Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 351
May 19, 2016
May 19, 2016: Dogs! Food! Fans! And fun!
“Captain America is weakest. He has only frisbee. And the ugliest mask, and he knows it’s ugly – that’s why sometimes he doesn’t wear.”
– Akemi on Captain America
We’re two weeks away from boarding a plan back to Vancouver. As you can see, Lulu and Bubba are ready to go…BUT will have to shave a little more weight before they’re deemed flight-worthy. Despite the fact that we’re cutting down on their meal portions and treats, they remain decidedly chunk-monkeyesque. I suggested we adopt an alternate weight loss plan: weigh them every morning and whoever’s heaviest doesn’t get to eat that day. In response to my idea, Bubba game me THIS look:
NOT impressed.
Speaking of eating, my Goodbye Toronto Tour continues. On Tuesday night, Akemi and I met up with fellow foodie and Dark Matter Social Media Czar Natalie Cooper for dinner at Piano Piano, home of our favorite pizza in town –
The Sweet Hornet: mozzarella, fior di latte, soppressata, black olive, honey n’ chilli.
Also two delicious pastas…
Caccio e Pepe Agnolotti: ricotta, black pepper, parmigiano
Pillowy potato gnocci with peas and asparagus.
And, for dessert, one of the chocolatiest chocolate desserts I’ve enjoyed in recent memory:
Triple Coco Barry 70% Chocolate Cake Chocolate Ice Cream: almond, Maldon salt, caramel.
Today, Akemi and I were walking down the street when I heard someone say: “Hey, you’re Joseph Mallozzi.” My initial reaction was: “Oh, shit. They re-ran that episode of America’s Most Wanted.” But no. It turns out the spotter, Mike, is a longtime Stargate fan and reader/lurker of this blog. Delighted, I invited him and his co-worker, Lovella, to Soma for a quick chocolate-tasting. Their after-lunch office meeting could wait…
Yep, that is one shocking selection!
Full of chocolate and goodwill, Akemi and I headed up to Queen Street West where we picked up some pork butt for tomorrow’s slow-roast…but not before stopping by Nugateau, Toronto’s premiere eclair-only patisserie for some desert…round 2!
Left = The Mont Tremblant: 70% single origin dark chocolate mousse, whipped praline ganache, hazelnut praline grains (for me!).
Right = Raspberry Rose: whipped raspberry rose ganache and vanilla mascarpone, raspberry rose & lychee compote (for her!).
Our Goodbye Tour continues tonight as we head out with Dark Matter’s TWO, Melissa O’Neil! Here are a couple of pictures of her cozying up to the enemy in some BTS shots from our season 1 finale:
Head on over to @DarkMatter_show for all the behind the scenes visuals!
http://www.pianopianotherestaurant.com
May 18, 2016
May 18, 2016: My new show!
I’d like to say that it came to me in a dream but, in truth, it came to me as I was lying wide awake at 5:30 a.m. My french bulldog had stirred me out of a deep slumber, pacing around until I got up to let her out and, once her business was done, returned to bed where she immediately drifted off. No insta-sleep for me though. While Lulu lay beside me, snoring up a storm, I stared up at the ceiling and, over the course of the next two hours, came up with the premise of my new SciFi series.
I eventually drifted off, slept for a couple of more hours and then awoke creatively rarin’ to go. Throughout the day, while I was walking the dogs and running errands, I broke the story: a tease, five acts, a tag, colorful characters, big stakes, humor, and my trademark twists, turns, shocks and surprises.
The plan is to write the pilot between now and when the Dark Matter writers’ room kicks off on June 12th, hopefully set it up for a fall of 2017 premiere, and convene a second writers’ room in August.
It’s all coming together nicely – except, of course, for the title. I hate coming up with titles (which is why I had YOU, the fans, choose all the Dark Matter season 2 episode titles. Thanks.). So how about it? Despite the fact that you know absolutely nothing about the prospective new show, what cool SF titles would you suggest?
Hey, check it out. I’ve bee twitter verified! Do you know what that means?!!!
Yeah, me neither.
Meanwhile, over on my dedicated Dark Matter – @DarkMatter_show – twitter account, I’ve been uploading behind-the-scenes pics from the first season finale:
THREE drops off the laundry.
Jodelle clowning.
The troops get their marching orders.
Searching the vents – an homage to Alien.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
May 17, 2016
May 17, 2016: The ships of Dark Matter!
THE RAZA
THE MARAUDER
THE FERROUS CORP DESTROYER
THE MIKKEI DESTROYER
THE GALACTIC AUTHORITY DESTROYER
THE FAR HORIZON
Hmmm. Let’s forget about the Far Horizon.
Ships in progress for season 2…
REYNAUD’S WARSHIP
MYSTERY FREIGHTER
[NOT PICTURED]
OTHER SHIPS
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Dark Matter ships, spaceships
May 16, 2016
May 16, 2016: Dark Matter! Star Trek! Stargate!
Last Monday, we wrapped production on Dark Matter’s second season. One week later, the season 3 game plan goes out. I’ve been working on it for the past month or so and it includes an overview of the show’s third season story and character arcs, narrative developments big and small, and even a preliminary breakdown of the next 13 chapters (episodes) in this SciFi epic. Nothing is written in stone and it’s all designed to get the creative juices flowing as we aim to convene the writers’ room in less than a month for three glorious weeks of spinning and breaking – before I head to L.A. for a week of meet ‘n greets.
I’m more of an emailer than letter writer but I couldn’t resist picking up the above-pictured Star Trek 50th anniversary stamps and postcards issued by Canada Post. In addition to stills from such classics as “Mirror, Mirror”, “City on the Edge of Forever”, “The Trouble with Tribbles”, “Amok Time”, and “A Piece of the Action”, the stamps feature various crew members (Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty), the Constitution-class U.S.S. Enterprise and a Klingon D7-class battle cruiser. But where’s the Roman Bird-of-Prey?
Speaking of Star Trek, check out this blast from the past – a rare picture of the original original crew before I was forced off the show. That story here:
https://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2007/04/28/april-27-2007/
Over on my dedicated Dark Matter twitter account (@DarkMatter_Show), I’m continuing my semi-regular daily updates of BTS pics, some previously uploaded, others never-before-seen…
Everyone’s favorite android.
Meanwhile, over on the Stargate sub-reddit, I’ve been posting a bunch of Stargate-related tidbits recovered from my blog archives. Yesterday, it was this shot of actor David Nykl (Stargate: Atlantis’s Radek Zelenka) testing out a spacesuit in advance of the season 4 opener, Adrift –
And I came across these pics as well…
Boy, these take me back. As do today’s Stargate subreddit upload:
Space Gopher! In the Stargate: Atlantis episode Missing, there’s a moment where Teyla proves her wilderness worth by skewering, roasting and eating some unsavory creature. THIS was the initial concept for said creature which I deemed just way too adorable to eat.
This, by the way, was the revised version of the creature – no more savory but certainly less cute.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, #StarTrek, Dark Matter, Star Trek
May 15, 2016
May 15, 2016: Dinner with Ellen and Adam! More Dark Matter BTS pics!
Yesterday, Akemi and I continued our Goodbye Tour by hitting Lamesa Filipino Kitchen with two of our favorite fun new Toronto friends, Ellen and Adam. Besides being super cute herself, Ellen shares Akemi’s affinity for super cute things so the two of them really hit it off. As for Adam, he’s incredibly easy-going and down-to-earth. Akemi liked him the instant she met him which, honestly, is a rarity. It usually takes her a while to arm up to someone but in Adam’s case, she was happily chatting away like they were old friends.
A super lovely couple.
Akemi and I prepare to feast.
Some of the culinary highlights…
Lechon Kawali: crispy pork belly, pickled papaya, sawsawan.
Arroz caldo verde: spinach congee, garlic, grana padano, oyster mushroom.
Duck Lumpia with sweet potato, cabbage, mustard, and banana ketchup.
Chicken Adobo: seared chicken thigh, soy vinegar jus, black garlic, chimichurri.
Yube Leche Flan: purple yam custard, puffed rice, figs.
In case you missed it over on the @DarkMatter_Show twitter feed, I uploaded a bunch of BTS pics from last season’s action:
I work reception at White Dwarf Technologies.
The Marauder in pieces. We remove the front of the cockpit to allow our cameras an easy, unobstructed view of our crew.
Andy Mikita directs, in the greenhouse and in the White Dwarf lab.
Wil Wheaton (Alexander Rook) and Melissa O’Neil (TWO) rehearse.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Lamesa
May 14, 2016
May 14, 2016: Farewell, Jodelle!
We wrapped production on Dark Matter’s second season last week and, slowly but surely, the cast and crew have moved on to different things: plans, projects, cities. I’m in town for three more weeks, finishing up my cuts of the final few episodes, sitting in on a few mixes, and saying goodbye to anyone who’s still around.
Last night, it was Jodelle Ferland (FIVE) and her sister Marisha who came out for one last dinner with Akemi and I before heading back home to the west coast…
The Ferland sisters. Such cuties.
Jodelle is a vegetarian, so we ended up going to Lee Restaurant on King Street, a place that also offers an excellent array of veggie dishes – and some pretty damn impressive desserts. Pictured above the exquisitely elaborate Signature French & Chinese Tong Yuen: warm sweet rice dumpling, chocolate nougat, Indian pastry, strawberry, crème brûlée, peach & rosewater.
As many of you know, I first worked with Jodelle back on Stargate. In addition to play a young version of the powerful Ori lovechild Adria, she also played the tempestuously-tempered Princess Harmony in the Stargate: Atlantis episode Harmony. She was only 12 then, but she so impressed me that, when it came time to cast for the role of FIVE on Dark Matter, she was top of the list.
Pictured above: Jodelle shows off the gifts sent her way by props and costume specialist Ryan “Stitch” Nixon, two mementos from her days on Stargate. In her right hand, the Harmony pendant, in her left a miniature of the royal-commissioned painting: Princess Harmony being protected by the heroic Rodney McKay while the cowardly John Sheppard cowers in the background.
Check out detail on that necklace. The Ancients would’ve been proud!
Bon Voyage, Jodelle!
Or should I say FIVE?
Or Das?
Or…
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Jodelle Ferland
May 13, 2016
May 13, 2016: Dark Matter season 2 trailer! An analysis!
There you have it. Another brilliant promo from the gang at Syfy Publicity & Marketing. LOTS going on here. The images whip by so quickly, it’s really hard to get a sense of what, exactly, is going on.
Thankfully, this is the age of screen grabs. So, without further ado, let’s deconstruct the Dark Matter season 2 trailer for a shot by shot analysis of its many secrets.
Shot #1: Six people in a small, sterile room. Hard to tell who’s who, but the guy on the floor does appear to be THREE. On his left, looking up – is that TWO? Maybe. As for the others – not so sure, but that guy with the white hair (corner bottom right) is definitely not a member of The Raza crew. So where is everyone else and why have our heroes seemingly been separated?
SHOT #2: FOUR asks “What happened to us?”. And it’s pretty clear he’s addressing TWO. Are we to assume this shot follows the preceding opening shot? And do both follow somewhere on the heels of last season’s explosive finale? Last time we saw our intrepid crew, they were unconscious, being dragged off The Raza by the Galactic Authority. Is this them waking up?
Shot #3: Similar lighting and architecture so it’s safe to assume these two shots belong together. “What happened to us?”. We can clearly see FOUR is talking to TWO and THREE. But where’s the rest of the team: ONE, FIVE, SIX, and the Android?
Shot #4: YOU CAN’T HIDE. Who’s “you”? The crew of The Raza presumably. But what could they be hiding from? And, perhaps most interestingly, what could they be hiding? Themselves? Information?
Shot #5: Oh boy. The door slides open to reveal SIX…in uniform. I don’t think there’s any doubt now where his allegiances lie. Presumably.
Shot #6: What look like cells, prisoners, a cafeteria-style area. All of the prisoners react to something, something seemingly painful, in unison and simultaneously go down. Curiously, what appears to a lone guard standing in the deep BG seems unaffected.
Shot #7: FROM YOUR PAST. Oh, wait. THAT’S what you can’t escape. Perhaps a reference to the show’s central theme? Or is it a reference to something more specific?
Shot #8: “With those memories, you’re different people,”says FIVE. And she seems to be trying to convince someone…of something. And what memories would she be referring to? Their pre-stasis memories would seem to be the obvious answer…
Shot #9: Speaking of stasis – we catch a glimpse of several stasis pods, and they seem to be occupied. But by who? And where? The corridor and pods look architecturally different than The Raza.
Shot #10: Six individuals including TWO, THREE, FOUR – and that guy with the white hair. Is it safe to assume this shot belongs with the first two that open the trailer? The six-some have been stripped down to their undies and appear to be carrying similar clothing. Two guards stand in the background and, above the big imposing door behind them, is a logo: H8. H8?
Shot #11: Hey, it’s our Android. And why does she looks so damn uncomfortable? Is that menacing piece of equipment attached to the back of her head? Is she trembling?
Shot #12: Whoa! Hang on! That’s our Android – but with a decidedly different look. New hairstyle. New outfit. And is that a gun she’s packing? Who’s she planning to shoot?
Shot #13: FOREVER. Is a long time.
Shot #14: The Raza in flight. And I’ve never seen it look better. A hint of the awesome visual effects to come? THREE says: “War is coming.” Where? Who is going to be involved? Why is THREE so worried?
Shot #15: We’re clearly in The Raza’s underbelly. FIVE is resting her hand on…something. The Android stands beside her. Beside the Android stands…a mysterious individual. Behind the Android stands…another mysterious individual.
Shot #16: “SIX” a countdown beings and, appropriately enough, we have a shot of SIX in stasis. And that hand resting atop the front suggests this shot directly precedes or proceeds shot #15. What’s going on here? Is this the fate that awaits a traitor?
Shot #17: “FIVE” continues the countdown and we go to FIVE, in a dark vent, seemingly struggling against someone…or someTHING.
Shot #18: Holy crap! Why is FOUR holding a gun on a clearly frightened FIVE? What’s going on here?
Shot #19: “FOUR,” goes the countdown and we see FOUR, wearing coveralls very similar to the ones we saw the prisoners wearing in shot #6, and he’s holding a sword, preparing to face-off against a mysterious someone.
Shot #20: The countdown reaches “THREE” and we go to The Raza’s resident bad boy, looking very uncomfortable as some sort of interactive light plays across his iris, some sort of indiscernible green shape.
Shot #21: We count down to “TWO” and are greeted by a shot of TWO on the ground in what appears to be an alley, bloodied and beaten, looking up at someone.
Shot #22: The countdown hits “ONE” and we go to what appears be ONE, standing over someone with a gun…equipped with a silencer. He fires.
Shot #23: And we end on the Dark Matter logo and our season premiere date: July 1st on Syfy, Syfy Spain, and Space Channel in Canada; July 2nd on Syfy Australia; July 4th on Syfy UK; July 11th on Syfy Germany. And more premiere dates to come.
So, what did you think of the season 2 trailer? Guesses? Theories? Let’s hear ’em!
Tagged: #DarkMatter, #DarkMatterSeason2, Dark Matter, Dark Matter Season 2
May 12, 2016
May 12, 2016: All things Dark Matter!
I was on a conference call this morning with some 40 members of the Syfy International team representing Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Latin America, the U.K., Poland, and the Middle East. We talked Dark Matter‘s performance overseas (we’re a hit!), what lies ahead for season 2 (big BIG things!), and marketing & publicity ideas for the upcoming season (more cast connections, behind-the-scenes insights, contests and giveaways!). I was happy to join in because Syfy International has done such an amazing job supporting Dark Matter – and it’s clear that they genuinely love the show as well. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time to attend, and thanks to Bipasha Ghosh (VP International Marketing – Syfy) for organizing. There are some very cool things headed your way…
Like, for instance, the first Dark Matter season 2 promo that will released…sooner than you think! And when it does, make sure you have that pause button ready because you’re going to want to catch every single frame. LOTS of little teasers in this one including a VERY interesting one for Android fans. A great little trailer compliments of Fowzia Iranpur, Bill Trojanowski, Samantha Agnoff, and the rest of the gang at NBCU. Watch for it!
In the meantime, enjoy saver these BTS pics:
Director Will Waring, 1st Assistant Director Chris Binney, and Director of Photography Craig Wright commence their reign of terror (photo courtesy Lawren Bancroft-Wilson).
The Empress – Mung-Ling Tsui (photo courtesy Renee Chan)
Dancing with the Stars – Mung-Ling and Will trip the (faster than) light fantastic.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
May 11, 2016
May 11, 2016: The Dark Matter cast takes a beating this season!
Whoa. You thought your job was rough. Check out actors Anthony Lemke and Alex Mallari Jr., nursing their wounds after a particularly brutal second season:
In retrospect, I guess the production SHOULD have sprung for those stunt doubles.
Well, I spent the afternoon in editing today with the incredible Ben Wilkerson, working on our penultimate episode (Episode 25: Sometimes In Life You Don’t Get To Choose). To quote from the email my writing partner, Paul, sent last night after screening the episode: “Phew, that’s some ending.” Oh, hell yes, it is!
Tomorrow, I get on the phone with the team from Syfy International – about 40 individuals representing various broadcast regions – to talk about the show’s second season and what we can do for YOU the fans. And all you need to do is tune and spread the word. Dark Matter premieres July 1st on Syfy, Syfy Spain, and SpaceChannel; July 2nd on Syfy Australia; July 4th on Syfy UK; July 11th on Syfy Germany. More premiere news to come!
Over on my dedicated Dark Matter twitter account (@DarkMatter_show), the BTS pics continue to come fast and furious:
But you already know this because you’re following the account, right?
Meanwhile, over on Reddit, I continue my Stargate: SG-1 reflections:
Stargate: SG-1 Memories – Enemies, Threshold, Ascension
And, while we’re on the subject, I offer up tips for that t.v. pitch:
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
May 10, 2016
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