[Ed King]

I know what you mean; Les invasions Barbares won the best foreign film at the Academy Awards, but you could only see it at one theatre in all of Toronto. It seems like Americans have more appreciation for Canadian cinema than we do! Shame.<BR><BR>I'm a big fan of Canadian film and television, so I am speaking with my dollar. I have not been to one of these highway-side theatres in two years, and I will never go again. I must be one of the only persons on the planet who hasn't seen the Passion of the Christ, Fahrenheit 9/11 or LOTR pt. 2 and 3! <BR><BR>I don't think they can be forced to show Canadian films, besides these American companies probably have contracts limiting the distributors from which they can purchase movies.<BR><BR>I'm happy to see that Canadian films are starting to be properly promoted with advertising and so on. But until they have good marketing and screen time at most major Canadian theatres, the current situation is not likely to change quickly.

[cathou79]

for movie, i dont think you can actually "force" theater to present them, you just to create the demand for canadian content. that what we do in quebec. even if we have laws for french content on tv and radio, we dont have anything about theaters (except traduction) <br />and still, we present almost all movies made here. <br /> <br />for exemple, Nouvelle-france the brand new quebec movie that come out today is present on 30 screen near montreal (on a possibility of 46). 10 years ago, a movie made in quebec would not have that exposure, but now people want to see them... <br />

[Dino]

That's what we need in Canada. In saskatoon the only time you saw Canadian made movies was when you were in highschool. I was watching this thing on the CBC and it was saying how Canadian movies are really good but in Canada we just assume it must suck because we always tend to compare our movies to American ones. <br /> <br />They spend like 100 million on there films. I believe to bring back the english television and movies in Canada it's up to the government to actually give the artists the money.Well at least we have our musicians.They are good and some are good enough to make it world wide. But now we need to focus on our country and stop all this american media coming into our country.There was this guy in Canada who worked on a film for ctv and it became somewhat of a story because CTV would air it during a time when no one would be watching.I was watching the mtv european awards and I realized it's not just Canada that get's invaded by the Americans. The award showed featured performers that were all basically american and the host was an american at least with our junos it's hosted by a canadian and it's all basically Canadian content.God help us if americans ever get a hold of our only good award show.

[cathou79]

actually, the last canadian movie i remember to have seen (except for quebec ones) was... screamers (us/can collaboration)

[Marcarc]

Yes, under treaty provisions theatres cannot be 'forced' to show anything but what they want. Unfortunately now with the dollar the people we have don't even have work anymore. I think this is really where the internet could shine, specifically with all the peer to peer networks out there. If you can make a film or show cheap enough (and cameras are getting cheaper all the time) then good online marketing and the instant worldwide distribution makes anything of quality a seller. Unfortunately, this is where having a community would come in handy. <br /> I honestly can't remember seeing anything canadian of late, even though I remember seeing the ads. David Cronenberg was always too creepy for me, and 'the sweet hearafter', while interesting to watch, certainly didn't have anything that made it 'canadian content'. The big trumpetted production of 'the people's history' I found far too biased, and besides that, sooooo boring that I just couldn't watch for more than ten minutes at a time. I think 'the trailer park boys' is the only canadian content I watch, and thats just because I want to at least see something canadian, and it's mildly entertaining.

[lesouris]

Perhaps Canada could not enforce Canadian content in theatres directly, but if taxes on multiplexes were passed for some other reason, and then the government provided tax breaks for theatres that showed Canadian content.

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= lesouris] Perhaps Canada could not enforce Canadian content in theatres directly, but if taxes on multiplexes were passed for some other reason, and then the government provided tax breaks for theatres that showed Canadian content.[/QUOTE] <br /> <br /> <br />The problem is the distributors fund the movies AND own the threatres. A good example is Paramount, owned by Viacom, funds movies, AND owned one of the biggest theatre chains--Famous Players. <br /> <br />In the 1960s, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was going to mandate that companies like Paramount must fund Canadian movie development to be able to show American movies in Canada, it was going to be something like 15% of all movies funded must be Canadian--but Pearson backed down due to American pressure. <br /> <br />Now, instead of the 15-20% we would have had now, we have only 3% of our market. <br /> <br />BOOOOO to Pearson and those that followed him.

[robert_fisher]

Being a recently unemployed film technician I think I have a little bit of insight here: <br /> <br />It's not that we don't make Canadian productions, it's just that no one can compete for 2 reasons: <br /> <br />1. America: 10% of all American productions are shot in Canada, and cut here. The problem is, they are American stars, American directors, American Producers, and an American menatlity to make profit over anything else. The directors treat you like dogs and pay you like dogs as well (in comparison to the US salaries). The public is led to believe that a higher budget makes a movie better. Which is never the case, compare Fubar to Waterworld. American theatres, American Production companies. <br /> <br />2. Canada: We keep banking on the same old crap. It's funny that the highest grossing Canadian drama was 'Men with Brooms.' I for one have only been in a curling arena once in my life, and that was to use the vending machine. This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />Also: <br /> <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />We do it on the radio, and TV!!

[cathou79]

[QUOTE BY= robert_fisher] Being a recently unemployed film technician I think I have a little bit of insight here: <br /> <br />It's not that we don't make Canadian productions, it's just that no one can compete for 2 reasons: <br /> <br />1. America: 10% of all American productions are shot in Canada, and cut here. The problem is, they are American stars, American directors, American Producers, and an American menatlity to make profit over anything else. The directors treat you like dogs and pay you like dogs as well (in comparison to the US salaries). The public is led to believe that a higher budget makes a movie better. Which is never the case, compare Fubar to Waterworld. American theatres, American Production companies. <br /> <br />2. Canada: We keep banking on the same old crap. It's funny that the highest grossing Canadian drama was 'Men with Brooms.' I for one have only been in a curling arena once in my life, and that was to use the vending machine. This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />Also: <br /> <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />We do it on the radio, and TV!![/QUOTE] <br /> <br />canada cant compete with americans in the movie because... they dont want to. but funding is not a reason. we have just made our most expensive movie, and it have cost 33 millions. you dont need the budget of the USA, and you cant have it anyway, but something people stuck on that, and dont dare to try. 15 years ago, cinema in quebec was in the actual situation in the ROC : a very few local production, screen invaded by americans movies, people not interested in local product, nothing export we made movie only for ourselfs, and no distribution system. But look at what we can do now : in 2003, we have made 15 movies. 6 of those get more than a million in the box-office, we won an oscar for one of those (for the barabrians invasions), and the movie that collected the more money in quebec in 2003 was seducing doctor lewis, a fiulm made in quebec. it gain 6 692 788 million dollars in quebec only. In comparison, return of the king made 5 319 863$ and the matrix reload made 5 109 798$. for the top 10 in term of attendence, we have 3 movies in that top 10. Quebec can do it, i'm pretty sure you can too...

[gaulois]

[QUOTE BY= robert_fisher] <br />2. Canada: This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />... <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />[/QUOTE] <br /> <br />I just saw this ... canadian movie called "The saddest music in the world". Should have been called the saddest movie in the world or the saddest cultural bureaucracy in the world. I am feeling relieved now that I am not the only one griefing over some of our fed bureaucracies. <br /> <br />I don't think forcing theatres to play CANCON is the answer if Canadians do not feel more sovereign in their head. Subsidizing the ones that have made it also look most questionable. I note an other example in which increased Quebec sovereignty in the film industry could benefit the ROC.

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= robert_fisher] Being a recently unemployed film technician I think I have a little bit of insight here: <br /> <br />It's not that we don't make Canadian productions, it's just that no one can compete for 2 reasons: <br /> <br />1. America: 10% of all American productions are shot in Canada, and cut here. The problem is, they are American stars, American directors, American Producers, and an American menatlity to make profit over anything else. The directors treat you like dogs and pay you like dogs as well (in comparison to the US salaries). The public is led to believe that a higher budget makes a movie better. Which is never the case, compare Fubar to Waterworld. American theatres, American Production companies. <br /> <br />2. Canada: We keep banking on the same old crap. It's funny that the highest grossing Canadian drama was 'Men with Brooms.' I for one have only been in a curling arena once in my life, and that was to use the vending machine. This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />Also: <br /> <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />We do it on the radio, and TV!![/QUOTE] <br /> <br /> <br />We can force them to play Canadian content--didn't you read what i said about Pearson?

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= cathou79] [QUOTE BY= robert_fisher] Being a recently unemployed film technician I think I have a little bit of insight here: <br /> <br />It's not that we don't make Canadian productions, it's just that no one can compete for 2 reasons: <br /> <br />1. America: 10% of all American productions are shot in Canada, and cut here. The problem is, they are American stars, American directors, American Producers, and an American menatlity to make profit over anything else. The directors treat you like dogs and pay you like dogs as well (in comparison to the US salaries). The public is led to believe that a higher budget makes a movie better. Which is never the case, compare Fubar to Waterworld. American theatres, American Production companies. <br /> <br />2. Canada: We keep banking on the same old crap. It's funny that the highest grossing Canadian drama was 'Men with Brooms.' I for one have only been in a curling arena once in my life, and that was to use the vending machine. This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />Also: <br /> <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />We do it on the radio, and TV!![/QUOTE] <br /> <br />canada cant compete with americans in the movie because... they dont want to. but funding is not a reason. we have just made our most expensive movie, and it have cost 33 millions. you dont need the budget of the USA, and you cant have it anyway, but something people stuck on that, and dont dare to try. 15 years ago, cinema in quebec was in the actual situation in the ROC : a very few local production, screen invaded by americans movies, people not interested in local product, nothing export we made movie only for ourselfs, and no distribution system. But look at what we can do now : in 2003, we have made 15 movies. 6 of those get more than a million in the box-office, we won an oscar for one of those (for the barabrians invasions), and the movie that collected the more money in quebec in 2003 was seducing doctor lewis, a fiulm made in quebec. it gain 6 692 788 million dollars in quebec only. In comparison, return of the king made 5 319 863$ and the matrix reload made 5 109 798$. for the top 10 in term of attendence, we have 3 movies in that top 10. Quebec can do it, i'm pretty sure you can too...[/QUOTE] <br /> <br /> <br />Umm, Quebec gets the lions share of the funding in this country for arts and sports--it's no accident that happened.

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= gaulois] [QUOTE BY= robert_fisher] <br />2. Canada: This is just one example (Paul Gross) of how we keep putting our money into the same old, same old. How many shows does Rick Mercer need on the CBC? How many Canadian politics sketch comedies do we need? The people who are at the top of the 'best' production companies in Canada have a virtual Monopoly over the entire industry. There is no room for growth or new ideas, because the same people are getting the funding. <br /> <br />IMHO Canadian funding is killing the arts in Canada: <br /> <br />The same people get the money over and over and over again. Is it fair that Shania and Alanis (millionaires), are having their albums subsidised when artists such as Warsawpack from Hamilton are forced to break up because of economic restraints? <br /> <br />It's time the top producers who have already made money started to bank in their own projects. <br /> <br />... <br />Why can't we force theatres to play CANCON??? <br /> <br />[/QUOTE] <br /> <br />I just saw this ... canadian movie called "The saddest music in the world". Should have been called the saddest movie in the world or the saddest cultural bureaucracy in the world. I am feeling relieved now that I am not the only one griefing over some of our fed bureaucracies. <br /> <br />I don't think forcing theatres to play CANCON is the answer if Canadians do not feel more sovereign in their head. Subsidizing the ones that have made it also look most questionable. I note an other example in which increased Quebec sovereignty in the film industry could benefit the ROC. [/QUOTE] <br /> <br /> <br />Yeah, then the rest of Canada would stop having to pay for Quebec's movies.....I'm too cynical. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/mrgreen.gif' alt='Mr. Green'>

[gaulois]

[QUOTE BY= Perturbed] <br />Yeah, then the rest of Canada would stop having to pay for Quebec's movies.....I'm too cynical. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/mrgreen.gif' alt='Mr. Green'> [/QUOTE] <br />Are you going to start now calling these Québécois the Barbarians? I assume you did not mean that they were getting subsidized by the Canadian government.

[robert_fisher]

[QUOTE BY= Perturbed] <br />but Pearson backed down due to American pressure. <br />[/QUOTE] <br /> <br />Yeah I read it. Thanks. I will agree though that Quebec does get the 'lions share' of the funding. <br /> <br />BUT... <br /> <br />Having French language films is what that is all about. Something the American market doesn't cater to. So I do see the need for this kind of funding. I do agree that Quebec (it's industry) fights for their rights as French speaking artists. So as we are a dual language country this is the correct way to go. The ROC doesn't fight for more funding, because it seems to me that the ROC is happy being a service industry to the US's brand of English speaking clap-trap. <br /> <br />BUT... <br /> <br />This doesn't excuse the fact that in Quebec it is the same as Ontario, and BC, the industry leaders are the ones that get the money year after year. Defeating the whole purpose of the funding helping to create and endure a strong industry of Canadian talent and creativity. <br /> <br />Look at some of the shows you see on CH, etc, pure ads, infomercials for multi-million dollar companies, do the companies that produce these ads disguised as shows get Canadian tax credits, you bet your ass they do!