Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 531

August 1, 2011: Maximus…

I noticed the change in Maximus several weeks ago.  Normally possessed of an appetite characteristic of most pugs, he would scoff down treats on sight, snapping up kibble, liver brownies, and fingertips with equal relish.  And then suddenly, three weeks ago, something changed.  While he didn't exactly turn down the treats, he no longer attacked them with the same gusto.  Rather than wolf them down as fast as he could, he seemed deliberate, almost cautious in his approach – carefully sniffing and disposing of them with a slow, extended chew.  It was enough to tip me off that something was wrong.  Over the course of the next couple of days, I observed him more closely and noticed other changes in his behavior.  Always the first one to finish his meals, wolfing down his breakfasts and dinners as if they'd be the last ones he ever eat, Max suddenly seemed less enthusiastic about what was set down in front of him.  He always seemed considerably slower on his daily walks, lagging behind even Jelly with her hip dysplasia.  Max had always been the most laid-back of the foursome, preferring to spend the better part of the day in his doughnut bed or lying about in the sun, but even his typical laziness seemed fervent compared to the lethargy he was exhibiting.

I made an appointment and took him in last week.  During the check-up the vet appeared to discover the problem: a broken tooth that had led to an abscess.  No wonder he couldn't eat and had been so unlike himself.  He was in, no doubt, a great deal of pain.  The vet sent us home with antibiotics, pain meds, and a scheduled dental surgery the following Monday.

I hate bringing my dogs in for surgery, particularly Jelly and Maximus who cower and tremble, gazing out at you longingly as if to say "Please, don't leave me!" and "What'd I do?!", but if dental surgery was going to get Maximus back to his old self then it had to be done.

 I dropped him off Monday morning, then headed off to set where I awaited word.  Finally, some time after lunch, the doctor called to inform me the surgery had been a success and that Maximus was doing fine.  They'd had to remove two teeth in addition to two masses inside his mouth.  The latter had been sent out for testing.  To be honest, I wasn't that concerned.  Throughout his life, Maximus had been prone to these mystery masses that seemed to sprout out everywhere -on his belly, on his back, between the pads of his paws – but test after had shown every one of them to be benign.  So really, I thought, why should this time be any difference.

Maximus returned home and, in the hours after his surgery, almost seemed to be his old self.  His appetite seemed to pick up as did the pace of his walk.  I'd completely forgotten about the outstanding test results until I received a message from the animal clinic asking me to call them back.  I did.  The technician informed me the doctor wanted to go over Maximus's test results with me.  I asked if everything was alright, a question that, curiously, seemed to catch her off guard.  She stumbled a little, then suggested the doctor would be able to answer my questions.  "Should I bring Maximus?"I asked her.  "No,"she informed me, "the doctor just wants to talk to you."

And so, I went to the animal clinic where we discussed the test results.  Afterwards, I had the doctor forward me the histopathology report.  "You were hoping for something benign and I am going to give you some really bad news,"it read.  "This is malignant melanoma."  Then, after a detailed explanation of the type of tumor we were dealing with: "These tumors are dangerous both because of locally invasive and recurrent growth, and because of a very high metastatic risk to lymph node and then lung."

I've made an appointment to have Maximus seen by a specialist, a canine oncologist at Guelph University.  There, they'll run a battery of tests to get a better sense of what we're dealing with after which they'll be able to suggest some treatment options.  Provided the cancer hasn't already spread to his lungs in which case, the doctor informs me, the prognosis is not good.

Rather than wait around, I set aside less pressing concerns to surf the web in search of alternative/homeopathic treatments and came up with a list of safe, natural remedies that anecdotal evident suggests can help (and, at the very least, can't hurt).  We'll see how he responds.

I'm still a little stunned.  This same time last year, I thought Jelly was on her last legs.  Suffering from hip dysplasia, arthritic joints, and a spinal condition, she was barely able to walk, much less squat to pee.  I thought I was out of options – until I came across an article on the surprising results of stem cell treatments for dogs and horses.  I looked into it and, with the help of the fine folk at Vet-Stem, proceeded with the treatment given the understanding that results vary.  Well, one year later and not only is she squatting and walking, she's actually charging down the corridor in albeit wobbly form.

Here's hoping for a second miracle.

Tagged: pugs

July 31, 2011: Lunch with Jane! Dinner with Jewel and Marty G.! Sort of!

I took some time off from the rewrite today to take in not one but two terrific meals.  The first was brunch with the lovely Jane McLean (Charisse in The Time Traveler's Wife, Tammy Okama on Dexter, Jane Richards on Terminal City, and – soon – Fiona Rivers on The Transporter) at Mildred's Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village, a quaint little neighborhood in the city's west end.  Our chat veered from the personal to the professional, covering everything from food and family to producing and pitching for television.  Jane is smart, talented, ambitious but, most important of all, well-grounded, and I have no doubt she'll be accomplishing much much more in the not too distant future.

My Huevos Monty: black bean refritos & sharp cheddar cheese baked in flour tortillas and topped with eggs sunny, fresh salsa & avocado creme fraiche. As good as it looks!

After brunch, it was downtown to run errands.  Among the things I had to pick up today: an electric tea kettle, a gift for Keiko, new sweat pants, and -

A peanut buster parfait. Meh. Soft serve never tastes quite right. In terms of both texture and flavor, it's about as synthetic as you can get. I also take issue with its refusal to melt like proper ice cream.

So the other night, on our way to have dinner with Mike, we happened by a restaurant called Marben that was advertising a monthly pig roast dinner.  I immediately thought of the wonderful Whole Hog dinners I enjoyed at Fuel/Refuel over the years and wasted no time in making a reservation.

Well, tonight we went in for our pig feast.  It was family style serving – a pork platter of various cuts including shoulder, belly, crispy spin, and select pieces from the head and neck area – accompanied by several side dishes including some amazing baked beans, just fine green beans, and marvelous swiss chard.  As for the pork – delicious!  I was working my way through the feast when Akemi warned me to slow down and save room for the next dish.  "What next dish?"I asked her.  "This is it."  She thought I was kidding.  "There is no next dish,"I repeated.  She still thought I was kidding.  Three more rounds of this and it finally dawned on her that THERE WAS NO NEXT DISH.  She was evidently expecting the meal to play out along the lines of the aforementioned Fuel/Refuel Whole Hog Dinner – several different plates featuring different parts of the pig (ie. crispy pig ear with salsa verde, pig tail consomme, crispy brain with fried green tomato, birch syrup milk chocolate pie with candied bacon, etc.).  While she may not have loved the meal, I thought it great and will definitely be making a return visit.

For dessert: the house ice cream sandwiches! Highly recommended.

Also in attendance that night, coming in about an hour after our seating…

Hey! It's Marty G.!

And the gorgeous Jewel Staite.

It's a veritable Stargate reunion in Toronto!  And it just keeps getting bigger.  The cavalry heads into town tomorrow night in the form of my buddy Carl Binder who'll be riding in to lend us some much-needed support on The Transporter.  Also got word from Michael Shanks that he'll be coming back into town to film a guest spot on another locally-shot series – well in advance of his planned return for the August Fan Expo (August 25th-28th) with wife Lexa Doig.  Get your tickets now!

July 30, 2011: Dinner with Mike!

I spent much of the day working on that damn rewrite of Payback, taking a break only to check out the lame Caribana Fest that offered up eight-dollar jerk chicken sandwiches and corn on the cob as a presumed "taste of islands".  So much for the oxtail, curried goat, and plantain I was expected.  Screw it.  I ended up going to Rodney's Oyster House for an oyster po'boy, then Soma for chocolates – and back home for a healthy second helping of rewrite.

Tonight, it was off to Scarpetta.  "Scarpetta?!"you say.  "Why?  Was someone in town?".  Well, as a matter of fact, yes.  Mike Dopud (who, you may know remember, played the role of Varro in Stargate: Universe) is in town, doing some stunt work on Total Recall.  He was just in Montreal doing a guest spot on Blue Mountain State in which he plays a very colorful character.  Don't want to say too much but judging from the pics of his wardrobe, I'd say he had a blast doing it.

Anyway, it was great to catch up with Mike.  We talked Stargate, our old stomping grounds of Montreal, our new hometown of Vancouver, and Mike's hair-raising close shaves in his days as a club bouncer (check out the scars!).  And we also enjoyed a mighty fine dinner…

Akemi came armed.

Onion Varietals with goat cheese, pine nuts, and agro dolce. My favorite starter. Well, it's actually part of the vegetarian menu but any item in a vegetarian menu can be considered a starter so far as I'm concerned.

Akemi's favorite, the rosemary scialatielle with lobster, basil, and lentils. Technically, her favorite on this menu - but she still prefers the black pasta we had at the Scapetta in Vegas.

Believe it or not, I passed on the Amedei chocolate cake in favor of the restaurant's fab coconut panna cotta.  Seriously.  Also sampled a new dessert item – their version of a Baba au Rhum that proved disappointingly dry and lacking the sumptuous rum and cream-saturation characteristic of every other version I've tried. The only real misstep of the night.

Anyway, great to see Mike and, hopefully, we'll get the chance to work together again sometime in 2012 back in Vancouver.

I've got something in mind…

Tagged: Mike Dopud

July 29, 2011: The Transporter – Episode #2 – 12 Hours – Day #3!

Check it out! Director Bruce McDonald shows off a new book on his 1996 punk rock "docu" classic: Hardcore Logo.

We were back at TIFF today for the third day of production on episode #102: 12 Hours.  The usual cast of characters were in attendance…

Tara and Robert compare their favorite lines from the script.

Tim Bider was on hand to supervise the tweaking of the signage. Under his watchful eye, TIFF INFO was magically transformed into ROUSSEAU INFO.

Tara feels she's been getting a bad rap on this blog, so she demonstrates her affable side by offering me a breakfast sandwich. I had to set it aside for a few minutes and, while I was attending to other business, our 4th A.D. Lamont ate it. Curiously, he ended up having to go home, suffering from stomach cramps and explosive diarrhea.

Blocking the fight sequence.

Director Bruce McDonald at the helm.

Director of Photography Derick Underschultz spies on the office girls across the hall.

We were shooting in an actual office building and I came across this awesome note in the company kitchen. I mean, seriously. Who would do that?!

2nd A.D. Patrick, the eternal optimist.

Kaitlin Janisse - our Rachel - all business.

Greg Bryk as the villainous Carson Bernhardt.

Bruce at the wheel.

Sassy Erin Daprato from Costumes - Stargate fan! And a fan of Michael Shanks!

Tireless Tara Yelland. What a work ethic!

I stopped by Soma and picked up chocolates for the gang.

Eventually, we head down to the parking garage for the final sequence of the night…

The car stunt coordinator and his drivers hogged the Lamborghini. When it was finally my turn, they called it a wrap and told me I'd have to wait until next week. And I'd bought a special driving hat and everything!

I also sprung for Booster Juice. The second I walked in the door, they descended on me like a pack of wild dingoes. Pictured above, the head dingo is distracted from her feast.

Director Bruce McDonald on a roll.

Simon, Julia, and Robert celebrate another awesome day's shoot.

Shooting the start of the chase sequence.

The weekend is upon us and, finally, I can relax.

Just as soon as I finish that damn rewrite.

Tagged: Bruce McDonald, The Transporter

July 28, 2011: The Transporter – Episode #2 – 12 Hours – Day Two!

Let's kick off today's entry with a (sort of) pic of Tara Yelland – actress, entertainer, stupendous stand-in, and princess (For real!)…

Tara insists she was defamed in yesterday's entry so I feel the need to post a retraction: While she did call me non-Paul, berated my t.v. viewing choices, listed America's Next Top Model as one of her favorite shows, AND didn't get me a ham sandwich, she wasn't exactly lazy. No, she didn't chop vegetables like Robert, but she did contribute to blocking the Frank and Carla driving scenes and the poolside sit - in the case of the latter, braving a dangerously rickety patio chair in the process.

Rob stocks up in anticipation of THE BIG ONE!

A toast. To the Executive Producer!

We started the morning with the reception area so that we could shoot out Francois Berleand who heads back to France today.  Another great Tarconi scene. Apparently, before leaving, Francois let it be known that he had a terrific time on set, in no small part due to his interaction with Director Bruce McDonald (who seems to be gaining a lot of fans amongst the cast and crew).

Of course you all recognize the Rousseau Electronics logo.

Director Bruce McDonald dreams big!

Robert Morse hits his mark.

Too busy today to get any work done on the Payback rewrite.  Just like yesterday.  So far, I'm 0-2 with ten days to go before I prep my next block.

You do the math.

Anna and Damion discuss...actually, don't recall what they were discussing. May have been red leotards and leather kilts. Really.

Tim tries to steal another sign.

The view out the window offers a taste of Nice.

Stephanie preps the playback. En francais, s'il vous plait.

Hmmm. Bruce considers his next shot.

Director Bruce McDonald and Director of Photography Derick Underschultz arrive at a consensus.

Tara, still refusing to put in a blog reappearance. Sassy, no?

We were about to shoot our first scene in Rousseau's office when the dulcet strains of a street corner musician rose up to greet our first take.  We waited while someone went downstairs to talk to the guy (pay him to go away?).  It reminded Rob of an experience he had when he was shooting something downtown across from a condom shop. Apparently, the owner of the condom shop was playing some loud music.  The production asked him to turn it down.  He refused. They offered him $50.  He demanded $850.  They refused.  He turned up the music REALLY LOUD.  They caved.

We were shooting at the elevators so these guys had to wait a while before they could go down to the lobby. They were all: "This is an outrage!". And I was like: "Seriously. Where does that guy have to be?"

Another thumbs-up day from Bruce.

We actually finished early today.  Our first early day!  That's the good news.

The bad news?

I think the production may be haunted.

More on that in the coming days…

July 27, 2011: The Transporter – Episode #2 – 12 Hours – Day One!

Kicking off today's entry with a pic of Damion Saliani from Costumes - mainly because his wife reads this blog on a daily basis and will apparently go bananas when she sees this.

Up at 5:30 a.m. this morning to walk the dogs and get in for the first blocking.  It was Day #1 of Episode #102, 12 Hours, and I wanted to make sure I was there on time: a) for my director, Bruce McDonald, b) for my cast, c) for my crew, and, most importantly, d) for breakfast.

I arrived with plenty of time to spare.  Approximately 45 minutes to spare.  And so, I ended up doing a little work in the office before strolling over to our standing sets.

First up today were two scenes with actor Francois Berleand (Inspector Tarconi).  He was brilliant – picking up where he left off in the the Transporter film series, crafting a character both amusing and incredibly endearing.

Director Bruce McDonald. Hot! Hot stuff!

Tara Yelland and Robert Morse, our stand-ins. HE was incredibly nice, even going so far as to grab me a ham sandwich as time ticked past dinner. SHE referred to me as "not-Paul" (a reference to my writing partner who was on set producer for the last episode), then berated my television viewing choices (this despite the fact that she never misses an episode of America's Next Top Model).

VFX Supervisor Brendan Taylor. Disclaimer: His head isn't really this big.

Check out the lazy stand-ins. We ended up sending Robert over to the Frank set to chop vegetables. Really.

Those veggies in their pre-chopped state.

After finishing up with Frank's house, we moved to Carla's office for Chris Vance and Andrea Osvart's first scene together.  Wow!  Talk about onscreen chemistry.  These two spark and sizzle together.  Tough and charming meets strong and sexy.  It's going to be a lot of fun writing for them this season.

Our studio Audi rigged to ride.

1st A.D. Simon Board and Director Bruce McDonald prepare to change into their swim trunks and go for a dip.

Running through the Int. Audi scenes.

It's like they're ready for prom.

Happened across this guy on my way back to the production offices for lunch. Think he may figure into the episode's climax.

We finished up the office scene after lunch, and then it was over to our rigged Audi for the interior car sequences.  We ended up blazing through the driving sequences and, defying the odds (and Brendan's pessimistic prediction), finished our day on time.

Congrats to the cast, crew, and the fast and fantastic Bruce McDonald!

Bruce Almighty!

Got home for 8:30, exhausted yet upbeat.  It was very good day. Except for the fact that I got no writing done on my rewrite of Payback. Not at all sure when I'm going to find the time.  I think I might leave the script out on my coffee table overnight in the hopes that the script elves pay me a visit.  I know it's a longshot but at this point I'm willing to try anything.

July 26, 2011: The Maximus Update! A Chocolate Surprise! One Final Field Trip! Prep Ends and Production Begins on 12 Hours!

Thanks to those who sent their well-wishes and expressions of concern for Maximus.  He went in for his emergency dental surgery yesterday during which he had two teeth and a tumor(!) removed.  I'm happy to report he is on the mend, on meds, and back to his typical gluttonous, voracious, mud-eating, food-slurping self.

See?  Much better.

Look at what I received yesterday!  The package included chocolate-covered pretzels, ginger chocolate, salted caramels, peanut butter chocolate bacon, dark chocolate bacon and – my favorite – dark chocolate-dipped potato chips.  They were compliments of Steve and Jodi in Vancouver who are not only very good friends, but very good at reading between the lines.  Thanks, guys!

The final day of prep for 12 Hours saw us boarding the early morning bus for a trip to Hamilton and the second part of our tech survey…

Field trip! YEAAAAAH!

Back at the Devil's Punch Bowl. We're talking about using a crane and a descender. The latter worked beautifully in The Prodigal.

Director Bruce McDonald takes everyone through the vineyard scene.

Once we were done, Anna and I walked over to the big red barn by the side of the road and stocked up on butter tarts, pecan tarts, peanut butter squares, brownies, and chocolate-coconut squares…

We had our cast read-thru after lunch.  Everyone loved the script – fast-paced, funny, and very exciting.  Kudos to my buddy Carl Binder.  And a big welcome to some of the fantastic guest stars who'll be appearing in this episode: J.P. Manoux, Ennis Esmer, and Greg Bryk.  If that table read was any indication, this one is going to be a lot of fun.

An early start to the day tomorrow as we kick off production on episode #102 (12 Hours).  That's a 7:00 a.m. main unit call.  We're on our standing sets, in and around Frank's place, Carla's office, and the Audi interior.  Green screen, plates, and lighting challenges will not doubt make for a long and involved afternoon. This will be my first full day on set with the dashing Chris Vance and the drop-dead-gorgeous Andrea Osvart, both of whom have been absolutely amazing in dailies.  I was in editing this afternoon checking out one of Andrea's scenes.  Me: "Holy smokes!".  Editor: "Yeah."  Nothing more needed to be said.

Also tomorrow = Tarconi cooks!  Actor Francois Berleand was trying to decide what he wanted to prepare for the scene.  I suggested tete de veau.  He laughed then, suddenly dead serious, proceeded to run through its proper preparation.  I love this guy.

July 25, 2011: The Transporter Tech Suvey (Episode #102: 12 Hours)!

Can I just say how much I like the people I'm working with on this production.  All very nice, very creative, very hardworking individuals.

Today, we all went on a bit of a group field trip to take in some of the locations we'll be visiting for episode #102, 12 Hours…

The alley where Frank meets Ogilvey and co.

Director Bruce McDonald fills everyone in on how he envisions the scene unfolding.

After pitching out an inspired step-by-step/blow-by-blow throwdown, Fight Choreographer Cyril Raffaelli films the location from all angle. He'll no doubt study the footage later as he perfects the sequence.

Cyril's right-hand man, Momo, takes note.

Director Bruce McDonald runs everyone through one of the security guard beats.

Simon stands in for Rousseau's secretary. Sadly, his imaginary typing skills leave much to be desired.

Our hero Frank (played by the dashing Bruce McDonald) confronts Rousseau's Secretary (played by the demure Simon).

I catch Tim trying to make off with the 4.

The site of our seedy nightclub.

I drove myself to the next location, the clean room, only to discover a production was already shooting there. We had to wait until they broke for lunch before doing our tour. No sign of Erika.

July 24, 2011: Night Market!

Yesterday, we hit the Toronto version of the Chinese Night Market.

And I happened to have my camera with me…

What I at first assumed was an offensive waft coming off the porta potties was, in fact, this place: Wei's Smelly Tofu. Didn't get around to sampling the goods but I can confirm it was appropriately named.

As was this place. Check out the guy in the bask. Apparently, not even he can stand the smell of his own cooking.

Akemi enjoyed something a little more staid: buttered corn on the cob. Meh.

Fondy joined us for this outing. It always helps to have a lot of back-up on these culinary expeditions. This allows you to sample a wide variety of things. Here, we sat down to some jerk chicken and ox-tail. Gotta say, I've never met an ox-tail dish I haven't liked.

This was surprisingly good - incredibly moist and flavorful. They've got a place on College. Will have to check 'em out.

A variety of toasts, from sweet to savory. I dunno. It's a Hong Kong thing.

I went with the vanilla ice cream, nutella, and bacon bits. Alas, the bacon didn't work for me here. The nutella? Well, that works for me anywhere.

The highlight of the night: the deep-fried Mars Bar.

And then it started to rain - at which point everyone get very intimate under the food tents.

So how did the Toronto Night Market compare to the Vancouver version?  Pros: Offered several food items not available back in Van, like the Caribbean fare and deep-fried Mars Bars.  Cons: Not as big, food not as varied, and few merchant shops.  Akemi was really looking forward to picking up four pairs of socks for ten bucks.

I spent much of the day going over the two scripts I'll be producing after 12 Hours.  Sharks is a road show and boarding long, but Payback is much more manageable given that much of this episode's action takes place at one grand location.  With a few adjustments  - changing the industrial complex pick-up to a forest meet, making the garage confrontation an exterior scene, and switching the location of the op – I think I can get both episodes to board comfortably within the days alloted.  And who knows.  If I get really lucky, we can knock off a half day early and go to Bier Markt for the afternoon.  There's this Rogue Double Chocolate Stout I've been meaning to check out…

July 23, 2011: Working on The Transporter 24/7! Cyril Raffaelli and Mohammed "Momo" Elachi! Maximus on the mend?

Great.  I'm working on The Transporter at the office.  I'm working on The Transporter at home.  Now, I'm working on The Transporter in my dreams.  Last night, I dreamt I was on set, producing episode #102 (12 Hours) when we ran into a mini emergency of sorts.  One of the actors playing the part of Thug #2 had failed to show.  Fortunately, series Fight Choreographer Cyril Raffaelli had a solution.  Who better to fill in than the guy responsible for producing the episode. All I had to do was hit my mark, deliver a handful of lines, then remember to dodge five successive axe blows aimed at my head – left, left, right, left, right.  I don't know how it happened, by ended up agreeing and, then next thing I knew, I was stumbling through the scene, struggling to remember my dialogue, all the while eyeing that big red axe.  What was it again?  Left, right, left, right, fight?  Left, left, right, right, left?  Oh, shit.

I woke up somewhere between the second and third axe strike.  From what I can recall, I think I was doing okay.

Speaking of spectacular stunts, I had my meeting with the series fight choreographers, Cyril Raffaelli and his assistant Mohammed "Momo" Elachi (pictured above) yesterday for 12 Hours.  We went through the script and highlighted the various fight sequences.  Cyril and Momo asked me where the fight was to take place, how many opponents are our hero was going to face off against and, most importantly, how long I wanted the fight to last.  Ten seconds?  Twenty seconds?  Thirty? Answers in hand, they're now off to study the script, visit the locations, and then craft the most spectacular fight sequences possible.  Next week, we'll regather, discuss what they have in mind, tweak and then it'll be smoooooooooth sailing.  I've made sure to set aside an entire day for the BIG fight sequence at episode's end in addition to a half day for the episode's hair-raising climactic stunt.

It's been very busy on the work front between prep and script revisions but these past two weeks are going to seem like a holiday compared to the next two.  Two huge final days of prep to kick off the week and then I'm into production, eight days on set producing episode two.  Oh, and while I'm at it, tweaking Sharks and rewriting Payback.

And if I have time, I really should get around to filing my quarterly tax installment.

So, took my pug Maximus to the vet today.  As I reported in yesterday's entry, he's been an uncharacteristically unenthusiastic eater of late.  Was it the heat?  A stomach issue?  Or something much more ominous?  Well, apparently, it's none of the above.  It seems he broke a tooth and an abscess developed as a result, making meal time a bit of a nightmare for the (big) little guy.  Anyway, he's on pain medication for now and guess in for dental surgery on Monday.  Wish him luck!