The green screen style of filmmaking popularized by the hits Sin City and 300 is making its way to the small screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sci Fi Channel has given the green light to Sanctuary, a series that will combine live actors with CG environments and visual effects. The network has ordered 13 episodes of the novel show, which began life as an HD web series created by Stargate SG-1 writer-producer Damian Kindler.
Sanctuary will star Stargate SG-1‘s Amanda Tapping as Dr. Helen Magnus, and Robin Dunne (Navy NCIS) will play her young protege, Will Zimmerman. Together, they will travel the globe to track down, aid and protect strange creatures that walk the earth.
Tapping and Kindler are exec producing the television series with Stargate SG-1 producer/director Martin Wood, who helmed the webisodes, and writer/producer Sam Eagan (Masters of Science Fiction, Jeramiah). SCI FI had apparently been looking for a project that could be shot mostly against green screens and was impressed with what Kindler, Wood and Tapping were able to accomplish on a web budget. Approximately 90% of the show’s sets will be created digitally.
Some of the footage from the webisodes will be reused for the series, which will kick off with a new two-hour premiere episode. The recycled parts are reportedly being retooled to feature enhanced CG backgrounds and other visual effects more worthy of television. An air date has not yet been set.
