Sunday, August 24, 2014

Heather Conway/ E-Town shows/ Out with Dad



Aug. 4 Heather Conway:  In the Globe and Mail on “Does Heather Conway have what it takes to save the CBC?” by Simon Houpt.  Conway is the new executive vice-president of CBC’s English services and has been there for 7 months.  I’m sure all of you heard CBC is struggling.

“It might be my economics background, but I tend to look at problems and challenges and say: ‘What is fixed, and what is variable?’ ” she says. “To put your calories against the stuff you can actually have an impact on, the
variables, is so much better use of your time, your energy, your intellect, your creativity, than to spend all of your time focusing on what’s fixed.”

“Who else, she asks, will program the “risky” programs? She points to The Boys of St. Vincent, an acclaimed two-part mini-series produced by the National Film Board about sexual abuse by priests at a St. John’s orphanage. Produced by the National Film Board, the film was slated to air on CBC in December 1992, when it was hit with an injunction brought by four priests then at trial for sexual abuse. CBC fought the injunction, and the film aired in some areas of the country – accompanied by emergency help-line information for victims of abuse or those who just needed to talk about what they’d seen. But it wasn’t until a year later that viewers in Ontario and parts of Quebec were finally able to watch it. “That was a national conversation that we needed to have. And very few nations had it,” says Conway. But a skeptic might point out that her example is 22 years old.”

My opinion: That first paragraph sounds good and I will put it in my inspirational quotes.


A tale of Two E-Town shows: I cut out this Edmonton Journal article by Fish Griwkowsky and Elizabeth Withey on Mar. 8, 2014.  Blackstone and Tiny Plastic Men are nominated for Canadian Screen Awards.

Blackstone: “Blackstone is an unmuted exploration of community, power and politics on a First Nation reserve”


Tiny Plastic Men: This show is a comedy set in an office.  It stars Chris Craddock, this Edmonton Public Library Writer in Residence in 2010 who read my scripts.



Out with Dad: I cut out this Edmonton Journal article "Out with Dad has worldwide reach" by Eric Volmers on Mar. 8, 2014.  Here are some excerpts:

At any given time, people from around the world could be watching Calgarian Caitlynne Medrek on the web series Out with Dad.

It's a fairly mind-boggling scenario for any actress, but particularly impressive when you consider the series has a message that would not go over well in certain corners of the world.

Out with Dad is about closeted teenage lesbian, Rose, who deals with the trials and tribulations of coming out with the help of her single father.

Because the World Wide Web has no borders, the series has become particularly popular in areas where the struggle has considerably higher stakes.

"If we were just on a regular TV channel, we wouldn't be reaching all the places in the world where Out with Dad is helping people," says Medrek, on the phone from Toronto. "The majority of countries that we're big in are places in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia, places where it's still very illegal and you can't even talk about being gay. That's where we're finding most of our views come from. If we were just on a regular TV channel, they would have no access to that. " The 24-year-old got her start doing stage work in Calgary. But recently, it's been the relatively new medium of web series where she is becoming well known. On Out With Dad, she plays openly gay teenager Claire, who was introduced in the second season as the "Girl in the Washroom" before becoming more prevalent as Rose's supportive friend and later romantic interest.

"I love how confident she is and totally optimistic and just OK with being herself," says Medrek about her character. "I feel Claire is a bit of an old soul in that she kind of got over those humps, those emotional breakthroughs, a little bit earlier which is why she's there to help Rose and her coming-out story as well. " For 14 years, Medrek was a Ukrainian dancer in Calgary before her mother suggested she audition for a role in a production of The Wizard of Oz.

My opinion: I find this article inspirational that is helping people who are gay. 

Also I should create a web series.  I know The Listener has their own web series on ctv.ca.  I know Rookie Blue has their own web series on globaltv.ca.


Sherlock Holmes: On Jan. 13 2012, I was reading a Screenwriting Goldmine newsletter that said this:

“The other night I saw Sherlock Holmes (the 2009 version, credited to Michael Robert Johnson) and a few other writers. I thought it was funny, smart, ultra-enjoyable, with some great set pieces. 

Even if the story lacked a little muscle, and even if it had a number of tremendously hammy lines, and even if the antagonist kept vanishing, and even if it all felt rather coincidence driven, and even if there were actually a couple too many stand alone set
pieces that didn't carry the story forward, and even if it was all a little bit of an exposition nightmare at the end.... well, I'll be honest, I absolutely loved it. I was actually sad when it finished because I wanted to go on watching it.”

My opinion: I haven’t seen the movie, but I will when it comes on TV.

Tammy: I was reading about Melissa McCarthy's movie Tammy.  In this article “McCarthy’s cred gets film made.”  It said it took 6 years in development to get made:

Melissa McCarthy needed the following on her curriculum vitae to get Tammy made at a Hollywood studio - one: a hit show (Mike & Molly) and an Emmy, and two: a hit movie (Bridesmaids) and an Academy Awards nomination.

After six years of development, Tammy is finally in theatres.


Bell Media: In the Globe and Mail on Jun. 23, 2014, “Bell Media cuts up to 120 people at it’s TV operations.” They are going to lay off 120 people in Toronto.


Aug. 7 The Golden Vanguard: I used to write my movie reviews and they put it up on their website.  I emailed them and they said they are closing down the website because they’re too busy to run it.  I have thought to ask: “How many page views does my movie reviews get read?” 

I guess I’ll never know, but that’s fine because I have my blog.  I can see how many page views I get.

Aug. 12 Focus Features: I was reading the Metro and learned that Focus Features made the movie Dallas Buyers Club.  I was looking it up so I can pitch my TV movie script to it, but they produce movies released in the theatres.

However, the website looks pretty good.  Check it out:

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