Bill Bourne releases his new album today

So' Bill Bourne is releasing his new album today, "free radio dance Band". It is a great album. One of my greatest joys to date was being there while Bill and his band recorded the album. It was a tres cool experience and I feel fortunate. The music is incredible so make sure you check it out.

So yeah I turned 50...

But you know what is great...I am now old enough to have a friend running for office. I have a friend who is running for the mayor of Calgary. Her name is Barb Higgins and she is a great lady. She is smart, she knows the city, she looks great...serious when is the last time you saw a mayor that was a babe. Barb is all of this and more. The thing I admire most is her integrity. She was interviewed on BT in Calgary by a reporter named Mike McCourt (I use the term reporter loosely). I couldn't believe the questions he asked. But Barb in true fashion I think handily put him in his place.

I will admit I wish I lived in Calgary so I could vote for her. If you live in Calgary, check her out I think you will be pleasantly surprised. She would be great for the city. Sort of like Ralph Klein before he went insane.

Anyway, check out this goofball McCourt (his parents might have been cousins) and on Monday vote Barb Higgins for Mayor!

Hey, did you know?

I have talked about making films, documentaries and music videos. It is very rewarding but not a great way to make a living. So how do I survive? I do corporate video and commercials. For example, something you may have seen...did you know I created and wrote, produced and directed those great (If I do say so myself) 92.5 JoeFM stick man animation commercials. They were fun and I mention it because I am told they were very memorable. Anyway not to take up to much of your time. I have added my commercial/corporate demo reel on my website. I wrote and directed everything you see in the demo. Let me know what you think.

Canadian Film is Shit...

All films from Canada are horrible, badly done, low budget. Ummm I have heard these comments so often and I say BULLSHIT! Canadian film is where it's at. A good Canadian film can't be beat. The unfortunate part is many Canadians do dis the films being created by Canadian filmmakers. I have a theory, its my opinion but I think it makes sense. The theory is that we make as many good films as the US, based on population. So for every ten Canadian films there is one good one and 9 not so good ones...In the US I use 100 films...and there are 10 good ones and 90 bad ones...so the percentage is the same. The problem is we tend to only get the 10 good ones and everyone only remembers the 9 bad Canadian ones!

So how do we change this perception? I suggest creating "Hug an Independent Canadian Filmmaker Day" So we pick a day, for example...February 23rd and call it "Hug an Independent Canadian Filmmaker Day" . So on February 23rd across the country, participating communities organize the local filmmakers and present the films they made to their community and let them view the films for free. The problem is that our films don't get played anywhere so how do we make sure that Canadians get to see these great films? By doing something like this we allow everybody to experience the creative power that is Independent Canadian Film. Who is with me on this one? I am totally in. I would even help organize it...I can't be in charge of organizing it because I am really unorganized...but hey, I will help and I have a few films I wouldn't mind getting seen.

Well there you have it..."Hug and Independent Canadian Filmmaker Day".

I am all a Twitter

I did it...I got back on that Twitter horse. I have been told by quite few people now that Twitter truly is a marketing bonanza. Perhaps I will find out. I have been exploring this whole concept of social media and it is quite exhilirating. So new, so fresh, so outside my scope of knowledge. Are you ever to old to learn? I don't think so.

Anyway why don't you follow my tweets and will follow yours. Is tha how that works?

Indie Film Fun

Yup it's fall and the ideas are flowing. I have a lot going on. Working on two major corporate projects that will keep me busy till Christmas. And then who knows how I will make a living. I could become an assassin, a hit man and well the corporate name kind of works. Anybody out there need someone rubbed out.

My new film "For the Record Featuring Bill Bourne" seems to be doing really well and you can buy your copy on my very own website. You should check it out...it is the perfect stocking stuffer...yeah I said it...why not all the stores do it. Order "For the Record Featuring Bill Bourne" now and ensure you get it in time for Christmas.

I now have a producing team together to make my first feature film. Its a comedy and a road movie titled "Stella's Dead and in the Back of the Truck". The producers are as follows:
1) Executive Producers: Jerry Krepakavich & Ben Babchishin
2) Producers: Diana Davis, Susanne Hunka and Elaine Elrod

The hope is to be shooting this late next summer or early fall.


I also want to do another short and just not sure which way to go. I have an idea for a 7 part web series and I would also like to do a musical in the vein of "Doctor Horribles Sing Along Blog" so not sure which way I will go but I will do something before Christmas. Hopefully there are some folks out there wanting to get involved.

Well I guess that is all I will talk about at this point. Time to get on with the day and hopefully get something done.

Ciao all, have yourself a great week!

I love Alberta, but sometime...?

So, who read the paper today. I am referring to the Edmonton Journal. The story I am wanting to talk about was written by a guy at the Calgary Herald (I suspect Calgary got it too). It is titled "Province to Review Funding for films". It talks about the fact that the province gave $55,000.00 to a Calgary company to do a documentary about the oil sands called "Dirty Oil". Stelmack was quoted as saying "He was livid that taxpayer dollars funded an anti-Alberta film"

WTF...okay who is as pissed off as I am, I want to hear it... Why the fuck does our government only see this province as oil. I haven't seen the film, I don't know if it is a fair and accurate story but I do know that environmental issues about oil are everywhere. The BP thing off the coast of New Orleans has pushed it to the forefront and now it is an even hotter ticket item. I sorry but if someone was going to do a doc about the Alberta oil sands called "Dirty Oil" wouldn't you rather have it be done by someone from Alberta who doesn't have any other agenda but calling attention to an environmental issue. And why is it that a documentary that could thrash the oil sands (again I haven't seen it and can't say) is considered anti-Alberta. A lot of people are concerned and they are voicing their concerns, we live in a free world and have that right. And now they are going to review how they fund films...does that mean they want to start censoring what they fund? Both Blackett and Stelmach denies this will happen but it is really what they are saying.

The filmmakers stated that $750,000.00 was spent in Alberta on this production from the Alberta Governments $55,000.00 investment. Doesn't seem like that bad of a return. Hmmm methinks it might be time for our great leader and his cronies to pull their heads out of their ass and start looking at other economical opportunities for Alberta outside of oil...I think the days of oil might be limited. Alberta is so much more, great people, incredible vistas, a proud heritage built from a backbone of agriculture and it also has oil...a small part of our identity that the current government considers our only face. Man does this kind of shit piss me off...In my opinion.