Last year they tried 3-D, this year the producers of NBC's hit supernatural drama, MEDIUM, returns a special two-hour episode, "Four Dreams," with a 2D-animated scene by Van Partible (JOHNNY BRAVO). The special episode, starring Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette, will air Nov. 15, 2006, 9-11:00 pm, before resuming the following week in its regular day and time, Wednesdays, 10-11:00 pm
In their first collaboration together, actor Thomas Jane will join his wife, Arquette, in the two-hour premiere. Jane stars as an old lover of Allison's (Arquette) who, after his death, decides to take up residence in the Dubois house, which does not sit well with Allison's husband Joe (Jake Weber).
Additionally, Allison (Arquette) discovers that her and her daughter Bridgette (Maria Lark) are both having a very similar odd series of dreams. However, Bridgette's dreams keep coming to her in the form of cartoons.
The episode was written by creator/exec producer Glenn Gordon Caron and co-exec producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach (LOST).
Six Point Harness did the 3 1/2 minutes of 2D animation in Flash, directed by Partible, in an accelerated schedule of four weeks. This appears to be the first time animation has ever been used in a serious network drama. MEDIUM creator Caron's also used in his playful MOONLIGHTING primetime series.
Partible was also supervising producer, animation director was Greg Franklin, Brendan Burch was animation producer and post-production supervisor was Michael Jacobsen.
To check out a behind-the-scenes look at the animation check out the webpage (
www.nbc.com/Medium/ ) and you may also see two animated segments at
http://sixpointharness.com/clients/medium/1104A/ .
"I believe this special two-hour episode, 'Four Dreams,' is the perfect way for MEDIUM to begin its third season," said Caron. "It is in many ways, it's our most ambitious and emotional episode to date. The story spans from Indonesia to Phoenix and the larger canvas gave us an opportunity to play with techniques we've never used before, such as animation, which is used to depict middle child's Bridgette's dreams. It also allowed us to explore in greater depth some of the other characters in Allison's world that we know very little about."
MEDIUM is inspired by the real-life story of research medium Allison Dubois. Arquette (STIGMATA, FLIRTING WITH DISASTER) stars as a young wife and mother who, since childhood, has been struggling to make sense of her dreams and visions of dead people.
As a part-time consultant to the district attorney's office, Allison uses her psychic abilities, which consist of talking to dead people as well as seeing the future in her dreams to solve violent and horrifying crimes that have remained mysteries to her boss D.A. Devalos (Miguel Sandoval, THE DIVISION) and others within the criminal justice system.
Kelsey Grammer (THE SIMPSONS, GARY THE RAT, FRAISER), Steve Stark, Rene Echevarria and Oscar-winner Ronald L. Schwary (ORDINARY PEOPLE) are also exec producers. MEDIUM is produced by Picturemaker Prods. Inc. in association with CBS Paramount Network Television and Grammnet Prods.
Six Point Harness Studios has been specializing in animation for broadcast and film since 2003. Headed by Brendan Burch and Dave Vamos, the 6PH team members pride themselves on their cutting-edge technical knowledge, sleek production pipeline and artistic talent. Its most notable projects include EUROTRIP, MTV2’s WHERE MY DOGS AT?, NICK JR.’S WOW! WOW! WUBBZY!, DREW CAREY’S GREEN SCREEN SHOW and the PHIL HENDRIE pilot. 6PH is developing a number of original properties under the Tire Fire Films banner, with six shows due for completion by 2007.
