Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 396

January 14, 2015: Dark Matter in production! Zoie Palmer kicks ass!

Director T.J. Scott, all smiles

Yes, Zoie Palmer kicked ass today. ��For about eleven hours – punching, blocking, shoving, kicking, hurling, staring down, and choking out multiple opponents. ��And that was just in the lineup to get lunch!�� The extended action sequence we shot was intense, and Zoie looked like she’d been beating up guys all of her life (food for thought the next time I consider giving her a line reading). ��Actors Roger Cross, Marc Bendavid, Anthony Lemke, and Alex Mallari Jr. proved equally skilled – at getting their butts kicked.

T.J. at the helm

A special thanks to stunt coordinator John Stead who did a phenomenal job choreographing the fight and stunts, his awesome team, and director T.J. Scott who��captured all the action. ��They get to do it all over again next week. ��Twice!

I know, I know. ��Many of you are asking for pics of Zoie – and I do plan to post some…eventually. ��But given her unique look or the show, I’m going to have to wait until the official reveal – hopefully sometime sooner than later.

Also, sadly, no “dance of the day” for this blog entry as actor Alex Mallari Jr. (FOUR), was too busy…shooting a t.v. show. ��But I’m sure he’ll make it up to us by offering up something REALLY special tomorrow. ��Failing that, I wonder if we can convince Anthony Lemke to fill in?

Today’s screen grab of the day…

Curiouser and curiouser.

After dinner tonight, Akemi pointed out that Valentine’s Day was fast-approaching and wondered whether the show would be doing a chocolate exchange similar to the Dark Matter cookie exchange we did in December. ��When I told her it was unlikely, she seemed genuinely disappointed. ��Maybe we need to organize something amongst us our little blog community.

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v., science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television

January 13, 2015: Dark Matter – from cast to characters!

Today, we shot two of the most important scenes of this first season (if not the entire series), and every member of our cast – Marc Bendavid, Melissa O’Neil, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr., Jodelle Ferland, Roger Cross, and Zoie Palmer – delivered BIGTIME. ��Sitting at the monitors, watching them in their first scene together, I found myself magically cross over from professional observer to mesmerized viewer as their onscreen characters took on a life of their own. ��The lines separating��fact and fiction, fantasy and reality had blurred and I’d been transported. ��And the first thought that entered my head was: “I’m going to love watching this show!”

This cast is AWESOME!

A couple of behind-the-scenes snippets:

The gang (Alex Mallari Jr., Anthony Lemke, Roger Cross, and Trevor Finn) show craft server Cathy some love.

The exterior of the ship’s underbelly where secrets reside. ��Oh, and the cast because that’s where they hang out between set-ups.

Our Dark Matter screen grab of the day (from yesterday’s dailies):

Mysterious, no?

And, of course, on the heels of last blog entry’s Carlton Dance comes a little MJ c/o Alex Mallari Jr. (aka. FOUR). ��Go say hi to him on twitter:��https://twitter.com/AlexMallariJr��#FOURCLAN #DARKMATTER

And while you’re in the twitter neighborhood, why not drop in on the entire crew:

ONE (Marc Bendavid):��https://twitter.com/marcbendavid81

TWO (Melissa O’Neil):��https://twitter.com/Mel13Oneil

THREE (Anthony Lemke):��https://twitter.com/ranthonylemke

FOUR (Alex Mallari Jr.):��https://twitter.com/AlexMallariJr

FIVE (Jodelle Ferland):��https://twitter.com/jodellemicah

SIX (Roger Cross):��https://twitter.com/therogercross

THE ANDROID (Zoie Palmer):��https://twitter.com/ZoiePalmer

This year is going to be A LOT of fun!

Tagged: Alex Mallari Jr., Anthony Lemke, Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v., Jodelle Ferland, Marc Bendavid, Melissa O'Neil, Roger Cross, science fiction scifi television, Science Fiction Television, scifi, SF, SF television, Zoie Palmer

January 12, 2015: Scotch, Swords, and Dance! Dark Matter Production Day #3!

Today kicked off our first full week on our standing sets before we shift to Hamilton/Waterloo. ��Corridors and quarters were the order of the day and director T.J. Scott continues to��deliver in a BIG way. ��I received the latest set of dailies late last night and was downright giddy by the time I’d finished reviewing them. ��The sets look amazing. ��A big round of applause for T.J., the crew, and, of course, Production Designer Ian Brock and the gang in the Art Department who thoroughly surpassed expectations. ��Now I look forward to seeing what they do for an encore: specifically with our��phantom class marauder and space station.

Executive Producer Paul Mullie and Director T.J. Scott. The calm before the storm!

Alas, it wasn’t all positive vibes on set this morning. ��Line Producer Norman Denver and 1st A.D. Brandon Tataryn were still smarting from the playoff loss suffered by their beloved Broncos. ��On the one hand, they were crushed by the defeat but, on the other hand, I’m sure they drew solace from the fact, at 34-1, my still-in-contention Indianapolis Colts could pay off quite handsomely for me with a Superbowl win.

1st AD Brandon Tataryn still smarting.

A delightful surprise came our way this afternoon via longtime Stargate associate “Golden Boy” Martin Gero who sent us two bottles of 18 year old Bunnahabhain scotch as a “Congratulations! ��You’re actually getting your show made!” gift.

Alison Hepburn assists with the display.

Bunnahabhain. ��Very hard to pronounce but quite easy to drink.

Adhering to Scottish film labor regulations, the gang takes a union-mandated scotch break.

As promised, here’s the second instalment in our “Snap of the Day” feature, showcasing a single frame from a recent��shoot:

And what blog entry would be complete without a Sword and Dance sequence, compliments of Alex Mallari Jr. (FOUR) – #FOURCLAN��https://twitter.com/AlexMallariJr��#DarkMatter

I LOVE this guy’s energy!

In other show-related behind-the-scene news, check out this podcast interview with Dark Matter��Set Designer Doug Slater in which he reveals how The Brady Bunch led him to design the deck of a spaceship:��http://www.tv-eh.com/2014/12/31/tv-eh-b-cs-podcast-10-doug-slaters-designs-on-television/

And finally, in rare non Dark Matter-related news, check out this trailer for Carl Binder’s new show, premiering in April:

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v., science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television

January 11, 2015: Sleepless in Toronto! Looking ahead! A brand new Dark Matter feature!

Between my 5:30 a.m. wake-ups, the nagging rib injury, and one elderly fitfully slumbering pug, sleep has been very hard to come by lately. ��And it isn’t going to get any easier anytime soon. ��When the doctor said “It’s going to feel worse before it gets better.”, I just dismissed his words as a worst case scenario. ��Well, worst case or not, he was right. ��Every time I shift in bed, the pain under my ribcage shocks me awake. ��The simple act of coughing is an adventure and bending over is now a thing of the past. ��According to the experts (aka – others who have suffered the same injury), a full recovery should take me about 4-5 months. ��Just in time for the Dark Matter season one wrap party!

Tomorrow, it’s main unit day #2 (yes, technically, production day #3) on episodes #101-102. ��We’re in the corridor and quarters (for that pantsless scene) with Marc, Melissa, Anthony, and Alex, while Zoie fine-tunes her ass-kicking for Tuesday’s extended fight sequence in which she’ll put a major hurt on the boys.

On our standing sets all this week and then we head to Hamilton and Waterloo where we’ll get down and dirty (and, oh yeah, cold) in the mining community. We’ve got our guest cast in place. ��A few familiar faces in the mix -

Moving forward, I think I’d like to add a regular feature to the ongoing production blog. ��I’m calling it “The Daily Snap of the Day”. ��For every day we’re in production, I’ll add a screen grab from the previous day’s dailies. ��For instance, here’s one from one of my favorite shots of Day #1:

Intriguing, no?

Schedule permitting, I’d like to do a little Q&A sometime this week. So,��questions…post ‘em if you got ‘em!

I end today’s blog with a pic of this apartment’s most adorable couple gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes…

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v., science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television

January 10, 2015: Dark Matter, Episode #101, Second Unit Day #1!

It was just the boys today, Anthony Lemke (THREE) and Marc Bendavid (ONE), in for some anti-gravity fun and stunts. ��Later, at the craft service table, they both had a special request: more Zero-G sequences! ��I’ll see what we can do for them.

While we were chatting, I couldn’t help but notice Anthony playing with his guns. And not for the first time either. ��Every chance he gets, he’s practicing: holstering and unholstering his sidearms, twirling them forward, twirling them back. ��I wouldn’t be surprised to see him out and about with his wife – she, shopping, him following a few steps behind – holstering, unholstering, twirling.

I’ve got some great behind-the-scenes pics and videos I’m holding off on posting for now – including a first-time inertial dampener fail run-thru. ��Can’t wait to show you.

In the meantime, here are some photos I CAN share…

Director T.J. Scott and 1st A.D. Brandon Tataryn all revved up for another early morning start.

Design on the back of the bridge chairs. ��This was my seat for most of the morning. ��Sadly, I had to give it up for one of those run-of-the-mill director’s chairs when we moved video village to the sub-zero section of the stage.

T.J. says: “See those stunt mats over there? We’re going to need them.”

Our stunt coordinator, the incredible John Stead. Some terrific work from him today!

The Raza’s one-armed bandit.

A camera operator Dino Laurenza captures the action.

Space waste! ��Handle with care.

Contemplating his options.

A big warm welcome to all you new visitors to this blog. ��You’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v., Science Fiction Television, scifi television, SF television

January 9, 2015: Dark Matter, Episode #101, Production Day One!

One day down; about ninety more to go. ��And what a day it was! ��Sparks! ��Steam! Camera shake! ��An unexpected downpour almost taking out a camera! ��Stasis pods! ��Reveals! ��And apricot-coconut cookies! ��What more could I ask for?

Line Producer Norman Denver – first one in; last one out.

Director T.J. Scott calls the shots.

Alex (FOUR) and Allie. Akemi took one look at this photo and said of Alex: “So handsome!”, and of Allie: “She looks like Miss Universe!”. Cute couple, no?

Cathy serves up snacks – and home made cookies.

Roger and Me (and Alex). After crushing my ribs with his last display of affection, you’ll forgive me for being a little on edge.

Director of Photography Craig Wright, rides the camera train.

Marc Bendavid (ONE) and Jodelle Ferland (FIVE) between set-ups – and snacks.

It can get mighty cold in the ship’s underbelly. My writing partner, Paul (doing his best Gregory House impersonation), dressed for the weather watches the monitors alongside arthouse douche.

Uh oh. Melissa O’Neil (TWO) and Anthony Lemke (THREE) face off.

Showdown averted. Peace prevails. This time!

Unfortunately, Zoie Palmer was the only cast member not present today (She’s enjoying a nice, relaxed long weekend in advance of next Monday’s extensive fight training session) so I had to seek medical advice from a real doctor this afternoon. He assured me I had not, as I suspected, “unstoppered my liver”. ��According to him, I cracked the cartilage in my ribcage. ��He suggested rest, a warm compress, an easy chair for sleeping, and plenty of patience. ��This’ll take a while to heal!

Tomorrow – lucky us! – a rare Saturday shoot. ��Bring on the anti-grav sequence!

P.S. Happy Anniversary! ��This is my 3000th blog entry here on WordPress!

Tagged: Dark Matter

January 8, 2015: Last day of prep! There’s no turning back now!

Well, as a result of the injury I sustained yesterday (see last entry for all the gory details), I was unable to turn or put any pressure on my side and had to spend the entire night lying flat on my back. ��I also can’t twist, jump, run, or perform aerial gymnastics (the latter is a particularly bitter pill to swallow). ��This morning, I visited set during rehearsal and asked Zoie Palmer (aka Lost Girl’s Dr. Lauren) for a follow-up medical opinion. ��Her prognosis was grim and then she turned down my request for a prescription and informed me I should consult with a real doctor. ��And yet she��still charged me for the consult!

This morning, we had an 8:00 a.m. color session��at Deluxe, our post-production facility, to review and discuss the H/M/W (Hair, Make-up, Wallaby) tests we did yesterday. ��We’re taking down a scar, making some cheeks a little less rosy, and reconsidering the Red. ��The wallaby looked perfect though.

I arrived at my office to discover a “Best Wishes on the Start of Production” delivery compliments of our former Stargate script coordinator (and present Orphan Black writer-producer) Alex Levine. ��What a fantastic friend. ��As of this afternoon, still no congratulatory cookies from Ivon Bartok.

A��macadamia white chocolate and two chocolate chip cookies later, it was downstairs��for a dress rehearsal and test of set elements.

We ran a test of the soundproof walls this weekend, luring story editor Trevor Finn inside and then sealing him in. I’m pleased to report that no one heard or answered his plaintive cries ALL WEEKEND!

Note:��As we move along, I’m learning more and more about the cast. ��And sometimes, the revelations are downright scary. ��Like yesterday when T.J. shot them walking down the corridor toward camera. ��They hit their mark and then instantly broke into the S Club 7 theme song. ��And more than half of them knew the words!

Director T.J. Scott and the cast blocked all of our ship scenes for the two-part opener (Well, I refer to it as a two-part opener but it’s more like the first two episodes of our 13 part first season), starting on the bridge, then shifting to the storage room before moving over to the corridors and, finally, finishing in FIVE’s quarters. ��Along the way, we nailed down all the monitor displays (and there are A LOT), the underbelly discoveries, the shuttle reveal, the stasis pod awakenings, the emergency lighting, and the major sparkage.

The access code is my banking pin number: 37655. Please don’t tell anyone.

Tomorrow, we do it all over again – but for real this time! ��Prep is over and production begins!

Let’s conclude today’s entry with more pics from our very first Dark Matter cast read-thru:

Director T.J. Scott, Line Producer Norman Denver, and actor Roger Cross (SIX).

Roger Cross (SIX), Zoie Palmer (The Android), and Jodelle Ferland (FIVE) focus to the script – while I prepare to focus on my guide to whiskey, bourbon, and rye.

T.J. gives everyone their marching orders.

These scripts are so absorbing!

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v. series, science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi television, SF, SF television

January 7, 2015: Read-thrus, camera tests, cast dinners, and sound medical advice!

Today, we had our very first read-thru (episodes #101 and #102). ��A great time was had by all – but especially Paul and I who had our expectations far surpassed. This cast is amazing!

Melissa gives the read-thru TWO thumbs up (one for each script).

The rest of the day was spent doing camera tests of the ship’s corridors and bridge. We tried different cameras, different looks, varied the lighting, and got into some very long and involved discussions about monitors and bridge windows. ��We also got to see all seven of our cast members in costume, walking – and occasionally running – the halls. ��It’s finally coming together!

Director T.J. Scott oversees the action.

Testing the MoVI

Executive Producer Vanessa Piazza greets me first thing in the morning.

Executive Producer Jay Firestone, all smiles. Always a good sign.

We snacked throughout the day – on everything from crudit��s to chicken kiev. Later in the afternoon, Cathy and Darlene, the Catering Servers, came by and introduced themselves. ��Apparently, Cathy is a frequent reader of this blog.

And that earned her and Darlene a cameo.

We shot some inserts for the end of episode #101, then wrapped. ��Actor Roger Cross gave me a hug so enthusiastic that I fear he cracked my rib or possibly ruptured my spleen. ��Fortunately, at the cast dinner, Zoie Palmer offered me some sound medical advice.

“I didn’t know you were a doctor,”I told her.

“I’m not,”she said. ��“I just played one for five years.”

Tomorrow, it’s the color test meeting and an all day rehearsal. ��The last day of prep before we finally go to camera!

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v. series

January 6, 2014: Three days to the start of production!

We’re three days out from the start of production on��Dark Matter – and things seem to be moving along quite nicely. �� I mean, it’s still very early and I’m sure we’ll encounter a few bumps along the way but, right now, everyone is feeling really good about where things stand and what lies ahead. ��I have to say, it’s soooo much easier when you work with people who are not only good at what they do, but also genuinely fun to work with. ��As I’ve already mentioned, the vibe is reminiscent of Stargate – very positive, very confident, and very supportive.

Soon to be the corridor outside the mess

This morning, Paul and I went on our daily walkabout of the standing sets: bridge, infirmary, underbelly, mess, training room, airlocks, quarters, and corridors. ��The lights are in, the monitors are up, and the screens are on.

Back in the (Stargate) day, this is what we used to refer to as a BLU -

Blinky Light Unit.

Afterwards, I finished my second pass on episode #112 and sent it Paul’s way, then jumped on the blue pages for episodes #101 and #102. ��Only small adjustments at this point: dialogue tweaks, losing the montage, and swapping out the description of the shuttle launch (replacing the retracting shell with a sliding bay door drop).

Stopped by the costumes department today to talk hair (head and facial) with actor Alex Mallari Jr. (aka FOUR) who was in for a costume fitting. ��While there, I spoke to our costume designer, the lovely Noreen Landry, about the Ferrous Corp. guard armor. ��We’ve envisioned a future where colonization of space has been spearheaded by multi-corps, major intergalactic players with the money and the resources to seek out new worlds. ��Oh sure, there are a few independent colonies out there (the Principality of Zairon and the Republic of Pyr come to mind) but, aside from the autonomous space stations and GA (Galactic Authority) outposts, much of colonized space is run by one of the major multi-planetaries:

Ferrous Corp

The Mikkei Combine

Volkov-Rusov Industries

Traugott Corp

And others we’ll get to know as the series unfolds.

Of course policing and protecting their territory requires some heavy, heavy muscle in the form of cruisers, destroyers, shuttles and, of course, soldiers (aka “corporate guard”). ��We’re trying to give each multi-planetary a unique look, from the corporate logos to color schemes. ��In the case of Ferrous Corp., we’re looking at red accents in the armour – and guns…

We will, of course, weather it down a bit to suggest some wear and tear.

And finally…

This afternoon, we had our production meeting – our final big conference in advance of Production Day #1 – attended by 30+. ��Brandon Tataryn, our 1st AD, took us through both scripts, setting a torrid pace that saw us finish in about an impressive hour and a half!

Tomorrow, it’s all hands on deck for the hair/make-up/camera tests, the cast read-thru, the tone meeting, and the cast dinner! �� I’m going to get soooooooooo drunk…

Tagged: Dark Matter, Dark Matter t.v. series, film & television, science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi, scifi shows, scifi television, SF, SF television, television

January 5, 2015: Sad Usagi’s Return!

Uh oh.  This morning marked the return of sad rabbit as yours truly prepares for a big five months of production.  Akemi has greatly enjoyed my two years of loafing about development which allowed me to work from home – and spend most of my days (and nights) with her.  Now, with Dark Matter poised to  start production on its first season, we’re going to be seeing a lot less of each other.  A LOT less.  Starting Friday, I’ll be out the door at 6:30 a.m. and probably won’t be back until 9:00 p.m. most nights.  On the downside, she’ll we’ll be spending considerably less time together.  On the upside, however, she doesn’t have to worry about making me dinner.  And we’ll always have the weekends.  Except for this Saturday when I’ll be on set.

Today, we had our “Does Everyone Know What They’re Doing?” meeting and I’m pleased to report that – yes, everyone knows what they’re doing.  Even me!  We talked about the camera test, facial hair, tattoos, and making “the big doors” pop.

After lunch, Paul gave me his notes on my first of #112.  I’ll finish my pass tomorrow, then send it his way so that he can do his pass after which we can put it wide – along with episodes #110 and #111.  As for #113…I think we’re going to hold off and keep everyone guessing.

We also did another little stage walk-thru and perused the work in progress…

Tagged: Dark Matter