DOLLARETTESComplications Ensue
Complications Ensue:
The Crafty Screenwriting, TV and Game Writing Blog




Archives

April 2004

May 2004

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

September 2004

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

April 2005

May 2005

June 2005

July 2005

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

January 2006

February 2006

March 2006

April 2006

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

August 2006

September 2006

October 2006

November 2006

December 2006

January 2007

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007

June 2007

July 2007

August 2007

September 2007

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November 2014

December 2014

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

May 2017

June 2017

July 2017

August 2017

September 2017

October 2017

November 2017

December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

April 2018

June 2018

July 2018

October 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

November 2019

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

August 2020

September 2020

October 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

May 2021

June 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

August 2022

September 2022

November 2022

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

September 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

 

Monday, March 27, 2006

Q. In a showrunning course, we've had quite a few Canadian producers talk about the advantages of filming in Canada because of the province and federal credits. Has this system helped you get your projects done faster than if you were concentrating in the States? One producer said that Canadian writers were particularly valuable.
In TV, I've definitely had a leg up. I co-created Naked Josh after staffing exactly one show. Imagine trying to do that in the States.

There is no real market for homegrown Canadian films in English. There were, I think, seven features (by the WGC's count) in English last year. So my features are pretty much stymied; to get them done I'm going to have to go to the States.

Canadian writers are particularly valuable if you want the credits because then you can use a US director and still qualify for the CAVCO credits, which are a big chunk of change. The various federal and provincial tax credits can add up to a quarter of your budget, so there you go.

1 Comments:

An aspiring Canadian screenwriter recently asked Xena & Sheena writer/producer Steve Sears about the value of Canadian versus American talent. Here was his rather eye-opening reply:


Actually, the move from Canada to the U.S. is a LOT easier than the reverse, take my word for it, immigration-wise. It doesn't make your situation any easier, but feel some comfort that you aren't a U.S. writer trying to get landed in Canada.

Here are the plusses you have going for you:

1. Canadian TV shows, if they are purely Canadian, hire Canadian staff.

2. French/Canadian series don't hire U.S. Writers, only French or Canadian (there may be some change in that, but I'm unaware of it at this moment).

3. The Canadian subsidies are based on a point system so that money is allocated to joint U.S./Canadian productions depending on the number of Canadians who are hired.

4. Provincial subsidies also apply for Canadian workers.

5. The WGA doesn't like their Writers working under Canadian and WGC jurisdiction and will do everything in their power to sabotage it.

Here's the drawback:

Canadian productions generally do not want Canadian Writers. They want U.S. Writers. And they will do a lot to get them and have all the above restrictions figured out.

Sounds strange, doesn't it? And it doesn't apply to Canadian Directors. Just Canadian Writers.

When it's the point system, Canadian co-productions will trade the Canadian Writers for Canadian Directors in order to secure U.S. Writers. Canadian Directors, in fact, have done very well in the U.S., but no one in the U.S. is talking about those Canadian Writers.

When it's French/Canadian, many times they will hire Canadian "Writers" but, in fact, have a staff of U.S. Writers writing without credit (amazingly enough, sometimes with their offices in Los Angeles).

When it's a purely Canadian production, they will look for U.S. Writers who have landed immigrant status in Canada.

The reasons for this aren't going to be something that is easy to say or easy to hear. It's going to be upsetting, especially for Canadian Writers. And it is this: Canadian Writers are generally regarded as not very good. Their story plotting is slow, their characters are confusing and/or shallow, their logic is flawed and the products aren't very exciting. Please keep in mind, I'm giving you the general prejudice, not saying that I agree with it or would feel right applying such a generality to a specific person.

But, in fact, this is true with almost all other foriegn productions, they all prefer U.S. Writers. In this perception, U.S. Writers reign supreme. We could get into a long discussion as to why (personal belief is that the U.S., after WW II, basically recreated the world according to U.S. Standards and TV was the major emerging techology at that time). But even the French had to enact laws to prevent U.S. Television product from overwhelming their airwaves.

I've had experience with all this from both sides. In fact, I was just talking to a producer who is setting up a six picture deal in Canada and he told me he wanted to get me involved. But he said he had to deal with the Canadian situation. I told him that I was a landed immigrant. It was like I had hit him with a wet fish. He got all excited and said that it would make things a lot easier since the studio specifically wanted U.S. Writers but also wanted to get all the advantages of the Candian deals. (whether this deal goes through or not is still pending).

Another friend was just producing a series for Canadian domestic and he, also, is a Landed Immigrant. The series has Canadian Writers on it, but his is the lead guy and the studio defers to him over the Showrunner.

Sounds depressing, I know, and it makes things difficult. However, there is a white knight running to your rescue. That white knight is in the form of the Writers Guild of America. The advantage for U.S. Writers in these scenarios is obvious. But, they usually have to work under Canadian rules and with the WGC (Writers Guild, Canada). Those rules don't match the WGA rules and, in fact, are very much different as far as residuals are concerned. So the WGA is trying to use every loophole it can to demand that Canadian Production companies guarantee the same basic agreement as the WGA has in the U.S. And the WGA is going after U.S. Writers in order to do it, even when the series has NOTHING to do with the U.S. My friend is going through this although he is Canadian (landed), the series is Canadian, the studio is Canadian and it isn't intended for the U.S. market. He told the WGA all that and, believe it or not, they said that since his AGENT had an office in the U.S., that made it a U.S. project. Such b.s.... but, before I get off on a rant, take this as being something positive for you. Canadian production companies are certainly not going to adopt the WGA basic agreement (as well they shouldn't have to) and U.S. writers aren't going to threaten their WGA membership or risk paying the penalties.

Okay, so that's a lot of stuff to think about and it still doesn't address how you get started in Canada as a Writer. To that, I have no idea as I haven't had to deal with that situation in my life.

So the best thing you can do to get work as a Writer in Canada is be percieved as a U.S. citizen. Except in the U.S.

Ah, the logic of the industry....

By Blogger Kelly J. Crawford, at 1:17 PM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.



This page is powered by Blogger.