Canada eh!

[Republic of Stephen]

Re: Canada eh!

The Bay Boy was made over 20 years ago. Anything more recent that comes to mind? If a lot of Canadian filmakers are interested in making Canadian films then why don't you mention some films made within the last decade?

It's funny that of the three Canadian filmakers you mention, Cronenberg is the most Hollywood, Egoyan wants to be Hollywood (I saw him at a screening of XXX), and Petrie, the most Canadian you say, also directed the sequel to Cocoon, but he's dead now.

[TDWoj]

Re: Canada eh!

Most Canadians aren't interested in making "Canadian" films.

James Cameron ring a bell.

There are a lot of filmmakers who are interested in making "Canadian" films, as well as staying in Canada to film here. Some, like James Cameron, went south of the border and stayed there, never to come home again. (And believe me, Kapuskasing in the winter is no joke.)

I think the most relentlessly Canadian movie I've seen (and I don't know how well it did abroad or in the U.S.) was The Bay Boy, by Daniel Petrie, which launched the career of Kiefer Sutherland. He came "home" to film that movie.

Atom Egoyan and David Cronenburg are a couple of biggish names that come to mind, who stayed here to film (though not necessarily "Canadian" films).

[Fortean]

Canada, Eh!

I'll not repeat my post in the "2006 Screenwriting contests" thread, but here's a link to one of the few film festivals that concentrates upon "Canadian" films, (and has some French films from Quebec). It's in that "boring" city of Kingston, (March 8 to 12, this year):

Kingston Canadian Film Festival

[Republic of Stephen]

Re: Canada eh!

Most Canadians aren't interested in making "Canadian" films.

James Cameron ring a bell.

[pit-pony]

Re: Canada eh!

No wonder we have a hard time with the Canadian cinema in English Canada.

I understand all the business reasons etc. but it's disturbing.

Here is a typical Canadian Prodco response I just received today to a query:

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Jack,

Thank you for your query. I regret to inform you the THE MONTREAL INCIDENT is not the right type of project for our company because it's story is too Canadian and we are focused on producing tv products for the international market.

Thanks for your interest in our company. We wish you the best of luck in finding a producer for this project.


Sincerely,



Muse Entertainment

[pit-pony]

Re: Canada eh!

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravtiz.

I think it was in New York and they used upstate NY Catskills rather than Ste Agathe in the Laurentians.

..jack

[pit-pony]

Re: Canada eh!

Thank you TDWoj.

See that precisely proves my point, they don't get it.

For example in my most recent effort, (preliminary logline below), the story has been thoroughly researched and is filled with references Canadian's will immediately identify with.

World audience immediately identify with US institutions but not vise versa.

It's just so much more refreshing to see a Canadian production treating issues that refer to our own institutions and ways of dealing with terrorists and violence than the way Hollywood deals with these things in the US context.

I may not have a ready market but the effort proves that it's an equally interesting and exciting take on current world events.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logline: The Montreal Incident is a thriller where various Canadian
security agencies and one special forces officer, over a couple of
days, uncover and avert a terrorist assassination of the Minister
of Defence in retribution for Canadian foreign policy.


..jack
if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've already got

[BROUGHCUT]

Re: Canada eh!

All of 'em. Which ones, specifically?

c*nt*sts:

Nicholl, Disney Fellowship & PGL

[English Dave]

Re: Canada eh!

TD, as a European I hear what you are saying. At the same time, I have to think to myself what actually got me out to see a movie, be it British, Canadian, French or whatever. It is the underlying theme. And if the underlying theme is restricted to those with an inside knowledge of that society then it is pretty much a wasted effort.

[TDWoj]

Re: Canada eh!

North American audiences, particularly American ones, for the most part, don't "get" European films; the style, execution and topic are completely different. Canadian films get the same "huh?" reaction in the U.S. as most European films. They are not parochial in subject matter; but the subject matter, execution and style are not sympatico with the sensibilities of the general American movie-going public.

Pit-pony: I don't know of any Canadian screenwriting contests, but you might want to start by looking at Telefilm Canada, Canadian Authors Association, Canada Council, Writers Guild of Canada and ACTRA.

[English Dave]

Re: Canada eh!

"But why isn't there a rugged individualistic hero who defeats the bad guys single-handed?" wails the editor when he is confronted by a story involving people who co-operate, compromise and come to terms with the antagonist instead of blasting him into smithereens.).

Because it's not interesting enough to get someone in Preoria to fork out $20 on a wet Thursday night? Don't mean to be abrupt, but in reality that it what you are selling.

I fail to see why a story is 'Canadian' unless it is parochial. If it is parochial then it is limiting its audience. That is not necessarily a bad thing if that's what it's designed for. But you shouldn't really complain if you have written a localised piece and no one else gets it.

[TDWoj]

Re: Canada eh!

All of 'em. Which ones, specifically?

Pitpony's got a point. I don't know how much it affects screenwriting, per se, but I know from experience if I write a story that's too "Canadian" in execution (and no, it doesn't mean just because it's set in Toronto, it's a "Canadian" story - Canadian themes and how they are executed are not well understood or appreciated south of the border), it'll get an immediate rejection, because the American editor just doesn't "get" it. "But why isn't there a rugged individualistic hero who defeats the bad guys single-handed?" wails the editor when he is confronted by a story involving people who co-operate, compromise and come to terms with the antagonist instead of blasting him into smithereens.).

One of the things that amazes me is that The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravtiz ever made it to the big screen - although I can't recall if they kept the setting in Montreal or shifted it to New York.

[BROUGHCUT]

Re: Canada eh!

Did you read any of CE'S posts?!

[pit-pony]

So, what contests are worhtwhile in Canada?

My work is so Canadian I don't think they will "get it" south of the border.

..jack