FALL 2007 The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists 52056-1 ACTRA.indd 1 9/17/07 9:17:58 AM So, what’s new? by Anna Falsetta Great news! As of August 2007, ACTRA’s online marketing tool, Face to Face (F2F), will make it easier for you to identify yourself if you are The Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) has a visible minority performer. just launched a website for self-employed actors, You will have the choice not only to tell us what roles you can craftspeople, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, new play, but you’ll also get the chance to tell us who you are! media content creators, visual artists, and writers. F2F has added fields in the ethnic background and disability Check out some great info written by artists for artists sections. These new fields are in response to requests from pro- on how to further your career at www.culturalhrc.ca/ ducers and industry professionals. They were seeking a way to amyc. For more information contact Megan Guy at differentiate “who you are” from “who you feel you can play.” 613-562-1535 ext 31 or at [email protected]. The new fields will give producers, directors and industry professionals the opportunity to create accurate and specific talent searches that are not available anywhere else. These new improvements to F2F support our membership by On the cover helping to create a strong and inclusive Canadian film industry by creating more work opportunities for all our members. Cast of ReGenesis: (front row) Wendy Crewson as ‘Rachel Once you’re on the ACTRA website, access your profile and Woods’ and Peter Outerbridge as ‘David Sandström;’ choose “Self Identify” then – tell us who you are! (back row) Dmitry Chepovetsky as ‘Bob Melnikov,’ Greg This information is only available to ACTRA-approved industry Bryk as ‘Wes Field,’ Mayko Nguyen as ‘Mayko Tran’ and partners. Conrad Pla as ‘Carlos Serrano.’ The internationally successful one-hour drama Questions about Face to Face? Contact Anna Stefosis at [email protected] series ReGenesis centres on David Sandström (Peter Outerbridge), and his team of top scientists at NorBAC (North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission) who find themselves caught in a number of controversial In production: ACTRA Toronto and challenging biotech dilemmas. This group of highly specialized experts work to unravel worldwide threats Entertainment Credit Union involving deadly new strains of disease, super-bacteria Hi! My name is Steve Mumford, and after nearly and bio-terrorism that, if left unchecked, could wreak 30 years of working in the financial services sector, havoc on a global scale. I’m thrilled to join the ACTRA family as CEO Produced by Shaftesbury Films, ReGenesis airs in 13 of ACTRA Toronto Entertainment Credit Union. languages in more than 100 countries worldwide. In Canada, A tremendous amount of work has been done the series airs on The Movie Network, Movie Central and during the past year, as we build a financial insti- Showcase. Season four is currently in production. tution that will provide full financial services to entertainment professionals and their families. You’ll be hearing ReGenesis is niminated for 12 Gemini awards including much more exciting news from us over the coming weeks, so stay a ‘Best Supporting Actor’ nod for Wendy Crewson and tuned! In the mean time, if you have any questions please e-mail a ‘Best Actor’ nomination for Peter Outerbridge. me at [email protected] or call me at (416) 642-6751. Please welcome our new Public Policy and Communications Director ACTRA National Executive Director Stephen Waddell announces the appointment of Kim Hume as ACTRA’s Director, Public Policy and Jessica Chan Communications. Kim will oversee all of ACTRA National’s public policy and communications initiatives. Kim has been with ACTRA for six years, starting first with ACTRA National, and since 2003, with ACTRA Toronto as Public Relations Officer. Kim brings a wealth of experience in communications, organizing, and lobbying to her new position, along with extensive involvement in arts advocacy and the union movement. Please join me in welcoming Kim to her new position. 2 InterACTRA FALL 2007 52056-1 ACTRA.indd 2 9/17/07 9:18:09 AM Letters In this issue of InterACTRA... InterACTRA welcomes letters and feedback. Submissions should be no longer tahan 200 words and may PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 4 be edited for length. Please send Meet the new boss, same as the old boss? submissions to: [email protected] by Richard Hardacre Calling all scribes! PAGE 6 ACTRA TAKES ACTION 6 Interested in never-ending glory? Wendy Crewson writes about Want to contribute content to PAGE 9 her passion for Canadian drama InterACTRA? Please contact [email protected] MEMBER PROFILE 9 Arlene Duncan – a Canadian Want to receive acting success story by Susan Ponting InterACTRA by email? If you’d like InterACTRA in your 12 e-mailbox instead of by mail, email SPECIALTY CHANNELS us at [email protected] with your The long tail of broadcasting? membership number. by Jason Chesworth PAL CANADA CARES 15 The Performing Art Lodges of Canada by Keith Martin Gordey Fall 2007 Volume 14, Issue 3 DIGITAL UPDATE 16 InterACTRA is the official publication of ACTRA Brave New World (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio by Patricia McCutcheon and Randy Duniz Artists), a Canadian union of performers affiliated to the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the 19 International Federation of Actors (FIA). InterACTRA BRANCH NEWS is free of charge to all ACTRA members. Updates from Newfoundland & Labrador, EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Richard Hardacre, Ferne Downey, Brian Gromoff, Saskatchewan, British Columbia David Macniven, Susan Ponting, Kim Hume, PAGE 15 Keith Martin Gordey, and Stephen Waddell. APPLAUSE 22 CONTRIBUTORS: Richard Hardacre, Ferne Downey, Kudos go out to Gabrielle Rose, Randy Duniz, David Calderisi, Marlene Cahill, Patricia McCutcheon, Keith Martin Gordey, Karl ACTRA Montreal Award winners, Pruner, Kim Hume, Gabrielle Rose, Susan Ponting, LEO Award recipients, and Wendy Crewson, Gordon Pinsent, Barbara Budd, Kiefer Sutherland Albert Schultz, Jason Chesworth, Brendan and Kathleen Meyer, Jennifer Blaney, Chris Cornish, Mike Burns, Marit Stiles, Anna Falsetta, Carol FAREWELL 24 Whiteman, Christine Webber, Steve Mumford, Memories of William Hutt Don Jordan, Howard Storey, and Stephen Waddell. by Barbara Budd and Gordon Pinsent LAYOUT: Joss Maclennan Design www.joss.to Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing. Remembering John “Mel” Downey, 25 All contents are copyright ©2007 ACTRA. All rights are reserved and contents, in whole or in part, may Keith Knight, and David Norris-Elye not be reprinted without permission. The points of PAGE 23 view expressed do not necessarily represent those FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 26 of ACTRA. PAGE 24 A very focussed year Please return any undelivered mail to: by Ferne Downey ACTRA, 300 - 625 Church St., Toronto ON M4Y 2G1 PHONE 1-800-387-3516 or (416)489-1311 FAX (416)489-8076 BACK COVER 31 EMAIL [email protected] A dynamite dinosapien: young WEB www.actra.ca acting sensation Brendan Meyer Publications Mail Agreement #40069134 by Susan Ponting ISSN 1705-9496 C FALL 2007 InterACTRA 3 52056-1 ACTRA CS2.indd 3 9/18/07 3:12:02 PM Meet the new boss, same as the old boss Won’t Get Fooled Again – Pete Townshend, The Who, 1971 ell friends, there’s a new boss in the office of Canadian – let’s call them the ‘Protected Broadcasters’ since they argued suc- WHeritage in Ottawa, the fifth Minister we have seen in the cessfully in 1999 for the CRTC to allow their conditions of license past seven years. to exclude Canadian drama in primetime. The effect of that decision Canada’s new Minister of Heritage is Josée Verner. She is also has been an almost complete collapse of Canadian-made dramatic the MP representing a fair-sized citizenry of Québec City. Madame series and films for television. With the burning of those grain Verner has solid political experience as both a Québécoise and a fields, the opportunities for countless aspiring filmmakers have federalist. One must assume she cares about culture; she has been also gone up in smoke. Minister of la Francophonie up until now. And, as one of the more The corporate honchos at CTVglobemedia, CanWest Global and socially progressive Conservative MPs, their association of smaller broadcast- she may be more comfortable with the ers got their wish: wall-to-wall American arts community. Verner spent 20 years programming, includig endless varie- in communications and public service, ties of CSI’s, reality shows, Amazing including a period working for former Races, Lost, and Desperate Housewives. Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa. For eight years now they have gone on Let’s hope as the new boss she’s not the annual spending sprees in Los Angeles same as the old boss. – sometimes returning with duds, or However, rather than on Mme. Verner’s even shows they purchased just to shelve abilities, skills and aspirations, that hope to keep them out of the hands of other rests to a great extent on Prime Minister “protected” broadcasters in our own Harper’s expectations of what she can country. Last year they spent more than do for his plans, and what the Prime $470 million on foreign drama and less Minister’s Office will allow her to do. On than $70 million on Canadian programs. Parliament Hill, we now have a govern- And with those programming choices, all ment, albeit a minority one, that is more of the programs that are simulcast with centralized, controlled and watched over the same shows on American networks by the PMO than we have had in recent memory – or perhaps ever.