January - February 2014 : Reel West Magazine

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Emergency Room: Life And Death at VGH Fun & Games

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January / February 2014

Contents

14 OPENING THE DOORS OF THE ER

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Lark Productions and Knowledge Network debut one-of-a-kind doc series Emergency Room: LIfe and Death at VGH, taking viewers to the front lines of British Columbia’s main ER.

5 indie scene

18 KIDS PROGRAMMING FOR THE DIGITAL AGE Victoria duo Billy Reid and Reb Stevenson have a worldwide hit with their kids YouTube channel Pancake Manor which has reached over 25 million views and captured the hearts of young fans all over the world.

19 A FAMILY AFFAIR Legendary actor Martin Sheen and his son, producer Ramon Estevez, return to B.C. to shoot indie feature Badge of Honor. The pair previously worked in the province on the 1989 feature Cadence.

Production Update

7 Legal BrIEFS 9 profile 10 Behind the scenes 12 Beginnings 30 FINAL EDIT

20 STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Crazy 8s Film Festival celebrates 15 years of cultivating and showcasing Vancouver filmmaking talent.

22 IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES It’s one big playground on the set of Thunderbird Films’ new YTV kids series Some Assembly Required.

24 THAT’S A WRAP! A Look Back at Western Canada’s 2013 Productions

@reelwestmag Cover: Vancouver General Hospital Emergency room Physician Dr. Shahin Shirzad; Photo by Erich Saide.

Contents: head of V.G.H’s Embergency room department, Dr. Doug MCknight with dr. Shirzad and Kelly Sinclair, Paramedic; Photo by Erich Saide.

Reel West Magazine is a wholly owned enterprise of Reel West Productions Inc. It exists and is managed to provide publicity and advertising that supports the growth of the Western Canadian Motion Picture Industry. Executive publisher: Sandy P. Flanagan. Editor: Cheryl Binning. Publisher: Ron Harvey. Sales: Randy Holmes, Adam Caddell creative Director: Andrew von Rosen. art director: Lindsey Ataya. Photo Editor: Phillip Chin. Contributors: Nathan Caddell, Katja De Bock, John thomson.

Reel West Magazine is published six times per year. Subscriptions Canada/US $35.00 per year (plus $10.00 postage to USA). Reel West Digest, The Directory for Western Canada’s Film, Video and Television Industry, is published annually. Subscription $35.00 per year (plus $10.00 postage to US). Both Publications $60.00 (plus $10.00 postage to USA) Prices include GST. Copyright 2013 Reel West Productions Inc. Second Class Mail. Registration No. 0584002. ISSN 0831-5388. G.S.T. # R104445218. Reel West Productions Inc. Suite 114 – 42 Fawcett Road, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, V3K 6X9. Phone (604) 553-1335 Toll Free: 1-888-291-7335 Fax: (604) 451-7305 Email: info@reelwest.com URL: reelwest.com. Volume 29, Issue 1. Printed In Canada. To subscribe call 1-888-291-7335 or visit our website at reelwest.com.

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Production update

What’s coming. What’s shooting. What’s wrapped.

Season 3 of Continuum will start in March on Showcase.

Photo c/o shaw media

World of Warcraft Lands in Vancouver, Monster Trucks Roll into Town

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new crop of big-budgeted movies are being shot in the city this winter, ranging from a return of the successful Night at the Museum franchise to an adaptation of the World of Warcraft video game and a film based on the Monster Trucks phenomenon.

The World of Warcraft video game adaptation, which began shooting

late January, is a CGI/live-action hybrid that centers on the initial meeting of humans and orcs in Azeroth, with sword-wielding human hero Anduin Lothar and hammer-wielding Orc hero Durtan as the central characters. Cast includes Clancy Brown (Sleepy Hollow), Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla), and Paula Patton (Mission Impos-

sible – Ghost Protocol).

The fantasy saga is directed by Duncan Jones, the production manager is Cecil O’Connor, locations manager is Jina Johnson and production coordinator is Bliss Macdonald. Exec producers are Brent O’Connor, Jillian Share and Stuart Fenegan. Shooting continues through to May. Also in production is a third in-

stallation of the hugely successful Night at the Museum movie franchise which sees the return of Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams and Ben Stiller to Vancouver for a late January through to May shoot.

Shawn Levy is directing from a script written by Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, David Guion and Michael Handelman. Word is that the story is set across the pond in London, England but a specific museum has not been revealed.

Drew Locke is production manager, Bruce Brownstein is locations manager, and Adrienne Sol is production coordinator. Executive producers are Josh and Mary McLagen.

The romantic drama Age of Adaline, starring Blake Lively and Ellen Burstyn, shoots March through May. Penned by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz, the movie tells the story of a 29-year-old women who stops aging after recovering from a near-fatal accident. Over the 20th century she embarks on an epic but isolated worldwide journey, keeping her secret, until she meets a man who forever alters her life.

Lee Toland Krieger is directing Age of Adaline and Sidney Kimmel is producing with Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi. Jim Tauber and Eric Reid are executive producers.

The locations manager is Abraham Fraser and the production coordinator is Corine Buffel.

Paramount Picture’s big budgeted Monster Trucks movie rolls into the city for an April through July shoot.

Directed by Chris Wedge (Epic, Ice Age) and written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (who co-penned the Kung Fu Panda movies), the film will combine CGI with live action.

The crew on the Monster Trucks movie includes Brendan Ferguson

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as production manager, Rino Pace as locations manager and Nicole Oguchi as production coordinator.

And after the success of Rampage, director Uwe Boll just finished shooting a sequel to his revenge movie, about a guy who is fed up with his life and builds a body armour suit and stocks up on weapons, taking his anger out on the world. The Rampage 2 crew included Natalia Tudge as producer, Matthias Neumann as DOP, Caitlin Byrnes as production designer and Jak Osmond as SPFX coordinator.

On the TV front, the ABC adaptation of the BBC series Broadchurch began shooting in late January. Titled GracePoint, the ten-part event series stars Doctor Who’s David Tennant and Breaking Bad’s Anna Gunn as police partners investigating the case of a shocking murder of an 11 yearold in a small town. Nick Nolte plays the stubborn owner of the kayak rental on the beach and local wildlife program where the boy volunteered.

Other cast include Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook).

GracePoint shoots through to May with the original series’ creator Chris Chibnall producing, Leslie Belzberg as executive producer, Penny Gibb as production manager, Mark F. Voyce as locations manager and Brett Davies as production coordinator.

A third season of Reunion Picture’s Continuum is currently in production with a premiere date of March on Showcase. The actiondrama follows a policewoman from 2077 who travels back in time to track down escaped convicts from her future. Cast includes Rachel Nichols (Criminal Minds, Alias), Erik Knudsen (Jericho, Scream 4), Victor Webster (Castle) and new cast member Rachael Crawford

(Alphas, The Firm) Continuum is created by Simon Barry (The Art of War) and executive produced by Patrick Williams (Shattered, Smallville), who also directs, and Reunion Pictures partners Tom Rowe, Lisa Richardson and Matthew O’Connnor.

Season 3 Continuum crew include producer Holly Redford, DOP David Pelletier, production designer Chris August, production manager Tia Buhl, production coordinator Sarah Harris, location managers Alan Bartolic and Monty Bannister, and SPFX coordinator Mike Walls. Production continues through to April.

The new Fox mystery series Wayward Pines began shooting in late October and continues through to end of February. Based on the novel Pines by Blake Crouch and directed

by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs), the series stars Matt Dillon as a Secret Service agent who arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho to investigate the disappearance of two federal agents. He’s involved in an accident and wakes up in the hospital with no ID or cell phone.

His search for answers only leads to more questions and he soon fears he may never get out of the town alive.

The cast includes Melissa Leo, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Terrence Howard, Shannyn Sossamon, Greta Lee, Juliette Lewis, Charlie Tahan, and Tim Griffin.

Shyamalan, Chad Hodge, Donald De Line and Ashwin Rajan (Devil, After Earth) are executive producers on Wayward Pines, which is being compared to the cult TV series Twin Peaks. The production managers are Craig Forrest and Alexia Droz, the production coordinator is Jennifer Aicholz, the locations managers are Dan Carr and David Tamkin. n

Reel West January / February 2014

North Vancouver-based mediAm digital distribution, inc. is set to launch a new motion picture distribution platform in April 2014.

Designed with independent filmmakers and viewers in mind, the mediAm platform will give content providers more control over the online distribution, promotion and monetization of their work.

“This is a Save BC Film movement in practice,” says CEO and founder Doug Hardwick, who came up with the digital distribution idea, which has already attracted around CAD $600,000 in investment.

MedIam intends to give Canadians better access to indigenous Canadian content, on a pay-per-download basis. The platform and its library will be available worldwide, with regional national content being the first option presented in each cultural region. The database is non-exclusive, so filmmakers can still explore other options such as iTunes and Netflix.

Viewers will be able to screen films and write recommendations in back end forums, as well as curate film lists in their specific field of interest.

Filmmakers can upload their works for a registration fee of $100 and a small administrative fee. But, as an introductory offer, the $100 registration fee will be waived for the first 100 filmmakers to sign up.

“On mediAm content providers pay for their storage and streaming - openly and honestly,” says Hardwick. “If content costs 75 cents to stream and distribute and a provider charges $3.00 to rent, then he or she will make $2.25. However, if the provider sells the content for $15, then he or she will make $14.25, which is a far greater percentage than a rental.”

Providers can choose the categories of Entertainment, Documentary, Education and Performance – each with subgenres – and define individual rental and sales fees for their films. Providers are responsible for uploading their film along with a synopsis, stills and up to three trailers and press reviews. A detailed cast and crew list will be interlinked in the database. Geo-blocking technology facilitates the blocking of content where a provider has not secured the territorial rights.

“I am willing to shake things up, as long as I get paid,” says documentary filmmaker Dianne Whelan, an early adopter who uploaded her award-winning film 40 Days at Basecamp.

Whelan says she wants a worldwide audience to have access to her films from day one and so far has experienced no opposition from broadcasters or movie theatres to her film’s online presence.

BroadbandTV Launches Production Program Vancouver-based multi-channel network BroadbandTV has launched a production program for its channel partners, providing funding and production assistance in the creation of original content.

BroadbandTV will also coproduce premium content with select partners across its MCN niche verticals, which focus on lifestyle, sports, gaming, entertainment and music.The production program joins an existing suite of services from BroadbandTV, including: talent management, partner services, creative and promotion services, ad sales and its technology platform.

“We want our growing number of channel partners to be as successful as possible and arm them with the tools, expertise and funds to help them grow their audience. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the industry and we’re committed to keeping our partners at the forefront of market developments while offering up further premium original content for advertisers,” said BroadbandTV founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati.

Rafati was recently awarded Executive of the Year at the nextMEDIA Digi Awards, in recognition of spearheading the company’s phenomenal growth. BroadbandTV’s MCN

NSI Partners with Netflix The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) has brokered a two-year partnership with Netflix for support of it’s online content, including sponsorship of the NSI Online Short Film Festival.

“Netflix is a groundbreaking media company and we’re very pleased to partner with them to provide relevant and accessible programming and information on our website,” said NSI CEO John Gill.

The NSI Online Short Film Festival is a year-round short film festival that

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offers $4,000 in cash prizes four times per year. New films are added to the website every week.

“The National Screen Institute is a key player in the Canadian screen industry and together NSI and Netflix are committed to showcasing Canadian talent,” said Sean Carey, vice president, content acquisition at Netflix. “NSI’s website is a valuable resource and its short film festival is a fantastic venue for Canadian filmmakers to promote their work.”

wide. In addition to reaching over one billion monthly impressions in 2013, BroadbandTV secured an initial $36 million investment from RTL Group, which at the time marked the largest private placement into an Internet media company in Canada since 2007.

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Force Four Following Gene Simmons’ family

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Vancouver’s Force Four Entertainment has started production on a new W Network reality series featuring KISS frontman Gene Simmons’ wife Shannon Tweed-Simmons and daughter Sophie Tweed-Simmons.

The series will focus on the polar opposites of this mother-daughter duo: Shannon Tweed-Simmons is a former playmate with a long career in acting and modeling, while her daughter is a straight-A student, actress and singer, who runs a children’s charity in Vancouver. “We are

thrilled to be working with W Network and Shannon and Sophie on this series,” said Executive Producer John Ritchie, of Force Four Entertainment. “They’re a true dynamic duo - outgoing, savvy, enterprising and smart as hell. Their legions of fans will be highly entertained as they rock into the next exciting chapter in their lives.”

Gene Simmons will make regular cameo appearances on the series, which will be shot primarily in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Whistler.

Members of Humantown from left to right: Miles, Jack, Ki, Daniel and Kane (missing from photo: Liam)

Humantown Strips Down to Win Comedy Competition

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Vancouver-based sketch comedy quartet Humantown are the winners of the inaugural Stanfield’s + Comedy Exposed! competition.

Last fall, the competition asked Canadians to showcase their best talent via video submissions that were judged online viia fan views, ratings and a jury panel.

But there was one catch – entrants had to wear their skivvies in their clips. After a series of eliminations, in December Humantown beat out the other finalists at a live performance in Toronto.

The comedy group won $5,000 cash and the chance to work with the Bell Media In-House Production team to develop a pilot for The Comedy Network.

Reel West January / February 2014

Legal Briefs

Documentary vs. Reality Lori Massini Entertainment Lawyer

O Force Four Heads into the Ring with Battle Cats

Vancouver’s Force Four Entertainment is producing a six-part, half hour cat competition series to air on Bite TV and the web in spring 2014.

Each episode of Battle Cats tests the skills of felines and their owners as they tackle an agility course. The cat that finish the course in the fastest time emerges as the battle cat victor.

The series is created by Rene Brar and Matt O’Brien of Soshefeigh Media and produced by Force Four Entertainment.

“We can attest to the fact that cat based content has garnered huge audiences online,” said Marcia Martin, SVP Original Content at Blue Ant Media. “Battle Cats harnesses the ongoing fascination with our feline friends and shines a light on the owners that love themno matter what.”

Production wraps in February.

Integro Canada Acquires Winnipeg’s Multimedia Risk Integro (Canada) has aquired Winnipeg-based Multimedia Risk Inc., a specialized insurance brokerage serving the national and international film and television production industry.

Established in 1998 by Claude Forest, Multimedia Risk has brokered coverage for hundreds of film productions, including The Expendables, as well as television productions, ranging from Heartland to Reel West January / February 2014

Corner Gas. “With Integro offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Multimedia gives us a physical presence in a fourth Canadian city and province, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and its diversified, flourishing economy,” said Mark Rankin, president of Integro Canada. “We are excited to welcome Claude Forest and his accomplished team, and to leverage their success across the Integro organization.”

n April 7, 2011, the Federal Court of Canada delivered its decision in the case of Tricon Television29 Inc. v Minister of Canadian Heritage. This case was unique, in that Tricon had applied for judicial review of a decision made by the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (“CAVCO”), which denied Tricon so-called “Canadian content” tax credits on Tricon’s television series, Beautiful People.

The series followed two individuals, Greg Hodge and Robert Hintze, both of whom were not Canadian citizens, as they attempted to launch their website, BeautifulPeople.net in Canada. Their website was originally launched in Denmark, and was instantly controversial, proudly boasting its policy of “no uglies allowed”.

This series undoubtedly made for interesting television, given the subject matter, the polarizing owners, and the large amount of media attention surrounding the site.

Tricon intended to produce the series in order to receive a “Canadian content” certification from CAVCO, which would entitle them to receive higher tax credits than they would be entitled to receive if the show were merely produced in Canada, but not certified as “Canadian content”. In order to achieve this certification, a live action production must obtain no less than six out of a possible ten key creative “points”, which points are allotted based on whether or not certain key creative positions are filled by Canadians.

Out of the six point minimum requirement, a “Canadian content” production must obtain one of the two points allotted for lead performers, meaning that at least one of the two lead performer positions must be filled by a Canadian. Tricon took the position that the series was a documentary series, so, in their opinion, there were no “lead performers”, and the two individuals who received the lion’s share of the screen time (i.e. Hodge and Hintze) were documentary subjects, and

not “actors” or “hosts”. Documentaries typically do not have lead performers, but can still be certified as “Canadian content” in the absence of achieving all six points, if all remaining key creative positions are filled by Canadians. This exception is enumerated in Clause 1106(9) of the Income Tax Act. Under the then-current CAVCO guidelines, what constituted a “documentary” for CAVCO purposes was not clearly defined; however, the exception in Clause 1106(9) only applies when a production is genuinely a documentary. In the case of Beautiful People, the court looked at a number of factors, including remuneration, billing, and screen time, and determined that the series was not a documentary, and that Hodge and Hintze, were, in fact, “lead performers”. Because neither Hodge nor Hintze was Canadian, Tricon failed to meet the threshold for “Canadian content” certification.

The result was that the series only qualified for so-called “service” credits, which are lower than “Canadian content” credits. Such an outcome could obviously have a serious financial impact on the producers.

In 2010, the CAVCO guidelines were modified to more clearly delineate which programs will be considered “documentary”, and which will fall under the “lifestyle/human interest” category. This category deals with eligible “reality” programs that are not true documentaries. Prior to this, the “lifestyle/human interest” category did not exist, and the documentary category was essentially seen to encompass all eligible “reality” productions.

Unfortunately for Tricon, Beautiful People was produced under the old guidelines, and Tricon was of the opinion that their series would fall under the “documentary” classification. The new guidelines clearly define “documentary” and clarify that “lifestyle/ human interest” programming will, in fact, contain lead perfumers, stating that where there are no “actors”, a lead performer will be “an individual who performs one of the following functions… a featured performer or subject Legal Briefs continued on page 29 7

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Landrock Entertainment premieres Labour History Series

North Vancouver company Landrock Entertainment launches its 3-part series Working People: A History of Labour in B.C. this March on Knowledge Network.

The documentary series tells the stories of ordinary people who played extraordinary roles in the building MT_Reel West Digest Ad_v6.indd 1 5/5/2011 1:35:47 PM of B.C. via 30 short films that focus on individual stories of workers, industries and events. It features more than 1,000 images from over 80 archives, museums and private collections, as well as archival footage, 2.5d animation and motion graphic treatments to bring 300 Formerly Equipment Rentals Rentals Formerly Production Equipment years of British Columbia’s labour history alive.

AerialLift, Lift, Material Material Handling and Aerial Handling and “Being born and raised in British Columbia, workGeneralEquipment Equipment Specialists General Specialists ing on this series has opened my eyes to the men and Behind the Scenes for over 20 years women throughout our province who stood up for the rights and freedoms we so often take for granted today,” Articulating said producer Erica Landrock. “Our team has worked Booms tirelessly to uncover the stories, source the material and Telescoping Scissor Lifts Booms bring this very complex history of our province alive in Telescoping Articulating Scissor Personnel a concise, approachable and entertaining format.”

Booms Booms Lifts Genie Lifts Personnel Genie Lifts Added Knowledge President and CEO Rudy Buttignol: “With this project, we hope to inspire British Columbians to learn about our collective past and to value the contributions Straight Mast & General Line TelescopingStraight Forklifts HeatersForklifts Equipment of those working people who came before them – the people Mast & Telescoping Proud members of MPPIA • 24 Hour Service who laid the foundation of today’s modern economy.”

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Reel West January / February 2014

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Vancouver writer wins prestigious fellowship Patty Jones has received one of five year-long screenwriting fellowships from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Jones’ winning submission, the comedy screenplay, Joe Banks, was selected from 7,251 entries. The fellowship comes with a cash prize of US$35,000 plus Jones is retained by

the Academy for one year to write an original work.

Joe Banks is the story of a son, conceived with the help of a sperm bank, who believes his father is an esteemed Nobel Prize-winning novelist but finds out his true father is actually a drinking airport novelist whose Nobel Prize was taken away after a sex scandal.

Fools For Hire Back for Season 2

The second season of the Vancouver comedy web series Fools For Hire is now online, promising bigger stories, bigger laughs and some big-name talent.

Fools For Hire follows the misadventures of two hapless corporate entertainers, Nick and Mike, who face numerous humiliations dressing up in bizarre costumes to entertain the masses.

This season features 16 new episodes, including the parody “The Hungry Games” and some new talent: actors Colin Cunningham (Falling Skies) and Ellie Harvie (New Addams Family).

Other cast regulars include Gary Jones (Stargate), Jennifer Mclean (Naked Night Bike) Pearce Visser (Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus) and Eric Breker (Primeval: New World).

Fools For Hire is created by Nick Harrison and Mike Cavers, who also serve as lead actors, and directed and co-created by Neil Every.

The series can be found online at foolsforhiretheseries.com Streamlined TV Production Services via New Supplier Partnership William F. White International, Clairmont Camera and Deluxe Creative Services companies’ Encore and Level 3 Post have joined forces in a strategic business alliance to offer streamlined, budget-concious services for TV production.

TV producers will now be able to receive competitive package deals when renting camera equipment from Claimont and lighting, grip and camera support from William F. White International, in combination with post Reel West January / February 2014

services from Encore or Level 3.

“Clients have been seeking a onestop shop for all their needs, from production through post, and we are confident this meets their needs,” says Encore and Level 3’s Executive VP Bill Romeo.

Added Garin Josey, VP, Assistant COO and GM of William F. White International: “This alliance will facilitate new growth for all involved, while providing clients with a cost-effective solution to their needs.”

Indie Scene

Distribution Dilemmas Paul Armstrong Producer

T

o self distribute, or not self distribute. More and more that is the question independent filmmakers are asking when theatrically releasing. Some are even forming a hybrid of the two.

I myself am weighing all these options with a feature film I recently produced and is currently on the film festival circuit, Lawrence & Holloman, written by Daniel Arnold and Matthew Kowalchuk, which won Best Canadian Feature Film, Rising Director for Kowalchuk and Rising Star for Ben Cotton at the Edmonton International Film Festival and Best Emerging Director at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

“Self releasing is a lot of work and requires dedicating a least a year after completion of the film to distributing the film,” says Avi Federgreen of Indiecan. “Also, there is significant money required to release and distribute a film properly on all platforms.”

And that, of course, is something indie filmmakers don’t have a lot of after making their film, unless they tap into the Telefilm Marketing Program, which is of great benefit.

John Dippong of Telefilm has noticed a growing trend among filmmakers exploring self-distribution.

“Filmmakers are more aware of self-distribution as an option and it has become easier and cheaper through social media to implement that. They no longer need the expensive media buys,” he says.

Daniel Arnold, who plays Holloman and is a producer on Lawrence & Holloman, points out that “the advantage to self-distribution is that you control the rights and how any money gets spent, and you can even hire a distributor to work for you. So you’re in control, and get all the profits.”

But he cautions that for selfdistribution “you have to cash-flow the release and marketing expenses yourself. Whereas an advantage of assigning the rights over to a distributor is that they pay the expenses

... the disadvantage here being that while you may be able to negotiate a cap on those expenses, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can control how that money is spent.”

Katrina Bowen self-distributed her first feature, Amazon Falls.

“The advantage of self distribution is you get to know who the players are in terms of who the cinema managers are so that as you move forward in your career you know how it works,” explains Bowen.

Amazon Falls had a successful run across Canada, even playing in French language markets, and broke even, which is rare for the majority of Canadian theatrical releases, which most often lose money.

There is a negative, though.

“The downfall of self distribution is it takes a lot of time and often if theatre managers don’t know you it can take a long time for them to get back to you,” adds Bowen.

So for her second feature Random Acts of Romance, produced by herself and Darren Reiter and starring Amanda Tapping and Katharine Isabelle, Bowen teamed up with Federgreen’s Indiecan Entertainment to work in a hybrid distribution model.

And how are the duties divided up in a hybrid model?

“I do a lot of the social media and Avi reaches out to the theatres”, Bowen says.

Federgreen agrees this is the best route to go, at least in this film’s case.

“Best for you to find a distributor who believes in the film as much as you do and who is willing to put sweat equity to get your film in front of as many eye balls as possible,” he says. “You must be willing to do the work to help promote your own film! You can’t simply hand the film over to your distributor while you walk away and move onto your next film. You MUST be an active participant in the release of your film.”

Tom Charity, programmer of the VIFF’s Vancity Theatre, notes that “boutique distributors certainly help fight your corner, but the bigger the distributor the less love and attention your film will get.”

He adds that “the real problem is Indie Scene continued on page 29 9

Simon Barry and Stephen Hegyes launch Prodco

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Former Brightlight Pictures partner Stephen Hegyes has teamed up with Continuum creator and showrunner Simon Barry to launch a genre film and TV production company, Reality Distortion Field.

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ence, including sci-fi, horror and fantasy.

The comapny is interested in layered mysteries, smart mythologies, expansive worlds and sociopolitical themes.

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Space Stretch expands to second season

Saskatoon-produced Space Stretch, a five minute live action/animated pre-school series, has been renewed by City Saskatchewan for a second season of ten episodes.

In the series kids become astronauts in a green screen adventure aboard a space ship piloted by yogi Captain Crash Tanga. Crash and his crew do yoga stretches aboard the ship as they explore the solar system.

The series is produced by Cheshire Smile Animation, lead by producer/director/writer Tim Tyler, and features a 100% Saskatchewan-based cast and crew including talent such as Ryan Leier, Vincent Lu, Kristen Holfeuer, Jeff Pufahl and Carrie Catherine.

Vancouver Web Fest Launches The inaugural Vancouver Web Fest (VWF) is set for May 2 to 4 and will celebrate entertainment and programming created exclusively for the Internet.

VWF will bring together International and Canadian web series creators, producers and viewers in a three day festival that includes parties, screenings, pitch sessions, panel discussions with industry experts and an awards ceremony.

VWF is founded by Suzette Laqua, a producer and writer of TV, 10

web series and short films.

The aim of the event is to encourage the exploration of new formats of storytelling and to act as a forerunner in the web series industry.

The festival has partnered with other international web festivals, including Marseille Web Fest, Melbourne Web Fest, Hollyweb and Roma Web Fest. The event is being sponsored by Dailymotion, a leading video sharing site that over 112 million unique monthly visitors and 2.5 billion videos views worldwide.

Reel West January / February 2014

Reel West January / February 2014

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Photo by Phil CHin

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Reel West January / February 2014

Beginnings

A Thrill for Innovation As president of Vancouver-based FanTrust Entertainment, Catherine Warren has spent the past 12 years leading entertainment companies through the shift to a fan-based, multiplatform universe. Now her company is a global leader in fanbuilding for mass media and new media; galvanizing fans from around the word to interact with their favorite TV shows and games through social networking and helping companies create new forms of compelling entertainment.

I

remember my first digital experience. I walked into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studio-cum-laboratory where the artist flashed me some 30-foot long, rainbow-coloured, 3D naked body parts. I never looked back.

Not pornography, this was an early taste of holography, one of the first digital art forms where light was the new kind of clay or paint, and a lab set-up with lasers and prisms looked more like my physics class than any garret I had ever seen or imagined. The Holy Grail, said the artist: figuring out how to get rid of the rainbow and replace it with flesh-tones.

Elsewhere on the same campus and in New York’s SOHO district, the digital tones were musical notes. Here I met the early pioneers of computer music, creating “symphonies” from synthetic instruments. Their sound wave analysis was truly brilliant, some of their music less so. But what my ears couldn’t love, I still found irresistible, the creation of audio from what seemed like nothing.

Flash forward 30 years, digital holography has become medical imaging and computer music is good old iTunes. (The first saves lives, the second we can’t live without.) And happily my work is still a mash-up of creativity and technology – and the ultimate business of taking entertainment to market.

I grew up on the West Coast in a family of entrepreneurs. My dad had the patent to the early AIDS testing kit and my mum, CEO of Inside Information, was an online search goddess before the public Internet. Always lots of talk about financings, closings, patents-pending, new and mass-media. There was never a whisper of work-life balance. That’s cool, because for me it’s more about “will it blend,” than will it balance.

From my parents I learned the thrill of innovation and I still look for it in every deal that I do for FanTrust, our clients and in my board work on the Bell Fund, the United Nations digital media flagship World Summit Awards, and others.

Living and working internationally in my early career, in New York, Geneva, Austin and London, helped me appreciate different corporate cultures

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and legal systems, while testing my negotiation skills. One job involved setting up a European bureau for a Texas computer-publishing house where the first order of business was getting my UK staff twice the paid vacation of the US CEO. Evidently, even when the law is on our side, we still need diplomacy!

Later, after working with Microsoft to set up its multimedia publishing division with titles such as Encarta, I moved back to Vancouver to find it transformed into a global city with an emerging video game industry and some great broadband innovation. Together with a couple of partners we built a broadcast technology company. In the boom we took it public on the Nasdaq big board, growing it to a $300M market cap with big clients such as CTV and Fox, delivering some of the first 24 hour news on-air, online and on mobile.

There are still far too few C-level women leading publicly traded companies. So, while I am happy to have been counted in this group, the broad work is not over until group size counts.

These early lessons in “culture brokering”, entrepreneurship and public company finance helped me to establish and build the international business that I run today.

I started FanTrust about 12 years ago with a focus on digital strategy, dealmaking and audience building across popular media, including television, games and film. At that time, strangely, the entertainment industry didn’t seem to appreciate the power of consumers: Hollywood counted only bums on seats, broadcasters tracked only Nielsen ratings and game publishers tallied only retail sales. Audiences were certainly not valued as partners, they were invisible!

I set out to lead clients through what I saw as an inevitable transformation: a shift to the fan economy.

Today we see fans playing all sorts of roles in the TV value-chain. As investors, fans contribute 30 percent of all their crowdfunding dollars to media Beginnings continued on page 29 13

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Ingrid Hakanson, Respirational Therapist with Dr. Andrew Campbell and Dr. Gina Gill. Photo by erich saide

Cover Feature

Embedded in the E.R.

Lark Productions and Knowledge Network debut one-of-a kind doc series Emergency Room: Life and Death at VGH Story by

Katja De Bock

W

hen director Kevin Eastwood committed to spend the bulk part of one year in the emergency room (ER) of Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), little did he suspect the roller coaster of events that would change his life forever.

The result is a six-part vérité documentary series about life in the front lines of the province’s main ER, which launched January 21 on the Knowledge Network.

Emergency Room: Life and Death at VGH follows half a dozen ER staff as they treat patients from all over the province. Filmed predominantly in a fly-on-the-wall style, the series is said to be the first almost entirely told from the POV of hospital staff. The fast-paced narrative is structured thematically.

Short interviews with the main characters are woven into the action.

“It’s like war journalism. You’re in an intense environment that’s totally out of your control and the stakes are really high, explains Eastwood, who has experience filming in hospitals for the documentary Do You Really want to Know?

“Documenting a situation is absolutely always secondary, compared to allowing people to be receiving the critical care that they need,” he explains.

“You have to know that you have to stay out of the way.”

In 2011 Knowledge Network first put out a request for proposals for a medical series for its Tuesday at 9 pm slot for one-off creative documentaries, many commissioned by B.C. filmmakers. Financing and airing a doc series marked a new direction for the network.

“Let’s take the majority of money from one year, from the one-offs and put it into one big series and do it on something that affects every single person in the province, no matter where they are or how old they are,” says Rudy Buttignol, President and Chief Executive of the Knowledge Network.

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“It came down to a hospital, an emergency room, in a city,” Buttignol says.

“The emphasis always was on a documentary series, not reality television, nothing faked. For me, a documentary series not only has to be dramatic, but it also has to be true.”

Knowledge’s reputation was on the line, and so was its money. The network planned to invest $900,000 in the series, about one year’s worth of commissioning budget. For this reason the broadcaster decided in favour of Vancouver-based Lark Productions as their successful applicant, a producing partner they knew could pull off the show.

Tax credits and CMF funds brought the total budget of Emergency Room to around $2.7 million for a 6 x 1 hour series.

Knowledge decided to keep all Canadian rights from the beginning, rather than seeking broadcast partners.

“One, I didn’t want the production running around for second window broadcast licenses, because we wanted to get it going,” says Buttignol. “Two, having put our trust with the hospital, I didn’t want the production company to have to make any compromise for any other part of Canada for any other reason.”

In the development phase in the fall of 2012, Eastwood embedded himself into the ER ward for two months. He was exposed to the staff members, the routine during ER procedures and the nature of the cases they deal with on a daily basis.

“Before we were even shooting, I saw something particularly horrible and that was my loss of innocence,” Eastwood says of those first few months, which were integral to gaining access to hospital staff and earning their trust.

At the end of October 2012, a small team shot a demo and worked to make filming as non-intrusive as possible.

Eastwood and DP Zach Williams decided to use two small professionallevel Panasonic HPX-250 cameras, which were discreet and easy to handle on a lower level, without looking through an eyepiece.

Sound recordist Mark “Sparky” Pikethly did not use booms, but wired up 15

Dr. Doug McKnight, head of the Emergency Department at V.G.H. Photo by erich saide

Above and opposite: Emergency Room: Life and Death at VGH follows the doctors, nurses and support staff of BC’s main emergency room.

Photo c/o lark productions

the main characters in the trauma bay and listened through a portable sound mixer.

Before the principal filming start-

Eastwood says one of the most emotionally intense moments of his life happened at the beginning of the shoot, when a dying 62-year-old man

It wasn’t until the next day that Eastwood realized the deceased was Mark Harris, the well know University of British Columbia film scholar

“Each episode holds together on its own and is about something, more than just the terrible things that happen to people.”

- Series Producer David Moses ed in February 2013, the team had to pass an exam including questions on contagious diseases and how to deal with violence in the ER. 16

was gently comforted by his wife until he passed away. The woman, who was notified about the film crew by a social worker, consented to being filmed.

and Georgia Straight critic. When the production addressed Harris’ widow, Carola Ackery, a few months later, she said it was strangely fitting

a documentary crew was there at the last moments of Harris’ life.

But the emotional roller coaster ride of this shoot didn’t end there. By late March, the shoot experienced an unexpected hiatus.

Eastwood had a cardiac arrest during a trip to Los Angeles and was in a coma for three days, before fully recovering.

“That (Harris’ death) made me appreciate how unpredictable life is. And then, just to drive the point home, the universe gave me a cardiac arrest in the middle of it,” says Eastwood, who was back on set in early April.

Over the course of the 4.5-month shoot, the crew witnessed 22 deaths, and Lark Productions made counseling available to the crew who were all impacted by this very intense shoot.

While the crew was filming, the story editing team at Lark was busy assembling the scenes into episodes that are built on central themes, like communication and community, as organizing principles.

“It’s the thing that makes the show different,” says Series Producer David Moses. “Each episode holds together on its own and is about something, more than just the terrible things that happen to people.”

He’s also proud of the innovative graphics by Graham Kew, which are quite different from regular lower thirds. “It’s almost something like a virtual medical textbook. There is an animation and a kind of interactivity to the graphics that you see,” says Moses. “I haven’t seen anything like it on another documentary series.”

To develop fully engaging and interesting scenes, the story department used some of the tricks of the trade of reality TV in this documentary series. They would look for holes in the story and further develop scenes with on-the-fly comments or sit down interviews with the main characters to complete the narrative.

“We actually used the experience and knowledge gained from some of the non-scripted programming we’ve done, in particular the process that was used on The Real Housewives of Vancouver, which is a really interesting format and, surprisingly, a vérité show,” explains Lark Productions’ President Louise Clark. “The interviews are the glue in a way that help with the narrative, given how Reel West January / February 2014

restrictive the filming was and the nature of what we were filming.”

Some scenes fell to the cutting floor because of privacy issues, though Eastwood and the field producers were diligent at getting clearances.

“I’m not exaggerating, I think that clearances on Emergency Room was the toughest job in film this year,” says Moses, noting they had to blur some faces or alter the voices of some patients.

The debate about how much blood and broken bones to show on television was painless, according to Lark’s Executive Producer Andrew Williamson. “Knowledge was definitely on board with us pushing the envelope. They didn’t say early on to peel it back. The consideration was just around privacy.”

Clark agrees, “That’s also in keeping with the vérité approach. If you’re gonna show it, you’re gonna show it.”

Buttignol says the producers struck a respectful balance while depicting the daily reality for ER staff.

“I can’t even watch a needle going into an arm, including my own. I just have to look away,” he says, adding Knowledge Network viewers, many of them baby boomers, may find the series comforting.

“Most people are fearful, not of the potential pain or the inevitability of it, they are more fearful of the unknown,” he says. “They’re really worried that their loved ones suffer.

And what you see from the hospital experience is they really have pain management under control.”

During the TV broadcast, the series will be simulcast on the web and offered on demand for free on Knowledge’s Watch Now page.

Eastwood is confident there is a greater good in showing the audience what goes on behind the scenes of the ER. “At its most basic level, the most valuable takeaway from ER is people understand why they are kept waiting,” he says. “It’s not because it’s poorly organized or people don’t know what they are doing. It’s because, in all likelihood, if you have the luxury of being able to wait, it’s not really an emergency!”

His own near-death experience made him realize that death is nothing abstract or distant. “I live every day now knowing that I could die any moment.” n Reel West January / February 2014

Ken McMeekin, Registered Nurse Photo by erich saide

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Feature Story

Pancake Manor creator Billy Reid with puppets Zach and Reggie

Keeping Kids Tuned In for the Digital Age

Pancake Manor YouTube channel a hit with children worldwide Story by

Nathan Caddell

W

hen Victoria-based duo Billy Reid and Reb Stevenson came up with the idea for Pancake Manor, they certainly didn’t envision that it would celebrate the wild success it has enjoyed.

Their children’s YouTube channel has reached over 25 million views and captured the hearts of young fans all over the world, as well as a deal with Pearson Education to create an app that will be rolled out to the global educational market.

The idea for the Pancake Manor kids series began when Reid and Stevenson met while both working in Toronto several years ago. Reid, a musician, writer, producer and puppeteer had designed several puppets that were collecting dust in his home. Stevenson, who co-wrote a series of one minute animated episodes titled Ed and Jenny with Reid, saw his puppets and was 18

immediately impressed.

“I’d always say ‘What are you going to do with those puppets?’ Because they were so cool and they were just sitting in his room,” says Stevenson.

So they decided to drag the puppets out of the cobwebs and develop them into a kids show.

“We worked really well together on Ed and Jenny, so we decided let’s do something with those puppets,” says Reid. “And she encouraged me to just try something.”

The result is Pancake Manor, centering on the adventures of puppets Zach and Reggie. The show serves as an educational tool for children (teaching basic math concepts, for instance) delivered through sing-alongs. In the summer of 2011 they begin filming scenes and decided to upload them to YouTube.

Both creators had worked with YouTube previously in different contexts: Reid through a comedy channel called Very Tasteful and Stevenson while making travel videos to go with a column she was writing for The Toronto Star.

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Stevenson believes that this online route was the best option as it harnessed Reid’s numerous skills and allowed them to develop the type of show they wanted to make without outside interference.

“Billy is so multi-talented,” says Stevenson. “He’s good in music, drawing, in performance and great at editing”.

As Reid explains, “I just have a more childlike sense of humour. And yeah, she just really encouraged me to make something for kids and that’s just what happened.”

It didn’t take long for the series to garner attention, as parents and teachers alike commended the material as a teaching tool that was entertaining at the same time.

“We get a lot of comments on our videos, especially from teachers letting us know that they use our videos in classrooms, which we didn’t expect going into it,” says Reid. “It was this awesome surprise to know that teachers were using our videos.”

Fan feedback for YouTube videos is nothing new, but for Pancake Manor, parents of fans really stepped it up, even sending in videos of their children enjoying the series.

“We’ve never asked for that, but parents want to show us,” Reid adds.

“I think they know that we’re just a small, two person operation and we try to engage our fans. When they leave a comment, we try to leave a comment back. Especially our Facebook fans, they know that we’re really engaged with them. They really want us to see how much fun their kids are having with our videos. And it’s just so much fun, it’s amazing.”

With the Pancake Manor channel enjoying success all over the world, it wasn’t long before the series caught the attention of YouTube executives and sure enough, in the last year the

company has become progressively more involved with the project, even flying the creators to their L.A. studios to film a couple episodes.

“I was intrigued by the brand name Pancake Manor and spent some time watching the channel,” says YouTube Partner Strategist Christine Wang. “Pancake Manor was already doing a fantastic job creating engaging content and connecting with their audience and it was clear to me that they’re really talented creators. We started to work with Pancake Manor on a variety of optimizations to help grow their audience by improving their metadata, annotations, and playlists.”

For Stevenson and Reid, producing their show for YouTube has numerous attractions, namely that their only bosses are the fans.

“YouTube is an amazing option because the audience decides whether it’s good or not,” says Stevenson.

“We don’t have to go through a producer or anyone who’s going to tell us how to do it. This way the creator has 100 per cent control and the world decides whether it’s good or not. As you put out each episode, people comment on it and instantly you take that and learn OK, they liked that, let’s continue doing that in the next video.”

The second big benefit of working with YouTube was the realization for Reid and Stevenson that they could live anywhere in the world they wanted.

“The world’s really changed,” says Stevenson. “Gone is that feeling that you have to move to Toronto to do anything in this scene.”

“That’s the power of YouTube,” adds Reid. “We can make this show from anywhere in the world. So we decided to move back to the Island. We love Victoria and our family is here.” n

Videographer, Reb Stevenson and director Billy Reid on location in Victoria, BC

Feature Story

Badge of Honor brings legendary actor Martin Sheen back to B.C. The American indie Badge of Honor brought movie star Martin Sheen and his son, producer Ramon Estevez, back to B.C. for a November 2013 shoot, where they previously worked together on the movie Cadence.

“I love it [B.C.]. I’ve been here in all seasons,” says Sheen, who directed his sons Charlie Sheen and Ramon Estevez in Cadence, which shot in B.C. in 1989. “The film was supposed to take place in a small US base in West Germany during the Vietnam War and I had to find a place to accommodate that and I found it in Kamloops.”

Their latest project, Badge of Honor, is written by Kevin Barrett and centres on two Seattle officers who come under fire while busting up a drug transaction, inadvertently killing an innocent bystander. Instead of coming clean, one corrupt cop entangles his partner in a web of lies while the police captain searches for the truth.

Barrett showed his script to Estevez ­— who although busy producing the sitcom Anger Management, starring his brother, Charlie Sheen — took a liking to the script.

“I had been interested in producing my own features and my company has a lot in development, but this piece was already written and I figured why not see if my father is interested and available,” recalls Estevez on a rainy November night on the Badge of Honor film set in Coquitlam.

Emmy-Award winning director Agustin and executive producer Phillip B. Goldfine were quickly attached to the $5 million indie project, as were the acting talent which includes Sheen, Lochlyn Munro, Jesse Bradford, Natasha Henstridge and Mena Suvari.

But when it came to where to shoot the project, Vancouver-born producer Tim Marlowe helped seal the deal.

Marlowe is friends with Agustin and as soon as he heard about the project wanted to be involved and bring it to B.C. But the production was also looking at Louisiana, Mississippi and Toronto to land the picture.

“I said ‘give me a week and I’ll put the finance and packaging together’ and voilà,” says Marlowe, who lucked out against the other bidders. “An opportunity to work with someone like Martin Sheen was something I’ve always wanted to do.”

B.C.’s great crew also helped land the project, says Marlowe, pointing to line producer Ian R. Smith, D.P. Cliff Hokanson, production designer Josh Plaw and service producer Gabriel Napora.

“Vancouver has some of the top professional crew in the world and I think its great we are able to come to this city and get the level of professionalism without paying the professionalism dollar,” says Marlowe. “In LA, you pay top dollar. In NY, you pay top dollar. You come to Vancouver, the crew work with you, they’re filmmakers.”

With the help of a great team and great locations, Marlowe says this small indie looks like it had a big budget.

“It’s a very large production value for the budget that we have,” he says.

The 21 days of shooting took place primarily in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam’s abandoned Riverview Mental Hospital.

Sheen plays the Seattle police district head Captain Daniel Richards and relished the role.

“I play a police captain who is just about six months from retirement and he’s played it by the books. A very honest, straightforward cop. And he has to come to grips with a rogue cop and corruption . . . it’s his best friend’s son. And he’s been a mentor to him and the boy is corrupt and he has to play strong,” says Sheen.

Estevez and Marlowe are a huge fans of the main lead, Canadian actor Lochlyn Munro. Though most of his background is in comedy, it didn’t take long for Munro to convince the producers he’s the right man for the job.

“There is just something about his passion, . . . his enthusiasm. You see that in an actor, you got to accommodate them. That’s how he got the part,” says Marlowe, who compares Munro’s part to the role of a gritty cowboy he played in Unforgiven.

“This is him playing that role at a darker level.”

With Badge of Honor in postproduction, and his short documentary The Lady in Number 6 shortlisted for an Academy Award, Marlowe and his team at Marlowe Media Ventures have seven new films green lit and if all goes as planned, some of them will also land in his hometown.

“I’m very loyal to Vancouver and the plan I’m putting together would require bringing a lot of work to the city,” he says. “It’s not a goal, it’s going to happen!” n -Story by Katja De Bock

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Feature Story

On-set of 2013 Crazy8s finalist, In the Deep.

Still Crazy After All These Years Crazy 8s celebrates 15 years of cultivating talent Story by

John Thomson

O

n January 30th, the Crazy8s Film Society celebrated its 15th year anniversary with a big bash at the Rio Theatre, where there was lots of boozing, schmoozing, and screenings of short films from the organization’s vault. And it’s a venerable history. Sure, there are other short film festivals around – there’s even another film race – but Crazy 8s stands tall; it’s the premiere venue for both newbies and industry veterans anxious to strut their stuff. It’s a simple premise; six filmmakers have three days of shooting and five days of editing to complete a short film of 15 minutes or less. The Society provides gear, mentors and $1,000 dollars cash.

“Crazy 8s is the best showcase for talent in Vancouver,” says local director Zach Lipovsky. “There’s an excitement about it not only to see what talented 20

local filmmakers can do but what they can do in eight days. It’s a great introduction for a filmmaker to the rest of the local scene.”

The 2013 race drew 155 applicants from which 12 were invited to a screenwriting workshop. The six best scripts to emerge from the workshop got the green light to go ahead. The finished projects will be unveiled at a public gala later this May. “First and foremost is the story,” says Paul Armstrong, Executive Director of the Crazy8s Film Society. “Have they told a story with a beginning, middle and an end, something unique, something compelling? Something we’re passionate about, something they’re passionate about. Something we want to see made into a film.”

Crazy 8s was originally a Directors Guild of Canada initiative. Or to be more precise, a steal from Seattle.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we tried the same thing here,” said DGC member Rick Stevenson at the time and in 1999 the first contest took flight. The Guild put Reel West January / February 2014

in $2,500 that first year, says founder Andrew Williamson, enough to finance three 16mm films. The rules were simple: 800 feet of film, 8 days to finish and 8 minutes long. Hence the moniker Crazy 8s. Then, as now, the emphasis was nurturing up and coming talent with gear and advice from the BC service industry.

“That’s why it was so competitive,” says Williamson. “Filmmakers knew if you were to get one of those slots everything would fall into place in terms of gear, equipment and editing.”

Williamson left Crazy 8s in 2007 - it became a Society one year later – but he laid the groundwork that continues today. “I felt Crazy 8s should be about the filmmaker pitching their story and a decision being made on the basis of that story,” he says. “That’s why you see the calibre of those Crazy 8s movies that you do because they start in the right place.”

Critical to Crazy8s success over the past 15 years is the monetary and in-kind support of the B.C. film industry who embrace the event.

“I am very grateful to the entire local film community which comes together through Crazy8s to support upcoming filmmakers, and at the same time bring attention to, and celebrate, that community,” says Armstrong.

“Crazy8s would not happen except for this generous support over the past 15 years, despite all the ups and downs the local industry has experienced.

Crazy8s sponsors have come to realize perhaps that the best way to weather those ups and downs is to continue to build the indigenous film industry by supporting indigenous filmmakers.”

For the film creators, Crazy 8s has always been about learning as opposed to winning and as a result it attracts people who either have some filmmaking experience or want to expand upon it. Actor and UBC Film Studies grad Dylan Akio Smith already had a film under his belt by the time he applied to Crazy 8s in 2004.

“I was really hungry to just be on set and see what everybody was doing”, he says of his early days as a gaffer and a lighting assist on other people’s films.

Soon after, Smith directed his own first short, The Bug, and later applied to Crazy 8s with the offbeat comedy Man Feel Pain to step up his game.

“For us it was about the exposure.

Somehow having rules and regulations and working with a company makes you feel more legitimate than Reel West January / February 2014

“There’s an excitement about it not only to see what talented local filmmakers can do but what they can do in eight days. It’s a great introduction for a filmmaker to the rest of the local scene.”

- Zach Lipovsky, Director just running around with a camera and your friends,” he says. “What are these people [actors] supposed to be? Are they believable? Are they really over the top? How are we directing this? All those little nuances.”

And he learned some tricks in the edit room. “I had all these extra shots but I was just adding fat to the idea.

I learned I could let the words play their role. Take out all the fat and this thing will play quicker. Sometimes less is more.”

Man Feel Pain was an audience favorite at TIFF and led directly to 2005’s The Cabin Movie, in which three couples take to the woods to explore their sexuality. A second feature, Doppelganger Paul, was released in 2011. Smith presently directs soccer videos for Electronic Arts – soccer porn he calls it – and is working on a collection of short stories he’d like to compress into a feature-length anthology. “I’m returning to shorts,” he laughs.

Like her friend Dylan Akio Smith, Kellie Ann Benz also started making films well before her Crazy 8s debut.

It began in 1997 when Benz was an aspiring writer participating in a cold reading series.

“I came up with an idea. I wondered to myself what would happen if a girl had a one-night stand and woke up next to Elvis Presley. Then I thought about Jesus. What would she do if it was the second coming of Christ and he was in her bed?” Her first film The Second Coming shocked a lot of people but “to me it was funny,” she says. Another short, Cinderella; Single Again, followed, after which Benz approached Crazy 8s with her next project, Awkward, in 2010.

Awkward took Benz out of her

comfort zone and not just because the movie features hedonistic dinner guests who challenge the conventional concept of propriety but because it made her re-think the creative process. “It’s easy for me to manipulate my own script if I feel it’s not working for me as a director,” she says. “This time around the writer was adamant that the script was the script. It was an incredible challenge to do ‘okay I can’t rely upon my usual tricks. I really have to be just a director’ and that was completely new for me. It made me think with a different part of my brain and I loved it. Creatively it was a really nice journey.”

Benz has just finished her first feature, Naked Night Bike, and has become a passionate advocate for short films. She writes for two online publications helping filmmakers understand film festival programming, strategy and distribution.

Zach Lipovsky is arguably Crazy 8s most visible poster boy. He too embraced filmmaking at an early age, creating a name for himself as a visual effects wizard while still in high school. His 2005 Crazy 8s submission Crazy Late follows a hapless groom as he navigates numerous obstacles on his way to the altar. A triumph of timing and logistics, it was shot in one continuous take. Take number 14 of 15, Lipovsky confesses.

“Crazy Late was the first time I worked with a large cast and crew.

We had almost 100 people come out and volunteer,” he says. “It really gave me the confidence to move onto bigger and crazier ideas.”

One of those crazy ideas involved trying out for the American reality show On the Lot. Think of Crazy8s married to Survivor. As with Crazy

8’s, contestants had a limited amount of time to make a short. Jury votes and audience feedback determined the ultimate winner. Lipovsky used Crazy Late as his audition tape.

“I had to cut it up, take out every other beat and squeeze it into five minutes. I also shot a one minute introduction with me shooting down a flying saucer that accompanied the film.”

Lipovsky became part of the ensemble and although he didn’t win the ultimate prize, the exposure brought him in contact with managers, agents and American funding.

In 2011 he directed a TV movie for SyFy Channel. His second feature, Leprechaun: Origins goes into worldwide release this spring.

High profile success stories aside, Executive Director Armstrong is well aware of the challenges facing Crazy 8s and its followers. Past participant Kellie Benz bemoans the stop-and-start nature of Canadian production. “We don’t look at talent scouting as part of our industry,” she says and would like Crazy 8s to take a more proactive role in integrating filmmakers into the profession.

Armstrong is responding by introducing a distribution workshop, the first of its kind, for the final six later this year.

And there are other challenges. As the industry re-trenches, sponsorship has dropped off prompting Crazy 8’s to go the crowdfunding route in order to make up the shortfall.

Reducing the number of teams from six to five or four is another possibility but Armstrong is adamant; Crazy 8s is here to stay. It continues to be a catalyst bringing the community together in a common purpose, making films. And celebrating the community, of course, is what that 15th anniversary Rio bash was all about. n 21

Photo by katie yu

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Reel West January / February 2014

Feature Story

It’s All Fun and Games!

It’s hard to stay serious on the set of the new Thunderbird Films’ kids series Some Assembly Required where you can take a rollercoaster ride, play video games and settle into a stuffed animal chair.

Story by

Nathan Caddell

T

here are some things you don’t expect to see while on the outskirts of Burnaby, B.C. Such as, say, a massive warehouse that houses a a working rollercoaster that weaves it’s way throughout the building with surprising ease. But that’s just what you’ll find on the set of Some Assembly Required, a new TV series produced by Vancouver’s Thunderbird Films that recently premiered on YTV. The show centers on 14-year old Jarvis Raines (played by Kolton Stewart) who sues Knickknack Toys for making a dysfunctional product and ends up owning the company, hiring his friends to work with him and turning a boring workplace into a virtual playground. The multi-camera sitcom is shot in front of a live audience.

And for cast and crew, as well as the audience, going on set is like spending a day at an amusement park. With stuffed animal chairs, Lego desks and arcade video games in the CEO’s office, this production is one big playground.

“It’s always an adventure,” says Stewart, decked out in pirate gear for a swashbuckling-themed episode. “Everyone is so chill. It’s not like a normal set, everyone is such a cohesive team. From the craft services, from the food, from the lighting, the video guys, everyone is so awesome. When you have a crew where everyone works their hardest, you’re going to get a great end result and I think that’s what’s happening right now.”

Stewart, who hails from Toronto, was discovered on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after one of his YouTube clips hit 2,000 views. The young actor is enthusiastic and embraces every moment on set with an energetic smile.

Stewart’s attitude is emblematic of the show itself, as there seems to be a buzz that just can’t be contained, even in a warehouse of this size.

“These kids are just incredible. And the production, you just don’t see anything like this in Vancouver,” exudes camera operator Mike Varga.

To be fair, though, this set didn’t appear out of nowhere as this warehouse, along with largely the same crew, was used on another YTV series, Mr.Young, about a teen genius who ends up teaching at a high school when he should technically be in grade nine. Like Some Assembly Required it was a multicamera comedy shot in front of a live audience.

“We did Mr. Young and when that ended [the last episodes started airing in November] my crew and I got the call for this new show and we said yes right away,” says Varga.

Creator and executive producer Dan Signer had been working with an idea Reel West January / February 2014

involving a toy company and, together with producer Howard Nemetz, developed the idea for the show.

“I’ve been working in sitcoms for a while and for the last number of years in ‘tween sitcoms,” says the veteran who worked on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody and The Suite Life on Deck before creating Ant Farm and Mr. Young.

“I was ready to create the next show and Howard Nemetz, who co-ran Mr. Young with me, we started talking and we both separately toyed with the idea of a show about a toy company so we thought ‘Let’s put our heads together and do it together.’ And it kind of evolved from there to kids getting to run a place … but what if he hired kids that he thought would be good to run the company but aren’t necessarily all friends? And they have to get to know each other and work together.”

Having previously shot Mr. Young definitely helped Signer and crew get a handle on this project, particularly because Vancouver had not previously seen much in the way of a multi-cam tween sitcom.

“With Mr.Young it was a real learning curve, setting up the infrastructure and training everyone involved,” recalls Signer. “It was ground-breaking. It’s certainly a process that’s done all the time in L.A. but not so much here, so we really wanted to import that process and do it right. So when it came time to go into production on our new show, we had this great crew that knew how to make this series and loved it.”

That’s not to say that Some Assembly Required didn’t have it’s challenges, a given when setting up an undertaking of such size.

“It was an interesting challenge to build a rollercoaster in a sound stage. As far as I know, no one’s ever had to do that before,” says Signer with a chuckle.

“We did a lot of research to make that work. We wanted to make a super fun fantasy world.”

For example instead of just a chair, there are seats made of stuffed animals and others that look like alien creatures and a monsters.

“So really it was just about how can we be creative?’ and we came up with a lot of these ideas in house,” adds Signer. “There’s a live audience and the kids who come in just want to sit in the chairs and play with all the stuff.”

Some Assembly Required is a show about kids being kids, even in situations where they are uniquely privileged.

“I think I’m like him in a way,” says Stewart. “I think we’re the same character in a way in that we’re 14, and we have big dreams … I think he just might have more initiative than I do.”

That’s debatable as this young actor is on the rise. But there’s no doubt this is one show where dreams don’t seem far out of reach. n 23

2013 wrap

Western Wrap-up Production highs and lows across the Western Provinces Story by

Cheryl Binning

A

low dollar, a rebounding American economy, incentive programs and local expertise led to an upswing in production volume in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba throughout 2013.

“2013 was a big feature film year for us,” says Manitoba Film & Music Film Programs Manager Louise O’Brien-Moran. “We had bigger movies with major directors and longer shoots.”

After a downturn in production in 2012, B.C. bounced back in the second half of 2013.

“We have seen business that went to other jurisdictions with more lucrative tax incentives return to British Columbia because when they added it up it, at the end of the day, the numbers weren’t as rosy as they initially expected,” says Crawford Hawkins, Executive Director of the Directors Guild of Canada B.C. District Council.

And this momentum is continuing into 2014 in B.C., Manitoba and Alberta.

“Productions from around the world are scouting here,” says Alberta Minister of Culture Heather Klimchuk. “It should be a very busy year.”

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan industry is in the midst of transition. The production industry was decimated in 2012 when the province axed its tax credit, but now the community is attempting to rebuild under a new grant system that is expected to benefit lower budgeted digital production, as opposed to larger, more commercial film and TV projects.

Alberta series boom Alberta’s 2013 production volume was fueled by a combination of feature film and series work but TV production was a particularly strong area. The province hosted season seven of the CBC series Heartland (produced by Seven24Films and Dynamo Films) and third seasons of both AMC’s Hell on Wheels (produced by Nomadic Pictures) and APTN’s Blackstone (produced by Prairie Dog Film and Television).

As well, the big event Discovery Channel scripted mini-series Klondike, which aired in January, was shot in Calgary and Kananaskis Country. The story centers on the friendship of two adventurers, as they travel northwest during the Klondike Gold Rush and featured Sam Shepard, Tim Roth, Tim Blake, Richard Madden, and Abbie Cornish. The drama was produced by Nomadic Pictures and Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions The new anthology series Fargo, produced by Nomadic Pictures, for MGM and FX, started shooting in November 2013 and continues through to April.

The story is inspired by what happens after Frances McDormand’s ace sheriff, Marge Gunderson, solves the case depicted in the classic 1996 Fargo movie. It stars Bill Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, and Colin Hanks.

Feature films that shot in Alberta in 2013 include Warner Bros. Intersteller, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McCaughey, Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, and Michael Caine.

Edmonton hosted Cut Bank, a thriller about an athlete turned auto mechanic, featuring John Malkovich, Bill Bob Thornton, and Liam Hemsworth; as well as The Freezer, an action thriller about two men locked in a restaurant freezer by mobsters and starring Dylan McDermott, Peter Facinelli, and 24

Yulia Snigir. The Freezer utilized the Film Alberta Studio, a 15,000 square foot soundstage, with 36-foot high open span and an underground water tank.

“It’s a fully functioning film studio that is suitable for film and TV and water shoots,” says Minister Klimchuck of the former SCTV studio that has been brought back to life.

But Calgary is still without a permanent film studio. For the last few years, the industry has called for a purpose-built soundstage but financing the project has been an uphill battle. The latest setback came last summer when the Alberta Government refused to ante up $15 million to finance Calgary Economic Development’s $36 million studio project called the Alberta Creative Hub. Then, last fall the Alberta Government sent out a request for proposals for a Calgary film studio and committed up to $5 million in financing. Minister Klimchuck says there was a lot of interest and a number of proposals came forward. The winning bid will be announced in February.

“We aim to get a shovel in the ground later this year,” adds the Minister.

“There is certainly a need for a studio in Calgary.”

With a new studio in the works and a grant-based incentive program in place, the minister is positive about the outlook for film and TV in 2014.

“We have between three and four quality film crews and all the productions that shoot here are really happy with their work,” says the Minister. “Film and Television is a part of our economic plan and an economic driver of Alberta.

Our goal is to keep crews employed.”

2014 is already off to a great start with TV series Heartland, Hell on Wheels and Blackstone in production. Fargo will shoot through to April, and on the feature front Peter Winther’s sci-fi thriller Pain Killers, starring Colm Feore, Erica Durance and Tahmoh Penikett, is also in production. It’s the story of a group of soldiers confined to a remote rehabilitation facility with only faint memories of an Afghanistan mission that went horribly awry.

Features fuel Manitoba Manitoba is reporting a busy 2013 with over $100 million worth of production, according to O’Brien-Moran. Feature filmmaking fueled the majority of this volume.

The year started off with Claudia Llosa’s Aloft, (local producer Buffalo Gal Pictures) starring Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy; and Roger Spottiswoode’s Midnight Sun (local producer Original Pictures) landing for winter shoots, followed by Manitoba’s first Sony picture Heaven Is For Real, starring Greg Kinnear, and Strings, with Josh Duhamel, Laura Dern. Both projects were produced locally by Buffalo Gal Pictures.

In 2013 Manitoba had five projects in production simultaneously (between prep and shooting) and this helped the province grow its crew base.

“We are also benefiting from seasoned crew moving here from Saskatchewan with a depth of credits,” says O’Brian-Moran. “It gives comfort to productions coming here that this isn’t a one crew town.”

For the upcoming year, landing a long-running series would be a coup for Manitoba.

“This year we are definitely chasing series and we have a number of films circling for later spring,” says O’Brian-Moran.

Manitoba’s lucrative 30% all-spend tax credit, and 5% frequent filming bonus, is a huge incentive.

Reel West January / February 2014

British Columbia’s total volume of film and TV production increased slightly from $1.56 million in 2011/12 to $1.61 million in 2012/13, according to the Canadian Media Production Association’s Profile report, which tabulates volume between April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.

Hawkins notes that this momentum continued to build throughout the remaining months of 2013. An improved American economy has helped green-light more US projects and B.C. felt the benefit.

Last year the B.C. industry fought -and lost -- a battle to get the provincial government to sweeten the 35% labour-based tax credit to make it more competitive with other provinces such as Ontario. But it hasn’t stopped the flow of US work to the province.

“We are competitive to a degree in tax credits when you add up our other pluses,” explains Hawkins of B.C.’s experienced crews, proximity to LA and large infrastructure. The low Canadian dollar throughout 2013 also helped.

He notes that American producers found that some jurisdictions with lucrative incentives ultimately didn’t measure up.

“For example the all-spend didn’t turn out to be all-spend, conditions came in on that, or they had to bring in more crew and equipment than they expected which raised costs,” he explains.

To show how much the tide has turned, Hawkins says when he went to LA three years ago he was told B.C. was not in the top five jurisdictions being considered by Americans.

“But when we went in November [2013] it was clear we were back in the top three,” he says. “That’s good news.”

Another positive sign is the strength in the domestic TV sector in B.C. In 2013, B.C.-owned projects that shot in the province include Foundation Features/Lark Productions’ procedural Motive for CTV and ABC; Omni’s northern drama Arctic Air for CBC; Wrap-up continued on page 28

Reel West January / February 2014

THE VISITORS

Buechner, Lorne Cardinal, Jessica Harmon Sched: Jul 3 to Jul 21.

British Columbia

IF I STAY

B.C. Features

BIG EYES A biographical drama focusing on the heated divorce battle between Walter Keane, an artist known in the 1950s and ‘60s for his kitsch paintings of large-eyed waifs, and Margaret Keane, who accused him of stealing her paintings. ExecProd: Katterli Frauenfelder, Derek Frey Prod: Tim Burton, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski Dir: Tim Burton DOP: Bruno Delbonnel LP: Brendan Ferguson PD: Rick Heinrichs PM: Brendan Ferguson PC: Nicole Oguchi LM: Alan Bartolic SPFX: John MacCuspie Cast: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz Sched: Jul 8 to Aug 23.

HAMLET A deranged, black-and-white adaptation of the classic Shakespearean play. Prod: Brett Harrison LP: Alexandra Vahlbruch DOP: Wes Crowley PD: Mark Richfield PM: Alexandra Vahlbruch Cast: Brett Harrison Sched: Aug 14 to Sep 20.

Adaptation of Gayle Forman’s young adult novel about a 17-year-old girl dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family.

Prod: Alison Greenspan, Denise Dinovi Dir: RJ Cutler DOP: John De Borman LP: Brad Van Arragon PD: Brent Thomas PM: Brad Van Arragon PC: Joey Setter LM: Michael Gazetas Cast: Chloe Moretz, Mireille Enos Sched: Oct 30 to Dec 18.

NAUTILUS A remake of the sci-fil monster movie Godzilla. ExecProd: Alex Garcia, Patty Whitcher Prod: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent Dir: Gareth Edwards DOP: Seamus McGarvey PD: Owen Paterson PM: Jim Rowe PC: Adrienne Sol LM: Rino Pace SPFX: Joel Whist Cast: Aaron Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston Sched: Mar 1 to Jun 1.

PATTERSON’S WAGER

HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS Based on the book of the same name, Hector is an eccentric yet irresistible London psychiatrist in crisis: his patients are just not getting any happier!

So he breaks out of his sheltered vacuum of a life into a global quest to find out if happiness exists.

Prod: Klaus Dohle, Trish Dolman, Christine Haebler, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Judy Tossell LP: Brad Van Arragon, Peter Hermann Dir: Peter Chelsom DOP: Kolja Brandt PD: Michael Diner PM: Cheryl Eatock, Jim O’Grady, Michael Williams Cast: Rosamund Pike, Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, Stellan Skarsgard, Christopher Plummer Sched: Mar 30 to Apr 20.

A man discovers that he has the unexpected and uncontrollable ability to see two minutes into the future. Prod: O. Corbin Saleken, Alex Zahara Dir: O. Corbin Saleken DOP: Graham Talbot, Nelson Talbot PD: Rebecca Sjonger PM: Mackenzie Warner Cast: Fred Ewanuik, Chelah Horsdal, Michelle Creber, Alex Zahara, Anne Openshaw, Garry Chalk, Gillian Barber Sched: Jul 7 to Jul 28.

P: Bettina Strauss

B.C. bounces back

That’s a Wrap! A look back at Western Canada’s 2013 productions

SITTING ON THE EDGE OF MARLENE

P: adam Myhill

“Our tax credit is reliable, predictable and supported across all party lines,” says O’Brien-Moran. “Another attraction is our tax credits are equal whether it’s a foreign or Canadian production.

HELL IN A HANDBAG Comedy-horror about Father Michael, an embittered gun-toting exorcist priest, the leather-clad Sister Joan and their band of misfits wh fight a covert battle against Satan and his minions. Exec-Prod: Steven Mansfield Prod/Dir: Martin Cummins SP: Kirk Caouette DOP: Adam Myhill PD: Marko Lytviak PM: Jacqueline Nguyen PC: Joseph Klymkiw SPFX: Brant Mcilroy Sched: Apr 10 to May 5.

An adaptation of the Billie Livingston novella The Trouble with Marlene, in which a clean living but experienced sixteen-year-old is drawn into the family con business by her pill-popping, alcoholic mother, Marlene, to help make ends meet. ExecProd: Rob Marilees, Denys Arcand Prod: Amber Ripley LP: Ian Birkett Dir: Ana Valine DOP: Steve Cosens PD: Grant Pearse PM: Darcy Wild PC: Jill McQueen LM: Amy Barager Sched: Mar 18 to Apr 9.

STEP UP 5 The latest installment in the series of Step UP Exec-Prod: David dance/romance-dramas.

Nicksay Prod: Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman Dir: Tricia Sie PM: Chris Foss LM: Monty Bannister PC: Michelle MacInnes Sched: Sep 19 to Nov 13.

THE HARVEST PROJECT: ABSOLUTION A once well-respected, innovative surgeon that brashly challenged the science field, is now imprisoned and guilt-ridden, after believing he failed to save the life of his daughter through illegal surgeries. Exec-Prod: Jason Jolly, Brian Wideen, Amy Lennon Prod/Dir: Darren Rozak Prod/PM/LM: Doug King DOP: Pieter Stathis Cast: Nigel Vonas, Sebastian Gacki, Willis Taylor, Sebastien de Castell Sched: Aug 6 to Sep 15.

IF I HAD WINGS

THE INTERVIEW

Drama about a blind 14-year-old who dreams of flying and running for his high school crosscountry track team. Exec-Prod: Cynde Harmon, Kim Arnott, Allan Harmon, Arnie Zipursky Prod: Cynde Harmon Dir: Allan Harmon PD: Alex Royek PM: John Prince PC: Jim McKeown LM: Karen Zajac SPFX: Ernest Jackson Cast: Craig Bierko, Richard Harmon, Jaren Brandt Barlett, Genevieve

A talk show host and his producer unwittingly get caught up in an international assassination plot.

Exec-Prod: Shawn Williamson, Dan Sterling Prod: James Weaver, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen Dir: Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg DOP: Brandon Trost PD: Jon Billington PM: Dan Clarke PC: Jill McQueen LM: Terry MacKay SPFX: Jak Osmand Cast: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Randall Park Sched: Oct 10 to Dec 20.

A group of friends on a weekend trip to a cabin in the woods find themselves terrorized by alien visitors. Prod: Shawn Angelski, Martin Fisher Dir: Colin Minihan DOP: Samy Inayeh PD: Scott Moutlon Cast: Brittany Allen, Freddie Stroma, Melanie Papalia, Michael Ironside, Gil Bellows Sched: Jun 24 to Jul 22.

TOMORROWLAND A teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory. Prod: Jeffrey Chernov, Damon Lindeloff Co-prod: Bernie Bellew, Tom Peitzman Dir: Brad Bird DOP: Claudio Miranda PD: Scott Chambliss PM: Stewart Bethune PC: Eva Morgan LM: Ann Goobie SPFX: Mike Vezina Cast: George Clooney, Kathryn Hawn, Judy Greer, Hugh Laurie, and Britt Robertson Sched: Aug 1 to Jan 1.

UNTITLED EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE PROJECT A psychological drama centered around worldfamous turn-of-the-century photographer, Eadweard Muybridge who photographed nude and deformed subjects. Prod: Josh Epstein Dir: Kyle Rideout DOP: Tony Mirza Cast: Michael Ecklund Sched: Jul 1 to Aug 3.

WORDS & PICTURES An art instructor and an English teacher form a rivalry that ends up with a competition at their school in which students decide whether words or pictures are more important. Exec-Prod: Nancy Rae Stone Prod: Curtis Burch, Gerald Dipego Dir: Fred Schepisi DOP: Ian Baker PD: Patrizia Von Brandenstein PM: Mary Anne Waterhouse PC: Jill Christensen LM: Tracey Renyard SPFX: James Paradis Cast: Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche, Valerie Tian, Navid Negahban, Walt Davison Sched: Mar 18 to May 5.

X-BUS: THE MOVIE A journalist from is sent to do an article and finds himself caught up in a vicious nightmare.

Exec-Prod: Sam Vincent, Brian Harris, James Fler, Michael Pabst, Andrew Hunt Prod: Mack Benz, Andrew Francis, Jeffrey Andersen, Matthew Anderson Dir: Jeffrey Andersen DOP: Stirling Bancroft PM: Mack Benz LM: Mack Benz SPFX: Tracy Lai Cast: Matthew Anderson, Andrew Francis, Elise Gatien, Jessica Harmon, Greyston Holt Sched: Oct 21 to Nov 1.

B.C. Digital FEATURES

LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS The seventh film in the Leprechaun horror series.

Exec-Prod: Richie Lowell, Mark Bienstock Prod: Michael Luisi Dir: Zach Lipovsky DOP: Todd Williams PD: Troy Hansen LP: Chris Foss PM: Chris Foss LM: Ken Brooker PC: Laura Obenaus SPFX: Wayne Szybunka Cast: Dylan Postl Sched: Jul 8 to Jul 26.

SEE NO EVIL 2 In this sequel to the 2006 slasher film See No Evil, a group of medical students fight to survive as a deranged psychopath picks them apart one

25

Cowell-Plain Dir: Vanessa Parise DOP: Danny Nowak LP: Tara Cowell-Plain PD: Rick Whitfield PM: Tara Cowell-Plain PC: Michael Lien LM: Kirk Johns SPFX: Brant Mcilroy Cast: Judy Lee Sched: May 21 to Jun 6.

Cowell-Plain Dir: Thomas Makowski DOP: Kim Miles PD: Bob Bottieri PC: Michael Lien SPFX: Brant Mcilroy Cast: Trace Adkins, Ron Perlman Sched: Mar 25 to Apr 7.

SORRY, I LOVE YOU

IN MY DREAMS

A department-store window decorator learns there is a vacancy for her dream job in the runup to Christmas, only to find a professional rival has his eye on it too. Prod: Randy Cheveldave Dir: Michael Scott DOP: Adam Sliwinski PD: Sydney Sharpe PM: Michelle Samuels PC: Terri Garbutt LM: Tom Hoeverman Cast: Chyler Leigh Sched: Mar 8 to Mar 25.

B.c. TV MOVIES

A DAUGHTER’S NIGHTMARE The third instalment in the “Nightmare” thriller saga. Exec-Prod: Meyer Shwarzstein, Larry Gershman Prod: Tina Pehme, Kim Roberts Dir/ DOP: Vic Sarin LP/PM: Ian Smith PD: Phil Schmidt PC: Emmy Wu LM: Shane Lennox Cast: Emily Osment, Paul Johansson, Victoria Pratt Sched: Oct 7 to Oct 26.

A FAIRLY ODD SUMMER The third film in the live-action A Fairly Odd movie series. Exec-Prod: Butch Hartman, Scott McAboy Prod: Amy Sydorick Dir: Savage Holland DOP: Thomas Harding PD: Sandy Cochrane PM: Michael Williams PC: Deana Kittson LM: Phil Pacaud SPFX: Alex Burdett Sched: Sep 30 to Oct 25.

A SISTER’S NIGHTMARE Police officer Jane Rydert’s life goes into a tailspin the day her older sister, Cassidy, shows up at her door after sixteen years of confinement in a psychiatric hospital. Exec-Prod: Larry Gershman, Meyer Shwarzstein Prod: Tina Pehme, Kim Roberts LP: Ian R. Smith Dir: Vic Sarin PM: Ian R. Smith PD: Bob Bottieri PC: Terri Garbutt, Sched: May 27 to Jun 14.

BABY BOOTCAMP Exec-Prod: Timothy O. Johnson Prod: Oliver De Caigny Dir: Christie Will DOP: Brenton Spencer PM: Crystal Remmey Sched: Jul 26 to Aug 16.

BABYSELLERS Exposes the shocking international criminal enterprise of infant trafficking Exec-Prod: Matthew O’Connor, Lisa Richardson LP: Abhijit Chawathe Dir: Nick Willing DOP: Brian Johnson PM: Simon Richardson Cast: Jennifer Finnigan, Kirstie Alley Sched: May 6 to Jun 7.

CHRISTMAS BOUNTY A former bounty hunter turns into an elementary schoolteacher and reluctantly returns home for Christmas to help save the family business by catching the one bounty that got away. Prod: Michael Luisi, Richie Lowell SP: Marc Bienstock Dir: Gil Junger DOP: Philip Linzey PD: Troy Hansen PM: Chris Foss PC: Nick Vecchio LM: Ken Brooker SPFX: Darren Marcoux Sched: Apr 9 to May 4.

FAR FROM HOME Nicholas Bell, angrily left his small island town after a terrible fight with the uncle who raised him and writes a wildly successful novel, Broken Windows, which lead critics to declare him to be the “voice of his new generation.” Prod: Harvey Kahn Dir: Michael Scott DOP: Adam Sliwinski Cast: Barry Watson, Paul McGillion, Wesley MacInnes Sched: Oct 1 to Oct 16.

FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC Based on V.C. Andrews’ controversial, cult classic book, about the Dollanganger kids who are hidden in the attic of their ruthless Grandmother’s home.

Prod: Damian Ganczewski, Harvey Kahn Dir: Deborah Chow DOP: Miroslaw Baszak PM: Richard Bullock PD: James McAteer Cast: Heather Graham, Kiernan Shipka, Ellen Burstyn, Mason Dye Sched: Aug 19 to Sep 17.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Exec-Prod: Jack Nasser, Dureyshevar Prod: Tara 26

In this romantic comedy, two lonely people not entirely convinced they’ll find the mate of their dreams. Exec-Prod: Brent Shields Prod: David A. Rosemont Dir: Kenny Leon DOP: James Chressanthis PD: Linda Del Rosario, Richard Paris Cast: Katharine McPhee, Mike Vogel, JoBeth Williams Sched: Nov 20 to Dec 20.

JINXED Over a century ago a witch put a magical curse on the Meg’s great-great grandfather and the whole family has been jinxed ever since, until the teen attempts to break the spell. Exec-Prod: Scott McAboy Prod: Amy Sydorick Dir: Stephen Herek DOP: Thomas Harting PD: Sandy Cochrane PM: Jim O’Grady PC: Rhonda Legge LM: Abraham Fraser SPFX: Alex Burdett Sched: Jun 10 to Jul 4.

WINDOW WONDERLAND

THE HUNTERS A family of archeologists hunt down artifacts from fairy tales that have been hidden around the globe.

Exec-Prod: Jason Netter Prod: Heather Puttock Dir: Nisha Ganatra DOP: C. Kim Miles LP: Ian Birkett PD: Richard Paris, Linda Del Rosario PM: Darcy Wild PC: Jill McQueen LM: Danny McWilliams SPFX: Rob Paller Cast: Victor Garber, Michelle Forbes, Alexa Vega Sched: Jun 3 to Jun 21.

THE LAST HALLOWEEN Exec-Prod: Tom Berry, Lisa Hansen Prod: John Prince Dir: Steven R. Monroe DOP: Michael Blundell PD: Renee Read PM: Simon Richardson PC: Jim McKeown LM: Costa Vassos SPFX: Mike Walls Sched: Feb 25 to Mar 15.

MY GAL SUNDAY A newlywed couple proves their crime-solving prowess when their political ties and successful private-eye business suddenly puts them in grave danger. Prod: Randy Cheveldave Dir: Kristoffer Tabori DOP: David Pelletier PD: Paul Joyal PM: Brian Dick PC: Amy Morrison LM: Will Fearn SPFX: Brant Mcilroy Sched: Jul 24 to Aug 13.

NOBODY’S FOOL Prod: Howard Braunstein Dir: Kevin Fair DOP: Kamal Derkaoui PD: James Philpott PM: Christian Bruyere PC: Terri Garbutt LM: Jack Veldhuis Cast: Deidre Hall Sched: Nov 16 to Dec 4.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Exec-Prod: Harvey Kahn, Michael Prupas, Joel S. Rice, Scott Smith, Martha Williamson Dir: Scott Smith DOP: Adam Sliwinski PD: Renn Read PD: Allen Lewis Cast: Daphne Zuniga, Eric Mabius, Crystal Lowe, Kristin booth, Ben Hollingsworth.

Sched: Jul 2 to Jul 19.

THE MYSTERY CRUISE Based on the book The Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, two best friends on a murder mystery cruise see a real murder attempt and must find a way to keep the intended victim safe while trying to find proof to expose the murderer. Exec-Prod: Howard Burkons, Brenda Friend Brandt Prod: Randolph Cheveldave Dir: Doug Barr DOP: Peter Benison PD: Paul Joyal PM: Brian Dick PC: Amy Morrison LM: Mick Rochon Sched: Jun 24 to Jul 12.

THE VIRGINIAN The latest adaptation of the western classic. ExecProd: Jack Nasser, Dureyshevar Prod/PM: Tara

RITA

BC TV PILOTS

LET IT SNOW An ambitious executive gets a warm Christmas welcome to melt away her frosty attitude. ExecProd: Shawn Williamson Prod: Jamie Goehring Dir: Harvey Frost DOP: Paul Mitchnick PD: Paul Joyal PM: Jamie Goehring PC: Alison Stephen LM: Amy Barager SPFX: Jak Osmond Sched: Apr 2 to Apr 19.

The head of the U.S. Cyber Command, Lillian Strand, hires Secret Service agent Riley Neal to protect their greatest asset - agent Gabriel Vaughn who has has a cyber chip implanted in his brain which connects him to the Internet and various data banks. Prod: Gilbert Adler, Josh Dir: David Semel DOP: Sidney Sidell Holloway PD: Drew Boughton PM: Tracey Jeffrey Cast: Josh Holloway, Meghan Ory, John Billingsley Sched: Mar 14 to Apr 3.

P: Liane Hentscher - FOX

Based on the hit Korean television series I’m Sorry I Love You, weaving multiple plot threads from estranged siblings, extreme parent-child disconnection, jealousy, fatal vengeance, terminal illness, and miscommunication. Exec-Prod: Chenfei Liu Prod: Hang Hon LP/PM: Eric Zhang Dir: Larry Yang LM: Maung Tin Sched: Jan 7 to Jan 14.

INTELLIGENCE

ALMOST HUMAN A buddy cop show, set in the near future, when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids. Exec-Prod: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burke, Joel Wyman Co-Exec: Kathy Lingg Co-Exec/LP: Reid Shane Co-Exec/Dir: Brad Anderson Prod: Athena Wickham Co-prod/PM: Vladimir Stefoff DOP: Tom Yatsko PD: Ian Thomas PC: Anita Truelove LM: Bill Burns SPFX: Bob Comer Sched: Mar 13 to Apr 3.

BACKSTROM A comedy/drama about an overweight, offensive, irascible detective who’s engaged in a constant struggle with his self-destructive tendencies.

Exec-Prod: Hart Hanson Prod: Ed Milkovich, Josh Levy Dir: Mark Mylod PD: Mark Worthington PM: Brendan Ferguson PC: Nicole Oguchi LM: Monty Bannister SPFX: Gary Minielly Sched: Mar 12 to Mar 28.

BIG THUNDER A brilliant, late 19th century New York doctor is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relocate to a frontier mining town run by a powerful but mysterious tycoon, but quickly realize that not everything in Big Thunder is as it seems. Dir: Rob Bowman Cast: Ed MacLiam, Alex Meraz Sched: Mar 21 to Apr 6.

BLINK A quirky drama revolbing around a family patriarch who lands in a coma-like state after a car accident, but can still see and hear all. Exec-Prod: David Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly Exec. Prod/ Dir: Peter Hedges SP: Vera Herbert Prod: S. Lily Hui DOP: Tami Reiker PD: Sarah Knowles PM: Doug Brons PC: Carol Schafer LM: Greg Astop Sched: Mar 20 to Apr 4.

GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO DIVORCE The famous author of a best-selling self-help book series is hiding the fact that she’s separated from her husband as she starts to navigate her life as a single woman in her early 40s. Exec-Prod: Marti Noxon, Dawn Olmstead, Meryl Poster, Vicki Iovine Prod: Clara George, Kate Fenske Dir: Adam Brooks DOP: Florian Ballhaus PD: Jerry Fleming PM: Erin Smith PC: Almaz Tadege LM: Deb Bose SPFX: Tony Lazarowich Sched: Oct 28 to Nov 8.

An outspoken private-school teacher struggles to raise her three teenage children while dealing with the inane bureaucracy and overprotective parents at her school. Exec-Prod: Krista Vernoff, Mikkel Bondesen Exec. Prod/Dir: Miguel Arteta Prod: Kristen Campo, Robert Petrovicz DOP: Yaron Orbach PD: Ricardo Spinace PM: Drew Locke PC: Judith Swan LM: Bruce Brownstein Cast: Anna Gunn Sched: Mar 25 to Apr 10.

THE 100 After Earth is destroyed by nuclear war, people are living on space stations where breaking any rules results in prison. But resources are running low, so leaders send a group of imprisoned teens to Earth to see if they can survive. Exec-Prod: Jason Rothenberg, Leslie Morgenstein, Matt Miller, Gina Girolamo Prod/LP: Jae Marchant Dir: Bharat Nalluri DOP: Nate Goodman PD: Matthew Budgeon PM: Scott Graham PC: Shalia Edl LM: Sheri Mayervich SPFX: Wayne Szybunka Sched: Mar 14 to Apr 4.

THE SWITCH Comedy series about the lives of transgender people. Exec-Prod: Amy Fox Prod: Hannah Gordon PD: Char Hoyt PM: Jack Fox PC: Susan Chiv Cast: Domaine Javier, Amy Fox, Jennifer Prins, Brent Hirose, Ren Kennedy, Shaun LaDue, Ahmed Muslimani, Jaedyn Starr, Kira Yee Sched: Jun 25 to Aug 20.

WAYWARD PINES A Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two federal agents who have gone missing and soon learns that he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. Exec-Prod: Chad Hodge, Donald De Line, M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan Prod: Ron French Dir: M. Night Shyamalan DOP: Amy Vincent PD: Curt Beech PM: Craig Forrest PC: Jennifer Aichholz LM: Dan Carr Sched: Aug 19 to Sep 9.

B.C. TV SERIES

ALMOST HUMAN A buddy cop show, set in the near future, when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids. Exec-Prod: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Joel Wyman, Naren Shankar Co-Exec: Reid Shane, Sam Hill DOP: David Geddes, Michael Wale PD: Ian Thomas PM: Vladimir Stefoff PC: Anita Truelove LM: Catou Kearney, Bill Burns SPFX: Bob Comer Cast: Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, Lili Taylor, Minka Kelly, Michael Irby, Mackenzie Crook Sched: Jul 24 to Dec 12.

P: Ed ArAquel

by one. Exec-Prod: Michael Luisi, Richie Lowell, Marc Bienstock LP: Scott Kennedy Dir: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska DOP: Todd Williams PD: Troy Hansen PM: Donald Munro PC: Micah Gardener LM: Rico Mielnicki Sched: Sep 23 to Oct 11.

I AM VICTOR Based on author Jo Nesbo’s book, the drama revolves around a high-powered divorce attorney with a unique view of relationships. Exec-Prod: Katie Jacobs, Meghan Lyvers, Mark Goffman, Daniel Rappaport, Jo Nesbo, Niclas Salomonsson LP: Jim Klever-Weis Dir: Jonas Pate DOP: Michael Grady PD: Carlos Barbosa PM: Penny Gibbs PC: Jennifer Metcalf LM: Abraham Fraser Sched: Mar 17 to Mar 29.

ARCTIC AIR ~ SEASON 3 Set in Yellowknife, and centering on renegade bush pilots at work and play in Canada’s north. ExecProd: Michael Chechik, Gabriella Schonbach, Gary Harvey, Ian Weir, Jon Cooksey Prod: Ian Hay Dir: Gary Harvey, Kevin Fair, Martin Wood DOP: Bruce Worrall, Michael Blundell PD: Joanna Dunn PM: Chris Rudolph PC: Cathy Fullerton LM: Hans Dayal SPFX: Reel West January / February 2014

ARROW Season 1 & 2

FALLING SKIES ~ SEASON 4

PSYCH ~ SEASON 8

A former Boston University history professor becomes the second-in-command of a group of civilians and fighters fleeing post-apocalyptic Boston following an alien invasion that devastated the planet. Exec-Prod: David Eick, Greg Beeman Prod: Grace Gilroy DOP: Barry Donlevy, Nate Goodman PM: Yvonne Melville PC: Genevieve Bridges LM: Casey Nelson-Zutter, Ritch Renaud SPFX: Dan Keeler Cast: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight, Gabriel Seychelle, Sarah Carter, Mpho Koaho, Colin Cunningham, Connor Jessup, Doug Jones Sched: Sep 10/13 to Feb 11/14.

A detective comedy-drama about a young crime consultant whose heightened observational skills” and impressive detective instincts allow him to convince people that he solves cases with psychic abilities. Exec-Prod: Steve Franks, Kelly Kulchak, Chris Henze, Mel Damski Prod: Mark Gordon SP: Gord Mark DOP: Scott Williams PD: Eric Norlin PM: Wayne Bennett PC: Almaz Tagege LM: Deb Bose, Karen Lo SPFX: Rob Paller Cast: James Roday, Dule Hill, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen Sched: May 2/12 to Jul 30/13

KING & MAXWELL

ROGUE ~ SEASON 2

Former Secret Service agents solving crimes as private detectives.Exec-Prod: Shane Brennan, Grant Anderson, Chris Downey Prod: Grace Gilroy DOP: Rob McLachlan PD: David Wilson PM: Yvonne Melville PC: Genevieve Bridges LM: Casey NelsonZutter, Ritch Renaud SPFX: Dan Keeler Cast: Jon Tenney, Rebecca Romijn, Ryan Hurst, Michael O’Keefe, Chris Butler Sched: Apr 3 to Jul 2.

A morally and emotionally-conflicted undercover detective is tormented by the possibility that her own actions contributed to her son’s mysterious death. In her quest for the truth, she finds herself falling deeper into the city’s most powerful and dangerous crime family. Exec-Prod: Nick Hamm, John Morayniss, Michael Rosenberg, Matthew Parkhill, Robert Petrovicz, Isibeal Balance Prod: Matthew Jones Co-prod: Kit Hayward SP: Avrum Jacobson Dir: Nick Hamm, Larysa Kondracki DOP: Kieran McGuigan PD: Ricardo Spinace PM: Bradley Jubenvill PC: Judith Swan LM: Desiree Young, Heather Vedan SPFX: Tim Storvick Cast: Thandie Newton, Cole Hauser, Andrea Roth, Clare Higgins Sched: Sep 9 to Nov 29.

P: Kharen Hill

Based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, the series follows billionaire playboy Oliver Queen, who, after five years of being stranded on a hostile island, returns home to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. Exec-Prod: Andrew Kreisberg, Marc Guggenheim, Greg Berlanti Prod: J.P Finn DOP: Glen Winter, Gord Verheul PD: Richard Hudolin PM: Todd Pittson PC: Fawn McDonald LM: Kirk Adamson, Rob Murdoch SPFX: David Gauthier Cast: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Paul Blackthorne Sched: Jul 18/12 to Apr 18/13

CEDAR COVE Based on author Debbie Macomber’s book series and revolving around a Cedar Cove Municipal Court Judge’s professional and personal life. Exec-Prod: Ron French, Carl Binder Co-Exec: Steve Harmaty Prod: Connie Dolphin Dir: Andy Mikita, Martin Wood, Michael Scott, Neill Fearnley DOP: Kamal Derkaoui PD: James Hazell PM: Bradley Jubenvill PC: Lukia Czernin LM: Terry MacKay Cast: Andie MacDowell, Dylan Neal Sched: Mar 25 to Jul 23.

CONTINUUM ~ SEASON 2 & 3 A group of rebels from the year 2077 time-travel to Vancouver, BC, in 2012, to continue its violent campaign to stop corporations of the future from replacing governments, while a police officer endeavours to stop them without revealing to anyone that she and the rebels are from the future.

Exec-Prod: Simon Barry, Patrick Williams, Tom Rowe, Lisa Richardson, Matthew O’Connor Co-Exec: Shelley Eriksen Prod: Holly Redford DOP: Dave Pelletier, Michael Wale PD: Chris Aug PM: Tia Buhl PC: Sarah Harris LM: Alan Bartolic, Greg Jackson SPFX: Mike Walls Cast: Rachel Nichols, Victor Webster, Erik Knudsen, Stephen Lobo, Roger Cross, Lexa Doig, Omari Newton, Luvia Petersen, Brian Markinson, Nicholas Lea, Jennifer Spence, Richard Harmon, William B. Davis Sched: Season 2: Jul 16/12 - Apr 4/13. Season 3: Sched: Jul 11 /13- Apr 3/14 Reel West January / February 2014

P: Katie yu

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

After Earth is destroyed by nuclear war, people are living on space stations where breaking any rules results in prison. But resources are running low, so leaders send a group of imprisoned teens to Earth to see if they can survive. Exec-Prod: Elizabeth Craft, Sarah Fain, Jason Rothenberg, Leslie Morgenstein SP: Dean White DOP: Philip Linzey LP: Jae Marchant PD: Mathew Budgeon PM: Scott Graham PC: Shalia Edl LM: Sheri Mayervich SPFX: Wayne Szybunka Cast: Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Thomas McDonell, Isaiah Washington, Marie Avgeropoulos, Eli Goree, Bob Morley, Chris Larkin, Richard Harmon Sched: Aug 23/13 to Jan 24/14.

Stephen Holder searches for a runaway girl and uncovers a string of murders connected to one of Sarah Linden’s previous murder investigations.

Exec-Prod: Veena Sud, Mikkel Bondesen Prod: Ron French DOP: Greg Middleton PD: Michael Bolton PM: Craig Forrest PC: Jennifer Aichholz LM: Dan Carr SPFX: Bill Ryan Cast: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman Sched: Feb 25 to Jun 25.

A 14-year-old becomes a boss overnight after he sues a toy company over a defective chemistry set that blows up his house. Exec-Prod: Tim Gamble, Dan Signer, Howard Nemetz Prod: Alex Raffe, S. Lily Hui SP: Jennica Harper DOP: Siobhan Devine PD: Andrew Deskin PM: Lucy MacLeod, Doug Brons PC: Jennifer Pitcher Sched: Aug 13/2013 to Feb 28/14.

ONCE UPON A TIME ~ SEASON 2 & 3 In fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, the residents are actually characters from various fairy tales that were transported to the “real world” town and robbed of their memories by a powerful curse. Exec-Prod: Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Steve Pearlman Prod: Kathy Gilroy DOP: Stephen Jackson PD: Michael Joy PM: Dennis Swartman PC: Clark Candy LM: Peter Pantages, Scott Walden SPFX: Phil Jones Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Robert Carlyl, Josh Dallas, Lana Parrilla, Jared Gilmore Sched: Sched: Season 2: Jul 16/12 - Apr 4/13. Season 3: Sched: Jul 11 /13- Apr 3/14

SPOOKSVILLE The new kid in town discovers that he holds the key to a battle between good and evil that has been taking place for centuries in a bizarre small town that plays host to a wide array of supernatural and unexplained occurrences. Prod: Harvey Kahn Supervising Prod: Dawn Knight, James Krieg.

DOP: Michael Balfry PM: Allen Lewis Cast: Katie Douglas, Keean Johnson, Nick Purcha, Keean Thompson. Sched: Apr 16 to Aug 16.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND A Once Upon A Time spin-off in which the young and beautiful Alice tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole. Exec-Prod: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Steve Pearlman, Zack Estrin Prod: Kathy Gilroy, Joe Larzarov DOP: Attila Szalay PD: Michael Joy PM: Colleen Mitchell PC: Susan Crawford LM: Trevor Metz SPFX: Phil Jones Cast: Sophie Lowe, Michael Socha, Emma Rigby, Peter Gadiot, Naveen Andrews Sched: Jul 31 to Feb 21/14.

PACKAGE DEAL A sitcom about three close brothers and the woman that comes between them. Exec-Prod: Andrew Orenstein, Michael Shepard, Denise Moss Prod: Alexandra Raffe LP: S. Lily Hui PD: Jill Scott PM: Doug Brons PC: Carol Schafer SPFX: John MacCuspie Cast: Randal Edwards, Julia Voth, Harland Williams, Jay Malone Sched: Oct 20/12 to Jan 25/13.

© 2012 WBEI

P: © Crown Media United States, LLC

A modern re-imagining and prequel to the movie Psycho. Exec-Prod: Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin Prod: Justis Greene, Tucker Gates DOP: Tom Yatsko, John Bartley PD: Mark Freeborn PM: Heather Meehan PC: Jennifer Metcalf LM: Abraham Fraser Sched: Oct 1/12 to Jan 24/13.

P: © 2011 ABC

BATES MOTEL

THE 100

THE KILLING ~ SEASON 3

MOTIVE A police procedural drama following the investigations of working class single mother Detective Angie Flynn Exec-Prod: James Thorpe, Robert Merilees, Louise Clark LP: John Lenic DOP: Mathias Herndl PD: Don MacAulay PM: Christina Toy PC: Deana Kittson LM: Heather Vedan, John Alexander Sched: Sep 17/12 to Feb 26/13.

Robbie Thompson, Todd Aronauer Consulting Prod: Brad Buckner, Eugenie Ross-Lerming DOP: Serge Ladouceur PD: Jerry Wanek PM: Craig Matheson PC: Jason Fischer LM: Russ Hamilton, Janet McCairns SPFX: Randy Shymkiw Sched: Jul 11/13 to Apr 24/14

P: Frank Ockenfels

P: © 2013 WBEI

John Sleep Cast: Adam Beach, Pascale Hutton, Kevin McNulty, Timothy Webber, Carmen Moore, John Reardon, Stephen Lobo, Emilie Ullerup, Tanaya Beatty, Sear-Lys McArthur Sched: Aug 6 to Nov 26.

SUPERNATURAL ~ SEASON 8 Two brothers hunt demons, ghosts, monsters and other supernatural beings. Exec-Prod: Eric Kripke, Robert Singer, Ben Edlund, McG, Jeremy Carver, Phil Sgriccia Prod: Peter Johnson, Jim Michaels, Craig Matheson, Todd Aronauer DOP: Serge Ladouceur PD: Jerry Wanek PM: Craig Matheson PC: Jason Fischer LM: Russ Hamilton, Janet McCairns SPFX: Randy Shymkiw Cast: Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles Sched: Jul 9/12 - Apr 19/13

SUPERNATURAL ~ Season 9 Exec-Prod: Robert Singer, Jeremy Carver, Phil

Sgriccia,McG , Adam Glass Co-Exec: Nicole Snyder, Eric Charmelo, Andrew Dabb, Jim Michaels Prod:

THE TOMORROW PEOPLE The story of several young people possessing special powers, including the ability to teleport and communicate with each other telepathically.

Together they work to defeat the forces of evil. Exec-Prod: Greg Berlanti, Julie Plec, Phil Klemmer, Danny Cannon Prod: Peter Schindler DOP: Dermott Downs, David Moxness PD: Doug Kraner PM: Charles Lyall PC: Lukia Czernin LM: Greg Jackson SPFX: Darren Marcoux Cast: Robbie Amell, Peyton List, Luke Mitchell, Mark Pellegrino, Aaron Yoo, Madeleine Mantock Sched: Jul 16 to Dec 9.

WAYWARD PINES A Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two federal agents who have gone missing and soon learns that he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. ExecProd: Chad Hodge, Donald De Line, M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan Dir: Charlotte Sieling, Zal Batmanglij PM: Craig Forrest PC: Jennifer Aichholz LM: Dan Carr, David Tamkin Sched: Oct 28/13 to Feb 20/14.

WHEN CALLS THE HEART A cultured young teacher in 1910 accepts a teaching position in a frontier town where she finds love with a handsome Royal Canadian Mountie.

Prod: Vicki Sotheran, Greg Malcolm Dir: Michael Landon Jr. DOP: Robert Brinkmann PD: Brentan Harron PM: Simon Richardson PC: Michael Lien LM: David Fullerton Cast: Daniel Lissing, Erin Krakow Sched: Sep 3 to Dec 19.

27

Saskatchewan starts over The Saskatchewan industry was decimated in 2012 when the provincial government axed its tax credit but the local industry is now cautiously optimistic they can rebuild under a different model.

The government launched Creative Saskatchewan in 2013, and gave the organization $5 million to fund a wide range of artistic endeavors from books and film to music and painting.

In its first round of funding, Creative Saskatchewan handed out $2 million in grants to 62 different projects, including feature films, documentary series, album releases and book publishing.

Only four projects received screen-based production grants. The largest award went to Regina-based Lowell Dean’s WolfCop, a low-budget horror-comedy about a police officer

WITCHES OF EAST END

Kim Goddard-Rains PD: John Blackie Cast: Bill Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks Sched: Nov 4 to Apr 4, 2014.

Supernatural drama about a family of immortal witches. Exec-Prod: Maggie Friedman, Jonathan Kaplan, Erwin Stoff Prod: Shawn Williamson DOP: Bob Aschmann PD: Rachel O’Toole PM: Paul Lukaitis PC: Melissa Crich LM: Michael Roberts SPFX: Jak Osmond Sched: Jul 16 to Oct 22.

Alberta ALBERTA FEATURES

INTERSTELLER (FLORA’S LETTER) A science fiction film about a team of space travelers who travel through a wormhole. Dir: Christopher Nolan DOP: Hoyte Van Hoytema PM: Casey Grant PC: Kim Goddard-Rains, Jill Christensen PD: Nathan Crowley Cast: Matthew McCaughey, Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, Michael Caine Sched: Aug 2 to Sep 3.

CUT BANK An athlete turned auto mechanic dreams of getting out of Cut Bank, Montana. Prod: Laura Rister, Dan Cohen, Mickey Barold, Mark C Manuel, Ted O’Neal, Edward Zwick Dir: Matt Shakman DOP: Ben Richardson PM: Doug Steeden PC: Michelle Gougeon PD: Laura Fox Cast: John Malkovich, Bill Bob Thornton, Liam Hemsworth Sched: Jun 12 to Jul 18.

FORSAKEN After abandoning his gun and reputation as a quick-draw killer, a man returns to his hometown in hopes of repairing his relationship with his estranged father. Dir: Jon Cassar DOP: Rene Ohashi PM: Lisa Byrne PC: Holly Baird PD: Ken Rempel Cast: Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland Sched: Jul 10 to Aug 28.

THE FREEZER A man is locked in a meat freezer by Russian thugs who believe that he owes them 8 million dollars.

Prod: Lee Nelson, David Buelow, Rhonda Baker, Lisa Byrne Dir: Mikael Salomon PM: Lisa Byrne PC: Crystal Kadatz Cast: Dylan McDermott, Peter Facinelli, Yulia Snigir Sched: Jan 9 to Jan 29.

THE CUT Prod: Fatih Akin, Flaminio Zadra, Karl Baumgartner,

Marcus Loges, Doug Steeden, Laurette Baurassa

28

Follows sisters Amy and Lou Fleming and their grandfather Jack Bartlett through the highs and lows of life on a horse ranch in cattle country.

Prod: Michael Weinberg, Heather Conkie, Tom Cox, Jordy Randall, Jamie Paul Rock Dir: David Frazee, Stefan Scaini, Jim Donovan Dean Bennett Chris Potter, Grant Harvey DOP: Craig Wrobleski PM: Lorenz Augin PC: Hudson Cooley Cast: Amber Marshall, Sean Johnston, Michelle Morgan, Chris Potter, Graham Wardle, Alisha Newton Sched: May 13 to Dec 9.

HELL ON WHEELS SEASON 3 Western series about the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States.

Prod: Chad Oaks, Michael Frislev, Paul Kutra, Mark Richard, John Wirth, Jeremy Gold DOP: Marvin V. Rush UPM: Linda Ambury PD: John Blackie PC: Joy Bond Cast: Anson Mount, Colm Meaney, Common, Jennifer Ferrin, Robin McLeavy, Christopher Heyerdahl, Phil Burke, Ben Elser, Kasha Kropinski, Dohn Norwood Sched: Apr 23 to Aug 21.

TINY PLASTIC MEN 2 Sitcom-sketch comedy show about a group of misfits who survive the boredom of their toy and game testing jobs by using a myriad of distractions, both fantasy and reality-based. Prod: Camille Beaudoin, Eric Rebalkin, Jesse Lipscombe Dir: Francis Damberger DOP: Wes Doyle PM: Karen Redford PC: Lisa Matthews Cast: Chris Craddock, Matt Alden, Mark Meer, Belinda Cornish, Jesse Gervais Sched: Jun 24 to Jul 19.

ALBERTA TV MOVIES

Dir: Fatih Akin PM: Darin Wilson PC: Michelle Gougeon Cast: Tahar Rahim, Akin Gazi, Alejandro Rae, George Georgiou Sched: Apr 11 to Apr 15.

KLONDIKE Two adventurers travel North West in the late 1890s during the Klondike Gold Rush. Prod: Clara George, Chad Oaks, Mike Frislev Dir: Simon Cellan Jones PM: Petros Danabassis PC: Kim GoddardRains PD: Ken Rempel Cast: Sam Shepard, Tim Roth, Tim Blake, Richard Madden, Abbie Cornish Sched: March 25 to Jun 4.

Alberta TV Series

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Features

BLACKSTONE SEASON 3 Follows the lives of First Nations on the Blackstone Indian reserve. Exec Prod: Ron E. Scott Prod: Jesse Szymanski, Damon Vignale Dir: Ron E Scott PM: Dennis Fitzgerald PC: Lisa Ragosin PD: Myron Hyrak Cast: Carmen Moore, Eric Schweig, Michelle Thrush, Nathaniel Arcand, Steve Cree Molison Sched: March 25 to May 5.

DELMER AND MARTA

#SAVEBCFILM

HEARTLAND SEASON 7

A couple relocate to Alberta, and adjusting to life in the prairie community. Prod: Camille Boeudoin, Eric Rebalkin, Jesse Lipcombe Dir: Michael Kennedy PM: Doug Steeden PC: Tracy Noga Cast: Sheldon Elter, Howie Miller, Patricia Zentilli, Jason Cermak Sched: Feb 23 to March 1.

FARGO Based on Joel and Ethan Coen’s classic movie Fargo. Exec prod: Noah Hawley, Warren Littlefield, Adam Bernstein, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Geyer Kosinski Prod: Michael Frislev, Chad Oakes Kim Todd DOP: Matthew J. Lloyd PM: Leslie Cowan PC:

WOLFCOP Horror-comedy about an alcoholic cop who turns into a wherwolf. Exec Prod: J. Joly, Bill Marks, Brian Wildeen Prod: Bernie Hernando, Danielle Masters, Hugh Patterson LP: Deborah Marks Dir: Lowell Dean DOP: Peter La Rocque PD: Justin Ludwig PC: Crystal Van Pelt Cast: Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Jonathan Cherry, Sarah Lind. saskatchewan TV Series

Space Stretch Live-action/animated pre-school series about a space ship piloted by yogi captain Crash Tanga.

Reel West January / February 2014

P: Shawn Fulton Photography

and Thunderbird Films’ Showcase scifi series Continuum, YTV sitcom No Assembly Required, and City’s Package Deal.

“Domestic business is growing and we hope to continue that trend,” says Hawkins.

2014 is off to a strong start in B.C. with big budget features such as the monster truck movie Formula M, World of Warcraft, and Night at the Museum 3 all landing in the province.

But series remains the bread and butter of the B.C. industry.

“We are a TV town, it is the major employer,” says Hawkins. “Features are gravy.”

Fortunately there is a good mix of series shooting in B.C. in winter 2014, including ABC’s Once Upon A Time, and a slate of CW shows including Arrow, Supernatural and The Tomorrow People.

turned werewolf, which received $250,000 in funding. The film is the first project to win the CineCoup Film Accelerator and is guaranteed a Cineplex Release. The documentary, Hurry Hard, about the province’s curling history, received $99,149.

A number of other projects received screen-based content development grants.

Holly Baird, President of the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Association, says the organization is in discussions with Creative Saskatchewan to figure out the best way to use the fund to help local film and TV companies finance projects and rebuild the industry.

“It will likely will be more web based and digital projects, as traditional film and TV won’t work with the new Creative Sask system,” she points out. With the maximum production funding grant capped at $250,000, the new system makes more sense for smaller projects.

“In the old program you got 25% to 30% of your financing out of tax credits but now under the new system, on a $1 million project you can still get 25% but or any project over $1 million you aren’t getting much as much money as compared to other jurisdictions,” explains Baird.

Baird’s company Trilight Entertainment now has offices in Calgary as well as Regina and she is developing smaller projects for Saskatchewan and larger ones that can take advantage of Alberta’s grant system.

Many other Saskatchewan producers have either left the province completely or have offices in other cities. As well, most of the crew base has left to find work.

“Those who have stuck around are trying to rebuild their business model to deal with the new realities of Creative Saskatchewan funding,” says Baird. “It’s a year of transition.” n

P: Dan Power

Wrap-up continued from page 24

Prod/Dir: Tim Tyler cast: Ryan Leier, Vincent Lu,

Kristen Holfeuer, Jeff Pufahl, Carrie Catherine.

Manitoba Manitoba FeatureS

ALOFT A mother and son are torn apart by an accident.

Prod: Mark Johnson, Phyllis Laing, José María Morales, Jérôme Vidal, Ibon Cormenzana LP: Rhonda Baker Dir: Claudia Llosa DP: Nicolas Bolduc PM: Joe Laurin PC: Kim Mikoluff PD: Eugenio Caballero Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Melanie Laurent. Sched: Mar 11 to Apr 26.

DESERTED CITIES A man looks to rekindle his relationship with his wife, a self-style feminist who leaves Mexico City behind for a writer’s conference held in the chilly U.S. heartland. Prod: Roberto Sneider, Liz Jarvis Dir: Roberto Sneider DOP: Antonio Calvache PD: Eugenio Caballero PM: Aura Santamaria Cast: Gael García Bernal, Ashley Hinshaw.

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL A small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, lifechanging experience with the world. Dir: Randall Wallace DOP: Dean Semler PM: Lesley Oswald PC: Tamara Methune Cast: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum. Sched: Jun 25 to Aug 13.

JOY RIDE 3 Rusty Nail is back on the road again looking to punish injustice at every turn. Prod: Kim Todd Dir: Declan O’Brien DOP: Michael Marshall PM: Tasia Geras PC: Aaron Graham Cast: Kirsten Prout, Jesse Hutch, Ben Hollingsworth, Ken Kirzinger Sched: Aug 30 to Sep 27.

MIDNIGHT SUN A young boy attempts to reunite an abandoned polar bear cub with its mother in northern Canada.

Prod: Rob Heydon, Karine Martin, Brando Quilici, Kim Todd Dir: Roger Spottiswoode DOP: Peter Wunstorf PM: Gina Fowler PC: Colleen Wowchuck Sched: May 27 to Jul 12.

MOULIN ROUGE – THE BALLET Set against the colourful famed French cabaret in Paris during the 1890s, a romance blooms between an artist and a young dancer lured to the city. Prod: Louis Paquin, Gilles Paquin

STRINGS A counselor makes a startling discovery as he

Indie Scene continued from page 9

the consolidation of screens and distribution networks. Distributors are understandably fixated on Cineplex, but the mainstream is never going to be an easy channel for independent and low budget films.”

And in this era of social media, being successful at non-mainstream is made that much easier. It also allows for interesting one off screening events, which can only be orchestrated through social media, such as the blind date night that Bowen set up at Vancouver’s Rio Theatre where she teamed up people online to attend Random Acts of Romance on a blind date. Not sure if it resulted in as many love affairs as people had for the movie but it resulted in a nearly sold out screening.

Reel West January / February 2014

works with a drug-addicted DJ who has been ordered by the court to live with his estranged father until he becomes an adult. Prod: Phyllis Laing, Danny Rodriguez, Daniel Duran Oscar Orlando Torres LP: Rhonda Baker Dir: Daniel Duran PM: Wanda Bretcher Cast: Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello, Laura Dern. Sched: Jun 10 to Jul 20.

TEEN LUST An awkward high school student strives to lose his virginity before his parents and their Satanic cult can sacrifice him to the devil. Exec Prod: Kyle Bornais, Scott Leary, Jeff Sackman Prod: Kyle Mann LP: Larisa Andrews Dir: Blaine Thurier DOP: James Liston PD: Gordon Wilding Sched: Aug 12 to Aug 31.

Manitoba TV Series

CASHING IN 4 Matthew Tommy is on a mission to make North Beach North America’s #1 First Nation Casino. Exec Prod: Phyllis Laing, PM: Wanta Bretecher LP: Ellen Rutter Sched: Sep 09 to Oct 4.

SIBERIA 2 Mockumentary series about a reality television show where 16 contestants must survive in the Siberian territory of Tunguska. Shortly after arrival, the contestants notice strange things and are abandoned by the production of the reality show Prod: Phyllis Laing, James Gibb DOP: Paul Suderman PM: Wanda Bretecher PC: Scott Layton Sched: Mar 11 to Apr 12.

Manitoba TV Movies

BUNKS Two brothers accidentally awaken a curse that brings campfire stories to life and sets a massive zombie outbreak into motion. Prod: Brendon Sawatzky, Ian Dimmerman, Brian Irving Dir: Tibor Takacs PM / LP: Ellen Rutter DOP: Michael Marshall PC: Colleen Wowchuck Cast: Dylan Schmid, Aidan Shipley Sched: Jun 23 to Jul 19.

GABBY DOUGLAS PROJECT About the young life of Gabby Douglas, the first American to win both the individual all-around and team gymnastics competitions in a single year’s Olympic Games, and the first woman of color to take the gold in the individual allaround competition. Prod: Zev Braun Dir: Greg Champion DOP: Gordon Lonsdale PM: Kym Crepin PC: Terri Ann Ward PD: Réjean Labrie Sched: Sep 9 to Oct 25. n

Dippong thinks such one-off, event driven screenings are becoming more and more valid, “as long as they get the numbers”. He adds that the filmmaker/distributor relationship is becoming increasingly a la carte where the filmmaker contracts out separate services, such as VOD, theatrical, etc. to companies that specialize in those areas.

So, as with most things in this industry, it all depends on your situation as every film has a unique scenario that requires creativity off the screen as well as on.

And how are we planning on releasing our film Lawrence & Holloman this Spring? That still remains to be decided as we explore these various options, but whichever route we go, we know that we will be actively involved. n

Legal Briefs continued from page 7

in a production within the lifestyle/human interest genre”.

Even with the benefits of the new guidelines, all Canadian producers of documentary and eligible “reality” programming should familiarize themselves with this case. It is always a good idea to consult with CAVCO and your production attorney if you are uncertain whether or not your program will fall under the classification of documentary or lifestyle/human interest. This could Beginnings continued from page 11

content, about $4M every month on the popular campaign service Indigogo. As your promoters, fans serve as part of your marketing team, linking to your download sales and monitoring spoilers. Social media fans also spend more than other consumers, and they generate recurring revenue – a much better measure than simple ratings. And when fans upload your content on YouTube, that money goes to you.

At FanTrust our goal is to get you collaborating with your fans on these activities and everything in between, such as casting and co-production.

With all of this effort and devotion, you could certainly call me a “fan-fan”.

We’ve created fan strategies for some of the world’s top TV shows of all time, including the CSI franchise, and helped build fan hits from development through multi-season pickups, on shows like Sanctuary, Ice Pilots, Kid vs Kat, Rookie Blue, Motive and dozens more. Our approach is always highly customized, when it comes to fans there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all.

We also position our TV production clients to better collaborate with broadcasters on social media and second screen apps. Everyone wants a hit, but the work of hit-making has changed, with both networks and producers playing a direct role in connecting with audiences.

And of course the broadcasting world continues to change. The Emmy Awards, where I serve on the international jury and Academy nominating committee, now recognizes digital productions. Today we guide our clients in pitching original series to Yahoo, Hulu, YouTube and other “new broadcasters” who not only distribute

help to avoid mischaracterizing your production, and finding yourself in a position where you are denied “Canadian content” certification.

Lori Massini is a lawyer with the entertainment law boutique Chandler Fogden. Lori’s practice focuses on entertainment law with an emphasis on the film and television industry. Lori advises producers on varied legal issues, including production financing, labour issues, contract negotiations, talent agreements as well as errors and omissions issues. n library video, but who now help finance content development and production. When Nokia and Orange Telecom France formed a strategic alliance to identify, fund and distribute new mobile games, they called on FanTrust to build momentum among their premium game developers.

Our international clients also include eOne Television, a leader in acquisitions of all stripes – from companies, to output deals to primetime hits; the Mexican government program TechBA, which uses FanTrust to help open new markets for its animation and game companies; and TV2 Norway, which has a national subscription service competitive to Netflix. Our YouTube business includes advising top talent as well as top multichannel network BroadbandTV, which recently signed a $36M investment deal with European broadcaster RTL. In many ways our job at FanTrust has become easier with the advent of social networks, smart phones, smart TV’s, apps and YouTube – to name a very few recent developments. But, at the same time, the digital world is now far more complex. So our clients rely on us to sort out the digital sizzle from the steak, to rank and deliver returns when it comes to choosing the right digital partners, technologies, social networks and formats for their rights.

Ultimately, we are the digital bookends, doing the deal-making and the fan-building that gives today’s media properties their underlying value. It can take a leap of faith to negotiate a digital partnership, say between a TV producer and a game developer or a set-top box distributor. And many of these deals involve revenue sharing.

Only with the audience, through the lifeblood of the fans, will these deals be profitable for everyone. n 29

Final Edit

A scene from Karen Lam’s Evangaline

Female Filmmakers in the Spotlight

T

he 9th Annual Vancouver International Women in Film Festival will take place March 6 to 9 at the Vancity Theatre with screenings of the latest films from local directors, including Karen Lam’s horror film Evangaline, Ann Wheeler’s documentary Chi, Michelle Ouellet’s Afterparty and Lisa Jackson’s How a People Live.

Evangeline is the story of a young woman, left for dead in the woods after being beaten by fellow university students, who turns into an angel of revenge. Afterparty is an edgy drama about a group of wedding guests partying together in a house after the reception is over. It features an ensemble cast that includes Jodi Balfour, Emma Lahana, David Milchard, Erica Carroll, Peter Benson, Christina Sicoli, Graham Coffeng and Ali Liebert.

Chi is a documentary about Vancouver actress Babz Chulas’ last year before succumbing to cancer; while How a People Live is funded by the Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’xw Nations from Port Hardy, and looks at the hardships the people endured after a forced location from their homelands.

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The festival showcases short and feature length films by both established and emerging women filmmakers from B.C. and around the world.

Local shorts include Newcomers Swim Every Friday by Megna Halder, The Meeting by Lam, Mimi and Me by Marly Reed, The Weather Girl

by Carleen Kyle and When I Saw You by Jane Hancock.

Organized by Women in Film and Television Vancouver, the festival also includes guest artists, workshops, gala and industry events, as well as Festival Awards and a Screenwriter Mentorship Award.

The Audience Award went to Jason Priestley’s road movie Cas & Dylan, which features a heartwarming turn by movie icon Richard Dreyfuss and a scene-stealing performance by Tatiana Maslany, who won Best Performance in a Borsos Competition film for the second year running.

Acresses Ali Liebert and Emily Hampshire were both honoured with WFF’s Stars to Watch awards The World Documentary Award was presented to Mitchell Kezin’s Jingle Bell Rocks!, a personal look at

the director’s obsession with Christmas tunes.

Best Mountain Culture Film Award went to The Crash Reel, directed by Academy Award nominee Lucy Walker, which offers an intimate and disturbing look at the world of high performance action sports.

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists Inc. (AWFJ) presented several juried AWFJ EDA Awards: Best Female Directed Narrative Feature went to Ingrid Veninger’s The Animal Project; Best Female Directed Documentary was awarded to Walker’s The Crash Reel; and Special Mention for Documentary Excellence was given to Alanis Obomsawin’s Hi-Ho Mastahey.

The $1,000 Canadian ShortWork Award went to Marshall Axani’s Anxious Oswald Greene; the $500 ShortWork Student Award was given to Andrew Pollins’ Backward Fall; and the MPPIA Short Film Award was won by Nick Citton for The Future Perfect, and comes with a $15,000 cash prize plus up to $100,000 in production services.

Three projects were optioned for international development via WFF’s 2nd annual China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition: the romantic comedy The Shanghai Hotel, written and produced by Eric Johnson and Adria Budd Johnson; the coming of age story Zamboni, written by Brian Dick and Tricia Finn, and produced by JP Finn and Sacha McLean; and the comedy Little Big Fish, written by Simone Stock and Shawn Tanaka, and produced by Misha Skoric. The projects will now move forward with the support of Chinese production partners. n

A scene from Michelle Oulette’s Afterparty

Whistler Award Winners The 13th annual Whistler Film Festival wrapped in December, with over 600 delegates and attendance topping 9400 guests.

The festival handed out a number of awards included the coveted $15,000 Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature, which was awarded to The Husband, directed by Bruce McDonald. The film follows a father (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos) raising a child alone, while his wife serves a prison sentence for an affair with a 14-year-old student.

Reel West January / February 2014

Twice voted Western Canada’s Trade Magazine of the Year, Reel West is the most informative magazine for the film, video and digital production industry. Each bi-monthly issue features articles for and about the people, places and events that shape our industry.