Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 260

Week #1 Complete!

That’s a wrap on our first week of the writers’ room for this new sci-fi series and I do love the way thing are coming along.  We’ve completed our world building discussions and characters arcs and can now look forward to four weeks of spinning and breaking.  I’m curious to see how quickly things move from here.

Now it’s been suggested that I complain too much about lunch so I’d like to switch things up today by being positive.  If you love steamed cauliflower, you would have liked today’s lunch offering.  The same goes for all you corn and tomato salad fans out there.  As for the rest of us, it was Burgers Priest on me!

Well, as expected, my reading has really suffered of late.  Between this job and my continued commitment to fantasy football, I’ve only been able to finish a mere three books this week.  Shameful.

Oh, speaking of fantasy football, you’ll be pleased to hear my Snow Monkeys won out in Week 1 and are presently undefeated across both League of Accommodation and A League of Our Own as we head into Week 2.

Yeah, that’s the stuff!

 

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Dinner with the Writers!

Last night, we took a break from the pitching and spinning and spitballing and hatching and devising and scheming and planning and plotting and complaining about lunch to go out for a nice dinner compliments of our hosts (and series Execs) Andrea and Ashley.

I have to admit, I was a little…concerned going into the writers’ room for this show considering the number of voices and the fact that many of them were strangers to me, but I have to admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well it’s all working out.  It’s a room full of diverse voices with very different, equally wonderful ideas, all very collaborative and easy to work with.  We’ve barely finished our first week together and I already know I’m going to miss each and every one of them.  Except, perhaps, for Ivon who I’ll still see on weekends because he has NFL RedZone.

A great time was had by all.  Maybe a little too great because more than a few of us were pretty damn exhausted by the time 4:30 p.m. rolled around.  Still, it was another amazing  day that saw us continue our world building,  break down a couple of our main character arcs, and still find time for cookies and donuts.  Talk about multi-tasking!

Following up on Ivon’s recent issues with the guy across the hall (see Monday’s blog entry – #LiquidAss).  Ivon is undecided as to whether or not he should press charges.  He’s leaning towards NOT pressing charges and simply putting up with this weirdo while  I believe he SHOULD press charges – or give Shitty McStinkerson the option of moving out.  What do you think Ivon should do?

Take Our Poll

P.S. I was stung by a wasp.  Please post your thoughts and sympathies in the comments section below.

 

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Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorites…

Li’L Gotham Batman Day 2018 #1 (cover art by Dustin Nguyen)

Batman: White Knight – Batman Day 2018 #1 (cover art by Sean Murphy)

Domino #6 (cover art by Greg Land)

House of Whispers #1 (cover art by Sean A. Murray)

Orcs & Goblins vol. 3 Gri’im (cover art by Stephane Crety)

Volition #2 (cover art by Omar Francia)

Wasted Space #5 (cover art by Hayden Sherman)

So, which were your faves?

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September 12, 2018: Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorites…

Li’L Gotham Batman Day 2018 #1 (cover art by Dustin Nguyen)

Batman: White Knight – Batman Day 2018 #1 (cover art by Sean Murphy)

Domino #6 (cover art by Greg Land)

House of Whispers #1 (cover art by Sean A. Murray)

Orcs & Goblins vol. 3 Gri’im (cover art by Stephane Crety)

Volition #2 (cover art by Omar Francia)

Wasted Space #5 (cover art by Hayden Sherman)

So, which were your faves?

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The World’s Saddest Sandwich!

Today was the second day of the UF Writer’s Room and I’m pleased to report things are coming along nicely.  So far as the show’s creative is concerned anyways.  Lunches, on the other hand, are a work in progress.

While I appreciate the sentiment of catered lunches (“Ooooh, catered lunches!”), I am forced to point out that, for the most part, they range from mediocre to just downright disappointing.  It’s always: the sandwich tray, the salad, the other salad, the fruit and cheese plate.  Unfortunately, they’re usually the type of sandwiches one might find at a retirement home or in a hospital lobby’s vending machine.  The flavor profile is is always the same: ennui, malaise and processed cheese.

But today’s sad sandwich offering was truly the saddest of them all.  Feast your eyes on this culinary marvel –

I mean, technically, yes, it is a sandwich in so far as it IS a couple of things sandwiched between some bread, but I feel it’s not really a sandwich in spirit.  I could almost imagine the caterer muttering: “Fuck these guys!” as he slapped it together this morning, an undeniable message of utter scorn and contempt to be delivered between noon and 1 p.m., pre-wrapped and cut in half for sharing.

I can’t help but see this sorrowful offering as a desperate cry for help from someone who has clearly hit rock-bottom, a perhaps once vibrant chef now wallowing in the monochrome misery of angst and utter hopelessness, their somber existence reduced to one paper thin slice of tomato, two sprigs of limpid greens, and soggy focaccia.

On the bright side, Akemi made brownies for the room – but kept all the end pieces for herself as she can’t fathom westerners them.

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Day #1 of the UF Writers’ Room!

Day #1 of the UF Writers’ Room is complete, and what a day it was.

THIS was the view out the boardroom window when I got in this morning following a brisk 30 minutes walk from my place.  Between home and work, my royal blue suit had transformed to a deep ocean blue.  Was this a bad omen?  Was worse to come?

Thankfully, no.  It was one hell of a writers’ room, with some 13 diverse voices in all.  Over the course of our first day, we focused on world building, covering everything from the city’s history to The Exemplar – factionalism and populism, the anachronistic and the futuristic, technology and chaos.

Off to a terrific start.  Tomorrow, we continue our general discussion, break down some big ideas, and lay the groundwork for Episode 1.

On an unrelated front, I am a witness to a criminal investigation.  The other day, I was at my buddy Ivon’s place when I was overwhelmed by a noxious stench.  No, as it turns out, it wasn’t Ivon but something else entirely.  Or should I say someone else entirely.  Just prior to the offending odor, I heard someone walk by in the corridor so I immediately suspected foul play – specifically, someone who had taken exception to Ivon leaving his door ajar for ventilation purposes was subjecting him to chemical attack.

I know, I know.  Sounds crazy.  But Ivon went down and complained to the concierge who reviewed the surveillance tapes and – Yes!  Crazy as it sounds, one of Ivon’s neighbors was caught on video doing just that, walking by his open door and spraying some sort of funky concoction into his apartment.  According to the concierge, building management could only give this individual a warning UNLESS Ivon got the police involved.

Which he did.  So I’m waiting for the call to go down and offer my firsthand account so we can nail this bastard.

Will keep you posted!

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That New Show…

Well, that’s it.  My extended vacation has come to an end because tomorrow, I start the writers’ room on a new sci-fi series.

I’ll be showrunning but, unlike Dark Matter, this one is not my brainchild.  And the circumstances by which I became involved are rather…unusual.

Several months ago, the Director’s Guild of Canada hosted an event pairing established show runners with up and coming directors in an evening of drinks, snacks, and speed dating-like meet and greets.  I was sent a list of potential candidates (over two hundred in all!), then asked to select eight.  On the night of the event, I sat down with those eight directors and got to know them – in the approximately ten minutes allotted to each.  During a break in the action, one of the directors I hadn’t chosen came over and introduced himself, then proceeded to heap praise on Dark Matter.  I thought: “Damn, I should’ve picked this guy!”  And then: “I still can!”

Later that week, we got together and, instead of a ten minute chat, we sat down to a two hour lunch in which we covered, among other things, a show he was preparing to pitch.  It was a unique science fiction series unlike anything I’d ever worked on, but very intriguing.

Weeks later, he called to tell me his show had been picked up, that the production company was interviewing potential showrunners, and asked whether I’d be interested in throwing my hat into the ring.  I considered.  On the one hand, it was, as I said, unlike any show I’d ever worked on.  On the other, I really liked him and, at this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with people I like.  I also liked the show’s premise.  And the possibility of reuniting my former Dark Matter crew.

So, I went in and interviewed.  And was offered the gig.

Which brings us to where we are now – specifically, on my couch, sipping chamomile tea, monitoring the Bears-Packers game while I finish this entry after which I’ll move on to reviewing my notes for tomorrow’s world building session.

More details on this series as they become available – following the grand announcement (whenever that is).

Stay tuned and Prepare to Support Your Sector!

Out and About – The Toronto Edition!

Squeezing in as much fun (aka food) as humanly possible ahead of this Monday when I will be swallowed by the black hole known as The Writers’ Room.

Packing it in…and on…

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Ice Cream Tayaki at Sukoi.  Choose a flavor (matcha or black sesame), then a filling (red bean, custard, or nutella), then your toppings.  Snap your instagram-worthy pic, then consume.

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Avocado toast with duck bacon at Early Bird.  You can have it smashed or sliced.  I opted for the former while Akemi chose the latter which was presented as a beautiful green flower.  I asked “What’s the duck bacon made out of?”assuming it was one of those faux vegan alternatives that taste nothing like the original.  The answer?  “Duck.”  Delicious!

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I’m almost reluctant to talk about this recent addition to the Toronto sushi scene for fear it will become insanely popular – but I’ll just go ahead and tell you that the sushi at Jugemu (sourced from all over the world including Japan) is phenomenal.  And considerably less expensive than what you would pay for the same quality fish at some of the city’s other high-end restaurants.

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Finally got to check out Koishi Ice Cream and sample melon pan with matcha ice cream.  Magical.

Another terrific addition to the Toronto sushi scene is Narami Sushi which specializes in temaki (hand) rolls.  Akemi was thrilled to order a nigh-impossible to find (in Canada) natto-okra hand roll while I had to order two of the toro and ikura (Japanese tuna belly and Alaskan salmon roe) temaki.

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Whenever we’re in the Ossington area, we always drop by Bang Bang Ice Cream where Akemi can enjoy her favorite dessert: the Hong Kong waffle.  I always go for the ice cream sandwich, combining my choice of ice cream with my choice of cookie.  Today, it was birthday cake cookies and banana pudding ice cream.

On our way home, we happened by this newly opened dog-friendly cafe where you can sip a mocha while your pooch enjoys his or her own snack.  I have a feeling Suji and Lulu are going to be regulars at Dogs & Coffee.

What’s going on with your feet?

It’s been one year since Dark Matter was cancelled…

It’s been approximately one year since Dark Matter was cancelled.

Truthfully, it’s hard to pin down an exact day because syfy never gave us a “Thanks for three years” official announcement, but I like to peg the date at around this time last year when, buoyed by the show’s relatively strong overall viewership, I sold my home in Vancouver and moved to Toronto to finish up what I assumed would be the final two seasons of the show – only to learn on the day I arrived, jet-lagged and exhausted, that we were done.

Over at SciFi Movie Page, Chris Suide offers up a nice retrospective of the series –

Dark Matter: Revisiting A Terrific Series On The One Year Anniversary of Its Cancellation

And I offer you some behind the scenes videos from Episode 1…

Opening shot by director T.J. Scott…

Rehearsing the ONE stasis pod reveal…

Rehearsing the FOUR stasis pod reveal…

Introducing Alex Mallari Jr. as Dancing FOUR…

John Stead oversees the anti-gray sequence with Marc Bendavid and Anthony Lemke…

Shooting footage for the Griffin Jones Wanted video…

The boys singing their hearts out…

Stunt Coordinator/Director John Stead runs through the choreography for the big Android vs SIX fight sequence..

Shooting THREE’s tumble…

Zoie Palmer and Alex Mallari Jr. rehearse a stunt under the direction of stunt coordinator John Stead…

John Stead shoots Alex Mallari Jr. and Marc Bendavid in the first training room scene…

Anthony Lemke practicing his gun twirling…

Great times!

P.S. Haven’t given up on that wrap-up miniseries!  Someday…