If you’re a director in Canada with an eye on the States, the good news is you can probably build that bridge. The bigger question is, will you ever come back?

As Canadian directors who’ve cut their teeth on any number of genres are finding more and more opportunities to work with Americans and for Americans, the concern is that the mentors and role models for up-and-coming homegrowns will all fly south, never to return. But since the American studio picture still seems to be the standard by which all else is judged, some feel they can best change things by working with the grain instead of against it.

‘The lure of it is huge,’ says Kari Skogland. Skogland, who launched herself as a film editor before moving into music video and commercial work, has directed episodic series for mtv and recently completed her first feature, The Size of Watermelons.

‘Perhaps it’s not something we should fight. When we have the clout, we can help put together financing for these projects and bring them back here,’ she says.

That’s a tactic a number of directors are employing. Writer and director Philip Spink, on the heels of the success of his feature, Once in a Blue Moon, is lining up a u.s. cable project which he hopes to shoot in Alberta this fall.

‘Once in a Blue Moon has been sold in over 30 countries, so it has made its money back many times over already. And because of that sort of nod, there’s the confidence to give me another project.’

The Baseball Letters, which Spink describes as ‘like a Field of Dreams story,’ will be produced through Bradshaw McLeod Associates in Alberta. Superchannel is on board and discussions are ongoing with Showtime and hbo.

With a $6 million budget and a 90% Canadian cast – barring the prerequisite American lead – Spink calls the picture ‘a magical, wonderful family film, something Canadians tend to do very well.’

Spink sees himself and a number of other indigenous directors as windows of opportunity to draw outside work into Canada, providing more work for a production and post community which has proven itself to be competitive.

‘The industry follows the talent, and money follows the talent. I predict that within the next five years one of us will do a breakout Canadian feature. It’ll be a wonderful story, coincidentally shot in Canada, with a Canadian crew, written and directed by a Canadian. It’ll do worldwide business, and then the above line will start coming from Canada regularly.’

Another director with hopes of using her reputation to draw u.s. money is Anne Wheeler. The director of The War Between Us built her bridge into the u.s. with an mow called Other Women’s Children for abc three years ago, and now she’s teamed with u.s. partners for a cable feature based on a Canadian novel, Mrs. Mike. Again, it’s slated to be written and directed by a Canadian, in Canada, with a Canadian crew and cast. And, of course, the American lead.

‘The producers had seen all my work and knew of my reputation. They knew I’d probably be able to bring some equity to the project, and I’ve committed to finding some Canadian dollars to put into it because it’s very Canadian, surprisingly.’

The weight that Canadian directors have been picking up south of the border comes as no surprise to Ralph Zimmerman, president of Great North Talent. Two of his clients, John N. Smith (The Boys of St. Vincent, Dangerous Minds) and Atom Egoyan have had u.s. studio deals.

‘There’s no doubt, from our point of view at least, that Canadian directors are starting to make more Hollywood impact. Their works have been recognized as being of a high quality.’

Skogland says that while her episodic tv work, like Catwalk and Traders, didn’t pack much punch, her feature and commercial work was recognized at par. She also believes she garnered respect as a director who ‘put my money where my mouth is.’

‘The entrepreneurial spirit is so important for Americans. It adds to my cachet that I’m willing to back myself up financially, whereas I might have been penalized for that here.’

As to what can be done, if anything, to entice the cream of Canada’s director crop to stay – or at least to swing by once in awhile – both Spink and Skogland agree there’s no need to try and beat our big brother to the south at his own game.

‘Networks need to take a leadership position,’ says Skogland, ‘and avoid pandering. We need to be taking on the kinds of projects we do best for our own reasons.’

‘If you’re going to help investors out with tax credits,’ Spink suggests, ‘recognize the people who are trying to produce quality projects and not schlock.

‘You can do films for the Amercan market, that’s not the problem. But it needs to be high quality. Having the director, 90% of the talent and production stay in Canada will create and build our industry. Good work, good Canadian content, should be supported.’

But the bottom line, according to Wheeler, is the decision is an individual one. There’s no doubt that the initial move, if you can swing it, will be more lucrative, but there are creative issues as well.

‘It depends on why they’re getting into the business in the first place. If they became directors because they wanted to be rich and famous, they’ll go at the first opportunity. If they chose to be directors because they wanted to be storytellers, Canada is still a wonderful place to be. Yes, it’s dwindling and becoming more difficult, but in comparison to independent filmmakers in the u.s., we still have a not bad situation here.’