A Dark Asylum: Damian Kindler Discusses 'Sanctuary'

If you’re Damian Kindler, you get "Sanctuary," a “TV show” for the Web that should begin “airing” at sanctuaryforall.com around the middle of May.

Sanctuary “has a gothic graphic novel type feel,” Kindler said in a recent phone interview with SyFy Portal's Carma Spence-Pothitt. It follows Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping), “a 157-year old woman who seeks out all manner of terrifying and monstrous creatures” to either offer them sanctuary from harm or to keep them from harming humankind.

Her age has led some on the Web to speculate that she is immortal. But that’s not the case. “She just ages at an extraordinarily slow rate,” Kindler said.

Magnus has two main allies in her quest: a reluctant protégé, psychiatrist Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), and her daughter, Ashley Magnus (Emille Ullerup). While Helen is careful and measured in her dealings with these creatures, Ashley “is more kick-ass and Buffy-esque,” said Kindler. “She could follow a darker path if her mother doesn’t guide her well.”

The Seeds of 'Sanctuary'

Kindler wrote the original treatment for "Sanctuary" as a spec pilot treatment -- an example of his writing -- after being prompted by his agent to write about “a show I’d like to see on TV.” This was about seven years ago, shortly before he got the gig on "Stargate SG-1."

Like so many writers do, Kindler got busy with life and "Sanctuary" remained tucked away in his files. That is until about a year ago. He and Marc Aubanel, co-founder with Kindler and Tapping of Stage3 Media -- the company that is producing "Sanctuary" -- were on a ski trip and got to talking about doing “something new and different,” something that took advantage of media convergence.

“Most ideas are channeled through various filters,” Kindler said. “The original idea for 'Sanctuary' was set in New York.” However, because of improved special effects abilities, “we’ve created our own city that is a mash up of New York, London, Gotham and other cities.”

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