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 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…
December 6, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 13 of 91!
While I was back in the office, working on this latest script, production on season 3 continued at the Ishida Palace in Kitchener, Ontario Zairon. In tribute to Dark Matter's latest biggest bad, here are some family portraits c/o the spectacular Roxanne Borris, 1st Assistant Art Director/Graphics... Emperor Ishida Tetsuya Empress Ishida (Li Na) Katsumi Emperor Ishida Hiro…
December 5, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 12 of 91!
Commander Delaney Truffault means business! The Raza's spooky underbelly. Media day with Tanavi Patel and Yael Tygiel. The costumes department has something in the works for the Ishida court. Liz celebrates her birthday with red velvet cupcakes and overtime! Check out this gorgeous render of the Ishida research station. Back home, Lulu has apparently really…
December 2, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 11 of 91! Quiz Ian Brock!
Pictured above: Production Designer Ian Brock - mastermind of the Dark Matter art department and everything from The Raza's to Hyperion-8 to the Ishida Research Facility...and so much more. Under Ian's guidance, our art department has been tearing it up (figuratively speaking) in season 3 and, with so much going on, I thought it would be the…
December 1, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 10 of 91!
We are wrapped(ish!) on Episode 304 and have started production on Episode 301. By the time New Year's rolls around, we'll have three episodes in the can(ish!). Today, we were shooting in the bridge and the infirmary - while prep continued on Episode 302. AND we got a pizza truck! While I was outside perusing the…
November 30, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 9 of 91!
Day 9 of 91! Holy crap! We're practically 10% done on Dark Matter's third season. And I'm not yet 50% done on its scripts. Help me, Obi-Wan. You're my only hope! When I'm not writing scripts (or eating or sleeping), I'm in prep meetings for Episode 302 with director Bruce Mcdonald et al. Today, we enjoyed the…
November 29, 2016: Dark Matter Season 3 – Day 8 of 91!
What does an Executive Producer do? Well, in the case of Jay Firestone, he sells a show, puts together the financing, then helps craft the creative. Director Ron Murphy getting it done in the infirmary. Jesse stands in for the upright stand and monitors. Temperature control in the containment chamber. Inoculation tool of the future.…
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…