Sanctuary: New Web to TV Series

Sanctuary, a new series that debuted on the Sci-Fi channel last night, is one of the few series that made the transition from Web to TV. Amanda Tapping, known for her Stargate SG-1 role as Samantha Carter, and two others from that show decided to launch Sanctuary on the Web in order to tap into online community and forums to enrich the experience of the show. Sci-Fi grabbed up the show within months of its Web launch, impressed by the heavy use of green screen and low budget. The green screen allows the set to change to an infinite number of scenes and times and gives the show a unique look. This works well for the theme of the show, which is a safe-haven for strange, supernatural beings. As is typical of Sci-Fi, the show is high quality. It will be interesting to see how the TV medium allows the expansion of the story line and characters.