Rolling with Kim and Rylan

Kim MacNaughton (dear friend and cinematographer) and Rylan Kerbes (very sound Location Sound guy) were the backbone of the last shoot in Vancouver for "The U.S. and Us". We covered a lot of ground that day, from shooting U.S. dollars cascading down a West End fountain to 'The Greatest Threat Facing Canadians' poll in Grandview Park on Commercial Drive. At day's end, we were at English Bay for magic hour, where we shot Uncle Sam and Izzy Lagoon as 'Canada Dog' (but no animals were hurt....). 'Magic' is that beautiful light before sunset but it is also achieved when the crew really 'gets' what you're trying to say, however silly it may seem, and are dedicated to the issues and artistic vision.

Mel Hurtig reveals "The Truth about Canada"

Mel Hurtig's take on foreign ownership and control inspired this performance art piece and scene in the film. 'There's no other country in the world that would have allowed the degree of foreign ownership and foreign control that we have in Canada except tiny little Luxembourg. Of all the 30 OECD countries, Canada has the second worst amount of foreign ownership.' .... 'In some companies, you can't even order a roll of toilet paper unless you get permission from Chicago or New York or Boston.' MH

I would highly recommend Mel's latest best-selling book, "The Truth About Canada".

Upcoming Premiere at VIFF

The U.S. and Us has been selected for The Canadian Images program at the Vancouver International Film Festival (screening dates: September 29th and October 1st). For tickets and show times visit : www.viff.org

It's About Process, Really

This film has been a long and, at times, difficult journey. One of my main intentions, and something I had to learn over and over along the way, is the importance of process. With this new-found approach, I began to see lessons where before I had seen obstacles. In this blog, I want to talk about the various stages of making the film and feature some of the crew because without them - people who care deeply about the project - this film would not have been made!

Izzy for Prime Minister!

When 'Izzy Lagoon' refused to live up to that small dog stereotype and jump onto Uncle Sam's lap, it got a bit tense on set. But her handler and best friend - Jamie - had a different take on it: wasn't it wonderfully defiant of Izzy to have a mind of her own and not just roll over to Uncle Sam's demands? Talk about a clear sense of identity and an unwavering strength to chart her own course. Izzy for Prime Minister!

A Blog to Flog (my film)

When the idea surfaced to start a blog to flog my film, my friend Owen set it up for me. He knows I can be a bit resistant when it comes to all things tech. I have to say, now that I've gotten my feet wet, I'm finding it fun and, dare I say, empowering! Oh-oh, O - you may have unleashed a monster.