So now that it’s official, I can finally talk about my new show, Dark Matter, and my plans for the series and this blog in the lead-up to season premiere (sometime in 2015). As most of you know, while I was working on Stargate this blog offered fans a peak at the inner workings of the production, with posts of everything from concept art to behind the scene videos and, of course, Q&A’s with the many talented individuals who helped produce it. Well, I’d like to offer fans and prospective viewers the same opportunity with Dark Matter – with the added bonus that we’ll all be on this journey together. From prep through production to finished episode, this blog will offer you spoiler-free insights into the evolution of the production, something usually reserved for after-the-fact special features. I want you all invested in the series from the very beginning and involved in its progression and completion so that, ultimately, hopefully, you’ll consider it YOUR show as much as I consider it mine.
Saturday, I leave rainy Vancouver for the frosty environs of Toronto where I’ll spend the next seven months – at least. Next week, I’ll be talking to Jay Firestone (http://www.jayfirestone.com) and his team, lead by Vanessa Piazza (https://twitter.com/Vanessa_Piazza_), about coordinating these behind-the-scenes entries. In the meantime…
Delivered scripts for episodes #7 and #8. The script for episode #9 will come out next week. As I mentioned in a previous entry, my writing partner, Paul, and I are approaching this first year as a maxi-series, each episode a chapter in our season-long story. By the time we go to camera in January, we should have all 13 scripts done.
As for now, we’ve got six crew members and an android to cast and are deep into it. We’ve cast a fairly wide net, opening the roles to all ethnicities and, in a couple of cases, both genders. In the end, I think two of our linchpin female crew members, defacto leader TWO and the mysterious kid FIVE are going to be the toughest to cast. Having that, however, we’ve got A LOT of very interesting candidates.
Thanks for all the birthday well-wishes. I celebrated today by getting my haircut and doing a pass on the aforementioned scripts. We went out for sushi dinner and, tonight, I cap off my birthday festivities by taking in another 30 auditions.
One final full day in Vancouver and then we’re Toronto-bound. And, just when I was beginning to feel a little more comfortable about flying with the dogs, Lulu, my french bulldog has come down with diarrhea. Let’s hope it clears up before we board our Saturday morning flight. 🙁
Woot woot so excited.
*Sends Joe some extra casting mojo for FIVE*
Happy birthday!
Congratulations, so excited to see the productions. I read the books and they were great.
Will be very interested the see the cast.
Happy Birthday !
G’day
Happy Birthday (belated, but the thought is there)
Good luck with Lulu and her poop drama.
Its a great, fun read man! Are you guys casting only in Canada or in L.A. too? Here’s to it going like gangbusters!
Maybe when you weren’t looking, Lulu did steal some of your Thanksgiving fest and that’s what is giving her the runs. Hopefully it will be short lived.
Happy birthday Joe! And what a great one it is this year!
I want that cute long haired guy to be a guy. I think this is going to be my new favorite show. After all, it has no competition really, (with all the crap on TV today). This is gonna be fun!
“…hopefully, you’ll consider it YOUR show as much as I consider it mine.”
Careful now. You know how demanding (to put it nicely) the fans can be. 🙂
Happy Birthday, Joe! I think your new year is off to a great start!
Best of birthday wishes to you today and the next year, Joe!
I’m so looking forward to seeing space and space ships in a show again. I know that there are people I’d like to see being cast again. Part of the reason is because I like the actors and the other is that I like the characters they portrayed. But honestly, I can’t think of a show where the casting was off. Specifically SG1 and Atlantis. I’ve been amazed at how the actors’ personalities and the characters seem to match. If, in reality, they don’t, then the quality of the job was due to the acting ability. The story lines were well written and I was absorbed in the episodes and found 99% of the characters plausible – can’t think of any that I could say were not.
So in that spirit, while there are faces I would like to see (mike dopud, cliff Simon come to mind) I will cross my fingers that the best decisions will be made with respect to the casting and bring on the Carter, Weir and Maldoran types – professional, focused and collegial types. I don’t like to see the story implode with constant unresolved infighting. I think that was the secret of the success of SG1 and Atlantis.
Have a good trip back – I hope that Lulu’s problem will be solved in time to travel.
Happy birthday Joe! Congrats on the show and looking forward to hearing about the adventures casting for the show.
Try giving Lulu some pumpkin. I usually get the organic puree. Make sure it doesn’t include pumpkin pie spices.
Safe travels!
*HAPPY B-DAY*!! As wellas CONGRATS on the “SHOW”!
😀
oh, and be sure to check on that Toronto weather… Ottawa has been having a record-breaking heatwave [and RAIN and fog and mugginess] for the past few days, so I suspect Toronto might be in the same boat..?
BTW, also remember to bring a DIAPER-BAG!!
Happy birthday.
And congrats on not just your new show, but YOUR new show. How very exciting to be behind it all. I am so happy! WOHOO!!
🙁 Hope Lulu feels better shortly. The vet might be able to give her something.. but absolutely put her on just rice immediately.
Happy Birthday Joe 😀
Ready, set, go! Yay! Very exciting.
Poor Lulu, here’s to a fast recovery and a low stress trip!
My husband spent his birthday in Rancho Cucamonga, waiting for a load of Campbell’s Soup. It delivers locally up here, so we get part of the weekend together.
I’ll be sure to add Dark Matter to my viewing list next year, Sounds awesome. I’ll be lurking in the shadows of this blog till then like always, Catching up on the behind the scenes stuff. And happy belated birthday Joe. I wish you many more happy and healthy years to come!
Happy Birthday!
I really look forward to the blog and the behind-the-scenes production stories. This is an insight few people get to experience. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to see the Dark Matter on the air!
So…an off-the-wall question: You seemed to have many, many shows in development at one time. I’m thrilled Dark Matter is happening. It seems like getting a show to air is a miracle under any circumstances. But, are any of the other shows still a possibility? If one of them “happens” what do you do? (Add people to the team, while you still executive produce?)
Happy Birthday Joe!
Since this is going to be “our” show, let me know when would be a good time for a set visit. Preferably after it’s built, of course.
Maybe Lulu has pre-flight jitters? I’m hoping it clears up. Have a safe trip, all.
Happy Birthday Joe.
An as for casting suggestions, for the Kid, Millie Brown who did a brilliant job playing Madison in the Intruders and would be completely believable as a sweet little girl one minute eating a apple in a tree and a murdering psychotic knows that severing the carotid artery is a efficient kill stroke or someone who would carve out the eyes of their would be murderers and leave the bodies for their mother to find. Which from the comic is exactly what 5 is like.
Poor Lulu! Did you call the vet? He could suggest some kind of OTC that will help. I’ve found a little greek yogurt helps my kitties stomachs.
Safe and pleasant travels!
Dude…DUDE…the toughest character to cast will most certainly be Ryo Tetsuda…seeing as how you’ve got to please both me, and Sparrowhawk. Well…me, most definitely because I’m picky. Sparrow? She’s a bit easier than me. 😉
das
I’d like to cast my votes for Mike Dopud and David Blue. I hope your baby feels better soon. I wish you a low-stress flight.
I also have a question: is Dark Matter going to be aired in the United States, or just Canada? Michael Shanks has a show called “Saving Hope” that started out airing in both countries. It was not renewed in the US, but continued in Canada, and is now in its third season. Season two is not available on Netflix or Amazon, and it will not stream online. “This program is not available in your country.” I have tried and tried to see S2, but can not. If Dark Matter is not in the US market, then I will not bother to get excited about it, only to find out that I can’t get access to it.
Best of luck on your new show.
Given how well he did as Varro, Mike Dopud would be perfect for a show like Dark Matter.
Hmph. I may be a lot of things, but “easy” isn’t on the list,
See das’ comment above.
And Ponytail, too.
Once you have an image like that burned into your brain, it’s hard to change it. But we trust you, Joe.
Safe travels, all!
Poor Lulu! Hopefully, that will clear up really soon. Who will she be riding with anyway? Jeff? 🙂
Have a good flight over – here’s hoping everything is smoooooth sailing.
I hope Dark Matter gets a UK release date too! Casting must be an exciting experience for any writer – do you have any say in the process?
Happy Birthday! Hope you celebrated with lots of cake and good luck with the move.
Happy Birthday!! and congrats on the offical announcment for Dark Matter. Hopefully it will be on Hulu, if not I’ll be adding another show to my iTunes collection.
Happy Birthday! Will look forward happily to both the blog and the new show. Dallas, I believe Saving Hope will be shown in the US beginning after the new year on the ION channel.
Will the series follow closely with the comic? If I have read the Dark Matter will I be spoiled for the series?
Sparrowhawk said:
Uh-oh, Joey…YOUZE in BIG TROUBLES! Now you have two picky broads you gotta make happy. 🙂
das
Happy Birthday, Joe! Looking forward to Dark Matter. About time there was another Mallozzi-Mullie production on the air. I hope Lulu is feeling more…solid by the time you have to travel with her and her siblings.
Reblogged this on Pbmom's Blog and commented:
I so enjoyed learning how everything works in the Stargate series. I can’t wait to learn about this new series and all the similarities and differences between the shows.
Reblogged this on IN THE KNOW and commented:
This is so exciting. Can’t wait to see this new series. Congratulations Mr. Mallozzi.