Okay, so my roommate Carly seems to have sweated out enough toxins that she's able to function on a semi-normal mindset. She's been taking my dog Biscuitface, out for walks, much to his relief, mine and probably the whole floor of our apartment building. And as a special treat she's been able to make the trip to Burger King for daily nourishment; Whoppers with Cheese. Really, all major food groups are faux represented here.
My sister Stella continues to gestate (ed. though you can't really tell where the baby starts and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese ends.) and there's still no sign of her former Brazillian boyfriend. Surprise, surprise. Another unproven hit and run. I love my sister Stella, but she lies around all day, watching Brazillian television and eating. True not much different than when she wasn't pregnant but she's become so complacent in her life...I think she's in for a hugely rude awakening soon.
As Carly has been out of commission, earnings wise, and Stella really hasn't ever earned any sort of living, it's up to me to bring home the bacon. (ed. even though you can'y leave the apartment to bring anything home and bacon on a Whopper with Cheese is extra.)
So I've decided to get out my old IBM Selectric (ed. Its like a PC only you only see words after they're printed out.) and write for tv like I used to. Being a shareholder in DHX aka Halifax Film, I think I may have an "in". Unfortunately, the ideas are not forthcoming. All I've come up with is a show called "Dora On The Go", where an animated girl talks to the audience to try and solve a puzzle i.e. quest. She has an animal sidekick who may or my not be wearing boots. Ah, they'll never go for that.
Speaking of Halifax Film, I woke up in a sweat last night because something reminded me that "we" may be in violation of the tax credit rules. Though we've raised $25M and then another $17M through investors, and another $2M through the Nova Scotia Business Inc. (ed. i.e. taxpayer dollars) I remembered that back in the initial days of the Nova Scotia Film and Video Tax Credit, there was a limit as to how much a company could be worth before getting more taxpayer dollars through the credit. This arcahic rule said that any company that was worth more than $25M shouldn't be accessing taxpayer dollars like they were some kind of welfare mother or something (ed. hello, people on welfare just got a $4/month raise! What more do they want?)
So I was quite relieved when I found that section had been deleted from the applicable legislation; phew. (ed. Is that the gov't's fiscal or ours? And when did we go public? Oh, never mind, film and tv is sexy and the best photo-op in the world!)
Now that section of the act says:
(a) the corporation is incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province of Canada and is a taxable Canadian corporation primarily carrying on business that is a film or video production business; (snore, Michael Donovan's a lawyer and he can hire someone to do this in their sleep)
(b) the corporation has a permanent establishment in Nova Scotia; (can you get more permanent than a bank? Well, how about one of Michael's two houses? Or Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop's) (ed. I'd hate that, never knowing which house had my lucky socks in them.))
(c) at least 25% of salaries and wages of the corporation are eligible salaries. (again, Michael has taken care of this.)
I guess the gov't woke up and smelled the cappochino and figured, the bigger the better and if gov't money wasn't going to the squeegie kids (ed. why do their dogs have cellphones?) it should be spent on Rob Lowe's trailer.
My Whopper with Cheese is here so thats it for tonight. The list of Telefilm approved/financed scripts came out today so I shurely will be commenting on that tomorrow. Oh, bonus! Fries!
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Friday 14 December 2007
Random Friday Night Stuff!
It's Friday night in Halifax and I guess all the film and tv people are out partying, "'tis the season" as they say. I haven't seen my friend/editor, Maurice since he headed off to the NSFDC aka Film Nova Scotia party last night. I'm sure he's okay. I try not to worry but the last time he was gone for 24 hours like this, he was missing for two days. Then he showed up at my door saying he had been working on a reality show for the CBC called, "Eat, Drink, Puke: McLean's Magazine Finally Decides Canada's Best University. As we live between Dalhousie and St. Mary's I don't take sides. Actually, on a Friday night, I usually see both sides outside my window.
This season is a mixed blessing for me; I love the animated Christmas specials on TV, the coloured lights of the neighbouring houses and apartments, but I hate the bitter memories of Christmas' gone by. I don't want to "down you" but finding coal in our stockings was actually a blessing in Cape Breton, in the day. Once in a while we found an orange on the tracks between the colliries, and we didn't question where they came from. Um, memories of juicy railway oranges, now that's Christmas to me.
Anyhoo, back to Tv, in the now. The big news is that Apple has decided there is enough interest to offer Canadian TV shows for downloading. I haven't checked it out yet, but I have my fingers crossed that both seasons of "Blackfly" are available. Just try and keep me away from the computer for that. Apparently, the downloads are $1.99 each and if they don't charge 10% more for Blackfly, they don't realize the historical cash cow they have. I can't imagine what the Americans will think when they are offered the series.
In other news, Toronto's Ellen Page is featured in Entertainment Weekly and she's been nominated for the CANADIAN film "Juno" for a Golden Globe. (Or is she nominated for a Juno for Golden Globe?) Talented and so gosh darn cute.
Now someone told me (via anonymous e-mail) that Halifax Film's Christmas party includes a toy drive for underprivledged kids. Apparently you pay the wholesale price of one of the Lunar Jim toys and it's donated to some indigent child. Um, excuse me, but as a shareholder, I don't see a lot of "Oliver's" roaming the streets looking for a "Ted" or "Rover" toy. All I see are hooligan's who spraypaint the sides of buildings with grammatically incorrect anatomical descriptions. Dare I say I would like to provide them with a "Ripple" in a secure place. So let's not let the wholesale price of Chinese produced "action figures" be compared to what they sell for in Zellers. Let's keep that little secret to ourselves.
This arguement may be all for not, anyway as I don't put a lot of credibility in this report anyway. For one thing it assumes that Halifax Film will be giving away/donating/contributing to a cause. Sorry kids, business is business. Plus the other part of this supposed report that Charles (the Green Arrow Bishop) dressed up as Santa. Now, that, I'd leave the apartment to see..
This season is a mixed blessing for me; I love the animated Christmas specials on TV, the coloured lights of the neighbouring houses and apartments, but I hate the bitter memories of Christmas' gone by. I don't want to "down you" but finding coal in our stockings was actually a blessing in Cape Breton, in the day. Once in a while we found an orange on the tracks between the colliries, and we didn't question where they came from. Um, memories of juicy railway oranges, now that's Christmas to me.
Anyhoo, back to Tv, in the now. The big news is that Apple has decided there is enough interest to offer Canadian TV shows for downloading. I haven't checked it out yet, but I have my fingers crossed that both seasons of "Blackfly" are available. Just try and keep me away from the computer for that. Apparently, the downloads are $1.99 each and if they don't charge 10% more for Blackfly, they don't realize the historical cash cow they have. I can't imagine what the Americans will think when they are offered the series.
In other news, Toronto's Ellen Page is featured in Entertainment Weekly and she's been nominated for the CANADIAN film "Juno" for a Golden Globe. (Or is she nominated for a Juno for Golden Globe?) Talented and so gosh darn cute.
Now someone told me (via anonymous e-mail) that Halifax Film's Christmas party includes a toy drive for underprivledged kids. Apparently you pay the wholesale price of one of the Lunar Jim toys and it's donated to some indigent child. Um, excuse me, but as a shareholder, I don't see a lot of "Oliver's" roaming the streets looking for a "Ted" or "Rover" toy. All I see are hooligan's who spraypaint the sides of buildings with grammatically incorrect anatomical descriptions. Dare I say I would like to provide them with a "Ripple" in a secure place. So let's not let the wholesale price of Chinese produced "action figures" be compared to what they sell for in Zellers. Let's keep that little secret to ourselves.
This arguement may be all for not, anyway as I don't put a lot of credibility in this report anyway. For one thing it assumes that Halifax Film will be giving away/donating/contributing to a cause. Sorry kids, business is business. Plus the other part of this supposed report that Charles (the Green Arrow Bishop) dressed up as Santa. Now, that, I'd leave the apartment to see..
Friday 7 December 2007
Halifax Film/TV Celebrates 100! But not too loud, Okay...
Sorry about signing off early last night but I was feeling a little "under the weather". (ed. If by "weather" you mean "cosmopolitans" and by "under" you mean "had a dozen" than I agree.)
My editor tonight is Maurice (ed. Howdy), who has been here for more than 24 hours, which I'm sure is past the best before date, hint, hint. He came over last night after the Telefilm party, and the Shoe Shop after that. I'll pass the keyboard over to him to talk about the party.
(ed. Thanks. Not much to tell, I arrived about an hour after it started, fashionably late of course. I made my way to the bar and after watching the bartender painstakingly pour a tonic water out of a can into a glass for 13 minutes, I scored a lukewarm Keiths. The usual "in" crowd was there and I was able to draw upon my powers of invisibility, and not have any of them approach me and initiate conversation. I just hate the chit-chat that is common at these events.
I positioned myself in the boardroom which gave me access to snacks, a view of the main room and most importantly a back-up escape route should I be cornered by any "producer, writer, director, actor in training" that assumed I might be somebody important.
The highlight of the evening was when Gord Whittiker made a speech about the accomplishments of Telefilm Halifax i.e. Atlantic Provinces over the last year. And actually it sounded impresive; Chaz Thorne wrote two movies and directed one of them with that guy from Lethal weapon, no, not him, the other guy: Michael Melski was wrapping up a film he wrote and directed and Jay Dahl was "going to camera" in the new year. Maybe not "Men With Brooms" but still impressive. Especially since Telefilm "Papa" in Toronto, couldn't see the East Coast with a set of binoculars.
It was a bit unsettling when Gordon mentioned "Shake Hands With the Devil" as a high point for the industry in the province. Usually any mention of DHX/Halifax film project draw an enthusiastic response but last night it was half-hearted. It picked up a bit when it was revealed that someone from the company was in the room, but it died when that person was revealed to be Dana (the Link) Laundry, a number cruncher. Applause died completely when it was found that even he had either not bothered to show up or had left.
After that, I mingled a bit, without making eye contact, stole a phone and then left. The remainder of the evening is a blur.)
And, although I wasn't there, I must say the snacks (I can't spell h'ordeaves) were't that great. Maurice brought back some pita bread and humus and some sort of substance in a tartlet. Even with allowing for the fact they were in Maurice's pocket for ten hours, they were not that good. Shrimp anyone? Or scallops, or salmon on a cracker? This is Eastern Canada after all.
Anyhoo, in other N.S. film news, "A Bug and a Bag of Weed" is debuting in theatres this week. (ed. this title is not going to work in Goerge Bush's America). This is a locally written, shot, acted, etc., etc. movie. Apparently, with telefilm money, a bunch of guys made a movie for $500,000. Sounds like a lot of money but, no offence, my company (ed. note: the writer owns 1000 shares of DHX/Halifax Film) spends that on Christmas bonus's. (ed. Note: Just Above the Line. Not employees or shareholders.)
I don't know of anyone who's gone to see the movie or if it's any good but DHX bought animation giant Studio B this week.
That brings me to my personal life, sorry to bore you all again but...there's three of us living in this one bedroom apartment (five if you count my dog Biscuitface and the thing growing in my sister's womb), and there's very little income coming in.
So, I have decided to return to the career i left behind, oh so many years ago; writing. I figure that instead of trying to write for shows that are already on the air, I would CREATE (yes, in capitals, WGA, my BROTHERS in arms!) a show and pitch it to a producer who has better access than me to the broadcasters. Maybe Halifax Film, my brethren.
My editor tonight is Maurice (ed. Howdy), who has been here for more than 24 hours, which I'm sure is past the best before date, hint, hint. He came over last night after the Telefilm party, and the Shoe Shop after that. I'll pass the keyboard over to him to talk about the party.
(ed. Thanks. Not much to tell, I arrived about an hour after it started, fashionably late of course. I made my way to the bar and after watching the bartender painstakingly pour a tonic water out of a can into a glass for 13 minutes, I scored a lukewarm Keiths. The usual "in" crowd was there and I was able to draw upon my powers of invisibility, and not have any of them approach me and initiate conversation. I just hate the chit-chat that is common at these events.
I positioned myself in the boardroom which gave me access to snacks, a view of the main room and most importantly a back-up escape route should I be cornered by any "producer, writer, director, actor in training" that assumed I might be somebody important.
The highlight of the evening was when Gord Whittiker made a speech about the accomplishments of Telefilm Halifax i.e. Atlantic Provinces over the last year. And actually it sounded impresive; Chaz Thorne wrote two movies and directed one of them with that guy from Lethal weapon, no, not him, the other guy: Michael Melski was wrapping up a film he wrote and directed and Jay Dahl was "going to camera" in the new year. Maybe not "Men With Brooms" but still impressive. Especially since Telefilm "Papa" in Toronto, couldn't see the East Coast with a set of binoculars.
It was a bit unsettling when Gordon mentioned "Shake Hands With the Devil" as a high point for the industry in the province. Usually any mention of DHX/Halifax film project draw an enthusiastic response but last night it was half-hearted. It picked up a bit when it was revealed that someone from the company was in the room, but it died when that person was revealed to be Dana (the Link) Laundry, a number cruncher. Applause died completely when it was found that even he had either not bothered to show up or had left.
After that, I mingled a bit, without making eye contact, stole a phone and then left. The remainder of the evening is a blur.)
And, although I wasn't there, I must say the snacks (I can't spell h'ordeaves) were't that great. Maurice brought back some pita bread and humus and some sort of substance in a tartlet. Even with allowing for the fact they were in Maurice's pocket for ten hours, they were not that good. Shrimp anyone? Or scallops, or salmon on a cracker? This is Eastern Canada after all.
Anyhoo, in other N.S. film news, "A Bug and a Bag of Weed" is debuting in theatres this week. (ed. this title is not going to work in Goerge Bush's America). This is a locally written, shot, acted, etc., etc. movie. Apparently, with telefilm money, a bunch of guys made a movie for $500,000. Sounds like a lot of money but, no offence, my company (ed. note: the writer owns 1000 shares of DHX/Halifax Film) spends that on Christmas bonus's. (ed. Note: Just Above the Line. Not employees or shareholders.)
I don't know of anyone who's gone to see the movie or if it's any good but DHX bought animation giant Studio B this week.
That brings me to my personal life, sorry to bore you all again but...there's three of us living in this one bedroom apartment (five if you count my dog Biscuitface and the thing growing in my sister's womb), and there's very little income coming in.
So, I have decided to return to the career i left behind, oh so many years ago; writing. I figure that instead of trying to write for shows that are already on the air, I would CREATE (yes, in capitals, WGA, my BROTHERS in arms!) a show and pitch it to a producer who has better access than me to the broadcasters. Maybe Halifax Film, my brethren.
Thursday 6 December 2007
Halifax Film Stuff - Thursday, December 6th, 2007. A Day that Will Live In...well, untill 12:00
Okay, so maybe I shouldn't be blogging tonight because of one too many cosmopolitans (ed. one = six) but its been over a week and people are calammering for news of whats happening in tv and film in Nova Scotia this last week. (ed. perhaps "clammering" is what you meant but not what is real). Anyhoo, my friend Maurice will be editing for you tonight (ed. Hi.)
Maurice is lucky in that, unlike me, he can leave the apartment and interact with the "real" world. Well, not really, he was at the Telefilm Christmas party tonight.
This blog is supposed to be about the "bix", I mean "bix", shit, why do they pot the x so close to the x on the keyboard. I mean Z. But people (I assume they're not seni-cognigent robots from the future) want to know what's happening here. A brief, then back to the news. My sister is even more pregnant than last week, my roommate, Carly is still a drug addicted Ho, and my coc-a poo Bisuitface, has not been walked in three days and ironically is constipated.
I live in a one bedroom apartment.
On the good side DHX aka Halifax Film has bought Studio B. Just like that, they've scooped up the production company that made George of the Jungle, Ricky Spocket, ...and othe stuff. We are #1! (ed. Note: the authour owns 1,000 shares of DHX.) Right, so what are those shares trading at tonight? Let me check.....$1.70.
Wow. That's what it was when I inherited them.
Since I lost my job selling ointments to standup comedians, life has been a bit of a struggle.
I'm feeling a bit flemmy right now, but I'll finish this blog tomorrow night.
Maurice is lucky in that, unlike me, he can leave the apartment and interact with the "real" world. Well, not really, he was at the Telefilm Christmas party tonight.
This blog is supposed to be about the "bix", I mean "bix", shit, why do they pot the x so close to the x on the keyboard. I mean Z. But people (I assume they're not seni-cognigent robots from the future) want to know what's happening here. A brief, then back to the news. My sister is even more pregnant than last week, my roommate, Carly is still a drug addicted Ho, and my coc-a poo Bisuitface, has not been walked in three days and ironically is constipated.
I live in a one bedroom apartment.
On the good side DHX aka Halifax Film has bought Studio B. Just like that, they've scooped up the production company that made George of the Jungle, Ricky Spocket, ...and othe stuff. We are #1! (ed. Note: the authour owns 1,000 shares of DHX.) Right, so what are those shares trading at tonight? Let me check.....$1.70.
Wow. That's what it was when I inherited them.
Since I lost my job selling ointments to standup comedians, life has been a bit of a struggle.
I'm feeling a bit flemmy right now, but I'll finish this blog tomorrow night.
Wednesday 28 November 2007
As Stephen Bishop would sing "On and On" in Halifax
Not much going on, well from my apartment anyway. Just to keep in the blogging habit and with the absence of intelligence (ed. Not that we don't have intelligence, well, that's not what the author meant anyway, he ment outside info) I've just been googling to find info on what's happening.
I found a link from a Martha Stewart fan who hates all things negative about Martha Stewart (ed. taking it a bit personal for a mythological figure, isn't she?) including a tv movie of the week that was shot in Halifax a few years ago. Here's the link if you want to read the whole bloody thing to make sure I didn't take the time (ed. as if!) to make this crap up.
http://www.savemartha.com/themovie.html
I'll cherry pick her too-expansive blog for some quotes "Finally, underlying the bad script and the poor performances is a cheap production quality, which firmly relegates this film to lower-rung status among made-for-TV bio-dramas. The diminutive Halifax (ed. wtf? We are 1:1 full scale even if we do use metric (ed. pay lip service to it anyway))setting has nothing on the glamour and style of Westport or the orderly grit of New Jersey. (ed. Are we supposed to know Westport? I guess if we're Martha fans. And I've been to Jersey. Grit, yes. Orderly? Well, the waste dumps are catagorized according to toxicity, so yeah, have to give them that much.)
In a strange twist of irony, (Candace) Bergen was in Halifax at the same time the shoot for Martha Inc. was going on, starring in a much more prestigious project.
She was cast in a TV film called Footsteps, a suspense drama directed by John Badham, who directed such screen favorites as Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, Incognito and Point of No Return. (ed. anybody ever hear of this? anybody...anybody...Bueller?)
Reports that Candice and Cybill got together for a succulent lobster dinner only to end up in a fist fight knee deep in clam shells are unconfirmed!" (ed. Now that I would pay to see!)
More googling discovered that Ellen Page (X-Men, Hard Candy, Juno) was in an episode of Trailer Park Boys playing "Treena Lahey".
And to be current - Ron Foley MacDonald "The film version of the best-selling book The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, will be shot in Halifax as a television movie starting November 18th. (ed. snore)
To be directed by Mick Jackson - who helmed the widely seen MOW of the hit inspirational memoir Tuesdays With Morrie - The Memory Keeper’s Daughter will star Dermot Mulroney (Gracie) and Emily Watson, who rose to fame in the art film "Breaking The Waves".
But closer to home, my sister Stella has moved back in. She broke up with her Brazillian boyfriend Carl.
Now, I'm not asking for pity here but....I'm sharing a one bedroom apartment with a crack hore roommate, my sister and her pre-natal b*tard child (ed. though no fault of his/her own, and my cock-a-poo, Biscuitface.
And since I can't leave the apartment, something's got to give!
But for no particular reason are Jimmy Stewart, Dean Martin and Orsen Welles just goofin' around on Dean's TV show. Looks like they're having fun cause they are!
I found a link from a Martha Stewart fan who hates all things negative about Martha Stewart (ed. taking it a bit personal for a mythological figure, isn't she?) including a tv movie of the week that was shot in Halifax a few years ago. Here's the link if you want to read the whole bloody thing to make sure I didn't take the time (ed. as if!) to make this crap up.
http://www.savemartha.com/themovie.html
I'll cherry pick her too-expansive blog for some quotes "Finally, underlying the bad script and the poor performances is a cheap production quality, which firmly relegates this film to lower-rung status among made-for-TV bio-dramas. The diminutive Halifax (ed. wtf? We are 1:1 full scale even if we do use metric (ed. pay lip service to it anyway))setting has nothing on the glamour and style of Westport or the orderly grit of New Jersey. (ed. Are we supposed to know Westport? I guess if we're Martha fans. And I've been to Jersey. Grit, yes. Orderly? Well, the waste dumps are catagorized according to toxicity, so yeah, have to give them that much.)
In a strange twist of irony, (Candace) Bergen was in Halifax at the same time the shoot for Martha Inc. was going on, starring in a much more prestigious project.
She was cast in a TV film called Footsteps, a suspense drama directed by John Badham, who directed such screen favorites as Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, Incognito and Point of No Return. (ed. anybody ever hear of this? anybody...anybody...Bueller?)
Reports that Candice and Cybill got together for a succulent lobster dinner only to end up in a fist fight knee deep in clam shells are unconfirmed!" (ed. Now that I would pay to see!)
More googling discovered that Ellen Page (X-Men, Hard Candy, Juno) was in an episode of Trailer Park Boys playing "Treena Lahey".
And to be current - Ron Foley MacDonald "The film version of the best-selling book The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, will be shot in Halifax as a television movie starting November 18th. (ed. snore)
To be directed by Mick Jackson - who helmed the widely seen MOW of the hit inspirational memoir Tuesdays With Morrie - The Memory Keeper’s Daughter will star Dermot Mulroney (Gracie) and Emily Watson, who rose to fame in the art film "Breaking The Waves".
But closer to home, my sister Stella has moved back in. She broke up with her Brazillian boyfriend Carl.
Now, I'm not asking for pity here but....I'm sharing a one bedroom apartment with a crack hore roommate, my sister and her pre-natal b*tard child (ed. though no fault of his/her own, and my cock-a-poo, Biscuitface.
And since I can't leave the apartment, something's got to give!
But for no particular reason are Jimmy Stewart, Dean Martin and Orsen Welles just goofin' around on Dean's TV show. Looks like they're having fun cause they are!
Tuesday 20 November 2007
Halifax (and her Areas) Film/Tv Stuff
Not too much happening, apparently, in the tv/film biz in Halifax. Slowing down for Christmas, I suppose. If I could leave the apartment I'd take in some of the parties that'll surely be going on. Even when I lived in California and Vancouver, I was always able to come home to Halifax at this time of year and there'd be parties, pretty well every night leading up to Christmas; NSFDC, Telefilm, Collideascope (ed. hopefully they've cleaned the washroom since that last time. Or maybe they just boarded it up.), plus many private ones.
But the best was always the Salter Street parties. It was invitation only but I had a friend in the government who I would always tag along with. (ed. presumably in the money supply side.) It was always interesting to watch the room(s) seperated into cliques; the managers, the office worker bees, the honoured guests (ed. funding people?), the young, bright-eyed filmmakers who were excited to have just gotten themselves a job on a production (ed. visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads) and the other prodction workers who had been there a while. (ed. with that "soul sucked out of them" look.)
The high point was when the producers and the executive producers, were wheeled down from the executives offices just drunk enough on imported scotch and the blood of a hundred virgins, to be able to mingle amongst the riff-raff without shuddering.
Sometimes they even made eye contact.
This was before Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop was part of the "team". At one party, I remember he and I in the kitchen joking about what a farce the film industry was with its stupid tier system and status battles. Now that I think about it, the year after that he was having me kicked to the curb by a bouncer when I tried to crash the Salter party. That was the last time I saw him.
Legend has it that after the sale of Salter Street to Alliance Atlantis, he could be heard in the Barrington Street office, scurrying through the heating ducts, playing Hot Cross Buns on his recorder, and bemoaning the fact that he gave up a lucrative film production company (ed. Who can forget The Food Show, and that Loto 649 commercial with the squirrel)
The next time I heard about him, he had been hired , then fired from Alliance Atlantis, The final indignation; he had to sit in the cheap seats at the Academy Awards while Michael Donovan shared the stage (ed. 1/4, 3/4's who is who, you decide.) with Michael Moore. (ed. Rumours persist to this day that it was Charles who was boo'ing the loudest.)
I wonder whatever happened to him? Hmmm.... I wonder...wonder....won...
Oh right.
I have to log off soon as my issue of Playback came today and I'll be snuggling up in my beanbag chair to see what THE publication of CANADIAN TV has to say about the industry this week. The cover has House from Global and some American chick from a "CTV" show.
Who says we can't produce popular programming in this country, eh?!
There's a special supplement on The Comedy Channel's 10'th Anniversary. I really should watch more of this channel representing Canadian comedy classics; from 6 year old 22 Minutes (ed. doesn't "news" start with "new"? to the latest Jon Stewart, this channell has it all!
Otherwise in good old NS, the only production related news is the "attempted" sale of a soundstage in Shelburne has been stalled again. A few years ago, the government of the province was so keen on film and tv production being the saviour of our economy (ed. anybody remember Clairtone? Heavy Water? Call Centres? sigh, oh well its only money and Pfft , only government money at that!) they decided that turning a big empty building in the middle of nowhere would draw hollywood stars like...spiders to butter? I dunno, make up your own allegory here. (ed. I think you mean metaphor.)
Whatever. Surprisingly the movers and shakers of lala land may be enticed to come to Halifax (ed. given the money) but a three hour trip to the boonies (ed. 2 and 1/2 by Hummer with a Mountie escort) was not on the plate.
So other than Virginia's Run a movie about a horse, starring ahorse ans ome other people, the government had spent another $2,75M on a big empty nothing.
So the property was turned over to a local development agency to sell. And an item in the Daily News suggests that this is not as easy as it sounds.
Steve Gilmour wanted to buy the place but says the development agency rep Frank Anderson gave him only "constant delaying tactic and mistruths". Frank Anderson said that the opposite was true. (ed. nice comeback, Potsie.)
Frankly, I never heard of either of these guys but if anybody needs a sound stage for a movie, I thing the rent is real cheap. Just don't expect the Cappocinno to be "not Tim's".
But the best was always the Salter Street parties. It was invitation only but I had a friend in the government who I would always tag along with. (ed. presumably in the money supply side.) It was always interesting to watch the room(s) seperated into cliques; the managers, the office worker bees, the honoured guests (ed. funding people?), the young, bright-eyed filmmakers who were excited to have just gotten themselves a job on a production (ed. visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads) and the other prodction workers who had been there a while. (ed. with that "soul sucked out of them" look.)
The high point was when the producers and the executive producers, were wheeled down from the executives offices just drunk enough on imported scotch and the blood of a hundred virgins, to be able to mingle amongst the riff-raff without shuddering.
Sometimes they even made eye contact.
This was before Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop was part of the "team". At one party, I remember he and I in the kitchen joking about what a farce the film industry was with its stupid tier system and status battles. Now that I think about it, the year after that he was having me kicked to the curb by a bouncer when I tried to crash the Salter party. That was the last time I saw him.
Legend has it that after the sale of Salter Street to Alliance Atlantis, he could be heard in the Barrington Street office, scurrying through the heating ducts, playing Hot Cross Buns on his recorder, and bemoaning the fact that he gave up a lucrative film production company (ed. Who can forget The Food Show, and that Loto 649 commercial with the squirrel)
The next time I heard about him, he had been hired , then fired from Alliance Atlantis, The final indignation; he had to sit in the cheap seats at the Academy Awards while Michael Donovan shared the stage (ed. 1/4, 3/4's who is who, you decide.) with Michael Moore. (ed. Rumours persist to this day that it was Charles who was boo'ing the loudest.)
I wonder whatever happened to him? Hmmm.... I wonder...wonder....won...
Oh right.
I have to log off soon as my issue of Playback came today and I'll be snuggling up in my beanbag chair to see what THE publication of CANADIAN TV has to say about the industry this week. The cover has House from Global and some American chick from a "CTV" show.
Who says we can't produce popular programming in this country, eh?!
There's a special supplement on The Comedy Channel's 10'th Anniversary. I really should watch more of this channel representing Canadian comedy classics; from 6 year old 22 Minutes (ed. doesn't "news" start with "new"? to the latest Jon Stewart, this channell has it all!
Otherwise in good old NS, the only production related news is the "attempted" sale of a soundstage in Shelburne has been stalled again. A few years ago, the government of the province was so keen on film and tv production being the saviour of our economy (ed. anybody remember Clairtone? Heavy Water? Call Centres? sigh, oh well its only money and Pfft , only government money at that!) they decided that turning a big empty building in the middle of nowhere would draw hollywood stars like...spiders to butter? I dunno, make up your own allegory here. (ed. I think you mean metaphor.)
Whatever. Surprisingly the movers and shakers of lala land may be enticed to come to Halifax (ed. given the money) but a three hour trip to the boonies (ed. 2 and 1/2 by Hummer with a Mountie escort) was not on the plate.
So other than Virginia's Run a movie about a horse, starring ahorse ans ome other people, the government had spent another $2,75M on a big empty nothing.
So the property was turned over to a local development agency to sell. And an item in the Daily News suggests that this is not as easy as it sounds.
Steve Gilmour wanted to buy the place but says the development agency rep Frank Anderson gave him only "constant delaying tactic and mistruths". Frank Anderson said that the opposite was true. (ed. nice comeback, Potsie.)
Frankly, I never heard of either of these guys but if anybody needs a sound stage for a movie, I thing the rent is real cheap. Just don't expect the Cappocinno to be "not Tim's".
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Picnicface. Funny.
Stumbled over a bunch of videos made by the local comedy troupe "Picnicface". Check out their website here for their videos http://www.picnicface.com/ Gonna try and embed one here -
These guys are good. They're funny and fresh and they're not imitating other people's comedy. Apparently they perform at Ginger's Tavern in Halifax, andI wish I could leave the apartment to see them live.
If you can, check them out live and let me know what they're like. Also check their videos, they mad me laugh out loud.
And its just so refreshing to know there's other stuff going on in tv and write about it.
These guys are good. They're funny and fresh and they're not imitating other people's comedy. Apparently they perform at Ginger's Tavern in Halifax, andI wish I could leave the apartment to see them live.
If you can, check them out live and let me know what they're like. Also check their videos, they mad me laugh out loud.
And its just so refreshing to know there's other stuff going on in tv and write about it.
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Stupid CTF! If it ain't Broke, Let's Break It!!.
Got a meassage from the CTF letting me know about all the other people that got money, besides us. (ed. "us" is DHX Halifax Film in which the writer owns 1000 shares).
We're noticeably absent from the lottery winners. In fact the only recipients from Nova Scotia are $60,000 for a documentary on sable island ponies (ed. yawn. Not unless there's a bunch of them on an island and only one survives would that be interesting.), another documentary called "Norm", (ed. cool title, I'm already intreagued!) from a company called Moodat Productions for the CBC by Teresa MacInnis, and Kent Nason (ed. $76,000, not even the Starbucks tab of Halifax Film, the exec.'s not the proles.), and a one hour Trailer Park Boys Special, $507,000, (ed. wtf, are they on a Carribbean cruise?)
Not that the east coast isn't represented; there's a show called East Coast Bound and the Rankin Family Reunion (ed. which at over 1/4 million dollars means the Rankin must be playing on that TPB cruise. A lot of fun-filled hi-jinks and splashing around the pool, the one with the float up bar.)
But they are out of Toronto.
But my point is...nothing for DHX Halifax Film?! What is going on? CTF money is from the government and the cable companies, (ed. via the final consumer, don't panic Mr. Rogers. It's not your money. Yet.) There's an entitlement issue here people! How many pony/rankin documentaries must we endure before we have something commercial to watch!
So the years half over and we will have to limp along with our $25M IPO, our $2M in Nova Scotia Business Inc. payroll rebate, our $17M of more stock issued, $2M Film Nova Scotia (ed. which sounds like an order, (formerly the NSFDC)), $50,000 in ACOA money and the tax credits which can make up 1/2 of the cost of labour. For the love of God! Why do we pay taxes?! Let's get off the stick and step up to the trough people!
Meanwhile, I haven't seen my roommate Carly, in days. I know she's not hiding in the apartment like last time, because my dog Biscuitface, has been whining like a Starbucks latte machine. And she was supposed to pay the rent for November.(ed. Carly, not Biscuitface.) Hopefully I won't get a visit from the super, Gregor, before she comes back. He frightens me and last time we were late with the rent he punched me in the throat.
We're noticeably absent from the lottery winners. In fact the only recipients from Nova Scotia are $60,000 for a documentary on sable island ponies (ed. yawn. Not unless there's a bunch of them on an island and only one survives would that be interesting.), another documentary called "Norm", (ed. cool title, I'm already intreagued!) from a company called Moodat Productions for the CBC by Teresa MacInnis, and Kent Nason (ed. $76,000, not even the Starbucks tab of Halifax Film, the exec.'s not the proles.), and a one hour Trailer Park Boys Special, $507,000, (ed. wtf, are they on a Carribbean cruise?)
Not that the east coast isn't represented; there's a show called East Coast Bound and the Rankin Family Reunion (ed. which at over 1/4 million dollars means the Rankin must be playing on that TPB cruise. A lot of fun-filled hi-jinks and splashing around the pool, the one with the float up bar.)
But they are out of Toronto.
But my point is...nothing for DHX Halifax Film?! What is going on? CTF money is from the government and the cable companies, (ed. via the final consumer, don't panic Mr. Rogers. It's not your money. Yet.) There's an entitlement issue here people! How many pony/rankin documentaries must we endure before we have something commercial to watch!
So the years half over and we will have to limp along with our $25M IPO, our $2M in Nova Scotia Business Inc. payroll rebate, our $17M of more stock issued, $2M Film Nova Scotia (ed. which sounds like an order, (formerly the NSFDC)), $50,000 in ACOA money and the tax credits which can make up 1/2 of the cost of labour. For the love of God! Why do we pay taxes?! Let's get off the stick and step up to the trough people!
Meanwhile, I haven't seen my roommate Carly, in days. I know she's not hiding in the apartment like last time, because my dog Biscuitface, has been whining like a Starbucks latte machine. And she was supposed to pay the rent for November.(ed. Carly, not Biscuitface.) Hopefully I won't get a visit from the super, Gregor, before she comes back. He frightens me and last time we were late with the rent he punched me in the throat.
Monday 12 November 2007
Halifax Tv and Films Stuff.
Not much in the way of industry news. Michael Melski's still shooting a film in New Brunswick, something about a Ma..ju..ana, ah crap, I can't spell, "grass" crop. That, plus a trailer park boys film released on DVD should set the cultural tone for east coast.
Other than that, film and tv in nova scotia continues to shine on the shy Halifax Film DHX takeover of Canada. (ed. But I thought Alliance Atlantis was our county's international showboat...oh, right.)
Regular bloggees know that I'm a Halifax Film/DHX shareholder so lets just get that out of the way now. I own 1000 shares! Not a lot compared to the millions that Michael Donovan, Charlie (The Green Arrow) Bishop, and Dana.. whatever, grant themselves wheneven the mood strikes them, but I have a say. Albeit on an anonymous website, but I can read it and know that somebody has an opinion!
My roommate Carly is finally asleep after literally climbing the walls in the apartment. For some reason she was upset that a ship from Lebanon was delayed several days from docking in Halifax because of storms.
Really, nobody should be that upset about the weather! It just doesn't pay.
Anyway, I was sleeping , fitfully for me anyway, when I heard this knocking on the patio doors. I woke up, still not sure I was dreaming or not, and there was the albino monkey that my sister's boyfriend had sent up from Brazil.
I had released it into the wild (ed. university freshmann life) because I felt it should be free like all of God's creatures. But mostly because it was pissing me off, slurpling my cospmopolitans every time I put them down.
Anyway, this monkey knocked until I was awake and when I looked at it, it gave a beckoning wave to me. But I remebered all those movies about vampires, how the only way they could enter your house was if they were invited in. And me, not prejudiced or anything, had no desire to join the ranks of the albino monkey brigade. Plus he had taken his pants off.
Luckily, after I turned over for sleep/not hallucination, the monkey was gone.
Speaking of albino monkys, last week DHX/Halifax Film announced that they were acquiring (ed. or not let's not show our cards yet) Tribal Media which has something to do with on-line media games for children. (ed.virtual bricks and mortar for the upcoming trainables!)
It has nothing to do with on-line gambling i.e. gaming for young'ins.
Tribal Inc has relationships with CBC, Cookie Jar, etc, but then so did my Mother.
On another topic, "we" are working on another internet "initiative", Wondermedia Inc.
Luckily of the $79,900 it cost to hire a "Director of Digital Media" we had help from ACOA, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency which gave us a modest grant to hire poor unemployed Nova Scotian, of $50,000. Hopefully they won't notice that the person we hired is not from here.
Luckily the agency that does nothing but give away money didn't waste their funds on farms or inventions or new ways of creating business opportunities. We (ed. us and HFX Decode). Joe Lunchbuckets should just get a job and leave the creativity to us.
As a postscript, I don't want to hear anybody whining about the $50,000 of taxpayers money from ACOA. It's money well spent and most importantly, it doesn't come out of our, $22M governmant tax credit receivable, our $2 M NSBI payroll rebate etc.
Let Free Enterprise rein! (ed. chuckle!)
Other than that, film and tv in nova scotia continues to shine on the shy Halifax Film DHX takeover of Canada. (ed. But I thought Alliance Atlantis was our county's international showboat...oh, right.)
Regular bloggees know that I'm a Halifax Film/DHX shareholder so lets just get that out of the way now. I own 1000 shares! Not a lot compared to the millions that Michael Donovan, Charlie (The Green Arrow) Bishop, and Dana.. whatever, grant themselves wheneven the mood strikes them, but I have a say. Albeit on an anonymous website, but I can read it and know that somebody has an opinion!
My roommate Carly is finally asleep after literally climbing the walls in the apartment. For some reason she was upset that a ship from Lebanon was delayed several days from docking in Halifax because of storms.
Really, nobody should be that upset about the weather! It just doesn't pay.
Anyway, I was sleeping , fitfully for me anyway, when I heard this knocking on the patio doors. I woke up, still not sure I was dreaming or not, and there was the albino monkey that my sister's boyfriend had sent up from Brazil.
I had released it into the wild (ed. university freshmann life) because I felt it should be free like all of God's creatures. But mostly because it was pissing me off, slurpling my cospmopolitans every time I put them down.
Anyway, this monkey knocked until I was awake and when I looked at it, it gave a beckoning wave to me. But I remebered all those movies about vampires, how the only way they could enter your house was if they were invited in. And me, not prejudiced or anything, had no desire to join the ranks of the albino monkey brigade. Plus he had taken his pants off.
Luckily, after I turned over for sleep/not hallucination, the monkey was gone.
Speaking of albino monkys, last week DHX/Halifax Film announced that they were acquiring (ed. or not let's not show our cards yet) Tribal Media which has something to do with on-line media games for children. (ed.virtual bricks and mortar for the upcoming trainables!)
It has nothing to do with on-line gambling i.e. gaming for young'ins.
Tribal Inc has relationships with CBC, Cookie Jar, etc, but then so did my Mother.
On another topic, "we" are working on another internet "initiative", Wondermedia Inc.
Luckily of the $79,900 it cost to hire a "Director of Digital Media" we had help from ACOA, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency which gave us a modest grant to hire poor unemployed Nova Scotian, of $50,000. Hopefully they won't notice that the person we hired is not from here.
Luckily the agency that does nothing but give away money didn't waste their funds on farms or inventions or new ways of creating business opportunities. We (ed. us and HFX Decode). Joe Lunchbuckets should just get a job and leave the creativity to us.
As a postscript, I don't want to hear anybody whining about the $50,000 of taxpayers money from ACOA. It's money well spent and most importantly, it doesn't come out of our, $22M governmant tax credit receivable, our $2 M NSBI payroll rebate etc.
Let Free Enterprise rein! (ed. chuckle!)
Wednesday 7 November 2007
Hey DHX Halifax Film! No Cheese For Me?
I'm a bit put out tonight as I heard that there was an Annual General Meeting of shareholders of DHX yesterday, and I wasn't invited! As you know I own 1000 shares which may only be .00001% of the outstanding shares but who knows, maybe someday I'll be the swing vote over some contentious issue between Oscar(c) Winner Michael Donovan and his right hand man Charles (the Green Arrow )Bishop!
Though I couldn't have attended because I can't leave the apartment, it would have been nice to have been invited. It's the thought that counts, after all. And sometimes the proxy.
I learned this from the e-news allnovascotia.com. They also said that DHX is neither confirming or denying that they are acquiring (they paid $100,000 for the right to possibly someday, maybe purchase) this company in Quebac that makes interactive games for kids. That's the take of about 50 welfare mothers, depending on the age, number and heft of their children.
Sorry, I guess I'm a little ticked, because when I initially heard they were looking to acquire a company, I thought there was a remote possibility they were thinking of my all but defunct corporation I had a few years ago. On retrospecte, it's probably not much of a catch considering the brightest jewel in its crown was a documentary entitled "Joe Clark: A Dynasty in the Making."
Have I mentioned I've been in this business a long time and some of my choices have not been the best?
As for me, my roommate, Carly is back to "normal" so my dog Biscuitface is getting his regular walks and I'm getting my regular Whopper with cheese.
Probably not as good a cheese as they had at the Annual General Meeting of DHX last night.
Though I couldn't have attended because I can't leave the apartment, it would have been nice to have been invited. It's the thought that counts, after all. And sometimes the proxy.
I learned this from the e-news allnovascotia.com. They also said that DHX is neither confirming or denying that they are acquiring (they paid $100,000 for the right to possibly someday, maybe purchase) this company in Quebac that makes interactive games for kids. That's the take of about 50 welfare mothers, depending on the age, number and heft of their children.
Sorry, I guess I'm a little ticked, because when I initially heard they were looking to acquire a company, I thought there was a remote possibility they were thinking of my all but defunct corporation I had a few years ago. On retrospecte, it's probably not much of a catch considering the brightest jewel in its crown was a documentary entitled "Joe Clark: A Dynasty in the Making."
Have I mentioned I've been in this business a long time and some of my choices have not been the best?
As for me, my roommate, Carly is back to "normal" so my dog Biscuitface is getting his regular walks and I'm getting my regular Whopper with cheese.
Probably not as good a cheese as they had at the Annual General Meeting of DHX last night.
Tuesday 6 November 2007
Hi Honey, I'm Hom-o!
This was the payoff to a joke I wrote years ago about a guy who comes home from work one day and in a spontaneous gesture decides to out himself to his wife. Maybe the build-up wasn't worth the pay-off but really, the Air Farce turned it down?
And before you jump on me for using the term "Homo", we're reclaiming ownership of the word! (ed. who? the heteros?).
And you will note that I spelled it with a dash. Why you ask? Well, I've noticed that a lot of people who find my blog have been googling "kicked in the balls". Now I'm sure they're not looking for the story I commented on a few months ago. I'm not sure what they are looking for, exactly. Well, I guess I know what, I just don't know why. Most of these searches come from Germany. So I thought I would save a whole bunch of guys from looking through my blog for pictures that aren't here.
Anyhoo, as was repeated in weeks past, DHX Halifax Film Factory has been price-ranged out of their home away from home, the Electropolis Films studio.
Electropolis was a former power substation on the Halifax waterfront that was convereted into a soundstage with millions of Federal and Nova Scotiian tax payer dollars. Salter Street Film used the space quite a bit for Lexx and other intelectually stimulating properties, than a totally new animal Halifax Film Ltd. bought the company that operated the sound stage and rented it out to Halifax Film Ltd. (ed. I'm a little dizzy) This was all done on behalf of the owners Nova Scotia Power Inc who agreed to a less than fair market value rent for ten years. Now ten years later, those power hungry (ed. and full) owners want to charge Halifax Film Company full market rent? (ed. excuse me, do they not know what province they're in? Unless there's government subsidies available, we're out!)
And so we are. Even the NDP stepping up to bat, couldn't convince the gov't to chip in. (ed. chuckle)
allnovascotia.com and Playback announced that Halifax Film is moving production facilities from Electropolis to a building beside CBC radio.
We (ed. note, the writer owns 1000 shares of DHX/Halifax Film), are not disloyal. We are cost concious. And when you think about it, do we really need 50 ft high ceilings for drugged out animators to manipulate their tiny figurines? I think not. So with their (ed. "our!") employees in mind we are moving from the rat infested waterfront to...beside the CBC which I'm sure will be vastly different. As VP David Regan notes, the employees will now actually have windows to look out off. But do we want them looking out windows fantasizing about the day they can pitch their own superhero/alien/laugh fest cartoon that's going to compete with our staid and true puppet/animation thingys? Let's not start spoiling them now. Next they'll be wanting 12 hour days, time off for funerals, and washrooms!
At least they're not going to be within a smell of DHX/Halifax Film Factory World Headquarters on Spring Garden Road, sitting above a ...yes...Starbucks!
So, I don't want to be trading inside, whatever that means, but its all good news! So let's get that share price up from today's $1.70!
Meanwhile, its been a very hectic week here. Last week Carly, my roommate quietly went to her room for a few days to sleep, after a nasty reaction to some antibiotics (ed. see previous blog).
On the 31st she emerged from her bedroom wearing a filthy robe, someone elses's pajama's ,with her hair all bunched up from sweat. I, oblivious in retrospect, asked her what her Halloween costume was. She told me she was a cold turkey, but I really didn't want to look at her giblets.
The albino monkey that arrived last week (ed. Ya know when you type/read this stuff it sounds weird) for my sister's Brazillian boyfriend, easily escaped it's cage and spent the week hanging out with Carly, watching Fox news and biffing food around the place. (ed. Apparently there was a lot of vomit and poo flung about, but we can't totally blame that on the monkey.)
By Friday I had enough. I opened the patio doors and threw a Bud Light over the railing (ed. the monkey's favourite and no loss to us, really, we have water.)
The monkey scrambled over the patio railing and I quickly closed the doors. I'm not a cruel man. I know the monkey will be fine, mostly because we are near St. Mary's and Dalhousie University and there are many who would assume that's he's merely a freshman and throw food at him. As long as he doesn't sign for a student loan, his future is secure.
And before you jump on me for using the term "Homo", we're reclaiming ownership of the word! (ed. who? the heteros?).
And you will note that I spelled it with a dash. Why you ask? Well, I've noticed that a lot of people who find my blog have been googling "kicked in the balls". Now I'm sure they're not looking for the story I commented on a few months ago. I'm not sure what they are looking for, exactly. Well, I guess I know what, I just don't know why. Most of these searches come from Germany. So I thought I would save a whole bunch of guys from looking through my blog for pictures that aren't here.
Anyhoo, as was repeated in weeks past, DHX Halifax Film Factory has been price-ranged out of their home away from home, the Electropolis Films studio.
Electropolis was a former power substation on the Halifax waterfront that was convereted into a soundstage with millions of Federal and Nova Scotiian tax payer dollars. Salter Street Film used the space quite a bit for Lexx and other intelectually stimulating properties, than a totally new animal Halifax Film Ltd. bought the company that operated the sound stage and rented it out to Halifax Film Ltd. (ed. I'm a little dizzy) This was all done on behalf of the owners Nova Scotia Power Inc who agreed to a less than fair market value rent for ten years. Now ten years later, those power hungry (ed. and full) owners want to charge Halifax Film Company full market rent? (ed. excuse me, do they not know what province they're in? Unless there's government subsidies available, we're out!)
And so we are. Even the NDP stepping up to bat, couldn't convince the gov't to chip in. (ed. chuckle)
allnovascotia.com and Playback announced that Halifax Film is moving production facilities from Electropolis to a building beside CBC radio.
We (ed. note, the writer owns 1000 shares of DHX/Halifax Film), are not disloyal. We are cost concious. And when you think about it, do we really need 50 ft high ceilings for drugged out animators to manipulate their tiny figurines? I think not. So with their (ed. "our!") employees in mind we are moving from the rat infested waterfront to...beside the CBC which I'm sure will be vastly different. As VP David Regan notes, the employees will now actually have windows to look out off. But do we want them looking out windows fantasizing about the day they can pitch their own superhero/alien/laugh fest cartoon that's going to compete with our staid and true puppet/animation thingys? Let's not start spoiling them now. Next they'll be wanting 12 hour days, time off for funerals, and washrooms!
At least they're not going to be within a smell of DHX/Halifax Film Factory World Headquarters on Spring Garden Road, sitting above a ...yes...Starbucks!
So, I don't want to be trading inside, whatever that means, but its all good news! So let's get that share price up from today's $1.70!
Meanwhile, its been a very hectic week here. Last week Carly, my roommate quietly went to her room for a few days to sleep, after a nasty reaction to some antibiotics (ed. see previous blog).
On the 31st she emerged from her bedroom wearing a filthy robe, someone elses's pajama's ,with her hair all bunched up from sweat. I, oblivious in retrospect, asked her what her Halloween costume was. She told me she was a cold turkey, but I really didn't want to look at her giblets.
The albino monkey that arrived last week (ed. Ya know when you type/read this stuff it sounds weird) for my sister's Brazillian boyfriend, easily escaped it's cage and spent the week hanging out with Carly, watching Fox news and biffing food around the place. (ed. Apparently there was a lot of vomit and poo flung about, but we can't totally blame that on the monkey.)
By Friday I had enough. I opened the patio doors and threw a Bud Light over the railing (ed. the monkey's favourite and no loss to us, really, we have water.)
The monkey scrambled over the patio railing and I quickly closed the doors. I'm not a cruel man. I know the monkey will be fine, mostly because we are near St. Mary's and Dalhousie University and there are many who would assume that's he's merely a freshman and throw food at him. As long as he doesn't sign for a student loan, his future is secure.
Saturday 27 October 2007
Halifax Film Ltd, Can I Biggie Size That for You?
Forget Halifax Film Ltd being # 4 in this country. You Non-share-holding suckers! We movin' on up!
Halifax Film Ltd aka Halifax Film which now owns and controls Decode and was formerly Salter Street Films (ed. sigh, which started as producer of Codco, which Michael and Paul Donovan's "relative" who was in charge of CBC Maritimes, greenlit, okay?) has raised another $17.4 M by selling 9.7 M units of DHX, the "parent company."
To clarify, that's $17,400,000 by "selling" i.e. printing ... a bunch of shares to a consotium (ed. love that word, especially if I'm one of the...um's!)
Now, to back track, our company raised $25M in an IPO, (ed. full disclosure - the author is a shareholder to the tune of 1000 shares), has been promised $2,000,000 from the province of Nova Scotia (ed. who can certainly afford it) in a labour rebate program to pay for all those New Brunswick Merimechi students, Sheridan animation students and Ontario Playa's; ...everything else, to take up residency in our province in order to colour in Poko's eyes. (ed. the reg's say you have to live here but "wink, wink" who's the wiser, eh. All for the greater good, eh, what gov'ner! There will never be another Cinar on my watch!). Plus we're owed about $22,000,000 in tax credits ie. gov't money, i.e. thanks taxpayers!
The agreement's in concrete (ed. practically:)
"Although no agreements or understandings have been reached and no committments made with any respect to any transaction, there have been significant discussions in certain cases."
I think we're "a couple" who no one has seen kiss!
On the other hand, Methinks he doth potest too much. But really, I have no idea what "he's" saying. It's kinda like, "well, I don't not like her, but we're not dating and I don't "like" like her, but I'm not going to ignore her 'cause she's looking at me, amd I'm not, not looking at her, you know?"
But thankfully, Michael Donovan, "In God we trust, but that's just for the soul thingy, someone back my shares, like Mike!" is ready to....dah, dah, dah acquire!
But, what or who is he "us" going to acquire? Stay tuned ! If they want, they can acquire my old production company, though I haven't paid my Joint Stock fees for a while it's still, could be, a viable thingy. After all it did produce the CBC documentary "Alexander Graham Bell: The Man, The Mind, On Ice!", the CTV special "My Proud Canada: Canadians Who Live in the U.S." and the Global mini-series "Spend This Money and Call me Can-Con!" which was shown on three consecutive nights starting at 3:00 A.M, I was told cause the audience they were after was insomniacs and the hunted. And though I haven't produced in years; I think there's value in those there archives.
So anyway, they've printed 9.7M units of DHX for the $17.46 M. To put it more plainly, 9,700,000 units for $17,460,000. As a shareholder, I'm all for growth but if 9.7M shares are going out the window, does that make my 1000 shares seem, smaller , by comparioson? (ed. no, you're fine. signed John Holmes)
I'm not a money guy but I'm thinking I have a thousand melons and Michael et all have ...millions of melons, then they trade more melons that they find under the melon tree, does that mean my melons are no longer attractive? I mean we all want to have the most attractive melons in the market right? And if there are melons, everywhere, like on a Rio beach, they will lose their allure at some point.
Let me just check the stock price. Okay, traded st $1.70 today so that's cool. I guess if someone is going to corner the melon market, I might as well be in the wagon.
But for me there are bigger parrots to fry. As regular readers know, I have a new roomamte who I brought in to help pay the rent. Her name is Carly and I suspect the business she's in is not import/export because that seems to be more exotic than trading little baggies of "something" through the slot of a metal bullet proof door that she had installed.
But anyway, she had been missing for two days, and I was concerned. I don't recall her leaving the apartment, but then when I'm having a treatment, I kind of zone out anyway. My main concern was that the food inventory was kind of low and my cock a-poo, Biscuitface hadn't been walked in days. If I was able to leave the apartment things wouldn't have seemed so dire. But then two things happened simutaineously, that broke the relative boredom and/or scared the crap out of me.
Having been alone for the last few days, I was spooked by sounds coming from our storage closet. I dragged Biscuitface to the closet, but then he ran in fear when a moan emenated from it. I started to open the door but then jumped when someone knocked at the front door. (ed. Actually there's only one door to the apartment.)
It was a Canada Post drone delivering a package for Carl, my sister's Brazilian boyfriend. I signed for it (using Henry Kissenger's name as a joke, I guess only for my benefit), and the man brought this huge box into the apartment that had like a million Brazillian postage stamps on it. And the freakin' box was moving. So the Canada Post guy scurried out and I figured I had to see what was in the box. I took my boxcutter (ed. post-911, non-threatening, I hope) and opened it up. what was inside shocked even me (ed. and in your days in hollywood, you saw Joan Collins with only half her make-up on.)
But before I could re-act, there was a movement from the closet and suddenly there appeared Carly. Now I must tell you, I did not recognize her at first glance. Or indeed, the second, third glance or the shocked stare on my face subsequent.
Whatever drug Carly was performing under, it caused her to strip down to her panties, put pillowcases on her feet, hands and head and spin around the room moaning. It looked like a marshmallow starfish with breasts.
Then her contortions around the room, startled the occupant of the crate that had just been delivered, and it broke free.
So last evening, around CBC news time, I had to deal with a crack ho who looked like a five pronged Q-tip, who was scaring the bejesus out of a pure white monkey wearing pants.
I think that's all I can report for tonight.
Oh, yea, the gram...geminis were awarded last night and apparently went well.
Halifax Film Ltd aka Halifax Film which now owns and controls Decode and was formerly Salter Street Films (ed. sigh, which started as producer of Codco, which Michael and Paul Donovan's "relative" who was in charge of CBC Maritimes, greenlit, okay?) has raised another $17.4 M by selling 9.7 M units of DHX, the "parent company."
To clarify, that's $17,400,000 by "selling" i.e. printing ... a bunch of shares to a consotium (ed. love that word, especially if I'm one of the...um's!)
Now, to back track, our company raised $25M in an IPO, (ed. full disclosure - the author is a shareholder to the tune of 1000 shares), has been promised $2,000,000 from the province of Nova Scotia (ed. who can certainly afford it) in a labour rebate program to pay for all those New Brunswick Merimechi students, Sheridan animation students and Ontario Playa's; ...everything else, to take up residency in our province in order to colour in Poko's eyes. (ed. the reg's say you have to live here but "wink, wink" who's the wiser, eh. All for the greater good, eh, what gov'ner! There will never be another Cinar on my watch!). Plus we're owed about $22,000,000 in tax credits ie. gov't money, i.e. thanks taxpayers!
The agreement's in concrete (ed. practically:)
"Although no agreements or understandings have been reached and no committments made with any respect to any transaction, there have been significant discussions in certain cases."
I think we're "a couple" who no one has seen kiss!
On the other hand, Methinks he doth potest too much. But really, I have no idea what "he's" saying. It's kinda like, "well, I don't not like her, but we're not dating and I don't "like" like her, but I'm not going to ignore her 'cause she's looking at me, amd I'm not, not looking at her, you know?"
But thankfully, Michael Donovan, "In God we trust, but that's just for the soul thingy, someone back my shares, like Mike!" is ready to....dah, dah, dah acquire!
But, what or who is he "us" going to acquire? Stay tuned ! If they want, they can acquire my old production company, though I haven't paid my Joint Stock fees for a while it's still, could be, a viable thingy. After all it did produce the CBC documentary "Alexander Graham Bell: The Man, The Mind, On Ice!", the CTV special "My Proud Canada: Canadians Who Live in the U.S." and the Global mini-series "Spend This Money and Call me Can-Con!" which was shown on three consecutive nights starting at 3:00 A.M, I was told cause the audience they were after was insomniacs and the hunted. And though I haven't produced in years; I think there's value in those there archives.
So anyway, they've printed 9.7M units of DHX for the $17.46 M. To put it more plainly, 9,700,000 units for $17,460,000. As a shareholder, I'm all for growth but if 9.7M shares are going out the window, does that make my 1000 shares seem, smaller , by comparioson? (ed. no, you're fine. signed John Holmes)
I'm not a money guy but I'm thinking I have a thousand melons and Michael et all have ...millions of melons, then they trade more melons that they find under the melon tree, does that mean my melons are no longer attractive? I mean we all want to have the most attractive melons in the market right? And if there are melons, everywhere, like on a Rio beach, they will lose their allure at some point.
Let me just check the stock price. Okay, traded st $1.70 today so that's cool. I guess if someone is going to corner the melon market, I might as well be in the wagon.
But for me there are bigger parrots to fry. As regular readers know, I have a new roomamte who I brought in to help pay the rent. Her name is Carly and I suspect the business she's in is not import/export because that seems to be more exotic than trading little baggies of "something" through the slot of a metal bullet proof door that she had installed.
But anyway, she had been missing for two days, and I was concerned. I don't recall her leaving the apartment, but then when I'm having a treatment, I kind of zone out anyway. My main concern was that the food inventory was kind of low and my cock a-poo, Biscuitface hadn't been walked in days. If I was able to leave the apartment things wouldn't have seemed so dire. But then two things happened simutaineously, that broke the relative boredom and/or scared the crap out of me.
Having been alone for the last few days, I was spooked by sounds coming from our storage closet. I dragged Biscuitface to the closet, but then he ran in fear when a moan emenated from it. I started to open the door but then jumped when someone knocked at the front door. (ed. Actually there's only one door to the apartment.)
It was a Canada Post drone delivering a package for Carl, my sister's Brazilian boyfriend. I signed for it (using Henry Kissenger's name as a joke, I guess only for my benefit), and the man brought this huge box into the apartment that had like a million Brazillian postage stamps on it. And the freakin' box was moving. So the Canada Post guy scurried out and I figured I had to see what was in the box. I took my boxcutter (ed. post-911, non-threatening, I hope) and opened it up. what was inside shocked even me (ed. and in your days in hollywood, you saw Joan Collins with only half her make-up on.)
But before I could re-act, there was a movement from the closet and suddenly there appeared Carly. Now I must tell you, I did not recognize her at first glance. Or indeed, the second, third glance or the shocked stare on my face subsequent.
Whatever drug Carly was performing under, it caused her to strip down to her panties, put pillowcases on her feet, hands and head and spin around the room moaning. It looked like a marshmallow starfish with breasts.
Then her contortions around the room, startled the occupant of the crate that had just been delivered, and it broke free.
So last evening, around CBC news time, I had to deal with a crack ho who looked like a five pronged Q-tip, who was scaring the bejesus out of a pure white monkey wearing pants.
I think that's all I can report for tonight.
Oh, yea, the gram...geminis were awarded last night and apparently went well.
Saturday 20 October 2007
Halifax Film Company (you go girl!) (and a little about me)
I try and keep this blog about the tv industry in Nova Scotia but other than the Cool Machine that is the Halifax Film Company, not nuch is going on. Is anybody else even trying? Their are millions of dollars in gov't subsidies out there and if you aren't going to grab them then I guess its up to us! (ed. He's a shareholder.)
So a little about changes happening here. My "friend" Carly from down the hall has moved in. This is not "more than friends" in nature, I just need some help. Since my sister moved out with her boyfriend, making ends meet has been a bit dicey. I was able to get along with the small allotment from the Catholic Church that comes in (not really allowed to discuss it, legally), and from what I made selling specialized ointments and medical devices specific to stand-up comedians, which I used to be one...of.
But yesterday I was fired. It seems like the new girl, Tina, who I trained and was supposed to be working under me (ed. careful) has been promoted to my position and I've been made "redundant". Don't know how that works but then I'm not a lawyer.
And as I can't leave the apartment, my employment prospects are not good. Hence the roommate.
So far things have been okay. For most of the day Carly, stays in her room and is pretty quiet, except for the occasional groans, and dashes to the washroom and the fridge to get orange juice.
Oddly enough, the first thing she did when she moved in here was to cut this big slot in the apartment door. She says she does a lot of her business (ed. which apparently is top secret gov't stuff) by mail. But I didn't know Canada Post delivered up to and well after midnight. And I didn't know they paid cash for Carly's little baggies of advertising brochures. But since she doesn't interupt my big screen tv viewing (ed. The Sound of Music, again?) so I'm cool.
I read an article in the paper the week before, by Ron Crocker, ex. Director of Atlantic (ed. or Maritime) CBC. he said the recent increase in the NS film tax credit really doesn't do much to create, or drive the local film and tv industry. He says the local tax credit, now at 50%, draws foreign producers who come here looking for cheap labour, to shoot their movies of the week.
He thinks we should develop our own industry. One that is "Canadian". Give tax credits to "Canadian" producer, writer, director, actor driven projects rather than subsidize the series of Tom Selleck movies of the week. Well, Mr. "Crock"er, that's very easy to say but, where do you expect Mr. selleck to park his luxury trailer? Vegas? (ed. ouch.)
He and his entourage pay a pretty penny using our bagagge handles importing his special water and food. They also employ, for weeks on end, grips, camera assistants, drvers, garbage piker uppers, actors (ed. well, extras), non-Tom Selleck food cookers; all at 50% of their real cost. The Nova Scotia Taxpayers, overjoyed to see the "made in Nova Scotia" font at the end of the credits, might disagree.
But if we took the leap and said, yes, we would help put Canadian writer, produced, acted, crewed films into production like the Australians (Gallipoli, mad Max, The Games etc) and the Brits (well, okay, a lot), what are you going to do with them? Show the TV shows on TV? hah. They can't compete, as far as we know, with America's excellent commercial driven productions. (ed. except for Corner Gas, Little Mosque)
But what about Canadian movies? Sure we make really good movies but unless an American distributor tells us so, how are we supposed to even know it exists.
So, we have a leg up, (ed. especially in Lifetime movies staring Rob) on productions in other provinces. Sure, we're number 4 in Canada (ed. Still ahead of Newfoundland and New Brunswick), but the more taxpayer money we spend to subsidize temporary jobs the more we'll be ahead of Minnisota. And North carolina. And other places. C'mon people, let's step up to the plate.
For Tom.
But back to business. While I have supper, (the good thing about Carly is that she will go get Whopper's for me at any time of the day or night. I feel guilty splurging but, I just can't help myself. Besides, Carly usually offers to pay and it seems like she doesn't mind. She's always carrying a big roll of cash.
But back to the business.
As I said the only tv business going on in Nova Scotia is the imaginatively named Halifax Film Company. Now, many of you will note and I fully disclose that I am a shareholder in that company. Personally myself, I own 1000 shares. And I know compared to Michael Donovan (ed. 6,952,027 shares) and Charles (The Green Arrow) Bishop (ed. 2,451,078 shares), I am not a major "playa" but who could not feel a kinship with these two powerhouses, when we have all sacrificed ..., well, I sacrificed my beliefs but I'm sure my Gumbas gave up something.
Anyway, halifax Film has disclosed these salaries:
Dana Landry: $237,000 plus a $20,000 bonus (well deserved, I say!) plus $1,990 in "other compensation (ed. could range from parking, cappochinos).
Steven Dehude (?), $250,000. Don't know who he is or what he does but I'm sure I would have voted for him if I had the chance.
As far as being on the board goes, I sure showing up once a month (ed. seems excessive) goes, Sir Graham Day receives $15,000 a year and $500 per meeting. I'm not saying that two of his days equals my rent plus groceries is not fair but sometimes my mind wanders. Oh crap, that reminds me, I'm out of meds. And now that I'm unemployed, I'm not covered.
So a little about changes happening here. My "friend" Carly from down the hall has moved in. This is not "more than friends" in nature, I just need some help. Since my sister moved out with her boyfriend, making ends meet has been a bit dicey. I was able to get along with the small allotment from the Catholic Church that comes in (not really allowed to discuss it, legally), and from what I made selling specialized ointments and medical devices specific to stand-up comedians, which I used to be one...of.
But yesterday I was fired. It seems like the new girl, Tina, who I trained and was supposed to be working under me (ed. careful) has been promoted to my position and I've been made "redundant". Don't know how that works but then I'm not a lawyer.
And as I can't leave the apartment, my employment prospects are not good. Hence the roommate.
So far things have been okay. For most of the day Carly, stays in her room and is pretty quiet, except for the occasional groans, and dashes to the washroom and the fridge to get orange juice.
Oddly enough, the first thing she did when she moved in here was to cut this big slot in the apartment door. She says she does a lot of her business (ed. which apparently is top secret gov't stuff) by mail. But I didn't know Canada Post delivered up to and well after midnight. And I didn't know they paid cash for Carly's little baggies of advertising brochures. But since she doesn't interupt my big screen tv viewing (ed. The Sound of Music, again?) so I'm cool.
I read an article in the paper the week before, by Ron Crocker, ex. Director of Atlantic (ed. or Maritime) CBC. he said the recent increase in the NS film tax credit really doesn't do much to create, or drive the local film and tv industry. He says the local tax credit, now at 50%, draws foreign producers who come here looking for cheap labour, to shoot their movies of the week.
He thinks we should develop our own industry. One that is "Canadian". Give tax credits to "Canadian" producer, writer, director, actor driven projects rather than subsidize the series of Tom Selleck movies of the week. Well, Mr. "Crock"er, that's very easy to say but, where do you expect Mr. selleck to park his luxury trailer? Vegas? (ed. ouch.)
He and his entourage pay a pretty penny using our bagagge handles importing his special water and food. They also employ, for weeks on end, grips, camera assistants, drvers, garbage piker uppers, actors (ed. well, extras), non-Tom Selleck food cookers; all at 50% of their real cost. The Nova Scotia Taxpayers, overjoyed to see the "made in Nova Scotia" font at the end of the credits, might disagree.
But if we took the leap and said, yes, we would help put Canadian writer, produced, acted, crewed films into production like the Australians (Gallipoli, mad Max, The Games etc) and the Brits (well, okay, a lot), what are you going to do with them? Show the TV shows on TV? hah. They can't compete, as far as we know, with America's excellent commercial driven productions. (ed. except for Corner Gas, Little Mosque)
But what about Canadian movies? Sure we make really good movies but unless an American distributor tells us so, how are we supposed to even know it exists.
So, we have a leg up, (ed. especially in Lifetime movies staring Rob) on productions in other provinces. Sure, we're number 4 in Canada (ed. Still ahead of Newfoundland and New Brunswick), but the more taxpayer money we spend to subsidize temporary jobs the more we'll be ahead of Minnisota. And North carolina. And other places. C'mon people, let's step up to the plate.
For Tom.
But back to business. While I have supper, (the good thing about Carly is that she will go get Whopper's for me at any time of the day or night. I feel guilty splurging but, I just can't help myself. Besides, Carly usually offers to pay and it seems like she doesn't mind. She's always carrying a big roll of cash.
But back to the business.
As I said the only tv business going on in Nova Scotia is the imaginatively named Halifax Film Company. Now, many of you will note and I fully disclose that I am a shareholder in that company. Personally myself, I own 1000 shares. And I know compared to Michael Donovan (ed. 6,952,027 shares) and Charles (The Green Arrow) Bishop (ed. 2,451,078 shares), I am not a major "playa" but who could not feel a kinship with these two powerhouses, when we have all sacrificed ..., well, I sacrificed my beliefs but I'm sure my Gumbas gave up something.
Anyway, halifax Film has disclosed these salaries:
Dana Landry: $237,000 plus a $20,000 bonus (well deserved, I say!) plus $1,990 in "other compensation (ed. could range from parking, cappochinos).
Steven Dehude (?), $250,000. Don't know who he is or what he does but I'm sure I would have voted for him if I had the chance.
As far as being on the board goes, I sure showing up once a month (ed. seems excessive) goes, Sir Graham Day receives $15,000 a year and $500 per meeting. I'm not saying that two of his days equals my rent plus groceries is not fair but sometimes my mind wanders. Oh crap, that reminds me, I'm out of meds. And now that I'm unemployed, I'm not covered.
Wednesday 17 October 2007
Quietly into the Night.
Okay, like when I opened the door the other night (ed. who types out "like"), there was nobody there. And cause this is supposed to be a security building, it was either someone who lives on the floor (ed. first guess would be crack-whoeey, who lives down the hall, or maybe the fetal alcohal teen who lives at the other end who enjoys nothing better than banging his head, helmet on of course, against any hard surface he finds) or someone more sinister. Now I know my meds have been changed slightly but the paranoia level, hasn't been artificially inflated.
But I have actually little to report anyway.
The Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation is now calling itself FilmNS, which I think was the original name back when Jesus was a cowboy.
Over at another blog http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com/ I was supremely happy to read that Corner Gas's ratings were as good as Heroes! It just pisses me off that all the talent in this country is not appreciated. At least not here.
And to top it off CTV's probably pissed, now they have to continue on down this "Canadian Content" road now that their show is successful. When the show first started CTV used it to burn up the money they had to commit for the purchase and to prove that Canadian tv would just appear whither and die like it usually does. But they really should have followed Global's lead when they produced the rancid "Blackfly" then tried to bury any other good show like "the Jane Show" in confusing scheduling etc..
Corner Gas is a hit and deservedly so because it is funny.
Okay.
Tomorrow night I'll comment on Ron Crocker's article in the Chronicle Herald about the Nova Scotia Film tax credit.
And again, not to be paranoid but my computer keeps flashing these "Halifax Film Company is your friend" screens at me every 45 seconds or so. Probably just a glitch.
Just wonder what that think on top of the building across the dtreet is that keeps glinting sunlight.
The stock is at $1.85
But I have actually little to report anyway.
The Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation is now calling itself FilmNS, which I think was the original name back when Jesus was a cowboy.
Over at another blog http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com/ I was supremely happy to read that Corner Gas's ratings were as good as Heroes! It just pisses me off that all the talent in this country is not appreciated. At least not here.
And to top it off CTV's probably pissed, now they have to continue on down this "Canadian Content" road now that their show is successful. When the show first started CTV used it to burn up the money they had to commit for the purchase and to prove that Canadian tv would just appear whither and die like it usually does. But they really should have followed Global's lead when they produced the rancid "Blackfly" then tried to bury any other good show like "the Jane Show" in confusing scheduling etc..
Corner Gas is a hit and deservedly so because it is funny.
Okay.
Tomorrow night I'll comment on Ron Crocker's article in the Chronicle Herald about the Nova Scotia Film tax credit.
And again, not to be paranoid but my computer keeps flashing these "Halifax Film Company is your friend" screens at me every 45 seconds or so. Probably just a glitch.
Just wonder what that think on top of the building across the dtreet is that keeps glinting sunlight.
The stock is at $1.85
Monday 15 October 2007
Carly Returns and What's up Decode!
Well, Carly the co-dependant, drug user (ed. ex-drug user she said) who lives down the hall has been coming by and taking my dog Bicuitface out for his walks. Its been great as he doesn't have to squat over the edge of the balcony (ed. trying to get between two rungs isn't as easy as it sounds when your facing away from them on all fours.)
I like Carly most times. She's engaging and intelligent and she always stays for a Cup o' Soup with me after she walks my dog. But sometimes its like I'm talking to a grinning Marmaduke who is just happy that I'm talking to him but has no idea what I'm saying.
The last time she was like that she wanted to know if I wanted to try some of her crack. Now, let's assume, (ed. Hope!) she's talking about the drug and I told her I had to pass. In the 70's and 80's I did a lot of...well, everything. (ed. Didn't you do Wham! in Griffin park?)
I was single, living in L.A. and I was making more money than a crack whore at a cocaine dealers convention. I remember one weekend I had a bunch of rolled up one hundred (ed. U.S.) dollar bills stuck up my nose. The whole weekend! And those presidents were pretty high by Monday when I reported to the set of The Love Boat. And believe me, that crowd didn't care.
Anyway, I'm thinking I may have to take in a roommate. Since my sister moved out with her boyfriend I'm in the middle of a bit of a cash crunch. I've sent an ad into The Coast so hopefully someone not insane/tidy in the bathroom and kitchen/and will pay his share of the expenses while shutting up, will answer.
Oh, and I've noticed that this blog seems to be getting rather a lot of interest at the Decode Website. They're owned by DHX, who I own shares in. I guess they're looking in to see what the shareholders are thinking. Surely they can't be upset at anything that I've published. I've been way positive (ed. You did criticize the directors. And management. And I think you shared some numbers that you shouldn't have.)
Regardless, DHX are reasonable and fair corporate citizens who would only see any criticism as constructive to help...oh wait. Someone's at the door. I'll be right back.
I like Carly most times. She's engaging and intelligent and she always stays for a Cup o' Soup with me after she walks my dog. But sometimes its like I'm talking to a grinning Marmaduke who is just happy that I'm talking to him but has no idea what I'm saying.
The last time she was like that she wanted to know if I wanted to try some of her crack. Now, let's assume, (ed. Hope!) she's talking about the drug and I told her I had to pass. In the 70's and 80's I did a lot of...well, everything. (ed. Didn't you do Wham! in Griffin park?)
I was single, living in L.A. and I was making more money than a crack whore at a cocaine dealers convention. I remember one weekend I had a bunch of rolled up one hundred (ed. U.S.) dollar bills stuck up my nose. The whole weekend! And those presidents were pretty high by Monday when I reported to the set of The Love Boat. And believe me, that crowd didn't care.
Anyway, I'm thinking I may have to take in a roommate. Since my sister moved out with her boyfriend I'm in the middle of a bit of a cash crunch. I've sent an ad into The Coast so hopefully someone not insane/tidy in the bathroom and kitchen/and will pay his share of the expenses while shutting up, will answer.
Oh, and I've noticed that this blog seems to be getting rather a lot of interest at the Decode Website. They're owned by DHX, who I own shares in. I guess they're looking in to see what the shareholders are thinking. Surely they can't be upset at anything that I've published. I've been way positive (ed. You did criticize the directors. And management. And I think you shared some numbers that you shouldn't have.)
Regardless, DHX are reasonable and fair corporate citizens who would only see any criticism as constructive to help...oh wait. Someone's at the door. I'll be right back.
Sunday 14 October 2007
Halifax Film / TV News
From Atlantic Business magazine -
"Coming to a Television Near You
DHX Media Ltd. can't wait for you to meet the Bannons, a seemingly ordinary family living in an ordinary house in an ordinary neighborhood in an ordinary town. Except that they aren't ordinary at all - they are a very extraordinary family of retired spies. And, thanks to DHX Media Ltd., television viewers will get to follow their comedic antics as they try to adapt to normal life when the live action series airs on the small screen this Fall. DHX Media Ltd., a Halifax-based independent international producer and distributor of television programming and interactive content, has secured the worldwide television and home entertainment distribution rights to Turner Broadcasting's 'My Spy Family', produced by Kindle Entertainment."
A family of spies! Shades of "The Rosenbergs" a comedy made back in the 1950's for the fledgling Dumont Network in the U.S. in the style of "I Love Lucy". It was a madcap comedy about a Jewish family in New York where the Mother Ethel, kept inadvertently giving away atomic bomb secrets to the "Ruskies (ed. actually they were the USSR at that time). It was left to her poor shlep of a husband, Julius and his madcap sidekick, Sticky, to try and right the wrongs and save Ethel the embarassment of being executed for her silly carrying-on.
A bumbling team of FBI agents, Hank and Miranda (ed. who were married to each other. A funny idea at the time, because there would be no such thing as a female FBI agent) kept trying to expose the Rosenbergs and their crazy spying, treasonous ways. It was based on the real Rosenberg spies who were executed for treason in real life.
America loved the show at the time especially the episode where they made the tv image dim when the TV Rosenbergs were electricuted in a hilarious Marx Brother-esque episode. Unfortunately the show had no where to go after the death of the lead characters.
But Halifax Film's new show sounds better and more profitable and that's what it's all about.
But speaking of which September 25th saw the directors of Halifax Film aka DHX give themselves the following "bonus". They were granted options (ed. the right to buy share at a specified price, in this case $1.62) as follows:
Charles Bishop (ed. aka "the Green Arrow") 40,000
Neil Court (ed. shrug) 40,000
Steven Denure (ed. again with the shrug) 75,000
Donald Wright (ed. maybe these three guys are the creative team that stoke the fires) 40,000
Graham Day (ed. sits on about 1500 boards and collects shares and directors fees for just showing up and not complaining that the cavier is not really authentic.)
William Ritchie 40,000 (ed. he's the guy who raised $25,000,000 for Halifax film)
Dana Landry 40,000 (ed. he's the guy who had Willima Ritchie's phone # and thus helped raise $25M)
Joseph Medjusk 40,000 (ed. our ticket to the L.A. Pot o' gold)
and of course Michael Donovan 40,000.
Now this all sounds good because these guys (ed. most of them...some of them...any of them?) deserve to be compensated for guiding the ship that is DHX to profitability (ed. damn the torpedoes! I mean creative)
But do they have to dilute my shares. In really good faith, I inheirited 1000 shares at $1.40 a share. A few weeks ago after the latest financials came out, they were trading at $1.96! I was very happy, though I did not go out and splurge on the extra lean ground beef for my Hamburger Helper instead of medium because I didn't want to cash in; I wanted to hold on for the long term. (ed. Once Poko V: The Revenge hits theatres, we're talking Payday!)
But now these guys go into a small room for the afternoon and decide to option each other like that! The stocks were down to $1.76 on Friday. Even with the drop let's do the math. 40,000 X (1.76 - $1.62) = $5,600. Not a bad payday for an afternoon with a catered lunch.
*sigh* But I guess it means they will work harder to get the share price up, which is good for me. And I'm sure they'll take the $5,600 and just donate it to charity or the local production community. (ed. note: Statistics Canada figures reveal that the average "filmmaker" in Canada earns almost $6,000 a year. But then again, he's in it for the love. Which is delicious!)
that's all for now.
"Coming to a Television Near You
DHX Media Ltd. can't wait for you to meet the Bannons, a seemingly ordinary family living in an ordinary house in an ordinary neighborhood in an ordinary town. Except that they aren't ordinary at all - they are a very extraordinary family of retired spies. And, thanks to DHX Media Ltd., television viewers will get to follow their comedic antics as they try to adapt to normal life when the live action series airs on the small screen this Fall. DHX Media Ltd., a Halifax-based independent international producer and distributor of television programming and interactive content, has secured the worldwide television and home entertainment distribution rights to Turner Broadcasting's 'My Spy Family', produced by Kindle Entertainment."
A family of spies! Shades of "The Rosenbergs" a comedy made back in the 1950's for the fledgling Dumont Network in the U.S. in the style of "I Love Lucy". It was a madcap comedy about a Jewish family in New York where the Mother Ethel, kept inadvertently giving away atomic bomb secrets to the "Ruskies (ed. actually they were the USSR at that time). It was left to her poor shlep of a husband, Julius and his madcap sidekick, Sticky, to try and right the wrongs and save Ethel the embarassment of being executed for her silly carrying-on.
A bumbling team of FBI agents, Hank and Miranda (ed. who were married to each other. A funny idea at the time, because there would be no such thing as a female FBI agent) kept trying to expose the Rosenbergs and their crazy spying, treasonous ways. It was based on the real Rosenberg spies who were executed for treason in real life.
America loved the show at the time especially the episode where they made the tv image dim when the TV Rosenbergs were electricuted in a hilarious Marx Brother-esque episode. Unfortunately the show had no where to go after the death of the lead characters.
But Halifax Film's new show sounds better and more profitable and that's what it's all about.
But speaking of which September 25th saw the directors of Halifax Film aka DHX give themselves the following "bonus". They were granted options (ed. the right to buy share at a specified price, in this case $1.62) as follows:
Charles Bishop (ed. aka "the Green Arrow") 40,000
Neil Court (ed. shrug) 40,000
Steven Denure (ed. again with the shrug) 75,000
Donald Wright (ed. maybe these three guys are the creative team that stoke the fires) 40,000
Graham Day (ed. sits on about 1500 boards and collects shares and directors fees for just showing up and not complaining that the cavier is not really authentic.)
William Ritchie 40,000 (ed. he's the guy who raised $25,000,000 for Halifax film)
Dana Landry 40,000 (ed. he's the guy who had Willima Ritchie's phone # and thus helped raise $25M)
Joseph Medjusk 40,000 (ed. our ticket to the L.A. Pot o' gold)
and of course Michael Donovan 40,000.
Now this all sounds good because these guys (ed. most of them...some of them...any of them?) deserve to be compensated for guiding the ship that is DHX to profitability (ed. damn the torpedoes! I mean creative)
But do they have to dilute my shares. In really good faith, I inheirited 1000 shares at $1.40 a share. A few weeks ago after the latest financials came out, they were trading at $1.96! I was very happy, though I did not go out and splurge on the extra lean ground beef for my Hamburger Helper instead of medium because I didn't want to cash in; I wanted to hold on for the long term. (ed. Once Poko V: The Revenge hits theatres, we're talking Payday!)
But now these guys go into a small room for the afternoon and decide to option each other like that! The stocks were down to $1.76 on Friday. Even with the drop let's do the math. 40,000 X (1.76 - $1.62) = $5,600. Not a bad payday for an afternoon with a catered lunch.
*sigh* But I guess it means they will work harder to get the share price up, which is good for me. And I'm sure they'll take the $5,600 and just donate it to charity or the local production community. (ed. note: Statistics Canada figures reveal that the average "filmmaker" in Canada earns almost $6,000 a year. But then again, he's in it for the love. Which is delicious!)
that's all for now.
Wednesday 10 October 2007
Nothing about Halifax Film Stuff
So its been a busy weekend, plus. After my sister Stella and her Brazillian boyfriend Carl, moved out, it was really nice. Quiet and non-sticky on the couch for once. I watched ABBA in concert, carl left his big screen tv, and I listened to ABBA Gold while I was working. (ed. If only someone had invented ABBA popcorn snacks!)
But a problem presented itself about an hour after Stella left. My dog, Biscuitface, needed to go out. And since I can't leave the apartment, this was a problem. I thought I had a solution. I took him over to the window, put him over my shoulder like a bag of potatos, and gave him the code word "push" so he would do his business. (ed. on the nazi code machine enigma, this would have come out "minty") So while I had him up there, aiming his ass like a rocketlauncher toward the street (ed. not what Bruce Cockburn envisioned, I imagine), he reacted.
Unfortunately, I thought he had to have a number two, and I pictured that after I yelled "fire in the hole" he would have defecated clear of me and the windowsill. Unfortunately, it was a number 1, which proceded to run down my 1972 USSR(ed. not Russia!) Canada souvenir hockey sweater.
sigh
But we did work out a system where he learned to treat the balcony (ed. should have thought of that before the window), like his personal city street. And no, I don't sweep it over the balcony I actually glove up, and bag it for the garbage.
But thanksgiving was good because Stella and Carl came by and he brought two of those rare Brazillian parrots with him that are endangered. They're beautiful and more intelligent than real parrots; they can answer questions, not just mimic.
And on top of that they were delicious! Even Biscuitface had some and he usually doesn't eat anything unless it comes out of a bag with a picture of a dog on it. (ed. maybe he thinks he's eating another dog!)
But besides us, Stella had invited a few people that lived on our floor. Mrs. McNeil lost her husband a few years back and she has managed to eke out a living by caring for abandoned animals and crack addicts. She's the nicest person and has the patience of a saint. (ed. hopefully not St. Angry, The Demonstrable, who I think is Irish).
Our other guest was from down the hall and her name is Carly. She's around my age, give or take 30 years, it's kinda hard to tell. She's had a hard life; her first husband was a drug addict, her second husband did drugs, her third husband...well, you get the idea. And I think Carly was more than just along for the ride.
Regardless (ed. thank you. irregardless is not a real word!) she is super nice and when all three of her left-over brain cells are in alignment, she's quite intelligent and funny. And she's agreed to take Biscuitface for his daily walks!
She said she'd loved to because she loves animals. She has a cat which I always thought of as a disgusting creature. I mean once in a while you give your dog a bath, grudgingly on his part, but then he's clean. but, a cat? uggh. "No water for me thank you! I keep myself clean". Really, all they do is shove the dirt, tuna, and ass leavings under their fur with their tongue! Then they lick their owners who say, "ahh, she loves me." No, she's just cleaning all the disgusting things off her tongue on to you.
Anyway that's all for now. I have to get back to blogging about the biz!
My DHX (Halifax Film Company) stock is back down to $1.70! I should have sold my 1000 shares when it was at $1.93 last week. Bet this is because of the internet leak of Animal Mechanicals!
But a problem presented itself about an hour after Stella left. My dog, Biscuitface, needed to go out. And since I can't leave the apartment, this was a problem. I thought I had a solution. I took him over to the window, put him over my shoulder like a bag of potatos, and gave him the code word "push" so he would do his business. (ed. on the nazi code machine enigma, this would have come out "minty") So while I had him up there, aiming his ass like a rocketlauncher toward the street (ed. not what Bruce Cockburn envisioned, I imagine), he reacted.
Unfortunately, I thought he had to have a number two, and I pictured that after I yelled "fire in the hole" he would have defecated clear of me and the windowsill. Unfortunately, it was a number 1, which proceded to run down my 1972 USSR(ed. not Russia!) Canada souvenir hockey sweater.
sigh
But we did work out a system where he learned to treat the balcony (ed. should have thought of that before the window), like his personal city street. And no, I don't sweep it over the balcony I actually glove up, and bag it for the garbage.
But thanksgiving was good because Stella and Carl came by and he brought two of those rare Brazillian parrots with him that are endangered. They're beautiful and more intelligent than real parrots; they can answer questions, not just mimic.
And on top of that they were delicious! Even Biscuitface had some and he usually doesn't eat anything unless it comes out of a bag with a picture of a dog on it. (ed. maybe he thinks he's eating another dog!)
But besides us, Stella had invited a few people that lived on our floor. Mrs. McNeil lost her husband a few years back and she has managed to eke out a living by caring for abandoned animals and crack addicts. She's the nicest person and has the patience of a saint. (ed. hopefully not St. Angry, The Demonstrable, who I think is Irish).
Our other guest was from down the hall and her name is Carly. She's around my age, give or take 30 years, it's kinda hard to tell. She's had a hard life; her first husband was a drug addict, her second husband did drugs, her third husband...well, you get the idea. And I think Carly was more than just along for the ride.
Regardless (ed. thank you. irregardless is not a real word!) she is super nice and when all three of her left-over brain cells are in alignment, she's quite intelligent and funny. And she's agreed to take Biscuitface for his daily walks!
She said she'd loved to because she loves animals. She has a cat which I always thought of as a disgusting creature. I mean once in a while you give your dog a bath, grudgingly on his part, but then he's clean. but, a cat? uggh. "No water for me thank you! I keep myself clean". Really, all they do is shove the dirt, tuna, and ass leavings under their fur with their tongue! Then they lick their owners who say, "ahh, she loves me." No, she's just cleaning all the disgusting things off her tongue on to you.
Anyway that's all for now. I have to get back to blogging about the biz!
My DHX (Halifax Film Company) stock is back down to $1.70! I should have sold my 1000 shares when it was at $1.93 last week. Bet this is because of the internet leak of Animal Mechanicals!
Saturday 6 October 2007
East Coast Forgotten and Rotten: Global Television Layoffs and Electropolis Hopes
K coupla things;
Since my sister left with her Brazilian boyfriend things have gotten...um.. a little desperate. But staying true to the theme of this blog; some television notes:
Global TV has laid of about 200 people across the country including about 37 out of 41 Halifax employees. The local news for Halifax will now be produced and broadcast from Vancouver. I'm trying to wrap my head around this concept: on the positive side a virtual newsroom will be used (ed. yeh! cool! technology!) and the news between the Lotus land city and the city of needy should be similar because....we both have oceans? At least the graphics shouldn't have to change. (ed. 'cept our lobsters are better, 'cause we gots the ones with claws, eh. But they's can photoshop claws on them lame bastards, I 's'pose). On the negative side, how will we know who got mugged, stabbed, tortured, beaten over the head with a table leg, by our own poor disturbed "I only need attention" Young offenders.
The Nova Scotia NDP has stepped into the frey of the Electropolis debacle. as previous readers know, Nova Scotia Power who owes Electropolis, wants to increase rent to Halifax Film Company to what they could get if they rented the film studio out to other people. WTF? Do they know that the principle person using Electropolis has won an Academy Award (tm) ?! That's an Oscar (tm) to you!
Of course Halifax Film needs the gov't to step up to the plate and subsidize the lease. Finally the NDP are realizing that socialism and capitalism can exist side by side, or feed each other or at least share in the magical glow that is Hollywood North...easterly.
We think if this gov't can afford to give money makers like Olands Brewaries, (ed. owned by a Dutch company and enjoying its best year ever)a million or two to get bigger than the film industry in this province aka Michael Donovan, should also enjoy the same consideration. Did Mr. Oland win an Oscar (tm)? I think not.
Since my sister left with her Brazilian boyfriend things have gotten...um.. a little desperate. But staying true to the theme of this blog; some television notes:
Global TV has laid of about 200 people across the country including about 37 out of 41 Halifax employees. The local news for Halifax will now be produced and broadcast from Vancouver. I'm trying to wrap my head around this concept: on the positive side a virtual newsroom will be used (ed. yeh! cool! technology!) and the news between the Lotus land city and the city of needy should be similar because....we both have oceans? At least the graphics shouldn't have to change. (ed. 'cept our lobsters are better, 'cause we gots the ones with claws, eh. But they's can photoshop claws on them lame bastards, I 's'pose). On the negative side, how will we know who got mugged, stabbed, tortured, beaten over the head with a table leg, by our own poor disturbed "I only need attention" Young offenders.
The Nova Scotia NDP has stepped into the frey of the Electropolis debacle. as previous readers know, Nova Scotia Power who owes Electropolis, wants to increase rent to Halifax Film Company to what they could get if they rented the film studio out to other people. WTF? Do they know that the principle person using Electropolis has won an Academy Award (tm) ?! That's an Oscar (tm) to you!
Of course Halifax Film needs the gov't to step up to the plate and subsidize the lease. Finally the NDP are realizing that socialism and capitalism can exist side by side, or feed each other or at least share in the magical glow that is Hollywood North...easterly.
We think if this gov't can afford to give money makers like Olands Brewaries, (ed. owned by a Dutch company and enjoying its best year ever)a million or two to get bigger than the film industry in this province aka Michael Donovan, should also enjoy the same consideration. Did Mr. Oland win an Oscar (tm)? I think not.
Wednesday 3 October 2007
More Halifax tv/film Stuff
Well, Stella and Carl are out of the house and I can finally sit around in my underwear blogging with Abba's greatest hits turned up to 5!
A few more tidbits I came across, my friend Maurice aka "ed" will be my editor for this evening.
Halifax Film Company(ed. not again with them!) has secured a $25,000,000 line of credit to help with production financing. That will help cash flow until the government welfare, er, incentives come rolling in.
I watched 22 Minutes Last night and I must say, they seem to have updated themselves nicely and the show was actually funny. Mark Critch seems to be coming into his own since the last time I saw him, a few years ago. He did a pretty decent Jerry Lewis and his Rex Murphy was spot on.
They let some guy (ed. he looked 12) interview a senator in the U.S. who's suing God. The kid was actually pretty good; his timing was impeccable. Hopefully Jon Stewart doesn't steal him away.
Gavin Crawford didn't get a lot to do but I always liked the mischevious look in his eye.
And Cathy Jones was there.
"That News Show" doesn't look like it's going for a second season. The show on TVTropolis (ed. sounds lik a disease) takes weird and wacky tv news stories from around the globe and sucks the entertainment value out of them. It was produced by a Halifax company called Acadia. They do a lot of looking at fish shows. (ed. snore) But that shows director Mark Mullane has moved to Toronto after seperating from his wife and former Street Cents co-worker Allison Dixon. She is just cute as a button. (ed. um, thi is starting to sound like some sort of gossip rag)
Corus has taken the knife out and cut, amongst other departments, development staff from YTV (Bonieta Siegal) and The Movie Network (Shelley Gillan). Should they be doing that, with another pay tv movie channel launching shortly?
And speaking of breaking up, Jeff Rosen who created Bo on the Go, Poko, Lunar Jim and a hundred other kids shows for Halifax Film Company is gettin a divorce. (ed. great! You got Halifax Film and a divorce scandal in the same item!) Let's hope she dosn't find out his base salary is $380,000 a year and that's without the writer's fees he farts out. Sounds like a lot but when you realize these shows are evergreen and are/will make Halifx Films millions, well, Jeff, mabe you should be making more.
A few more tidbits I came across, my friend Maurice aka "ed" will be my editor for this evening.
Halifax Film Company(ed. not again with them!) has secured a $25,000,000 line of credit to help with production financing. That will help cash flow until the government welfare, er, incentives come rolling in.
I watched 22 Minutes Last night and I must say, they seem to have updated themselves nicely and the show was actually funny. Mark Critch seems to be coming into his own since the last time I saw him, a few years ago. He did a pretty decent Jerry Lewis and his Rex Murphy was spot on.
They let some guy (ed. he looked 12) interview a senator in the U.S. who's suing God. The kid was actually pretty good; his timing was impeccable. Hopefully Jon Stewart doesn't steal him away.
Gavin Crawford didn't get a lot to do but I always liked the mischevious look in his eye.
And Cathy Jones was there.
"That News Show" doesn't look like it's going for a second season. The show on TVTropolis (ed. sounds lik a disease) takes weird and wacky tv news stories from around the globe and sucks the entertainment value out of them. It was produced by a Halifax company called Acadia. They do a lot of looking at fish shows. (ed. snore) But that shows director Mark Mullane has moved to Toronto after seperating from his wife and former Street Cents co-worker Allison Dixon. She is just cute as a button. (ed. um, thi is starting to sound like some sort of gossip rag)
Corus has taken the knife out and cut, amongst other departments, development staff from YTV (Bonieta Siegal) and The Movie Network (Shelley Gillan). Should they be doing that, with another pay tv movie channel launching shortly?
And speaking of breaking up, Jeff Rosen who created Bo on the Go, Poko, Lunar Jim and a hundred other kids shows for Halifax Film Company is gettin a divorce. (ed. great! You got Halifax Film and a divorce scandal in the same item!) Let's hope she dosn't find out his base salary is $380,000 a year and that's without the writer's fees he farts out. Sounds like a lot but when you realize these shows are evergreen and are/will make Halifx Films millions, well, Jeff, mabe you should be making more.
Halifax Film Company Made Me Rich!
Well, the financials for Halifax Film Company (aka DHX) are out and kapow! am I ever glad I didn't trade my shares with Maurice for his "slightly used" laptop. As regular readers are aware, my Father left me 1000 shares of DHX stock earlier this year when it was trading at $1.40. Now the shares are up to $1.93! This calls for Quarter Pounders with cheese tonight as a treat. Dammit, I'm getting fries too!
DHX's nine month ending March 31, 2007 results are likely what caused the increase and who would not be thrilled with those numbers. Though I don't understand a lot of the accountant's mumbo Jumbo, the report states that Revenues were up 216%! That is almost double!
The written part of the report (I had to skim most of it or fall asleep at my trusty keyboard) was joyously optomistic when it talked of the past 9 months and the future of the company. There's all kinds of new shows being produced like a show for YTV called "Clang!" Kids love that sound! It`s a Canada/Hong Kong/Singapore co-production. And I'm guessing the Hong Kongians and Singaporians are putting in the "sweat equity" and not for the money grubbing rates that animators in Canada and Korean demand! Hey, draw some food! ha! And really by hiring asian workers to create our Canadian content we are making their lives so much better. It's not like they would want a Starbucks coffee, even if they could afford it.
Anyway, in a previous blog it was noted that DHX may lose their production facilities "Electropolis" because the owner wants to charge them outrageous market rate rent instead of the below market rate Halifax Film needed these last ten years to scrabble togther a living. Luckily the company as able to make some money from third parties such as the Films Outlander and Slevin. They helped bring in $215,000. Rent was $50,000/month so thats,um, $215,000 - 50,000 X 9 = um, just a sec. MINUS $235,000! No wonder Michael Donovan is calling his landlord unfair. If on top of that he had to pay rent for the productions Bo on the Go, Lunar Jim, Mighty Jungle, Animal Mechanicals..well, you're taking the fries right out of my mouth, people.
Oh, and I finally saw Shake Hands With the Devil. My friend Maurice videotaped it at the theatre, but before you jump all over me, remember I'm unable to leave the aprtment so I probably would have had to wait a week before it finished its theatrical run in Canada and went to DVD.
I thought the film was very well made (although, Maurice, a little less camera shake next time. I can't believe you were looking for milk duds in your pocket all that time.) Horrifying story but well acted by Roy Dupreis (?) Other than him I didn't see a lot of Canadian content or Nova Scotia crew involved. oh well, those tax credits aren't so picky anymore.
I'll be back with more blogging later. My sister Stella and her Brazillian boyfriend are finally moving out, thank God! I'll have the place to myself without having worry about finding a puddle of their combined bodily fluids everywhere. Really, in the fridge? How? Why? Never mind.
I'm helping them pack to hurry them out the door. But still, I don't know how I'm going to pay the rent by myself. May have to leverage my stocks somehow.
DHX's nine month ending March 31, 2007 results are likely what caused the increase and who would not be thrilled with those numbers. Though I don't understand a lot of the accountant's mumbo Jumbo, the report states that Revenues were up 216%! That is almost double!
The written part of the report (I had to skim most of it or fall asleep at my trusty keyboard) was joyously optomistic when it talked of the past 9 months and the future of the company. There's all kinds of new shows being produced like a show for YTV called "Clang!" Kids love that sound! It`s a Canada/Hong Kong/Singapore co-production. And I'm guessing the Hong Kongians and Singaporians are putting in the "sweat equity" and not for the money grubbing rates that animators in Canada and Korean demand! Hey, draw some food! ha! And really by hiring asian workers to create our Canadian content we are making their lives so much better. It's not like they would want a Starbucks coffee, even if they could afford it.
Anyway, in a previous blog it was noted that DHX may lose their production facilities "Electropolis" because the owner wants to charge them outrageous market rate rent instead of the below market rate Halifax Film needed these last ten years to scrabble togther a living. Luckily the company as able to make some money from third parties such as the Films Outlander and Slevin. They helped bring in $215,000. Rent was $50,000/month so thats,um, $215,000 - 50,000 X 9 = um, just a sec. MINUS $235,000! No wonder Michael Donovan is calling his landlord unfair. If on top of that he had to pay rent for the productions Bo on the Go, Lunar Jim, Mighty Jungle, Animal Mechanicals..well, you're taking the fries right out of my mouth, people.
Oh, and I finally saw Shake Hands With the Devil. My friend Maurice videotaped it at the theatre, but before you jump all over me, remember I'm unable to leave the aprtment so I probably would have had to wait a week before it finished its theatrical run in Canada and went to DVD.
I thought the film was very well made (although, Maurice, a little less camera shake next time. I can't believe you were looking for milk duds in your pocket all that time.) Horrifying story but well acted by Roy Dupreis (?) Other than him I didn't see a lot of Canadian content or Nova Scotia crew involved. oh well, those tax credits aren't so picky anymore.
I'll be back with more blogging later. My sister Stella and her Brazillian boyfriend are finally moving out, thank God! I'll have the place to myself without having worry about finding a puddle of their combined bodily fluids everywhere. Really, in the fridge? How? Why? Never mind.
I'm helping them pack to hurry them out the door. But still, I don't know how I'm going to pay the rent by myself. May have to leverage my stocks somehow.
Monday 24 September 2007
New TV Season!
Okay, the cable is finally back on and just in time for the new TV season. So I'm going to provide "Instant Reviews" of all the new shows:
The Big Bang Theory
Premise:
Hot dumb chick lives next door to two nerds. Hilarity ensues?
Characters:
We know they're nerds because they have a white board of algorithmic equations in their kitchen, they dress like what real nerds tend to avoid and cool guys wear to look hip, they say "coitus" and their showercurtain is the periodic table.
The female is a dumb blonde slut, but not the good type of slut who will sleep with a nerd. (Really if I were a woman, this would totally piss me off. The character is like a dumber Suzanne Summers)
Demographic:
Would be teenage boys if this were 1976 and/or internet porn wasn't invented.
Overall Opinion:
I came in here to blog until Two and a Half Men comes on. Sad on many levels.
The Big Bang Theory
Premise:
Hot dumb chick lives next door to two nerds. Hilarity ensues?
Characters:
We know they're nerds because they have a white board of algorithmic equations in their kitchen, they dress like what real nerds tend to avoid and cool guys wear to look hip, they say "coitus" and their showercurtain is the periodic table.
The female is a dumb blonde slut, but not the good type of slut who will sleep with a nerd. (Really if I were a woman, this would totally piss me off. The character is like a dumber Suzanne Summers)
Demographic:
Would be teenage boys if this were 1976 and/or internet porn wasn't invented.
Overall Opinion:
I came in here to blog until Two and a Half Men comes on. Sad on many levels.
Wednesday 19 September 2007
Halifax CBC Shakeup!
Last week my friend Maurice attended a CBC luncheon as part of the Atlantic Film Festival. As my readers know, I'm unable to leave the apartment so Maurice has become sort of my eyes and ears of the tangible tv film industry in Halifax. He also helps edit this blog and because he's a struggling scriptwriter (ed. is there any other kind in Canada) he wants to remain anonymous so we'll just refer to him as "ed".
To backtrack, several weeks ago we reported that Ron Crocker the Regional Head for the Maritimes "retired" and Andrew Cochrane took over. One of the first things Cochrane did was hire Peter Coade away from rival CTV to bring us the supper time weather. Previously the weather was read to us by anchor Norma Lee McLeod (ed. she was especially good at telling us when it was going to be icy.).
So at the CBC luncheon, it was announced that was only one of several changes that were going to happen over the next few weeks. Yesterday another change was announced, Norma Lee was being replaced at the desk by former anchor from years gone by Jum Nunn!
Now Jimbo left his anchor position years ago, went to Toronto to host Marketplace, left or was made to leave, and returned to Halifax. For the last few years he filled a seat as a"producer" waiting for his pension to kick in and bemoaning his fate.
Until this week. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Norma Lee was told "we're thinking of some changes". Norma Lee had only taken over the desk from Linda Kelly after Nancy Waugh returned to head the newsroom. (ed. "Linda, we're thinking of making some changes." )
I'm sure there were public smiles all around but I bet it's a chilly ole newsroom.
To backtrack, several weeks ago we reported that Ron Crocker the Regional Head for the Maritimes "retired" and Andrew Cochrane took over. One of the first things Cochrane did was hire Peter Coade away from rival CTV to bring us the supper time weather. Previously the weather was read to us by anchor Norma Lee McLeod (ed. she was especially good at telling us when it was going to be icy.).
So at the CBC luncheon, it was announced that was only one of several changes that were going to happen over the next few weeks. Yesterday another change was announced, Norma Lee was being replaced at the desk by former anchor from years gone by Jum Nunn!
Now Jimbo left his anchor position years ago, went to Toronto to host Marketplace, left or was made to leave, and returned to Halifax. For the last few years he filled a seat as a"producer" waiting for his pension to kick in and bemoaning his fate.
Until this week. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Norma Lee was told "we're thinking of some changes". Norma Lee had only taken over the desk from Linda Kelly after Nancy Waugh returned to head the newsroom. (ed. "Linda, we're thinking of making some changes." )
I'm sure there were public smiles all around but I bet it's a chilly ole newsroom.
Electropolis Vermin!
On top of Michael Donavan's company DHX aka Halifax Film Company being squeezed for more money to lease the Electropolis Soundstage, Frank Magazine is reporting the place is invested with Rats! Mind you, only the grunt workers toil away there, management firmly esconcened above a Starbooks on Spring Garden Road, so there's no worries, right?
Wrong! Apparently these particular rats are fond of stop motion animation puppets and have kidnapped them. The fact that these puppets cost thousands of dollars is one thing but the thought of Poko or Minus being dragged off frantically waving for help (ed. albeit frantic would be one movement a minute for the little guys) is sickening.
This of course is the government's fault and they should step in and subsidize the lease costs for the struggling international distributor.
Wrong! Apparently these particular rats are fond of stop motion animation puppets and have kidnapped them. The fact that these puppets cost thousands of dollars is one thing but the thought of Poko or Minus being dragged off frantically waving for help (ed. albeit frantic would be one movement a minute for the little guys) is sickening.
This of course is the government's fault and they should step in and subsidize the lease costs for the struggling international distributor.
Tuesday 18 September 2007
Electropolis in Ruins!
With the Atlantic Film Festival still in full swing and a new and improved tax credit announced, Halifax's production community has been dealt a debilitating blow. Nova Scotia Power, the province's electricity provider has singlehandedly killed the industry by bolting the doors and throwing out the tenants from the Electropolis sound stage in downtown Halifax. (ed. metephorically speaking that is).
In an announcement today Michael Donovan (ed. Mr. Oscar (tm), to you) has received news that he will have to vacate the building where shows like Bo on the Go, Lunar Jim etc, have and are being produced.
The Chronicle Herald quotes the Oscar (tm) winner ""They want us out," he said, adding that while NSPI can do what it wants with the property, he isn’t happy about the way negotiations took place. "We feel very badly treated.""
"Utility spokeswoman Margaret Murphy called the "unfortunate situation" an impasse between a landlord that wants to increase its lease price to better reflect current market conditions and a tenant that had enjoyed a favourable long-term lease."
Apparently Donovan's company DHX Media signed a lease ten years ago (ed. wouldn't that have been Salter Street Films?) agreeing to pay $50,000 a year lease. The contract also stated that after the ten years were up, the lease amount would rise to $500,000 which is about the actual operating cost of the building.
According to "a close friend", The gold statuette recipient is baffled at how the corporate monster NSPI would actually hold him to a signed legal contract thet bleeds his company of close to the market value of the property. After all, he did win an Oscar (tm). (ed. Enough)
Surely to God the government of Nova Scotia will step in and buy the property to avoid the sad sight of Poko and Minus packing up their meagre belongings and shuffling down the side of the road looking for a small corner to film his adventures in.
The government did come through last week after producers in town held a hunger strike (ed. actually they just cut out carbs for a few days). The tax credit on Nova Scotian labour has been increased to 50% + 5% for "frequent flyers" and another 10% for shooting in rural nova scota. (ed. really, isn't it all rural?) At a potential 65%, this tax credit is the highest in North America. And luckily for Halifax Film Nova Scotia Labour still counts people from Ontario who come to work here.
So, i urge everyone to call their MLA's and the premier's office to beg for their support to get Electropolis out of the hands of the spoiler of dreams NSPI and back into the hands of the free-"ish" marketplace.
Halifax Film should not have to did into their $25M IPO, their $1M provincial labour grant, or the money coming in from international sales of its evergreen children's programming. And I'm not saying this because I own 1000 shares of DHX (ed. presently at $1.70 where you acquired it)
In an announcement today Michael Donovan (ed. Mr. Oscar (tm), to you) has received news that he will have to vacate the building where shows like Bo on the Go, Lunar Jim etc, have and are being produced.
The Chronicle Herald quotes the Oscar (tm) winner ""They want us out," he said, adding that while NSPI can do what it wants with the property, he isn’t happy about the way negotiations took place. "We feel very badly treated.""
"Utility spokeswoman Margaret Murphy called the "unfortunate situation" an impasse between a landlord that wants to increase its lease price to better reflect current market conditions and a tenant that had enjoyed a favourable long-term lease."
Apparently Donovan's company DHX Media signed a lease ten years ago (ed. wouldn't that have been Salter Street Films?) agreeing to pay $50,000 a year lease. The contract also stated that after the ten years were up, the lease amount would rise to $500,000 which is about the actual operating cost of the building.
According to "a close friend", The gold statuette recipient is baffled at how the corporate monster NSPI would actually hold him to a signed legal contract thet bleeds his company of close to the market value of the property. After all, he did win an Oscar (tm). (ed. Enough)
Surely to God the government of Nova Scotia will step in and buy the property to avoid the sad sight of Poko and Minus packing up their meagre belongings and shuffling down the side of the road looking for a small corner to film his adventures in.
The government did come through last week after producers in town held a hunger strike (ed. actually they just cut out carbs for a few days). The tax credit on Nova Scotian labour has been increased to 50% + 5% for "frequent flyers" and another 10% for shooting in rural nova scota. (ed. really, isn't it all rural?) At a potential 65%, this tax credit is the highest in North America. And luckily for Halifax Film Nova Scotia Labour still counts people from Ontario who come to work here.
So, i urge everyone to call their MLA's and the premier's office to beg for their support to get Electropolis out of the hands of the spoiler of dreams NSPI and back into the hands of the free-"ish" marketplace.
Halifax Film should not have to did into their $25M IPO, their $1M provincial labour grant, or the money coming in from international sales of its evergreen children's programming. And I'm not saying this because I own 1000 shares of DHX (ed. presently at $1.70 where you acquired it)
Friday 3 August 2007
Crocker Jumps From Dreadnought CBC to....? Theodore Tugboat Dad Takes Corner Office!
Ron Crocker, the El Capitan of CBC Halifax has retired and will be replaced by former independant producer, bearded man, Andrew Cochran.
Andrew, of course is the man behind the Theodore Tugboat TV show, life-size replica, (ed. Don't say there's a Theodore Tugboat panty liner; that would be so old and predictable.) and expensive toy line.
After Theodore struck the big metaphoric iceberg and declared bankruptcy, the affable boat was sold to a local businessman so he could take whiney tourists on a tour of halifax harbour, where their kids could watch human waste float to the surface becoming part of the wonderful cycle of life (ed. get on with it!), Andrew sort of disappeared off the production map.
But locals, although surprised by the turn of events, are overall happy that Andrew will be standing in the wheelhouse of the Halifax CBC, although it could be described as a sinking ship.
The once busy plant (Streetcents, Land and Sea, that Mary Walsh Book show, and numerous pilots produced for Michael Donovan whenever a fart of an idea wafted out of him), now only has This Hour for part of the year and the supper hour news (ed. that's dinner for people east of N.B. Thats New Brunswick, sorry.)
Ron Crocker, a former news guy, has been struggling to make the news work. First T.O. cut the one hour news in half and the budget with it, then they demanded the one hour production back but with no matching budget increase.
Most people know that Toronto wants the Halifax entity gone; they've been winnowing the employees down over the past ten years. If there's to be any production at all out of CBC Halifax five years from now, it will be done by independant producers and the space where the CBC Tv station has stood for fifty years will be a parking lot.
Welcome to The Twilight Zone, Andrew Cochran.
And although the official word is that Ron Crocker is "retiring", the word on the street is that he will be joing The Halifax Film Company, but in what capacity, no one knows. Perhaps he'll take over Michael's duties which include....?
Andrew, of course is the man behind the Theodore Tugboat TV show, life-size replica, (ed. Don't say there's a Theodore Tugboat panty liner; that would be so old and predictable.) and expensive toy line.
After Theodore struck the big metaphoric iceberg and declared bankruptcy, the affable boat was sold to a local businessman so he could take whiney tourists on a tour of halifax harbour, where their kids could watch human waste float to the surface becoming part of the wonderful cycle of life (ed. get on with it!), Andrew sort of disappeared off the production map.
But locals, although surprised by the turn of events, are overall happy that Andrew will be standing in the wheelhouse of the Halifax CBC, although it could be described as a sinking ship.
The once busy plant (Streetcents, Land and Sea, that Mary Walsh Book show, and numerous pilots produced for Michael Donovan whenever a fart of an idea wafted out of him), now only has This Hour for part of the year and the supper hour news (ed. that's dinner for people east of N.B. Thats New Brunswick, sorry.)
Ron Crocker, a former news guy, has been struggling to make the news work. First T.O. cut the one hour news in half and the budget with it, then they demanded the one hour production back but with no matching budget increase.
Most people know that Toronto wants the Halifax entity gone; they've been winnowing the employees down over the past ten years. If there's to be any production at all out of CBC Halifax five years from now, it will be done by independant producers and the space where the CBC Tv station has stood for fifty years will be a parking lot.
Welcome to The Twilight Zone, Andrew Cochran.
And although the official word is that Ron Crocker is "retiring", the word on the street is that he will be joing The Halifax Film Company, but in what capacity, no one knows. Perhaps he'll take over Michael's duties which include....?
Tuesday 31 July 2007
Summertime and the Blogging ain't Easy
Taking a break for a few weeks. Back when the new season starts.
Tuesday 17 July 2007
CBC strikes Gold!
Well, it did years ago when there wasn't so much competition. I found this site that offers synopsis of old Canadian TV shows. These sound interesting:
CHRYSLER FESTIVAL
CBC / 6x60m-e / 1956-57
Executive Producer: Stuart W. Griffiths
Variety series broadcast from Loew's Uptown Theatre in Toronto. Hosted by Elaine Grand and Hume Cronyn. Some big names appeared including the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Earth Kitt, Shirley Jones, Peter Sellers, Jose Greco, Dorothy Dandridge, Kaye Ballard and the Oscar Peterson Trio.
CHARLIE HAD ONE BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE IT SO HE GAVE IT TO US
CBC / x30m-e / 1966 (20 July - 12 October / Wednesday 11.40pm)
Producer: Terry Kyne
Eccentric sketch series starring Paul Soles and Barrie Baldaro with a different guest star each week.
(ed. A late night sketch comedy show with a different host each week? Crazy. No wonder it didn't last.)
THE COLLABORATORS
CBC / x60m-e / 1973-74 (16 December 73 - 1 December 74 / Sunday 9.00pm)
Creator: Richard Gilbert
Crime drama series. Cases of a group of forensic scientists heavily involved in solving crimes for the police.
With:- MICHAEL KANE as Detective Sergeant Jim Brewer / PAUL HARDING as Dr Charles Erickson / TOBY TARNOW as Liz Roman / DONALD PILON as Detective Sergeant Richard Tremblay (season 2) / LAWRENCE BENEDICT as Detective Quinn / LESLIE CARLSON as Detective Kaminski
(ed. Forensic scientists solving crimes? Ludicrous.)
COMING UP ROSIE
CBC / x30m-e / 1975-78 (15 September 75 - 28 March 78)
Writers: Barbara Evans, David Mayerovitch, Stuart Northey / Executive Producer: Don Elder / Producer/Director: Trevor Evans (seasons 1-2), Hedley Read (season 3)
Teen sitcom. Misadventures of Rosie Tucker, a film school graduate, who is determined to make a name for herself as a documentary film maker.
With:- ROSEMARY RADCLIFFE as Rosie Tucker / BARRIE BALDARO as Dudley Nightshade / DAN HENNESSEY as Ralph Oberding / FIONA REID as Mona Swicker / CATHERINE O'HARA as Myrna Wallbacker / JOHN CANDY as Wally Wypyzychwk / DAN ACKROYD as Parks Bickle / JOHN STOCKER as Dwayne Kramer
(Ed. I loved this show!)
DR ZONK AND THE ZUNKINS
CBC / 30x30m-e / 1974-75 (23 September 74 - 14 April 75/ Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 4.30pm)
Producer: Don Elder / Director: Trevor Evans
Children's sketch series based around young Billy Meek and the contents of his imagination. Robin Eveson played Billy Meek and featured amongst the cast were a young John Candy, Gilda Radner, Bob McKenna, Rosemary Radcliffe, Fiona Reid and Dan Hennessey.
(ed. Never saw this but it sounds intriguing.)
QUENTIN DURGENS M.P.
CBC / x60m-e / 1966-71
Creator: George Robertson / Producer: David Gardner / Executive Producer: Ronald Weyman
Drama series. Rural MP Quentin Durgens juggles his constituency duties in the small town of Hampton County with his role as a back bencher in Ottawa. The show grew out of a six parter called Mr Member of Parliament that appeared as part of The Serial.
With:- GORDON PINSENT as Quentin Durgens / SUZANNE LEVESQUE as 'Toinette / OVILA LGAR as Letourneau
(ed.This was a good show.)
THE RAY STEVENS SHOW
CTV / 8x60m-e / 1970
Writers: Jack Hanrahan, Phil Hahn / Executive Producers: Allan Blye, Chris Beard, Murray Chercover
Sketch based comedy series starring American comedy singer (The Streak) as well as an up and coming Steve Martin, Mama Cass of Mama's and the Papa's, Lulu, Billy Van and Dick Curtis.
(ed. During the seventies alot of entertainers had a variety show on CBC, Noel Coward, Wolfman Jack, Ray Stevens, Rolf Harris. I think there were Canadian hosts too.)
WOJECK
CBC / 20x60m-e / 1967-68
Creator: Philip Hersch
Medical/crime drama series featuring the cases of crusading Toronto Chief Coroner Dr Steve Wojeck who tackled head on all manner of controversial subjects. Wojeck's wife was Marty, Arnold Bateman was the cop Wojeck often called upon. See also below for the TV Movie revival called Wojeck: Out of the Fire.
With:- JOHN VERNON as Dr Steve Wojack / PATRICK COLLINS as Marty Wojeck / TED FOLLOWS as Arnold Bateman / CARL BANAS as Sgt Byron James
(ed. Again with the crazy ideas, a coroner solving crime.
CHRYSLER FESTIVAL
CBC / 6x60m-e / 1956-57
Executive Producer: Stuart W. Griffiths
Variety series broadcast from Loew's Uptown Theatre in Toronto. Hosted by Elaine Grand and Hume Cronyn. Some big names appeared including the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Earth Kitt, Shirley Jones, Peter Sellers, Jose Greco, Dorothy Dandridge, Kaye Ballard and the Oscar Peterson Trio.
CHARLIE HAD ONE BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE IT SO HE GAVE IT TO US
CBC / x30m-e / 1966 (20 July - 12 October / Wednesday 11.40pm)
Producer: Terry Kyne
Eccentric sketch series starring Paul Soles and Barrie Baldaro with a different guest star each week.
(ed. A late night sketch comedy show with a different host each week? Crazy. No wonder it didn't last.)
THE COLLABORATORS
CBC / x60m-e / 1973-74 (16 December 73 - 1 December 74 / Sunday 9.00pm)
Creator: Richard Gilbert
Crime drama series. Cases of a group of forensic scientists heavily involved in solving crimes for the police.
With:- MICHAEL KANE as Detective Sergeant Jim Brewer / PAUL HARDING as Dr Charles Erickson / TOBY TARNOW as Liz Roman / DONALD PILON as Detective Sergeant Richard Tremblay (season 2) / LAWRENCE BENEDICT as Detective Quinn / LESLIE CARLSON as Detective Kaminski
(ed. Forensic scientists solving crimes? Ludicrous.)
COMING UP ROSIE
CBC / x30m-e / 1975-78 (15 September 75 - 28 March 78)
Writers: Barbara Evans, David Mayerovitch, Stuart Northey / Executive Producer: Don Elder / Producer/Director: Trevor Evans (seasons 1-2), Hedley Read (season 3)
Teen sitcom. Misadventures of Rosie Tucker, a film school graduate, who is determined to make a name for herself as a documentary film maker.
With:- ROSEMARY RADCLIFFE as Rosie Tucker / BARRIE BALDARO as Dudley Nightshade / DAN HENNESSEY as Ralph Oberding / FIONA REID as Mona Swicker / CATHERINE O'HARA as Myrna Wallbacker / JOHN CANDY as Wally Wypyzychwk / DAN ACKROYD as Parks Bickle / JOHN STOCKER as Dwayne Kramer
(Ed. I loved this show!)
DR ZONK AND THE ZUNKINS
CBC / 30x30m-e / 1974-75 (23 September 74 - 14 April 75/ Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 4.30pm)
Producer: Don Elder / Director: Trevor Evans
Children's sketch series based around young Billy Meek and the contents of his imagination. Robin Eveson played Billy Meek and featured amongst the cast were a young John Candy, Gilda Radner, Bob McKenna, Rosemary Radcliffe, Fiona Reid and Dan Hennessey.
(ed. Never saw this but it sounds intriguing.)
QUENTIN DURGENS M.P.
CBC / x60m-e / 1966-71
Creator: George Robertson / Producer: David Gardner / Executive Producer: Ronald Weyman
Drama series. Rural MP Quentin Durgens juggles his constituency duties in the small town of Hampton County with his role as a back bencher in Ottawa. The show grew out of a six parter called Mr Member of Parliament that appeared as part of The Serial.
With:- GORDON PINSENT as Quentin Durgens / SUZANNE LEVESQUE as 'Toinette / OVILA LGAR as Letourneau
(ed.This was a good show.)
THE RAY STEVENS SHOW
CTV / 8x60m-e / 1970
Writers: Jack Hanrahan, Phil Hahn / Executive Producers: Allan Blye, Chris Beard, Murray Chercover
Sketch based comedy series starring American comedy singer (The Streak) as well as an up and coming Steve Martin, Mama Cass of Mama's and the Papa's, Lulu, Billy Van and Dick Curtis.
(ed. During the seventies alot of entertainers had a variety show on CBC, Noel Coward, Wolfman Jack, Ray Stevens, Rolf Harris. I think there were Canadian hosts too.)
WOJECK
CBC / 20x60m-e / 1967-68
Creator: Philip Hersch
Medical/crime drama series featuring the cases of crusading Toronto Chief Coroner Dr Steve Wojeck who tackled head on all manner of controversial subjects. Wojeck's wife was Marty, Arnold Bateman was the cop Wojeck often called upon. See also below for the TV Movie revival called Wojeck: Out of the Fire.
With:- JOHN VERNON as Dr Steve Wojack / PATRICK COLLINS as Marty Wojeck / TED FOLLOWS as Arnold Bateman / CARL BANAS as Sgt Byron James
(ed. Again with the crazy ideas, a coroner solving crime.
Sunday 15 July 2007
"Billable Hours". Why it will fail!
Okay, I just finished watched an episode of Billable Hours on Showcase. It has broken the following cardinal rules:
(1) There are no totally good people and totally bad people.
As a rep from CTV/Comedy told me not too long ago, a script must have a good guy and a bad guy. Seems pretty simple, people. I mean in real life we walk down the street and see black hats and white hats. Thank god we don't have to take the time to get to know people and their motives. But I just hate those grey hatted people. Pick a side! As an example, Corner Gas, the most sucessful Canadian comedy ever has it's memorable good guys, most of the town, and the "bad guys" who would be....um, well, there was that gov't guy, but then he turned out alright, and then, oh, the dog that bit...someone....
(2) They curse.
CTV played the Sopranos uncut. There was cursing and killing and nudity and nobody (really CRTC did not register one complaint) cared. In the states Janice Jackson's nipple ended her career and started an no-win war in the mid-east. So Billable Hours will not translate into the U.S. on ABC Family. The characters curse like real people. It's like Temple Street Productions and Showcase televsion didn't care about an improbable international sale to the U.S.
(3) They make unnecessary references to Canada
They actually don't hide being Canadian. They even make fun of "Alberta" which is a state like Texas, only colder.
So, a Canadian show that talks like real people, has characters like real people and is blatently Canadian.
I'm stuck for words. I have to think.
So here's what I think. (ed. you know who you're cable/internet provider is?)
I just watched a smart, funny show on TV. The characters were well drawn, the comedy subtle yet accessible, (ed. and funny!) the production values were terrific. (ed. they were really, multiple sets, beautiful details (ed. small things on desks, though periperal, spoke to the character)truly)).
One scene had a "little person" for lack of a politically correct term, but he was not singuled out, he was not the butt of a joke; he was another character that happened to work in the office. Seinfeld did that and I loved it.
Billable Hours is a well-acted, well-written, well-executed TV show. (ed. the visuals were great, there was one scene where the main characters were arguing while walking through an office, it looked very real)
I wish everyone involved success in California.
(1) There are no totally good people and totally bad people.
As a rep from CTV/Comedy told me not too long ago, a script must have a good guy and a bad guy. Seems pretty simple, people. I mean in real life we walk down the street and see black hats and white hats. Thank god we don't have to take the time to get to know people and their motives. But I just hate those grey hatted people. Pick a side! As an example, Corner Gas, the most sucessful Canadian comedy ever has it's memorable good guys, most of the town, and the "bad guys" who would be....um, well, there was that gov't guy, but then he turned out alright, and then, oh, the dog that bit...someone....
(2) They curse.
CTV played the Sopranos uncut. There was cursing and killing and nudity and nobody (really CRTC did not register one complaint) cared. In the states Janice Jackson's nipple ended her career and started an no-win war in the mid-east. So Billable Hours will not translate into the U.S. on ABC Family. The characters curse like real people. It's like Temple Street Productions and Showcase televsion didn't care about an improbable international sale to the U.S.
(3) They make unnecessary references to Canada
They actually don't hide being Canadian. They even make fun of "Alberta" which is a state like Texas, only colder.
So, a Canadian show that talks like real people, has characters like real people and is blatently Canadian.
I'm stuck for words. I have to think.
So here's what I think. (ed. you know who you're cable/internet provider is?)
I just watched a smart, funny show on TV. The characters were well drawn, the comedy subtle yet accessible, (ed. and funny!) the production values were terrific. (ed. they were really, multiple sets, beautiful details (ed. small things on desks, though periperal, spoke to the character)truly)).
One scene had a "little person" for lack of a politically correct term, but he was not singuled out, he was not the butt of a joke; he was another character that happened to work in the office. Seinfeld did that and I loved it.
Billable Hours is a well-acted, well-written, well-executed TV show. (ed. the visuals were great, there was one scene where the main characters were arguing while walking through an office, it looked very real)
I wish everyone involved success in California.
Wednesday 11 July 2007
X&Z on Definition? And They Say Canadian Game Shows Aren't Exciting!
If only the theme song was here:
And I remember this clip from The Frantics fondly:
The Simpsons in Canada:
Steve Martin in Toronto:
My DHX (Halifax Film Company) Stock is up to $1.54/share. My 1000 shares acquired at $1.40 is looking good.
And I remember this clip from The Frantics fondly:
The Simpsons in Canada:
Steve Martin in Toronto:
My DHX (Halifax Film Company) Stock is up to $1.54/share. My 1000 shares acquired at $1.40 is looking good.
Saturday 7 July 2007
Just Tidying Up.
Few more things before I get into what's been happening here:
- My DHX Stock is at $1.45. Up $.05 from acquisition price. (ed. You know, it's odd that there's no "cents" sign on a computer keyboard, isn't it?) I only have 1000 shares but I'm in a quandry as to hold tight or sell. After all, two weeks ago Charles Bishop, one of the founders of DHX, sold 250,000 shares. Would he know something I don't? Naw, I'm sure it was just a cash flow thing. I think I'll hang on especially with the news that Halifax Film (DHX) is doing a show for the CBC about spelling bees. Sounds like "ca-ching, bling, bling" is headed my way.
- A local comedy troupe (ed. or troop?) is making waves locally. Picnisface has had some of it's videos featured on Will Farrell's website so naturally as a Canadian, I am proud to now feature them and claim them as a national treasure; (ed. we haven't seen the video ourselves, but if an American says its good...)
But first!
Youtube. Apparently Women Parking is bigger than porn in Germany, judging by the number of videos posted on the topic.
Now Picnicface:
Not really my cup of tea but whatever makes the world go round.
- My DHX Stock is at $1.45. Up $.05 from acquisition price. (ed. You know, it's odd that there's no "cents" sign on a computer keyboard, isn't it?) I only have 1000 shares but I'm in a quandry as to hold tight or sell. After all, two weeks ago Charles Bishop, one of the founders of DHX, sold 250,000 shares. Would he know something I don't? Naw, I'm sure it was just a cash flow thing. I think I'll hang on especially with the news that Halifax Film (DHX) is doing a show for the CBC about spelling bees. Sounds like "ca-ching, bling, bling" is headed my way.
- A local comedy troupe (ed. or troop?) is making waves locally. Picnisface has had some of it's videos featured on Will Farrell's website so naturally as a Canadian, I am proud to now feature them and claim them as a national treasure; (ed. we haven't seen the video ourselves, but if an American says its good...)
But first!
Youtube. Apparently Women Parking is bigger than porn in Germany, judging by the number of videos posted on the topic.
Now Picnicface:
Not really my cup of tea but whatever makes the world go round.
Everybody Wang Chung Tonight.
Eh, not really.
I don't have much time but here's a few tidbits:
- While surfing I found this description on Winkopedia about the CBC/Halifax Film Company show Poko. This is verbatim;
"In August 28, 2008, Season 3 of Poko will be added 3 characters will be added and Poko got a bigger house for 3 more.
Troy He lives with Poko. He is newborn. He sleeps during the outside scene.
Lip Lock Lip Lock lives with Bibi. Lip Lock kisses. She is a cat. On the outside episode, Lip Lock chased Minus.
Sharon Sharon was Poko's new friend she is 9 years old. When Sharon says 'TAKE A BOW!' Poko, Bibi, Lambert, Lip Lock, Minus and Troy bowed. Sharon was sometimes shorten to Share which Poko called out Sharon.
Quiz will be planned to be on Season three of Poko on September 3, 2008."
Does the above sound like some sort of Eastern European satire? It's either briliantly satirical or fucking stupid.
- www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/databases/easterneye/history.asp
This is the website for a history of film in Nova Scotia. An except follows;
"The second private motion picture company established in Nova Scotia was the less prolific but equally important Maritime Motion Picture Company (MMPC).
Canadian in its philosophy but less so in its practice. While most of the productions were filmed in Cape Breton and Atlantic Canada and told Canadian stories, the company imported most of its directors, casts, and crews from the United States. (WTF?) This practice was not uncommon across the country during these early years of film production when trained personnel were hard to come by.
A report to shareholders in 1922 stated,
It [the newly-released Sea Riders] has been well received wherever screened [and] the returns have been unexpectedly big ... outstanding evidence of the fact that the Canadian people will, if given the opportunity, support and give a preference to Made in Canada products.15"
So, we've been deceiving ourselves for a looongg time.
Anyway, Paris Hilton bumped Michael Moore from The Larry King Show. Ya know, if she hadn't invented a cure for cancer I would be a little miffed.
In local film news, there's a website that promises to entertain you with original content. Another website/blogger that promises to make television obsolite. If only. I've surfed it and found myself going, "yawn, okay, that's cute". I can't recommend it as a great way to spend an evening but it is local.
www.untv.ca
I don't have much time but here's a few tidbits:
- While surfing I found this description on Winkopedia about the CBC/Halifax Film Company show Poko. This is verbatim;
"In August 28, 2008, Season 3 of Poko will be added 3 characters will be added and Poko got a bigger house for 3 more.
Troy He lives with Poko. He is newborn. He sleeps during the outside scene.
Lip Lock Lip Lock lives with Bibi. Lip Lock kisses. She is a cat. On the outside episode, Lip Lock chased Minus.
Sharon Sharon was Poko's new friend she is 9 years old. When Sharon says 'TAKE A BOW!' Poko, Bibi, Lambert, Lip Lock, Minus and Troy bowed. Sharon was sometimes shorten to Share which Poko called out Sharon.
Quiz will be planned to be on Season three of Poko on September 3, 2008."
Does the above sound like some sort of Eastern European satire? It's either briliantly satirical or fucking stupid.
- www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/databases/easterneye/history.asp
This is the website for a history of film in Nova Scotia. An except follows;
"The second private motion picture company established in Nova Scotia was the less prolific but equally important Maritime Motion Picture Company (MMPC).
Canadian in its philosophy but less so in its practice. While most of the productions were filmed in Cape Breton and Atlantic Canada and told Canadian stories, the company imported most of its directors, casts, and crews from the United States. (WTF?) This practice was not uncommon across the country during these early years of film production when trained personnel were hard to come by.
A report to shareholders in 1922 stated,
It [the newly-released Sea Riders] has been well received wherever screened [and] the returns have been unexpectedly big ... outstanding evidence of the fact that the Canadian people will, if given the opportunity, support and give a preference to Made in Canada products.15"
So, we've been deceiving ourselves for a looongg time.
Anyway, Paris Hilton bumped Michael Moore from The Larry King Show. Ya know, if she hadn't invented a cure for cancer I would be a little miffed.
In local film news, there's a website that promises to entertain you with original content. Another website/blogger that promises to make television obsolite. If only. I've surfed it and found myself going, "yawn, okay, that's cute". I can't recommend it as a great way to spend an evening but it is local.
www.untv.ca
Wednesday 27 June 2007
Okay, Dire Straits
Saw them in concert, saved me from disco, the best band ever!! Yeah, Yeah Rolling Stones, Beatles, blah, blah, blah. Just sit back. play this and chill.
and this
Help me lord, I had the 8 track!
and this
Help me lord, I had the 8 track!
Tuesday 26 June 2007
Gavin Crawford. You are a Hissyfit!
I think this was somthing spontaneous which I'm totally for. Hanging around getting make-up on, Mr. Crawford, had fun. This is what it should be about.
You'll notice that Mark Farell plays the producer/showrunner and I was struck by something he wrote on another blog, "Too many people in our industry (and I'm not by any means the first to make this point) think that just getting something made or on-air is enough. It isn't."
I think he's totally right on this point. So many productions have come about because it was a job, signed, sealed and delivered by the producer and the broadcaster. It doesn't mean that the writers should shrug their shoulders and say this is only a paycheck and when I get my own show, I'll show'em! (ed. guilty).
Write, fight and smite to get good stuff on the air. It is possible. Even if you have to sneak it under the radar.
Now for a completely different topic, I came across this on YouTube; The Doors doing "The End". (ed. genuflect here). It was supposedly for Canadian TV but was it shot here? Who knows. The guy introducing it I think is Noel Harrison, son of Rex Harrison, who had his own variety show on CBC, shot in Halifax. Jim Morrison in Halifax? Doubt it. But whatever.
The year is 1967, Expo '67 blooms, a younger Jay Leno perfects his stand-up and Paris Hilton is not even imagined as possibly existing. sigh.
You'll notice that Mark Farell plays the producer/showrunner and I was struck by something he wrote on another blog, "Too many people in our industry (and I'm not by any means the first to make this point) think that just getting something made or on-air is enough. It isn't."
I think he's totally right on this point. So many productions have come about because it was a job, signed, sealed and delivered by the producer and the broadcaster. It doesn't mean that the writers should shrug their shoulders and say this is only a paycheck and when I get my own show, I'll show'em! (ed. guilty).
Write, fight and smite to get good stuff on the air. It is possible. Even if you have to sneak it under the radar.
Now for a completely different topic, I came across this on YouTube; The Doors doing "The End". (ed. genuflect here). It was supposedly for Canadian TV but was it shot here? Who knows. The guy introducing it I think is Noel Harrison, son of Rex Harrison, who had his own variety show on CBC, shot in Halifax. Jim Morrison in Halifax? Doubt it. But whatever.
The year is 1967, Expo '67 blooms, a younger Jay Leno perfects his stand-up and Paris Hilton is not even imagined as possibly existing. sigh.
Sunday 24 June 2007
Distribute This!
I read in the paper where Paul Gross, David Cronenberg and friends are upset that the distribution arm of Alliance Atlantis is selling itself to an American company (with a Canadian partner doing the Canadian rubber stamping, of course).
If it goes through, the millions and millions of dollars that the taxpayers of this country (that's ...some of you) will have been spent for naught. The money was paid out to promote Canadian films. That will end.
But why all this fuss over a distributor? What do they do? Well, they are an integrel cog in the motion picture industry in this and other countries.
Although, complex, I'll try and simplify it. Basically, when a motion picture is "produced" in Hollywood, it has to be transported to the actual movie theatre; it doesn't just get dropped off by courier! (duh!). So when "Live Long or Die Harder" is "released", the "studio" sends the actual "film" to a "distributor", who receives it and then "couriers" it to the actual movie theatres across Canada.
Naturally this service dictates a fee (40% of the gross?). And since Alliance Atlantis knows all the street addresses of the movie theatres in Canada they are the main distributor for this country.
Oh, and they also promote (P & A) the film in Canada, because "Live Free or Die Harder" would be shown to empty seats in this country if somebody didn't tell the public it was playing.
I remember Michael MacMillan coming to Halifax years ago earestly explaining to the concerned production community, that the takeover of Salter Street Films would not be an abandonment of production in the city. Rumours were rife that they had purchased Salter Street only to acquire the IFC but he denied this and Michael Donovan to this day denies thats what it was about.
Alliance Atlantis wanted to buy Salter Street because of it's library (Do old Codco's have an aftermarket?) and its current production slate e.g. 22 Minutes, Poko (in development at the time).
So the sale went through and Alliance Atlantis did maintain a presence in town, the IFC has one employee with a phone. They sold all the buildings Salter Street owned and threw Poko and 22 Minutes back to Michael Donovan.
So, let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt, ....again.
As a BTW, my 1000 shares of DHX (Halifax Film Company) is down to $1.38/share. They were acquired at $1.40/share. (1000 x .02 = $20) Not much I know but if it were up the same amount I would be happier.
If it goes through, the millions and millions of dollars that the taxpayers of this country (that's ...some of you) will have been spent for naught. The money was paid out to promote Canadian films. That will end.
But why all this fuss over a distributor? What do they do? Well, they are an integrel cog in the motion picture industry in this and other countries.
Although, complex, I'll try and simplify it. Basically, when a motion picture is "produced" in Hollywood, it has to be transported to the actual movie theatre; it doesn't just get dropped off by courier! (duh!). So when "Live Long or Die Harder" is "released", the "studio" sends the actual "film" to a "distributor", who receives it and then "couriers" it to the actual movie theatres across Canada.
Naturally this service dictates a fee (40% of the gross?). And since Alliance Atlantis knows all the street addresses of the movie theatres in Canada they are the main distributor for this country.
Oh, and they also promote (P & A) the film in Canada, because "Live Free or Die Harder" would be shown to empty seats in this country if somebody didn't tell the public it was playing.
I remember Michael MacMillan coming to Halifax years ago earestly explaining to the concerned production community, that the takeover of Salter Street Films would not be an abandonment of production in the city. Rumours were rife that they had purchased Salter Street only to acquire the IFC but he denied this and Michael Donovan to this day denies thats what it was about.
Alliance Atlantis wanted to buy Salter Street because of it's library (Do old Codco's have an aftermarket?) and its current production slate e.g. 22 Minutes, Poko (in development at the time).
So the sale went through and Alliance Atlantis did maintain a presence in town, the IFC has one employee with a phone. They sold all the buildings Salter Street owned and threw Poko and 22 Minutes back to Michael Donovan.
So, let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt, ....again.
As a BTW, my 1000 shares of DHX (Halifax Film Company) is down to $1.38/share. They were acquired at $1.40/share. (1000 x .02 = $20) Not much I know but if it were up the same amount I would be happier.
Saturday 23 June 2007
Why Do Pickles Exist?
I wanted to clean out the fridge and amongst the various "things" there is a Bottle of tiny dill pickles. No one living here likes tiny dill pickles, why are they here, where the F*** did they come from!? I'm tossing them!
More on tv later, things have been too flux-a-tating here lately.
More on tv later, things have been too flux-a-tating here lately.
Tuesday 19 June 2007
Global! Your Proud CANADIAN Brodcaster!
In local production news, a documentary produced by Arcadia Productions of Halifax found the golden horseshoe. They were in the carribean shooting a documentary called "Going Down" (which in an earlier blog I mistakenly identified as an "L Word" type of show), they had finished filming an ordinary scene where divers prepared to dive and went overboard. As the hauled the anchor up, it was snagged on a treasure chest full of, well treasure. Good for them, hurrah.)
Anyway, Last week Global television announced it's fall schedule. I know I'm a bit late but it wasn't in the papers or on tv (but then they probably didn't advertise it during the 15 hour Simpson's marathon)
But I'll let them speak for themselves (with a few comments from me and excuse me if the cosmopolitans are kicking in)
"CanWest MediaWorks Announces Original Production Slate for 2007-2008
Global Television and E! (This was originally CH from Hamilton who I remember as the small station that tried. And they did. They did local programming for the country, "Tiny Talent Time" and I believe "House of Frightenstein". Anyway now it will be a 24 hour station dedicated to Canadians in the entertainment industry. That means if a Tom Cruise movie shoots in Montreal we'll be treated to a sassy portrait of Tom, probably wearing those RayBans from 40 years ago)
With 20 Original Series Premieres...Over 100 Hours of Scripted Content...Over 80 Hours of Premiere Documentaries, and Nearly 200 Hours of Entertainment News... (My God! Original...scripted content...Premiere Documentaries...Canadian TV has finally come into its own! Except for the 200 hours of TomCat, Maghaughey, etc)
Broadcaster Continues To Grow Critically-Acclaimed Development & Production Commitments (Continues? Did I miss something last year?)
(TORONTO) CanWest MediaWorks today announced details of its Original Production slate at their annual Upfront Presentation to advertisers and industry in Toronto.
Across primetime on Global Television and the all-new E! network, CanWest has positioned over 100 debut hours of scripted content, (okay, got it. Details, please)
over 80 hours of showcased documentaries and nearly 200 hours of entertainment news.
Building on what industry and press have tagged as a ‘turnaround’ year (who said that? It's in quotes so I'm sure someone did) for CanWest's Original Productions, the focus remains on expanding the commitment to developing and producing the best of Canadian drama, comedy, documentary and more (yes, yes, God, yes!) – and integrating these into the nation's most critically acclaimed primetime schedules. (um, okay, I'll play along caught up in the enthusiasm as I am)
"We're incredibly proud of our team, and the wide range of work that is being commissioned," said Barbara Williams, CanWest MediaWorks Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. (Wow, fit that on a nameplate. Barbara used to be an Alliance Atlantis Senior ...something) "Our promise to build on quality, diversity and the country's leading edge creative alliances remains strong, and is at the core of all of our 2007-2008 original product. (Heehee, okay, sorry. I know she has to say this but who is she talking too? Sorry, I'm just reacting based on past history. Apparently they have changed.) We're looking forward to a fantastic new season." (Us too. Sounds like a lot of work for Canadian creatives. And crew, of course. If you're not busy on The Hulk II)
As the CanWest commitment to original programming grows, (snicker, sorry, but it can't do anything but grow, can it?) the broadcaster's creative partnerships with a myriad of producing partners - from across Canada and around the world - have formed a strong foundation for an exciting roster of new content, set to debut this season and in the months to come. Premiere strategic partners include Movie Central, The Movie Network, The NFB, APTN, The BBC, Lifetime, USA Sci-Fi Network, and ABC Family. (uh oh, they don't sound Canadian Contenish at all)
New titles debuting on Global Television for the 2007-2008 season include: West coast action-drama, SEARCH AND RESCUE: From Halifax Film Company and Brightlight Pictures with Exec Producers Ray Storey, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop (Bowling for Columbine)(that was their brackets not mine. They just want to point out that the guy who signed some cheques on Michael Moore's documentary will have his name in the credits of whatever this is)...Neighbourhood comedy 'DA KINK IN MY HAIR: From Barna Alper Productions, Exec Producer Laszlo Barna, Damian Nurse, Ngozi Paul and trey anthony - based on anthony's multi-award winning play of the same name (ethnic, okay that's good.) ...Coming-of-age college comedy, ABOUT A GIRL: From Brightlight Pictures and Exec Producer Steve Hegyes, starring Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch (hmm, sounds ABC Family'ish. But then they wouldn't traipse into Falcon Beach Territory again, would they? No, that would be just....)
Oil industry thriller, BURN UP: From Producers Tom Cox and Jordy Randall - a BBC co-production from Kudos Film and TV (UK) and Seven 24 Films Inc., (Hmm, BBC/Alberta co-pro. Why do I get the feeling the Alberta producers were tour guides? Don't know for sure but I never heard of them)
Psychological thriller, DURHAM COUNTY: From Exec Producers Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas. Co-Developed and Commissioned by CanWest, DURHAM COUNTY is now set for its conventional network premiere. (check the word "conventional", it's been on TMN for a month, now)
In addition, all-new original documentaries arrive on the Global Television slate for 2007-2008, as GLOBAL CURRENTS with Host Kevin Newman marks its third season. (snore) A weekly, original strand that explores social issues and perspectives relevant to Canadians, GLOBAL CURRENTS is a showcase for independent producers from every corner of the country.
(i.e. Dearest CRTC, we are committed to telling Canadian stories to Canadians and have spent thousands of dollars on director/writers grateful for the opportunity. These documentaries will show in the prime viewing slot of Saturdays after golf and before a Simpsons rerun. Hey, if it doesn't get ratings, maybe we should just give up on this whole idea of Canadian content. Canadians are too smart for what we can deliver so we should give them the programming we deserve such as House, and Entertainment...whatever. After all if we want to profile Canadian talent, we should really look to the U.S. who hire a lot of our writers, House..etc)
Continuing the CanWest commitment to documentaries - now in true E! style - the network is proud to announce an all-new showcase, "ON E!", featuring a variety of entertainment-focused documentary series including: Musical-moms-on-a-mission, (oh, my God! WTF is this?)
SHAYE: From Breakthrough Film & TV and Exec Producer Ira Levy, featuring Kim Stockwood, Damhnait Doyle and Tara MacLean (eastern talent as only a Toronto broadcaster can show) ...On set in Hollywood North with adrenaline junkies, (um, yeah)
STUNT STARS: From Montreal's CMJ Productions and Exec Producer John Kuyk...Never call them "cover bands", TRIBUTE - THE NEXT BEST THING: From Fall From Grace Prod's and Exec Producers Michelle Metivier and Allison Grace...And the dangerous world of celebrity diets, break-ups and breakdowns, INSIDE HOLLYWOOD: From Producer Larry Day at Pyramid Productions. (sigh)
Also this Fall, E! network original debuts include...A look at homegrown legends on E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY: CANADIAN EDITION... An unconventional, in-depth take on celebrity news, trends and lifestyles, E! LIVE...And over 20 homegrown MOWs, E! MOVIES WE LOVE: From CanWest, with Lifetime Network and a wide range of Canadian Producing Partners including Shaftesbury Films, ThunderBird Films, Insight Film Studios and Muse Entertainment. (Christ!)
SEARCH AND RESCUE
(13 x 1 hour; drama)
This exciting drama follows the lives of four Canadian Coast Guards, trained to expect the unexpected in their work, but never ready for it in their personal lives. Viewers can follow the adventures of these offbeat heroes whose greatest search will be for meaning in their own lives. A co-production from Halifax Film Company (Michael Donavan and Charles Bishop) and Brightlight Pictures (Steve Hegyes); created by Michael Donavan and Ray Storey. (God, help me!)
‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR
Sundays – 7:30pm
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
The highly anticipated comedy based on trey anthony's multi award-winning play of the same name. Letty's, a bustling hair salon in Toronto's Caribbean community, serves as a platform for a group of women to share their trials, tribulations and deep dark secrets. Viewers can watch as these strong, black women let their hair down – in more ways than one. Series created by trey anthony and Ngozi Paul; Executive Produced by Damion Nurse, Laszlo Barna, trey anthony, Ngozi Paul and Shelly Scarrow.
CAST: Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Ngozi Paul, trey anthony, Conroy Stewart, Richard Fagon (Yeah, okay, this might actually be interesting)
ABOUT A GIRL
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
College student Amy Ryan never thought she would find herself living in an off-campus house along with four male roommates. She's now got a direct line to the male species and what makes them tick – and the guys now have a chick to take out the garbage. What they will learn from each other is more than any classroom could ever teach. From Producer Steve Hegyes (White Noise). (Canadian?)
CAST: Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch (Smallville) (Canadian?)
BURN UP
(2 x 2 hour; mini-drama)
This two-part, high-stakes conspiracy thriller is set against the backdrop of the world's corrupt and violent oil industry. This drama focuses on the desperate attempts of those trying to save the planet from global warming while uncovering the truth of oil reserves in Alberta, the southern United States and the Middle East. A co-production of Seven 24 Films Inc. ( Alberta) and Kudos Film and TV (UK). (snore. I wonder what side of global warming they come out on)
KILLER WAVE
(2 x 2 hour; drama)
An action-disaster mini-series about a conspiracy theory come true. A large corporation conspires to devastate North American cities on the east coast with tidal waves so that it can win a multi-billion dollar contract from the government to build a seawall along the eastern seaboard. Directed by Bruce McDonald; from Muse Entertainment, Montreal. (A multi-billion dollar contract from the Canadian government? We're not talking advertising, people. Oh, NORTH America. International sales, anybody)
CAST: Angus MacFadyen, Karine Vanasse, Stephen McHattie
DURHAM COUNTY
(6 x 1 hour; drama)
An emotionally powerful series revolving around Detective Mike Sweeney, his family and a potential serial killer who lives across the street. As Sweeny hunts down his murderous neighbour, the differences between the cop and the killer become blurry. With a shared history that goes all the way back to high school, Sweeney learns you can’t always leave your past behind. Produced by Muse Entertainment in Montreal.
CAST: Helene Joy, Sonya Salomaa, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Hugh Dillon, Justin Louis (Okay, this might actually be good from what I hear, but it's not a Global original)
That's all I'm going to blog tonight.
Anyway, Last week Global television announced it's fall schedule. I know I'm a bit late but it wasn't in the papers or on tv (but then they probably didn't advertise it during the 15 hour Simpson's marathon)
But I'll let them speak for themselves (with a few comments from me and excuse me if the cosmopolitans are kicking in)
"CanWest MediaWorks Announces Original Production Slate for 2007-2008
Global Television and E! (This was originally CH from Hamilton who I remember as the small station that tried. And they did. They did local programming for the country, "Tiny Talent Time" and I believe "House of Frightenstein". Anyway now it will be a 24 hour station dedicated to Canadians in the entertainment industry. That means if a Tom Cruise movie shoots in Montreal we'll be treated to a sassy portrait of Tom, probably wearing those RayBans from 40 years ago)
With 20 Original Series Premieres...Over 100 Hours of Scripted Content...Over 80 Hours of Premiere Documentaries, and Nearly 200 Hours of Entertainment News... (My God! Original...scripted content...Premiere Documentaries...Canadian TV has finally come into its own! Except for the 200 hours of TomCat, Maghaughey, etc)
Broadcaster Continues To Grow Critically-Acclaimed Development & Production Commitments (Continues? Did I miss something last year?)
(TORONTO) CanWest MediaWorks today announced details of its Original Production slate at their annual Upfront Presentation to advertisers and industry in Toronto.
Across primetime on Global Television and the all-new E! network, CanWest has positioned over 100 debut hours of scripted content, (okay, got it. Details, please)
over 80 hours of showcased documentaries and nearly 200 hours of entertainment news.
Building on what industry and press have tagged as a ‘turnaround’ year (who said that? It's in quotes so I'm sure someone did) for CanWest's Original Productions, the focus remains on expanding the commitment to developing and producing the best of Canadian drama, comedy, documentary and more (yes, yes, God, yes!) – and integrating these into the nation's most critically acclaimed primetime schedules. (um, okay, I'll play along caught up in the enthusiasm as I am)
"We're incredibly proud of our team, and the wide range of work that is being commissioned," said Barbara Williams, CanWest MediaWorks Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. (Wow, fit that on a nameplate. Barbara used to be an Alliance Atlantis Senior ...something) "Our promise to build on quality, diversity and the country's leading edge creative alliances remains strong, and is at the core of all of our 2007-2008 original product. (Heehee, okay, sorry. I know she has to say this but who is she talking too? Sorry, I'm just reacting based on past history. Apparently they have changed.) We're looking forward to a fantastic new season." (Us too. Sounds like a lot of work for Canadian creatives. And crew, of course. If you're not busy on The Hulk II)
As the CanWest commitment to original programming grows, (snicker, sorry, but it can't do anything but grow, can it?) the broadcaster's creative partnerships with a myriad of producing partners - from across Canada and around the world - have formed a strong foundation for an exciting roster of new content, set to debut this season and in the months to come. Premiere strategic partners include Movie Central, The Movie Network, The NFB, APTN, The BBC, Lifetime, USA Sci-Fi Network, and ABC Family. (uh oh, they don't sound Canadian Contenish at all)
New titles debuting on Global Television for the 2007-2008 season include: West coast action-drama, SEARCH AND RESCUE: From Halifax Film Company and Brightlight Pictures with Exec Producers Ray Storey, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop (Bowling for Columbine)(that was their brackets not mine. They just want to point out that the guy who signed some cheques on Michael Moore's documentary will have his name in the credits of whatever this is)...Neighbourhood comedy 'DA KINK IN MY HAIR: From Barna Alper Productions, Exec Producer Laszlo Barna, Damian Nurse, Ngozi Paul and trey anthony - based on anthony's multi-award winning play of the same name (ethnic, okay that's good.) ...Coming-of-age college comedy, ABOUT A GIRL: From Brightlight Pictures and Exec Producer Steve Hegyes, starring Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch (hmm, sounds ABC Family'ish. But then they wouldn't traipse into Falcon Beach Territory again, would they? No, that would be just....)
Oil industry thriller, BURN UP: From Producers Tom Cox and Jordy Randall - a BBC co-production from Kudos Film and TV (UK) and Seven 24 Films Inc., (Hmm, BBC/Alberta co-pro. Why do I get the feeling the Alberta producers were tour guides? Don't know for sure but I never heard of them)
Psychological thriller, DURHAM COUNTY: From Exec Producers Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas. Co-Developed and Commissioned by CanWest, DURHAM COUNTY is now set for its conventional network premiere. (check the word "conventional", it's been on TMN for a month, now)
In addition, all-new original documentaries arrive on the Global Television slate for 2007-2008, as GLOBAL CURRENTS with Host Kevin Newman marks its third season. (snore) A weekly, original strand that explores social issues and perspectives relevant to Canadians, GLOBAL CURRENTS is a showcase for independent producers from every corner of the country.
(i.e. Dearest CRTC, we are committed to telling Canadian stories to Canadians and have spent thousands of dollars on director/writers grateful for the opportunity. These documentaries will show in the prime viewing slot of Saturdays after golf and before a Simpsons rerun. Hey, if it doesn't get ratings, maybe we should just give up on this whole idea of Canadian content. Canadians are too smart for what we can deliver so we should give them the programming we deserve such as House, and Entertainment...whatever. After all if we want to profile Canadian talent, we should really look to the U.S. who hire a lot of our writers, House..etc)
Continuing the CanWest commitment to documentaries - now in true E! style - the network is proud to announce an all-new showcase, "ON E!", featuring a variety of entertainment-focused documentary series including: Musical-moms-on-a-mission, (oh, my God! WTF is this?)
SHAYE: From Breakthrough Film & TV and Exec Producer Ira Levy, featuring Kim Stockwood, Damhnait Doyle and Tara MacLean (eastern talent as only a Toronto broadcaster can show) ...On set in Hollywood North with adrenaline junkies, (um, yeah)
STUNT STARS: From Montreal's CMJ Productions and Exec Producer John Kuyk...Never call them "cover bands", TRIBUTE - THE NEXT BEST THING: From Fall From Grace Prod's and Exec Producers Michelle Metivier and Allison Grace...And the dangerous world of celebrity diets, break-ups and breakdowns, INSIDE HOLLYWOOD: From Producer Larry Day at Pyramid Productions. (sigh)
Also this Fall, E! network original debuts include...A look at homegrown legends on E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY: CANADIAN EDITION... An unconventional, in-depth take on celebrity news, trends and lifestyles, E! LIVE...And over 20 homegrown MOWs, E! MOVIES WE LOVE: From CanWest, with Lifetime Network and a wide range of Canadian Producing Partners including Shaftesbury Films, ThunderBird Films, Insight Film Studios and Muse Entertainment. (Christ!)
SEARCH AND RESCUE
(13 x 1 hour; drama)
This exciting drama follows the lives of four Canadian Coast Guards, trained to expect the unexpected in their work, but never ready for it in their personal lives. Viewers can follow the adventures of these offbeat heroes whose greatest search will be for meaning in their own lives. A co-production from Halifax Film Company (Michael Donavan and Charles Bishop) and Brightlight Pictures (Steve Hegyes); created by Michael Donavan and Ray Storey. (God, help me!)
‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR
Sundays – 7:30pm
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
The highly anticipated comedy based on trey anthony's multi award-winning play of the same name. Letty's, a bustling hair salon in Toronto's Caribbean community, serves as a platform for a group of women to share their trials, tribulations and deep dark secrets. Viewers can watch as these strong, black women let their hair down – in more ways than one. Series created by trey anthony and Ngozi Paul; Executive Produced by Damion Nurse, Laszlo Barna, trey anthony, Ngozi Paul and Shelly Scarrow.
CAST: Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Ngozi Paul, trey anthony, Conroy Stewart, Richard Fagon (Yeah, okay, this might actually be interesting)
ABOUT A GIRL
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
College student Amy Ryan never thought she would find herself living in an off-campus house along with four male roommates. She's now got a direct line to the male species and what makes them tick – and the guys now have a chick to take out the garbage. What they will learn from each other is more than any classroom could ever teach. From Producer Steve Hegyes (White Noise). (Canadian?)
CAST: Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch (Smallville) (Canadian?)
BURN UP
(2 x 2 hour; mini-drama)
This two-part, high-stakes conspiracy thriller is set against the backdrop of the world's corrupt and violent oil industry. This drama focuses on the desperate attempts of those trying to save the planet from global warming while uncovering the truth of oil reserves in Alberta, the southern United States and the Middle East. A co-production of Seven 24 Films Inc. ( Alberta) and Kudos Film and TV (UK). (snore. I wonder what side of global warming they come out on)
KILLER WAVE
(2 x 2 hour; drama)
An action-disaster mini-series about a conspiracy theory come true. A large corporation conspires to devastate North American cities on the east coast with tidal waves so that it can win a multi-billion dollar contract from the government to build a seawall along the eastern seaboard. Directed by Bruce McDonald; from Muse Entertainment, Montreal. (A multi-billion dollar contract from the Canadian government? We're not talking advertising, people. Oh, NORTH America. International sales, anybody)
CAST: Angus MacFadyen, Karine Vanasse, Stephen McHattie
DURHAM COUNTY
(6 x 1 hour; drama)
An emotionally powerful series revolving around Detective Mike Sweeney, his family and a potential serial killer who lives across the street. As Sweeny hunts down his murderous neighbour, the differences between the cop and the killer become blurry. With a shared history that goes all the way back to high school, Sweeney learns you can’t always leave your past behind. Produced by Muse Entertainment in Montreal.
CAST: Helene Joy, Sonya Salomaa, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Hugh Dillon, Justin Louis (Okay, this might actually be good from what I hear, but it's not a Global original)
That's all I'm going to blog tonight.
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