Inside CBC Drama

T.ontllnS-Bsd'ie^ ^•magine the scene a few hundred were interviewed separately, their com do docu-dramas. I think there is a lot of %/ odd yejirs from now when hungry, ments have been editorially juxtaposed confusion as to what a docu-drama is. «"^ back-stabbing anthropologists root by subject To me, docu-drama is a dramatic rec through the shameful debris of late reation of an actual event Specific as to twentieth century Canada in desperate Cinema Canada: Who decides what time, locale, participants. Most of the search of the mythical southern border. program will go into production ? (unsolicited) submissions I get lead me Imagine the elation if, along the way, one Inside John Kennedy: Basically I decide on to think that there is an awful lot of of them scores various reels of 3Smm film the individual piece within the drama thinking that leans toward a lot more stashed in the seedy projection booth of schedule. But that springs from a series docu than drama, and that doesn't in some fossilized Rosedale mansion. The of offers that I make to the program of terest me very much. I think you have to find would be hotter than the Boy Prince's fice at the CBC each year I offer them for take steps to be sure the issue doesn't tomb until the lights went down and the example, a sitcom, a Home Fires, three override the drama. It gets preachy for scientific community was assaulted by CBC or four movies for television, perhaps a one thing boring for another. trailers from Prom Night, Death Ship, specific series. Terror Train, Pinball Summer, Hot Cinema Canada: Is there a system Dogs, and that seminal Canadian opus, Cinema Canada: Do producers com whereby unsolicited material is Meatballs. By the second reel change pete for these slots ? screened at the CBC? most would be gagging in agreement: John Kennedy: In effect, yes. But we John Kennedy: Yes, it is all read, all the southern border was indeed mythic develop more than one proposal per responded to, but it is not all criticized al Drama slot. Things have a way of falling apart, There's just too much of it. There are not The fact is, our drearily non-Canadian or being delayed. We shoot either tape too many unsolicited scripts which ever film industry sheds very little light upon There is much to examine or film every week of the year and if you see the light of day (get produced). It the life, values and concerns of the miss a date you get a blank on air which, often surprises me though that many Cemadian people in the 1980s. It pro within our television industry, of course, is immediately filled by buying people who want to write for television duces few examples of what could be something from somewhere. I don't seldom watch it. For a writer not to useful^ as a record of our culture, and but part of the difficulty want to see that happen because it is an analyze the people or kinds of things little feature film drama of any perma opportunity lost for Canadian writers, currently being done (on television) is a nent value. is the simple fact that dfrectors, performers and musicians. mistake. On the other hand- strange as it may seem — Canadian drama produced for its inner workings are not Cinema Canada: What is the evolu here is much truth to Kennedy's television is an entirely different matter. publicly exposed. tion of a script at the CBC? comment. Too many writers see Programming in recent years has been JeanRoberts: A producer brings it to r television as a bastard art, some watched, yes, actually viewed, and large either John Kennedy or myself If the thing to consider if one is in need of quick percentages of these viewers have been by John Kent Harrison idea is interesting and if the story has an cash to grubstake the "important novel" increasingly impressed with both the end then maybe we'll develop it. At that There is a tendency to overlook the sophisticated dramatic consfructs and point the producer goes into cahoots ground rules of the medium - the the degree to which programs attempt public whipping boy, the Canadian Broad with a writer, and possibly a story editor, camera, the microphone, the station to reflect the specific cultural, moral casting Corporation, seems especially to develop a story which has a begin break, and that ephemeral audience and social tenor of our tremulous times. appropriate. The following is a series of ning middle and an end And the begin teeter-tottering precariously between But what is Canadian television interviews with several key personsilities ning must be so created that you are the "Canadian" show and... the alte^ drama ? What is the role of the public behind programs being produced at the going to hook your audience with the native. A potential writer would be sector {CBC), the private sector, the in CBC Drama Department in Toronto, first 25 seconds, In a sense television is wise not to underestimate the remark dependent producer? Who decides including; John Kennedy, Head, CBC to theatre as variety or burlesque is to able degree of craft it takes to hook and what will be produced and/or aired? Drama Department; Jean Roberts, Di the stage: you no sooner get to center hold an audience and yet still deliver How does one break into this happily rector of Program Development and stage when you have to hook your something meaningful in the way of "Canadian" arena? Production (Drama Department); Sam audience. character, plot and socio-political rele And then there are the myths, es Levene, Executive Producer, For the vance. pecially about the CBC. There's that old Record series; Larry Mirkin, Producer, Cinema Canada: HoW many drafts It is interesting to observe how pro favorite : "CBC producers produce what Coming Out Alive, Phoenipc Team; of a script are thire ? ducers approach this conundrum. they think the Canadian public should Robert Sherrin, Executive Producer, Jean Roberts: Three official drafts Some are committed to message and Home Fires. Though these individuals be watching." That is, CBC as guardian but there can be more, maybe less; but relevance above all else : the issue, the angel, watchdog against cultural de it also depends on the make-up of the problem, the cause. Who dares count pravity. Yet with one capricious flick of writer. A writer may have done ten the number of somnolent journalistic the wrist, snow-bound and entertain drafts at his desk but will hand in the "dramas" we have been subjected to ment-starved Canadians tune in to per^ eleventh as his first draft due to his own over the years: programs which were verted gibberish. Faced with this kind of standards and self-censorship. All three good for us, programs we should have competition, "shoulds" go the way of of the drafts come through this office watched. Then there are the producers bilingual street signs in Calgary. Or do (Kennedy and Roberts), so when you who are slaves to form: make'em laugh) they ? multiply all projects by three you have make' em cry, make' em wait. Don't bore There is much to examine within the an idea of the volume of material which the audience, get to the point, keep it complex of our television industry but comes through here. moving: entertainment as the primary part of the difficulty in this pursuit is the vehicle of communication. simple fact that its inner workings are Cinema Canada: Do you cancel not publicly exposed. Its producers by scripts when you see something not Cinema Canada: Is there a split at and large are not part of the glamour worldng ? the CBC between the issue-oriented and tinsel scene : the pay is so minimal Jean Roberts: That could be done producers and the entertainers as to that normally gregarious free-lance but I cannot say that I've seen that hap their lack of concern or overconcern contributors are forced to work full- pening often in the sense of it having for audience gratification ? time all the time in shabby innei^city been imposed from this office. I find Jean Roberts: I think what happens digs, with no time to blow a horn in that there is a healthy atmosphere on perhaps, from time to time, is that defense of their medium. this floor which John (Kennedy) has en people get so involved in issues that At a time when the cultural content in gendered, and that is that producers they forget that a story is not a useful feature films- or lack of it- is raising so themselves will tend to come along and story on television unless it is dramatic many questions, an examination of the say that there is no point going on with Truth is not necessarily dramatic. attitudes behind productions currently something. being broadcast by that convenient Cinema Canada: What is the inten Cinema Canada: Do you get much tion of making For the Record drama ? unsolicited material ? Sam Levene: As executive producer • Head of CBC-TV Drama, John Kennedy John Kennedy: Yes. For example, I John Kent Harrison is a screenwriter and filmmaker photos; Fred Phipps of For the Record, I have a particular living in Toronto. get a lot of submissions from people to bias. For me, the drama has to 1* 16/Cinema Canada- July 1981 These producers are prepared to say that self- loathing, flag-waving and SB-Xare Canadian exercises of the past.

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