Back to the mailbag:
2cats writes: “When is the background from green screen added – in post? I dabble with Adobe Premiere for little video stuff, but I can imagine it being a lot of work to add backgrounds to HD film. How many film editors does DM use?”
Answer: The show used three amazing editors in season 1: Paul Day, Wendy Hallam, and Teresa Hannigan. The “background” is added by our VFX crew (lead by VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson) during the post-production process.
clevere writes: “Are those doors manual or automatic?”
Answer: Much like Stargate, the doors on Dark Matter are manual, dependant on the impeccable timing and opening/closing skills of on set carpenter Jesse Partin and set dresser Jean Brophey, among others.
Tim Hendrix writes: “Will there be any repercussions when the crew finds out who wiped their memories?”
Answer: Probably.
“Can the Raza find a stray dog in one of those remaining hidden compartments?”
Answer: Jodelle has been lobbying for a space cat.
Woody writes: “What’s the time frame from the start of filming to airing?”
Answer: Last season, we started in early January and finished the first week of May, approximately four months later. This season, we’re looking to start a little earlier and have at least one episode under our belt before heading off for the holidays.
airelle writes: “So the fish (looks like a tank on the wall) in the show, special effect?”
Answer: It’s practical playback, not a visual effect. Or a real aquarium.
2cats writes: “And I too, like Tam Dixon want to know why do the sets have to be packed up until used again?”
Answer: Our standing sets continue to stand throughout hiatus.
Drea Crysel writes: “Are we gonna get to see Lulu n Bubba in Season 2 guest starring in the role as aliens?”
Answer: We’re in protracted negotiations with their agents.
duptiang writes: “what does a producer/writer do for the next few months?”
Answer: Come up with stories and scripts for Season 2.
shaneac1 writes: “Hey Joe is know this may be a long shot but by any chance do you know if amazon is going to put Dark Matter on prime for their instant video service?”
Answer: I don’t know about Amazon, but I DO know that the show will be available for binge-streaming in a couple of weeks.
Drea Crysel writes: “How much of the original Outer Limits factor into or otherwise influenced DM?”
Answer: That was one of the few SF shows/comic books/movies/anime that DIDN’T influence DM.
Ponytail writes: “Where does everybody go when production stops?”
Answer: Usually to work on other productions.
Drea Crysel writes: “So whose idea was it to give the bridge the feel of ST Enterprise?”
Answer: That was our brilliant Production Designer, Ian Brock.
Dallas Marshall writes: “BTW, how’s LuLu?”
Answer: Much better. Now we have to get her down to her “flying weight”.
Tim Hendrix writes: “Can you give us a clue about how much of the Raza and its contents have not been discovered by the crew?”
Answer: There may be as yet unaccessed sections of the ship still waiting to be discovered – or existing unseen sections that may be repurposed for other uses (like, say, hydroponics).
“Have you decided on a good name for the massive, rabid and dedicated fan base as yet? Would you consider putting it up for a vote?”
Answer: Sure, what are your suggestions?
gforce writes: “I love the concept of Transfer Transit, and was wondering who came up with the idea. Was it yours, something that grew from discussions in the writers’ room, or was it an already existing idea?”
Answer: When I was first developing the series, I wanted an alternate means of travel that would allow solitary passenger to move from point A to point B without having to use a ship. At first, I considered something along the lines of stargaze-like transit points situated at space stations throughout colonized space but ultimately decided it was too much like Stargate. Eventually, I came up with the idea of transfer transit which was inspired by the works of Cory Doctorow, David Brin, John Varley and Richard Morgan in which an individual is able to “back-up” their consciousness in the same way we would save a document draft on our computer. I liked the idea of back-up bodies and elected to use them as part of an alternate means of travel, placing certain restrictions on their use (ie. the host body must remain in the sender pod until the connection is severed, failure to return to the receiver pod for recycling and memory transfer means all memories made during experience are lost, etc.). For years, I sat on the series, the idea, and what I thought would be a fantastic tease that involved one of our main characters (seemingly) being killed in an episode’s opening.
“Given the recent introduction of the new Apple TV and the “Content as apps” concept, do you ever see a time in the future when shows (like DM for instance) are “app” based rather than (or as well as) broadcast based?”
Answer: Absolutely. Eventually, technology will eventually allow viewers to access programming however and whenever they want either through standard viewing options, app-based content, or via direct transmission to the mind chip installed in your brain.
Sylvia writes: “Heya Joe, Is anyone involved/working on shirts (black) with the DM logo? ”
Answer: Not yet, but I grow impatient and am considering making my own.
Greg D writes: “In the episode where ONE learns he’s Derrick Moss, we see a bit of his personal bio on the computer screen. He’s born on Earth. Will we be learning anything about Earth in season 2? Will we be visiting?”
Answer: While there are no plans to visit Earth in season as of yet, there’s a possibility we will learn more about its place in the grand scheme of things.
Drea writes: “I’m not sure if someone else asked this already, but are we gonna hear more from Cyrus King in season 2?”
Answer: Possibly. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover in season 2!
ceresis64 writes: “You’ve answered about Derrick Moss coming back. I was going to ask this too, how did he know to alter his appearance to Jace Corso? He must have had prior knowledge that Corso was a criminal and would be joining the Raza crew? Did he use his wealth to gain information or is Derrick Moss a dodgy businessman?”
Answer: This would be the most scenario, yes.
“You said we’d know more about Titch in S2, didn’t Five say in her dream that when she looked in the mirror she thought it was One but his face was different, then we found out that One was Derrick Moss. So, Titch is One?”
Answer: You’ll find out early in season 2.
“Will we see a flashback to show us how Six found out what he was really on the Raza for?”
Answer: Yes. This will be answered right off the get-go.
“And why is Six on the Raza? Is it to turn over the crew to the GA , which he has done (perhaps as a deal, Six not going to jail for his part in the massacre) or a bit more? […] Did he also enter her dreamstate to not just save her, but to see if she’d give away the key’s hiding place?”
Answer: Answers come early in season 2.
“Will we see all the crew’s stories, in S2 as to how they all eventually end up on board the Raza?”
Answer: Again, this is one of the possible stories we’re considering.
“Who actually owns the Raza?”
Answer: The crew.
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