Last week, you all helped select a name for our season premiere (now titled Episode 14: Welcome To Your New Home). Today, the voting begins for our second episode title of the young season. Your choices are... So, what's it going to be? Cast your vote! Leave your mark on television history! Blue screen blues.…
January 24, 2016: Dark Matter season 2 lexicon! (incomplete)
Alexander Rook Anders Android Arax Nero Bubba Clones Corelactic Industries Corporate War Danny Bones Darius Derrick Moss Devon Dwarf Star Technologies Earth Emily Kolburn Empress Ferrous Corp Five Four Galactic Authority Hiro Ishida Jace Corso Kal Varrick key card Kierkan League of Autonomous Worlds Marauder Maynad Hansmeed Mikkei Combine Milo Misaki neural imprint Nieman Nyx…
January 22, 2016: Dark Matter props! Another fan Q&A!
While we await the responses from our previously announced guests, I thought I'd get the ball rolling on one more Dark Matter crew member Q&A. Victoria Klein, pictured above, is the show's props master. She and her team are our resident MacGyvers, crafting futuristic weapons and otherworldly tech using anything from electric toothbrushes to paper clips. Over the…
January 21, 2016: Dark Matter! Behind the scenes on season 2! Episode #201 title revealed!
A sit-down with prison boss Arax Nero. Who IS this mystery man? An intriguing shot. Mysterious, no? What's HE looking at? I was on a creative tear today, finishing a new scene for one episode and rewriting multiple scenes for two more - all while I was stuck in traffic this morning. As I've always…
January 20, 2016: Best Visual Effects!
VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson and his team at Atmosphere and Dark Room Digital Effects did some truly incredible work on Dark Matter's first season I'm sure we can all agree (unless, of course, you've never watched the show - It's on Netflix!). Just in case you missed it, here's a highlight reel of some of their greatest…
January 19, 2016: Pick our Episode 201 title!
I was planning to rant today but, after a morning spent writing and an afternoon in editing, I am too exhausted to snark. And so, instead, I've decided to leave you with a little something... A photo of director Bruce McDonald and our favorite Android in action. A little something from 1st Assistant Art Director Kelly…
January 18, 2016: A Monday night meander down Dark Matter memory lane!
Yesterday, I featured an old Stargate prep schedule on this blog, breaking it down for you and offering insights into the pre-production process. Today, I'd like to follow up with something a little more recent by giving you all a peek at a call sheet from last year's final day of main unit shooting on Dark Matter - Production…
January 17, 2016: A Sunday afternoon stroll down Stargate memory lane!
I was cleaning out my inbox today when I happened across a bunch of old prep schedules and call sheets. For those of you who are wondering, "prep" is, of course, short for "preparation" and "prepping" an episode involves (in my t.v. producing experience) a little over a week of meetings with director and departments…
January 14, 2016: Cat Shirt Thursday on the set of Dark Matter season 2!
Cat Shirt Thursdays! The tradition continues... Jayson Clute - B Camera Operator, Dark Matter Matt Purdy - Stand in, Dark Matter Chris Toudy - Key Grip, Dark Matter Alyssa Pawlak - Stand in, Dark Matter Kelly Anastasiou - B 2nd Assistant Camera, Dark Matter Drew Williams - Boom Operator, Dark Matter Nicola Moss - On Set Key Props, Dark Matter Well, today…
January 13, 2016: Director Bruce McDonald’s (space) salad days!
Director Bruce McDonald serves up madness, mayhem, and remaindered produce. The crew on recycling duty. One prisoner's trash is another's treasure. You never know what you're going to find... From the inside looking up. A rare shot of yours truly in action compliments of Alyssa Pawlak. A spooky walking tour of the Hyperion-8 set: Today's…
January 12, 2016: Dark Matter and doggy doings!
Anthony Lemke (THREE) and director Bruce McDonald discuss tattoos and such between set-ups. Is it possible to have any more fun on set? Bruce sets up his first shot of the day. A meeting of the minds. Meanwhile, back on the home front, the dogs express their delight for their winter wear... He's saying: "Noooooooooo!"
January 11, 2016: Mayhem! New sets! Flaccid chicken!
We tried out a new caterer today. On the menu: flaccid boiled chicken, dressing-free salad, and fat slices of disquietingly gooey eggplant parm topped with cold cheese. Mmmmm. There were a lot of crew members ordering pizza this afternoon. In retrospect, I suppose it was apropos. Prison food for our prison set... Today, stunt coordinator…
January 10, 2016: A rare rest day!
Today was the calm in the eye of the hurricane, that brief respite before the inevitable storm that will be tomorrow's BIG extended action sequence. When I said that this was our most ambitious episode to date, I was, for the most part, referring to THIS particular scene. Can't wait to see stunt coordinator John…
January 9, 2016: Saturday in space!
Wow. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather spend a Saturday than in outer space with the Dark Matter crew... Up and at 'em! Director Bruce McDonald contemplates an orange prior to blocking our first scene in Alicia Reynaud's office. Alicia who? Check out Dark Matter season 2 (summer of 2016) and find out! First shot of the…
January 8, 2016: Up and at ’em! Dark Matter in production!
In a perfect world, I'd be sleeping peacefully away like those two pictured above (Look at them! They get to actually sleep on set instead of pretending they're simply "deep in thought" which is MY go-to) , but until they finish fine-tuning that teleportation technology I've been anxiously awaiting (for going on thirty years now),…