Over here at Playback, it’s lately been very much about talent.

Canadian film and TV talent, veteran and emerging, in front of and behind the camera. It’s top-of-mind for us with two initiatives on the go: our second annual inductions into the Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame, and the rollout of The Next 25. At the risk of coming off a cheerleader, it must be said that our country has a record for gifted movers and shakers, and the future promises an even greater mass of those who make quality Canadian content.

In a nation notorious for its humility – even in the face of great accomplishment – Playback decided in recent years to take a leadership role and launch the Hall of Fame.

(The Hall, for now, resides online at halloffame.playbackmag.com, as we look also for a physical home for it.)

Yes, there are industry organizations whose members bestow honors upon fellow members, but no single entity that recognized the range of people who have spent a quarter century or more building the film and TV industries, including filmmakers, performers, producers, entrepreneurs and broadcast executives. And this is why we opened the Hall, juried by a cross-section of industry veterans. It is the synergies at play among these various groups that unite to create films and shows that stand the test of time.

Anyone who happened to be on hand for last year’s Hall of Fame ceremony will recall what a magical night it was. The assembly of legendary figures, including Norman Jewison, Gordon Pinsent, Michael Spencer, Moses Znaimer and André Link, made one feel proud to be a part of this industry.

This year’s inductees, profiled in a special report in this issue (starting on p. 12), are equally impressive. Allan King is often cited alongside Frederick Wiseman as one of the architects of cinéma vérité, while Roger Frappier has produced some of Quebec’s best and most successful feature films ever, including Le Déclin de l’empire américain, Un zoo la nuit and La grande séduction.

Trina McQueen rose up to the executive ranks at CBC at a young age and would later call the shots at CTV, breaking a number of glass ceilings on her way. Robert Lantos built up Alliance Communications, formed Canada’s mini-major by merging it with Atlantis Communications, then returned to his true love of producing prestige pictures, and now looks to be constructing a new vertically integrated empire over at Serendipity Point Films and Maximum Films.

Catherine O’Hara’s accomplishments are in a lighter key but are also significant, having created numerous memorable characters on the comedy classic SCTV, which would cross the border for a pickup by NBC. She would go on to make the world laugh in films including Beetlejuice and Waiting for Guffman.

Industry pioneers being recognized this year include Izzy Asper, who displayed remarkable chutzpah in building Canwest Global, the nation’s number-two network; the legendary comedy duo of Wayne and Schuster, who got more invites to Ed Sullivan’s really big shooo than any other performers; and Donald Brittain, the multi-award-winning documentarian who remains a major influence on a subsequent generation of filmmakers.

And it is this new generation that Playback is celebrating with The Next 25. If you’re a subscriber to Playback Daily, you should be receiving, weekly over the course of eight weeks, an e-mail newsletter featuring profiles of three or four writers, directors, actors and/or producers who are making a splash in 2008. (These selections are made by the Playback editorial staff.)

And let me tell you, it is truly painstaking to narrow the list down to just 25. Canadian talent is making itself heard, both here and abroad. Robin Dunne, for one, is a double-threat, acting in the forthcoming The Movie Network/Movie Central sci-fi series Sanctuary, while co-penning the popular Nickelodeon Roxy Hunter movies. David Miller is one of the producers of the soon-to-be-released feature Amal, a festival hit here, in the U.S. and as far away as India. Meanwhile, Quebec continues to turn out impressive auteur filmmakers like Yves-Christian Fournier, whose debut feature Tout est parfait got strong write-ups and did good box office.

Despite the challenges of fragmenting audiences and the ongoing dominance of American culture, Canadian voices will continue to stand out.

In the words of broadcasting legend McQueen, ‘[Canada] has produced some of the world’s most talented performers, writers and directors, and it has produced extraordinarily interesting, inspiring, funny and engaging programs which the world recognizes. And they’ve done it against obstacles of geography and funding that very few other countries face.’

And that’s why Playback is honored to celebrate those who have built up this industry, as well as those who are ensuring its ongoing excellence.