Shoots, Scores Debuts at Quest for Youth 2012

I'm drained physically, and to be honest a little emotionally having just gotten through the Quest for Youth 2012. I'm also a little frustrated. Not that way! Keep your minds out of the gutter!

TP brought in Author David L Rogers to the live show

"Coming out of the shadows" sub theme

 Firstly I endured countless hours on it (this Quest For Youth), not so much on the life-like 'maze" workshop I assisted on as Street Outreach's Chaundra and YRDB's Scott did most of the work there, but having written and directed the video portion of the performance piece - and I can overlook not getting any verbal mention or stage accolades even though I brought in 75% of the youth and performers that were used in the show and then spent hours shooting, directing, re-shooting, even acting myself while operating the camera, doing voice-over, working with mostly completely 'green" actors to make them credible and a last 12 hour straight editing session (this is a very time consuming to clip scenes to just the right position and audio) all to ensure we got it all done

 - only to have the "professional" audio/video guy (not from Rogers) bring up the wrong clip to start it off with. Talk about a " Doh!" Moment!

TP introduced art phenom William to the Quest for Youth

I immediately jumped into action when it became apparent they'd started the wrong clip but after traveling half-way across a big hall, the usual array of blank scared-live-to-air faces looked back at me when I told them they were starting with the wrong one, so I sought out the production truck.

Every live production of size will have a production truck, you just have to look for it. As it happens I know someone there (at Rogers) and so all is well I suppose since we can get it right before it airs on Rogers TV via editing. Location Director Dan was good about it and as well I had a good chat with Rogers Executive Producer, David Blackwell, who I remember from when I produced and hosted a show for Rogers some years back called "Out & About".

It pre-dated the current models of "York Region Living" etc but had a more humour and skitsy- like on- location presentation, such as one time we spoofed Rocky with me training for a "chicken wing eating contest" which was a real event being held for a charity at a local eatery and we pre-taped me as "Jockey" training, then live-to-tape eating wings and fighting a giant chicken on location, all to the theme of Rocky. Ha.

I had labelled them 1 through 5. How do you screw that up?!
Thank goodness for Rogers TV as we can fix it before it airs!

Tom & Principal Actor Mark as "Billy" in Shoots, Scores

Anyway today was supposed to be my Rocky day, they were debuting my film. Not just me either. I'm still pissed about it ( although mellowing by the minute) because not only did I spend time on it but there were a lot of other people involved and in the production who also had expectations of seeing a complete production. The guy who did editing with me, K.G. Campbell, was up with me until 5 am working it to make sure we had it, only to see the opening scene left out, so he deserves the respect of the production completely shown as well. But I certainly don't regret the experience and got to do some good work with and meet some good people. And despite the missing scene many didn't seem to realize it or were still complimentary about it.

I may not have been up at the curtain call, but I certainly was more than an onlooker and will try to protect the integrity of the participants in this film, and to that end will endeavour to make sure the full production reaches the screens so everyone can go home happy - and I can finally rest. As a Film-maker you stress about these types of things because when people do see your work, you want them to love it or hate it based on what you did and were satisfied attaching your name to.

Tom Pearson

Shoots, Scores-onset with TP in the Quest for Youth

Protege Mark "Billy" and Writer/ Director TP

Some people may already know I've been working on a short teleplay as part of Quest for Youth 2012. It's certainly no where near the biggest budget film I've been a part of - like " Hansel & Gretel" with Taylor Mumsen and Howie Mandel or ' Miracle Dogs' with Kate Jackson, but it is I dare say my best and most important to date. I call it Shoots, Scores. It could be the story of many a young person, told mostly through a teen boys eyes growing up in then 60's/70's and jumps us up to the present.

I believe I have captured on video, albeit low budget, the story I hoped to recreate and along with it some surprise footage that will add an extra "oomph"  - something every film needs to be deemed successful - whether 1 minute or 10 minutes or 2 hours. Something so that they leave the theatre going wow that was good! I'm hoping the piece brings people up and down and up again and leave them feeling good but with a message, many of which are scattered through the brilliantly written screenplay (I wrote it ha!). I must say it has been quite the experience and still is with still one scene to shoot and voice-over to capture as I stagger toward the editing line.

Actor Jason goofs around onset with a wig by Myers Costumes

I have until Wed to have a final version and they expect something by Monday. Meantime I've been juggling people, schedules, and my own to accommodate everything from Principals (not the actors) who have to have us off school property by 5pm, and kid actors who cant get there until 4, and others who can't until after 5, and parents, and those who can't make it and...!


On a production like this you also run into a hierarchy conflict with myself having the Tv and Film production experience and the live show's producer being from theatre. We film guys get certain shots for a reason and with a skeleton budget and working with volunteers, I don't have time to waste. Now he does want it to fit into the whole scheme of things of the whole live production of Quest For Youth which I do respect, and to keep within the them given that being marginaliztion and coming out from the shadows. But in the end this has to be able to stand alone as a film and one you don't mind putting your name to and to that end I believe it will be!

Today I shot some 'b" roll - cut off shots - of road hockey playing - just some tie ups to make it all look real in the end. Oh..did i tell you the kid playing main character has never played any hockey or road hockey for that matter,,so,,my work is cut out in editing! Lucky for me a fellow also playing a role(s) in the production now, Keith, has offered to come on-board to ensure we get this edited right!

This may be the lowest budget film I've worked on but I wouldn't trade being able to write, direct, act, operate camera, and play road hockey all in one project for anything!

Game on!


TP out!

Same Sex Wedding Show Originators To Make Doc

Tom Pearson asks people on the streets of Toronto what they think of same sex marriage for the doc Thin Pink Line

 Sometimes during the course of producing a live show you begin to feel as if you should be documenting it and to that end, after being hired to produce " The Same Sex Show", I found the elements were very powerful and knew that this being a time in history that will be examined and an issue with a long shelf life - same sex marriage that is - that this was worth capturing and I did, putting together a documentary crew from graduating film students resulting in 22 powerful hours of goods sitting on my shelf unedited as yet!!

 During the height of the same sex marriage controversy, as it made it's way through the courtrooms to finally be made officially legal nationally, TP was there on several fronts....firstly in 2005  

TPE produced the worlds 1st ever international Same Sex & Wedding Show - the 1st of its kind anywhere in the world at Canada's largest Metro Convention Centre!

During the process of putting the consumer show together, TPE recognized the controversy involved, indeed including some in the wedding industry as well as the media and thus rounded up a documentary crew to capture as much as possible. As a result TP has recorded 22hours of raw documentary footage from the period including protests at queens park, religious protesters, and people on the street as well as interviewed members of the gay community and wedding/same sex industry people dying to get made into a feature and held a show with that featured entertainment and speakers from the who's who of gay, lesbian, and cross gender communities. Hear more in our short pitch video.

Rocker Carol Pope 'blesses" Ian Taylor & George Olds' wedding certificate for the Same Sex  Wedding Show

 Timing for this documentary movie to be produced is fantastic now since the HARPER  government has recently tried to have same sex weddings from those from other countries called not legal - meaning the contest we ran that brought couples to Canada from other countries to marry at our show....MAY NOT BE LEGAL!? Wow...only adds to the value of our future film but can we be held liable for these couples' distress should the feds' position prevail? And what of those couples? How must they feel perhaps being gyped of their marriages? Meantime TPE Prodcutions.com will be releasing a Short - Thin Pink Line - a 10 minutes snapshot of the 22 hours of footage we have.... coming up in Feb for a Valentines Day release! Stay tuned!

This is a project that begs to be completed and help show Harper he's got a tough road to hoe!

Stellar Hall in Newmarket now has banquet facilities and s.s. wedding packages

In Other related News ... You can get involved in the Producing of A Thin Pink Line's feature film through INDIEGOGO!

Watch for the short, Thin Pink Line, to show in York Region Ontario for the YR Media Playrs festival in 2015.

Later..Tom

Canadian Labour Congress Video Contest

                          

Canadian Labour Congress Video Contest

TP Entertainment & Productions is happy to announce the TP written & produced one minute video contest production - "One Paycheck Away" the adspotlike short with the documentary feel has been chosen as ONE of Only FIVE FINALISTS from entries from across Canada. The assignment was to show the growing gap between the rich and everyone else in 60 seconds. Congratulations to the TP Production team!


Now it's up to the public to decide.Check out our entry video One Paycheck Away  - then vote for it here! In fact keep voting for it right up until up until the deadline on Jan 20 2011. The contest is being run by the Canadian Labour Congress. 5 finalist were chosen on Dec 16 and now it's up to you to vote for TP everyday until dead-line date on January 20 4pm!

Tom Pearson himself narrates this no bells and whistles production done with still photographs and voice-over ...some good imagery and messages which are supposed to depict the growing gap between the rich and everyone else in 60 seconds!

This video never made the final five but some liked it better than the entry that did. Spoof of 60 minutes in 60 seconds!


Tom Out!