Hello from Vancouver, British Columbia!

For any of you who are still reading this blog: a big thanks! There is certainly a lack of posting in the last few months, but lots of new opportunities have been presented to me so I'm pursuing them with an outstanding level of support from my amazing family, friends and associates.

I'm now in Vancouver, British Columbia and working with some pretty cool people on some pretty awesome projects. Hopefully, I'll get back to blogging but you'll have to excuse the lack of posts in the meantime while I settle in to my new home.

You can still contact me at the same e-mail address and phone number for now.

We'll chat soon. Cheers!

Chad

Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy Airs Tonight on Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel will be airing Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy tonight. According to Discovery Channel:

In one of the most exciting finds in the history of paleontology "Leonardo" - a young Brachylophosaurus - is found in Montana fully intact, with 90 per cent of his body covered in skin. What Leonardo has revealed challenged previously held beliefs, forever changing what we know about dinosaur physiology.

The Edmonton Journal features an article on the show and the award-wining Edmonton filmmaker who directed the documentary, Michael Jorgensen of Myth Merchant Films. He was also the writer/director on Nova's Battle of the X-Planes and Lost Nuke. Plenty of Alberta creative and technical talent worked on this show as well.

Check your local listings!



Image: David Portnoy/Getty Images for Discovery Communications LLC.

Edmonton International Film Festival Fear Itself Fundraiser Tonight!

Fear Itself, a horror/thriller series from the people behind Saw II, II, IV, Crash and American Psycho that was filmed in Edmonton, will premiere tonight on NBC. If you're in Edmonton, and rather than sitting at home and watching it, why not head out to the Garneau Theatre at 9:00 p.m. to enjoy it with friends? Show your support for the city's film and television industry and the EIFF! From the press release:

NBC and Lions Gate Films have been filming a television series (titled 'Fear Itself') in our fair city since March this year. The very FIRST episode will be broadcast on THURSDAY this week. We thought, ‘Hey! Why not invite everyone into OUR living room and we can all watch it together’? Means you don’t have to clean up!

THURSDAY, JUNE 5th @ GARNEAU THEATRE
Doors open at 9pm
Broadcast starts at 10pm
Admission Price: By donation (all proceeds go to EIFF)

You can check out the trailer at this link.

Also, be sure to check out the official NBC Fear Itself website!

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Available For Rental Through Apple iTunes

For those of you wishing to rent The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford through Apple's iTunes Store, it is now available.

EVENT: Alberta Movie Stills Photographer Lecture

Exposure 2008, the Calgary/Banff Photography Festival, will be featuring an artist lecture by movie and television stills photographer Kimberley French on Saturday, February 16, 2008 in Calgary.

From the magazine:

If you've seen the posters for either the acclaimed movie Brokeback Mountain or for Brad Pitt's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, then you've seen the work of stills photographer Kimberley French. In addition to her film work, French is also known for her Ethereal art photographs.

LOCATION:
Alberta College of Art and Design
1407-14th Ave. N.W.
Calgary AB Canada
Stanford Perrott Lecture Theatre

TIME:
7:00 p.m.

CONTACT:
403.284.7600
http://www.acad.ab.ca

Check out her website at: www.kimberleyfrench.com

Edmonton's Fear Itself Offers Trainee Opportunities

Laurette from the Film Crews/Cast/Producers Facebook Group let me know about cast and crew opportunities with the Edmonton-filming series, Fear Itself (aka Masters of Horror). From the posting:

Feb 4, 2008

“FEAR ITSELF” (fka Masters of Horror)
TELEVISION SERIES

TRAINEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDMONTONIANS

“Fear Itself” is an anthology television series of 13 x 1-hour episodes, scheduled to shoot in Edmonton from February 13th to July 11th, 2008.

As part of its commitment to the development of expanding the EDMONTON labor force in film and television production, “Fear Itself” is looking for serious applicants to train on the production in various Trainee roles.

Trainee positions are available in most departments:
Set Decoration,
On Set Dresser
Props,
Construction,
Accounting,
Grip,
Lighting,
Camera,
Script Supervision,
Craft Services
Locations
SPFX
Sound
Wardrobe
Makeup
Hair

Depending on the department and number of qualified applicants, these Trainee positions will range in length from two weeks to five months. Applicants should possess basic knowledge of film / television production and MUST possess a desire to make the film and TV industry their career.

Serious applicants can submit their resumes to “Fear Itself” via e-mail or fax to:
fearitselfproductions@gmail.com
Fax: (780) 487-1730

Please specify any specific departments that you would like to work with.

Qualified applicants will be contacted and interviewed by Fear Itself Productions as part of the selection process for these Trainee positions.

As a limited number of positions are available, resumes should be e-mailed or faxed immediately.

For those looking to get into the Film/TV industry, there is almost no better time than during this production. Assuming this series does well, and you help contribute to its success, one can imagine more series being shot Edmonton. It's definitely work being on set, but there's almost no experience as rewarding! Best of luck to all applicants.

Edmonton-born Fillion to Provide Voice in Animated Wonder Woman Film

According to The World's Finest, Nathon Fillion (Firefly, Serenity, Slither) will voice Steve Trevor in the upcoming animated Wonder Woman film:

Announced at the 2008 FX International Con, Nathan Fillion (Serenity) is slated to provide the voice of Steve Trevor in the upcoming DC direct to video Wonder Woman animated film.

Fillion will star alongside Keri Russell, who will play Wonder Woman, in the highly-anticipated upcoming direct-to-video animated feature. The direct-to-video animated feature is slated for a late 2008/early 2009 release. Fillion also voiced the hero Vigilante in the late Justice League Unlimtied animated series.

Keri Russell and Fillion recently starred together in Waitress.

Link via SuperHeroHype.com

Pre-order The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford on DVD and Blu-ray Disc

Readers of The Alberta Movie Guide can now pre-order The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford through Amazon.com/Amazon.ca.






I highly recommend the official soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Although a perfect companion to the dream-like images in Andrew Domink's film, the music stands on its own proudly, guiding listeners back into another period in American history.

Waterkeeper Alliance Fundraising Event Brings Stars to Banff, Alberta

While I head back to Edmonton to attend a good friend's wedding this weekend, film and television stars are arriving here in Banff, Alberta to support Robert Kennedy Jr.'s Waterkeeper Alliance.

From one of the press releases:

Leslie Nielsen, Kelsey Grammer, Daryl Hannah, Jason Priestley, Josie Bissett and several more Hollywood stars have added their names to attend The Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational January 17-20, 2008.

The latest roster will join many other stars of film and television already committed to ski the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains at Sunshine Village while enjoying the luxurious hospitality of the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational -- in support of leading North American environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s and his Waterkeeper Alliance - will be co-hosted by Kennedy, Tim Robbins, Christie Brinkley, and Alec Baldwin.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational will be held at Sunshine Village, while the spectacular Gala dinner will be held on January 19th at The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Resort.

More info on the events can be found at this link.

Anyone attending the events and managing to snap a few photos, please feel free to e-mail them to me to me share with readers of this blog! Please be respectful of all the public, celebrities, and organizers.

MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION:

Lori Grant
Regional Director of Public Relations
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Tel: 403.762.6885
E-mail: lori.grant@fairmont.com

Crosbie Cotton
Celebrity Media Coordinator
Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort
Tel: 403.923.8873
E-mail: ccotton203@aol.com



Photo: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts © 2008

Digital Alberta Seeks Executive Director

Digital Alberta, a non-profit association, seeks a dynamic executive director to take it into the future. In order to better meet the needs of the growing membership and the digital media industry, the Board of Directors has determined that an Executive Director is needed.

The new Executive Director will be expected to build upon the existing track record and lead the association as it advances its program goals in the years ahead. The position calls for a creative leader with outstanding strategic management and communications skills, as well as political savvy and a bold leadership spirit.

Under the direction of the Board of Directors, the executive director is responsible for overall management and operation of Digital Alberta and protection of the organization’s financial assets while ensuring compliance with board directives.

More information about the role can be found at the Digital Alberta website.

Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year to all the film, television, and digital media communities in Alberta and elsewhere.

I hope 2008 is another successful year for our creative production industries.

Also, thanks to all the readers and supporters of The Alberta Movie Guide!

I will continue to make it a valuable online resource and companion to the book in progress.

Cheers!

- Chad

New Alberta Film Crew/Cast/Producer Facebook Group

There's a new Facebook group for Alberta crew/cast/and producers that can be found at this link.

The group has just got started, but it looks like another great resource for the Alberta production community. There's already some great photos from the set of Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning.

Thanks to John for the heads up!

Photo: On the set of Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning. Courtesy of Laurette Bourassa.