I have a plan. I've had one from the day we started production on Dark Matter's first episode, a plan that spans five 13-episode seasons and includes character and story arcs with beginnings, middles, and endings. I know exactly where we're going and knowing in advance allows us the all-too-rare opportunity to sprinkle our narrative with clues,…
December 21, 2016: Hepburn comes through again!
A shout-out today to one of Dark Matter's unsung heroes heroines, script coordinator Alison Hepburn who came through, yet again, with a terrific backstory idea for the show's third season. Alison has a great scifi mind and she has become my go-to-gal whenever I'm looking to spin ideas - or in need of one. Like, for instance,…
December 20, 2016: Montreal-bound!
It's a travel day. This morning, we embarked on a 5 hour(ish) journey back to 1976 - aka mom's house in Montreal, one of the last internet-free zones in the civilized world. Not sure what the deal is. I offered to pay for a basic service package but she refused, presumably because it's too expensive.…
December 19, 2016: It can’t get any better than this!
I started my writing career in animation, After several years of freelancing, I landed a full time job as the Manager of Animation Development at a local studio in Montreal. My 9 to 5 duties covered all aspects of the internal creative and, over the course of my time there, I developed such shows as Animal…
December 18, 2016: Suji and Secrets!
In a matter of days, we'll be in Montreal and my mother's house will come alive with the pitter patter of little paws - roughly thirty-two in all not counting the feline variety. In preparation, we're shopping, gift-wrapping, packing, and bathing... Suji deserved the spa treatment after a thoroughly exhausting afternoon at Trinity Bellwoods Park…
December 16, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 21 of 91!
And that's a wrap on Dark Matter 2016! We capped off production with a tri-episode three director extravaganza. Steve DiMarco kicked things off with a pursuit through ethereal environs. But who's chasing who? The answers will shock. Then it was John Stead getting the last few scenes from our season 3 opener. And, finally, Bruce McDonald completed…
December 15, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 20 of 91!
"Motorists should consider postponing non-essential travel..." Is going home considered non-essential? Should be interesting. We have a little over an hour before wrap and waze is already telling me it's going to take me a while to get home. A while that's going to get even whilier as the snowstorm continues to rage. Melissa is…
December 14, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 19 of 91!
I was awakened at 5 a.m. this morning by what sounded like Akemi vacuuming downstairs. That's because Akemi WAS vacuuming downstairs. At 5 a.m. this morning! I'm not sure how they do things in Japan, but here in Canada... Toronto's in the deep freeze - and it's just going to get colder. Today, our tech…
December 13, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 18 of 91!
Two units going today. While Co-Executive Producer Ivon Bartok was overseeing the action over at the Ishida Research Facility, I was catching a glimpse of the future over on The Raza... The Ishida Research Facility central lab. Let's go take a look inside... The heart of the station. Karl's robot arm in action. Test subjects…
December 12, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 17 of 91!
Boy, I'm not one to get all emotional, but Facebook 2016's Year in Review video really took me back - To last month when I uploaded most of those photos. Ah, I remember that cast dinner like it was November. And that random photo of Roger Cross I uploaded to accompany his Q&A less than a…
December 11, 2016: Naming the Android!
The other day, I received the following text from actress Zoie Palmer: And she was right. It WAS like sharing with her the single greatest thing about bringing a child into this world: coming up with a name for it. Except that instead of having 9 months to do it, we have 9 episodes, and…
December 10, 2016: Contest winner!
Early in November, I held a little contest on this blog, asking fans to directly identify two props featured in Dark Matter's second season. Then, we rolled into production and I forgot to announce the winner. And so, better late than never, the winner of the cast-signed script who correctly identified the props - and the episodes…
December 9, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 16 of 91!
A little something from concept artist Henry Fong for Episode 303... Holy crap! Three weeks of production complete! Director Bruce McDonald - the master of ceremonies. First blocking - Craiger, Joe, Dave, and Brad. Do NOT go in there! Script Supervisor Brad Wethlery joins the club. Dashing, no? So what're we doing in the systems…
December 8, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 15 of 91!
Hot on the heels of one fantastic Dark Matter fan Q&A (see yesterday's Roger Cross-dedicated entry) comes another. Director Ron Murphy (director of such episodes as: The one where FIVE mines her memories and finds out how she got on the ship, The one where FOUR kills his former mentor Akita, The one where the Android uses…
December 7, 2016: Dark Matter’s Roger Cross Answers Your Questions!
Back when we were first casting the show, I watched countless auditions for the role of SIX. Going in, I knew that the linchpin of the performances would be that one line of dialogue our lovable father figure utters to FIVE at the end of Episode 9: "But truth is, when the time comes that you…