Wednesday, August 6, 2014

6x03 Praesidium

“NCIS” Star Rocky Carroll Guest Stars as Director Leon Vance
“Praesidium” – The NCIS: LA team takes action to protect one of their own while being interrogated by the Department of Justice. Meanwhile, Nell goes undercover as Hetty, and Director Leon Vance gives Hetty disturbing news while she is in Washington
Courtesy: 
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/ncis-los-angeles/releases/view?id=40802

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It is fourth consecutive story from R S Gemmill. It began with last season ending episode which had the backstopping for Hetty's internal review on the way she handled Afghanistan assignment. Since then, all episodes resonate with Hetty's story alongside the regular NCIS case. The backstopping however develops into full fledged Hetty Story in tonight's episode; and it is going to continue into next week with same story on Hetty.

Episode highlights

  1. Its about Hetty and continues from where we left off in last episode 602-Inelegant Heart. Gemmill continues with his story-telling in back to back episodes. Story on Hetty is always interesting. Mattias is back to avenge himself on Hetty along with some mercenary intentions. After all Hetty is a prized personality, though she is not for sale.
  2. Dennis Smith direction, which I always enjoy.
  3. About the Field Agents personal time when not seen in OSP office. We see Scallen, Densi and Granger.
  4. Familiar turf with all old stories reconnected and recapitulated. Director Leon Vance is back. And all of this makes it an affectionate bonding towards the story.

I liked the episode. And unlike those Hetty's agents, I could guess that Hetty feigned exhaustion and masterminded her exit from the interrogation room.




Episode
6x03 - Praesidium
Praesidium in latin means Protection or Defence and in administrative capacity it means heading organ of various legislative and organizational bodies. It suits Hetty because she has that administrative capacity and being in that high place has well endowed great friends, who also need her protection or defence. However, ironically Hetty the Protector becomes Protected by her boss Leon and her team in OSP LA when she herself becomes target to her enemies.
Who is hunting her down? This is the story of the episode which starts with a break into her house and a fatal assault over her security gaurd.
Writer
Erin Broadhurst & R S Gemmill
It is fourth consecutive story from R S Gemmill. It began with last season ending episode which had the backstopping for Hetty's internal review on the way she handled Afghanistan assignment. Since then, all episodes resonate with Hetty's story alongside the regular NCIS case. The backstopping however develops into full fledged Hetty Story in tonight's episode; and it is going to continue into next week with same story on Hetty.
This way Gemmill is also training other young writers to come onboard with their own stories.
Director
Dennis Smith
Love his direction. Simple and neat.
Editor
***

Episode Summary
There is a break into one of Hetty’s residences known as Dovecoat. Her Security gaurd dies in the process of defending the break in and assault on him by two intruders.
Hetty’s interrogation with Congressmen Thomas continues and so do the interrogations continue for the rest of the team. Interrogation starts with Granger, then Eric Beale, Sam and ends with Kensi. While Callen escapes arrest through the boathouse trapdoor, Deeks is spared from interrogation even though he is willing to be interrogated after Kensi. Interesting! as why Deeks was spared? Is it because he is not an agent?!!! I can only wonder.
By the end of the episode we get to know that Leon had information on Hetty that she was in danger and so he orchestrated Hetty’s internal review investigation of the Afghanistan White Ghost Case handling so that he can fish out Hetty’s enemies once Hetty is forced to leave LA and go to Washington. Her Agents in OSP office find out that her German peer turned enemy Mattias is after Hetty’s life.

MattiasDraeger was previously introduced by Gemmill in 2x09-Absolution as the Post Cold War Era East German Agent who was after a diary full of Agents names in possession with a collector who happened to trade that with Hetty's Protection C , another East German spy. In 2x10-Deliverance, Hetty's team had warned Mattias never to bother Hetty again else he shall invite the team's wrath.

Guest Actor Aisha Hinds role was brilliant as Special Investigator from Department of Justice. It is entertaining to watch her deal with the OSP staff and its unruly, smart, evasive and disobedient Agents. Its fun watching those scenes.

To be continued…..
NCIS Personnel Highlights / Bull Pen Fun
How does Granger spend his nights?  Watch the episode. What do Densi, Callen and Sam do in their mornings? Watch the episode. Nothing new.
A continuing theme of Season 5 ending episode interpersonal relationship of the Agents, their bosses and the Ops Team members. On the same grounds, Granger, Callen, Sam, Deeks, Kensi, Nell and Eric Beale are shown. You can read same section of my Season 5 Ending Episode Deep Trouble Part 1. To be specific, Sam is exercising, Callen is shaving his head, Densi are lazing on the couch and that is how they have been spending the night and putting themselves to sleep and Granger is in bed with someone. So Granger has life other than Agenting.
Ops Manager/s
OPs Manager Hetty Lange
Asst Director Owen Granger
Director Leon Vance
While Granger is handling the mission at OSP Office, higher up  Leon Vance has been trying to find why Hetty’s pvt detail has been compromised. He has started the entire investigation on her with the purpose to put her in tight security so that she is protected and is not harmed by anyone. But Hetty is relentless and she finds a way to escape from the interrogation room by feigning faint due to stress and exhaustion. If Hetty has been smart to get her freedom back to find out who are chasing her, Director Leon Vance uses his full authority and again keeps Hetty in his captivity to keep her protected and finally reveals himself to her, what he knows about her private detail being compromised. Mattias is back. We had last seen him in season 2.
Partnership 1-
G Callen & Sam Hanna
Bromance. Nothing but bromance. Callen’s growth of character concerning his bonding with Hetty vis-a-vis his role of the team leader is well played out.
Callen and Sam brothers as ever, Callen showing more and more traits of Deeks which just for Sam’s ridicule makes him tone down his Deeks’s attributes.  
Callen like old times can do anything for Hetty. But seems now his partner and team’s words matter to him. We see less of Callen the loner and more of the team player who has learned to trust his team’s inputs. Consequently, he quells his emotions even if it is Hetty’s life that is at stake and sticks to team plan.
Partnership -2
Marty Deeks - LAPD Liaison Officer
Kensi Blye -Special Agent
Densi are partners for life, even if that means them not saying they are lovers, because each cannot handle loss of their loved one. And they think pain can be limited if they are not each other’s weaknesses but are each others supportive strengths. It so transparently shows out in today’s episode about their body language and verbal communication with their comfort levels and empathetic emotions towards each other .
Ops Room  Partnership
Eric Beale- Tech Operator
Nell Jones - Intelligence Analyst
I loved Eric’s evasive smartness in tonight’s episode. How he handles his interrogation is absolute fun to watch. Must watch scene.
Nell goes undercover as Hetty to bait Hetty’s assailants. She ends up killing one of the assailant in self-defence. Though Nell does not compromise the case with her grit and determination, it is certainly a trigger to her mental balance with the repetitive strenuous handing of the pressures on the job which includes killing people. I admired Nell’s action in the field, but seems we are hitting on to see and tackle Nell’s breakdown.
Afghanistan White Ghost Story
Hetty & Kensi

RS Gemmills Story from 5x10 until 5x19 Episodes
Hetty is called to Washington to explain the White Ghost mission’s deviations from the normal handling, which also includes the risking of other Agents lives plus money spent on the mission. Kensi once again has a painful moment recollecting her time of captivity and moments of torture with the Taliban men.
While Directior Vance explains to Hetty that it is nothing serious to put her at ease, Deeks takes care of Kensi and asks her not to try forgetting what happened to her back there and instead gradually accept it that it had happened.
Guest Characters
Dept of Justice Interrogation Team
Congressman Thomas, Congresswoman Ann Jones and Special Investigator Ava Wallace entertain us. They are continuing from last episode. Interesting interaction with NCIS LA OSP members and fun to watch those scenes.
Others/GK
Lot of past references 2x09-Absolution, 2x10-Deliverance, 3x22-Raven&Swans,  Season5 Afghanistan Story, All Gemmill's stories

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In crew's terms this is known as 602-124
The Production Crew has different numbers than what later becomes the air sequence. Season 5&6 Production Schedule had extra episodes shot for consecutive seasons. This changes the order of produced Episode and Telecasted Episode. 602-124 realistically becomes 603-123 for Viewers.

Production Planning and Rollout - Prepping - 7 Business days days | Shooting -7 Business days | Post Production - 7 Business days | Promotions - 2 weeks before Air date

Story writing/Script : 
by 3rd August 2014
Prepping - 4th Aug to 13th Aug 
  1. Concept Meeting - 
  2. Departmental Meetings : Video Effects Meeting, Stunts and Special Effects Meeting, Casting, Costumes 
  3. Location/Tech Scouting : 
  4. Table Read : End of Prepping and before shooting starts 
Shoot Schedule : 14th Aug to 25th Aug
Post Production : 26th Aug to 5th Sep

Press Release : Storyline - 25th Sep 2014 |Photos - 1st Oct 2014
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/ncis-los-angeles/releases/view?id=40802
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/ncis-los-angeles/photos/?episode=7595

Promotions: CBS
CBS2 Air Date : Oct 13th 2014.
CBS2 Rating : 


Credits
Writer : Erin Broadhurst & R S Gemmill
Director : Dennis Smith

1st Assistant Director : **
2nd Asst Director: **

Co Producer: Christopher J Molnar, Chad W Murray, Jordana Lewis Jaffe
Producer : Joseph C Wilson, Eric Whitmyre, David Bellisario, Rick Tunell
Consulting Producer : Joe Sachs, Gil Grant

Story Editing: Joseph C Wilson
Supervising Producer : 
Kyle Harimoto
Co-Executive Producer : 
Dave Kalstein, Frank Military
Executive Producer : John Peter Kousakis, R Scott Jemmill
Assistants to Executive Producer : Chad Mazero , Samantha Chasse and Sarah K Mosse

Production Designer: Thomas Fichter
Director of Photography : Victor Hammer
Editing : *****
Music : Jay Ferguson

Unit Production Manager : Rick Tunell
Casting : Suzanne Bluestein. CSA|Jason Kennedy CSA
Casting Associates : Meredith Forney and Krysty Baxter
Costume Designer: Darry Levine
Art Director : Anthony Parrillo
Set Decorator : Michele Poulik
Property Master : Steven B Melton
Make-up Artist : Chris Burgoyne
Hair Stylist : Brooks Stenstrom

Production Coordinator : Laura P Napoli
Assistant Prod Coordinator : Adam Rex

Set Production Assistant : Jimmy Ramirez
Production Accountant : Mathew Klipper
1st Production Accountant : Dana Micahaelsen
Art Department Coordinator :
Location Manager : Tony Salome
Stunt Coordinator : Troy Brown
Special Effects Supervisor : Don Frazee
Production Sounds Mixer : David M Schneider
Construction Coordinator: Mike Brooks
Construction Assistant : Krista Schoenbaum
Transportation Coordinator : Dave Bassett
Script Supervisor : Diana Valentine
Script Coordinator : Jimmy Donchey
A Camera Operator : Russell McEllhatton
B Camera Operator : Terence Nightingall
Gaffer : David B Jarell
Key Grip : Jeryll L Marshall

Assistant Editor : John McKnight
Post Production Supervisor : Dillom Gemmill
Sound Supervisor: Wilson Dyer MPSE
Post Production : Digital Film Tree
Post Production Sound : Larsen Studios
Re recording Mixer : Chris Haire CAS, Alexey Mohr
Online editor : Jacob Tillman
VFX Supervisor : Dylan Chudzynski
Colorists : Patrick Woodard
Music Supervisor : Mark Wiki
ADR Supervisor : Jay Keiser
Sound Effects Editor : Kevin Fischer
Theme by : James S Levine
Technical Advisor : Osama Shofani USMC (ret)
Multi Media Coordination : Justin Maradiegue
Specialized Imagery, Software and Promotional Consideration : Furnished by Lockheed and Pictometry International Corporation


Sponsored by Microsoft Corporation

Cast
SERIES REGULARS:

Chris O’Donnell (NCIS Special Agent G. Callen)
LL COOL J (NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna)
Linda Hunt (Henrietta "Hetty” Lange)
Daniela Ruah (NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye)
Eric Christian Olsen (LAPD Detective Marty Deeks)
Barrett Foa (Tech Operator Eric Beale)
Renée Felice Smith (NCIS Intelligence Analyst Nell Jones)
Miguel Ferrer (NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger)


GUEST CAST:

Rocky Carroll : (NCIS Director Leon Vance)
Aisha Hinds : (Chief Investigator Ava Wallace)
John Heard : (Special Congressional Investigator Michael Thomas)
Eddie Shin : (Matthew Ogilvie)
Jason Manuel Olazabal : (Craig Lennox)
Amol Shah : (Team Member)
Cuyle Carvin : (Beckett)
Biana Lopez : (EMT) 
Marybeth Massett : (Congresswoman Ann Jones)
Neil Colin : (David “Duke” Fletcher)

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Twitter News


Check out ECO and Gemmill's Breakdown of the scene in Mashable: Hilarious and genuine.



Really cool concept by mashable check out the article at…


The team is safe, but Mattias is still out there. Thanks fans for following along and for watching our episode. I had a blast!


Hetty at the DC Hotel on the phone with Nell was our very first scene of the episode. Began and ended the shoot with Linda!

This ambulance scene was the last scene of the episode. Fun to end the episode with the amazing Ms. Hunt.

John Heard from Home Alone playing the nosey Congressman Thomas: FACT: was one of the camera operators!


The wig is off! Nell means business! Stay safe, guys!!


and had me tearing up during this scene. Looking forward to more Densi moments!

kept the crew rolling with some improvs on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum....Tandem bike riding, anyone?


Hi ! Rocky and our crew rocked it here at the museum after a long day shooting the car chase.

staytuned tonight. is presenting an exciting, suspenseful Episode. directed by





New Episode Tonight !

New Episode Tonight ! Linda Hunt


What. Is. Happening?! RT : New Episode Tonight !


Catch tonight at 10pm on


Episode 2 of Season 6 airs tonight! "Inelegant Heart" written by R. Scott Gemmill. Tune in tonight!


Not sure yet about airdates, but I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks for all of your kind words!


That's a wrap for 602! My first episode of television is in the can and I couldn't be happier.


I think this needs no caption. Via ericcolsen mondays at 10 on season 6!


The Edge car is here today. You know what that means.

Day 5 of Episode #602...it's 8:15 and the crew's still going strong!


Before the gunfire. Losing followers - too busy to tweet. Argh! directs preps.


On set thinking about the incredible, diverse fans of this show! We do it for YOU! Have a great day.


today, car chases, shoot outs, danger. Yahoo!


E601 is complete. It's at the helm of 602, now. is on deck, prepping E603, tomorrow. is Rockin'


Nell! Don't go in the bathroom! Ep#602 - Production Meeting today, shoot tomorrow.


New location for us.


Ok, scouting ep while waiting to edit first . Busy start to season but very excited about story lines.
Can't wait until you guys see what we've been up to! Excited for my first ep! Season 6!


Director Dennis Smith is back. written by You're going to like this one.


Day 3 with . Deep into scouting ep#602. Linda is working hard.

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