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International Festival of Authors
Zoe Whittall reports from the IFOA
Only Two Plots, Indeed
Thursday 26th, Oct. 2006

As I jay-walked across the Queen’s Quay narrowly avoiding collision with other bookish daydreamers on dates with themselves, I had no idea what to expect from the 7:00 pm panel discussion I was almost late for. I must admit I snuck my way into it at the last minute, familiar only with the title 'Newborn: How a Book Changes After it is Birthed into the World'.

Three Vancouver-ites, Caroline Adderson, Eden Robinson and Timothy Taylor, long with British author Tom McCarthy, spoke with TV film critic Richard Crouse in the studio theatre that was at half capacity. They all had some funny and insightful things to say about marketing, publishing, book covers and how it feels to let go of your work once it’s gone to print and out of your obsessive neurotic writerly hands.

When her first book was published Eden Robinson was surprised to learn that her readers were unable to separate her from her main character – disappointed that she wasn’t tattooed and leather clad, “I wasn’t what people were imagining.” She laughed.

As someone who checked her amazon ratings before heading out the door tonight, I appreciated that no one on the panel did any posturing about not reading or caring about reviews.

“As soon as you discover Amazon ratings, you lose six months of your life,” said the astute and witty Timothy Taylor, who admitted to driving himself nuts checking stores for his books on table displays when his first novel came out. Adderson admitted to turning her books out in the airport bookstore on her way to the festival.

A lively discussion about marketing, self-googling and the promotional lifespan of a book ensued. I learned some valuable things – like, it’s not true that your books can’t be returned if you go in and sign them. Damn. All that time lurking about the Canadian poetry section ready to unleash my practiced signature at Indigo for no reason. Tom McCarthy weighed in on the value of literary bloggers asserting they are far superior and often better read than literary journalists. I was both flattered and insulted,

Adderson summed up the emotional trajectory of authoring a book– she’s elated upon completion of the manuscript, six months of post-partum depression ensues, all the while the book becomes ready to go to press, then she is filled with dread about reviews. When she meets authors who are desperate to be published she often wants to tell them, “If they only knew the best part of writing was the writing!”

Richard Crouse: The Writer and TV Host, Producer
InsideToronto.com 10/19/06

Name: Richard Crouse

Where do you live? Toronto

Profession: Writer and television host/producer, film critic

Please explain what you do in your job: It's complicated. As a freelancer, I have many jobs, many of which happen simultaneously. Reel to Real and Canada AM are weekly gigs that go 50 weeks a year, and require the lion's share of my time. I review movies for both shows, which requires seeing seven to eight movies a week. I co-produce Reel to Real, which means that above and beyond seeing the movies, I also program the show, co-ordinate my co-host's schedule so he can see the films, arrange all materials needed for the show, film clips and so on, and set up interviews.

We travel a great deal for the show. I'm on the road 12 to 15 times a year, usually to Los Angeles or New York doing interviews and screening films. Once a year we travel to the Cannes Film Festival for two weeks to cover the festival and produce four or five shows from France.

For Canada AM, I see several movies a week, write detailed notes and perform live on the show Friday mornings. When I'm not working on those shows, I generally spend my time writing.

This season we'll do 13 episodes of The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen, a new show based on one of my books, so I have to spend time scripting those shows, writing reviews for Wish Magazine and writing for several of my other freelance jobs.

I also frequently host live events with actors and directors where I will interview the subject for an hour or so and then take questions from the audience. Recent guests at the live shows have included Harrison Ford and Michael Moore. I have so many gigs because I subscribe to the ATM theory of freelancing - Always Take the Money. As a freelancer, if someone offers you a job that doesn't involve nudity or anything illegal, take it.

Current job: Host/co-producer of Reel to Real and The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen for Rogers Television. Film critic for CTV's Canada AM and Wish Magazine. Author of six books, including Reel Winners, released October 2005.

List of accomplishments: I have been the host of Reel to Real, Canada's longest running television show about movies, since 1998, and am the regular film critic for CTV's Canada AM and a frequent guest on many national radio and television shows including CBC Radio One's Go and Grooveshinny. I am also the author of six books on pop culture history including Who Wrote the Book of Love, The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen and the Reel Winners; my work has also been featured in The Globe and Mail, The National Post, as well as several literary and music magazines. Reel to Real airs weekly on Rogers Television and the Independent Film Channel.

How do you measure success in your profession?: As a freelancer, I base my success on how many hours I get paid a week. Forty hours is good. Fifty is great.

How did you get your start in your chosen career?: I started off as a writer. My plan was to freelance for a time and then concentrate on writing books. To get started I wrote for everyone and anyone who would have me, most often for free. The plan was to get a portfolio together, which I would then use to get better gigs and hopefully a book deal.

It took awhile and along the way I ended up working in television and radio as much as writing. Eventually everything came together and people at publishing houses started seeing me on TV and suddenly doors started flying open. Since then I have worked steadily, pumping out six books while continuing to freelance write and work on television.

When did you decide this is what you want to do for a living? When was the 'moment'?: I guess I'm lucky in that I've always known what I wanted to do. Lucky in that I actually get to do it, I can't imagine what it would have been like to have to settle for a career that didn't inspire me. I started trying to write my first book when I was in my early teens and have been writing ever since.

What did you have to do in order to get involved with this profession?: I think the best advice I can give is to be persistent and keep learning - never stop learning. When you do, it's time to move on to something else. I was patient and even when it seemed like a steep uphill climb, I kept going. It's often helpful to take interning jobs at radio and television stations. You can learn a lot and meet people who may be able to help you.

Pros and cons of this job: The best part of my job is that I get to do something that makes me very happy - go to the movies. I enjoy the travel and meeting filmmakers is often a treat. On the downside are the long hours and, as a freelancer, juggling a complicated schedule that is often split between several jobs.

Skills required for this job: Patience. Patience is a virtue seldom found in freelancers and it is the single most important facet of freelance life. Things will never seem to be moving fast enough and it can be frustrating, but the best freelancers are patient and know that all good things come to those who (are persistent) and wait.

What can youth expect if they want to purse this job?: I can tell you what not to expect - overnight success. Being a film critic is kind of an odd job, and unless you start your own website, it is unlikely that you'll find a reputable outlet for your work right away. Be patient. Work and write as much as you can and hone your skills so when you do get your shot you are ready. It may take awhile, but it is sweet when it finally happens.

Percentage of people who actually succeed in this field: Very small.

Salary range: As a freelancer, the sky is the limit. You can make as much (or as little, but who wants that?) as you want depending on how hard you want to work.

Advice to youth who are thinking about pursuing this field: Grow a thick skin. I have a desk drawer full of rejection letters that, for awhile, seemed to be the only mail I ever got. Don't take rejection personally, and find a way to learn from it.

Anything else you would like to say?: Freelancing isn't for the faint of heart. You don't have regular paycheques coming in and you don't have benefits and some of the other perks that salaried employees enjoy. What you do have is freedom, the luxury of being your own boss and being able to set your own hours and (hopefully) do work you really enjoy.

Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam speaks at Ryerson
Posted on 10/12/06 in The EyeOpener
Written by Kristina Schippel

Aside from turkey dinners and pumpkin pie, film and image arts students were treated to an afternoon with Terry Gilliam, known best for his roles in the Monty Python films.

Gilliam visited Ryerson to promote his new film Tideland, an adaptation of Mitch Cullin’s novel of the same name. The film, for which Gilliam wrote the screenplay, is about a young girl coping with the death of her heroine-addicted parents by retreating to the depths of her imagination.

Richard Crouse, co-host of Reel to Real, hosted the event, asking Gilliam to discuss his experiences working on studio films.

“You’ve got Sunday nights to prove your worth, and you’re gone,” says Gilliam, referring to the difficulties filmmakers face when trying to pitch to studios interested solely in box-office revenues.

Gilliam also directed The Brothers Grimm, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and has written and starred in numerous collaborations with British comedy troupe Monty Python.

“He makes films so seldom that whenever one comes out it’s an event for fans,” says third-year film student Mike Wood. “He’s so gung-ho and there’s a sense of mysticism, a comic book sense of wonder about his work.”

Canadian filmmaker Vincenzo Natali directed Getting Gilliam, a documentary on the making of Tideland. He shared his thoughts with Sunday’s audience.

“He’s one of the more interesting and unusual filmmakers,” Natali says. “Terry doesn’t censor himself. He communicates, he talks through the take, the great thing about that is that the actors have a direct feed into his brain.”

This was evident as Gilliam answered fans’ questions enthusiastically, using his arms to illustrate his answers.

“We live in such a fearful age, a timid age, people are frightened of offending people,” Gilliam says. “Offense is the beginning of dialogue. You can talk. You can get passionate.”

After the interview students and fans lined up for an autograph session in the main lobby outside the theatre.

“He is my hero. I grew up on his films since I was nine,” says third-year film student Ben Edelberg. “I loved how down-to-earth he was, how he advised everyone to listen to other peoples ideas, and his whole philosophy of group collaboration.”

As the Gilliam was about to leave, he gave one last word of advice to the students at Ryerson.

“My best advice is to get a proper job. It’s a life-sucking business and unless you’re passionate and dedicated, you shouldn’t be here.”

The Painted Veil
TragicRightHip.blogspot.com
by Deanna McFadden
Friday, December 08, 2006

I skipped my very last dance class for the term yesterday to go see a preview screening of The Painted Veil, Ed Norton's latest movie, but with very good reason, because the actor/producer was actually in attendance for a Q&A session at the end.

First, the film. Based on a W. Somerset Maugham novella, The Painted Veil takes place, for the most part, in China, where a young doctor (or bacteriologist), Walter Fane (Ed Norton) who is researching infectious diseases and his new wife, Kitty (Naomi Watts). Married after a refreshingly brief courtship that takes place in about two days, the couple finds themselves in an awkward and difficult situation when Kitty begins, and ends, an affair with the Vice-Consul, Charlie Townsend (Liev Shreiber). As a form of punishment, Walter forces Kitty to travel inland to a small village heartbreakingly infected with the worst cholera outbreak in history. Here, in the small village, the two reach an impasse of sorts, where they may not solve all of the problems of their marriage, but they do certainly find an honesty where they communicate openly at long last.

It's a long movie, with beautiful scenery, and much better than the last thing I saw that was filmed in China, some terrible "rock" video by 30 Seconds to Mars. The Painted Veil is directed by John Curran, who also helmed We Don't Live Here Anymore, so he's certainly adept at creating a story that explores the moral ambiguity at the centre of so many human experiences. A sweeping tale that balances out the interior emotional struggles of Walter and Kitty with the more overarching socio-political problems found in China (the rise of the "nationalists," the fury over British imperialism, and the presence of Catholic missionaries), The Painted Veil is an epic film, one that demands a commitment from its audience, but absolutely rewards you for putting in the effort.

And it must be stated that Toby Jones, who plays Waddington, a left-over soldier stationed in the small village affected by the epidemic, is wonderful. And I can understand why Naomi Watts became so involved in the picture (she's a co-producer alongside Norton), because it's quite a juicy part for a woman in a world where the "heroines" are getting younger and younger in films that are more and more vapid.

Now, the actor. So, at the end of the screening, Richard Crouse came back out to introduce Ed Norton and then do a quasi-Inside the Actor's Studio-type question and answer period. Norton came into the theatre wearing jeans and a lovely dark grey pea coat, which he wore through the entire interview. Part way through he wrapped it even further around himself and hugged his arms in tight like he was maybe a bit unsure of himself and a little nervous, which I didn't expect.

He's quite unassuming in person except totally handsome and very clean cut, and he used a lot of big words (etymology, for example) and made cute metaphors ("the characters in the film were exfoliated by China") and came across super smart and well read, another thing I didn't expect. He also sounds American when he talks, says Montreal like Mont-re-all, and things like "you all know Ron Livingston, right" in that particular cadence to people like my American "cousins" who all hail from Pennsylvania and such. He looks, well, like a New Yorker, put a toque on him and he could be Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me, but I digress.

I was such a geek that I took notes about some of the more charming things he said about the movie and his career, just to relay them here:

On Working on The Score with De Niro and Brando:

"It's a movie I did just to be in the poster."

And the kid that asked the question told Norton he was a Method actor ("What's it like to be a third generation Method Actor"), to which he responded by saying, "That's the first I'm hearing about being a Method Actor." The kid (a theatre/film student in a pack of theatre/film students sitting beside me and rambling on about how great Death to Smoochy was) said that he read it on the internet, which, of course, cued all clap-trap snark about how unreliable information is on the web. Which almost made me want to stand up and ask whether or not the rumours are true that he's dating Evan Rachel Wood. But, alas, I am a meek writer who prefers to spread her own rumours online. Annnywaay. He did joke that he could learn a lot about himself by reading the internet. Can't we all Ed Norton, can't we all.

About the costume and makeup from The Illusionist:

It's actually inspired by a comic Dr. Strange. After I told my RRHB this he said, "Oh yeah, totally, there was even a Canadian TV show about Dr. Strange for a while." Who knew?

On the characterization in The Painted Veil:

"We had to commit to the character's weaknesses in order to make it real." I am paraphrasing a bit here but I really liked this idea. In order for the movie to work, Norton said, he and Watts concentrated more on the character flaws rather than their strong points, and he's absolutely right, it's what makes the movie work. You do believe that Walter is a bad lover (his example) and that Kitty is vain and silly, which makes their evolution so much more real.

Further, on the love story in The Painted Veil:

Norton is attracted to projects that take him outside of his own comfort zone, but I couldn't help reading so much more into this statement than was probably intended, "everyone goes through disappointments in seeing the weaknesses in the object of their affection," but maybe something like this comes more from his own failed relationships in general vs. empathizing with Walter's inability to make his marriage work in many ways.

About working on the 25th Hour:

(Which I will preface by saying I think is one of my favourite Spike Lee joints). The theatre actor in him loves to rehearse, and he feels his performance in that film ended up being so strong because they did a lot of intense rehearsing before the shoot.

Lastly, he said he was "reluctant to talk about what a film is about," because he thinks that the job of the person in the audience and what fun would it be just to tell us all what to think. In the end, I'm glad I went, even if the film is one of those Hollywood vanity projects (Norton mentioned he'd always wanted to make a sweeping epic) that many actors create to give themselves work. Instead of being all snarky about that, as I am inclined to do, I'm going to resist and say what does it matter when the end product is clearly a piece of quality work from a surprisingly well spoken, obviously intelligent, well read, and highly talented individual.

Oh, and hot, did I mention that too? He's totally hunky and hot.

Oh, and the other shocking thing that I did not realize about my own damn self, is that I've seen 19 of the 21 titles listed on his imdb.com page, which I was kind of surprised by. Does that mean he's my male version of Kirsten Dunst?

Music films strike harmonious chord at TIFF
Sun. Sep. 10 2006
Mary Nersessian, CTV.ca News

Films on musicians are striking the right chord at this year's TIFF, with documentaries touching on controversies within country music circles to the revival of a late rock legend's voice.

"The fact is musicians are larger-than-life and so that makes them very attractive to filmmakers -- whether they are non-fiction filmmakers or fiction filmmakers," TIFF International Documentary Programmer Thom Powers told CTV.ca.

The arguable headliner among the host of music-related movies is the documentary Dixie Chicks - Shut Up and Sing, which will be making its world premiere as a TIFF gala presentation.

The film, from two-time Oscar-winning director Barbara Kopple and filmmaker Cecilia Peck, explores the controversy that followed the country music darlings after lead singer Natalie Maines' infamous off-the-cuff remark about U.S. President George Bush.

"Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from (their home state) Texas," Maines told a London audience in 2003, on the eve of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Not to be forgotten though, is the trio's music.

Powers writes in the film fest 2006 documentary blog that he knew the Dixie Chicks only for their politics before he watched the film.

"After watching, I'm a total convert. The new album Taking The Long Way is in heavy rotation on my iPod. This summer, I even drove from Toronto to Detroit to see the start of their new tour," he writes.

Another four films exploring musical themes will be screened among the festival's Real to Reel program, a showcase of the best non-fiction cinema.

"These remarkable films cover a wide spectrum," Powers said in announcing the lineup, "from war and justice, to music, humour, and the art of filmmaking itself. Audiences will discover complex and inspiring characters. I am delighted by the rich line-up of documentaries coming to Toronto for my first year with the Festival."

Yet another film that echoes the Dixie Chicks' message of defiance is The U.S. vs. John Lennon.

"The U.S. vs. John Lennon and Dixie Chicks - Shut Up and Sing are both films about musicians speaking out during times of war and suffering huge backlash in response to that," Powers told CTV.ca.

Filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld trace the former Beatle's transformation from revolutionary musician to anti-war activist in a controversial documentary made with the co-operation with his widow, Yoko Ono.

The film recounts the U.S. government's attempts to silence Lennon between 1966 and 1976 through wiretapping, FBI surveillance, and deportation hearings, in a narrative that is told through archival film clips.

Leaf and Scheinfeld remark on their website that the film will show "that this was not just an isolated episode in American history, but that the issues and struggles of that era remain relevant today."

Meanwhile, a deceased grunge rock icon returns from the dead to narrate AJ Schnack's film Kurt Cobain: About A Son.

Drawing on over 25 hours of previously unreleased audio interviews, Schnack attempts to piece together the man behind the myth.

Paul Rachman's American Hardcore examines a more recent period of musical history with his film on the 1980s' vibrant hardcore punk scene.

The film, which is making its Canadian premiere, explores how Ronald Reagan's conservative politics gave birth to a clan that saw no hope in government institutions nor global ideologies.

In Made in Jamaica, Jerome Laperrousaz recounts the personal stories and struggles of reggae and dance hall artists who have made it out of their native ghetto and into the global spotlight.

Using interviews and rousing performances, the documentary showcases musical kings and queens from the 70s through the present and embraces the stories of these artists who represent the Jamaican Dream.

Some observers have commented that an increase in music-themed films are a reaction to the popularity of award-winning features such as Ray, which followed the life of music great Ray Charles, and the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.

But CTV's Canada AM film critic and author Richard Crouse believes the trend is but a coincidence, and not necessarily a reaction to the two movies, which both premiered at the Toronto film festival.

"These are such different movies than the ones that have gotten awards in the last little while," he told CTV.ca.

"What you have here are people really shining the spotlight back on popular culture and making these films with the understanding that popular culture is really our culture," he said.

Every year produces its own trend, said Crouse, author of the book Reel Winners.

"Last year it was the year of the biography with films on Johnny Cash, Truman Capote," he said.

"I think it's just one of those weird serendipitous things where you have almost a zeitgeist and you unwittingly end up with a lot of filmmakers making similar-themed movies at the same time."

Still, there is a real appetite for stories that meld music and movies, he said.

"Movies like Walk the Line and the story of Ray Charles have not only been filled with music that everyone knows and grew up listening to, the stories are inspirational ... America loves those pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps stories," Crouse said.

"In terms of documentaries, I think that people have the same fascination with music that perhaps the older generation had watching the Second World War -- it's part of our culture, part of our history."

Cronenberg gets Reel
By Liz Braun, Toronto Sun
March 3, 2006

Tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Reel To Real movie critics Richard Crouse and Geoff Pevere chat with Academy Award nominated-and-should-win-but-likely-won't A History Of Violence director David Cronenberg. It airs immediately before the live Reel To Real Movie Awards Special on Rogers stations in Ontario. Tune in. It's always so much smarter than all the other Oscar TV stuff.

Oscar pool insider
Research helps pick winners, host/author says
By Rick McGinnis/Metro Toronto

Brokeback Mountain (starring Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams) may well have the Academy Award for best picture in the bag, if the film’s track record of previous award wins is any indication.

If you’ve got a bit of money riding on it, this Sunday’s Academy Awards are like the Super Bowl for film geeks.

The Oscar pool remains one of the few totally egalitarian friendly betting forums for friends, family and, especially, officemates. Even if you’ve only seen five films in a year, you’re allowed to have a perfectly valid opinion about who’ll take home the golden statue.

According to Richard Crouse, the host of Rogers cable film show Reel To Real and the author of six books including The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, picking winners in an Oscar pool has nothing to do with what you actually liked, and more to do with what you know about the movie business.

“I think a lot of people make up two lists,” he says. “I know I certainly do — I make up the list that I vote with my heart on, and I keep that secret, or give it to the people you want to see lose the office pool. And then I make up a list of people who will win, and that’s based on looking back on the guild awards, like the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards, and at history, seeing what kind of movies win for certain kinds of things, and I think that’s important this year, because the marquee categories — best picture, best director, best actor, best actress and the supporting categories — are pretty much sewn up.”

As far as Richard’s concerned, no one’s going to make much money picking the likely winners of this year’s Oscars, because they are pretty obvious to even the most disinterested observer.

“Best picture is going to be Brokeback Mountain. Best director is going to be Ang Lee. Best actor — Philip Seymour Hoffman is the guy that’s left every other leading man in Hollywood quivering in the wake. Any other year, Heath Ledger might have had a shot at it. But not this year, not against Hoffman.

“Reese Witherspoon has won the guild awards, the SAG Awards, and it’s the same people voting in both, so I think she’s a shoo-in there. George Clooney — best supporting actor; I think that Paul Giamatti may be the dark horse there, and for best supporting actress ... I think it’s going to be Rachel Weisz in that one, based on all the guild awards.”

If you want an edge in this year’s Oscar pools, you’d best do some research and pick the winners in the more minor categories — music, sound design, cinematography, foreign film, costume, and all the other little speed bumps that fill the interminable Oscar hours. If you want to be creative, of course, you can invent new categories, like Most Embarrassing Moment, or Most Political Acceptance Speech.

“Or Most Revealing Gown,” adds Crouse. “I think that, because these marquee categories are so easy to predict, that maybe people should shake it up a little bit and try and add some new categories. They introduced ice dancing a few years ago at the Olympics, why not introduce most revealing gown?”

Tips to make the most out of TIFF
Wed. Sep. 6 2006
Mary Nersessian, CTV.ca News

Talk of ticketing troubles, lengthy lineups, and pretentious poseurs toting well-thumbed festival programs are enough to deter intimidated amateur filmgoers from checking out the Toronto International Film Festival.

But with this savvy guide, even the wariest newbies can take advantage of advice from seasoned filmgoers to make the most out of the festival without even breaking a sweat.

Ticketing tactics

"If you want to maximize the film-going experience, choose your list of must-see films and schedule them first. Try to avoid the films that will be released in theatres soon, usually the galas, unless you are very, very desperate," Raymond Yick, founder and developer of tiffreviews.com and regular TIFF volunteer, told CTV.ca.

Beginning Sept. 6, you can purchase advance tickets online, by phone at 416-968-FILM or by visiting the year-round box office or festival box office. Advance tickets can be ordered until 7 p.m. the night before a screening.

If tickets are listed as "off sale," be sure to check back as new inventory may become available.

If a screening is not sold out, any remaining tickets will be made available, by phone or at the year-round and festival box offices at 7 a.m. on the day the film will be screened.

Tickets are also available at the theatre box office one hour before the day's first screening.

Be strategic, blogTO Publisher Tim Shore suggests.

Logic dictates that bigger theatres, like the Elgin and Varsity, present more opportunities for getting your hands on much-coveted rush tickets.

Though the more popular films are often sold out, "usually they are playing two or three times during the festival, so if you don't need to see the premiere, quite often you can see an afternoon or even morning showing of the same film," Shore told CTV.ca.

Also be sure to subscribe to TIFF's online alerts, through which you will receive daily emails on which screenings will have same-day tickets available.

Take a chance

Throw caution to the wind and try a film from an obscure Danish filmmaker or elusive French artiste instead of the premiere everyone has been buzzing about.

Chances are a film that is being screened as a gala will find its way on to the screen at your local theatre, but that most indie and foreign features will fade into oblivion once the festival's curtains close.

"Realistically you might not always get into movie you want to see, but you know what? There are 360 some odd movies and probably 320 of them are really worth seeing - so the chances of you seeing something great are high -- even if you haven't heard of it," Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse told CTV.ca.

Yick forms his own shortlist by heeding the advice of critics and researching past film festivals.

"Babel, for example, turned a lot of heads at Cannes," Yick told CTV.ca of the Brad Pitt film.

Devour festival-related media

Though TIFF organizers produce a complete festival programme every year, it may be more than a typical filmgoer may wish to invest at $32 a pop, Shore said.
 

Reading capsule reviews in the newspaper are a good starting point for clueless cineastes who don't know where to begin, Crouse suggests.

Once you jot down films that are of interest, log on to the Internet Movie Database to find out more about the movie and its director to refine your shortlist.

Indulge in star-spotting

In between films, stretch your legs by taking a saunter through some of Toronto's tony neighbourhoods and be sure to keep a pen and camera handy.

"Walk up and down Bloor Street between the Manulife Centre at Bay Street all the way to the St. George subway and you are bound to see somebody," Crouse said.

Seriously star-struck fans take it one step further by skulking outside known celebrity haunts.

Year after year, celeb-spotters camp outside Bloor Street's Hotel InterContinental, squeeze lemons at upscale grocery store Whole Foods Market, and stake out a spot outside the back entrances of theatres that stealthy stars are apt to use.

"The Yorkville area is usually a good spot just because a lot of them tend to be staying at the Four Seasons. A lot of the press junkets are around there but there are also some of the typical bars and party places where celebs are prone to hangout," Shore told CTV.ca, adding that some of the hottest venues include Lobby, the Drake Hotel, and the Spoke Club.

"Another good place to spot them is outside some of the premieres, like the galas at Roy Thomson hall," Shore said.

Take your vitamins

"If you're really going to take 10 days off to do the festival from top to bottom, I suggest getting a haircut before, learn how to eat standing up, get some sleep, and take some vitamins," Crouse said.
 
Bush 'whacked' in edgy British mockumentary
Fri. Sep. 1 2006
Mary Nersessian, CTV.ca News

A edgy British film about the fictional assassination of U.S. President George Bush is kicking off a firestorm of controversy ahead of its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The listing of Death of a President, which has not been screened for the press, has been posted on the festival website under the low-key acronym of D.O.A.P.

The film is shot in the form of a documentary, using a blend of archival footage and computer-generated special effects to tell the tale of a president's assassination.

In the feature-length film, Bush is confronted by a large anti-war rally when he arrives in Chicago in October 2007 to make a speech to business leaders.

Bush is unperturbed by the demonstration and goes ahead with the visit, and is gunned down by a sniper as he leaves the venue.

The ensuing hysteria is further inflamed when the investigation by the "state apparatus" quickly turns its attention on a Syrian-born man.

The assassination scene echoes previous attacks on American leaders such as the attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life in 1981 as he left the Washington Hilton hotel.

The film will premiere at the Toronto festival on September 11. More4, the digital offshoot of Britain's Channel 4 network, plans to show the program on Oct. 9.

"It's destined to be Michael Moore's favourite film at the festival, I think," Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse said Friday.

"It's going to be one of the most controversial films at the festival for sure," he said.

The White House declined to comment on the network's announcement, saying it would not dignify the program with a response.

"It's a pointed political examination of what the war on terror is doing to the American body politic," More4 boss Peter Dale said at a press conference on Thursday.

Promotional materials described the film as "a thought-provoking critique of the contemporary U.S. political landscape."

Dale conceded that the program will be controversial but maintained that it was a work meant to provoke debate.

"I'm sure there will be people upset by it," he said. "I hope people will see the intention as a good one."

Director Gabriel Range denied charges of sensationalism.

"The film is based on meticulous research and interviews with FBI agents and people on the other side of the war on terror," he told The Times.

"It is a serious and sensitive film. There is no way it would encourage anyone to assassinate Bush and usher in Cheney's America," said Range, whose 2003 television movie "The Day Britain Stopped" showed what might happen if the country's transportation network ground to a halt.

Festival co-director Noah Cowan praises the film in a posting on the TIFF website.

"This is easily the most dangerous and breathtakingly original film I have encountered this year," he writes.

But he contends that the film does not launch a personal attack against Bush.

"Range simply seeks to explore the potential consequences that might follow from the president's policies and actions," Cowan says.

Britain's Channel 4, which is publicly owned but funded by advertising, came under fire last week by outgoing ITV Chief Executive Charles Allen for its dependence on reality TV shows and "shock docs."

More4's autumn lineup also includes "The Trial of Tony Blair," a satirical program about the future resignation of the British prime minister.

In the comedy, Blair seeks absolution from the Catholic Church after being accused of war crimes over his role in the invasion of Iraq.

Pitch This!
By Alex Cruickshank
http://magazines.humberc.on.ca/finecut2005/pitchthis2.html

The ballroom of the Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Toronto teems with excitement. The room is buzzing with people. The atmosphere brings back memories of the vaudeville halls of the 1920s. And like those days of old, the audience has come to see a performance. Tonight, six teams of independent filmmakers will do their very best to convince a panel of industry professionals their feature film idea merits $10,000. One lucky team will be the winner of Telefilm Canada’s Pitch This!.

In its fifth year at the Toronto International Film Festival, Pitch This! continues to grow in popularity. Of the 80 submissions received, six finalists were chosen. Pitch coaches were assigned to help finalists polish their entries for the competition.

Tonight, in front of a room full of industry delegates, and with the International Industry Advisory Committee acting as judge, those finalists are like contestants in a game show. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Winning the grand prize could be the difference between seeing their project come to life or watching it fall apart.

Every good game show needs a memorable host and Roger Crouse definitely fits the bill. The host of Rogers Television’s Reel to Real resembles a 1950s quiz show host.

He begins the evening by introducing the competition. Dangling the prospect of a giant $10,000 novelty cheque, Crouse introduces the first pitch.

The six teams have six minutes for their pitch. The presentations are as diverse as the proposed feature film ideas. Some teams opt for humour while others approach the event in a business-like manner. Some act out a scene from their screenplay, hoping the material talks for itself. Others stress the economic viability of their project. There is no magic formula for success.

Kelley Alexander, director of industry with the Toronto International Film Festival, explains what the judges look for in a winning pitch.

“They choose what they perceive to be a viable project that deserves the award every year,” Alexander says. “They are looking for the team that is able to use the prize money to get the project further.”

Fifteen excruciating minutes pass and the judges re-emerge with their verdict. At the podium, Crouse announces the 2004 winner – Remembrance.

The beauty and effectiveness of the winning pitch lies in its simplicity. Laura Fleck, producer of Remembrance, says the team’s strategy was to focus on the story and not worry about the project’s finances.

Co-writers and lead actors Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern designed their pitch around a concept that has sold films to audiences everywhere for decades: a movie trailer.

The house lights dim as the trailer begins. Past awards associated with the project scroll across the screen. The list is impressive. The production has been nominated for, and taken home, numerous awards for excellence in short film.

The audience is quickly introduced to the main characters and given a general sense of the plot. It is easy to forget Remembrance is being pitched as a feature film idea as opposed to being a completed project.

As the trailer concludes, a series of accolades from media critics appear onscreen. The most memorable of the plaudits comes from John Doyle of The Globe and Mail. His words seem to speak directly to the Pitch This! judges, “Dazzling … Gorgeously made and calling out for feature film treatment.”

Fleck praises Pitch This! for the opportunity it provides independent filmmakers.

“It’s a great chance for people from across Canada to pitch their ideas to a room full of industry executives they wouldn’t normally have access to,” she says.

As for Remembrance, it is moving ahead nicely. The team has used some of their prize money to help secure an executive producer and they’re currently working on securing the budget needed to shoot the film.

If all goes well, Remembrance will be opening soon in theatres near you.  

Controversial 'United 93' opens to good reviews
Updated Sat. Apr. 29 2006 10:48 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

A controversial film that depicts the brief, doomed journey of United Airlines Flight 93 opened in Canada Friday, after evoking reactions that ranged from outrage to deep appreciation this week in the U.S.

The movie, "United 93," has been described as the film no one wants to see.

Not surprising, considering the eerie, morbid trailers that depict panicked passengers in a plane that is about to go down, the scenes set to a macabre soundtrack.

We already know the end of the story that this film sets out to tell.

The passengers aboard the flight from Newark to San Francisco will realize something has gone horribly wrong. They will storm the cockpit, fighting to regain control of the plane from hijackers, and eventually it will crash in a Pennsylvania field, killing everyone aboard.

Many critics are raving about "United 93," despite fears that its release comes too soon after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

CTV's Denelle Balfour went to one of the film's first Canadian public screenings, at a downtown Toronto movie theatre, and said audiences were deeply moved.

"There weren't very many dry eyes at the end of the movie," she told CTV Newsnet. "We spoke to people when they came out of the theatre and a lot of people just weren't ready to speak to us about the film. Some said they simply were speechless."

Elsa Strong, whose sister lost her life aboard flight 93, has become an advocate for the film, saying it helped her family gain a better understanding of the last few moments of her sister's life.

"We all felt such a strong sense of relief after seeing the movie, that it had been done so well," Strong told Keiler.

CTV's film critic Richard Crouse described the film as difficult to watch, but well worth the effort.

"It's a harrowing watch," Crouse said. "It's done in real time and it is a movie that I thought perfectly captured both the calm and the chaos of that tragic day."

Crouse gave the film a rare four-star endorsement, while critic David Denby wrote a glowing review in the New Yorker.

"'United 93' is a tremendous experience of fear, bewilderment, and resolution, and, when you replay the movie in your head afterward, you are likely to think that (director and writer Paul Greengrass) made all the right choices," Denby writes.

Both Crouse and Denby agree Greengrass was successful in his bid to put viewers in the passenger seat along with the doomed travelers. He avoids emotional manipulation and provides no background story to the passengers, no "little girl with a teddy bear," as Crouse says, to capture the anonymous nature of travelling.

Greengrass even brings a cast of actors you've probably never seen before to add to the anonymous nature of the players in the event. Some of the air traffic controllers even play themselves in the film.

The result is a gripping portrayal of a true story -- the type that's difficult to watch but impossible to turn away from.

"This film really sets it up so you feel like you're one of the passengers on the plane," Crouse said. "So when the hijacking actually happens about an hour into the film, you feel like you're in the action. It is an incredible film."

"United 93" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this week. The families of all 40 of the victims supported the making of the film, and many of them were in the audience as it debuted.

According to reports, there were audible sobs and gasps, and many were weeping as they watched the film.

Keiler said some moviegoers were relieved to learn that Universal Pictures will donate 10 per cent of the box office take brought in over opening weekend to build a memorial near the Pennsylvania crash site.

The film, though only the first of what is expected to be many depicting the events surrounding Sept. 11, is the first major movie to be released so soon after the tragedy.

Oliver Stone's film, "World Trade Centre," is scheduled for release this summer.

The London Canadian Film Festival takes audiences to new horizons, including the heavy metal music scene.
Culture and clash
Noel Gallagher, Arts and Entertainment Reporter
The London Free Press
March 23, 2006  

Showing prize-winning films isn't the prime goal of the 2006 London Canadian Film Festival.

"Promoting Canadian film culture is what we're actually all about and we do that by making this country's best movies available to Londoners," says Gordon Price, co-chairperson of the fourth annual festival, which launches its stay at Rainbow Cinemas tonight.

At the same time, the event boasts an impressive number of award winners and nominees.

Opening the four-day screening schedule is The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico, a co-winner of the best Canadian first film prize at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.  

"It's a 'Honky Tonkumentary' about an alternative country singer," says Price. The satiric film was directed by Michael Mabbott and features London actor Jordan Price.

Eve & the Fire Horse, which garnered the Grand Jury prize at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, marks the directing debut of Vancouver's Julie Kwan. Her film focuses on a nine-year-old Chinese girl struggling with religious questions following the death of her grandmother.

Directed by Johnny Kalangis, Love Is Work profiles five couples discussing money, sex, death, birth, fame and, of course, love.

Two pop music documentaries on view at the festival are Rocked: Sum 41 in Congo and Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. The latter focuses on a number of heavy metal groups, including the all-female London band, Kittie.

Among other titles on the list of of 15 feature films are the murder drama Six Figures, a Genie nominee in the best adapted screenplay category; La Neuvaine (The Novena), whose probe of faith's power drew the Ecumenical Jury prize at the Locarno (Switzerland) International Film Festival; and multiple Genie-nominee Familia, in which a mother and daughter's road trip turns into their journey of personal growth.

Brief student-made works will be shown prior to each feature film screening. The 15 entries in the Student Shorts series were selected from a record number of 55 submissions and represent works by aspiring young filmmakers from as far away as Montreal, Vancouver and the Northwest Territories.

The festival's master classes offer workshop sessions with directors Mabbott and Kalangis, actor Price and movie critic Richard Crouse, host of the TV show Reel to Real and author of The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen and Reel Winners.

"In the past, our master classes have been limited to student filmmakers, but this year we've opened them up to the public, too," says Price.  

Marketing helped 'Crash' win top Oscar: critics
Mon. Mar. 6 2006
CTV.ca News

The surprise win by "Crash" for best film over "Brokeback Mountain" was due in part to extensive marketing by its studio, Canadian-owned Lions Gate, say entertainment critics.

"Crash" was directed by Canadian Paul Haggis, who won last night for best original screenplay with Bobby Moresco. The film, a somewhat disturbing look at race relations, came out before the Toronto Film Festival, and went to DVD by September.

To bring it to the attention of the Academy, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. spent nearly $4 million promoting "Crash," sending out multiple screeners of the film.

"This was by and large a triumph of marketing," said film critic Richard Crouse.

"They spent almost as much money in marketing this film strictly to the Academy Awards and the SAG Awards...as the movie cost to make."

Shot on a $6.5-million budget, "Crash" became a box-office success, grossing $55 million domestically.

"There's audiences out there that the major studios aren't really dealing with, so I think it's a great time to be independent," Lions Gate Films Jon Feltheimer said.

The small-budget movie was shot in Manitoba by Vancouver's Infinity Features.

"I'm never going to be a studio producer for a $100-million George Clooney movie. I'm going to be doing what I'm doing, and doing exactly what we want to do," Infinity's William Vince said.

Observers say Canadians are well-suited to the films the Academy enjoys -- plot-driven stories on a small budget.

"Even though we as Canadians might feel uncomfortable going to our films, the rest of the world is saying this is where the Paul Haggises and the next future generation of film makers could be coming from," critic Ian Caddell said.

"Crash" won SAG's top award, for ensemble cast, and received six Oscar nominations. In addition to best picture and original screenplay, it also won for film editing.

By comparison, "Brokeback Mountain," which was considered by many to be a lock for best picture, took home best director for Ang Lee, best adapted screenplay and original score.

Crouse shrugged off suggestions that Lee won for best director because "Crash" was going to win best picture.

"There are so many people that vote for this that there is no conspiracy theory. There is no grand scheme to things," he told CTV's Canada AM.
Speeches

As always, there were a number of notable speeches from Oscar night, including the address by George Clooney, who won for best supporting actor for "Syriana," and quipped that his name would now forever be linked to the Oscar.

"Oscar winner George Clooney, sexiest man alive 1997, Batman, died today in a freak accident," said Clooney.

Not surprisingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman took home the Oscar in the best actor category for his eerily accurate portrayal of writer Truman Capote in the film "Capote."

He asked the Oscar audience to congratulate his mother, who was also attending the ceremony.

"She brought up four kids alone, and she deserves a congratulations for that," he said, adding that it was his mother who took him to his first play.

Haggis, born in London, Ont., also gave an emotional speech, thanking his sister for giving him their mother's ring during the commercial break. His Mom, Mary, died a few years ago.

"She really messed me up...thanks a lot," he joked in his acceptance speech for best originally screenplay, with Moresco.

"I just want to thank those people who take big risks in their daily lives when there aren't cameras rolling, and when there aren't people to applaud, and the people who stand up for peace and justice and against intolerance. So I dedicate this to them," he added.

Three 6 Mafia perhaps gave the most enthusiastic speech of the night, after winning best original song for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle and Flow."

Group members Jordan "Juicy J" Houston thanked Jesus, while Paul "DJ Paul" Bauregard "thanked everybody," including their mothers, the Academy, Ludacris, and Clooney.

Their excitement was noted by host Jon Stewart, who joked: "How come they are the most excited people here? They are thrilled. That's how you accept an Oscar."
The host

It was a first Oscar hosting attempt by Stewart, who got off to a shaky start, said Michael Rechtshaffen.

"There was a lot of expectation and I have to say at the beginning it was a little bit shaky," he said.

"But then I think he got the momentum after the gay cowboy montage."

The montage featured clips from Westerns that were edited to suggest that "Brokeback Mountain" wasn't the first to show a gay relationship.

The show also opened with a funny montage of all the previous hosts declining to do the show.

Billy Crystal was in a "Brokeback Mountain" style-tent with Chris Rock, and both Steve Martin and David Lettermen opted to stay home to take care of Martin's clone-like looking children.

Whoopi Goldberg, slammed the door in the audiences' face. In the end, Stewart ended up in bed with Halle Berry in a dream sequence, and George Clooney when he was awake.

Overall, both Crouse and Rechtshaffen agreed that Oscar night went well.

"You couldn't get a better surprise ending," said Rechtshaffen.

Picking the Winners: How to Win Your Office Oscar Pool

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - March 1, 2006) - Oscar Pools are never won or lost on the marquee categories like Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture, or Best Director, because everyone has an opinion on those categories. It is the obscure categories that will determine who will take home the gold! Richard Crouse, host of "Reel to Real," author of "Reel Winners," movie critic and Award Show Guru has helped us decipher the obscure category mystery by using past winners to predict this year's winners. You can catch up on these and more Oscar winners of the past with the "Award Winning Collection," of 30 DVDs now available.

Best Film Editing: To predict who is going to win in this category,

Crouse says "look back to past winner 'Schindler's List' a multilayered story that relied on the film editing to set the pace of the story telling much like this year's Cinderella Man. "

Best Sound: To see who is going to win Best Sound, Crouse says "'King Kong' is likely to take the statue this year as it uses a mix of sound and sound effects to help tell the story. Just as the winner in Steven Spielberg's 1975 'Jaws'."

Best Art Direction/Set Decoration: In this category Crouse warns "less

is not more, the Academy appreciates and recognizes craftsmanship." A past winner like 'Shakespeare in Love' took place on a resplendent set with richly appointed details." That is the same reason that "Memoirs of a Geisha" is expected to take home the award this year.

Best Editing: "Like past winner 'Traffic,' 'Crash' contains several stories that interweave throughout the movie while eventually coming together in the end. This type of complex storyline requires exceptional editing skills" says Crouse. This year look for "Crash" to take home the award.

Best Cinematography: "An unlikely winner in 1999, 'American Beauty' changed the definition of Oscar winners in this category. In the past the Academy has favoured large sweeping landscapes," comments Crouse. This year the winner could be "Good Night and Good Luck", not an obvious choice as the entire movie takes place inside a television studio similar to 'American Beauty' a movie that took place inside an American suburb.

Best Costume Design: The Academy frequently favours period pieces such as past winner "Gladiator" with its variety of costumes from the armour of the Gladiators to the exquisite costumes of royalty. This year will be no exception; "Pride and Prejudice" showcased a wide variety of costumes from peasant clothes to the ornate and upper class Duke and Earl costumes. Look for "Pride and Prejudice" to take this award home this year.

Best Visual Effects: "King Kong" is the BIGGEST star of the year, he is

a character that was visually created inside a computer yet you feel real emotion for him. "Similarly looking back in history the movie

'Gladiator' had to visually recreate one of the movies main characters after he unexpectedly passed away during filming and it was a seamless transition.

And the Oscar for best party goes to ...
JULIE TRAVES: The Globe & Mail Friday March 3, 2006

It seems only right to honour Robert Altman at the Oscars. After all, the event itself is rather like one of his films -- chock-a-block with star cameos and the occasional brilliant improvisation. Tune in for Altman's own turn in the spotlight and to find out which celebrity thanks her agent first at one of these Oscar outings:

Reel to Real Movie Awards Show

For the past eight years, movie critics Richard Crouse and Geoff Pevere have kicked off Oscar weekend on Rogers TV with a look at nominees -- and a call-in show where viewers can comment on everything from shameful moments on film to who was shamefully robbed of their shot at the statue. This year, the duo is also taking questions and comments from guests who win invites to their cineastes bash at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow. Apparently 1,500 film buffs have applied for their chance to schmooze on air so far. Even if you aren't one of the chosen, however, you can still join in by phone or e-mail.

Altman index: In a room full of rabid cinemaniacs, what Altman cut or camera pan hasn't been adored, despised and hotly debated?

Price: Free for contest winners.

Where: NFB Mediatheque