man]

Originally Posted by McDuck

Okay, it doesn't look like the Al thread is coming back :sniff sniff: so I thought I'd create a placeholder for it.

I don't even remember what aspect of his character we'd been discussing last time, so I'll put this question out there:

What about Al (either as seen in the episodes in action during a Leap or aspects of his backstory as revealed during a Leap) do you find the most poignant?

I'll post later with my response.

This is a bit off topic, but since there is already an 'Al' thread, I'd thought I'd post my question. If Al is just an image to Sam when he appears, how come his shadow appears almost in every episode? I mean, if he's not "really" there, then there shouldn't be a shadow, right?

The_P_Man

[The Caz]

Originally Posted by The_P_Man

This is a bit off topic, but since there is already an 'Al' thread, I'd thought I'd post my question. If Al is just an image to Sam when he appears, how come his shadow appears almost in every episode? I mean, if he's not "really" there, then there shouldn't be a shadow, right?

The_P_Man

That's true, but I think back then computers wern't all that so it probs would have been difficult to keep editing stuff out like shadows.
It's when they get it really wrong that annoys me, like in 'Animal Frat' where Al sat on a chair in that meeting place. Why didn't anyone spot that?!

[McDuck]

I always figured Al kept a chair in the IC....so why couldn't he have lined it up with the chair he "sat" on???

[TessCrazy]

dean did a lot of green screen stuff - acting with invisible people. but most of it was done for real and it would have been too much effort to edit out his shadow in all the shots. its just nit picking.

[The Caz]

Originally Posted by McDuck

I always figured Al kept a chair in the IC....so why couldn't he have lined it up with the chair he "sat" on???

Because he just walks in and sits on it. Plus it is the only time he does it.

[Al The Observer]

I read or saw once where they were going to film Dean with the green screen, but he looked too fake. That's why they let him film side by side with Scott. That was from DBP.

[The_P_Man]

Originally Posted by The Caz

That's true, but I think back then computers wern't all that so it probs would have been difficult to keep editing stuff out like shadows.
It's when they get it really wrong that annoys me, like in 'Animal Frat' where Al sat on a chair in that meeting place. Why didn't anyone spot that?!

Shadows are not that big of deal, but it just crossed my mine while watching my season 2 set.

As for Al sitting in the chair in Animal Frat, I think I can explain that. I think Ziggy must have some power in the imaging chamber which enables Al to do 'normal' things. For example, there was this one episode (it may be the pilot), where Sam is flying a plane or something and Al is standing right by the window. (Come to think of it, I think this is the episode where he saves his brother).

Remember how in M.I.A. how it looked like he was actually holding Beth? I figure that was about the same as him sitting in the chair.

Also this whole 'imaging' stuff doesn't make sense when it comes to standing or walking... unless the imaging chamber is holding him, shouldn't he just 'fall' through the ground, too?

The_P_Man

[The_P_Man]

Originally Posted by The Caz

Because he just walks in and sits on it. Plus it is the only time he does it.

No, he also sits in 'Freedom' on the ground with Joseph and Sam in the cave.

The_P_Man

[The Caz]

Originally Posted by The_P_Man

Also this whole 'imaging' stuff doesn't make sense when it comes to standing or walking... unless the imaging chamber is holding him, shouldn't he just 'fall' through the ground, too?

The_P_Man

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I got a pretty good idea. I think the imaging chamber floor moves as Al does, so he is not really moveing, but he is walking. Ans as for positioning, he can position his image so that lined up with the floor. That also explains why he can float, like in 'Leaping in Without a Net.'

Originally Posted by The_P_Man

No, he also sits in 'Freedom' on the ground with Joseph and Sam in the cave.

The_P_Man

Like I said just above, if he can line his images up with the floor, he can sit on the imaging chamber floor and make it look like he's sitting on the floor wherever Sam is. It doesn't work with a chair. When he is sat next to Sam in cars and stuff, he is not really sitting, it just looks like he is. Like in 'Leaping in Without a Net' again, when Sam is driving and Al is sticking out of the roof and Sam says 'Can't you just look like you're sitting next to me?'

[Al The Observer]

Also, in Permanent Wave, he's in the pharmacy with Sam, and they're looking for evidence. He changes his position so he can go down through the floor and look more closely. Sam gets disconcerted and tells him to stop.

[TessCrazy]

Also, in Permanent Wave, he's in the pharmacy with Sam, and they're looking for evidence. He changes his position so he can go down through the floor and look more closely. Sam gets disconcerted and tells him to stop.

lol that bit made me giggle al's like "what??", tis funny to see his little head poking up lol.

[Joy]

Yesterday I watched the "Maybe Baby" episode, and Al said something along the lines of "Babys and animals can see me. Also blonds with verry low IQs can see me....ah...that's just wishful thinking."

anyway, it made me laugh so hard, I couldn't breathe, and ended up falling off my couch.

and my dad used it as a way to get me to stop having my crush on Al...

...but it didn't work...haha, dad, haha.

[jmellissa]

Originally Posted by The Caz

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I got a pretty good idea. I think the imaging chamber floor moves as Al does, so he is not really moveing, but he is walking. Ans as for positioning, he can position his image so that lined up with the floor. That also explains why he can float, like in 'Leaping in Without a Net.'

Like I said just above, if he can line his images up with the floor, he can sit on the imaging chamber floor and make it look like he's sitting on the floor wherever Sam is. It doesn't work with a chair. When he is sat next to Sam in cars and stuff, he is not really sitting, it just looks like he is. Like in 'Leaping in Without a Net' again, when Sam is driving and Al is sticking out of the roof and Sam says 'Can't you just look like you're sitting next to me?'

Humm.... I have thought of this and come to just know that Al sits on the floor of the imaging chamber. There are a few times (can't remember right now from where) that Al sits in ways that he shouldn't. I will have to go find them and bring them back... Al's a hallagram he can do what he wants... right? this is Al were talking about LoL!

[Joy]

Hehehe...ah, the mind of an Al fangirl.

It can be quite the freaky thing...lol

[Al The Observer]

I've always imagined the Imaging Chamber as a sort of a neurological greenscreen. Only blue. And the few times we see him doing an odd thing (walking up or down stairs, for example) I've PCRed it as the stairs being neurologically CGed out.

If that makes any sense.

[newleaper]

Or constant re-centering could explain it.

[jmellissa]

Originally Posted by newleaper

Or constant re-centering could explain it.

Originally Posted by Al The Observer

I've always imagined the Imaging Chamber as a sort of a neurological greenscreen. Only blue. And the few times we see him doing an odd thing (walking up or down stairs, for example) I've PCRed it as the stairs being neurologically CGed out.

If that makes any sense.

Ok so what is "CG" and what is "Constant re-centering" I think I know what CG is but not the other. It would be cool to find out how they did that. I wonder if they were todo the show today if they would make it so all the shadow's and othere things like Al and Sam almost touching and when Al dance'd with Beth. Or would they changed it at all?

[newleaper]

I mean on re-centering, that Al was constantly being centered on Sam. I know this probably isn't correct, as we always get to hear him yell at Gooshie, but it would allow for a tangible explanation. If Gooshie just had the command repeat on a constant loop, Al would appear to be walking up the stair with Sam instead of on a flat surface. (I'm thinking specifically at the end of Catch a Falling Star). The movements wouldn't be perfectly in sync, but it makes enough sense that I don't question it.

[jmellissa]

Originally Posted by newleaper

I mean on re-centering, that Al was constantly being centered on Sam. I know this probably isn't correct, as we always get to hear him yell at Gooshie, but it would allow for a tangible explanation. If Gooshie just had the command repeat on a constant loop, Al would appear to be walking up the stair with Sam instead of on a flat surface. (I'm thinking specifically at the end of Catch a Falling Star). The movements wouldn't be perfectly in sync, but it makes enough sense that I don't question it.

I can't believe that this, but I had to read what you wrote three time before I understood what you ment and then it hit me... if Gooshie centered Al on Sam repeatedly then yes he would look like he was walking up stairs and sitting on chairs. yes, I think this makes sense... . I will have to think on this...

[newleaper]

Sorry, I'm not the best at explaining things.

[jmellissa]

Originally Posted by newleaper

Sorry, I'm not the best at explaining things.

You did just fine! I was just saying that I wasn't getting it at frist. That had nothing to do with how you were explaining things. I say good job!

[GrandmaLeaper]

Originally Posted by jmellissa

Humm.... I have thought of this and come to just know that Al sits on the floor of the imaging chamber. There are a few times (can't remember right now from where) that Al sits in ways that he shouldn't. I will have to go find them and bring them back... Al's a hallagram he can do what he wants... right? this is Al were talking about LoL!

Hi, I have been wanting to add my thoughts on this for a while, (the reason Julie told me to get my own) When we were watching the pilot. Sam and Al are trying to figer how to get Sam home and their waling around talking and Sam say to Al

Sam: Al! I wish you would stop doing that.
Al: What!?
Sam: Walking through things.
Al: Well, you want me to walk around something that isn't even here? all right, I'll walk around it...there, How's that?
Sam: Why-Why isn't it here?
Al: I'm a hologram to you, right? Well you and everything around you is a holorgam to me.
Sam: You're in the imaging chamber.


Here's what I told Julie. The reason that Al is walking up steps and sitting down and stuff like this is because Sam doesn't like Al floating around when He's talking with AL. Here is were Sam told Al that he doesn't really like it when AL walks though things. He asked Al to make it more "real" for him in other shows.

I hope I did ok being new and all.