“Where,” you no doubt are asking, “is that awesome VFX -laden trailer you promised us?” Well, they’re stuck in the pipeline (like Homer Simpson in that waterslide) and, hopefully, will be coming your way BEFORE the premiere – because, after all, that’s the whole point of releasing this trailer: to get you even more excited about Dark Matter (as if that were possible!) and let any potential fence sitters and naysayers know just how cool this show will be!
Another teaser promo, compliments of Space Channel. “We’re dangerous!”:
Variety reviews our first episode:
“Adapted from Dark Horse Comics, “Dark Matter” uses a tantalizing mystery to achieve liftoff, then does a pretty nifty job of establishing its characters to bring the audience along for the ride.”
Meanwhile, over at Entertainment Weekly:
“It’s tough to become attached to anyone just yet, but fun scenes of discovery and a twist ending should keep you interested for at least one more episode. [12 Jun 2015, p.71]”
Salt Lake City Weekly seems to like us:
http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/orange-is-the-new-black-dark-matter/Content?oid=2854227
A little insight into the construction of our space stations…
We wanted a uniform look for our space stations suggestive of a single architectural vision – but one we could play with, making changes to background and structure to vary the looks as our crew visited different locations.
We went out to our former Stargate Production Designer, James C.D. Robbins, who came back to us with a terrific concept…
James Robbins: “The first concept drawings that Joe & Paul wanted me to work on was for a space station. I was forwarded a handful of images as direction. The PD was looking to make the whole structure compact- still incorporating modular elements but more like a series of steel geodesic mushrooms radiating from a central column.
My first pass at the space station was well received, but the idea of modular pods attached in an organic cluster was nixed as the physicality of shooting the ‘ins and outs’ of sets that all have a different direction for “up” was deemed impractical.”
James Robbins: “So I developed a single axis column design topped with a “pod” that was the size of a small city. After a few notes, the final version that went to VFX is below.”
Once we’d locked our design, it went to our VFX team lead by Visual Effects Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson.
Lawren Bancroft-Wilson: “When it comes to building a space station (of which our team has done a great deal over the years) we know it always comes down to how much detail can we add to sell just how immense the scale needs to be. We were lucky to have a good deal of lead-time to really hammer out the needs of a civilian inhabited space station model. Communication relays, habitable sections, docking bays, etc. Being able to look down the road we also knew that we would be required to create variations on these deep space outposts that were build from generally the same principles and resources. The design we took from the concept had to be modular in a way that a space station on one side of a galaxy would be reminiscent of another, but different enough to reflect the economics of what that particular pocket of space could support.”
Lawren Bancroft-Wilson: “Through the various iterations of the grey scale models, you can see detail being built up and scale being accessed (as seen with our ship in one of the docking bays).”
Lawren Bancroft-Wilson: “Developing the light kit helped to give life on the inside of the space station, deciding what areas were habitable and which were not. One of the really nice details of this particular build was how much of the interior of the docking bays we were able to create so that once our ship is inside we can actually see out the windows to the realistic 3D interior of the bay.”
Although the architectural construction of these way stations will be similar, looks will vary…
Today’s entry is dedicated to longtime blog regular ponytail!
Maybe somebody already asked and I missed it, but do SyFy/Space track online viewers as well as cable viewers?
48 hours and 44 minutes to go! I really am anxious to see that trailer, although as you say I can’t really get any more excited about this!
I love that’s there’s so much thought put into the design of these things.
Wow, congrats to the team on the space station, that looks awesome, a lot of places to hide..and play, and look for lost memories.
@ponytail: So sorry to hear your mother is hospitalized. Been there, done that too many times. Hope she feels chipper soon!
When I last checked in, I mentioned a fractured elbow, no? THIS week, I had my first full-blown migraine. Feeling better, but please cross fingers that the light & sound sensitivity improve by Friday night. No VCR /DVR at my house any more. 🙁
Cool! For some weird reason, the Space Station reminded me of the Cerimonial Mace for the House of Commons in Ottawa: http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/collections/collection_profiles/CP_mace-e.htm
Maybe I’ve been researching Canadian government history far too much.
So awesome to know that James Robbins is around again. Hi James! So missing your tours of Bridge Studios. You probably are not. 😉
PS: If I haven’t mentioned the fractured elbow…slip & fall May 30, dominant arm, about 50% normal now.
Can’t wait!
At this point…just forget the new trailer and maybe release the first
ten minutes of the first episode…or something like that.
Just an idea….I know that it’s way too late to put something like that
together.
Play dumb…make it a leak….allow it to go viral on the various sites.
Shoulda…woulda…coulda…..indeed.
Joe, THANK YOU for today’s dedication. Still running lots of tests on my mom. Looking for fractures, kidney stones, at her heart, maybe a blood clot, but nothing is showing up yet. She is feeling better today as long as she stays in bed and lots of pain killers. Still in hospital. I was sitting with her today looking up at her TV (it wasn’t on), and wondering if it gets SyFy. I will check it out tomorrow. If not, I will go to the nurses station and ask why because Dark Matter is coming on. I’ll make sure they all know about this new kick-ass show that is starting up
Thank you for the info, thoughts Sylvia and all the kind words from Line Noise, airelle, Tam Dixon (I once ran the craft room at VBS. Fun but herding cats is right! And dog tired afterward), MrsTigercat, and gforce. Sparrow_hawk I didn’t even think about the electricity going off! Oh no!!
I follow Dark Matter on Twitter. It is 1 of only 8 things I follow. Tam Dixon is right… watch out for all the mean crazy people who will say anything. Your tweets lately have been very entertaining. You all should have fun with it on Friday night.
Oh and forgot to say… your space stations are AWESOME!! Great design, beautiful, and they look so big! Love the windows. Great job!
that kind of reminds me of the regula I space station from the wrath of khan.
http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Regula_I
The space port is wonderful. It reminds me of the intricate detail that was put into the making of Destiny. I wonder if Peter (PG150 would make us a Lego model out of it. LOL. It’s almost 1 a.m. here on Thursday, so technically I only have a day and some odd hours left to wait.
@ponytail Thinking good thoughts for your mom. If Syfy was really smart, they would put it online immediately so people without DVRs or heck TV at all (a lot of people going to other ways of viewing) can view it.
So, Joe, are you going to tweet during Dark Matter on Friday? Are any of the actors going to be tweeting? We’ve done tweet fests with other shows such as 12 Monkeys and Helix. It can be tres fun.
This is a bit different and has been updated.
‘Dark Matter’ Sneak Peek: New Series Premieres June 12 at 10/9c on Syfy!
322.000 views on youtube right now!!
Dark Matter was on the home page of imdb.com this morning.
Best wishes to your mom, Ponytail.
Ponytail: I’m glad they’re keeping your mom comfy! I looked on our Syfy station and it shows Dark Matter being repeated later than evening.
Two more nights of VBS!!!!!!! Some of the kids are pretty cool, some are frustrating and some are sad cases. One of the little boys lost his brother and this is the first time he’s left the house since the funeral. He’s been all smiles, so that makes me feel better about this whole experience.
Very cool space station!!!!!
*peaks in…runs away before getting spoiled!*
das
I-N-C-O-M-I-N-G!!!!!!!!! hehehehe Yeah, I’m excited! 😀
@baterista9,, you better take it easy there girl, ouchie!! Hope the migraine is all better also..
Dark Matter is the featured tv gallery today:
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/rg2395511552
Linked from a front-page story at http://www.imdb.com
Dragon Con just announced:
Zoie Palmer, starting SyFy’s Dark Matter, is coming to #DragonCon2015!
You might also recognize her from Lost Girl, Cold Blooded, and Patch Town.
Dragoncon.org
@ponytail, so sorry to hear about your Mom. Sending prayers and healing energy her way. Take care of yourself, too. I know how difficult and exhausting it can be, watching over loved ones in the hospital, but it’s good that you are there to advocate for her.
@baterista9, also sending healing thoughts for your fractured elbow, yikes!
Joe, thanks for sharing all these enticing goodies with us. Can’t wait for Friday!