One Week Opens Tomorrow

This week's film for Boost: Candian Film is Joshua Jackson's cross Canada motorcycle film One Week which opens tomorrow.

Torontoist has a great note about the film's full page ad in Eye. It seems rather than go with the opinions of critics they've decorated the ad with comments from their YouTube trailer. (Let's face it, online comments have really replaced professional critcs anyway.)



On Edit:

If you like the music they used for this

Wintersleep - Weighty Ghost

This week's film for Boost: Candian Film is Joshua Jackson's cross Canada motorcycle film One Week which opens tomorrow.

Torontoist has a great note about the film's full page ad in Eye. It seems rather than go with the opinions of critics they've decorated the ad with comments from their YouTube trailer. (Let's face it, online comments have really replaced professional critcs anyway.)



more Wintersleep

Boost: Canadian Comedy

I thought that Boost New Media would be the last of the Boost groups but I was wrong. It's fitting that I kinda forgot about comedy. Everyone seems to forget about comedy. But Boost: Canadian Comedy is go. The description reads:

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For decades now comedy has been something that Canadians have consistently excelled at. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Hollywood heavyweights like Mike Myers and Jim Carrey, the Daily Show's Samantha Bee and Russell Peters - who recently drew the biggest ever audience for a comedy show in the U.K. (amoung many, many others) all came from here. Then there are the perpetual favorites of Canadian television - from SCTV to the Kids in the Hall, Rick Mercer Report to This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Canada cranks out brilliant comics like we grow them in a field somewhere.

Canada is also the home of Second City and some of the world largest comedy festivals - despite all of this Canadian comics are largely unappreciated. Stand up and sketch comedy in Canada frequently takes place in front of small crowds, at small venues and frequently is relegated to open mic nights. So, I suppose it's fitting that this is the last of the boost groups to be created.

Once a week I'll send out a short clip (usually via YouTube) of a Canadian stand up comic or sketch troup. Please watch the clips, comment and rate if you like and pass them on.

On Boost This Week

This week's stuff on Boost (see the bottom of that page if you don't know what that is).




Boost Music:

This week's band is the Calgary 8 piece? Sometimes 10 piece I guess...Woodpigeon. They have a new album out this week "Treasury Library Canada." The video I'm posting is from an older album called Songbook the video is for "Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever"

Woodpigeon Facebook Fan Page

Woodpigeon on CBC Radio 3 Sessions

Woodpigeon - Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever



Boost Film and Television:

This week's film nurse.fighter.boy is "an urban love story about the soul of a mother, the heart of a fighter and the faith of a child.

Jude is a single mother who descends from a long line of Jamaican caregivers. SILENCE is a past his prime boxer who fights illegally to survive. CIEL is a boy who delves into music, conjuring dreams for his mother. During the last week of summer, a late-night brawl finds the fighter in the nurse`s care, causing their three fates to be forever entwined."

Facebook Fan Page

Toronto Premeire with Cast and Crew Afterparty - Friday February 6

Nurse.Fighter.Boy



Still in their early days, this week on Boost Literature I sent up Librivox - the Montreal based organization that has volunteers from around the world read books in the public domain and then compiles them into free audio books on Boost: Canadian Art I gave a shout out to artincanada.com with it's links and galleries galore.

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Boost is a collection of Facebook Groups designed to promote Canadian arts and media. Once a week a message goes out to each group promoting a particular artist, group or resource. The groups include Boost: Canadian Art, Boost: Canadian Film and Television, Boost: Canadian Literature, Boost: Canadian Music, Boost: Canadian New Media.

Boost This Week

If you don't know what Boost is already check the bottom of this page for details. So, this week:










Boost Music:
the Pack A.D. - Making Gestures



Boost: TV and Film:
Bruce McDonald's Pontypool



Boost: Literature and Boost: Art are still growing fast but given that each has only a few hundred members right now I just sent out links to good resources: View on Canadian Art and the Quill and Quire blog.

Boost: New Media - is just barely getting started - nothing there yet.

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Boost is a collection of Facebook Groups designed to promote Canadian arts and media. Once a week a message goes out to each group promoting a particular artist, group or resource. The groups include Boost: Canadian Art, Boost: Canadian Film and Television, Boost: Canadian Literature, Boost: Canadian Music, Boost: Canadian New Media.

Boost: New Media

Earlier today I mentioned the other Boost Groups. This one kindof completes the set. It will be the last for awhile, perhaps the last altogether but I've just created Boost: New Media: This one deals with new media in the broad sense: That is to say it is for content that is only available online podcasts, video podcasts, video games, internet radio, web tools and more. In other words it is about Canada's rapidly exploding digital world. Once a week I will send out a new email pointing you to a new online treasure that is either wholly Canadian or has heavy Canadian involvement. (This is the internet after all, it crosses borders frequently.)

I'll also include a blog of the week, it may not be an "art" but it is media and has become an important one. As with the other Boost groups I'll let it grow for awhile before sending anything out, feel free to sign up and spread the word if you're interested.

First Boost Group Crosses 1000 Member Mark

The Boost groups that I've introduced over the last few months were designed to offer publicity to arts and culture in Canada (to date - music, film and television, art and literature). The idea is as simple as I could make it. People opt in to the groups and are, once a week, sent things they should take a look at (trailers, music video etc). What I hope to do is provide publicity where there is little or no budget for publicity, sadly this is usually the case in Canada.

Today I'm happy to announce that the first of these groups Boost: Canadian Music has crossed the 1,000 member mark at 1,032 members as of this moment. That means that when the mailing goes out this week it will be seen by people in virtually every part of Canada and several other countries.

Beyond the music group Boost: Film and Television has 832 members and is still growing steadily, and Boost: Canadian Literature and Boost: Canadian Art which launched on January 8 are approaching 250 members and are growing by the day. It will take some time to get each of these to the 5,000 member target but as free publicity goes I think it's all off to an excellent start.

Chop Shop starts Feb 4 on Slice

"Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/9pm PT beginning Feb.4 2009 on SLICE
Welcome to the CHOP SHOP, the anti-hair salon with a permanent sneer and a heart of gold. This fun, cutting-edge 13 x 30 docusoap follows bad-boy hair salon owner Daniel Hudon and his motley crew of punk rock stylists as they get into each other's hair every day. This counter-culture group forms a tight, rock & roll family who work, fight and party hard under the same roof while delivering wicked style to their clients at Daniels one-of-a-kind hair salon in Vancouver the Chop Shop."

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Boost: Canadian Film and Television is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a television or film trailer on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their trailer in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost: Rites of Spring 3D Music Video

Yep, you read that right, a 3D music video from the Superfantastics. If you don't happen to have 3D glasses (guessing alot of you don't) you'll just have to imagine, or maybe this will give you the excuse you've been looking for to go get some. Whether you can get the full effect or not, you have to applaud the initiative - to create a 3D music video!

the Superfantastics - Rites of Spring 3D



If you like please pass it on, the link to share it on Facebook is right here. If you want to hear more of the Superfantastics (I highly recommend seeing them live) check out the Facebook Fanpage and grab a few free downloads here.

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Boost: Canadian Music is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a music video on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their video in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost: Amal (now on DVD)

Amal is a Canadian Film shot in India. It is just out on DVD (as of Tuesday): The summary goes like this:

"The film takes a close look at contemporary India and its culture through an unlikely character: Amal. A content and dedicated auto rickshaw driver maneuvering the streets of New Delhi.

Through a chance encounter with a passenger who appears to be a homeless grumpy old man but turns out to be an eccentric, aging billionaire, Amal's life is turned upside down. The billionaire, who is moved by Amal's humility, bequeaths him his entire estate before passing away. Amal has only a month to claim his inheritance. And he is not the only one who seeks to claim a share of the riches.

AMAL is a film that seeks to challenge the perception of "wealth" and the value of material things in our lives. As the film's tagline states: "Sometimes the poorest of men are the riches.""

For more info see
amalthefilm.com

It is also the First Weekend Clubs DVD pick for this month. For more info see firstweekendclub.ca

Please watch, rate, and comment



Boost: Canadian Film and Television is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a television or film trailer on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their trailer in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost Music: Peter Project - Fair and Square

This week's pick is the video "Fair and Square" by Peter Project it was Directed by The Cobourg Boys (Brent Quigley & Dylan Taylor). You can find more info on the Peter Project at http://www.myspace.com/peterproject

Please watch the video, rate and comment






Peter Project - Fair and Square



Boost: Canadian Music is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a music video on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their video in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost ads Literature and Visual Art groups

Boost started out with two groups Canadian Music and Canadian Film and Telvision. Each group sent out a video a week and asked people to rate, comment and share. I said when I started them that if I could expand to other arts I would and even though I haven't worked out all the details I've now done that.

They won't work quite the same, not much on YouTube and people can't really rate the stuff, but I finally decided that having them run a little differently was better than not having them at all. So, as of today Boost: Canadian Art and Boost: Canadian Literature are both up and running.

The Art group will send out a weekly link to an online portfolio or gallery, or other art resources. The Lit group will send links to sample chapters, e-books or other literature resources. Even if these things only help a little it's better than none at all.

So, this week's vids to the Music and TV & Film groups are

Andrew Vincent - Ambassador Bridge (live)



and for film I dug into 'the Vault' a bit for the DVD of Everything's Gone Green

Boost - Another Finalist: Monday Morning

It appears that I was wrong when I said that White Collar criminals was the only Canadian finalist in YouTube's Project Direct. So out of fairness here is the other Monday Morning - again the shorts with the most votes will get a screening at the Sundance Film Festival. So please watch, rate and comment



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfjuUq6vZWg

Then give it a vote at: http://www.youtube.com/projectdirect

If you like it, click on the link below to share it on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfjuUq6vZWg

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Boost: Canadian Film and Television is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a television or film trailer on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their trailer in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost: Canadian Music is a similar group, formed for similar reasons that sends out music videos.

Boost TV-Film: White Collar Criminals

White Collar Criminals is a finalist, the only Canadian finalist, for YouTube's Project Direct. The shorts with the most votes will get a screening at the Sundance Film Festival, so today I'm asking you to take an extra step.

Have a look, watch, rate and comment (if you have a YouTube account) at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfi1yxUdUDE

Then give it a vote at:http://www.youtube.com/projectdirect



If you like it, click on the link below to share it on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfi1yxUdUDE


Boost: Canadian Film and Television is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a television or film trailer on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their trailer in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost: Canadian Music is a similar group, formed for similar reasons that sends out music videos.

Boost Music: the Burning Hell

The Boost: Canadian Music and Boost: Canadian Film and Television were created a few months ago to get Canadian music, film and television in front of more eyes. (See the bottom of the post for more info.) Since not everyone wants to join the groups or has a Facebook account I've decided to start posting them here as well so:

A little more for you this week than usual, this is a 6 song 'video ep' of "the Burning Hell" playing live (the live shows are amazing)



Have a look, watch, rate and comment (if you have a YouTube account) at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q07YQb0h1Gg

If you like it, click on the link below to share it on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q07YQb0h1Gg

And if you ALOT join the Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34590444375


Boost: Canadian Music is a Facebook Group that, once a week, asks people to watch a music video on youtube, rate it, comment on it and share it on facebook if they like it. There is frequently a link to a facebook group, page or other source where people who like the music can find more information or keep up with the band. Canadian artists frequently have little or no money for marketing/promotion - this is a small step to try and help them out by putting their video in front of as many eyes as possible.

Boost: Canadian Film and Television is a similar group, formed for similar reasons that sends out trailers, teasers or clips for Canadian films or television programs.