November 18, 1477: William Caxton prints the first English dated book. November 18, 1626: St. Peter's Basilica is completed. November 18, 1916: The Battle of the Somme ends. Today: Members of the Dark Matter production team engage in The Great Green Screen Debate of 2015! We can't do it! We CAN do it! We shouldn't do it!…
November 17, 2015: Dark Matter season 2 casting news! We have our Nyx!
The news broke just a few hours ago. Actress Melanie Liburd (High Priestess Kinvara in this upcoming season of Game of Thrones) joins the cast of Dark Matter in the role of Nyx. http://deadline.com/2015/11/madisen-beaty-aquarius-melanie-dark-matter-1201627495/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/melanie-liburd-adds-roles-in-game-of-thrones-as-red-priestess-dark-matter-to-slate-20151117 So who is Nyx? Is she friend or foe? And what's her secret? (I only ask because, well, it would seem that…
November 16, 2015: In the works – Dark Matter season 2!
One of the many, many things we're looking to accomplish in Dark Matter's second season is to introduce cool new futuristic energy-based weapons along the lines of THREE's Bubba - Well, we've got a lot of terrific concepts in the pipeline - a couple of which have already advanced to the design stage. This afternoon, Props Master Victoria…
November 12, 2015: Scripts are out! Props are primed! And Lulu is bummed!
Two down(ish); eleven to go! If all goes as planned, Jodelle and co. should have two more scripts (Episodes #203 and #204) to curl up with next weekend. Victoria came by this morning for her regular 10 a.m. props show-and-tell. We discussed variations of these... ...and these... Trust me, when the episode airs, you won't…
November 11, 2015: Costumes and Canines!
Last year, whenever I went down to the costume department, I'd notice the dog pictures lining the far wall - funny photos of pooches dressed up as samurai or miners, running a science experiment or playing cards. A new one would go up, roughly once a week, and I didn't think anything of it until I…
November 10, 2015: Let’s get this show on the road! Eventually, when we go out to shoot on location.
Huzzah! Looks like we're making a t.v. show after all! Today, after a morning spent writing and perusing potential casting options, I attended my very first concept meeting of this young season. Well, okay, it was more of a pre-concept meeting. In attendance were all of the department heads, line producer Norman Denver, Executive Producer…
November 9, 2015: Official prep begins on Dark Matter season 2!
Uh oh. Actual real bonafide official prep on Dark Matter's second season kicks off tomorrow with not one, not two, but THREE big meetings! First up is our pre-concept meeting during which all the department heads will gather to discuss what they did on hiatus. And then talk about what's needed for our first couple of episodes…
November 7, 2015: Memories of Dark Matter’s first season!
These take me back... Line Producer Norman Denver at the controls. As usual. The initial version of the Corporate Guard uniforms. Deemed a little too colorful. We ended up going with basic black. Always stylishly nefarious. The Android's severed hand was a realer than real-looking synthetic duplicate of actress Zoie Palmer's actual hand, painted, textured…
November 6, 2015: Behind the scenes on Dark Matter season 1 – and a sneak peek at what’s to come!
Check out Warden Treihan's sweet office courtesy of concept illustrator Sanford Kong and production designer Ian Brock. Talk about a room with a view! Hey, here's another director that will be making a return appearance in the show's second year... Andy Mikita: The last time I worked with Andy, he directed two of Dark Matter's…
November 5, 2015: Monstress! The Cornell Collective! Snow Monkeys! Hyperion-8!
My Recommended Read of the Week: Monstress #1 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. An amazing book, beautifully illustrated by Sana Takeda, and beautifully written by New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu (who also happens to be a Lost Girl fan, Lost Girl fans!). Hey, check out the latest podcast of The Cornell Collective (https://t.co/PHhaZh7ocD).…
November 4, 2015: Dark Matter season 2 prep! The gang at work!
You know what I enjoy doing while working on a new script? Anything BUT writing. I'll go for a stroll, research, check out the kitchen, re-watch auditions and, occasionally, head downstairs and see what the gang is up to... Dark Matter Production Designer Ian Brock considers space toilets. It's the little things... Research is key! Prop…
November 3, 2015: Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek! Moon Base Hyperion-8!
In addition to the Art Department, our crack VFX crew is going to have their hands full as well heading into prep on Dark Matter's second season. I've already offered up sneak peeks at some of our Maximum Security Detention Facility Hyperion-8 interiors. Today, I offer you a sneak peek at Hyperion-8's exterior. It's an escape-proof prison…
November 2, 2015: Welcome to Hyperion-8! Pod-shopping!
Welcome to Hyperion Eight, Maximum Security Galactic Detention Facility. Logo compliments of 1st Assistant Art Director Roxanne Borris. In the market for some new-look pods this upcoming season. Check out this varied selection. I'm leaning toward the sleeker models - 5, 6, and 7. What do you think?
November 1, 2015: More sneak peeks of Dark Matter season 2!
Notes session tomorrow with Jay during which we'll be covering Episodes 201 and 202. We reconvene on Tuesday for a discussion on the merits of Episodes 203 and 204. Meanwhile, concept art and actual construction continues on our new sets. We'll look to nail down Nyx, Misaki, Devon, and Arax this week - and, hopefully,…
October 31, 2015: Jay’s Birthday Bash!
It started early that morning - whispered conversations, furtive looks amongst the members of the Prodigy Pictures production staff. "Is this about me?"I wondered. And then, when I saw them sneak the balloons, pizza, and cake into the conference room I concluded: "This IS about me!". THIS, of course, being the totally unexpected "Welcome Back…