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.