The SciFi Channel has announced that it has picked up Sanctuary, launched last year as an HD web-only series of eight 15 minute “webisodes”. SciFi has commissioned 13 episodes of the series after the work of series star Amanda Tapping, Damian Kindler (writer-producer) and Martin Wood (producer-director) impressed the SciFi Channel’s executives.
“We were blown away by the level of quality they have been able to achieve on a Web budget,” Mark Stern (SciFi Executive VP of original programming) said. “We loved the world they’d created, and we particularly loved their approach, since we had been looking for a way to apply the virtual-set CGI environment from films like 300 and Sin City to a television series.”
Amanda Tapping plays scientist Dr Helen Magnus whose mission is to find and protect the alien creatures that come to earth, assisted by her daughter and young biologist Will Zimmerman played by Robin Dunne.
Previous attempts to use CGI-generated settings in shows such as Dinotopia have met with mixed success.
“This is the first time the technology is mature enough and inexpensive enough to do it,” Stern added.
Sanctuary is 90% CGI, and will be partially reworked for its television debut. Although some of the footage from the existing series will be used, the new production will include enhanced effects and a new two-hour opening episode.
© Carole Gordon 2008