Joseph Mallozzi's Blog! (SPOILERS For All SG Shows and Dark Matter)

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January 15, 2015

Video: Alex Mallari Jr.

Photos: T.J. Scott, Vanessa Piazza, burger, The Burger’s Priest, Lawren Bancroft-Wilson, the Lost Girl accounting team, sock, Jozie, Toni, Kelly, Alyssa, Rachelle, Jeff, snap of the day


Another awesome – and exhausting – day on set. We were in the ship’s underbelly, the corridors, and personal quarters as our crew dealt with the aftermath of some surprising events and shocking revelations. Questions, questions and answers – which only beget more questions!

Actor Alex Mallari Jr., Dark Matter’s FOUR, is back with a brand new instalment of the Dance of the Day. Check out his Running Man, Sword and Gun Edition…

Dance moves aside, this guy is putting me to shame with his ridiculous exercise and diet regimen, waking up at 3:30 a.m. so that he can squeeze in a workout (try 30 minutes of air squats!). And then, this afternoon, I received the following pic from fellow training enthusiast Vanessa Piazza, giving me a heads up on what they do on their lunch break:

And what, pray tell, was I doing on MY lunch break while they were planking? Jogging? Rowing? Hitting the elliptical? No, I was actually hitting this -

The Burger’s Priest bacon double cheeseburger fully loaded with HP (High Priest) sauce and fried jalapeños, fries, a vanilla-chocolate (aka The Riggs and Murtaugh, Lethal Weapon fans), and a couple of home made chocolate chip cookies. I’d been hearing a lot about this place – as recently as this afternoon from assistant production manager Robbie David who went on in such delicious detail that I finally said “Screw the catering!” and arranged a road trip to the nearest Burger’s Priest just a five minute drive from production offices. The verdict? Probably the best burger I’ve had in recent memory.

The gang prepares to dig in. Lawren, who had yet to receive his order, couldn’t wait. Apparently, even the napkins are delicious!

We returned to the offices to discover a wine and cheese party in progress, a going-away get-together for the fabulous Lost Girl accounting team. They will be missed! As will my appetite after I followed up lunch with some triple cream brie.

At one point, resident media guru Natalie Cooper sprawled out on the couch and I made an executive decision (I am an Executive Producer after all) to steal her boots and throw them in the snow. Well, we succeeded in removing her boot – only to discover THIS! I’m not sure what shocked me more: the sight of those purple unicorn socks, or the fact that I was secretly wearing a matching pair.

Hey, speaking of “wearing”, do you know what today is? Yeah, neither did I. Apparently, it’s Cat t-shirt (aka Pussy t-shirt) Thursday. Silly me. I thought it was Octopus Cufflinks Thursday and made a complete fool of myself. But others came prepared:

Them’s some mighty awesome t-shirts. I’m already ordering my own cat t-shirt for next week!

Finally, I leave you with today’s screen grab of the day:

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January 16, 2015

Video: Alex Mallari Jr.

Photos: Dark Matter production, Roger Cross, Alex Mallari Jr., snap of the day, sock


Today marked the conclusion of our first full week of production on Dark Matter – or, as the call sheet will tell you: “Day 6 of 89?! Today saw some sword slinging, cosmic cat and mouse, big reveals, and an FTL jump. In other words, just another day at the office.

The ladies can’t stop talking about actor Roger Cross’s smile – but I suggested they be wary of his warm embrace! I informed Akemi that he would be dropping by to watch football this weekend. “Who’s Roger?”she asked. “The guy who almost broke my back,”I replied – which elicited a laugh. A laugh! from my own girlfriend!

The make-up department makes actor Alex Mallari Jr.’s tattoos magically disappear. In about an hour.

Our screen grab of the day -

Oh, it may look like some random shot – but it’s key. Which you’d know if you read the comic book.

Our socks of the day, compliments of Natalie Cooper. Yesterday was purple with unicorns. Today…

It’s baby blue gnomes. According to Natalie, her collection is big enough to last us through this first season.

And finally, Alex Mallari Jr. regales us with yet one more Dark Matter Dance of the Day:

One musical episode coming up! #FOURCLAN

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January 17, 2015

Photos: Assistant Director Brandon Tataryn, T.J. Scott, Alex Mallari Jr., Dark Matter shuttle and infirmary


Sure, he has suspect taste in movies and, yeah, he’s a Denver Broncos fan but, damnit, I can’t help but really like 1st Assistant Director Brandon Tataryn – partly for his sense of humour, partly because he’s a fellow foodie and fantasy football enthusiast, but mainly because he’s the guy who makes sure WE get it done.

He’s the one who generates the production schedules, marrying scenes and piecing together locations to ensure we’re able to make our days and complete our episode in the time allotted. He’s the director’s right hand man, the no-nonsense force that polices the set, making sure things run smoothly, efficiently, and delay-free. He’ll call you out – no matter who YOU are (which I learned firsthand on the first day of production).

Watch for Brandon to make a cameo (of sorts) midway through the show’s first season!

Alex Mallari Jr. kicks off his #FOURCLAN fashion line. Join the clan! https://twitter.com/AlexMallariJr #DARKMATTER

Hey! Work has commenced on our shuttle (the phantom class marauder) and the infirmary. And good thing too. We shoot in them in two weeks!

I’m going to try to do a mailbag in the next couple of days, so if you have any questions, post ‘em!

Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular Das. Get well soon! And keep your hands off the long-locked doctors!

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January 18, 2015

Video: Jelly

Photos: Lulu, Bubba, Jelly, Lawren Bancroft-Wilson, Roger Cross, Joe Mallozzi


Looking at a mighty busy week upcoming. Production on Dark Matter‘s first two episodes shift to location work. We’ll be in Hamilton Monday to Wednesday, then Kitchener Thursday to Friday. I’ll be joining them on the outskirts on three of our five out days, but Wednesday and Thursday will see me at the production offices as prep gets underway for episode #103. Up Wednesday is a set walkthrough with director Paolo Barzman, the concept meeting, and a space suit look-see. On Thursday, it’s meetings galore: costumes, playback, art department, and visual effects.

Also on Wednesday, my french bulldog, Lulu, is scheduled to go in for eye surgery. I say “scheduled” because I’m hoping for an 11th hour miracle that may avert her going under the knife. While in Montreal, she stumbled over her shuffling paws (damn dog booties!) and did a face plant on the salted pavement that saw her acquire two tiny eye ulcers. A local vet prescribed her an antibiotic gel and, days later, the problem looked like it was on its way to clearing up. But after a follow-up here in Toronto and a prescription for a new antibiotic eye drop, her condition seemed to worsen. And so, I brought her in to see a opthamologist who informed me she would require eye surgery (and a post-op recover period that would see her sporting a contact lens and the above-pictured cone of shame). I scheduled the surgery for Wednesday since I was told sooner is better given the circumstances but, all the same, I couldn’t help but note that she seemed to be improving until we switched to the new antibiotic. And so, I’ve switched back to the original gel in the hopes that, when I bring her in on Wednesday morning, a preliminary check of her eye may reveal some significant improvement, thus negating the need for surgery. Here’s hoping.

In other dog-related news, Lulu continues to force Bubba out of his comfy beds – squeezing in and making herself a general nuisance until he finally gets fed up and abandons his spot.

Bubba continues to prove a nuisance at feeding time, moaning impatiently whenever Akemi prepares his food – then wolfs down his meal so that he can snag some of Jelly’s leftovers:

Meanwhile, Jelly grows increasingly cranky and impatient in her old age (she’ll be 16 in February!). She may be wobbly, but she’s still going!

She DOES enjoy her snacks though!

A tough day of football for me as one of my Vegas preseason Super Bowl picks, the Packers (14-1) went down to defeat (while another, the Colts at 34-1, are looking like they’ve already called it a season). Actor Roger Cross and VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson, both Seahawks fans, came over for the first game. When Seattle went down 16-0 early, Roger, conveniently, had to leave (he claimed someone was coming by his place to set up the wifi). Coincidentally, he DID manage to find his way back after the Seahawks scored late to take the lead. It was an agonizing end to the game. And Akemi captured all the action…

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January 19, 2015 - Part 1

Photos: Dark Matter shooting in Hamilton, sock, snap of the day


Shooting in Hamilton today and it’s been c-c-c-cold! Although it could be colder I suppose. The problem with shooting in these warehouses is that it’s actually chillier indoors. The last time we were here for a location scout, we encountered a delay and, instead of sticking around, we elected to wait outside…where it was warmer!

Back in Vancouver, whenever we shot on location, there would be big signs with the production’s name and arrows pointing the way. Plenty of them. Not so here. This morning, I encountered a single sign, a little smaller than a sandwich board, with the name of the production followed by an occasional parking cone. Well, not so occasional. I drove ten minutes up a winding roadway with absolutely no indication that I was traveling the right way before deciding “This can’t be right!” and turning back. As it turned out, I WAS right.

I think we’re going to have to trim our VFX budget in order to increase our sign budget.

Our sock of the day (as always, compliments of the lovely Natalie Cooper):

And our screen grab of the day:

Thoughts?


At long last! Time for a mailbag:

Ponytail writes: “Did 1st Assistant Director Brandon Tataryn “come with” Director T.J. Scott or was he just “paired” with him?”

Answer: Nope. Brandon actually came with the building. The fine print in the lease requires us to use him for fully half of our produced episodes.

Ponytail also writes: “He’ll call you out – no matter who YOU are (which I learned firsthand on the first day of production). You got in trouble?? What’d ya do?? Step into his shot to take a picture for your blog? Talking too loud on set? Making faces at the actors, distracting them?”

Answer: In all fairness, I’m probably guilty of all of the aforementioned, but the incident I was referring to occurred while the actors were waiting for the next shot. I approached them to discuss some dialogue variations, then the conversation turned from professional to private, we shared a laugh – at which point Brandon marched over and moved things along. “See, this is the kind of stuff that slows things down,”he said. And then, as an after-thought: “Not that it’s your fault.”

Kathy C. writes: “How do you order scene shooting? Do you shoot all scenes in one location at once, then move to another location, or do you shoot in order? Or some other way? Is it hard on the actors to shoot out of order?”

Answer: When drafting a schedule, the main objective is to make sure the episode can be shot in the days allotted. To achieve that, efficiency is key. Locations dictate the day. So, for example, yesterday saw us shooting a chunk of bridge scenes while this Monday-Wednesday will see us shoot all of our Hamilton location days. This is standard for television productions so it shouldn’t be that hard on the actors – provided they’ve read the scripts!

Whoviantrish writes: ” I recently discovered one of my bestest friends is quite the accomplished musician. I mean I keep begging him for more songs because he’s literally THAT good. My question is, does anyone working on the show have a secret talent that has surprised you? And what about you? Can you speak whale or recite Shakespeare from memory or anything randomly cool?”

Answer: Well, obviously Alex Mallari Jr.’s dance moves are a sight to behold. That came as a surprise. Though not surprising, I’ve heard great things about Melissa O’Neil’s singing voice. According to Alex, she was belting out Ariel’s “Part of Your World” on set the other day. I can neither sing nor dance, but I am incredibly impatient. Does that count?

Purple- Ultra SG Fan and Sci fi nut writes: ” Wondering when the last season of Lost Girls will air in the

Answer: Alas, I’m the wrong guy to ask. Post the question to their official twitter account. I’m sure they’d know.

DP writes: “Is there any chance of a free edition of the Kindle version of Dark Matter being released sometime before or during the release of the Dark Matter TV episodes?”

Answer: That’ll be up to Dark Horse Comics to decide. I do believe we’ll be doing a comic book signing at Comic Con in July.

DP also writes: “How many Dark Matter TV episodes will it take to cover the material presented in the comic?”

Answer: The first two episodes will cover the first four issues (and the full trade paperback). More or less. But much more than less.

Elminster writes: “…what channel do I want to make sure I have up here in Canada?”

Answer: For some reason, our Canadian broadcaster is being a little coy and hasn’t made the official announcement. But fear not. You should be able to watch it here.

Ganymede writes: “so… Will the DANCES-OF-THE-DAY Collection be included in the “Special Features” section when the Season goes to DVD?”

Answer: I think it should have its dedicated disc.

Carol writes: “Any news on any special guest stars for Dark Matter?”

Answer: As some eagle-eyed blog viewers have already pointed out, guest stars for episodes #101-#102 will include David Richmond Peck, Rob Stewart, Chloe Rose, Amanda Brugel, Pat Mastroianni, and the lovely Torri Higginson.

Ponytail writes: “Is director T.J. Scott responsible for all those fantastic looking shots in your Screen Grab of The Day?”

Answer: Every one.

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January 19, 2015 - Part 2


Tam Dixon writes: “Are you doing a chocolate party this year?”

Answer: I was thinking about it…

jimfromjersey writes: “Joe, IS there a target air date yet?”

Answer: There is, but it has yet to be officially announced.

2cats writes: “Jodelle’s character is supposed to be a kid compared to all other cast, right? IMDB says she is 20 yrs. old. Does she mind playing a kid?”

Answer: In the comic book, “the kid” is around 12 years old. In the series, she’s more like 16. It was highly unlikely we were going to find an 18 year old who could pull off 12 and, since casting anyone under the age of 18 would have resulted in certain complications (a shorter work day, the hiring of a tutor, etc.), and since no one liked my idea of just casting high school drop-out, we decided to adjust the character’s age. Which, in the end, was perfect since I’ve been wanting to work with her (again) for years now: https://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com...-these-actors/

Line Noise writes: “Are you shooting in 4K? 4K TVs are getting cheaper and cheaper and Netflix even has a 4K feed now. It would be good if Dark Matter was future proof.”

Answer: Alas no, not shooting in 4K. But the show WILL look awesome.

Line Noise also writes: “As an adjunct to that, I’d be keen to hear about the camera gear being used. Can we get some Q&As with some of the crew?”

Answer: Yes. Once we settle in, I’d like to organize Q&A features with the cast and crew.

Ponytail writes: ” How does it feel to see your ideas made into a television show? Is this the biggest thing you have ever done?”

Answer: Although SGU was a bigger production, I consider Dark Matter “the biggest” because it’s my baby. It feels great – in large part thanks to the infinitely talented people who are making it happen. Makes my job SOOO much easier.

DP writes: “In what year of our Lord do the events of Dark Matter take place?”

Answer: I’d say roughly a couple of hundred years into the future.

dasndanger writes: “Why don’t we ever see SyFy tv actors on late night talk shows? Isn’t it a good way to sell the show to new audiences?”

Answer: The honest answer? Because SF television gets very little respect.

gforce writes: “How did you decide on the actual name “Dark Matter” for the concept? Will that substance actually play some role in the series development sometime? Is it a metaphor for something that has a large influence, but always remains unseen? Or did it just sound cool?”

Answer: It’s more thematic than literal. But…who knows what season 3 will bring.

Mike A. writes: “Have you thought about putting in any kind of easter eggs in the show?”

Answer: Oh, sure. There’ll be a few in Dark Matter‘s first season. Let’s see if you can spot ‘em.

Sylvia writes: “I know it’s really early in filming, so it might be premature to ask this, but what the heck: now that your character creations are in the hands (and bodies) of live actors and actresses, has your view of them changed? Have their interactions altered the way you plan to tell their stories?”

Answer: Adjustments will be made, but there will be no major changes to the narrative. We’re approaching our 13-epsiode first season as an extended mini-series. We’ve got our story detailed and most of our scripts (12 of 13) written. It would be much easier to make wholesale changes if we were less prepared, didn’t know where we were going with our story and characters, or writing standalone episodes. Fortunately, that’s not the case.

Sylvia also writes: “Will there be any transition from the original “portrayal” in the Graphic Novel to what we will see on screen?”

Answer: Yes, there will be some transition from the graphic novel to the screen. Casting, locations, budget, and specific production concerns have lead us to make changes that have, frankly, improved the material.

lise writes: “When was the decision made to gender swap the android? How did you come to cast Zoie Palmer in particular, I’m a big fan of hers from stuff like Cold Blooded, so I’m really curious about her version of the character.”

Answer: Early in the casting process, we opened the roles up to all ethnicities and in a couple of cases – the role of FOUR and the role of the Android – all genders. We wanted to stray a little from the source material and offer a more balanced crew. There were some terrific auditions for The Android but there was something about Zoie’s take that really resonated – composed and decisive yet, at the same time, displaying flashes of innocence, insolence, and humor. Very hard to do in a couple of three minute auditions

JustLookAtTheFlowers writes:”You mentioned before that if you were to choose a series Dark Matter is similar to, it would be Cowboy Bebop. That show was well-known for the great music. Can you give any hints about the music of Dark Matter? Has a composer been chosen yet? Will there be a theme song that plays during the opening credits, or will it just be a quick flash of the title? One thing missing in a lot of shows is a proper opening title credits — long enough to get the song in your head and get you amped up for the show.”

Answer: While I couldn’t agree more about the series’ theme song getting viewers amped up, I’m in the minority as, increasingly, shows are moving away from extended opening titles in favour of short, ten second intros. Which is the way we’ll probably end up going. In terms of music – there has been some discussion and I’m awaiting samples which were apparently sent to the office weeks ago…but never found their way to my desk. Yet.

Patricia Bertrand writes: ” You will obviously need special effects for Dark Matter. Do you have a company in mind for this?”

Answer: By special effects, I assume you mean visual effects. And, yes, we’re already working with our old friends at Atmosphere, among them former Stargate VFX Supervisor Mark Savela, and present Dark Matter VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson.

Duptiang writes: “In a unrelated episode of a unrelated series the stage setting was dark which had a focusing effect of the character’s story setting. Your stage settings seem to be reminiscent of a previous series. How did you and your fellow creators come to decide on a state setting?And, How do the DP and Directors feel about its effects in filming compared to other types of background colorization?”

Answer: I wanted the show’s sets and lighting to reflect its theme and that was something I made clear from the get-go. The Art Department and our Director or Photography used that idea as a springboard to creating what is a fantastic-looking show.

Pennylynn writes: “1) What has been the hardest part about the last few days (not your rib, that’s a given)”

Answer: No question. Waking up at 5:30 a.m.

“2) What has been the biggest surprise or something that worked out that you were not expecting.”

Answer: I’m amazed that there have been so few hiccups early in the process. And that’s due to the enormously talented people who are working on the production.

“3) Can I get a Q&A with you eventually for my blog?”

Answer: Of course.

2 cats writes: “#1 – Will the guest cast list possibly include anyone from SG-1, ST Atlantis or SGU?”

Answer: Yep. Torri Higginson will be appearing early in the show…and possibly later.

“#2 – Do any of your fuzzy kids come to work with you on a regular basis?”

Answer: Nope. I wouldn’t trust them on set.

Mark Bennett writes: “I commented a while back on weather you had any information regarding the Stargate address used to dial Destiny from Icarus base – anymore info on that?”

Answer: Hey Mark – unfortunately I couldn’t find anything in my files.

Stacy writes: “I was wondering if the network has figured out a way to acount for all the online viewing of a show.”

Answer: You think they would have by this point.

mylhibug writes: “Also, I’m sure you’ve answered this somewhere, but were you ever going to write any more Dark Matter comics?”

Answer: I’d love to continue the comic book series but, for the foreseeable future, I’ll be busy – producing a t.v. show!

paloosa writes: ” Since you were involved in practically every aspect of Stargate throughout its many years, are you finding it easier to produce Dark Matter? Are you a little more relaxed?”

Answer: In the case of Stargate, we joined a show in its fourth year, one that had already worked out all the bugs and was, as we so often liked to put it, a “well-oiled machine”. Starting off a brand new production is definitely NOT easier to produce nor more relaxing. Pressure’s on!

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January 20, 2015

Photos: Boxes, snap of the day, sock


“I want you to do a favor for me,”said my mother.

“Okay,”I said, assuming she wanted me to look up some old friend now that I was in Toronto.

“I want you to call someone for me…”

Knew it.

“Phone [man’s name] and find out if he’s still alive.”

“What?”

“I was his assistant many years ago,”she explained, ” and used to babysit his children. They came to visit once when we first moved to Montreal. Just phone and ask how he’s doing.”

Given the fact that my mother celebrated her 80th birthday last year, I thought it highly unlikely that a former employer whose kids she used to babysit would still be around. Still – “Hang on,”I said. “You want me to call up a complete stranger to find out if he’s still alive?”

“Oh, just say my name. They’ll know me.”

“Then shouldn’t YOU be the one to make this call?”

“I don’t have the number,”she protested.

“Well neither do I!”

“But it’s easy to look up somebody’s phone number when you’re in the same town.”

I wanted to point out that it was easy to look up anybody’s phone number anywhere now that we have this thing called the internet, but decided not to press. I was on speaker phone, driving back from a long day on set, and I didn’t want to risk getting into a more involved backstory.

So, yes, at some point, when I have free time, I need to ring a complete stranger and inquire about the well-being of their probably deceased father/husband. Remind me!

In the meantime, I’ve got a show to produce! Day #2 shooting in Hamilton has proven even colder than yesterday. Nevertheless, the show looks great. I was showing Akemi some of the behind-the-scenes pics last night. She is mightily impressed with THREE’S big gun (insert your own gag here) and the guys’ singing voices. Between takes, I caught them belting out a rendition of I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (EP assistant Alison Hepburn got a longer version I’d love to post in time – provided the boys sign off) and all four of them – Roger Cross, Marc Bendavid, Anthony Lemke, and Alex Mallari Jr. – were terrific. I already know that Canadian Idol Winner and broadway vet Melissa O’Neil has a beautiful voice and, apparently, Zoie Palmer can sing as well (which, I’m told, she did on Lost Girl). The only one I’m not sure about is Jodelle Ferland.

Rejoice! We’re another step closer to that third season musical episode!

The screen grab of the day:

And our sock of the day. Natalie Cooper goes a little bad-ass:

Tomorrow, I’m back on the home front as prep for episode #103 gets underway!

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January 21, 2015

Photos: Lulu, Jelly, Paolo Barzman, Amanda Brugel, screen grab of the day, sock


I’m pleased to report that Lulu’s eye surgery went swimmingly and she is now home and resting comfortably. According to the technician, the procedure involved abrading her cornea to remove the dead tissue after which the surgeon pierced her eye with several pin pricks. Now that I know the secret, I can save a little money and just do it myself next time.

Apparently, Lulu could sense something was up in the lead-up to surgery. Akemi claims she was unusually needy yesterday, following Bubba around from dog bed to dog bed. And, last night, she was uncharacteristically agitated, continually panting and pacing. Either she’s possessed of an uncanny sixth sense, or her grasp of the English language is much better than I’d assumed.

On the Dark Matter front (you know, that awesome new SF series premiering on SyFy later this year?), the cast and crew shot their third and final day in Hamilton before the move on Thursday. I’ll miss both days but will rejoin them for what is tentatively scheduled as a 2:00 p.m. main unit call on Friday – meaning I probably won’t get home until 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning. I could just stay the night like everyone else (I hear Kitchener, Ontario is lovely this time of year) but it’s only a one hour and twenty minute drive. And I’d much prefer to start my weekend in my own bed.

Anyway, while the rest of the gang was enjoying the fresh air of Hamilton (‘s warehouses), I was back at the production offices prepping episode #103 with director Paolo Barzman who, between the concept meeting, stage walk-thru, and space suit look-see, even found time to sweep the infirmary.

Yesterday, I got a chance to chat with the actress Amanda Brugel who will be joining us for episodes #101-#102. Simply awesome. She and Anthony Lemke are terrific together! Between set-ups, she demonstrated the fine art of the selfie:

You can actually snap a pic by pressing a button the side of your phone – and the edit feature allows you to fiddle with the photo so that you don’t look so much like a deranged lunatic! Next week, Amanda’s going to teach me how to program my DVR!

Our screen grab of the day:

Our “sock of the day” courtesy of Natalie Cooper who writes: “Today’s were picked just for you and your aversion to non-west coast sushi”…

P.S. Akemi covets these socks.

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January 22, 2015

Photos: Paolo Barzman, doughnuts, Waterloo, screen grab of the day, gifts, sock


Day #2 of prep on episode #103 with director Paolo Barzman who traveled all the way from Hong Kong to work on Dark Matter! I’d been hearing great things about the man for weeks and, after meeting I have to say – they weren’t wrong. He’s a foodie, a fearless eater, a chocolate aficionado – oh, and also a very smart guy with some great ideas for our next episode. Today, we convened downstairs for the Art Department meeting for some heavy set construction and green screen discussions, then walked over to wardrobe for the Costumes meeting. We talked about the script, watched some dailies and, of course, ate some doughnuts from this place: http://www.gloryholedoughnuts.com

Nat Cooper swung by my office after lunch to “Oh, by the way” show me a photo of their doughnut selection. She wasn’t suggesting we get doughnuts of course. She just wanted to show me. Just in case.

I sent her and Alison out for two dozen.

Main unit production, meanwhile, shifted from the chilly environs of Hamilton for the relatively warmer interiors of Waterloo today. It was goodbye to the dust and steel and post-apocalyptic looking vehicles...

And hello to pipes and steel and post-apocalpytic interiors.

The screen grab of the day:

Fire in the hole!

Hey! I received two surprise packages from blog readers, all no doubt concerned about my rib injury…

From New York:

From Hong Kong:

And finally, Natalie Cooper presents: “The Sock of the Day”:

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January 23, 2015

Photos: Dark Matter Girls with Guns, screen grab of the day, sock of the day


An early blog entry today as I’m in Waterloo for a day of fun out of the sun. Plenty of fireworks in store for us tonight as we shoot our explosive finish, so I’ve got my earplugs at the ready.

I suppose it’s only fitting then that I make today’s instalment a Dark Matter Girls with Guns pictorial!

The screen grab of the day:

And the sock of the day:

Space theme!

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January 24, 2015

Photo: Jelly


Why, I wondered, is there blood on the floor? And then: Why is there blood on the blanket? And: Why is there blood on the dog bed? Upon closer scrutiny, I had my answer. Jelly had, somehow, snagged her dewclaw and torn it badly. She seemed oblivious, more focused on the water bowl than her mangled paw, apparently not bothered by the ugly wound. I, on the other hand, instantly felt dizzy on her behalf.

After checking with about a half dozen vets in the area, I settled on the one who could see us soonest – at 9:30 a.m., which would give me an hour before I had to leave for Kitchener and our final location day for the episodes #101/#102 of Dark Matter (a little scifi t.v. show I may have mentioned here on occasion).

We arrive for 9:20 a.m. in the hopes that the doctor could see her sooner. No early appointment. No on-time appointment either. The doctor casually rolled in at around 9:50, then took his time settling in. It wasn’t until 10:15 that we got to see him. And, when we finally did, the cursory examination yielded a blunt, if not annoying, diagnosis. “We can do one of two things,”the vet explained. “I can bring her to the back and yank off the broken dew claw – which will be really painful for her, or we can sedate her to remove it and she won’t feel a thing.” I want to say “the subtext was clear” but, really, there was no subtext. If I wanted to save a few bucks, my dog would suffer for it.

Now normally (and as any semi-regular reader to this blog is well aware), I’d have no hesitation about spending money on my dogs. Jelly’s stem cell therapy alone was costlier than my first car. But in this instant, it wasn’t the cost of the procedure but the procedure itself. I’d hesitate to put a pug under anesthetic at the best of times – but a sixteen year old pug? Only in the direst of emergencies – and this wasn’t one.

After considering her age, and her narrow nostrils (“They’re too small,”said the vet. “These should have been treated long ago. Subtext: “Your vet is incompetent.”) he agreed that sedation wouldn’t be an option. He’d just bring her to the back and remove it without the benefit of anesthetic.

I was understandably hesitant, but he assured me it had to come off – and that it would be quick. She probably wouldn’t feel a thing (which was a decidedly different take from the Option #1 he offered not ten minutes earlier).

I waffled, hesitated and finally gave the go-ahead, returned to the waiting room, discussed with Akemi, changed my mind, walked to the back room and told him I’d reconsidered. A brief discussion ensued. He continued to assure me it would be quick. I vacillated. He demonstrated, grabbing the dangling claw and – tugging! It came off. Jelly, as early, seemed oblivious.

I was enormously relieved. He told me he’d clear her up and she’d be out shortly. And so, we returned to the waiting room and waited. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes later he walked back out and informed me that he had to clean her anal glands which hadn’t been dealt with in at least a year (subtext: “Your vet is incompetent.”) and offered to show us what he’d managed to recover. “Uh, no thanks,”I passed as I checked my watch. I was going to be late.

We accompanied him back to the room where he completed his check-up, poking, prodding and pressing until – clearly concerned – he claimed to feel something unusual. “It feels like a mass in her abdomen,”he said. “Look how uncomfortable she is when I squeeze it.” I wanted to point out that anyone would look uncomfortable having their abdomen squeezed but, hey, he was the medical professional. He suggested an x-ray.

It was already almost 11:00 p.m. and I was running well past late, but the x-ray machine was right there and he claimed it would only take “ten seconds”. Akemi was already fed up and ready to leave but I figured – hey, what’s ten seconds? Especially when the alternative was making an appointment and waiting until next week. So I gave the go-ahead for the x-ray.

Two seconds turned into two minutes. Then ten minutes. Then twenty. Eventually, we headed back to his office where we examined the x-rays. Which, it turned out, weren’t very good. There was what appeared to be a mass. But it could have been fecal matter. He suggested we make an appointment and come back for an ultrasound.

Given the fact that Jelly just had an ultrasound two months ago, I elected to hold off – and go back to her regular, presumably incompetent but much nicer vet, for a follow-up.

I paid up, dropped Akemi and Jelly off at home, and then headed to work – arriving an hour after main unit call.

Oh, and apparently I was overcharged. He offered to reimburse my card the next time I dropped by – or just put it toward the cost of the ultrasound. Whichever comes first.

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January 25, 2015

Photos: Guns, Vanessa Piazza, Amanda Brugel, screen grab of the day


“I really like Joe,”said our Assistant Production Manager Robbie David. “He’s always so positive.”

“Positive?”asked my writer partner, Paul, instantly dubious. Having known me for well over twenty-five years, he’d be the first to tell you that “positive” would probably be well down on the list of adjectives used to paint a picture of yours truly (falling somewhere between “druidic” and “herbaceous”). “Joe?”

“Yeah,”said Robbie. “I saw him on his way in. He was talking about how great it was that he had the opportunity to see different parts of Ontario like Hamilton and Kitchener.”

A full three seconds of silence and then, Paul: “Robbie, he was being sarcastic.”

“He was?”

Yes, apparently, that happens a lot – people taking my sarcasm for genuine sincerity. So, to be clear: I DON’T think a rogue equipment manager is to blame for ensuring quarterback Tom Brady had some nice grippably deflated footballs to throw last weekend, I DID NOT take six years of breakdancing lessons nor am I looking forward to showing off my moves at the wrap party, and it’s possible I DIDN’T notice you’re doing something new with your hair. But chances are I still LOVE IT!

Anyway, as to the specific incident in question – yes, I may have been a little sarcastic. After dealing with doggy issues that morning (see last entry, ed.), I drove an hour and twelve minutes to an area devoid of proper signage to point me in the right direction. At one point, I was thrilled to spot an actual sign on the roadside up ahead only to discover, on approach, that it was actually a notice for a local bake sale.

When I finally did roll up outside the entrance to the water treatment facility, I discovered I’d actually missed the crew park. I was informed that signage was a Vancouver production thing. Next time, I had to follow the parking cones – judiciously lining the route (roughly 3-5 miles between each one).

It was a long but incredibly fulfilling day as director T.J. Scott, in collaboration with stunt coordinator John Stead and our awesome cast, shot, slashed, and blasted the place up. Last day for some of our guest stars – Chloe Rose, Rob Stewart, and Amanda Brugel – who not only delivered terrific performances and offered delightful company, but also kindly supplied me with reference letters for the position of ambassador to Burkina Faso in our model U.N. club.

We managed to squeeze in a location scout for episodes #106 and #109 and ended up wrapping – early! – at 11:30 p.m. After that, it was a quick 90 minute drive back in the mostly streetlight-devoid dead of night and I was in bed by 1:30 a.m.

This weekend, it’s chores, chores, chores, a pink page pass on episode #103, an early Sunday afternoon visit to our shuttle (the phantom class marauder) set, and I’ve already started thinking about my ideal trailer for the show.

Some pics from Friday’s festivities:

Our screen grab of the day (from Thursday’s action):

Trouble comin’ your way!

Tomorrow: wall to wall meetings as prep continues on #103. Meanwhile, main unit shoots its first day on our shuttle – the phantom class marauder!

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January 26, 2015

Photos: Paolo Barzman, Akemi, Dark Matter shuttle, sock, screen grab of the day


I spent much of the weekend going over the two week’s worth of dailies we’ve amassed to date. For those not in the know, “dailies” refers to the collected footage from the previous day’s shoot. It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the available material – especially when it comes time to do your edit. If something isn’t working for you, it’s a simple matter of requesting that brilliant alternate take or delivery that didn’t make the director’s cut. What’s leftover finds its way into those outtakes, blooper reels, and deleted footage extras the fans love so much while so much more is lost to time. Somewhere, in the crawlspace of my Vancouver home sit two boxes of videocassettes containing dailies from Stargate SG-1 seasons 4 through 7. Highlights include unaired scenes, serpent guards stumbling about in unwieldy oversized helmets, and Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) dancing a jig in that unas episode.

Wall to wall meetings today for episode #103: VFX/Playback (nebula!), stunts/SPFX (shirtless bo staff training alert! Don’t tell Alex!), props (light up elements), and a tone meeting with director Paolo Barzman during which we discussed the characters, the “big picture”, and went through the script scene by scene.

I spent most of my free time going over the schedule, assembling the scenes by set (the bridge [FTL, star field, blast doors, and emergency lighting], the infirmary, the mess, the airlock, the corridors and quarters), and playing mix and match with the allotted times to create nice, full – but not overly taxing days. I’d broken it all down nicely and was in the process of mixing and matching when I mistakenly pressed “do NOT save” – and lost everything. Sigh.

In honor of my pug, Jelly, Natalie Cooper presents this awesome “sock of the day”:

And our screen grab of the day:

Heads up!

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January 27, 2015

Photos: Six Feet Under, Little House on the Prairie, Stargate: Universe, Twin Peaks, Blake’s 7, The Sopranos, Roseanne, Quantum Leap, Alf, Dinosaurs


Spoiler alert…for shows that have been off the air for anywhere between 5 to 34 years.

Seriously. There’s got to be a statute of limitations on spoilers.

10. Six Feet Under

My favorite finale of all time. It was only appropriate that a show that explored the realities of death should conclude with the multiple flash forward deaths of all of its beloved characters. Incredibly depressing yet perfectly fitting.

9. Little House on the Prairie

Rather than allow their little town to fall into the clutches of a greedy railroad tycoon, the residents of Walnut Grove decide to blow up every building in town.

8. Stargate: Universe

The crew of the Destiny enters stasis so that the ship can channel all of its energy to completing a 3-year journey to the next galaxy. As the various sections of the ship go dark (bookending the show’s opening images), we find our lovable hero Eli, alone on the observation deck. Then, the ship jumps to FTL, leaving us (the viewers) behind.

[We were actually expecting to come back for a final third season – but, obviously, that didn’t happen. Still, if you’re curious about how things may have turned out: https://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/may-12-2011-stargate-universe-beyond-season-2-what-might-have-been/]

7. Twin Peaks

Agent Cooper, battles his nemesis Windom Earl in the otherworldly realm of The Black Lodge – and loses his soul. But there’s hope for our affable hero – 25 years later – as Showtime has announced production on a follow-up to the cult series, set to premiere in 2016.

6. Blake’s 7

Everybody dies. Hope you heeded that spoiler warning above.

5. The Sopranos

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” plays through the show’s final scene as the Soprano family convenes in a diner and…we cut to black. Was Tony killed? Probably? Will we ever know for sure? Probably not.

4. Roseanne

In the show’s final season, Roseanne and her family win the lottery and hilarity (?) ensues. Until the final episode in which we discover that the show was actually a story written by Roseanne Conner based on her life. The family never won the library and, oh yeah, husband Dan is dead. Thanks for watching our comedy!

3. Quantum Leap

After five seasons of leaping through time to help others, Dr. Sam Beckett is finally given the opportunity to return home. He decides to do just that, after making one final leap – so save his buddy Al’s marriage. He succeeds and…according to the final card, never returns home. Boo!

2. Alf

Our wise-cracking alien prepares to finally head home to Melmac – only to get captured by the military. They’re probably still experimenting on him.

1. Dinosaurs

Hapless dinosaur dad Earl unwittingly helps usher in an ice age that will wipe out his family, his community, and all of his fellow dinosaurs.

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January 28, 2015

Photos: Grant Boyle, Alison Hepburn, cookies, Dark Matter shuttle set, Rocky, Dark Matter mess hall, Dark Matter episode #103 prep, screen grab of the day, sock of the day


Introducing Grant Boyle – male model. Oh, and 3rd Assistant Director on Dark Matter. No doubt having grown tired of all the compliments I receive on my suits, Grant decided to go all out today – suit, tie AND cufflinks. Mighty suave, no? At one point, he flashed up on my monitor – standing in front of the camera, eating a burrito and, for a brief few seconds, I thought I was watching a cop show. Detective Grant Boyle: homicide! What do you think, ladies? Should he get his own show?

I left set in such a rush last night that I left my scarf behind. Fortunately, EP assistant Alison Hepburn was on the ball and returned it to me this morning. I rewarded her by not forcing her to stay late just in case I forgot my scarf again. BUT, if I do forget it again, there’ll be hell to pay!

How awesome is my girlfriend? Yesterday morning, she sent me off with a platter of brown butter bourbon cookies for the crew. They were a huge hit. Self-described full-time cookie aficionado (and occasional actor) Anthony Lemke hailed them as the best cookies he’s ever eaten!

The sugar and bourbon gave the crew the energy they needed to rock the gimballed shuttle set for those inflight scenes. Perhaps a little too much sugar and bourbon as director T.J. Scott had to keep telling them to ease up. Had I brought seconds, they probably would have rolled the damn thing.

I strolled in at 8:55 a.m. this morning to discover our infirmary set a hive of activity. Things being moved, assembled, fixed. It was downright heartening – if not for the fact that we were 5 minutes away from main unit call. BUT, in a flash, it was done. And we were finally ready to shoot in our infirmary set – for the very first time! Above: Rocky, part of the Art Department team, makes the magic happen.

We also shot in the mess hall for the first time. Check out the spice rack!

Meanwhile, prep continues on episode #103. We had our space suit helmet meeting today and reflected on reflections. The bad kind that screw up a shot because they show up in face shields.

The screen grab of the day:

And our sock of the day!

Went to dinner last night with our Commander Truffault, the lovely Torri Higginson. We talked dogs, food, cons, and scifi over wine, bourbon, and a crazy assortment of dishes. Tomorrow, she drops in to lower the boom on Ferrous Corp!