CBC: Telefilm Wants US Stars in Canadian Films

Got a bit of a shock in the last day or so.

Details here: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2010/02/20/telefilm-rules-change.html

Personal opinion time.

I've said it elsewhere, so I may as well say it here: Michel Roy committed an act of rudeness and contempt by wanting this rules change at all, never mind saying so publicly. One of the main points of Telefilm Canada - from where this Canadian sits, at least - is to build up and promote the homegrown talent base for a domestic motion picture industry. That talent base includes the actors, and it occurs to me that we've built it up considerable in spite of past mistakes.

Now, Mr. Roy's proposing to set that talent base aside for supporting roles only?

No, thank you, sir. If we're funding made-in-Canada movies, then we want Canadian talent for lead actors.

(Mind you, I'll certainly make allowances for US actors deciding to make permanent, full-time homes here, particularly the ones who find our films more interesting to work on than anything they've done back in the States. I've heard of a few of those hanging around, and am glad of such company!)

This Beautiful City Takes Best Actor and Actress at ACTRA Awards

Ed Glass-Donnely's debut feature film This Beautiful City has taken both Best Actor (Aaron Poole) and Best Actress (Caroline Cave) at the 2008 ACTRA Awards.

Unless you are travelling the Film Festival circuit your first chance to see the film and hear the soundtrack (which inlcudes the Deadly Snakes, Amy Millan and the Fembots) will be in late April. If you'd like to keep up there is a facebook group at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2262356579.

Below is a feature on This Beautiful City from MTV:

ACTRA Sides Against the Audience

ACTRA supports Jim Prentices anti-consumer copyright legislation and is angry over it's delay. As a long frequent supporter of Canadian film, television and theatre I can't help but feel that they ACTRA (who I don't believe speaks for all Canadian actors) is being short sighted and reactionary in this case. Hopefully their stance won't weaken public support for the Canadian industry.

"ACTRA called the protestors a vocal minority and said that further inaction by the government to reform the copyright laws will cause reduced investment and innovation, plus job losses in Canada's "already struggling industry.""

Fortunately the Canadian Music Creators Coalition which includes, amoung many others, the Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, the Stars, Avril Lavigne, Feist, Sam Roberts, Sloan, Broken Social Scene, Alexisonfire, Billy Talent, Bob Wiseman, Sum 41, the New Pornographers, Chantal Kreviazuk, Matthew Good, Metric, Randy Bachman, Volcanoless in Canada and many, many others is still on the side of fans and of artists who want to control their own future.

Until now, a group of multinational record labels has done most of the talking about what Canadian artists need out of copyright. Record companies and music publishers are not our enemies, but let's be clear: lobbyists for major labels are looking out for their shareholders, and seldom speak for Canadian artists. Legislative proposals that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans or increase the labels' control over the enjoyment of music are made not in our names, but on behalf of the labels' foreign parent companies.

By the way, if you're a musician and would like to add yourself or your band to the CMCC's list just send them an email.