AMPIA (Alberta Media Production Industries Association) Announces 2012 Rosie Award Winners
The 38th Annual Alberta Film and Television Awards (the Rosies) were handed out in Calgary on Saturday, May 11 – and what a show it was! Among the many highlights was Premier Alison Redford’s presentation of the AMPIA Award of Distinction to former Premier Peter Lougheed and his wife Jeanne. The other special award of the night was the Friend of the Industry Award, presented to Paul Roscorla and Paul Bronfman of William F. White . Other memorable moments included musical performances by Russell Broom and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, as well as Andrea Menard’s beautiful tribute to those in our industry who have passed on in the last year. Read more 
Alberta Film > “One Problem” by Calgary Filmmaker Documents Underwear Delivery to Homeless Shelters Across Canada
In the summer of 2009, Calgary film-maker Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi, 32, and medical engineer Brent King, 42, loaded an RV full of men’s underwear to be delivered to homeless shelters across Canada. Eleven days and 10 cities later, they had delivered more than 25,000 pairs of tighty-whities to shelters across Canada and they documented the trip in the short film “One Problem.” “One Problem” is a survey of the Canadian homeless community through the lens of an eleven day cross Canada underwear drive. Yazdi and King had three simple goals in mind; to deliver a small luxury to as many people as possible, create some media excitement to bring attention to the issue, and learn as much as possible about homelessness in Canada, Brent acts as a guide through a sensitive and touching journey into the issues of some of Canada’s forgotten citizens. Read more
Alberta Media Production Industries Association Announces Finalists for the 2012 Rosie Awards
The Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) announced the finalists for the 38th Annual Alberta Film & Television Awards on April 11, 2012. The awards celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement in Alberta film, television and new media. This year there were 256 class entries and 382 craft entries, an increase in entries of more than 15% from last year. Alberta productions, from commercials, new media, and both long and short form fiction and non-fiction are again vying for 22 Class awards. In addition, Alberta’s talented screenwriters, costume and production designers, cinematographers, editors, directors, make-up artists, special effects artists, sound technicians and composers are competing in 29 Craft categories. Each winner receives the prestigious Rosie Award. The Rosie Awards will be presented at a gala dinner and awards evening on Saturday, May 12th 2012 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Calgary. Read more
Calgary’s Corkscrew Media Premiere’s “In This Life: Chantal Kreviazuk” on HBO on April 4, 2012
Corkscrew Media will premier of its latest musical television project, In This Life: Chantal Kreviazuk on Wednesday, April 4th at 7:45 ET/MT. In This Life: Chantal Kreviazuk is a feature-length documentary that combines music and story, taking audiences on a musical journey with Juno Award winner, Chantal Kreviazuk. Commissioned by Astral’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central, In This Life: Chantal Kreviazuk in Concert is a special television event that weaves music and story for an intimate glimpse into the celebrated Canadian singer-songwriter’s life and career. Read more
CBC Seeks Films From Across Canada for “Short Films Faceoff”
CBC’s Short Film Faceoff is Canada’s only television magazine program which features short films from across the country. The critically acclaimed show has already enjoyed four successful seasons and has brought a new mainstream audience for short films and increased profile for filmmakers. The CBC is looking for the best short films from every region to take part in this program. In Short Film Face Off films are screened and a panel of industry professionals will provide commentary as well as discuss the creative and technical aspects of the films with the filmmakers. Read more
“The Hill: A Documentary of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival” On Sale Soon
The Hill: A Documentary of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is about to be released in DVD. Folk Films, a co-operative of Edmonton film makers, has spent a number of years capturing the essence of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival (EFMF) from main stage performances, workshops to backstage interviews with musicians and volunteers. They have documented the intimate nature of the festival that overtakes the city hillside for four days every summer where tens of thousands flock to hear the music and thousands more volunteer their time to be part of the magic. Principal photography is complete. The target date for premiere is late 2012. The finished production will be a high quality DVD with several special features. Blue Rodeo, Solomon Burke and Bill Bourne are just some of the over 30 artists to be highlighted. Read more
OMNI TV Alberta to Broadcast Zee Cine Awards on Sunday, February 19
OMNI Television celebrates the best in Indian film with the three-hour broadcast of the Zee Cine Awards 2012, Sunday, February 19 OMNI. 2, OMNI Alberta and OMNI BC. Hosted by Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan (My Name is Khan) and Priyanka Chopra (Rah.One), the awards ceremony is the most prestigious recognition in the Indian film industry. Known as the biggest viewer’s choice awards for South Asian cinema, the three-hour broadcast celebrates the meaningful contributions and ground-breaking performances from 2011. Read more
Edmonton International Film Festival Presents the Oscar Nominated Short Films on Family Day
The Edmonton International Film Festival will present the nominees for Best Live Action Short Film and Best Animated Short Film at public screenings in the Princess Theatre on February 20. “Based on attendance and feedback from our immensely popular Lunchbox Shorts programme at the Edmonton International Film Festival, we know that our audiences adore bite-sized cinema!” says Kerrie Long, Festival Producer. “When was the last time you could admit (honestly) to seeing all of the Oscar Nominated Short Films? This could be your first. And, you get boasting rights to seeing ALL of the nominees in these categories, versus just a handful of films in every other category.” Read more
Shaw Media Internships for Students with Permanent Physical Disabilities
The Shaw Media Internships for Students with Permanent Physical Disabilities are a series of internships designed to encourage and aid Canadian talent in establishing or furthering a career in the Canadian broadcast industry. These annual internships reflect Shaw Media’s commitment to the diversity of talent and perspectives that comprise our ever-changing Canadian culture. These annual internships, valued at approximately $10,000 each, are offered to Canadian students with permanent physical disabilities. The recipients will receive a challenging opportunity to work in private television in pursuit of a career in broadcasting. The students will be placed in three to four month paid internships at one of our Global television stations, or our Specialty television facility. Read more
Kevin Taft Launches “Follow the Money: Where is Alberta’s Wealth Going?” with Short Film by Tom Radford
(Edmonton, CNW, January 18, 2012) How is it that a province as wealthy as Alberta is running deficits and says it must cut public services? Where is Alberta’s huge wealth really going? Those are two of the central questions that author Kevin Taft attempts to answer in a hard-hitting, fact-filled new book called “Follow the Money,” released today in Edmonton. Taft is a best-selling author and former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. The book exposes the “big lie” that spending on public services in Canada’s richest province is out of control and that Alberta can no longer afford to fund things like education and health care at current levels. Oil is selling at $100/barrel, Alberta’s economy is booming, and still the government is cutting services and running deficits. Read more
New Romantic Comedy Now Shooting in Edmonton January 5 to 25, 2012
I Think I Do from Rocky Mountain Picture Company and Panacea Entertainment starring Mia Kirshner is now being shot and produced in Edmonton. I Think I Do is a romantic-relationship comedy about commitment, cold feet, the endurance of true love, the importance of family ties and the hard lesson learned that, try as we may, life simply does not go as planned. I Think I Do will be screened on W Network in Canada and Lifetime in the United States. Starring Canada’s Mia Kirshner along with Jenny Cooper, Sara Canning, James Thomas, the film is being made in Edmonton with a local crew and production team featuring locations and services from local vendors. Read more
Submissions Invited for the 2012 Alberta Screenwriters Initiative Until March 12, 2012
The Alberta Association of Motion Picture and Television Unions (AAMPTU) is seeking submissions for the 2012 Alberta Screenwriters Initiative. Feature film scripts of any genre, to a maximum length of 250 pages, from an Alberta based writer, are eligible. Limited to one entry per person. The Initiative is open to new and experienced screenwriters. The assessment of script/ screenplays includes evaluation of the writer’s creativity, original voice, theme, character development, plot and overall quality of writing. Any and all genres (e.g. horror, romantic comedy, action, animation etc.) will be equally weighted. All entries must be submitted in industry standard feature-length screenplay format. Read more
Marilyn
Jones is a corporate and social media advocate for individuals, small businesses
and nonprofit organizations in Alberta. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada and is the proprietor of RiverCity Productions. You can contact her
by phone at 780-695-5675 or by email at marilyn@mediamag.ca.