· – (On being this actor in this town at this time)
Yesterday I shot a webisode for the Canadian Film Centre. The six part series is called My Pal, Satan (written by Dennis Heaton and directed by Vivieno Caldinelli). This is seriously funny stuff. The scene I worked on was very complicated, including several characters and lots of action. Therefore plenty of time and resources went in to something that will be, ultimately, a couple of minutes of screen time. Yet everyone involved went above and beyond in our attempts to get it right.
I feel blessed that so many of the projects I’ve been part of in recent years have been happy and dedicated work places. There are enough horror stories out there to sink through even this thick skull that I am very fortunate indeed. I have always been an advocate of team first in theatre and film. This is something I credit to those bygone days of playing hockey. I was certainly not the most gifted player, but I recognized that by hard, relentless play, I filled a valuable position on the team. As an actor, I channel that attitude both to the project as a whole and to its many components. I attempt to put the same energy and focus, whether it’s my time to shine or to support someone else’s moment, in every scene, every shot. And everyone on My Pal, Satan approached things the same way, which made it a most pleasurable and rewarding experience. Therefore, I heartily applaud everyone involved.
Otherwise, the film biz in this city at this time seems to be undergoing a revitalization. As a bike courier, I am again seeing shoots all over Toronto. And I have delivered several packages recently to the new Filmport complex. And, these days, it is very much a happening place. I suspect the drop of the Canadian dollar is in part responsible for this upswing. But I have also heard that New York state has filled its film tax credit quotas, which, no doubt, would result in more projects on our door step. Because Toronto loves nothing better than substituting for NYC. Whatever the reasons, for complete selfishness, I hope the business keeps improving.
To fill my idle moments these days, I am continuing my researches in to the War of 1812. My goal here is to develop a screenplay (working title In Defense of the Colony) based on that conflict, which, though largely ignored today, had such a critical impact on the very existence of Canada. So, if anyone has an extra, say, twenty million lying around, they should let me know. Cheers.
