Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 298

September 6, 2017: Dark Matter fandom, at your battle stations!

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The odds may be long and time may be short, but people are taking notice.  I received a call yesterday from an old friend who has put me in touch with some interested parties.  Although a positive development, one of the biggest hurdles we now face is the various pre-existing deals that complicate matters.  For example, after ABC cancelled Agent Carter, there was a push for Netflix to pick it up, but one of the reasons they ultimately didn’t was because of the pre-existing deals:

“Netflix also tries to own and distribute its titles worldwide, releasing seasons globally and simultaneously, and the structure of Marvel’s existing international deals for Agent Carter made that tricky. “They also have some output deal complexities,” he adds. “So when you pick it up, being able to pick it up globally is difficult even after it’s canceled. Some of those output partners still had it on the air, so they would argue its covered by their output [deals]. Unfortunately, it was a business decision more than a creative one.”

Agent Carter: Netflix explains why they didn’t save it

Dark Matter’s is as a somewhat different scenario, yet no less tricky.  But it’s still not going to stop us from trying to make this work!  So at your battle stations!

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The Dark Council wanted me to inform you that everyone is invited tonight’s dry run of this Friday’s tweet storm.

Join us on twitter at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST when the secret hashtag will be revealed. Make sure you’re following @DarkMatterFTL for the latest updates!

Don’t use any other hashtag in your tweet.

If we trend tonight, in tomorrow’s blog I’ll reveal a few more teasers as to what we have planned for the first few episodes of Dark Matter’s fourth season!

Hey, here’s an interesting article:

Millennials watch more time-shifted content than live TV

But we already knew that as Dark Matter was making anywhere from 200 – 300% gains in the key demo over its last few weeks, leading the cable pack!

Factor in these time-shifted viewers and Dark Matter was actually the #1 SCIFI show on the “syfy channel” in the KEY DEMO AND OVERALL VIEWERS!

I repeat, Dark Matter was  THE #1 SCIFI SHOW ON “THE SYFY CHANNEL” IN THE KEY DEMO AND OVERALL VIEWERS!

This amazing accomplishment and $8.50 will apparently get you a cheese sandwich at the  commissary.

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Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

September 5, 2017: Dark Matter fans get ready to storm the castle!

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Last night – Jeff Teravainen (Lieutenant Anders), me, Tamsen McDonough (Lucy), Thom Allison (Preemptively), and Sean Baek (Fancy Lee).  Sadly, this the closest we’ll ever come to that proposed Dark Matter/Killjoys crossover.

Okay, here’s the latest on this Friday night’s tweet storm.  Apparently, the plan is to rewatch Dark Matter’s first episode at the appointed time.  I’ll be joining in – as members of the cast, so if you have questions for them, hit ’em up!

The Dark Council has forwarded me the following heads up in advance of Friday night’s event –[image error]

Get updates on the Dark Matter fan campaign by following: @DarkMatterFTL

Alright, #TeamRaza, it’s crunch time.  We have less than two weeks to get this done!

Hey, the question of the day: How many of you who don’t presently have a Netflix subscription would get one if they picked up Dark Matter for a fourth season?

Asking for a friend.

Ah, hell, why don’t you let my friend know directly at @netflix

Much respect and appreciation to all the fans who are making their voices heard. The Dark Matter cast and crew continue to be amazed by your passion, your perseverance, and your sometimes…pointed and creative commentary!  Oh, also the artwork.  Loving the artwork…

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by Jonathan McFerran

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by @TerriHayes8

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@DarkMatterRenew

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@MistbornHero

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

September 4, 2017: The Dark Matter latest!

A glimmer of hope!  I’ve heard that executives at a few of the other broadcast options we are reaching out to have taken note of the huge fan response.  The tweets, the comments, even the petitions (https://t.co/5bqcMXdpSI – which, frankly,  won’t convince Syfy to change their minds but still serves a great purpose) have caught the attention of the decision makers.  However, grabbing their attention is one thing; convincing them is something else.  That’s going to take a lot more fan noise – so keep it up, especially during this most crucial week.  Let them know how much Dark Matter means to you!  See if we can net us another season or two.

At this point, the biggest thing we’ve got working against us is time.  The longer this goes, the more likely we are to lose some of our greatest assets –

CREW: I’ve often said that Dark Matter owes an enormous debt to the people behind the scenes.  Everyone from painters to PA’s, designers to department heads – these incredibly talented individuals are the heart of our show.  These are people with families to support who can’t afford to wait and see how things play out.  They are, like every one of you, a part of our extended Dark Matter family and I hate the thought of losing any of them.

CAST: They’re in much the same boat.  It’s unfair of us to ask them to wait indefinitely, let other opportunities pass them by, as things drag out.

SETS: We rent the stages which hold our various sets.  The longer they sit idle, the more money is lost and, sooner or later, a decision must be made. The costs of rebuilding would be prohibitive, so once those sets come down, that will in effect be it.

But, as I said, all is not lost.  Moving forward, I’m going to use this blog to keep you apprised of the fan campaigns to save the show and, specifically, the plans of what I will hitherto refer to as The Dark Committee, made up of fans like you who are spearheading these campaigns.  For instance…

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I already mentioned this one in yesterday’s blog entry, but here’s reminder that fandom will be gathering for a tweetstorm under the #TeamRaza hashtag this Friday.  Someone has suggested having a Dark Matter re-watch party where fans worldwide will rescreen Episode 1.  I’ll be there and I’m sure many of the cast will be there as well so, if you can make it, please join us.  If you can watch on Netflix, all the better!

And, finally, a daily update from the Dark Committee –[image error]

September 3, 2017: Dark Matter fandom unleashed!

Whoa!  I’ve already written about how blown away I was at the response we received following the news of the cancellation, but Dark Matter fandom continues to amaze.  Witness, for instance, this –

https://t.co/5bqcMXdpSI

A petition in support of the show has amassed over 15k signatures in 48 hours.  I had a cast member point this out to me today and they were overwhelmed by the love.  Thank you.

Also, thanks to all of you who continue to sound off on the various social media platforms.  I’m all over reddit and Facebook, but much of the activity is on twitter where I’m, quite honestly, having a hard time keeping up with the deluge.  I want to try to  acknowledge all of your posts (I’m unemployed now.  I’ve got all the time in the word!) but it would help to have a single hashtag Dark Matter fandom could unite under so you’re all easier to track.  I’ve seen #DarkMatter, #RenewDarkMatter, #SaveDarkMatter, and many others, including a few that incorporate “Syfy” in, uh, interesting ways.  So, I throw it out to you, the fans. How about a fresh start with a new Dark Matter-related hashtag?

Tom Gardiner and his team are organizing a worldwide Dark Matter tweetfest (Hey!  FTLFridays is back!) using the #TeamRaza hashtag, which is cool (details below).[image error]

In the past, fans have also used #RazaCrew.

Ennis Esmer, Dark Matter’s nefarious Wexler, suggested #DarkMates.

Some have suggested #Marauders as well.

What do you all think?  Let’s hear you.

Update!  Since putting it all in perspective for you yesterday, we’ve reached out to several possible new homes for our little series and are presently awaiting word. As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, the odds are long – but the initial conversations have sounded very promising.  I also mentioned that these things take time, so I don’t expect definite word for another week, maybe two.  But again, as soon as I know something, YOU’LL all know something.  I promise.

Finally – as we all try to do our part to ensure Dark Matter gets to finish its story, I just wanted to ask some of you not to waste precious time and energy mistakenly targeting those deserving of our appreciation and support.

Killjoys, Wynonna Earp, and The Expanse are terrific productions that earned their success and pickups.  They’re three very different shows but they all share a few things in common: a fantastic cast and crew, a terrific fanbase, and some very talented individuals at their respective helms.  Michelle Loretta (Killjoys), Emily Andras (Wynonna Earp), and Ty Franck (The Expanse) do really great work, and they’re really great people too.  When news of the cancellation broke, all three immediately reached out.  They didn’t have to but they did.  It was very classy of them and it’s something I won’t forget.  Just wanted you all to know.

A few broadcasters are also being caught in the crossfire as well.  Please know that Canada’s Space Channel and Netflix have been nothing but wholly supportive of the show and are no doubt as disappointed as any of us by these recent developments. In fact, while I was visiting FanExpo this afternoon, Morgan Hoffman and Ajay Fry, who have long reviewed Dark Matter for Space Channel’s Innerspace, briefly interrupted their signings to come over, offer a consolatory hug, and let me know how much they truly loved the show.

You know who also loved Dark Matter?  SyfyInternational.  I’m talking SyfyDE, Syfyla, Syfybr, SyfyAU, Syfy_Spain, SyfyFr, SyfyPT, and especially SyfyUK.  In fact, they loved it so much that they gave fans their very own after show, After Dark.

So there you go.

I leave you with pics of the swag I picked up at today’s FanExpo.  Notice a theme?

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Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

September 2, 2017: Informing and Updating Dark Matter Fans!

I’d like to express my appreciation to everyone who reached out over the past twenty-four hours or so to express their anger, sadness, and gratitude after hearing about the cancellation.  As I wrote on twitter: “I am both touched and astounded by your passion, your loyalty, and your white hot relentless rage.”

Today, I’d like to try to shed a little light on the circumstances surrounding Dark Matter’s premature demise and let you know what’s next.  Before I proceed, however, I’d like to apologize in advance if this entry feels slightly unfocused. Between the stress of the move, the cross-country flight, the jet lag, the time change, the news of the cancellation, the furious attempt to acknowledge the online response, the noisy air conditioner in my new place, and the gauze-like bedroom curtains that do nothing to shield us from the blazing night-time lights of the Roger Center, I’m a little tired.  But here goes…

As we rolled through Dark Matter’s third season, I was feeling cautiously optimistic about a renewal.  Although the ratings had dipped, it wasn’t a huge fall, ultimately less than 10% off last season’s numbers when all was said and done. Compared to the industry average (the last stats I saw pegged the average drop-off at 25%!) I thought we were looking pretty good – especially when you factor in time-delayed viewers (the DVR crowd).  Dark Matter was consistently ranked at the top of cable percentage gainers in overall viewers and the key demos.  And, perhaps most heartening at the time was the fact that we were nevertheless one of SYFY’s most-watched shows in 2017.

Working against us was the fact that we weren’t a SYFY original.  We were an acquisition.  For those not in the know, an original is a series that is developed by the network and, more importantly, owned by the network, allowing them to monetize the show through things like international sales, streaming, etc.  The network pays a lot more but presumably reaps the benefits down the line. Ideally. An acquisition, on the other hand, is a show that will cost a network considerably less, but doesn’t offer those alternate revenue streams because there is no ownership stake.  Due to the costs of originals, networks may go the acquisition route to round out a programming schedule.  Also, at the end of the day, audiences generally don’t base their viewing habits on whether or not a show is an original series or an acquisition.  They watch what they like.  And the more who watch, the higher the ratings.  And the higher the ratings, the more broadcasters can charge advertisers.  So, at the end of the day, there are pros and cons, risks and rewards to both approaches.

Dark Matter was an acquisition and, as such, didn’t have the type of money typical of an original series.  As such, we had to run a very tight ship – producing on the page and running a highly efficient production.  This way, we made sure that as much of the money we had ended up onscreen:  [image error]

So, despite the fact that we were an acquisition, our ratings were holding (and, I pointed out, really delivering in the +3’s and +7’s delayed viewers).  From a creative standpoint, we were ending the season in a BIG way: a space battle and an alien invasion.  Season 4 would promise to be all about that massive alien armada and the burgeoning android insurrection.  Androids and Aliens!  I mean, how much more SYFY scifi can you get than that?!

When we found out we were on the bubble, I offered to fly down to SYFY’s L.A. offices and take them through what we had planned for season 4: “Androids! Aliens! Dr. Shaw! Sarah! Kyrden! Wexler! TWO’s daughter! FIVE’s sister!”  They thanked me but informed me that the decision would not be based on the show’s creative, so there was no point in going down to pitch.

If it wasn’t creative then, by process of elimination, one would assume it was financial.  I’d heard that SYFY had invested in a lot of original programming for 2017-2018, and the recent announcement of their supernatural slate would seem to confirm as much.  The production reached out to see if there was anything we could do to help on that front but, again, it was a no-go.

What do?  Well, I knew that Earpers had been instrumental in getting a pick up for their show, so I rallied Dark Matter fans to make some noise.  And they did in a big way.  But still, we remained on the bubble.

The nature of the show I created and developed over many years wouldn’t allow for a nice, neat wrap up at season’s end.  Dark Matter’s narrative was designed as a series of set-ups, developments, and payoffs, with multiple parallel storylines that would eventually cross and converge.  Season 1 begins with our crew discovering they are criminals and ends with them being hauled off to prison.  Season 2 begins with them inside the Hyperion-8 galactic prison and ends with their failing to head off a corporate war and deny a former ally.  Season 3 begins with the crew facing off against that former ally amidst the backdrop of corporate war and ends with the alien invasion. Season 4 will begin with our crew, and humanity’s, response to the alien threat… The fact that I have a five year plan (rather than just making it up as I go along) means I know exactly where the various stories are headed.  I know all the answers to all of the questions.  And having that foreknowledge allows for a much more satisfying narrative when all of the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place. It also means that no matter how much I could try to wrap things up in a season finale, many questions would remain unanswered.  Still, I figured as a final alternative, I could try my damnedest and offer fans some degree of closure by pitching SYFY a 6-episode miniseries to wrap it up.  This, unfortunately, was not an option either.

We, on the Dark Matter production team, tried our damnedest.  And you, the fans, tried your damnedest.  We ALL tried our damnedest.  And still we were cancelled.

So, where does that leave us?  Besides cancelled of course?  Well, as many of you have pointed out, there are other options we could pursue, although finding someone to step in and take SYFY’s place is easier said than done (for reasons I’ll save for another blog entry).

For now, know that we’re doing everything possible to save the show.  It may take weeks before we have our answers but I promise to let you know as soon as I hear anything.  In the meantime, do you part by keeping Dark Matter alive.  Tweet, retweet, post and respond!  Let ’em know what they’re missing!

You ready to do this?

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Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, science fiction, scifi, SF

September 1, 2017: Dark Matter Cancelled

It is with great sadness that I confirm the news.  Syfy has cancelled Dark Matter after three seasons.

To say that I’m incredibly disappointed would be an understatement.

I’ll save my comments and field your questions in a future blog entry.  For today, I just want to extend a heartfelt thanks to my amazing crew, my wonderful cast, and to all of you, our incredible fans.

You all deserved better.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 31, 2017: Touchdown Toronto!

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Well, I’m back in Toronto.  Now what?

Our departure from Vancouver was bittersweet but otherwise uneventful.  We woke up at 4:15 a.m., did one final sweep of the house, left a note for the new owners along with a nice box of chocolates, then caught a cab and the 7:25 a.m. flight out of town.  Suji and Lulu were exceptionally well-behaved, barely making a peep as they snoozed away the 5 hours in their sherpa carriers  tucked under the seats in front of us.  Akemi ate the sliced fruit off my plate and ended up feeling sick the rest of the day.

So I’m thinking of making a pdf of that military SF pilot I wrote a few months back and making it available for you to read on the blog.  It’s a ship-based scifi series and those are becoming increasingly harder sells nowadays it would seem, but I’d love to give you all an early glimpse, get your thoughts.

Well, between the early wake up, the cross-country flight, the time change, and dealing with the typical biz bullshit, I am exhausted.  Also –

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Let’s end this blog entry on a positive note –

With pictures and a video of Suji taking a shower:

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Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 30, 3017: Farewell, Vancouver!

Well, that’s a wrap on Vancouver after 18 great years.  I came for the Stargate but stayed for, well, the Stargate, but eventually stuck around because it became home.  Now, however, it’s time to move on.  My some 200 boxes of books, comic books, and supervillain statues and toys shipped out on Sunday and, tomorrow, Akemi, Lulu, Suji and I catch a 7:20 a.m. flight out.  I had a great time in this wonderful city and will miss the many friends I leave behind.

So what awaits us in Toronto?  Perhaps a  fourth season of Dark Matter fraught with twists, turns, shocks, surprises, an alien invasion, an android insurrection, and answers to so many of the questions we’ve posited over the show’s first thirty-nine episodes?  Here’s hoping.

The show continues to put up strong numbers in delayed viewer numbers.  Once again, Dark Matter was tied for #1 among all cable shows with a 200% increase in the key demo, and it almost doubled its overall viewership.

I leave you with a few more BTS videos on Dark Matter –

Misaki Han (Ellen Wong) makes her grand entrance in “Kill Them All”, directed by Bruce McDonald.

Running through the Hyperion-8 prison riot with stunt coordinator John Stead.

Rehearsing the “Kill Them All” fight sequence with Android stunt double Jennifer Murray.  Directed by Bruce McDonald.  Stunt Coordinator John Stead.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 29, 2017: Behind the scenes on Dark Matter!

Ryo Ishida takes the bridge (directed by John Stead)

Shooting in suburbia (directed by Craig David Wallace)

Nyx (Melanie Liburd) and Misaki (Ellen Wong) face off (directed by Ron Murphy; stunt coordinator John Stead)

 

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 28, 2017: Dark Matter fans once again make Dark Matter SYFY’s most-watched scripted series of the week!

Once again, Dark Matter finishes the week as SYFY’s most-watched show in overnight viewers – and those numbers will no doubt see huge gains once our consistently-strong delayed viewing stats come in.

To put those ratings in perspective – while most broadcast shows have seen an average 25% decline in viewership between seasons, Dark Matter retained over 90% of its overnight audience.

Meanwhile, as mentioned above, our time-delayed numbers (those +3’s and +7’s broadcasters are shifting focus to) put us at the top of cable programs when it comes to percentage gains in key demos and overall viewers.

I mean, more do you want?

Besides, say, a fourth season.

We owe it all to our fantastic fans and, as always, a million thanks.  You ARE the best.

As a small token of my appreciation, I’d like to do a live chat with you this week. What do you think?  What platform should we go with?  Periscope?  Meerkat? Google chat?

And that’s a wrap on Dark Matter season 3 –

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter