Now when most people hear we have an Executive Producers' Assistant on a production, they'll invariably ask: "What the hell do you need an assistant for?". Well, the obvious answer is: "Everything." Once we roll into prep, production, and post, Executive Producers like me are far too busy to deal with certain aspects of…
October 22, 2014: Introducing Vanessa Piazza!
Production on Dark Matter will be uniquely challenging for a number of reasons, not the least of which being the fact that my long-time writing and producing partner, Paul, won't be making the move to Toronto to show run the series with me. Instead, he'll come down for a week of meetings in November, return for prep…
October 21, 2014: Introducing Jay Firestone! Notes! And carpet heaven!
As we head into prep on the first season of Dark Matter, I thought it might be nice to introduce you to some of the people who work behind the scenes to bring you (what will no doubt become) your new favorite new scifi series. Now people have often asked me: "Joe, what does a producer…
October 20, 2014: Early prep on Dark Matter begins!
Okay. I may not love where I'm presently living and I may hate the weather and the Toronto traffic but, boy, am I looking forward to production on Dark Matter's first season. Yes, of course I'm thrilled that I'm about to start prep on my very own show, but experience has taught me that, at the…
October 19, 2014: Toronto – Day #1!
Our first night in Toronto was, in a word, "horrible". The bed is too small, it's too hard, and the curtains are insufficient and, in parts, non-existent so that the street lights (and, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the flashing police lights) streaming in to our bedroom made sleep almost impossible. ALMOST impossible because I was…
October 18, 2014: The Eagles Has Landed! Also, a Japanse girl and three dogs!
It's a feeling akin to oversleeping on exam day or realizing, halfway through your work day, that you forgot to turn off the oven. I opened my briefcase to get my passport and...it wasn't there. At first you think "No, it can't be." as you check and re-check and re-check again, and then desperation sets…
October 17, 2014: Prepping for the Toronto move! And a modest mailbag!
That's it. We're out of time. Ready or not, we are on a plane and Toronto-bound tomorrow morning. I'm super anxious about flying with the dogs - but have done my best to prepare them for the four and half hour in-cabin flight. I spent an hour on the phone with Air Canada, making the…
October 16, 2014: Dark Matter! Casting! The Ramp-up! Oh, and my birthday!
So now that it's official, I can finally talk about my new show, Dark Matter, and my plans for the series and this blog in the lead-up to season premiere (sometime in 2015). As most of you know, while I was working on Stargate this blog offered fans a peak at the inner workings of the…
October 15, 2014: Dark Matter!
Big news! I'm not crazy after all - http://tvline.com/2014/10/15/syfy-acquires-dark-matter-graphic-novel-adaptation/ http://www.gateworld.net/news/2014/10/stargate-producers-bring-dark-matter-to-syfy/ So I DIDN'T imagine the whole thing. Unless, of course, this is also part of my elaborate, ongoing hallucination and those url's actually link to the live cam of a cat hotel in Cornwall. But, just in case, I'd like to thank a few of the…
October 14, 2014: The Grand Announcement!
There you have it! It's finally official! Worth the wait, hunh? Hunh?! Hang on. What do you mean "There was no grand announcement"? WTF?! I'm sure you're all sitting back in your homes or at your respective desks, quietly shaking your heads thinking: "Poor guy. He has lost it." Like John Nash in A Beautiful Mind or…
October 13, 2014: Akemi’s News of Japan!
1. As flexible as nylon, more robust than steel, an artificial spider silk called QMONOS (kumo-no-su being Japanese for spider web) is apparently poised for mass production in everything from super lightweight bulletproof vests to automobiles. http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2013/05/28/spiber_n_3350116.html According to the article, this unique silk is so strong that it could snag a jumbo jet in mid-flight. "Spiber…
October 12, 2014: A Grand Tradition Continues!
Well, the tradition continues insofar as this makes two years in a row Akemi and I have roasted up a turducken and made a piecaken to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. I ordered the turducken last week, electing to go with a different butcher and different franken-bird: turkey-chicken-duck but with bacon-wrapped sausage-stuffing. And, to hedge our bets,…
October 11, 2014: Cookie Monster reviews Kick Ass 2!
Watching dis movie be like getting together wit former girlfriend after several years. You tink it be a great idea but, when show up for date, you diskover she really let herself go, embittered wit life, and spend most of evening telling tasteless jokes and trying to sell you on Amway. At end of de…
October 10, 2014: News of note!
1. I'm back in Vancouver. And exhausted. I've got seven days to get my crap together, including: banking, car servicing, making arrangements for the house, and making a turducken AND piecaken for this Sunday! 2. The official announcement on my new series is coming. No, really! Apparently, Tuesday is the day. 3. Ever wanted to…
October 9, 2014: Toronto dining!
"Whatever you do,"said my writing partner, Paul, clearly concerned about my penchant for adventurous eating, "don't order the brains." "When was the last time you saw brain on a menu?"I scoffed. And then, there it was, in the appetizer section: lamb brains. In retrospect, it shouldn't have come as that big of a surprise. After…