Sunday, September 26, 2010

Post-Parton Party

Yes, it's come to that - paraphrasing my own self.

But what this title lacks in originality, it makes up for in accuracy. Because my dears, this post part is a pure, unadulterated blast! From the composition of the original MUSIC with the inspired and talented Luc Sicard, to the alchemy of choosing the best artists for original interpretations of Dolly tunes with Alex Cattaneo, to the re-recording of dialogue and "presences" with our eerily talented lead actors, Julia Stone and Macha Grenon - who were expertly guided by Benoît Leduc and Marcel Pothier, to the colour correction of Ms. Sauvé's stunning images with the soulful Nico Iliès, artist and gentleman - I feel like a kid in a craft-y candy shop!

I have to say - with no bias whatsoever - that all the artists and craftspeople who've worked and are still working on this film are the very BEST a girl could ask for!

In many ways, this part of the production is like a whole other shoot! But instead of the crew being all together on the set or in the production office, they're hidden away in their individual workshops - creating their own kind of quiet, but equally important magic.

It is so exciting to be finally seeing, and hearing, it all come together - all the layers of sound, music, movement, air, texture, colour, light and shadow that finish bringing the film to vivid life - and its final destination - a cinema near you.

p.s. Check out some of Sue's photos of the ADR experience on our Facebook Fan page and see little Julia all growed-up!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

TIFF for tat

Okay, we're back from TIFF. And yes Sue, I took photos! ;-) However, I spent all day today in the dialogue listening session (surely there's a better way to say that - the French, écoute technique is so much more elegant!), then had a first look at our visual effects by the guys at Mokko, and am off early tomorrow morning to New York so will post the TIFF photos from there in a day or so... Suffice it to say, TIFF was all tat - a blur of parties, people, pretensions and possibilities...

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We're going back! To a school of sorts... This Friday, Barbara and I are making our third annual pilgrimage to Toronto to swirl among the glitterati in that big snow globe of cinematic schmooze affectionately known as TIFF.

Once again, we head on down the 401 to pay our respects to many of the people who have been instrumental in getting our film made and who will be instrumental in getting our film seen once it's finished.

And we also go every year to pay our respects to all the films that actually ARE finished (a herculean accomplishment unto itself). We go to support films that have, first and foremost, been made by people we know and love! And have been selected to screen at one of the most important film festivals in the world ...

Films like :

"Score: A Hockey Musical" opening the festival, this vaguely Canadian-sounding project is distributed by our own Mongrel Media and showcases an honorary "Dolly" alumnus, Nelly Furtado. What's not to love?

"The High Cost of Living", shot by our own fabulous cinematographer, Claudine Sauvé (second year in a row a film shot by her has been selected for TIFF) written and directed by Deborah Chow - a talented young filmmaker we were introduced to at last year's TIFF. Way to go, Deborah and Claudine!

"Barney's Version", featuring our own dear Macha Grenon in the juicy role of Solange. This is a star-studded, big-ticket film based on Mordecai Richler's book of the same name. Can't wait!

"Trigger" starring Molly Parker and Tracy Wright as ex-rock n roll bandmates, written by Daniel McIvor and directed by Bruce McDonald. Need I say more?

So somewhere between the overlapping parties and the business meetings actually scheduled to take place in a hotel lobby, we hope to get to see a couple of these movies. Hoping you'll all get a chance to go out and see them soon at a theatre near you too!