Everybody’s a critic
‘We keep paying, but what shows are being made? Am I just getting shows like Trailer Park Boys with all those guys running around half-naked, swearing and smoking weed?
– Jim Shaw CEO, Shaw Communications, defends his decision to pull its annual $56-million contribution to the CTF, demanding a ‘statement of accountability’

Only in Canada
‘Just because a movie is popular doesn’t mean it’s not good.’
– Bon Cop, Bad Cop producer Kevin Tierney, upon receiving the best-picture Genie Award

‘Canadian culture is fragile enough without entrusting it to offshore companies to protect.’
– Producer Lazlo Barna on foreign ownership of Canadian broadcasters

Loonie madness
‘Usually March is the turning point. At this time last year all of our members were employed. This year, half are unemployed.’
– Bruce Scott, Teamsters Local 155 secretary-treasurer, on the no-show of feature film shoots in B.C.

Digital Age
‘I don’t know if content is king or not, but HD is definitely queen.’
– High Def Consult cofounder Dale Drewery

‘The Internet is the big elephant in the room and we have to start dealing with it.’
– Tina Keeper, MP for northern Manitoba and Heritage critic for the Liberals

Pearls from producers, helmers and distribs
‘If you ever have the possibility to share a dinner with Gordon Pinsent, decline. If you accept, he will take possession of your mind.’
– Actor/director Paul Gross on one of Playback’s inaugural Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame inductees

‘We can’t sustain ourselves solely as a service, location provider. We need to be financial partners at the table. We need to be producers, producing.’
– Brightlight Pictures partner and producer Shawn Williamson on directions for the Canadian industry

‘I forgot to take my Idiot Pill this morning so, no – I don’t agree.’
– Director Jerry Ciccoritti on a proposal to reduce the CTF point system to 8/10

‘Shouldn’t these [producers] be able to move out of mom’s basement and get their own place?’
– Ellis Entertainment president Stephen Ellis on why TV producers should leave distribution to the pros

Picket lines at home and abroad
‘This is unique in the history of labor relations, where a union goes on strike and all its members continue to work.’
– Stephen Waddell, national executive director of ACTRA, arguing that producers were abandoning the CFPTA by getting actors to sign continuation letters during the ACTRA strike

‘If there ever was going to be an opportunity for product to move in a southerly direction, this might be the impetus for it.’
– Barbara Williams, SVP of programming and production, CanWest MediaWorks, on a potential new market for Canadian shows during the WGA strike

Miscellany
‘It’s not just fluff and romance on the beach. People die this season.’
– Christine Shipton, Global’s VP of original programming, shilling a new cycle of Falcon Beach

‘In Canada, when I needed a cow, it was 1,500 bucks. In India I could get a herd for $5.’
– Filmmaker Vic Sarin on the economics of shooting part of his feature Partition in India

‘Thank God for Comedy Central. We were about to sign a deal with Al-jazeera.’
– Star and co-executive producer Kenny Hotz is relieved about a new broadcast home for Kenny vs. Spenny

‘I’m at an age now where anything is good. There’s going to be a lunch provided, so I’m there.’
– Actor Colm Feore, on winning the NBC Universal Award of Distinction
at the Banff World Television Festival