2006 Alberta Film and Television Wrap Party Website

Update: The final ticket push is commencing so be sure to log on to the website and find out how to purchase your tickets for what is sure to be an exciting Industry Wrap Party!



The website for the 2006 Alberta Film and Television Wrap Party is now active. The event will be held December 2 at the Artists of the World Gallery in Calgary.

You can find the link and ticket info at this link.

Edmonton SCTV Locations

I just discovered a website by Trevor Stenson that discusses some of the filming locations for the Edmonton seasons (3 and 4) of SCTV.



You can check it out at this link.

Tony Scott Talks Jesse James

Kevin Williams (Calgary Sun) spoke with producer Tony Scott regarding the change in release scheduling (Feb. 2007) for the Brad Pitt film, The Assassination of Jesse James:

“It’s great. We have to be careful how we market it because it’s like a Terrence Malick film,” he says, referring to the legendary director of such visually sumptuous epics as The Thin Red Line and The New World.

“But it’s really good and Brad’s terrific in it — he just gets better with age.”

In addition to Pitt and Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James also stars Sam Rockwell, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker and Zooey Deschanel.

Scott, an avid rock climber, is no stranger to Calgary, frequently coming here to shoot commercials for the overseas markets — when he’s not scaling mountains.

“I love it there.”

You can read the rest of the article at the above link.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Alberta Mentioned in Denver Post Film Article

Alberta is mentioned in a DenverPost.com article as one of the key places for "runaway productions" that should have been shot in Colorado:

"This is an industry we are missing out on," says Denise Strong, a Denver-based member of the Directors Guild of America and vice president of the Colorado Film and Video Association. "This industry offers a big shot in the arm economically for everybody near a location."

This year in Colorado, a few scenes of Resurrecting the Champ, a story about a Denver- based sportswriter starring Josh Hartnett and Samuel L. Jackson, were shot locally. Principal photography took place in Calgary, Alberta.

Last year, Catch and Release, with Jennifer Garner, spent five days and $500,000 filming in Boulder. Then the film spent 50 days and many millions filming in Canada.

RV, with Robin Williams, was set story-wise in the Colorado Rockies but filmed in Canada.

Runaway production film producers following foreign cash incentives and favorable currency exchange rates - is estimated to have cost many sectors of the American film industry billions of dollars in the past decade and a half.

Parts of 2005's Mr. & Mrs. Smith, featuring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, were filmed in Glenwood Springs. (20th Century Fox)
producers following foreign cash incentives and favorable currency exchange rates - is estimated to have cost many sectors of the American film industry billions of dollars in the past decade and a half.

You can read the full article at this link.

Provincial Leadership Candidates to Debate Live on CBC

From AMPIA:

Candidates in Alberta’s Conservative Leadership race will square off in a LIVE debate at CBC television to outline their positions on how much taxpayers money should be spent on arts and culture and who will decide how the money is spent.

Join us on Monday, November 13th from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 p.m. at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Edmonton City Centre Mall, 10062 - 102 Avenue.

Candidates confirmed include Jim Dinning, Dave Hancock, Gary McPherson, Mark Norris, Lyle Oberg and Ed Stelmach.

Those with an interest in Alberta's film, television, and digital media industries are urged to attend and show their support for renewed provincial support in one of Alberta's key industries.

For further information, please contact AMPIA.

Additional dates for All Candidate Forums - Leadership Debates are available at this link. Tonight's location is Red Deer.

Alberta Film Industry Mourns Loss of Pioneer

Bill Marsden, Alberta's first Film Commissioner, and champion for production in the province, has passed away. This from AMPIA:

To all members and friends of AMPIA,

In case you have not already heard, this note is to let you know that our friend Bill Marsden died last Saturday. Bill was one of the great pioneers of Alberta’s film and television industry. Bill was one of the original founders of AMPIA and was responsible for the creation of the Alberta Motion Picture Development Corporation (AMPDC). Bill was a major contributor to almost every important development in the Alberta industry. His book, “Big Screen Country”, is a lasting legacy to his passionate commitment to the province and to its filmmakers.

To quote Fil Fraser, “We have lost a great friend and a great champion”.

In memory of Bill, a special annual award for filmmaking will be established in his name.

To contribute to this special fund, contact Heather Palberg at the CIBC in Edmonton at (780) 429-7726.

Everyone is invited to attend a Memorial Service this coming Saturday, November 4 at 12:00 Noon at Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home in Sherwood Park (directions below).
4820 Meridian Street
Sherwood Park, Alberta
(780) 468 - 2222

Meridian Street can only be accessed when heading SOUTH on Hwy 14 - the access is 1 km South of the Sherwood Park Fwy on Hwy 14

Click here for print friendly driving directions and map and here to leave condolences.

Read the Edmonton Journal/Canada.com article about Bill's passing at this link.

Discover a short interview with Mr. Marsden at dreamersanddoers.ca.

A review of his book can be found at Vue Weekly.

You can order Bill's book through Amazon.ca at this link or Amazon.com at this link.

My thoughts and thanks go out to his family, friends, and associates.

Photo: Shaughn Butts, The Journal, file Bill Marsden.