Halifax Film Stuff. Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

Yes, I know it's been a while since I blogged but, so what.

My friend Lunchmeat Herold is with me to edit (ed. Hello), not just for grammar and spelling but so I don't go off on a tangent or perhaps an angry tirade! (ed. calm down and have another cosmopolitan.)

Lunchmeat has been a real friend since I lost my job, bringing food and drink to myself, my sister Stella, and my roommate Carly. Neither of whom, I will say with restraint, has brought any money into the household for the past several months. I know I'm not one to talk, but a major limitation for me is my inability to leave the house. Makes putting a Happy Meal together a bit difficult if John, Jane and little Jimmy Average Citzen has to come to my apartment.

But at least Carly has been helping out rent - wise. Our super has been letting us glide on the rent, well my big screen TV helped pay for a few months, but a few minutes with Carly in her room seems to extend the inevitable kicking to the curb. What they do in there I don't want to know, I'm just picturing some sort of fully clothed massage for want of the grimy obvious.

Anyway, I've been sending show concepts, what we used to call "pitches", to Halifax Film/DHX/Decode/Studio B for the past several months. As many of you know, I used to be a writer a while ago, (ed. wasn't it you who sent The Littlest Hobo on to another town, that time?) And since I am a shareholder in DHX, I thought they would at least set up a meeting, teleconference is fine, I can set up the CN Tower backdrop behind me, if need be. But not a word. Not a single PFO thank you'ish response to my e-mails. Maybe they're too busy backing some sort of charity event happening in town. Now as an owner, (ed. co) I'm not sure I like this sudden keenness with helping others. Especially if it hurts the bottom line. Halifax Film/DHX has never before shown this wimpy side where they help the "less fortunate". Damn, let them lobby the government for tax credits and funding. Why try and cut into our pie?

But you know what? Despite the fact that I haven't heard from my compadres is not going to me down. I'm fully back into the writing mode, and I've been working on a project to pitch to a major Canadian broadcaster; Global Television. Since they bought AA, they have a lot of channels to fill with Canadian content, besides the teressterial (ed. huh?). This is the network that brought you original content such as The Jane Show (ed. cancelled), Falcon Beach (ed. cancelled.), and , um, (ed. not much else Canadian is tehre?). Quiet Ed. Surely the CRTC will flex their muscles and my point will be proven that they will be looking for Canadian content soon. Sweet Jesus.

But enough about me, this blog is about Canadian television (ed. and film? right?)

Speaking of film, I was outraged when I learned (actually fell asleep during the E!cast) that the 12 Genie nominations that Shake Hands With the Devil earned, all it took home was best music? I didn't even notice there was music . Not that I want them to rescind the award but this is our Schindler's List people. At least best screenplay should have won. Omagine how hard it is to take a book and write a movie with it? Especially if you've never written two words together to make a sentence before in your life. Talk about a challanging movie!

Watched Billable Hours the other night. I like this show. Sometimes its over the top but they say the F word as if they are real people. It gives me a warm canadian feel while entertaining me. huh. Funny.

Meanwhile, CBC cancelled, Jpod, never saw it, and MVP, never saw that one either but the ads made it seem like plastic people screwing each other literally and figuratively. CBC cancelled both because of low ratings. Wow. Kudos for knowing when to cut and run. i must say, the new CBC, actually seems to have an agenda to put on entertaining programming that a lot of people like. I'm not sure what this new approach is called but I think other businesses may learn something from this new concept.

I saw a show called Good Morning World, actually I saw two episodes over the last few weeks. This does not renew my faith in The Comedy Network which was already severly crippled when The Butcher Brothers premiered. I googled the two stars and they seem to have a very good pedigree, comedy wise, Second City, where you still have to be good to stand out. But what would have made a really good 4 minute sketch seems to have been stretched into a 26 x 1/2 hour series. I watched it open mouthed.

I can understand The Comedy Network buying in because it looks reasonably inexpensive to shoot. Canadian? Done.

Dave Thomas is one of the producers and although he is a God to me, I'm thinking this may just have been a paycheck for him.