Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 369
November 21, 2015
November 21, 2015: Dark Matter season 2 – new sets in progress!
With our second walk-thru of the new sets (at the new stage) scheduled for this Tuesday, I thought it might be nice to show you all what the Art Department and Construction have been working on for our season 2 opener. Structures, shapes, textures and details – it’s all coming along nicely. More than anything, I want you all to compare these early stages of the various builds with what you’ll eventually see onscreen in, oh, about seven months from now…
Well, this one’s a tight squeeze. Any guesses as to what we’re looking at?
We stress the importance of ceilings and floors – but check out the wall details.
As work progresses, more detail will be added in the way of paints, textural elements and lights.
Future walls for another section of the facility.
Sliding doors are of course, de rigeur.
The aim is to create varied corridor looks. It’s a BIG place.
Ajax’s cell-to-be. All the conveniences…
It’s the little touches that lend it that sense of realism.
We’re building a two-level structure that will be cast and crew accessible. Pretty damn amazing.
Your home away from home – for the duration of your sentence.
The view out your swanky room. This too will change.
So far, so amazing. Production Designer Ian Brock, his team, and the Dark Matter construction department never fail to impress.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Dark Matter Season 2
November 20, 2015
November 20, 2015: Today in Dark Matter news!
Well, well, well. Look who came by for their season 2 fitting. Why, it’s none other than Alex Mallari Jr. (Dark Matter’s FOUR), back from a multi-month working vacation in Russia…which might explain the shoes (provided he didn’t steal them from the costume beside him). Also in for a fitting following an equally busy hiatus was Melissa O’Neil (Dark Matter’s TWO).
We’re getting the band back together!
Yesterday was our first Episode 201 Preliminary Playback/Graphics/Rear Projection meeting of the young season. A few of the visual delights we discussed:
What are you in the mood for? A Binary Burger? Hyperion Hen? Some cosmic kebabs? Just make your selection, slide your plate under the nozzles, and Bon Appetit!
And, of course, you’re going to need one of these in Hyperion-8. Your money’s no good here!
One of the honking big-ass wall monitors in Warden Treihan’s office. On Sunday nights, all the guards come over to watch The Walking Dead on the big screen.
Looking ahead to next week: Preliminary episodes 201/202 schedule meetings, set walk-thru #2, background inmate photo look-see, and, of course, I continue work on five different scripts.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 19, 2015
November 19, 2015: The Ishida Imperial Shuttle!
Feeling opinionated? Here are the candidate designs for the Ishida imperial shuttle.
So, which version do you prefer?
Thanks to illustrator Bartol Rendulic for the amazing design work!
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 18, 2015
November 18, 2015: The Great Green Screen Debate of 2015!
November 18, 1477: William Caxton prints the first English dated book.
November 18, 1626: St. Peter’s Basilica is completed.
November 18, 1916: The Battle of the Somme ends.
Today: Members of the Dark Matter production team engage in The Great Green Screen Debate of 2015!
We can’t do it! We CAN do it! We shouldn’t do it! We should do it! We’re not doing it! We’re ARE doing it after all!
Highlights of the heated discussion included: shooting angles, techno-crane accessibility, plate shots, lock-offs, high angle reveals, low angle reveals, and crowd duplications.
***
You’ll be pleased to hear we finally got it all worked out.
Conceptually.
Hey, speaking of concepts, how’d you like to help us choose an Ishida shuttle design? If you’re keen, and feeling opinionated, I’ll upload the concept sketches as part of tomorrow’s blog entry. How’s that for audience participation?
P.S. As I mentioned in yesterday’s entry, the kick-ass Melanie Liburd () has been cast in the role of Nyx for the upcoming season of Dark Matter. She’s on twitter so update your digidexes and follow her here: https://twitter.com/mellyliburd
Finally, a little something to leave you with from Roxanne Borris and the Art Department.
***
“DO NOT put any person in this washer”. Sound advice!
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 17, 2015
November 17, 2015: Dark Matter season 2 casting news! We have our Nyx!
The news broke just a few hours ago. Actress Melanie Liburd (High Priestess Kinvara in this upcoming season of Game of Thrones) joins the cast of Dark Matter in the role of Nyx.
http://deadline.com/2015/11/madisen-beaty-aquarius-melanie-dark-matter-1201627495/
So who is Nyx? Is she friend or foe? And what’s her secret? (I only ask because, well, it would seem that every member of our crew has held some sort of secret.) For now, all I’m going to say is this: Galactic high security detention facility’s make strange bedfellows!
I’ll also say this about Melanie – she absolutely nailed the audition. We had a lot of strong candidates for the role, but she delivered like no other and I immediately knew SHE was our Nyx. Talented, yes, but also downright lovely. We are lucky to have her.
Kind of reminiscent of the excitement I felt after watching the audition of a certain Melissa O’Neil last season.
More exciting casting news to come!
Things continue to ramp up on the pre-production front. This morning was all script work; this afternoon, meetings and grand tour of our new sets-in-progress.
The new stage is only a five minute drive (15 minute walk!) from the production offices and our standing sets. Early still, but the structures and details are looking great.
Also today, I was deliberating over gruel:
I preferred the goopier consistency of the one on the upper left, but kind of liked the alarming off-brown coloring of the one on the upper right. I’d also bring down the mystery particulates by sixty percent.
Show running! There’s no job like it!
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 17, 2016: Dark Matter season 2 casting news! We have our Nyx!
The news broke just a few hours ago. Actress Melanie Liburd (High Priestess Kinvara in this upcoming season of Game of Thrones) joins the cast of Dark Matter in the role of Nyx.
http://deadline.com/2015/11/madisen-beaty-aquarius-melanie-dark-matter-1201627495/
So who is Nyx? Is she friend or foe? And what’s her secret? (I only ask because, well, it would seem that every member of our crew has held some sort of secret.) For now, all I’m going to say is this: Galactic high security detention facility’s make strange bedfellows!
I’ll also say this about Melanie – she absolutely nailed the audition. We had a lot of strong candidates for the role, but she delivered like no other and I immediately knew SHE was our Nyx. Talented, yes, but also downright lovely. We are lucky to have her.
Kind of reminiscent of the excitement I felt after watching the audition of a certain Melissa O’Neil last season.
More exciting casting news to come!
Things continue to ramp up on the pre-production front. This morning was all script work; this afternoon, meetings and grand tour of our new sets-in-progress.
The new stage is only a five minute drive (15 minute walk!) from the production offices and our standing sets. Early still, but the structures and details are looking great.
Also today, I was deliberating over gruel:
I preferred the goopier consistency of the one on the upper left, but kind of liked the alarming off-brown coloring of the one on the upper right. I’d also bring down the mystery particulates by sixty percent.
Show running! There’s no job like it!
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 16, 2015
November 16, 2015: In the works – Dark Matter season 2!
One of the many, many things we’re looking to accomplish in Dark Matter’s second season is to introduce cool new futuristic energy-based weapons along the lines of THREE’s Bubba –
Well, we’ve got a lot of terrific concepts in the pipeline – a couple of which have already advanced to the design stage.
This afternoon, Props Master Victoria Klein dropped by my office for her daily show and tell…
“What,”you may be wondering, “is that?”. Well, does this inspirational photo I posted to last week’s blog give you a hint?
No, of course not. Anyway, it’s a component to one of those cool new futuristic energy-based weapons I was referring to. So what does it do? Well, you’ll find out right off the bat in Dark Matter Episode 201!
This one’s another non-lethal work in progress. The finished version will be sleeker with a black anodized barrel (presently the silver component). This one will also be making early season appearance.
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
November 15, 2015
November 15, 2015: Dark Matter = Gilligan’s Island!
A couple of months ago, I came across this interesting little piece which seeks to match the crew of The Raza to the passengers of The S.S. Minnow.
http://www.syfy.com/darkmatter/blog/dark-matter-gilligans-island
Never mind that actresses Melissa O’Neill and Jodelle Ferland didn’t know what the hell the interviewer was talking about (Thanks for making me feel old, ladies!). There’s no denying the similarities: seven disparate individuals thrown together by circumstance, isolated, facing insurmountable odds, they must band together, despite their differences, in a concerted effort to stay alive – and stage a musical version of Hamlet (Spoiler Alert!).
So, let’s match ’em up!
ONE = GILLIGAN
Our idealistic, innocent, unlikely heroes. They’re often in way over their heads but, despite all, succeed in their efforts to do the right thing.
TWO = THE SKIPPER
The defacto leaders of their respective groups – strong, capable, but somewhat temperamental.
THREE = MR. HOWELL
Mercenary, egotistical, always looking out for Number #1, yet their gruff exteriors belie a hidden warmth engendered by the love of a good woman.
FIVE = MARY ANN
Sweet and sunny, sure, but also incredibly resourceful. When push comes to shove, you can count on them to scrounge together the necessary components to fix up an FTL drive, or whip up a coconut cream pie.
THE ANDROID = THE PROFESSOR
Our resident tech experts share a dry sense of humor and a conservative fashion sense.
FOUR = MRS. HOWELL
Proud and dignified, they’re the quiet warriors of their respective crews.
SIX = GINGER
Both like to dress up in sexy outfits that show off their arms. Both have the annoying habit of ALWAYS bringing up the past and allowing their colorful histories to inform their present decision-making. Before becoming an actress, she assisted a magician who made things disappear. Before joining The Raza, SIX assisted a rebel group that made an entire space station disappear.
Agree? Disagree? Next up, Dark Matter = Community!
November 14, 2015
November 12, 2015: A mini mailbag!
Dallas Marshall writes: ” Will Bubba get a Daddy-Son day, too?”
Answer: Bubba is a big momma’s boy. He’s much happier hanging at home with Akemi.
clevere1 writes: “Is Paul still show running with you Joe?”
Answer: Although Paul is a co-creator and an executive producer on the show, I am (and have been) Dark Matter‘s only show runner.
screwball writes: “If she comes to the set, any chance of getting a picture of her posing with her namesake? Maybe with Anthony Lemke demonstrating the proper way to handle Lulu (and Lulu)?”
Answer: You mean like this?
jeff t writes: “The scripts are done!?”
Answer: Well, the first two anyways – pending the inevitable rewrites. The rest are coming!
jimfromjersey writes: “Will we be seeing any alien species this season?”
Answer: Well, I did promise the girls in wardrobe…
gforce writes: “Right in the midst of moving my stuff to the new house.”
Answer: Congrats! When’s the house-warming party? I’m going to get so wasted I’ll be stripping wallpaper with a flat iron!
msstargate writes: “Might we see an episode or 2 directed by Peter?”
Answer: Peter DeLuise is already booked to direct Episode 209.
Bea_And_Carmen writes: “Is there a way to send in my CV? 3 years of stage management in musical theatre and 10+ years of production work in TV as a background… Hmmm? Chance for a placement?!”
Answer: Alas, we don’t need anyone for this season…but maybe next year?
ceresis64 writeS: “And the new character Treihan is the Warden. What was his casting breakdown?
Answer: “No-nonsense, arrogant, and authoritative, the Warden runs one of the most fearsome intergalactic prisons in colonized space. The Warden doesn’t suffer fools and is quick to confront – and take down – anyone who would challenge his/her iron rule. [REDCATED], the Warden is [REDACTED] that seeks to [REDACTED] the crew of The Raza [REDACTED] about their [REDACTED] (see Episode REDACTED).” Open to all ethnicities and genders.
Dallas Marshall writes: “Why did the bridge have to be broken down during the hiatus, once you got the word that you’d been renewed for season 2? This is a primary set that you know will be used throughout the series. Did they have to rebuild all the sets?”
Answer: Our Raza set is still standing. We’re simply in the process of building some new sets for season 2.
Pontytail writes: “Is your second season preparation easier than your first season?”
Answer: With less lead time to write scripts, it’s actually more challenging.
ceresis64 writes: “Any more news on the casting breakdowns?”
Answer: “MISAKI HAN – A former companion of Ryo Ishida, she is now – as the new Commander of Ishida Royal Guard – determined to bring him back home for execution. Focused, fearless, and deadly, she is a dangerous adversary.”
jeff writes: “In the guest quarters room of the SGC there’s a painting hanging on the wall of what appears to be Saturn. My wife loveeees this painting and I want a print of it… But I can’t find it anywhere. Do you know anything about this set piece? It would be super special to have your involvement in pointing me in the right direction.”
Answer: Hey, Jeff, I wish I could help but I don’t know anything about that particular prop. Sorry.
FargateOne writes: “…and the new actors are…?”
Answer: You’ll find out soon!
November 13, 2015
November 13, 2015: Daddy-Daughter Day!
Check it out! I’m heading to Japan where my buddy Ivon and I will embark on our new career as the hilarious Osaka comedy duo Gaijin and Tonic! Got my suit and I’m ready to go! Ikimasho!
Lulu this morning was looking a little down. But, as promised, she was in for a treat today…
Road trip!!! Today was daddy-daughter day at the office. Lulu got to hang around while I worked on my latest script. Call me crazy, but between all the attention lavished upon her and the extra treats (including a little roast chicken off my lunch plate) she actually seemed MUCH happier than she’s been in weeks. She did the rounds of the production office, played with her toys, met a bunch of people, went out for multiple walks, and lazed around.
Meanwhile, back on the home front…
Today’s blog entry is dedicated to our friends, families, and fans in Paris.
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