Well, well, well. If it isn't another Dark Matter guest star with a Stargate connection. Which of you diehard SG-1 fans recognizes Supreme High Council Per'sus of the tok'ra, who nearly lost his life at the hands of a za'tarc way back in the season four episode "Dive and Conquer"? Small galaxy, no? Back when Stargate concluded…
April 2, 2015: Dark Matter casting announcements! David Hewlett! Ruby Rose!
Well, finally! It's official! http://io9.com/first-details-on-david-hewletts-return-to-syfy-in-dark-1695188609 "David Hewlett is returning to Syfy! This summer Hewlett will reunite with Stargate Atlantis writers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie on their new show Dark Matter. Hewlett will have a recurring part as Talbor Calchek. In a slight change for Hewlett, Calchek is a sleazy agent for unsavory mercenaries who…
April 1, 2015: Scenes from set!
Well, hunh. That super special (double) special guest star announcement was supposed to come out today. Honest. And, despite the delays, it still may. Or, at worst, come out tomorrow. At the very latest! Probably. Scenes from set... The production hotline is akin to the red phone, only to be used in cases of extreme…
March 31, 2015: Welcome to Arcturus 4!
Welcome to space station Arcturus 4. It's light years from Vega V in both distance and style. V5 is a way station catering to business travelers and upscale shoppers while A4 is temporary home to some of this galaxy's most notorious miscreants. Case in point, look at who we happened across this morning walking the…
March 30, 2015: Welcome to Vega V!
I was up at 5:30 a.m. this morning so that I could make the one hour drive over to space station Vega V for our 8:00 main unit call. After passing through customs and checking my weapons, I consulted the space station's kiosk for entertainment options: First up, breakfast... The dining room offers a beautiful…
March 27, 2015: Dark Matter goodies!
If spotted, please contact this blog. They are greatly missed. Welcome to Vega 5! Through the ship's docking collar to customs and registration. Sub-level access corridor. The latest addition to our whisky/whiskey club, resident Dark Matter badass, THREE (Anthony Lemke)... Brings us the latest addition to our whisky/whiskey club: a local bourbon-style whiskey from Prince Edward County.…
March 26, 2015: That SyFy Dark Matter first look promo trailer is almost here! Directors, directors, directors! The elusive Marc Bendavid! Another piece of the Android puzzle!
Wow. I repeat. Wow! SyFy sent us the rough cut of the early Dark Matter promo they've been working on and it is awesome. We're a long way from finished visual effects so you'll have to wait for the NEXT trailer to see those, but THIS trailer is pretty amazing all the same. I must have…
March 25, 2015: A Dark Matter double second unit extravaganza!
Today, I spent time on three different units. Woke up at 6:00 a.m., took the loooong drive to Hamilton for 8:30 a.m. call on not one but TWO second unit shoots (Director Ron Murphy on those owing barn scenes from episode #106, and Director Bruce McDonald on those final few farm house scenes for episode…
March 24, 2015: Zoie Palmer nails it! The Android roll-out continues! Introducing Post Production Producer Rachel Sutherland!
Last up tonight was the extra scene I wrote for episode #107. Whenever I write one of these, it invariably ends up being an Android scene because the character is so damn fun to write for - because Zoie Palmer is so damn good at playing her. This one was a particularly tricky corridor encounter…
March 23, 2015: Our weekly Walking Dead soiree! Eclairs and equally tasty tidbits and teasers from our production meeting!
Last night, the gang convened for our second to last Walking Dead night of the season (Next up: Game of Thrones!). In attendance: actor Roger Cross (SIX), actress Jodelle Ferland (FIVE), and VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft -Wilson. We missed last week's instalment so it was a double-header night. We were all on the edge of…
March 22, 2015: Dark Chatter – The Aftershow! Behind the scenes on Dark Matter!
Thanks for the plumbing advice. I really should have consulted with you all from the start. A half dozen frenzied jams of a handy plunger and the blockage was instantly dislodged, allowing the trapped water to finally run free - and right through the hole I put in the pipe with that coat hanger. If this…
March 19, 2015: Introducing Dark Matter Set P.A. Mackenzie Lawrence! Help support her webisode pilot, Press Pause! Dark Matter teaser pics!
Her name is Mackenzie Lawrence but I just call her Happy because, well, she always is. Smiling. Singing. Dancing. Even after her recent bout with that flu-like bug that was going around, she was back on set, greeting me with her trademark cheer. She is, without a doubt, one of the most upbeat, exuberant, positive…
March 18, 2015: We’ve passed the halfway mark of production on Dark Matter’s first season! Introducing A Camera Operator Dino Laurenza!
A meeting of minds this morning as Director Ron Murphy shot as scene for episode #106, then handed off the bridge to Director Bruce McDonald for episode #107. The shipboard action got heated today in a frantic race against time - while our special guest star reached an understanding with our Android (Zoie Palmer). Tomorrow,…
March 17, 2015: Introducing Dark Matter Costume Designer Noreen Landry and the Dark Matter Costume Department!
Another whirlwind day! Wrote three new scenes, rewrote another, attended a few prep meetings for episode #108 with director T.W. Peacocke, and dropped by set to watch our awesome special guest star kick ass - and look absolutely stunning doing it. Tomorrow, we hit the bridge for more fiery antics. P.S. I have no doubt…
March 16, 2015: Alex Mallari Jr.! Jamaican patties! Socks (the wearing kind)! Socks (the hitting kind)! And that new Android scene!
"Come on, Alex. What would Bruce Lee do? Make it awesome!" - Actor Alex Mallari Jr., all mic'd up in preparation for another big training room sequence. Dark Matter Episode #107, Day 2. More often than not, whenever we seek out Alex's character, FOUR, we usually find him training. Originally, I envisioned him working with swords…