Patterson's Wager Press Coverage

- PRESS COVERAGE -

North American Distributor: Producer: Avi Federgreen O. Corbin Saleken IndieCan Entertainment Inc. Silent Ibis Entertainment Inc. [email protected] [email protected] 416-898-3456 604-783-7633 IN THE NEWS http://issuu.com/reelwest/docs/rw_winter2015_web/14?e=0

Winter 2015/16 IN THE NEWS http://www.efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=3885

December 6, 2015

Whistler Film Festival 2015 Interview: PATTERSON'S WAGER director O. Corbin Saleken by Jason Whyte

"What if you had the unpredictable and uncontrollable ability to see two minutes into the future? This is the central dilemma that Charles (Fred Ewanuick, CORNER GAS) has to deal with in PATTERSON'S WAGER. As he and his girlfriend Audrey (Chelah Horsdal, HELL ON WHEELS) discover, it's not enough time with which to do much, but it is enough to really mess up your life." Director O. Corbin Saleken on PATTERSON'S WAGER which screens at the 2015 Whistler Film Festival.

I am excited to have you as part of the 15th Anniversary at Whistler! Is this your first time here and are you coming to the screenings? Patterson's Wager - At #wff15 This is my first time at the Whistler Film Festival, and, yes, I am going to be attending both of my screenings with the cast!

Talk to me a bit about how you got your start and your previous movies.

Like a lot of filmmakers, I started out making home movies. In my case, they were often horror shorts, shot on a VHS camcorder and starring my brother. I went to film school at UBC (University of British Columbia). Since graduating, I have made three short films, written a bunch of screenplays, and edited a couple feature length documentaries. My second short film WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE which starred my niece and nephews as three kids who mix up a potion in their backyard, got me into the Werner Herzog Rogue Film School in New Jersey. My last short, THE VEHICLE, which is about a man who tries to convince a woman that he has come back through time to be with her, played a bunch of film festivals and managed to win a number of awards. It was largely based upon the success of THE VEHICLE that I decided to take the plunge and make PATTERSON'S WAGER, my first feature film.

With that background in short films, how did your first feature come together?

PATTERSON'S WAGER exists because of the generosity of a whole bunch of people. I say this because none of the crew were paid and the actors all worked under the UBCP ultra low-budget agreement. Without these people giving their time and efforts to the project, I would still be just another filmmaker dreaming about what it would be like to make their first feature film. That being said, I suppose the film started with a script that I really wanted to see realized, along with the recognition that the only way to guarantee that the film would actually get made was to fund it myself.

Thankfully, Alex Zahara, a friend since UBC and frequent collaborator, also liked the script, and he immediately got on board as an actor and co-producer. Alex has been acting professionally for more than twenty years, and it was because of his connections that we were able to get our amazing cast. The other key ingredient was the participation of Nelson and Graham Talbot, whose exceptional cinematographic talents would, I knew, give this film the production value I needed it to have. I never could have done it without having these three key people in my corner at the onset.

While you are making a film, either this one or a short, what keeps you going? What drives you?

This is an easy one. I only make movies that I really want to see myself, so that which kept me going while making this movie, the thing that drove me to the finish line, was the promise that one day I would get to hold in my hands a copy of the movie on Blu Ray. Basically, I just really wanted this movie to exist, and I can't emphasize enough how cool it is that it does, and that not only can I watch it whenever I want, but, thanks to events like the Whistler Film Festival other people are actually getting to see it, too.

What were the biggest challenges with making PATTERSON, and what was the moment where you knew you had something special with the movie?

There were a lot of little challenges throughout production, such as finding a casino to shoot some essential scenes, dealing with the loss of a key location the evening before we were supposed to shoot there, and scheduling a 19-location, 20+ speaking-part low-budget shoot in just twelve and a half days. But, thanks to a huge amount of pre-production and a really great bunch of dedicated people, this shoot was relatively snafu-free.

Really, the biggest challenge for me was simply deciding to embark on this cinematic endeavour. It was a lot to take on, emotionally, intellectually, and especially financially. I knew that it would take an inordinate amount of my time and effort, so it wasn't something I chose to do without a lot of consideration. I had to be sure that if I DID do it I would be able to do it the right way, that whatever limitations I might be working under would never be apparent in the finished film, that I would never have to compromise my intentions.

There were two moments in particular when I knew that I had something special, both of them occurred prior to production. The first occurred even before I had seriously considered even making the movie. I had finished the screenplay, having no real notion that the movie would ever stand a chance of being made, and during dinner one night with a friend I pitched her the story. When I got to the end of the story, she actually had tears in her eyes; that was the first time I allowed myself to consider that maybe I should possibly consider trying to somehow one day shoot this thing.

The second moment, the one where I REALLY knew I had something special, was during the table read. Having all these amazing actors; Fred Ewanuick, Chelah Horsdal, Alex Zahara Michelle Creber, Garry Chalk, Anne Openshaw, Gillian Barber, Tom McBeath all sitting around a table reading my words was quite surreal, to say the least. It was also a huge affirmation that making PATTERSON'S WAGER was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

I totally want to get technical with you now because I am curious about the look and design of the movie and how you achieved it visually.

I didn't want this movie to have some of the trappings that low-budget indie films often have, such as bare bones lighting and shaky hand-held camera work. Rather, I was determined that the aesthetic and production value of PATTERSON’S WAGER would be as good and polished as any other film you might see in the theatre. I set out to accomplish this in two ways.

First off, I engaged the services of Nelson and Graham Talbot, twin cinematographers whom I have known since they were students at Simon Fraser University, which is where I currently work. Since graduating a few years ago, they have become very accomplished, having shot, to date, several feature films and commercials. Earlier this year, their WHEN PIGS FLY Doritos commercial aired during the Super Bowl.

The Talbots know how to light well and light fast. They're super efficient, great collaborators, and a real pleasure to have on set. I had worked with them on my previous short, The Vehicle, so I knew that we had a similar approach to filmmaking; we're always looking to get the best shot possible, and we are not willing to move on until we know that we have what we need.

The second thing I did was to storyboard the entire film. Given that we only had twelve and a half days to shoot the script, which, because of the multiple locations, often required one or two, sometimes three, moves a day, I decided to only shoot what I knew I would need in the editing room. This usually meant very little coverage. For example, I may only shoot the beginning and/or the end of the scene in a master, or just get a close-up on certain lines, instead of running it all the way through. I used locked-off, carefully composed shots and deliberate camera moves, all the while figuring out beforehand what frame/movement would best capture the performances and the intention of every moment and scene.

So with all this excitement about the Whistler premiere, what are you looking forward to the most about showing your movie in this town?

The upcoming Western Canadian Premiere at Whistler marks the first time that any film I have made will have actually screened in a festival in BC, so this is a huge deal for me. This movie is a very West Coast-slash-Vancouver story, and it will be a real pleasure to share it with a local audience who will, hopefully, appreciate all of the films' local flavours.

After the film screens in Whistler, where is the film going to show next? Anywhere you would like it to show?

I am still waiting to hear from a number of film festivals that are happening in 2016, so, hopefully, I will be doing a bit more traveling with the film in the New Year. Besides this, the film has been acquired by IndieCan Entertainment for North American distribution, which means that, at some point in the not-too-distant future, the movie will be available in a variety of different avenues and formats. I would definitely like to have some kind of theatrical exhibition in Vancouver, so that's something on which I'll be working.

If you could show this movie in any cinema in the world, which one would you choose and why?

If I could show this movie in any cinema in the world, I would hop in the Delorean, fire up the flux capacitor, and head back to a time when The Stanley in Vancouver was still a movie theatre. I saw so many classic films like The Untouchables, The Hunt for Red October, and three back-to-back screenings of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on opening day, and it would be a real kick to sit in the balcony and watch my movie in that classic theatre.

What would you say or do to someone who was being disruptive, like talking and/or texting, at a screening you were attending?

I don't cotton to people even whispering during a movie, let alone talking. I once got out of my seat, walked around to the other side of the theatre, and yelled at a bunch of unruly punks to shut up, so I might just lose it completely if someone was disrupting one of my screenings. Let's hope we never find out.

What is the ONE THING you would say to someone who is wanting to get into the film-making business as a piece of advice?

I am going to cheat here and say two things. One, work with the absolute best people you can, this includes both cast and crew, and two, be original and make the movies that only you can make.

And finally what is your all time favorite movie? Or film festival movie?

I have something like twenty five films in my top ten, but if I had to choose just one I'd have to say THE ABYSS. It came out the summer I graduated from high school, and it's the movie that made me want to make movies myself. What impressed me the most about it was how utterly original it was. To present an audience with a story they haven't seen before is something to which I constantly aspire.

Don't miss the Western Canadian premiere of the film taking place Saturday, December 5th, 6:30pm at the Rainbow Theatre and on Sunday, December 6th, 6:30pm at Millennium Place.

For more information on PATTERSON'S WAGER, be sure to check out the official website and follow on Facebook and on Twitter at @PattersonsWager!

IN THE NEWS http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/movie-guide/from+hollywood+hype+hometown+heroes+whistler/11557670/story.html

December 2, 2015

From Hollywood hype to hometown heroes, Whistler Film Festival has its own mountain town vibe

By DANA GEE

BEST OF B.C. AT THE FEST

The Whistler Film Festival is once again offering up a solid program, with 89 films (including shorts) in the lineup. If you’re planning on heading for the hills to watch some movies this week, why not begin by supporting B.C. filmmakers? Here are three worth checking out:FSM: Writer-director Melanie Jones’s first feature-length film follows the love life of a Vancouver DJ named Samantha (Vanessa Crouch), and boasts a very local soundtrack as well.Paterson’s Wager: Written and directed by O. Corbin Saleken, this funny little film stars Fred Ewanuick (remember him from Corner Gas?) as a regular guy who discovers he has an extraordinary power — he can see a few minutes into the future. And, yes, he does go to a casino.When Elephants Were Young: Patricia Sims travels to Thailand for this documentary that examines the relationship between captured elephants and the impoverished people who rely on them to toil in the fields or help them beg.

IN THE NEWS http://www.straight.com/movies/590121/pattersons-wager-low-key-charmer

December 2, 2015

Patterson’s Wager is a low-key charmer by Adrian Mack on December 2nd, 2015

Patterson’s Wager (Canada)

A low-key charmer from new filmmaker O. Corbin Saleken, Patterson’s Wager gives the ever-likable Fred Ewanuick the gift of prognostication— although he can only see two minutes into the future. Chelah Horsdal is his not entirely unconvinced partner, although she comes from a family with its own paranormal secrets. (The clue is in that title, Sasquatch-watchers.)

It’s a rickety construct that loses its way here and there, but Saleken aces matters with a sweetly gimcrack payoff at the end.

Saturday (December 5); Sunday (December 6). IN THE NEWS

http://www.efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=3871 - .Vl3X4P-_4fw.facebook

December 1, 2015

Whistler Film Festival 2015: A Festival Preview 15 Years Young by JASON WHYTE

Patterson's Wager (TOP PICK) -- This is a movie to celebrate. Over the past year or so I have been seeing a great surge in solid movies filmed in British Columbia, and O. Corbin Saleken's debut feature is one of the most original, thought-provoking and funny features to come out of this province in years. The premise in the program simply explains a man (Fred Ewanuick from CORNER GAS) who has the ability to see about two minutes into the future and the effect it has on his girlfriend and their relationship. That alone is worth a look, but then the movie takes an audacious turn about matching that with a story about a small group of people who keep a popular urban legend alive. The movie features dialogue as smart as a Coen Brothers as it questions identity, circumstance about its characters, and matches it with a lovely and simple visual design and makes it all its own. Fred Ewaniuck as the lead gives a tremendous performance, and he is surrounded by a great cast that is adapt to the material. Not only is this one of the best films you will see at Whistler Film Festival, it will also make you fall in love with Canadian cinema all over again. Wonderful! IN THE NEWS http://www.whistlerquestion.com/entertainment/arts/patterson-s-wager-defies-genres-1.2122794

November 30, 2015 Patterson’s Wager defies genres

B.C. film makes its provincial debut at the Whistler Film Festival

Emma Taylor / Whistler Question November 30, 2015 06:15 PM

Patterson’s Wager screens at the Whistler Film Festival on Dec. 5 and 6.

After garnering a number of awards in North American film festivals, Patterson’s Wager is about to make its B.C. premiere with two screenings at the Whistler Film Festival — its biggest festival screening so far.

The film’s writer, director, producer and editor, O. Corbin Saleken, will be staying in Whistler for the festival’s duration (Dec. 2 – 6) to witness his debut feature film’s B.C. launch. ‘I’m very excited. It’s such a B.C./West Coast film that I’m really glad that the local audiences will get to see it,” he said.

So far this year the film has collected six awards: Best Independent Feature Narrative Award at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival, Best Foreign Feature at the Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii, Special Jury Prize for Feature Narrative at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival plus Best Picture at the Oregon Independent Film Festival, and two actors’ awards.

Filmed overnight at Chances Casino in Squamish, as well as Vancouver, Langley, Maple Ridge and Mission, Patterson’s Wager features a cast of prominent Vancouver actors including Chelah Horsdal (Hell on Wheels) and Alex Zahara (Once Upon a Time), with an all-Canadian soundtrack. The film tells the story of a man who discovers he has the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future, with quintessentially B.C. scenes. The idea is based on a short story Saleken jotted down a few years ago, and a mix of other ideas he noted over the years.

The film is tricky to categorize, Saleken said. “It’s kind of like a romantic comedy with a fantasy twist, but that’s not entirely correct — if I have to describe it to people I say it’s Safety Not Guaranteed mixed with Fly Away Home,” he said. Friends of his have described it as genre-less, which resonates with Saleken. “It’s kind of like it’s own thing — it’s like nothing else. You have to see it to make up your own mind — everyone will think something different.”

The themes of trust, faith and belief flow throughout the film; themes that Saleken has wanted to work on for a long time. Throughout the film, people tell each other stories. “It’s the foundation of everything we do as human beings — that element of who can you trust, what should you believe, why do we believe the things we believe?” he said. “They’re the engines that fuel most of society and our interactions with each other.”

Playing on that theme of belief, the Bigfoot legend is integrated into the story. Coincidentally, Bigfoot was supposedly caught on video in Mission around the time the crew filmed, in summer 2013, Saleken, a Bigfoot believer himself, recalls. “Bigfoot may have been lurking around watching us film — you never know,” he said. “The Bigfoot myth is not going away!”

He describes the film’s overall tone as grounded. “I wanted everything to feel really real, as if all the characters were really experiencing this. There’s also an element of whimsy — which is a pretty tough thing to do well in film — a kind of grounded whimsy,” he said.

The film was entirely self-funded by Saleken and has an all-volunteer crew — Saleken works as a film and resource specialist at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

“The film only exists because of the generosity of so many people,” he said. “Probably 90 to 95 per cent of the crew were SFU students or recent grads,” Saleken said, adding that actors took part for very little money. “People were just incredible; I was really fortunate.”

Catch the “entertaining, thoughtful, heartfelt, funny and unique” Patterson’s Wager at 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Rainbow Theatre or Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Millennium Place.

For more information on the festival go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.

http://reelwest.com/news/2015-11/parvovirus-and-panini-pattersons-wagers-production-diary

November 26, 2015

PARVOVIRUS AND PANINI: PATTERSON’S WAGER PRODUCTION DIARY

One of the most publicized Whistler Film Festival entries so far is O. Corbin Saleken's Patterson's Wager, a comedy about a salesman who discovers that he has the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future.

The Vancouver-shot, shoestring-budgeted film marks Whistler as its BC premiere, after winning festival awards in Winnipeg, Portland and Hawaii.

Director O. Corbin Saleken penned down the highlights and low points of his 12 ½-day shoot in the summer of 2013 for Reel West.

September 19, 2012 – I have dinner with my friend Robin and I pitch her Patterson’s Wager, the screenplay I’ve spent the last five months writing. When I get to the end of the story, she’s crying. I’d love to see that movie, she says. I would, too, I tell her, but there’s no real chance of that happening. I wrote it because I wanted to get it down on paper, not because I have any hope that it’ll actually get made. I mean, how would I ever be able to do that?

January 10, 2013 - I send the following email to Nelson and Graham Talbot, the twin directors of photography I collaborated with on my previous short The Vehicle: “I'm mulling over the possibility of shooting a feature, so I'd like to talk to you two guys about just how feasible you think that might be.“

February 7 - I see a Save BC Film video done by Chelah Horsdal, and I’m immediately struck that she would be perfect for the female lead in Patterson’s Wager. . . If I ever actually figure out how to make it, that is.

February 18 - I meet with Alex Zahara, my longtime friend and frequent collaborator, to chat about potential casting. . . So, are Alex and I just talking about making this movie, or are we actually talking about it?

February 19 & 21 - I email Gillian Barber and Garry Chalk, the stars of The Vehicle, and tell them that I’m in the preliminary stages of pre-production on what I hope will maybe be my first feature. Without reading the script or knowing anything more about the project, they both say that they’ll do it. With Alex already onboard for another key role, this now means that the cast is up to three. It kind of feels like this is sort of maybe slowly beginning to happen.

March 27 - Alex and I get together with Fred Ewanuick, my one and only choice to play the male lead. At the end of our meeting, Fred says that if we still want him, he’d like to do it. Wow, okay, this thing just got very real. I suddenly realize that with Fred’s commitment I really can’t back out now. Bloody hell, I guess that I’m making a feature. Did I mention that I’ll be funding this all by myself out of my savings?

April 2 - Chelah Horsdal’s response to the script: “It's delightful! I'd love to be a part of this.”

May 4 - The table read: It’s a surreal experience to hear my words being spoken by such high-calibre actors, all of who have agreed to work under the UBCP Ultra-Low Budget agreement, which means that they’re doing the movie for basically nothing. The crew is literally doing it for nothing. I’m not sure why, but I’m beyond grateful that they are.

July 7, aka DAY 1 - Shooting at home certainly makes it easy to get to set. Joe Green, our gaffer, pulls up in front of my house in the fully loaded William F. White truck. It truly hits me then that I’m about to start shooting my first feature film.

Borrowing a Judd Apatow tactic, we start with one of the film’s most dramatic scenes. I’m hoping that it will set an emotional marker towards which we can work.

We finish the day at a Mac’s convenience store. Farhan, the manager, has graciously allowed us to shoot while he’s still open for business. He even appears in the scene as the cashier. I tell him that he doesn’t have to say anything, but he doesn’t think that makes sense. He gives himself some lines, and I, in turn, have to give him $100, as per the rules of the UBCP Ultra-Low Budget Agreement.

Day one wraps, with four scenes down, and only another 78 to go.

July 9 - With 8 ½ pages to cover, today is our biggest day yet. This is when having professional actors really pays off, as they always come prepared and ready to get everything in just one or two takes. This is also where having done a huge amount of pre-production pays off. I’ve storyboarded every scene, and I know exactly what coverage I require in order to put this story together; at least, I think I do. The biggest issue we have is with our last shot of the night. Fred is supposed to make a phone call by an open window and a couple of drunk yahoos are sitting on the curb right outside, loudly talking. Our requests to keep it down only encourage them to speak louder. Eventually, co-producer Alex Zahara manages to negotiate a momentary truce.

July 11 - Bad news: One of the locations we’re supposed to use tomorrow (and for two days after this) is infected with the parvovirus, which is lethal to dogs. A vet tells me what kind of disinfection measures we’ll all have to take in order to ensure that the virus isn’t transferred from the property to someone’s pet.

When I get home from the day’s shoot, I get a call from one of the actors concerned about going to the infected property. I completely understand where they’re coming from, and, at 1 AM, I decide to cancel the problematic location. I go to bed having no idea where we’ll be shooting the second half of the day tomorrow.

July 12 - We start the day at Cascade Falls in Mission. Where we’re going to be finishing the day is anybody’s guess. Considering that we’re scheduled to do 9 ½ pages today, this could be a problem.

Alex calls because he’s figured out that we’re right beside Danny Virtue’s ranch. Production manager Mackenzie Warner and I meet with Danny. We tell him what we need and he graciously works out a deal with us that not only gives us a great location for later that day, but also gives us access to a forest, a river, and a vintage-looking log cabin, all of which we were needing for the next week of filming.

We decide to shoot our campfire scene in a grove of trees in Langley, right behind the Talbot’s (our DoPs) home. Despite being minutes away from the highway, it looks like we’re in the middle of the woods. That’s a wrap on our first week.

July 16 - We’ve got four scenes and more than 11 pages of script to get through, including the “tissue test” scene, a mother-daughter talk about trust that is, in my mind, the heart of the film. According to Anne Openshaw, who’s playing Otter’s Mum, it’s also the biggest monologue she’s had during her twenty years of acting. Despite being so ill that she has to temporarily leave set to visit a nearby clinic (at which point my friend Toni-Lynn steps in as Anne’s body double), Anne absolutely nails her speech. Because Michelle Creber is 13 years old, we only have her for 10 hours. We finish her last shot with literally seconds to spare.

July 17 – Today’s page count is 12, plus another 3 of voice-over. We start at some mosquito-infested-yet-visually-beautiful waterfalls, and finish around a campfire, in the forest behind the Talbot’s house.

There’s a bit of an issue when, due to wearing too many hats (co-producer, teacher, actor in this and an MOW, plus multiple auditions), Alex has a late-night brain fart and has trouble remembering some lines, but this is remedied by holding up the script just off camera. We go late into the night, but manage to get it all, including the voice-over. July 22 - The Tim Hortons in Squamish calls me at 1 AM telling me that my food is ready for pick-up. Huh?!? I’ve pre-ordered $300 worth of panini and soup for tomorrow night, but a communication snafu has mixed up the days. Thankfully, they don’t make me cover the mistake.

I get to Chances Casino in Squamish at 9:30 PM, on this, our last day of filming. That we’ve been given complete access to this fantastic location is beyond amazing. To top it off, Kailey and Sam Spear, who’ve been handling extras casting throughout the shoot, have somehow managed to convince a whole bunch of people to drive out here on a Monday night to sit around and fill our background.

We get out last shot of the day – and the movie – at 5:30 AM. An hour and a half later, I drop off Anton Thomas (our sound mixer) at his place in Burnaby then I drive home in a daze, partly because I’ve been up all night filming, but mostly because I’ve just somehow finished shooting my first feature film. After just 12 ½ days of shooting, Patterson’s Wager has been brought into existence. If you’d told me ten months ago that this would happen, I never would have believed it.

Patterson's Wager plays at the Whistler Film Festival on :

Saturday December 5 | 6:45 PM | Rainbow Theatre and Sunday December 6 | 6:30 PM | Millennium Place

Anecdotally, we found this Reel West Cover on the Patterson's Wager Facebook page (also the source of the behind-the-scenes photos) -- Glad to see we got it right way back then. On the right, Corbin with the Best Independent Narrative Feature Award at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival in February. IN THE NEWS

http://www.westender.com/arts-culture/reel-people/the-world-s-most-amazing-insurance-adjuster-1.2117682

November 23, 2015

THE WORLD’S MOST AMAZING INSURANCE ADJUSTER

Sabrina Furminger — Westender

Charles (Fred Ewanuick) and Audrey (Chelah Horsdal) awash in anxious anticipation, in 'Pattersons Wager'. — Contributed photo

You’ve seen this movie before: Average Human comes in contact with gamma rays/an extraterrestrial substance/a classified Cold War-era experiment gone awry, and develops superpowers.

Average Human – after learning to control his or her new abilities, as well as enduring a brief but dramatic existential crisis – resolves to use this new superpower to fight crime and save humanity, because (cue a string-heavy score), “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Roll credits; sell action figures; green-light sequels; print money.

It’s a form of superhero story that does ridiculously well at the box office, but it’s also a bit limp. There are only so many ways to tell this story, and we’ve seen and heard them all before.

Which is why Patterson's Wager – in which Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas) stars as Charles, an insurance adjuster who can sometimes see two minutes into the future – is so refreshing. Charles’ superpower doesn’t do him (or humanity) much good. He can’t control it, and what he’s able to see isn’t particularly revelatory.

It all seems so random, much like real life, which makes Patterson’s Wager – the feature film directorial debut from Vancouver’s O. Corbin Saleken that has its BC premiere as part of the 2015 Whistler Film Festival – far more satisfying than most of the other superhero flicks screening today.

“We’ve seen all of those other movies, and I didn’t want to add some artificial espionage plot, or some murder mystery or anything like that, because those aren’t things that most people encounter,” says Saleken in a recent phone chat.

“I like to take a fantastical element but put it in an otherwise normal everyday setting and just see how people would react.”

Adding to that sense of the everyday is the fact that the movie (which filmed over 12 days in the summer of 2013) utilized 19 Metro Vancouver locations.

“I wanted it to be set in the places that I see when I drive around Vancouver, be it Spanish Banks at night, or Jolly’s Indian Bistro,” says Saleken.

Reel People is a spoiler-free zone, but we’ll cautiously reveal that, at the very moment that Charles realizes he can see two minutes into the future, he’s preparing to propose to his girlfriend, Audrey (portrayed by prolific Vancouver actress Chelah Horsdal, who can currently be seen in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle).

There’s also a parallel story with a paranormal twist set in 1980s Vancouver, featuring actors Alex Zahara, Garry Chalk, and Michelle Creber.

Saleken attributes much of the success of this film – already a favourite on the festival circuit – to casting.

“I’m a strong believer that casting is pretty much everything in a film,” says Saleken. “The easiest way for me to cast is try to find an element of the character’s personality in the actor.”

With Ewanuick, “[he] has this great, likeable, everyman quality, and he just seemed perfect as a guy who’s befuddled about dealing with this thing that’s going on with him.”

• Patterson’s Wager will screen at the 2015 Whistler Film Festival next month, which runs Dec. 2-6 at venues around the village. If you’re unable to make the trek to Whistler for the fest, watch this space: Patterson’s Wager will screen in Vancouver in spring 2016.

IN THE NEWS http://ubyssey.ca/culture/whistler-film-fest-283/

October 8, 2015

Patterson's Wager winning at Whistler Film Fest

By Jessica Yang

Patterson's Wager is coming home to the Whistler Film Festival in December. Photo Courtesy WFF / The Ubyssey

Patterson's Wager is coming home to the Whistler Film Festival in December.

Many UBC students wonder what they will do 20 years after graduation. For O. Corbin Saleken and Alex Zahara, making their dream feature was what they got to do. In July 2013, Saleken, Zahara and several of Vancouver’s top film talents began production on Saleken’s independent feature, Patterson’s Wager. The film premiered in February 2015 at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival winning Best Independent Feature and going on to win awards and screen at several film festivals. This December, the film will make its way back home to BC and screen at the Whistler Film Festival.

Patterson’s Wager is about Charles, an average insurance adjuster with a sudden ability to see two minutes into the future. The film created a relatable, intelligent and artistically-satisfying project that attracted much of the cast and crew.

“I wanted to see this film done,” said Saleken on his motivation to self-fund Patterson’s Wager.

The film was shot on a tight 12 day schedule in Vancouver, Mission, Langley and Squamish.

“Some days we were doing 8, 9 [or] 12 pages,” Saleken said. “But we weren’t doing crazy hours.”

Although the crew consisted of volunteers and the cast was paid $100 a day, both Saleken and Zahara saw each person’s effort and commitment to the film. With discounts for equipment and locations provided by the generosity of the Vancouver film community, the project came in on schedule and under budget.

“Because [Saleken] had everything so planned out, when the hiccups came up, we dealt with it," said Zahara, co-producer and actor on the film. "We had a strong leader ... he really attracted a great group.”

Independent films can often have a different dynamic from studio productions, especially Movies of the Week which can have less to do with artistic fulfillment and collaboration. Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas, Dan for Mayor), who plays Charles said via email, “[Independents are] more personal on every level. I feel more part of a team than just someone hired to play a role.” “One of the most important elements for me is the people I get to work with," said Chelah Horsdal (Hell on Wheels, Arrow) who plays Charles’ girlfriend. "That’s what makes an experience shine as was the case on Patterson’s Wager.”

However, once production is finished distribution, it can be difficult for indie films.

“You’re kind of on a high after making the film. You put it out there and you have to wait to see what happens,” said Saleken.

Often filmmakers will submit to as many film festivals as they can to screen their film paying on average $45-$50 to submit to each festival with no guarantee of the festival showing the film. Patterson’s Wager has had luck in several festivals and has also acquired a distribution deal with IndieCan Entertainment. Saleken hopes that the distribution deal will help the film reach more people after its planned release in spring of 2016.

The two former students returned to the Norm Theatre to promote their film.

“I met Alex at UBC in the Film Society," said Saleken. "The UBC [film production] program was a big deal for me. Getting into that program, it gave me the skills to do it.” IN THE NEWS http://www.squamishchief.com/community/reeling-in-success-1.206060

September 16, 2015

Reeling in success

Award-winning film had scenes shot in Squamish’s Chances Casino

Olivia Bevan / Squamish Chief

Award-winning filmmaker Corbin Saleken is the director and producer of the movie Patterson’s Wager, much of which was shot locally. It features in the 15th annual Whistler Film Festival this December. Photo: Photo by Olivia Bevan /For The Squamish Chief

A feature film shot partly in Squamish about a man with the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future has just been announced in the Whistler Film Festival lineup this December.

The 85-minute film, Patterson’s Wager, was written, directed, produced, edited and entirely self-funded by award-winning Vancouver filmmaker Corbin Saleken; it is his first feature film.

He says Patterson’s Wager is a film he’d want to see and one he hopes others might, too. “You never really know whether you’re going to be able to translate what you want to do, but my overriding element was that I knew I would like this movie,” he says.

“To me, though, the hardest thing was just deciding to do it.”

The decision wasn’t made overnight, Saleken explains; at first, he put out feelers to gauge the feasibility. The big push began after Fred Ewanuick, an actor who has starred in Corner Gas and Dan for Mayor, read the script and said yes.

“That was essentially the moment when I gave myself the green light.”

The shooting took only 12 days, and although his meticulous, pre-production planning led to things going incredibly smoothly and efficiently, it wasn’t without challenges, the biggest of which was filming inside a casino.

“It’s hard to get into a casino as a big-budget filmmaker, but as a low-budget filmmaker, there’s just no way... and because the film is about a guy who has the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future, the logical extension to that is you’re going to go to a casino. I couldn’t write it any other way... it wouldn’t make any sense.”

He tried, without success, to access the bigger casinos near Vancouver (“I had to hound them just to get a rejection,” he says). Then someone suggested Chances in Squamish.

“I called them and they said, yeah, it’s possible... I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “The casino here was just so amazing; they were so accommodating, it was just incredible.” Some of the casino workers, he says, even gave their time to appear as extras in the film.

Making a feature film is the dream of every film school graduate, he says, and 80 per cent of his crew on Patterson’s Wager were Simon Fraser University students and graduates.

“They were working with highly trained, professional actors and crews, so I think everybody got something out of working on it.”

So far, the film, which Saleken describes as thoughtful, heart-felt, funny and “very West Coast B.C.,” has been featured at several North American film festivals including Winnipeg Real to Reel, where it won Best Independent Feature Narrative; the Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii, where it won Best Foreign Feature; and the Oregon Independent Film Festival, where Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards were won by Chelah Horsdal and Michelle Creber respectively for their Patterson’s Wager performances.

Getting into festivals is much easier said than done, he explains, but the Whistler Film Festival is probably the pinnacle of them all. “I’ve gone to smaller festivals, which are fun... but Whistler is a big thing, so it’s kind of fun that people are going to be able to experience it on that scale,” he says. “And I’m thrilled that a lot of the cast and crew can go up, and that my friends and family can see it.”

The 15th annual Whistler Film Festival takes place from Dec. 2 to 6. For details about tickets and feature films, visit www.whistlerfilmfestival.com. IN THE NEWS http://www.theprovince.com/sports/fred+social+network+sept/11353992/story.html

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 Fred Lee's Social Network: Sept. 13

BY FRED LEE, SPECIAL TO THE PROVINCE

From left, Director O. Corbin Saleken’s film Patterson’s Wager staring Fred Ewaniuk and Alex Zahara was among the B.C. films announced to be screened at this year’s upcoming cinematic celebrations Dec. 2 to 6.

Photograph by: Fred Lee, For The Province

READY FOR CLOSE UP: The Whistler Film Festival Society prepared for the 15th installment of “Canada’s coolest film festival” with its annual Vancouver benefit. Founder and executive director Shauna Hardy Mishaw and WFF society co-chair Don Thompson and vice-chair Ann Chiasson greeted 150 guests — including filmmakers, leading men and women, and industry leaders — to the cinematic celebrations at the Blue Water Café, which marked three months until the festival’s curtain-raiser. Yours truly emceed the star-studded, red-carpet affair.

Mishaw announced the first six of 80 movies to be screened at this year’s festival, all made in B.C.: O. Corbin Saleken’s Patterson’s Wager; Siobhan Devine’s The Birdwatcher; Jeffery Lando’s Suspension; Jeremy Lalonde’s How to Plan An Orgy In A Small Town; Melanie Jones’ FSM; and Jan Foukal’s Amerika. The fundraiser for the not- for-profit festival, which is dedicated to Canadian films and nurturing new talent, hoped to generate upwards of $25,000. The evening also paid tribute to Shawn Williamson and Neal Clarance, two of Canada’s entertainment industry leaders and longtime boosters of the resort’s little festival that could.

Working with top talents such as Robert Redford, Ben Kingsley and Daniel Radcliffe, Williamson — a recent inductee into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame — has produced more than 90 features in the last 15 years and more than 35 since launching Brightlight Pictures Studios in 2001. Clarance, a prominent provider of financial consulting and advisory services to the entertainment industry, has been credited with designing B.C. and Canada’s film tax credit programs to ensure Hollywood North’s success. More than 11,000 movie buffs are expected to attend the series of screenings, forums and special events in Whistler, which runs Dec. 2-6.

August 31, 2015

The Sabbatical, Nestor get Whistler world bows

Patterson's Wager, The Sublet and FSM were also included in the first lineup announcement for the festival.

By Jordan Pinto

Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has made its first wave of lineup announcements, including world premieres for Brian Stockton’s The Sabbatical , Daniel Robinson’s Nestor and Melanie Jones’ FSM.

Nestor is an outdoor tale of survival in northwestern Ontario, which is written, produced, directed and stars Robinson. The Sabbatical is a comedy about a professor’s mid-life crisis and the ensuing relationship with a young artist that reawakens his youthful spirit, while FSM is the story of a DJ who seeks love amidst her world of all-night raves and technological innovation.

There are also Canadian premieres for Jeffery Lando’s Suspension (Canada), John Ainslie’s The Sublet (Canada), Josh Hope’s The Life And Death Of An Unhappily Married Man (USA), and the North American priemere for Valerie Weiss’ A Light Beneath Their Feet (USA). Canadian filmmaker Ingrid Veninger’s South America-shot feature He Hated Pigeons will also screen at the festival, as well as Siobhan Devine’s Canadian feature The Birdwatcher. There are also screenings for Vancouver filmmaker O. Corbin Saleken’s Patterson’s Wager and Jeremy Lalonde’s How To Plan An Orgy In A Small Town.

Among the documentaries appearing at the festival is Canadian doc Last Harvest from director Jane Hui Wang, which tells the story of a Chinese couple forced to relocate by the government due to a large scale water diversion project. As well, there is a Canadian premiere for Blood Cells (UK/Italy) by Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore and a North American premiere of Jan Foukal’s Amerika (Czech Republic), which follows Vancouver- based Barbara Adler as she journeys through the forests of the Czech Republic in search of those living in the wilderness.

This year’s Whistler Film Festival takes place Dec. 2 to 6 and will feature the WFF Industry Summit as well as the B.C. songwriter and artist showcase, WFF’s Music Café. IN THE NEWS http://www.filmbuzz.tv/?p=2247

August 18, 2015 Would you change the future if you could?

A man discovers that he has the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future in “Patterson’s Wager”.

What was the inspiration and how long did it take before you had the completed film?

The broad answer to what inspired me to make Patterson’s Wager is that I simply wanted to make a feature film. Every filmmaker dreams of doing this, and I knew that if I didn’t get off my butt and try and make my first feature then it it was never going to happen. The second equally important bit of inspiration was my desire to actually watch this particular movie. Basically, I wanted this movie to exist, so I brought it into existence.

As for what inspired the story, without saying too much so as to avoid spoilers, I’ve always been interested in grounded speculative fiction. By this I mean, I like stories that insertone fantastical element into an otherwise everyday setting, then explore how normal characters deal with said element.

In the case of Patterson’s Wager, this fantastical element is the main character’s discovery that he has the unpredictable ability to see two minutes into the future. In other words, his so-called power isn’t enough for him to really do anything with it – especially because he doesn’t know when it’s going to happen, nor can he control it when it happens– but it is enough to mess up his life.

If we’re going from specifically when I started writing the script to when I had a finished movie in hand, Patterson’s Wager took me roughly two years to make. I spent around six months working on the screenplay, then a few months in between when I was deciding whether or not to actually do it, then five months of pre-production, 12 1⁄2 days of production, and eight months of post-production (four months picture editing, and four months sound editing/designing).

What were the biggest challenges you had making your film?

The first big challenge in making Patterson’sWager was simply deciding to make it. As thewriter, director, producer, editor, andsole-funder, I knew that it would be a massiveundertaking, so crossing the Rubicon fromtalking about it to actually committing to do it was not an easy thing to do.

Once I’d given myself the green light, the second biggest challenge was assembling the right team. Thankfully, my long-time friend and collaborator Alex Zahara got onboard immediately. He took on an acting role, handled the casting, and also helped out as co-producer. With Alex involved, we were able to assemble an incredibly talented cast of local Vancouver actors, such as, among others, Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas), Chelah Horsdal (Hell on Wheels), Michelle Creber (Strange Empire), Anne Openshaw (The Grey), Garry Chalk (AMC’s The Killing), and Gillian Barber.

This took care of the cast, so the next thing was to get the right crew. Specifically, I needed good people who were also willing to volunteer their time. After securing Nelson and Graham Talbot, amazing DPs whom I’d worked with previously and knew from my job in Simon Fraser University’s film area, the rest of the behind-the-scenes people started falling into place. The truth is that thanks to my amazing crew –production designer Rebecca Sjonger, costume designer Nataliya Fedulova, sound mixer Anton Thomas, key hair and make-up Joyce Tu, PM Mackenzie Warner, 1st AD Natasha Wehn, and a whole bunch of other great people – production went off with very few hitches.

There were a couple specific production challenges, such as securing a casino for a key sequence and then having to scramble after we lost a key location the night before we were to shoot there, but, again, thanks to careful, meticulous pre-production and extremely generous people, we got everything we needed in exactly the time in which we’d set aside to get it.

What are you plans for your film?

My plans for Patterson’s Wager are to get it in front of as many people as I possibly can. This begins with doing the whole often-frustrating and rather costly film festival dance.

I’ve been fortunate to have had some great screenings at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival (where we won the award for Best Independent Feature Narrative), the Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii (where we won the award for Best Foreign Feature), and the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. It’ll be screening at the upcoming Muskoka Independent Film Festival, the Oregon Independent Film Festival, and the Boise Film Festival, and I’m still waiting to hear from a whole bunch of other festivals.

The film has recently been acquired by Indiecan Entertainment for distribution in Canada and the US. I’m really excited about this. The current plan is to do a release in spring 2016. We’re hoping for a limited theatrical, VOD, maybe a broadcast sale... Who knows? I’m very aware of the current indie film situation, so I’m certainly realistic in my expectations, but I’m also confident that Avi Federgreen, the distributor, will do everything he can to get Patterson’s Wager to as many people as possible.

What new projects on the horizon?

Honestly, my first thought is that I’d like to take a breath, since I’ve been working non-stop on this project for three years now (two years to get it made, then the next year trying to get it out into the world).

That being said, I recently wrote a short comedy script that I’d like to make in the not-too- distant future. I’ve been plunking away at a novel for a number of years now, and I’d like to eventually finish at least a first draft of this (I figure if I keep mentioning it, it’ll give me some incentive to get it done). I’ve also got a number of feature-length scripts all ready to go – one in particular, Peach Fest (the Canadian Dazed and Confused), I’m dying to make – so sooner or later I’m going to start looking to try and find some funding to make another feature film.

IN THE NEWS http://playbackonline.ca/2015/07/10/indiecan-acquires-pattersons-wager/

July 7, 2015

Indiecan acquires Patterson’s Wager

The indie film distributor has picked up the Canadian and U.S. rights for the debut feature from O. Corbin Saleken.

By Jordan Pinto

Avi Federgreen’s IndieCan Entertainment has picked up the Canadian and U.S. distribution rights to Patterson’s Wager, the debut feature from O. Corbin Saleken.

Starring Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas, Dan for Mayor) the rom-com tells the story of a man who discovers he can see two minutes into the future. Co-producing alongside director Saleken – who also penned the screenplay– is Alex Zahara, who also acts in the film. Directors of photography are Nelson Talbot and Graham Talbot.

Chelah Horsdal (Hell on Wheels, When Calls the Heart), Alex Zahara (Once Upon a Time, Horns), Michelle Creber (CBC’s Strange Empire), Anne Openshaw (The Grey) and Garry Chalk (AMC’s The Killing, Tomorrowland) also star alongside Ewanuik.

Following a run on the festival circuit, the film is scheduled to make it to Canadian and U.S. theatres in the early part of 2016.

Earlier this year, Patterson’s Wager won the Best Independent Feature Narrative prize at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival and the Best Foreign Feature prize at Hawaii’s Big Island Film Festival. IN THE NEWS

http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/hawaiis-big-island-film-festival-picks-winners-1201506937/ /

May 27, 2015

Hawaii’s Big Island Film Festival Picks Winners

Event honors indie narrative pics from Hawaii, U.S. mainland and around the world

Peter Caranicas

Frank Hall Green’s “Wildlike” – the tale of a teen in Alaska who escapes her abusive uncle and tries to find stability with a stranger – won the best feature prize at the Big Island Film Festival, which just wrapped in Hawaii. “Patterson’s Wager” (pictured above), directed by Canada’s O. Corbin Saleken, won for best foreign feature. In the film, a man discovers he has the disturbing ability to see two minutes into the future.

Tim Savage’s “Under the Blood Red Sun,” which follows two teenage friends on the days surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor, won for best family feature.

“Jilel – The Calling of the Shell,” directed by Jack Niedenthal, won the fest’s Barbara Award. In it, a young Marshallese girl is given the responsibility to protect an ancient family heirloom.

The following films won in the shorts category: Linda Palmer’s “Our Father” for best short; Danila Dunaev’s “The Rabbit” for best foreign short (Denmark); Cayman Grant’s “Butterflies” for best family short; David Rosen’s “The Fishing Club” for best Hawaii short; Steven Ayromlooi’s “The Sun Devil and the Princess” for best special-effects short; and Iz Gutierrez’s “Sin Frontera” for best student short.

“Butterflies” also took the prize for best audience choice short. James Bird’s “Honeyglue” won the audience choice for feature.

BIFF marked its 10th anniversary this year. According to founder/exec director Leo Sears, the fest drew 2,648 attendees – a new record. IN THE NEWS http://www.communitynewscommons.org/culture/arts-entertainment/winnipeg-real-to-reel-film-festival-lands-another-world-premiere/

February 16, 2015

Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival lands another world premiere

By Meggie Kornelson

The 5th annual Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival has landed another world premiere: Patterson’s Wager, a Canadian feature film by award-winning filmmaker, O. Corbin Saleken.

Saleken lives in Vancouver, BC. He has a BA in film and television studies from the University of British Columbia, and he attended the 2010 Werner Herzog Rogue Film School in New Jersey.

In 2013, Saleken won the Most Promising Filmmaker award at the Spokane International Film Festival. His short films have screened at film festivals around the world. Patterson’s Wager is Saleken’s first feature film.

When asked about the idea for this film, Saleken explains: “The main idea for Patterson’s Wager came from a short story called 12:05 that I wrote a few years ago. I enjoy putting one fantastical element into an otherwise realistic story. In the case of the short story (and, later, screenplay), I decided to explore what would happen if someone had the unpredictable and uncontrollable ability to see two minutes into the future.”

The film boasts a stellar cast of talented Canadian actors, including Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas, Dan for Mayor), Chelah Horsdal (Hell on Wheels, Arrow), Alex Zahara (Once Upon a Time), Michelle Creber (Strange Empire), Anne Openshaw (The Grey), and Garry Chalk (AMC’s The Killing).

Saleken wrote Patterson’s Wager in the summer of 2012, his seventh feature screenplay. In early 2013, as he was experiencing some festival success (including Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival) with his short film The Vehicle, he says, “I started seriously considering the idea maybe I should empty my savings account and actually make one of these screenplays.”

O. Corbin Saleken, director

The film was written, directed, produced, edited and self-financed by Saleken. He is amazed and proud of what was achieved.

“Thanks to an all-volunteer crew and great cast (who all agreed to work for only $100 a day), we managed to get the whole movie done in only 12 ½ days, considering it had 20+ speaking parts, three different time periods and 19 locations, which ranged from a casino to an 1885 logging camp.”

Saleken says he was in a constant state of appreciation.

“There were numerous times while on the set that I found myself amazed at the fact that all of these people bustling around me were there for the sole purpose of bringing to life these words I had typed onto my computer a year previously. It was a rather humbling notion to consider.”

He continues, “In the end, though, I really could not be more proud of the finished movie. There is really nothing that I would go back and do differently. This is exactly, and then some, the movie I wanted to make.”

Paul H. Boge, WR2R Film Festival founder and coordinator, finds that “one of the greatest joys in doing film festivals is having a world premiere.”

In 2013, the WR2R Film Festival screened two world premieres in the feature documentary category: The New Northwest Passage by author and filmmaker Carmen Dueck and Living with Lava by Theo M. Goble from London, England.

Patterson’s Wager will screen on Fri. Feb. 20 at 6:30 pm and on Sat. Feb. 21 at 8 pm.

The 5th annual Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival will take place Feb. 17-22, 2015 at the North Kildonan MB Church, 1315 Gateway Road. For more info check out www.winnipegfilmfestival.com IN THE NEWS http://www.themanitoban.com/2015/02/pattersons-wager-safe-bet/22719/

February 10. 2015 Patterson’s Wager is a safe bet Vancouver filmmaker returns to Winnipeg to screen his latest feature

Photo provided by Corbin Saleken.

By Alana Trachenkoon February 10, 2015

What would you do if you could see into the future? Vancouver director Corbin Saleken explores his interpretation with a balance of realism and light-heartedness in his recently completed film, Patterson’s Wager. The film follows the story of a man named Charles, played by Fred Ewanuick, who acquires the ability to see two minutes into the future. What seems like a useful skill at first begins to present some challenges for Charles and proceeds to affect his life in unexpected ways.

Saleken managed to complete his film in an impressive 12 days through a combination of hard work and careful planning. “Other shoots that do things in 12 days are insane,” Saleken said. “This shoot wasn’t like that. I think there was one day where we did 12 hours, but that was it. We had 19 different locations, so every day we had two or three moves to do.”

Saleken says a big timesaver was knowing what shots he would need, and not wasting time with coverage that wouldn’t be useful later.

“I had the whole thing storyboarded,” said Saleken.

With experience working with the film equipment at Simon Fraser University, Saleken knows a lot of students and graduates who were willing to volunteer on the crew. Their enthusiasm, along with a positive response from actors who were approached for roles, pulled the project together.

According to Saleken, most of the roles were filled by actors he had in mind. Many of them didn’t meet until the table read, including the two leads, who had to be believable as a couple.

“It wasn’t until a little while ago that I was talking to some people and I kind of realized, ‘oh, that was a pretty big risk.’ If the chemistry wasn’t there, I don’t know what I would have done,” Saleken said, laughing.

While the shoot was completed in less than two weeks, editing took eight months, which, according to Saleken, was the fun part.

“I shot the movie so I would have material to edit [ . . . ] that’s where the movie is made,” Saleken said.

Although the movie’s storyline revolves around Charles’ strange new ability, it is also looks at his life and relationships; the film opens with Charles practising a proposal to his girlfriend.

“When movies work, they have relationships at the core [ . . . ] in a movie like Star Wars, what makes you come to that is not the special effects, but the connections with the characters.”

Patterson’s Wager will be featured at the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival. Saleken said he enjoyed visiting Winnipeg for his showing of The Vehicle at 2013’s festival and is looking forward to coming back.

“In Vancouver, we get maybe one snowfall a year that lasts for five minutes if we’re lucky,” Saleken said. “Just to be able to skate for five kilometres straight is kind of amazing.”

Patterson’s Wager will screen on Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 8 p.m at North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church (1315 Gateway Road). Visit winnipegfilmfestival.com/ for details. IN THE NEWS http://uniter.ca/view/soothsayers-superheroes

February 4, 2015

SOOTHSAYERS & SUPERHEROES Director O. Corbin Saleken has an independent spirit that would make Herzog proud

THOMAS PASHKO FEATURES REPORTER

Financing a feature film is no picnic. Pursuing grants from arts organizations like Telefilm Canada can take years and crowdfunding campaigns are a gamble with no guarantee of success. So when O. Corbin Saleken decided to make the leap from short films to features, the Vancouver filmmaker took an approach that few filmmakers dare. His film Patterson’s Wager, which has its world premiere at the 2015 Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival, was entirely paid for by Saleken himself. “I think there was an element of pride in the decision,” Saleken admits. “It just felt kind of weird asking people for money to make my movie. Also, a crowdfunding campaign takes so much effort. I wanted to focus all my effort on the movie, and allow myself complete creative control.”

Patterson’s Wager stars Fred Ewanuick (who Canadian audiences will recognize as one of the stars of Corner Gas and Dan for Mayor) as an ordinary guy who discovers he has the ability to see two minutes into the future. The cast is full of prolific Canadian character players like Chelah Horsdal (Arrow, Hell on Wheels), Alex Zahara (Eternals, Once Upon a Time) and Garry Chalk (The Killing, Stargate SG-1).

Saleken says the film’s high-concept premise arises from themes of trust and belief that he’s always wanted to explore on film.

“The idea started as a short story that I wrote about five years ago,” Saleken explains. “It was just this idea, ‘What if you could see two minutes into the future?’ Because it’s kind of useless. You can’t really do anything with it. How would you deal with that? There’s no espionage, no convoluted plot. You’re just going about your daily life, but this thing is kind of tacked on.”

When asked if he’s considered the super-power premise in relation to the phenomenon of superhero movies, Saleken says the connection isn’t lost on him.

“I read comic books, so I’m a big superhero guy. But I’m just so sick of superhero movies. They’re all so big, they’re essentially gods on-screen. You can’t relate to them as individuals. So with this idea, it’s a single fantastical element, and you just plunk it into a realistic setting.”

“Another thing that bugs me is how audiences are always ahead of the characters. Sometimes you have to wait an hour for the characters to catch up to where you are. I didn’t want to do that. In Patterson’s Wager, you’re discovering things at exactly the same time as the characters,” explains Saleken.

In addition to his decades of filmmaking credits, Saleken is also one of the few people to have attended The Rogue Film School, the filmmaking workshop run by eccentric German director Werner Herzog. When pressed, Saleken revealed some facts about the mysterious school.

“We weren’t picking locks or boxing like [Herzog] talks about,” Saleken admits, “but we did get an email forbidding us to reveal the location of the meeting. It was very clandestine. Like a secret, Fight Club-esque meeting.”

Published in Volume 69, Number 19 of The Uniter (February 4, 2015) IN THE NEWS http://www.kerrisdaleinsider.com/blog/corbin-saleken/

August 31, 2014

A Talented Filmmaker in Our Midst - by Lois Beckett

On a beautiful warm day, I sat down and had a chat with Kerrisdale native, Corbin Saleken, who is a filmmaker, director, writer, producer, picture and sound editor.

In addition to the many artistic hats he wears Saleken is also employed at Simon Fraser University where he has worked for 15 years as a film and video resource specialist.

Saleken was born in Vancouver and has lived in Kerrisdale his entire life. He attained a B.A. from U.B.C. and attended the Werner Herzog Rogue Film School in New Jersey.

As a child he was curious and imaginative and always had an interest in film. His mother is partially responsible for his passion as she often took him and his brother to the movies.

In 2013 he was named most promising filmmaker for his short film ‘The Vehicle.’ In addition, the film was named Best Short of the Northwest. He was very surprised to win these two awards.

“I fully recognize how subjective any award is, and it doesn’t honestly mean that I am the best at anything; on the other hand, I would like to think that it is at least an acknowledgement that someone responded to what I was trying to communicate, and that is definitely validating.” Saleken’s most recent project is a feature film entitled ‘Patterson’s Wager’ which tells the story of a man (Fred Ewanuick from ‘Corner Gas’) who has an unexplainable gift to see into the future. His girlfriend (played by Chelah Horsdal) suggests that he is experiencing ‘ignis fatuus’, and that he is really seeing mirages.

He recently finished editing a documentary called ‘For Our Daughters’ about Ghanaian girls who did a speaking tour in B.C. in order to raise money for girls’ education in Ghana.

A novel that he has been tinkering with has been in the works for a number of years and he hopes to finish it some day. Whether or not he will make another movie is yet to be decided based on the expense involved. He also has a few screenplays that he hopes will be picked up.

Saleken is motivated by the fact that he has only a limited amount of time to tell all the stories that he wants to share, and he makes films that he wants to see.

His favourite directors are Werner Herzog, Terrence Malick, the Coen Brothers, Krzysztof Kielsowski, Cameron Crowe and the Duplass Brothers. He says, “They are all great story tellers who are, in their own unique ways, constantly striving to capture something authentic about the human experience. They all make extremely engaging movies.”

Some of his favourite movies are Bottle Rocket, The Abyss, The Thin Red Line, Zodiac, JFK, The Lost Ark and Thelma and Louise because they are great stories that are told exceedingly well, and they all manage to connect with him on a personal level.

On viewing other people’s films Saleken says, “If a movie is working properly, I become immersed in whatever world is being presented. I hope people will experience the same thing when they watch what I have created.”

IN THE NEWS http://issuu.com/reelwest/docs/rw_julaug2013_web/19

July/August 2013