November 26, 2016: Scripts! Saturday! A New You (and by You I mean Me)!

What a difference a script makes.  I practically wrote Episode 304 over the course of a weekend, blazing through an astounding 32 pages in a single day!  Compare this to the script I'm presently writing which has progressed at a somewhat less blistering rate of a page a day.  In all fairness though, Episode 304…

November 25, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 6 of 91!

One week down, eighteen to go!  We are blazing through production on Dark Matter's third season - which is both exhilarating and terrifying considering there are still plenty of scripts still to be written.  Thank goodness for weekends, the Christmas holidays and, later this season when we're up against it, the hours between 10 p.m. and 5…

November 24, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 5 of 91!

This entry marks ten straight years of uninterrupted daily blogging.  I celebrated today by going in to work! The only thing Akemi loves more than baking is baking for the Dark Matter crew.  This morning, it was breakfast rum cake with butter rum glaze. First blocking! Our finished "not clock".  An moment of reflection before the…

November 23, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 4 of 91!

PRODUCTION BEGINS ON DARK MATTER’S THIRD SEASON Following the season 2 finale that saw the crew of The Raza scattered and presumed dead, Dark Matter’s third season opens a compelling new chapter of the spellbinding series. Joining the cast this season are Ayisha Issa (12 Monkeys) as Solara Shockley, Mishka Thébaud (Bitten) as Adrian Maro…

November 22, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 3 of 91!

Yes!  As many of you pointed out in the comment section, yesterday's post marked the 10 year anniversary of this blog.  As I wrote on that very first day back on November 21st of 2007: "Here I sit, watching the battery recharge on my new HD camera (less than an hour to go!), making final…

November 21, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 2 of 92!

Today's unwieldy dialogue dump: "One of the anti-matter transducer feeds was compromised by an impairment in one of the particle accelerators." And you'll never guess who delivers the line. In a show's first season, the cast walks on eggshells, eager to please.  In a show's second season, they become more relaxed and eager to collaborate.…

November 20, 2016: We’re adopting!

It might probably come as a surprise to many of you, but Akemi and I have been thinking about it for a while now.  I'm not getting any younger, we have a lot of love to give and the time just felt right.  And so, after much consideration, we submitted an adoption application and held our breath.…

November 19, 2016: Submit your questions for Roger Cross, Dark Matter’s SIX!

What better way to kick off the start of production on Dark Matter's third season than a fan Q&A with actor Roger Cross.  Other cast members have already fielded your queries here on this blog: Melissa O'Neil Anthony Lemke Alex Mallari Jr. Zoie Palmer Melanie Liburd And now it's time for Roger, one of Canada's busiest actors,…

November 18, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 1 of 91!

Our brilliant Production Designer, Ian Brock, gives today's sets (3 in all!) a last look-through before heading off to oversee construction of several more sets!  Have to convince him to do a fan Q&A this season. The "guest quarters" on the Volkov-Rusi ship. Check out the attention to detail, the small touches... The Art Department…

November 17, 2016: Are you kidding me?!

Allow me to paint a picture if I may... You're asked to put on a show.  Say, a juggling demonstration.  You pick out four tennis balls  and practice until you've got it down pat.  Then, on the day, you discover that one of your tennis balls is missing.  But the show must go on and…

November 16, 2016: Dark Matter Double Production Meeting!

Last night was the Dark Matter season 3 cast dinner and, as I predicted, we didn't eat until after 9:00 pm.  And, yes, I did eat.  Again.  But only to be polite.  Since I'd already had supper, I limited myself to the corn soup appetizer, the lamb ribs, and a spoonful of Zoie Palmer's chocolate-orange pudding dessert.…

November 15, 2016: The Dark Matter Cast Dinner – Spanish Style!

Tonight is the Dark Matter season 3 cast dinner.  In preparation, I just had supper.  I realize that might seem a little counter-intuitive, but our restaurant reservations are for 8:00 p.m. which means that, by the time everyone arrives and settles in, the kitchen won't be getting our orders until 8:30 p.m., which means that we won't…

November 14, 2016: Building those early sets – Dark Matter!

In season 1, our big builds were The Raza (bridge, infirmary, mess/training room, quarters, corridors) and The Marauder.  In season 2, it was the Hyperion-8 Galactic Prison (gen pop, warden's office, tech room, interrogation room, laundry room, recycling room and incinerator, corridors).  In season 3 - well, here's a peek at some of the concept…

November 13, 2016: Dog Days of November!

"Weird.  That woman's treating her kid like a dog." My reaction to witnessing a mother rocking, hugging and showering her child with kisses. Bubba models his new Christmas sweater. Lulu, all smiles. Bubba doing his best frog imitation. Lulu, reminding us it's dinner time. An introspective Bubba. Bubs and mom hit the Christmas market. So,…

November 12, 2016: Celebrating 10 years of blogging with some blog friends!

Over the course of these 10 years of daily blogging, I've gotten to know quite a few of you, mostly here on this blog but, some of you, in person.  There's Gary (aka gforce) who has dropped by Vancouver on his innumerable nature hikes, Jeff W. who has kindly helped transport my dogs on their…