Hollywood North Act 2 - The Boom Resurgence Begins

Back in the 90's, I was working as an actor in minor roles on mostly American productions shot in Canada. I had bit parts on TV shows like Secret Service, Top Cops, Canadian TV movie The Steven Truscott Trial, "cult following" vampire cop series, Forever Knight ( twice, aired on CBS), and on...There were some major films shot here back then too, lots of them. Harvey Keitel was like a resident he was here so often.  Toronto was booming due to the combination of our low dollar and tax incentives and granting formulas that had American productions shoot here often. TommyBoy Scene

Later there became somewhat of an outcry from U.S.A. industry crews, that shows and movies depicting New York should be shot in N.Y. etc, and that by making productions in Canada, they were somehow un-American. And being un-American was uncool. That, politicized, mixed with some US states beginning to wise up with their own incentives started an an end to that era. Almost overnight it dried up to almost nothing. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise for me, as around that same time I'd acquired full custody of my kids, and 3:00 am shoot starts for Forever Knights and the like I simply could no longer manage. Many Toronto and Canadian actors and industry people had to find other vocations or pursue live performing. Like me.

In recent years however, more and more productions rely on in-studio special effects like green screen technology and thus state-of-the-art indoor studios and special effects editing became more and more in demand, for which, Toronto industry folks were early to jump on, opening up one of the biggest and best in all North America while surrounded by a core of skilled industry professionals at the ready for hire should the projects arise.. and arise they have.

Toronto's studios and production have slowly, almost quietly, climbed back into bed with the big boys, with more and more major productions again being shot here. With 1.1 million square feet of studio space available inside the city now it's no wonder. Pinewood Studios alone has 250,000 sq feet of studio space under one roof. And none too soon, as Canada's dollar goes low, all-time low-like, which has always served as a tipping point for productions shooting in Canada. Nothing pleases a Producer more than being able to save several hundreds of thousands of dollars, other than one going on to earn $millions for them.

In 2015, I was focused on producing low budget documentaries, entering one into and winning the Playr Festival awarded Best Documentary, but somehow I still felt unfulfilled, and realized I itched for more onscreen roles. When I had an accident that resulted in being unable to physically lift a camera for some time, I decided what better opportunity to revisit acting and on-screen roles, taking a part in an on-line production featuring Super Heroines to hone up on my skills and collect some $.

Before spending two weeks shooting there, I hadn't even known there was a production facility this (40 mins) north of Toronto, near Newmarket Ontario, Canada, let alone it had been used to shoot scenes for The Titanic, Night at the Museum and Catch Me If You Can.  The town of Newmarket itself, ironically, has served a number of times as 'downtown USA in movies like 2013 remake of Carrie and 2015's Regression, but those are the exceptions over the past decade.

Recognize from Night at The Museum? 

Smaller budget productions also have had a place in the sub-culture of the craft / industry, feeding the hungry acting minions whilst the industry has suffered, even alternative / fetish style, and with online abilities today, can be easily viewed to a broad audience. Although I look forward to my episodes 'airing", shot in winter and being released on-line in mid summer, but still, for those that dream, the big screen is the goal, and, to that end, the conditions here are just ripe now for an influx of mainstream productions to start popping up.

Canadians themselves need to open up their minds to how productions are financed as well, as US productions don't rely on government grants to finance their productions, but private and corporate investors. Risk takers. Something we Canadians are not as we are typically conservative investors and may never be as adept at "the making of" therefore, methinks...but boy..can we act!

Watch for Canada's "New" boom industry. 2016 will be a resurgence of TV and Film productions shot here...because $ talks.

TP out!

Cheers to the resurgence of Hollywood North!

Main St USA, Canada and Whatnot...

Dynamic Toronto

PlaYR Awards Night and After-Party a successful Wrap

PlaYR Video Fest a Winner for TPE Productions

Tom Pearson of TPE Productions, Best Documentary winner

At my age ( I'm now legal lol), and with my experience in film and tv production, one would perhaps think I'd be an old hat at entering film festivals, however that would not be the case. In fact, my entry of A Thin Pink Line, into the PlaYR Festival, York Region's now 6 year running festival of film and videos this year having more entries than ever, was actually my first foray going this route. I did also once enter an online video short contest, winning The Canadian Labour Congress's One Minute Short contest, One Paycheck Away, voted across Canada online to win, but a festival is different, winners are chosen by your professional peers, and as such, one respects the award more in my humble view.

Prior to attending film school, I'd already produced and hosted shows for Rogers TV and Shaw for about four years, and as well had been producing and performing in both the live show, and taping for, the tv series of The Canadian Improv Showcase, while attending film school.

Co Host Joanne Vannacola banters

After Party revelers

Sarah Fisher with Video Editor Suleiman Rahal

After graduating with a 89% average, and with my student film chosen to be made into a movie, I worked as a P.A. on some T.V. productions and commercials including "The Designer Challenge" on W.T.N. , before taking work for Galactic Productions, later Enriching Entertainment, as an Associate Producer of feature films, a job that involved pitching the idea of becoming partners in a movie to American businessmen over the phone. Our minimum investment was $25,000, and they'd / we used the formula to finance a number of films including, The Retrievers, Miracle Dogs (Disney Channel, Animal Planet USA), Hansel & Gretel w Taylor Mumsen, Howie Mandel (Theatre release), Super Cross (Theatre) and others. This is how it's done in the real Hollywood, not by grants, and the atmosphere in the room could be electric at times. At others, not so much. During my four to five year period as an Associate Producer, I raised about $1,000,000 in productions funds for them and the parent company in L.A. and still keep a copy of an $11,000 commission cheque I earned as some kind of trophy reminder.

Actor Emmanuel Kabongo takes the stage

The only problem was, the only creativity I got to do was a slight variance on the pitch delivery. Hardly the stuff I went to film school for, but great experience nevertheless, learning from a veteran of executive producing 20 films, and as a single dad, the closest I would find to a nine to five type job in the industry...L.A. time that is! A whole other set of problems when raising a 9 year old and 12 year old whilst doing it and working on straight commission. you produced or your family went hungry. Catch 22.

So all things being equal it took me awhile to enter a film of my own into a festival but it was worth it. My film A Thin Pink Line was a great snapshot of the times and is well laced with a great and fitting music score by now defunct Sean Stephens and The Chaos System and therefore deserved a shot in my eyes, and the risky subject matter exemplifies what filmmakers should be doing which is pushing the envelopes of reminder and truth out there.

Sean Stephens at recent BBQ for Newmarket Jazz + Festival

Just prior to being announced as winner, the Host MC, Emmy Award winner, Joanne Vannicola, began mentioning of seeing my film for the first time, and that it was surreal to see her younger self onscreen, denouncing those protesting against the legalization of same sex marriage at Queen's Park. Her voice had sounded so familiar to me and now I knew why! She's in my film! Ha.


It is a credit to the Crew, Performers, Vendors and Editors involved in the production, that it was able to win the PlaYR Festival Award for best pro doc - a list too long to list here - but named in the credits roll in the film. 

The Dark Rainbow After-Party Glow! More After party photos at TPE Facebook.

Award winners party!

Thank-you all and look for my next film...inspired by The Red Balloon!....Stay tuned!

 Watch for more of the mysterious balloon...landing on a screen near you!

Regression - Movie Shoot on Main St Newmarket

Main St Newmarket becomes Main St USA

The town of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, doubled for a retro American town for a day as, Regression, a psychological thriller film Directed by Writer, Director & Composer, 29 year old Alejandro Amenabar (The Others, Tesis, Abre Los Ojos), starring Emma Watson and Ethan Hawke, wherein a police detective investigates activities of the paranormal and evil happening in a small rural U.S. town, was shot on location on their Main St. Insert scary music here.

Although the storyline had been kept under wraps, a style similar to Amenbar's previous work in the genre, like the snuff film based Tesis, is likely to emerge.

The film will be released by Dimension Films, owned by the Weinstein Company, in 2015.

The last time a movie production was in town with Main St. as it's set location, it was the remake of Carrie being shot, and, like then, locals turn into patronizing wannabes whenever the circus comes to town, just happy to be a part of it and willing to lend our streets out and restrict residents while the shoot goes on. The only thing missing was the red carpet, but hey, it's all part of the small town charm Newmarket maintains, at least on its Main St, as everything else seems to be under construction - but again - the magic of movies will edit that out for us thank goodness.

The movie shoot was fairly typical with Main St. being used for part of a chase scene. In a scene like this, continuity is very important so everything from the road being wet for a rainy scene, to the people walking down the street (extras) have to be the same and are shot from different angles so must be done numerous times. This shoot had several crane cams too which was very cool to see in action hovering high above the streets, which, while observing, I also noticed a dog in a window and wondered if it was part of the flick. Ha.

The crew and A.D.'s et al were actually quite accommodating I found, allowing me some pics and the like in between takes and posing for the odd one too. Last time out (Carrie production) I found them a bit condescending and pushy which always gets my back up a bit when I figure we're doing them a favour as locals, allowing them use of our beautiful Main St. (not an easy task for a local to do) and suspending our use of it for their movie -  which I won't likely ever see until it hits cable.

But that's the charm of Main St Newmarket - and a charm that's beginning to pay off as movie credits for Main pile up with increased business in the shops and restaurants or those just soaking up the well preserved older historical-like buildings, including one of the few remaining Main St, old town clocks which sets her apart as a town, and, I guess, for the movie locations scouts.

Rover restricted during movie shoot

I likely won't rush out to see this movie Regression or anything, as thrillers aren't my thing, but I do look forward to seeing the final shots of Main St  - especially with all the development hounds salivating over it of late including the clock tower - so we may lose attracting these movie shoots soon, as well as lose the charm.

Meantime, Newmarket has it's our own Talent Show in town tonight featuring Canada's Idol Star finder Farley Flex so who knows!? A star is born!?

Below a video I put together of some backstage stuff. See you in the movies!


Here's some more photos below and check out the TPE You Tube video of some behind the scenes scenes from Regression!

Mr. Newmarket checks in

Even extras are Stars in Newmarket!

Optical Delusion..Hey its a horror!