IMAGE Newspaper - Article by Peter Evanchuck

LIFE in the CREATIVE LANE - being in Canada dosn't help all that much

Many times i think i may have missed my chance to make 'BIGGER' movies since right now i'm going the other way i.e. 'MINI-MOVIES' and mostly docs with a smattering of dramatic/docs.

Way back when i completed my first feature avant guard drama PLATINUM, i was one of about 30 English Canadian filmakers. Since there's about 30,000 artists and/or photographers being 1 in 30 was an enormous advantage for 'getting out there' getting recognition and cash/help to make another movie.

Back then ( the wonderful 80's ) both Telefilm and NFB were very supportive of anyone that could show some talent and some durability and persistence .. which i could.

Thus i had all their assistance in development and with the NFB in completion - those were my glory days never to be repeated 'cause i was too independent and then along came digital.

digital meant that those first 30 feature filmakers of the mid 80's became 3,000 by the advent of digital and now probably have increased to 30,000 digital videographers.

This has given every TOM, DICK and JANE access to making their personal voice become public and in many cases un-deservingly so... since they really are not very creative and really have little voice to inform the audience of ( love ending my sentences with preps ?? )

But some things never change and when I was ed/;pub of MOTION magazine i tried to get the American domination of our screens to play on a level playing field but it never happened and by looking at the screens i see that it still doesn't happen - there is only modest improvement made by government and private organizations to maket/promote and screen our creative output.

Just look at Netflix or othere 'on line' outlets - they are littered with American domination as always. No matter how far back one goes that's always been the case. Exceptional Canadian film-makers not exit pronto to the HolyWoody of americana for the big bucks and the big blockbusters and even in Quebec that was the foundation of good films no longer has the talent or audience to make it all happen. It all coming apart not coming together

seperate notes from a fool that stayed in Canada::

Nevertheless, digital has made film-making or rather video-making commonplace  instead of artistically and professional unique - like it or not it's a 21st century fact.

When i was ready to get back into it, i had to learn, purchase and develop video/digital skills. I needed my own equipment since i basically do much of the film-making process alone.

First my partner, HELENE LACELLE, and i created several outlets: bookshandmade.com for some modest publishing/marketing and selling books using the modern 'on line' methods. Then we created MARVELOUS REALISM a style developed from the original Meixican MAGIC REALISM. This style uses traditional photography techniques using digital hardware, software and our newly developed skills. Then along came movieshandmade.com and away we went.

After fiddling while my mind burned with renewed energy and ideas, i learned quickly that non ficiton was much easier to attain than fiction films/video; so, i made docs.

Long docs were more difficult that short docs; so, i developed 'mini-docs' all under 5min and all about things i knew something about... after all one should so what one knows best.

for anyone who's interested in the outcome please go to our sites and see the reality of my musings...