So are we going to give up and die, or what?

It's shitty out.

It's snowing again, there are very few projects shooting in town, there's a global recession and most of us remember when things were better 10 years ago. Or even longer. Or longer than that even.

What does the future of the Canadian entertainment industry hold?

Are we simply a breeding ground for American productions? Have we accepted defeat when the AVERAGE Hollywood movie has a marketing budget of approx $50 million and the RECORD marketing budget for a Canadian film is approx $3 million? Do we sit back and pray that American dollars will find their way back to Canada, or do we create an industry that competes in the global marketplace by coming up with BETTER, RISKIER ideas that corporate-backed US entertainment companies aren't willing to make?

The choice is up to you, friends. But for my money, you go down fighting.

We live in a culture of defeat here in Canada. In this industry, we're too afraid. Too afraid to do something edgy. Too afraid to offend anyone. Too afraid to compete against Hollywood. Too afraid be 'impolite'. Too afraid to speak the TRUTH...

Let's stop bitching, people. Let's do something about it.

We have talent, but no infrastructure. Why aren't we creating an infrastructure? Talented actors, writers, directors and producers waste away in this country - with nobody there to pay them a living wage and make a long-term commitment to developing their talent.

How many times have you heard the story of the talented filmmaker who directs an amazing feature film, then has to wait several years to do it again? How can one continually get better at their craft when they aren't being given the opportunity to practise?

The system is broken. And it needs to be fixed. Or we will simply waste away, and Canadians won't even notice because they'll be watching Desperate Housewives...

Call me crazy. Call me idealistic. But I still believe that we can turn things around. By making smarter choices with the way we do things here, I believe we can create a vibrant entertainment industry that can accomplish great things. And hopefully, this blog will generate ideas that can HELP. I won't shy away from harsh criticism, but I will also offer solutions.

And frankly, any attention our indigenous industry can get - in ANY form - can only be a good thing.

So here's OPINION #1: Let's find a way to GENERATE ATTENTION for Canadian projects. Marketing is important. That's why Americans spend $50 million dollars a movie to do it. While we can't compete on cash, we can compete on ideas. We just have to be willing to try...

Bobman