Surfing The Channel

Archive for October, 2011

Ottawa apartment rentals have increased as many people interested in the film and television industry have been seeking to make their dreams come true in the country of Canada. Many American companies have been using Canadian backdrops for years, and this has made an impact on the projects that are now coming out of the various cities in the country, with Ottawa being one of the Canadian leaders in the entertainment industry. The organization that has taken the lead in this creative endeavour is the Ottawa-Gatineau Corporation for Film and Television. They are currently busy with the end of the year activities which include tributes to various film makers and with the end of the year awards ceremonies. These events are not only important ways to honor and represent quality new work in the industry but they also attract and contribute to the overall tourist industry. As is true for the field of film itself, it must draw both passionate professional practitioners as well as diverse audience members and enthusiasts.

The organization is a non-profit organization which exists outside the realm of government influence. Not only is this the oldest organization of its kind in the country of Canada, but it is the second oldest film organization in the world. Many people are choosing to spend these last couple of months in the city and find many options for short term places for locations. Rent Starlight becomes daylight when captured by the hands of cinematographers, and experimental filmmakers were honored this past month for their achievements. The woman who was the quest artist is Heidi Phillips. She is known for her ability to recycle footage, to rearrange it and combine it with her own work to create a collaboration of mind and of artistic expression.

Another Canadian filmmaker was honored this October, Tony Asimakopoulos . He is a director from Montreal, who has worked on award winning short films, and has finished his first documentary, “Fortunate Son”. Asimakopoulos was honored not only for his work in cinematography and film making, but for his contributions to kids at risk. Having made his way through a life of drug addiction, he now helps others by providing young filmmakers the opportunities to express and define themselves through their artwork and their own stories. His short films will be shown through the month of November. It is no wonder that Canada is fast becoming a serious contender in the world of the entertainment industry.

             Comedies families can watch together are a rarity today. Good, clean humor seems to have disappeared with the censorship repeal. There are a few TV. series that rely on witty discourse, interactive facial expressions, and humorous situations to entertain their audiences. The TV. series, Jeeves and Wooster , is one of these comedies. Jeeves and Wooster‘s comedic adaptation of an English gentlemen and his trusted valet in the 1920s portrays the kind of humor families can enjoy. Families will delight in Jeeves’ unfailing common sense and Wooster’s good-natured goofiness. Wooster’s rebellion against the rules of Edwardian fashion is one episode that will not fail to entertain.
               Jeeves and Wooster reveal the humorous rules of Edwardian fashion. Wooster is an English gentleman who enjoys new fashion. As Wooster’s valet, Jeeves tries to dissuade Wooster from wearing designer men’s clothing that will make him appear ridiculous in society. To Jeeves dismay, Wooster purchases a dinner jacket while on vacation. Jeeves warns Wooster that a white dinner jacket is not considered good taste in Edwardian fashion. He will be mistaken for a waiter. Wooster ignores Jeeves’ warning. He wears the white dinner jacket to his Aunt, Lady Dalia’s dinner party. Aunt Dalia’s derision of Wooster’s white dinner jacket is witting and cutting. Wooster realizes that the jacket causes him to blend in with the footmen, attending Lady Dalia’s dinner. Wooster sits through Lady Dalia’s dinner with as much composure as he can gather. The facial expressions during this scene display a mastery of innocent fun that families will enjoy. The memory of this awkward dinner soon fades though. Wooster’s nature is not satisfied unless it purchases something it does not need. A Skimmer straw hat snatches Wooster’s attention in New York. The straw hat makes Wooster look spiffy and, as Jeeves points out, as common as a politician or a tenor in a men’s Quartet. It is not the sort of designer men’s accessories , Jeeves could recommend to an English gentlemen. Jeeves’ opinions are correct. The hat leads Wooster to consort with doubtful men who wear Skimmer hats. Worse, the Skimmer’s straw form fades abruptly during the return sea voyage home.
                Jeeves and Wooster‘s writers recreate an Englishman’s life, in the 1920s, using the comedic elements of the period. The accents are authentic and the dialogue witty. Unlike Hollywood animated movies, adult references are not part of the script. The writers and the comedians have to work harder for their laughs, in order to remain an authentic source of Edwardian humor. Jeeves and Wooster‘s emphasis on realistic, period humor allows the TV. series to reach a wider audience, making it appealing to families with children of all ages.

Periodically speaking, it is a common complaint to hear that here is nothing on television, nothing worth watching, that is. So, if this is true, or at least true whenever a major hit ends its run, or as soon as the season is officially over, why do television shows continue to be the most popular form of entertainment? And why are televisions sets turned on more hours of the day in typical homes than they are off? These are broad statements that are only true to some people, right? But let’s look at it a bit closer, ask yourself if you’ve ever complained about he quality of television today, then consider how many hours a day your television is on, compared to how much time you spend reading, watching a movie or going to a play? Does it speak more to the complacency of society, or an ongoing reluctance for satisfaction, or neither, or something else entirely? Well, it might have something to do with finances and the amount of entertainment dollars people have available today.

Do any of these questions matter? And have we as a society accepted television as an unavoidable, inevitable aspect of life, much like traffic signs and grocery stores. We simply have to accept its place in our life. Well, then what about those great television shows that come along once out of every one thousand pilots, pitches or sketched ideas? The Seinfelds, Boston Legals, Twenty Fours, All in the Families, Dallas’s, Friends, and Cheers, just to name a few? How do these shows become incorporated into the social icons of multiple generations? TV ads generate enormous income for popular shows, not so much for the start ups.

And in addition to that, regular television has to compete with cable television shows. However, the comparative freedom of cable might seem like a distinct advantage to the creativity of programs, it is actually a double-edged sword. Too many times these cable television shows rely on controversial shock and awe elements and forget that it’s always a sound story theme with intriguing characters and a compelling plot that will win over and retain an audience. HBO programs like Six Feet Under and the Sopranos are excellent examples of maximizing the potential of cable. Meanwhile, budgeting considerations are another factor in a show’s success. New shows are always competing against established popular hits, and it’s a tough curve. And what does all of these mean for burgeoning self produced series that are popping up all over the Internet? For minimal budgets creative individuals are starting new series that become viral in no time. Imagine, for the minimal loan from Money Mutual you could have the Internet version of Dexter in your future.