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

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January 14, 2016

Photos: Cat Shirt Thursday on the set of Dark Matter, Bruce McDonald, Ivon Bartok


Cat Shirt Thursdays! The tradition continues…

Jayson Clute – B Camera Operator, Dark Matter

Matt Purdy – Stand in, Dark Matter

Chris Toudy – Key Grip, Dark Matter

Alyssa Pawlak – Stand in, Dark Matter

Kelly Anastasiou – B 2nd Assistant Camera, Dark Matter

Drew Williams – Boom Operator, Dark Matter

Nicola Moss – On Set Key Props, Dark Matter

Well, today marked our final day on Episode 202 and we were back on the Raza for a little trip down memory lane via some carefully orchestrated flashbacks. It was home sweet home…for as long as it lasted.

Today’s blog entry is dedicated to “Cowboy” Bruce McDonald who did a hell of a job directing our most ambitious episode to date – while showing us all a hell of a good time!

Thanks, Bruce! Until we meet again…

In about three weeks when you come back to direct Episode 206!

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January 15, 2016

Photos: Lunch, schnitzel, Joe Mallozzi


“Hey, Joe!”said Ivon. “Pretend you’re sleeping.”

“Oh, no,”I said. “I couldn’t.”

“Come on!”he said.

So I shut my eyes and pretended I was sleeping.

“No,”he said. “Rock your head back and open your mouth like you’re in mid-snore.”

“Okay,”I said, rocking my head back and opening my mouth like I was in mid-snore.

“Goofier-looking,”he said.

I complied.

All this to say, this explains that photo (ex) Consulting Producer Ivon Bartok is circulating of me seemingly asleep on the van ride back from today’s tech survey.

On a totally unrelated note, there’s something about riding in the back of a car, bus, train, or van driving back from a tech survey that puts me right out. I can only imagine my mom did a lot of traveling while pregnant with me.

On a related note, I went on a tech survey today for Episode 204. For those not in the know, tech surveys – not to be confused with location scouts – are field trips on which we scout locations for upcoming episodes. With my writing partner Paul on set on Episode 202 with director Steve DiMarco, I was fully expecting to spend the day writing…until I was reminded about our little outing.

All in all, I was glad I went. It’s always a treat to tour parts of Ontario I’d probably miss out on if I wasn’t seeking out suitable seedy bars and dilapidated warehouses for my t.v. show. And there was the added bonus-presence of stunt coordinator John Stead (who’ll be taking the director’s reins for 204). But the highlight of the day had to be lunch…

The initial plan was to eat at a place that essentially turned out to be a drugstore cafeteria. We elected to double back and check out THIS place we passed on the way.

Over a dozen varieties of schnitzels to choose from. Ivon was quick to snap a pic of the menu and send it to our old Stargate (and schnitzel) buddy Carl Binder.

To quote an Austrian: “Schnitzel as big as a toilet seat!”

And for dessert…

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January 16, 2016

Photos: Akemi, Jodelle Ferland and her sister, Ivon Bartok, bicerin, Gena, Lulu, Bubba


Whew! I spent a good chunk of the day reviewing and writing up notes on Amanda Tapping’s excellent director’s cut of Episode 201. An incredibly dynamic opener. I look forward to getting in the room with our incredible editor, Wendy Hallam Martin, Monday and Tuesday.

But it wasn’t all work today. This morning, Akemi and I took a trip to the farmer’s market with Jodelle (FIVE) Ferland and her sister. Highlight purchases included quail eggs, fresh fava bean leaves, and a delicious sweet potato and peanut butter soup. Jodelle, meanwhile, pretty much cleared out one local baker of his entire inventory of lemon loaf and carrot cake. Then, we met up with Ivon for lunch…

The highlight of this little foray was this…

It’s called a bicerin and apparently originates from Turin, Italy. It’s comprised of espresso, dark chocolate, and cream. I ended up getting one for Jodelle out of fear she’d finish mine.

Akemi was, as usual, thrilled to hang out with Ivon (who, according to Jodelle’s sis Marisha, bears an uncanny resemblance to one of the strippers from Magic Mike).

Later, Jodelle and Gena came by for a play date.

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January 17, 2016

Photos: Stargate: Universe


I was cleaning out my inbox today when I happened across a bunch of old prep schedules and call sheets.

For those of you who are wondering, “prep” is, of course, short for “preparation” and “prepping” an episode involves (in my t.v. producing experience) a little over a week of meetings with director and departments heads in which an episode is detailed, drawn up and discussed. Here, for example, is the prep schedule for the Stargate: Universe episode “The Hunt” –

Even though it was prep week on “The Hunt”, early prep work began on later episodes. There’s a preliminary art department meeting for “Common Descent” and “Epilogue” (suggesting BIG plans for what would turn out to be our final two episodes) followed by a prosthetics life cast with actor Louis Ferreira (to help him achieve that “Old Young” look, as Akemi coined it).

Director Andy Mikita was away and, with the director away, the meetings are pushed to other days. Note that, while a director begins prep on one episode, another director starts shooting another – in this case, Episode 215, “Seizure”. Also, 2nd unit shoots scenes for Episode 214, “Hope”. 2nd unit usually involves a scaled down crew shooting smaller scenes from a given episode. Also on this day – a casting session! I remember heading down to the lot and watching auditions in the casting trailer, trying to ignore the trucks that would rumble by at the most inopportune times.

Finally, prep begins early Monday morning with the concept meeting. With all of the department heads in attendance, we would go through the script, page by page, and break down each scene. We followed with an art department meeting in which we no doubt discussed the builds for this episode (as I recall, a cave set and a design for the creature)…

…then headed over to props to discuss what was required from them (besides our standard guns, there’s that makeshift spear one of the character wields late in the episode) –

…followed by a sit-down with the costumes department (we would need to get our uniforms dirty and, in some instances, torn and bloodstained), and, finally, a field trip to scout out some suitably rough terrain in Lynn Canyon where we planned to shoot some of the exteriors.

Prep week continued full force on Tuesday with some of our biggest meetings: stunts and SPFX (there was that stunt sequence off the top where our camp is attacked by the creature), a playback (not too many big onscreen elements in this one if I recall correctly), and visual effects (the creature was pure CG as was that space deer we see in the tease).

The following day was the extras meeting (always a number of background players in every episode), and then hair & make-up (cuts, bruises, and general disarray).

Preliminary budgets from the various departments were due to give us a sense of how the episode was costing out.

No meeting scheduled for the Friday, but that didn’t mean we weren’t busy having discussions, finalizing the details. A tech survey in the a.m. to Lynn Canyon during which we all sign off on the location and the director finalizes his visual game plan for the exterior sequences.

And then, finally, the production meeting which is a mirror image of the concept meeting except that, by this point, the director and all of the departments know exactly what they’re doing and are in the process of putting the finishing touches on their work. And, of course, final budgets are due and we find out where our budget stands on the year (which, of course, has a direct effect on ensuing episodes).

Speaking of prep, prep week kicks off on Dark Matter Episode 204 tomorrow with a 10:00 a.m. concept meeting headed by director John Stead. It’s gonna be fun!

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January 18, 2016

Video: Dark Matter Season 1 - The Mole Is Revealed

Photos: Dark Matter


Yesterday, I featured an old Stargate prep schedule on this blog, breaking it down for you and offering insights into the pre-production process. Today, I’d like to follow up with something a little more recent by giving you all a peek at a call sheet from last year’s final day of main unit shooting on Dark Matter –

Production day 89 of 89! Our final day on set! (Not counting the next day’s second unit shoot of Jodelle (FIVE) crawling through vents.) Note the nice late call time (0900 as opposed to the usual 0730), meaning we get to sleep in! But also means we don’t get to eat lunch until 3:00 p.m. To tide us over, however, the production arranged for a special wafflerific crew breakfast! Also a reminder that we would be snapping the crew photo in the underbelly that day. Even though we were shooting indoors, we received the weather report nevertheless.

First shots up = scenes 80 and 81 from Episode 113. “Trading Accusations when GA docks. Locked in. Gas! Two stunned. Mole.” This was a big one and took most of the day. Originally, the mole was intended to be revealed here. TWO goes down. We REVERSE and TILT UP to the perpetrator looming over her. He removes his mask to reveal…the mole! While down on the ground, Melissa O’Neil (TWO) snapped this awesome photo –

I’d taken pains to keep the mole’s identity a secret until the very end and then finally let the cast know just before seconds before they were to shoot the reveal…

Of all the scenes we shot over those first 13, it was the last one – of the crew members being dragged out in order, one after the other, until the mole is finally revealed to the audience – that really really hit me the hardest. I still get goosebumps every time I watch it.

And then, we go to the various shots of the G.A. troops trespassing on OUR home – the corridors, the bridge, the underbelly and infirmary – as they secure The Raza.

Pictured above: The G.A. troops prepare to take the ship!

The Production Notes for this particular episode covering every department. Reminders! Art Department, we need the docking collar in place for that shot of the G.A. troops boarding the ship. Playback, don’t forget the “Access Denied” message that flashes up when FIVE tries to unseal the doors. Props, we’ll beed comms, guns, handcuffs and gas canisters. Stunts, we’re going to be dropping our crew and dragging them off. Hair and Make-up, the G.A. officers wear eye black, making their appearance all the more fearsome behind those masks. Costumes, we’re going to be doing a shot tracking SIX’s booted feet. Electrics, we’re going to need different lighting to distinguish between the corridors. SPFX, we’re going to smoke out the corridor so be prepared for some heavy atmosphere. VFX, we’ll need to accentuate the flash bang and do some electrical arcing on the contact point when TWO is hit with the stun wand. To mention just a few.

A look-ahead to our final second unit day. Lots of vent crawling and two scenes that we didn’t end up shooting because the episode was already running long: 1) Five twitching in her sleep and, 2) A flashback to a pre-amnesia scene that I already posted for you here:

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Boy, this takes me back.

Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular Tam Dixon.

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January 19, 2016

Video: Dark Matter Raza Bridge Comm

Photo: Dark Matter


I was planning to rant today but, after a morning spent writing and an afternoon in editing, I am too exhausted to snark. And so, instead, I’ve decided to leave you with a little something…

A photo of director Bruce McDonald and our favorite Android in action.

A little something from 1st Assistant Art Director Kelly Diamond…

Apparently, we’ve been asked to give the episodes titles this season. Conceptually, it doesn’t bother me so much given that the numerical conceits of season one (character names and episode titles) were thematically tied to this notion of identity – or lack thereof. With the events of the previous 13 instalments under their belts, the crew has come a long way and we’ll see a dramatic shift in the second season narrative toward more dynamic, big picture stories. So, yes, there’s no reason not to come up with episode titles beyond the fact that, well, I hate coming up with episode titles.

Which is where YOU come in. Choose from one of the following for Episode 201.

The context will become much clearer…once you’ve actually seen the episode.

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January 20, 2016

Video: Dark Matter - visual effects compilation


VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson and his team at Atmosphere and Dark Room Digital Effects did some truly incredible work on Dark Matter’s first season I’m sure we can all agree (unless, of course, you’ve never watched the show – It’s on Netflix!).

Just in case you missed it, here’s a highlight reel of some of their greatest hits –

(Music = Adagio in D Minor by John Murphy)

Hard to beat.

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January 21, 2016

Photos: Dark Matter, John Stead, Episode 201 poll


A sit-down with prison boss Arax Nero. Who IS this mystery man?

An intriguing shot. Mysterious, no?

What’s HE looking at?

I was on a creative tear today, finishing a new scene for one episode and rewriting multiple scenes for two more – all while I was stuck in traffic this morning. As I’ve always said, I do some of my best writing when I’m driving, in the shower, or when my ex used to talk to me over dinner! As soon as I got into the office, I shut the door and spent the next hour and a half getting it all on the page.

The rest of the day was spent in and out of meetings as prep has begun on Episode 204, to be directed by Dark Matter stunt coordinator John Stead.

John Stead and furry fan at the costume department meet and greet.

Looks like we’ll be finally leaving the relatively warmer environs of the studio for the chill of The Hammer as location work begins next week. Space station, forest, and cabins offer insights into one characters dark dark past.

The results are in and we have a title for Episode 201! YOU voted and chose…

Episode 14: Welcome To Your New Home

The breakdown…

Next week, you’ll be voting on an title for Episode 202!

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January 22, 2016

Photos: Victoria Klein, Dark Matter


While we await the responses from our previously announced guests, I thought I’d get the ball rolling on one more Dark Matter crew member Q&A. Victoria Klein, pictured above, is the show’s props master. She and her team are our resident MacGyvers, crafting futuristic weapons and otherworldly tech using anything from electric toothbrushes to paper clips. Over the course of the Dark Matter’s first season – and well into its second – they have created some truly inspired gadgets, guns, gak and who-knows-whats.

Today, I start taking questions for Victoria. Let’s delve into the workings of her devious mind. Post your queries in the comments section. I’ll gather them up over the course of the weekend and then send them her way Monday morning!

While we’re on the subject, here’s a little something Victoria and co. came up with for a future episode. What is it? As always, I don’t ask because, like you, I don’t like to be spoiled. But it does like mighty cool…

My first guess was hat, but I’ve been told that was incorrect.

Top view suggests more at work here.

The symbols on the side are giving me Stargate flashbacks.

Flick the switches, press the buttons and it lights and…does what?

Even though we’ll never feature the bottom of the device, the props department still goes that extra step in fashioning this beautiful underside. They clearly take pride in their work!

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January 23, 2016

Video: Dark Matter 1x10 Promo

Photos: Paul Mullie, Boxy, Joe Mallozzi


Having been in “the biz” for going on 25 years, I rarely ever get star struck. And yet, it happened yesterday when a former guest star visited the sit. Pictured above, alongside Executive Producer Paul Mullie, is Boxy who you’ll no doubt remember from our big first season two-parter (Episodes 110 and 111).

Pictured above: Boxy patiently awaits his scene (Dark Matter Episode 110).

Boxy was a delight to work with – prompt, professional, and incredibly focused. He never missed his mark; never questioned or flubbed a line. And then, once he’d finished filming his scene, he’d quietly trundle off, presumably back to his trailer. He was effortless, a calming presence, one of those celebrities who you just couldn’t help but feel good to be around.

A sample of Boxy’s work (around the 5 second mark):

On his last day, I remember thanking him for doing the show and pointing out that, since we didn’t kill him off, there was a possibility his character could come back. I got the sense that he really enjoyed his time with us and that, if the right script came along, he would be back. Yesterday’s visit seemed to hint as much. It was his unspoken way of gently reminding us that, hey, despite his busy schedule (I hear he just booked a six episode arc on The Good Wife), he’s missed us. And, I think I speak for the entire crew when I say the feeling is mutual.

And we’re not the only ones. The last time I checked, the Bring Boxy Back petition had already garnered over two thousand votes! Who wants more Boxy?! Let us know!

Paul and I hanging out on set with Boxy, May 2015.

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January 24, 2016


Alexander Rook

Anders

Android

Arax Nero

Bubba

Clones

Corelactic Industries

Corporate War

Danny Bones

Darius

Derrick Moss

Devon

Dwarf Star Technologies

Earth

Emily Kolburn

Empress

Ferrous Corp

Five

Four

Galactic Authority

Hiro

Ishida

Jace Corso

Kal Varrick

key card

Kierkan

League of Autonomous Worlds

Marauder

Maynad Hansmeed

Mikkei Combine

Milo

Misaki

neural imprint

Nieman

Nyx

One

Republic of Pyr

Randroid

Raza

Reynaud

shadow

Shaddick

Six

Tabor Calchek

Three

Titch

transfer transit

Traugott Corp

Truffault

Two

Victor

Volkov-Rusi

Warden Treihan

Zairon

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January 25, 2016

Video: Janah12 SpaceStn NDDirectory

Photos: Dark Matter


Last week, you all helped select a name for our season premiere (now titled Episode 14: Welcome To Your New Home).

Today, the voting begins for our second episode title of the young season. Your choices are…

So, what’s it going to be? Cast your vote! Leave your mark on television history!

Blue screen blues.

Sample battered metal for…oh…something.

Design plan for an upcoming build.

Oh, hey! Welcome to Janah-12! Let 1st Assistant Art Director Kelly Diamond be your guide!

Or just use this handy directory…

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January 26, 2016

Photos: Dark Matter location scout, Elliot Sokolsky, Brandon Tataryn, Joe Mallozzi, Norman Denver, Ron Murphy


“Just a little further!”. Line Producer, Norman Denver, forged ahead, his constitution fortified by boxing and scotch. “Almost there!”

I scanned the trees to either side, then the winding pathway that dipped up ahead before curving and disappearing behind the dense brush.

“Watch your step!”warned Brandon Tataryn, skirting a deadly patch of ice and then scurrying to keep up.

I gave the frosted path a wide berth, then threw a look back at our two stragglers, Executive Producer’s Assistant Elliot Sokolsky and Director Ron Murphy, both of who seemed to be having second thoughts about this whole forest venture.

It was approximately 3 p.m., the temperature was dropping, and the lunch we’d enjoyed at Hamilton’s premiere Indian restaurant was not sitting pretty. We’d spent the morning scouting locations for Episode 204, three different warehouses, when Norman suggested we squeeze in a forest stopover. It seemed like a good idea at the time and when, after a cursory stroll through one area, Ron had suggested we check out another area “just a short walk down”, I’d thought “Why not?”. In retrospect: “Because it’s cold and dangerous, you fool!”

Norman, our fearless leader, stepped off the path and pointed off in the distance. “There’s the parking lot.” Sure enough, there it was, our final destination, less than fifty yards away. And the only thing standing between us and sweet, sweet heat was a treacherously steep forty foot mud-covered slope down, an equally treacherous, equally steep forty foot mud-covered slope up – and the frozen river in between.

“We can always go back,”Ron offered, almost plaintively. Elliot seemed to be in full support, throwing me a look that said: “Please?” I turned to gauge Norman but, by way of a response, the wiry Englishman was already heading down the slope, crouched low, like a seasoned wrestler poised for battle . Brandon, like any good 1st AD, was blindly following his line producer’s lead, arms stretched out for extra balance – or, presumably, to help break his inevitable fall.

I watched their descent, fully prepared to turn and run back the way we came for medical assistance the second one of them toppled – but when they reached the halfway point, I was forced to reconsider. I glanced back at Ron and Elliot who were, clearly, not convinced, then decided “What the hell” and followed. Arms out for balance, keeping my center of gravity low, I negotiated the slippery moss-covered rocks and followed them down, ever so thankful I’d decided to switch over to my winter boots that morning.

It was touch and go, but – amazingly – we all made it to the bottom without losing our footing. Then, we crossed the frozen river. Norman sat on a fallen tree and sort of scooched his way along to the other side, Brandon, Elliot, and I jumped for our lives –

While Ron walked an impromptu bridge.

After down and over, there was nowhere to go but up!

The ascent was only slightly less perilous thanks to the handy saplings lining the slope, perfect for support and balance –

– but hazardous when they become uprooted while using them to pull yourself up…as was Norman’s experience.

I’m happy to report we all made it back to the parking lot – and, subsequently, back from our first location scout uninjured. Hard to believe.

So as not to tempt fate, I think I’ll skip tomorrow’s “seedy bar” tech survey.

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January 27, 2016

Photos: Dark Matter Episode 202 poll, Hyperion-8


Huzzah! We (and I do mean the collective “we” as YOU all helped choose them!) have another episode title for Dark Matter’s second season. Last week, you all voted and the winner was:

“Episode 14: Welcome To Your New Home”.

This week, you voted again and while the results were much closer, there was a clear winner despite a late rally by the “Hello, Pumpkin” contingent…

“Episode 15: Kill Them All”

Thanks for taking part and making t.v. history. Stay tuned to this blog for our Episode 203 title poll.

Hey, check it out! I invested in a nest cam. Now, I can keep tabs on both the dogs AND the prisoners on Hyperion-8!

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January 28, 2016

Video: Girl's Best Friend (documentary)

Photos: Art, Maximus, Jelly


This latest script is slooooooow going. Incredibly, excruciatingly slow going. In fact, I think it’s taken me longer to write this script than any one hour script I’ve ever written. Or, at least it feels that way. Usually, I’ll reach a point in a script where things come together, even briefly, allowing me to tear off a nice little run of 5, 10, sometimes 15 pages in a sitting. That has yet to happen with this one and I suspect that my conservative ETD (Estimated Time of Delivery) of “End of January” was overly optimistic.

It happens. Never to this extent, but it does. And in situations like these, there’s only one recourse: distraction! Read, eat, surf the net. The latter is a particularly fine option as it allows you to easily switch up, from script to amusing Star Wars meme, with a single keystroke.

During a recent mini writer’s block (more of an annoying impediment than a block), I happened across a short documentary called Girl’s Best Friend, about a woman and her elderly pug. We’re introduced to Doreen and Spanky on a beautiful day in the park and we learn that Spanky is 16. We also learn that the poor old boy suffers from a laundry list of ailments including mobility issues that restrict him to a stroller for his daily outings. As I watched, I couldn’t help but note parallels between Doreen’s experience with Spanky and my experience with my pugs, Maximus and Jelly. Whereas some viewers may have thought “So much trouble for a dog!”, I was thinking: “What a great dog mom!”. At one point, we see Doreen taking the subway with Spanky, struggling to pull the stroller up, step by step, and I thought if I’d been there, I not only would’ve lent a hand but paid for a cab ride home as well.

The parallels to my experience didn’t end there and, inevitably, Doreen makes the hard decision I too had to face twice before. It was a gut-wrenching watch but empathetically familiar and, ultimately, very touching. If you’ve got your hankies handy, and want to take a break from YOUR scripts, you can check it out here:

https://youtu.be/Z2nsfSIvbDM

On a somewhat related note, I came across an article that touched on the most common regrets people have at the end of their lives.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23024...d-of-life.html

Among the nine in-retrospect wishes: “I wish I had not spent so much time working.”, “I wish I had taken more risks.”, and “I wish I had lived my own dream.”, I’d probably add: “I wish I’d adopted more senior pugs.”. Which I won’t have to because I’m determined to adopt a couple on my return to Vancouver this summer.

Okay. Going back to my script now.