BAFTA Awards for Brokeback Mountain

The Alberta-filmed Brokeback Mountain took home many honors at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award ceremony.

A full list of winners is available at BBC News.

Trailer: RV

RV © 2006 Sony Pictures Inc.

The trailer for the filmed-in-Alberta comedy, RV, starring Robin Williams, Jeff Daniels, and Cheryl Hines, is now available online. You can choose from High, Medium, Low, iPod, and HD formats. PSP (PlayStation Portable) trailer link is available at this link.

The film is directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

Working as a Grip and Lamp Operator

I'm currently working as a Grip and Lamp Operator on Decoys: Rebirth here in Edmonton for I.A.T.S.E. Local 210. The crew is great to work with and I look forward to continuing the shoot next week. It's been fast, furious, and physically demanding but there's nothing like being on set.

Even though I have hopes of directing a feature someday, I want to understand all the roles and responsibilities, and working as a Grip and Lamp Op is part of that journey. I'm learning a tremendous amount despite my background in video production, which is similar. However, feature films are produced on a larger scale and I think I'm adapting well.

Thanks to Stephan, Scott, Dwayne, Terry, Ed, Zac, Rob, Daryl, and the rest of the crew/cast for offering guidance and support!

Alberta Wants Bigger Piece of Hollywood North

Shawn Ohler writes about the Alberta film industry in an article for the Edmonton Journal:

The [Alberta Film Development] fund reimburses moviemakers for 20 per cent of their Alberta expenses, up to $1.5 million. Though Economic Development Minister Clint Dunford wasn't made available for comment this week, a department spokeswoman suggested he wants to increase the fund to make Alberta more competitive with other Canadian provinces.

"I expect he does," said Janice Schroeder. "We share the goal of growing the industry."

That will come as good news to Tom Berry, the Montreal producer who starts shooting his $2-million Decoys: Rebirth sequel today at the University of Alberta and other Edmonton locations, including the Film Alberta Studio on Allard Way.

Berry has two things on his mind this week. One, amazingly, is whether he'll have to make snow, in February, to properly set his tale of beautiful co-eds who morph into aliens and prey on horny men at a frosty northeastern college called Strathorne University. The other is whether he can make Decoys' economic model work well enough to perhaps bring another two to four low-budget flicks a year to Edmonton.

"Absent the snow -- who would have thought? -- Edmonton's looking really good for us," said Berry, 53, who was an undergrad at the University of Alberta in the early '70s. (He jokes that characters who seduce gorgeous women only to wake up beside hideous monsters were based on personal experience here.)

"It's a slightly more expensive place to shoot than, say, the outskirts of Toronto, because the economy's so hot here and the labour's a little higher. But the infrastructure in Edmonton -- the hotels, the locations, the distance between locations -- that works better. And we've found the community, from the guilds to Alberta Film, very receptive and easy to deal with."

Patti Tucker, the Edmonton Film Commissioner also comments on the effect Brokeback Mountain has had on film production in the province and funding in general. Be sure to read the informative article at this link.

Update: One visitor to The Internet Movie Database says that the film is shooting at North Edmonton Public School. This is an additional location to the University of Alberta.

More on Decoys: Rebirth at the following links: 1 and 2. Info on the first film can be found at the official Sci Fi.com website.

Touch the Top of the World: Blind Ambition

Tara Merrin with the Calgary Sun recently interviewed actor Peter Facinelli, who stars in the A&E TV movie, Touch the Top of the World: The Erik Weihenmayer Story:

“It’s been a phenomenal experience,” says Facinelli from the set.

“This is not just a job for me — it’s an opportunity to be a part of telling a story that, I think, is an important story to be told.”

Within minutes of speaking to the L.A.-based actor, it is apparent just how dedicated he is to his role.

Not only has Facinelli researched Weihenmayer’s life in great detail, he has spent a lot of time, and even rock-climbed, with the world-class athlete.

But, despite all his preparation, Facinelli says he never would have been able to truly understand Weihenmayer’s unbelievable journey without knowing first-hand what it’s like to be blind.

“I talked to the director about it and decided to get contacts to impair my vision. This way I get to experience a little bit of what Erik experiences every day,” says Facinelli, who is filming almost the entire movie without his sight.

“When I first put the contacts in, people instantly wanted to do everything for me. I had to constantly remind myself not to let them because Erik is very self-reliant.”

In addition to Big Rock, the film has lensed at Sunshine Village, Fortress Mountain, and locations around Calgary. Check out the link above for the full story.

Photo courtesy of the official Peter Facinelli website.

Alberta: Stunt-double for Wyoming

The Globe and Mail talks about an increase in Alberta tourists thanks to Brokeback Mountain:

"The thing we're up against is the Wyoming factor," says Derek Coke-Kerr, managing director of Travel Alberta, "Millions of people will see the movie and believe it was filmed in Wyoming."

Now, Alberta is busy trying to tell media and potential visitors in key markets -- Germany, Britain, Australia and South Korea -- that it is Alberta that is so beautifully framed in the movie.

"Alberta is doing stunt-double for Wyoming," Coke-Kerr says.

The article also comments on increased Alberta film production:

Normally, each year, the commission issues about 100 location packages, which can include hundreds of digital images and information on places that work with the scripts.

(A hefty locations package was successfully used to woo Brad Pitt's western outlaw picture The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which was filmed around Alberta last year.)

But in the past few months, Alberta's film office has issued 63 location packages, which also highlight the province's filming incentives and built-in infrastructure of equipment and experienced crews.

Still, the Oscar nomination for cinematography in Brokeback will provide the biggest boost for Alberta's film industry.

"In many respects, that's where we get noticed," Chugg says. "But I'd love to have an Oscar for best location. Hey, there's an idea. Maybe we should go after that."

Full article at the link above.

Brokeback Mountain Nominated for 8 Academy Awards

From the Government of Alberta WebWire Press Release:

Brokeback Mountain bears the reflection of the nearly 600 Albertans who worked on this film," says Economic Development Minister Clint Dunford. "The Alberta Film Commission markets Alberta for its scenic locations, and well-skilled film craftsmen and crew. I commend Alberta’s film industry on their dedication and for the quality of work they have provided over the years."

Dan Chugg from the Alberta Film Commission is banking on the publicity. "We have sent out more locations packages this year than ever before. There is no doubt that the Oscar publicity generates business for the province. When (Clint Eastwood’s) Unforgiven was nominated for nine Oscars in 1993, Alberta reaped the benefits in tourism and in new shoots."

Complete list of nominees at this link.