Today marked the conclusion of our first full week of production on Dark Matter - or, as the call sheet will tell you: "Day 6 of 89"! Today saw some sword slinging, cosmic cat and mouse, big reveals, and an FTL jump. In other words, just another day at the office. The ladies can't stop talking…
January 15, 2015: Dark Matter in production! Discoveries made! Secrets revealed! Burgers eaten!
Another awesome - and exhausting - day on set. We were in the ship's underbelly, the corridors, and personal quarters as our crew dealt with the aftermath of some surprising events and shocking revelations. Questions, questions and answers - which only beget more questions! Actor Alex Mallari Jr., Dark Matter's FOUR, is back with a…
January 14, 2015: Dark Matter in production! Zoie Palmer kicks ass!
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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? Unfortunately, Zoie Palmer was the only cast member not present today (She's enjoying a nice, relaxed long…
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…
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! The rest of the day was spent doing camera tests of the ship's corridors and bridge. We tried different cameras, different…
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.…
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…
January 4, 2015: Introducing…Director T.J. Scott!
One of the most important decisions we had to make early in process was the selection of our first director. Whoever we chose would be shooting our first two episodes and, as such, would not only be responsible for setting the tone for the series, but would be charged with the task of "working out"…
January 3, 2014: Stormracer!
We left Montreal early(ish) this morning, hoping to beat the storm front before it rolled into Ontario. And we almost made it. About an hour out from Toronto, we were blanketed - first snow, then rain. It made things interesting - and a lot slower - but we eventually arrived, safe and soaked. Awaiting for…
January 2, 2014: Outracing the storm!
The plan is to leave tomorrow morning to avoid the snowstorm due to hit Montreal on Sunday. More importantly, it's a storm front rolling in from Toronto that will be blitzing Ontario Saturday afternoon so its imperative we get out and in in advance of the bad weather - and, of course, the kick-off of…