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