October 24, 2014: Introducing Natalie Cooper!

Natalie Cooper, multitasking

Anyone will tell you that the toughest thing about starting a new productions isn’t the casting or the scriptwriting or ensuring that it all falls within the allotted budget.  No, the toughest thing about starting a new production is remembering everyone’s name.  It’s a problem that plagued me my many years on Stargate.  My writing partner and I, Paul, joined the show in its fourth season.  In the first two weeks we were there, we were introduced to roughly, oh, one hundred people – and then spent the greater part of the season sequestered in our respective offices, cranking out scripts.  By the time we came up for air and were finally able to visit set – about three years later – we couldn’t remember anyone’s name.  And, because so much time had passed, it would have been way too awkward to ask – so we improvised”  “Hey, you guy.  What’s up?”  or “How was your weekend, TooMuchLipstick?” or “Yo, Beardo, what did you do on your hiatus?”

Fortunately, I’m getting in on the ground floor with Dark Matter and have been introduced to the production personnel in small doses, partly because we’re still a week away from actual prep and much of the crew hasn’t started yet, but mostly because, I suspect, they’re afraid of overwhelming me and scaring me off.  Despite my general inability to remember names (Twelve years after moving into my neighborhood, I avoided running into the family next door for fear they would test me), I’ve been doing pretty good so far.  Sure, I don’t remember everyone’s names but I do remember the names of the more colorful characters.

Take Natalie Cooper for one.  She wears two hats [note the photo above], fulfilling the functions of both Development and Social Media Coordinator.  In addition her aforementioned duties, she is also the resident foodie and a font of invaluable restaurant and ice cream sandwich shop information.  In addition, she’s an avid comic book reader, although she has thus far resisted my attempts to engage her on the topic.  Apparently, the task of reading (and passing judgement on) the Dark Matter graphic novel fell to her a couple of years ago.  She was the gatekeeper, Prodigy Pictures‘ own Cerberus, charged with the task of ensuring only the awesomest of properties gain admission to its hallowed halls.  Abandon all hype, ye who enter here.  If it wasn’t for her giving the comic book the thumbs up, I’d probably now be volunteering for clinical trials of the new Arby’s menu items.

Anyway, in addition to development, social media, and food and comic punditry, she is also making a foray into the acting realm as evidenced by this tremendous audition that found its way into my inbox the other day.  Reading for the part of Seven (a character who doesn’t actually exist in the show, but this audition may change my mind): Natalie Cooper…

I’m afraid that if I don’t snap her up now, I may lose her to Downton Abbey.

Hey, remember yesterday when I was talking about how great Executive Producer’s Assistants are proactive (a term rarely used outside the suites of network executives)?  Well, Alison (aka The Driver, aka The Fixer, aka Audrey) informed me this morning that she had tracked down a stroller for my elderly pug Jelly.  And not only did she locate one at the nearest Pet Smart, but she reserved it, accompanied me to pick it up so that I wouldn’t meander off, then assembled it for me back at the office (for fear I might hurt myself).  And voila -

Pretty terrific.  I informed Alison that she just bought herself another week!

Starting tomorrow(wish), what say we get into the casting process.  I’ll offer you all a peek at the breakdowns that went out for our seven-member crew and update you all on the casting process.

Sounds fun, no?

Tagged: Dark MatterPerhap