Canada Day at Citytv: the good, the bad and the ugly (hey that's me!)

I volunteered with Citytv on Canada Day.  I met with Jeff at Citytv last Wednesday to get a quick run down of the show, meet the crew, and to get a grey Citytv “Crew” T-shirt (that’s important later).  Our meeting went smoothly. I biked over to the Citytv at the Forks during my lunch break.  I have a summer gig doing corporate communications so I was dressed in business-casual attire.  Very respectable looking.

Fast forward to Canada Day. I woke up late and was due at Citytv at 12:30 pm.   I had to book it to the Forks on my bike and made it in fifteen minutes flat, arriving at 12:30pm on the nose. Fhew! 

But it was over 30 C out and when I arrived and I took off my backpack I realized I had sweat through my T-shirt.  I looked like I was wearing a sweat-backpack, complete with shoulder straps!  I went to the men’s room and threw some cool water on my face and neck.  That was when I looked in the mirror.  Did I forget to mention that I had played a rugby game the night before and I had a fresh black eye and scab on my nose?  Oh and my eyes were bloodshot from some allergy issues I have been struggling with (Allergy to beer? you ask. No! Honest to goodness allergies, thank you very much! And I resent your tone!) 

Staring across the bathroom sink into the face of this madman I suddenly understood the horrified looks I got when I arrived on set.  I am sure they all wondered who the hell this sweaty, beat-up and red-eyed mess was, and what had he done with the respectable young man they met on Wednesday? 

Standing there in the bathroom I panicked slightly.  For a moment I considered just saying goodbye to any future professional relationship with Citytv, and wandering off set never to return again.  But no, I couldn’t shirk my volunteer responsibilities.  And what of Forde Oliver’s good name? Would I sully it, just like I sullied my Citytv T-shirt? No!

So I swung into action.  First I dug through my back-pack and found my allergy eye-drops.  A few drops and the redness had diminished to something resembling the eyes of a human. Next I slipped out the back door of the studio and maneuvered through the crowds of Canada Day celebrators until I found a kiosk selling souvenir T-shirts.  I grabbed a white “I am Canadian” T-shirt, paid the inflated price and headed for the nearest men’s room.  After changing and cleaning myself up a little bit I returned to the studio looking like a new man.  Well OK, looking like a guy that got the crap beat out of him in a clean T-shirt.

When I got back on set someone offered me a Citytv baseball cap for "sun protection."  I accepted it quickly.  It was the last piece of the puzzle: a perfect way to throw some shadow on my beat-up face. 

Now having completed my emergency make-over I was free to get back to work.  The day was spent prepping the set and doing dress rehearsals until the live broadcast began at 5pm. The weather stayed very warm and the entire show was shot outside. On the main outdoor set  there were two cameras mounted on pedestals, one handheld camera, and one camera on a huge jib that got all kinds of extreme angles and dynamic shots. Co-hosts Pay Chen and Jeremy John worked the crowd and gave away prizes, while two remote hosts broadcast from various locations  around the Forks.

All of the Citytv crew, staff and hosts were a pleasure to work with. My main duties consisted of pulling cable for Justin, the handheld camera operator.  He was responsible for getting interesting crowd shots, and I was responsible for making sure he did not trip on his cables. A simple, yet important role.  Or so I was told.  Here is a short video of my view from the set.

It was a valuable experience despite a rocky start to the day.  It was really interesting to see how a professional, live TV show is made.  It reminded me of a bigger, fancier version of some of the TV productions we have made in CreComm.  I guess Dean and Forde are doing a good job of preparing us for careers in television. Although they never taught us what to do when we arrive on set a sweaty, black and blue mess...I guess that will be in second year.

Soupy out.

Everything I need to know for my IPP I learned from MacGyver

My independent professional project (IPP) is in full swing.    I know, I know, it's not due until March 2012, but my schedule is fast tracked due to my subject matter.  I am making a video documentary about local ultra-marathoner Dwayne Sandall.  Dwayne is running in the Big Horn 100 mile Run in Wyoming in the middle of June and yours truly is going with him to try and capture it on video.  So I have just over a month to organize equipment, crew, and do pre-race shooting.

I have been shooting Dwayne training on the trails of Birds Hill Park for the last couple of weekends and trying to get comfortable enough with the video and audio equipment to be able to chase after Dwayne in the hills of Wyoming.  I have also met with Forde, my advisor, to review some of my shots and make sure I am on the right track.

Getting still shots of Dwayne training has not been too difficult.  I even ran along side him and behind him holding the camera and may have got some usable footage.  But this past weekend I decided I wanted to attach the camera to a bike and ride ahead of Dwayne getting shots of him running toward the camera.  But with limited time and budget I knew I would have to make some kind of camera holder myself.  So I went to my parents house and ventured into my father's garage, where I knew I would find the tools and materials I needed to build the contraption I imagined. 

And all it took was a couple of hours, two pencils, an old bike helmet, and some old strips of wood, my trusty swiss army knife, and a wack load of tape. 

I have to admit that I felt a little like MacGyver while I was making this thing.  With my impending shoot the next moring I was racing the clock, and using my wits to fight the forces of evil. All I was missing was  a mullet and a brown leather jacket....and some forces of evil.





So here is the final product.  And I am happy to announce that the camera did not fall off the back of my bike (thanks to some trusty bungy chords) and the shooting was a success.  Thank you MacGyver.

Soupy out.

WPS Half was Hypothermic Half Part Deux

In my April 18th blog, with the Winnipeg Police Service Half Marathon (WPS Half) less than two weeks away, I started my Canadian Cancer Society fundraisign campaign.  I proposed a double challenge: 1) challenging my potential donators to raise $300 for a worthy cause ,and 2) challenging myself to run the half in under under 1:40. I was pretty certain my generous friends and family could make the first goal a reality.  My more personal half marathon challenge was up to me, so I gave myself financial motivation. You see if a runner fundraises a certain minimum amount for the Candian Cancer Society (I think it's double your registration fee) they get their registration fee reimbursed. I decided that even if I raised that money but did not achieve my timing goal I would forfeit my registration fee reimbersement.
 

Well Sunday May 1st was race day, and it was a doozy.  Many people cursed the snow that covered our city on Sunday morning, but none were as confused and upset about it as the people who had signed up to run the WPS Half.

As you may or may not know I blogged about running the Hypothermic Half Marathon in February.  Well Sunday morning felt like the second half of that frigid February race.  The WPS Half is supposed to be the kick off of the summer running season in Winnipeg.  Instead, the blowing snow and -5 C temperature (which felt like -14 C with the 44 km/h winds) made it seem like it was November, with another 5 months of winter to go. In fact, looking back on the temperature records for the morning I ran the Hyporthermic Half on Feb 28th, the low was -17 C with winds of only 7km/h.  And with the sun shining that morning it felt like +17 C compared to Sunday morning at Assiniboine Park. 

Just under 1800 brave souls, plus hundreds of volunteers and supporters made Sunday's event a huge success despite Mother Nature's best efforts to ruin it. 

I had run outside all winter and was not afraid of a little snow, but in February in Winnipeg you know what to expect so you can dress for it confidently.  However, on this May morning I did not know if this snow was going to turn into freezing rain, or if it was suddenly going to jump up to +5 C. So it was difficult to decide what to wear.  I ended up wearing the same clothes I ran in all winter, except I also wore a rain coat.  Unfortunately my rain coat doesn't breath, so about 15 minutes into the race I took it off and tied it around my waist.  Really it was an extra layer that I did not need, however if it had started to rain I would have been glad to have it.  I also wore my snow/ice running spikes - sort of rubber slippers with some small steel studs, that you pull over your runners to get extra traction on ice.  These were helpful but about twenty minutes in a strap snapped on one so I took them both off and looped them around my wrists.

Depsite these "wardrobe malfunctions" (a close friend said I look like a homeless man running down Portage in this photo) I actually had a great time.  The weather just added an extra challenge to the race.  I was not only pushing my body to it's physical limits and racing the clock.  I was also battling Mother Nature. 

Going into the last couple of miles I was confident I was going to make my timing goal.  Little did I know how close it was going to be.  As I pushed up Portage to the Assiniboine Park footbridge my lungs were on fire, and I was scaring fellow runners with my heavy breathing.  I pushed it into top gear a little too early and I could not hold that pace and had to slow down 40 m or so before the finish line. As soon as I crossed the finish line I stopped running and doubled over putting my hands on my knees, gasping for air - my apologies to the volunteer that I almost headbutted as she tried to put the finishing medal around my neck.  After catching my breath and convincing a couple of volunteers that I was not having a heart attack, I checked my watch.  I had made it in just under 1:40. Official time:1:38:56.
   

So I achieved both my fundraising goal and my running goal. So thank you to everyone who donated money to this worthy cause.  A special shout out to my sister Angela who met me at the finish line and drove me home.  And the Sanders's who bought me brunch after I had recovered enough to eat.

And a big thanks to the organizers and volunteers of this great event.  We fought Mother Nature and won. And we will continue to fight against cancer.

Even though I made my timing goal I have decided to donate my registration fee to the Canadian Cancer Society - so that should bring the Team Campbell fundraising total to $400.  Go Team!

If anyone else would like to donate just click here. 

Soupy out.

My thougths on The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz

When Obrum Kehler, a Mennonite farmer, gets poison ivy between his legs, rather than take a day-off from working the field, he wears one of his wife’s skirts.  When the wool skirt is too rough on his sensitive bits he ends up wearing her wedding underskirt too.  As he first puts it on he wonders aloud: “How come only women can wear such smooth things?”

This early scene in Armin Wiebe’s play, The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz, sets the stage (pardon the pun) for the rest of the story in two important ways.  First we are introduced to the comedic tone of the play.  And secondly we learn a lot about Obrum’s character. Namely that he will go to any length to fulfill his manly duties.

The basic plot of the play is that Obrum and Susch Kehler are a Mennonite couple living just outside a small town in rural Manitoba.  They have been married for two years but are still without  a child.  Obrum fears that a case of the mumps in his past has made him infertile and Susch is beginning to wonder the same thing.

When Obrum brings an old broken piano into the house, he asks Beethoven Blatz, an eccentric Russian immigrant and gifted musician, to fix the piano and teach Susch to play.  Blatz ends up working on the piano day and night and even lives in their small farm house.  But he spends more time composing his own music than teaching Susch. 

Inspired by Blatz’s imaginings that Susch is his dead Russian lover, Obrum develops a plan.  He wants Blatz to tune more than his piano.  He asks him to impregnate his wife.  However, he does not tell his wife of his plan and there in lies the comedy. 

Obrum gets a carpentry job in town to give Blatz and his wife more time to themselves.  Soon Susch figures out what her husband is up to.  And what is her response you ask?  Does she confront him about it? Does she tear a strip off him for offering her up to this gangly Russian musician?  No.  She has sex with the gangly Russian musician on the piano stool while her husband is away. 

A key part of the plot is uncertainty if the piano stool scene reaches it full climax (if you know what I mean).  Because, midway through Blatz is distracted by the music in his head and he must return to composing.  The next day Obrum returns and the couple make passionate love.  When Susch ends up becoming pregnant soon after it is uncertain who the father is.  After the show during a question and answer period Wiebe said that he particularly like that ambiguity of the story.

It’s a complicated, entertaining comedy that is filled with sexual innuendo and hilarious misunderstandings.  It was also educational for a person like me who knows little of Mennonite culture.  The story also delves deep into the lengths a couple will go to start a family.

The chemistry among the actors was strong and the accents and dialogue rang true.  Wiebe tends to pepper his writing with low-German terms common to early 20^th century rural Manitoba Mennonites.  I have no experience with low-German, however I was able to follow along quite easily most of the time.  It was usually just one German word in a sentence and I could usually infer what was meant.   For example, in Besides God Made Poison Ivy, Wiebe’s original short story that inspired the play there are phrases like:

"it was so schendlich hot that night"

or

"But every few minutes the itch got so gruelich strong he
shrugged himself and schulpsed water all over the floor."

As you can see it does not take too much mental gymnastics to imagine what some of those words might mean.  However, in reading the short story it was easier to make sure that I was not misunderstanding anything because I could go back and review a sentence or two.   But in the play when words are flying by at the speed of speech and the odd German word is thrown in you can get a sense that you may have missed something.  Once or twice the entire crowd was laughing and I was left scratching my head wishing I had studied up on my low-German before the play.  But if I did miss something I just trusted that Wiebe was not going to put too many German words in, for fear of losing his audience.  

Wiebe, who was an instructor in the Creative Communications program, spoke about the play to current Red River College students last week. Wiebe said that he enjoyed the experience of writing, work-shopping, rewriting and rehearsing the play with the actors and director.  “I felt like my play was a trampoline and all these people were jumping on it to see if the springs would hold,” said Wiebe.

The fact that The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz began as the short story, written in 1996, grew into a novel and finally morphed into a play offers some real insight into the length and unexpected route of the creative process.  From a story about a man wearing a skirt while working in the field, to this complex, comedic love triangle. It just goes to show you that you never know where an idea may take you, and you should not be afraid to follow it. 

Soupy out.

My half marathon challenge

I am participating in the Winnipeg Police Service Half Marathon (WPS Half) in just under two weeks - on Sunday May 1.  The WPS Half raises money for the Manitoba Division of the Canadian Cancer Society.  I am hoping to raise $300 for this worthy cause. 

This is my second time running in this event, and to make things a little more interesting I am challenging myself to run the half in under 1:40.  To put it in context, I ran a Hypothermic Half Marathon in February in about 1:47 -read my blog about that race) 

You see, if I fundraise enough money the race organizers will refund my registration fee.  But I have decided that even if I reach my goal of $300, but don't run the 13.1 miles in under 1:40, I will donate that refunded registration fee as well.  Simple right.  Whether you are rooting for me or for the Canadian Cancer Society, everybody wins.

If you are interested in showing your support I will be glad to accept it.  No, I don't need you to run a couple of miles for me.  Nor do I need you to drive the car that will pick me up at an undisclosed location and drive me to the finish line (that is all taken care of).  But if you want to support me and donate to the Canadian Cancer Society just CLICK HERE.

I will update my race and fundraising results with a post-race blog.  Wish me luck.

Soupy out.

The End of a Delicious Love Affair

Well it's official, Tim Hortons and I are officially no longer speaking. Everything was going fine until Wednesday morning when my usually vibrant and lovely coffee looked more drab than usual and was quite stand-offish. Bitter even. I thought at first maybe she just needed some space. So I decided we should spend a little time apart. I spent all of Thursday without even a whiff of her sweet aroma and I purposely stayed away from the Red Rriver College cafeteria in case I somehow found myself standing in line at Tims waiting to see her. But I felt lost without my constant companion.  Without her warm touch on my lips.  Without the excitement I feel after spending just a few minutes with her. Thursday was a long day.

When Friday arrived I could stand it no longer and I tried to make up with her over lunch.   But she still gave me the same blank stare she had given me on Wednesday. I tried to get to the bottom of what was wrong, but nothing. She wouldn't say anything, not even a "sorry try again." I guess our all too short affair is over once again. Until next year my dear, when you will dress yourself in red and yellow, and when I tickle your rim, you will once more offer me promises of sweet fortune, or at least a wish of "better luck next time."  Not just utter silence and a cold, empty stare. 

I guess there is nothing left to say. Goodbye.

Soupy out.

Rick Mercer Trying to Improve Voter Turnout

The federal election is coming up and in jounalism class Crystal, Erica presented our research the lack of political engagement of young adults (18-24 years old) and some things that people like Ricker Mercer are doing to increase voter turnout. 


According to Statistics Canada, General Social Survey from 2008 young adults represent the lowest rate of voter turnout. In the 2008 federal election only 44% of voters aged 18 to 24 cast a ballot. Compared to 70% of voters aged 25 to 54, and 87% of voters over 55. Reasons why young adults are not as likely to go to the polls include lack of motivation, marginalization from mainstream politics and a lack of relevance.


In their 2011 report Youth Electoral Engagement in Canada, Elections Canada looks closely at various youth demographic goups and discusses the likelyhood of voting based on household income, marital status, level of education, religious beliefs and birth country.  For example, based on the results of the study, people aged 18-24 who live in a house that makes over $40,000 per year are 6% more likely to vote than people in a poorer household.  And if an 18-24 year old has some post secondary education they are 9% more likely to vote than someone without.  However, even with post secondary education the voter turnout is still abysmally low.


To improve student voter turnout Canadian Alliance of Student Associations partnered with Rick Mercer.   See his rant below.

Soupy out.

I was over-served at the Moose game and all I got was this lousy hangover.

Below is my journalism assignment from the Manitoba Moose game we went to last Tuesday.  I enjoyed "researching" and writing it. (The names have been changed to protect the intoxicated).  I hope you enjoy reading it.

_______________________________________________________________

“There's the green zone, the yellow zone and the red zone," said Brett Larson during the first intermission of the AHL game Tuesday night.

Larson, a supervisor at Moxie's Classic Grill at the MTS Centre, is not breaking down the offensive zone in the game between the Manitoba Moose and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  He is reciting part of the save hospitality policy that Moxie's staff must adhere to.  The Manitoba Tourism Education Council's website (http://www.mtec.mb.ca/) explains that the Serving It Safe, Responsible Service and Safety Program provides information and training "to help staff and patrons stay safe in licensed establishments" in the Manitoba.  The colour coded zones listed by Larson represent classification levels of customer intoxication.

“People who come in after the Moose game are usually in the yellow zone. They’ve had a couple drinks, they are not quite in that ridiculous state yet (the red zone), but a couple more and they could get there,” said Larson, a Winnipeg native.

“There is always the worry of the (Manitoba Liquor Control Commission) coming in to make sure we’re not over-serving our customers,” said Larson, 27. This could result in fines or liquor license suspension.

At the end of the second intermission Kaleigh Sill is sitting at the Moxie’s bar, a bottle of white wine on ice in front of her. She visits Moxie’s after most home games with her boyfriend. Sill says she has never experienced any problems with people being over-served. “Everyone is here to have a good time. To have fun and get a little rowdy.”

 www.servingitsafe.ca explains that the goal of the program is to reduce alcohol-related problems. “The main concerns are impaired driving and alcohol-related lawsuits against both servers and licensed premises.”

“There is always that issue of people drinking and driving,” said Larson. He often asks customers, after they have had five or six drinks, how they are getting home, because if they are pulled over or crash, “we’re pretty much liable.”

Near the end of the game Mike Timmins is in Moxie’s, sporting a Winnipeg Jets jersey and drinking a beer. Timmins, a corrections officer, usually comes to Moxie’s between periods with friends for a quick drink because the beer is cheaper than at the MTS Centre. “The game tonight was quite awful so we stayed here for the third,” said Timmins.

At the end of the third period the final score is 2-0 for the Penguins.  But at Moxie’s the fourth period is underway, Timmins is going strong and threatening to break into the red zone. “Six beers tonight. And counting.”

________________________________________________________________

Soupy out.

Magazine Hangover

Well we survived the team magazine project.  Terryn, Robert, Anrea and I completed the first (and only) issue of Run WPG, a magazine for local runners about local races, trails and athletes.  Overall the project went well.  We worked well as a team, and got our content done on schedule (I just dropped it off at the printer this evening at quarter to five).  

We struggled most in the consolidating of our material.  Everything looked good individually, but we definitely underestimated the amount of work it would take to bring it all together into one cohesive document.  So we spent a lot of time last week formatting it for the pdf submission to Al on Friday.  Then we foolishly relaxed and took the weekend off magazine work thinking that it would only take an hour or so to pdf it for the printer and run off four copies of our "masterpiece."

Oh how wrong we were.  We put the "finishing touches" on it on Monday afternoon and sent it to the printer that evening.  We prudently ordered a proof and looked it over on Tuesday morning.  Well apparently some of our images were not linked properly and some of our fonts were not outlined and a lot of our text was way too close to the edge of the page.  I believe the term is "creep" -- when the outside pages of the magazine don't have as much space as the middle pages because of the thickness of the fold.  I vaguely remember Al telling us about that in the first week of magazine layout class, but when I realized he wasn't accusing me of "creeping" I tuned out.

So we spent this afternoon reformatting our magazine (when I say "we," I mean Terryn...thank you for putting up with my backseat indesign-ing, Terryn), linking all the pics properly and finalizing the proposal.  I dropped it off at the printers and will pick up the final (no matter what!) version tomorrow morning.

A couple big thankyous have to go out to the non-crecommers that helped us.  Darren Anderson, a good friend of mine, and technical coordinator for Manitoba Marathon, was a big help throughout the magazine project.  And he put me in contact with photographer Brian Hydesmith who was also great.  Aldo Furlan, the subject of one of my feature articles was also very accommodating.  Anrea's contact at Manitoba Runners' Association, Leni Campbell (no relation), also provided us with some great photos.  

See you at the magazine trade fair --Thursday March 31 at RRC Princess Street --the final hurdle of the magazine project. 

Soupy Out

Hypothermic Half Marathon Makes Winter Worthwhile

Well I participated in my first Hypothermic Half Marathon last weekend.  It is a half marathon in the heart of winter that is organized by the Running Room and Fort Whyte Alive.  I first heard about it last year and was quite interested.  In the last few years I have begun to run outside in winter.  I think it first started when I realized that the Assiniboine River trail that stretched all the way from the Forks to Assiniboine Park was merely a five minute jog from my front door.  Having a long trail like that so close to me made it a pleasure to run outdoors.  And the view of the city from the frozen river was a  perspective I rarely get.  So I found myself going for long runs along the river trail over the last few years, sometimes bringing my skates along and skating for part of the way and running on other stretches.  There is something very relaxing about exercising in the snow covered outdoors.  There is also something powerful about knowing that you should be cold but you're not.  Your exercise is what is keeping you warm.  Great motivation to keep moving really. 

So this year I decided to use the Hypothermic Half Marathon as my motivation to stay in shape over the winter. Since I am not playing recreational ice hockey for the first time in about four years I needed something to keep me active in the cold winter months.  And I have made it.  Here it is the first week in March and I am wondering where the cold months went?  I out ran them.  With the impending half marathon getting ever closer I was more concerned about getting in shape for it in January and February than worrying about how cold it was outside.  Whenever I had a free hour or two on the weekend or weeknight I would go for a run.  Often I wouldn't even look at the temperature before going for a run.  That can be a real de-motivator.  I would just judge by the frost on the windows if I needed to wear an extra layer. 

So last Sunday I was well prepared and really enjoyed the beauty of the day and the thrill of a little friendly competition.  Oh and the massive brunch that was served at Fort Whyte afterwards was nice too.  The event was run exceptionally well.  From start to finish.  The trail from Fort Whyte, through Assiniboine Park and back was well marked and well manned by volunteers. This is the only race that the volunteers are worse off than the people running the race.  They often have to stand in one place in minus twenty-something Celsius for up to three hours, probably longer.  I don't know how they do it?  And they manage to stay positive and cheer runners on.  As I ran past them I was applauding them in return, knowing that they probably needed more motivation than I did.  And the cooking and serving staff were friendly, hospitable and very generous with their servings of eggs, bacon, hash browns.  My plate was overflowing yet they still spooned more on at my request. 

Yes all in all it was a great race and a great day.  And training for it actually made for a better winter experience than I have had in many years.  Instead of staying inside and complaining about the cold I got out and used our city in all of it's frozen glory. And here I am in March looking forward to the Winnipeg Police Service Half on May 1st.  I guess I know how I will be spending my free time in March and April.

Soupy out

Twitter, Facebook, PR and Me...and You.

As I explained in a blog post from September 2010, I am pretty old school when it comes to online technology and social networking.  Before Crecomm my social networking consisted of chatting over beer, cheese and salami at the local community club.  If I wasn’t in CreComm I would definitely not be on Twitter and I might not even have a Facebook account. 

As for the difference between Facebook and Twitter:  I think of Facebook as a way of keeping in contact with people I know.  And Twitter is more about getting in contact with people or groups I would like to know.

I mostly use Facebook as a way to keep in touch with friends and family outside of Winnipeg – my brother James in North Carolina and my brother Peter in Indiana. Peter and his wife are expecting another baby at the end of this month and I am sure I will hear about it on Facebook first.  I also have cousins in Ireland and other friends abroad I have met on my travels.

As for Twitter, none of my family, or friends outside of CreComm use Twitter.  (Well that’s not true an Irish friend of mine just started following me on Twitter.)  So I definitely do not use Twitter as a social tool.  In fact I barely use Twitter at all.  I look at my Twitter account once or twice a week. I follow my fellow CreCommers, some news agencies, some TV shows, and people I admire or think are funny like comedians, writers and musicians.   And I only post a message in order to promote my latest blog.  Which, I know is not a good way of building relationships on Twitter. I really need to get on the Twitter bandwagon and use it more regularly and properly…that is interactively.

In terms of strategic use of social networking in PR I think you need to use all the options out there, Facebook and Twitter and mainstream media, because you never know where your audience is getting their information.  As I said most of my friends are not on Twitter.  So an online PR campaign using Twitter to reach a target audience of middle class people in their early thirties that drink beer, play sports, ride the bus, enjoy movies, art, travel and reading would not be very effective in reaching my friends.  Facebook would definitely be a better option.  And mainstream media like online news organizations would be better still.  Having said that I know there are people that fit into the above demographic that are on Twitter.  I just don’t hang out with any of them.  But it makes me wonder if my non-tweeting friends and I are in the minority of our demographic?  Or are we the norm?



Soupy out.

Publishing Options in The Year Two Thousand (...and eleven)

(You have to imagine me singing the title of this blog in a dark room with flashlight shining under my chin.)

The seminars by writers Julie Wilson and Matt Duggan at RRC recently really got me thinking about writing and publishing. (Ok, ok, I know that was the point but that was the best intro I could come up with as I ride the bus home on Friday afternoon.)  I am planning on doing a work of creative writing for my IPP and have not put enough thought into getting it published (frankly I have been too concerned about just completing it to worry about trying to market it). But I did do some research into marketing and it turns out a novella, which is about the maximum sized work we are recommended to undertake, is very difficult to publish. This is because they cost about as much as a full novel to produce, therefore their store price is comparable to a novel. But people don't want to pay as much for a novella as they do for a novel. They feel a little cheated by paying full price for such a skimpy book. (That is unless you are already a published author with an existing fan base- think Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, although I believe he published that in a magazine first.)  

Based on my limited research partnering with other writers to publish a few novellas in one collection, an anthology, is recommended. Sometimes a publisher will find other novellas to include with yours in an anthology, or you can come to them with partners. It would be cool if a few of the Crecommers that are doing creative fiction could partner together to get their stories published. Although I guess they would need a common theme... other than that we are all Crecommers desperate to get our work published. That might be an idea if we decide to do self-publishing. A few novella's by Crecommers packaged together under the Crecomm banner might be a good selling feature, if only to other Crecomm grads. But hey, as we all know, the Crecomm network is vast.

Julie Wilson also inspired me to consider producing podcasts of my story and trying to market those. I have not looked to deeply into that but her discussion of the Best Laid Plans author's shameless yet unobtrusive self-promotion sounded like a skill all Crecommers need to learn.

And of course electronic publishing is something I will seriously consider.The Writer's Relief blog had this to say about e-publishing and novellas:


Because novellas are difficult to market as print novels, they have become very popular in the world of digital publishing. E-publishers are readily taking on novellas of all genres, and readers of e-books are on the rise. In fact, some e-publishers prefer novellas to novels because some readers of electronic formats prefer shorter books—and a good novella can pack a lot of story into a limited number of pages!

Soupy out.

Literary Voyeurs Unite Against the Tyranny of Winnipeg Transit!

The term "literary voyeurism," the inspiration for Julie Wilson's blog Seen Reading, makes snooping on the bus sound so intellectual.  Julie explained the cultural significance of literary voyeurism so eloquently during the seminar at Red River College today.  I tried to explain its cultural value to a middle aged woman on the bus ride home today, but she would hear none of it.  She had some choice words for me when she caught me pretending to drop my glove at her feet so I could kneel down and get a glimpse of the cover of her book. Her verbal assault is too rude to be repeated in this G-rated blog.  My well articulated side of the exchange, however went something like this: 

"Pardon me for staring...there's no need to bring my mother into this...  I'm doing a school assignment.  I'm a literary voyeur....No there' s no medication I take for it.  It's NOT a condition.  It's an intellectual pursuit....well I never!... Fine complain to the bus driver!  I stand by my creative calling.  Oh and before you get up.  Could you just tell me what page you're on."

Luckily I was removed from the bus without too much of a scene.  In fact, I would say overall it was a successful venture.  I got the author and name of the book, and before the bus driver and some "do-gooder" tossed me out into a rather unforgiving snow bank, I managed to tear a few pages from the woman's book.  And so here is my first Seen Reading entry.  (Any future entries will be dependent on whether the bus driver has the authority or the wherewithal to carry out his claim of seeing to it that  I  never ride another bus in Winnipeg again.  To him I say: "More senior members of the Winnipeg Transit Authority have tried and failed to get my bus riding privileges revoked!)  Enjoy.

Number 11 WB Portage Avenue

Caucasian woman, mid to late fifties, over weight, blue jacket with a hood with a furry trim, black pants, purple rubber boots, large glasses that were probably not even fashionable in 1982 when they were purchased or possibly stolen.  She carries a worn denim purse possibly containing a few rolls of quarters or some other hefty item that left a significant goose egg over my eye.

The Narrows, Michael Connelly (Warner Books)

Page 222:

My blood started to jump in my veins.  Clear, Nevada.  I had never been there but I knew it was a town of brothels and whatever community and outside services are spawned by such businesses.  I knew of it because on more than one occasion in my career as a cop I had traced suspects through Clear, Nevada.  On more than one occasion a suspect who voluntarily surrendered to me in Los Angeles reported that he had spent his last few nights of freedom with the ladies of Clear, Nevada.

Sometimes she thought about Fred.  He had sworn that he would be back.  She still remembers him promising.  He was cowered on the kitchen floor by the cabinets, blubbering.  She held the rolling pin high over her head.  She normally drove cross country with him, to keep an eye on him, but he was going south that time.  And since her run in with that US marshal in St. Cloud she could not cross the border.  So she let him go.  They needed the money.  But the son of a bitch never came back.  It had been almost twenty years and she still thought about him.  Hopefully he died in a fiery wreck, caught Chlamydia, or both.   

Soupy out

Darth Vader Masters the Force of Advertising

Here is a cute and funny Volkswagen ad.  A very effective commercial, which is something we are always struggling toward in Ad class.  (I can just imagine my Star Wars obsessed nephew under the Vader costume.)  It's also a good example of a video montage (which we have to do for our media production class later this month) on a shoestring budget.  And it's a great example of a dialogue-free script (which we are required to do for a creative writing assignment this week).  Enjoy.

Soupy out.

Winnipeg Novelist Michael Van Rooy Dies

I was surprised and saddened to hear of the death of Winnipeg writer Michael Van Rooy yesterday.  The CBC reported that he died of an apparent heart attack in Montreal while promoting his latest novel, A Criminal to Remember.  It was his third novel in the crime series about ex-con Monty Haaviko.

When I heard the story on the radio they lead with the fact that a well known Winnipeg crime fiction author had passed away.  I assumed to hear the name of some writer from seventies or eighties I had never heard of that had not published anything recently and had been battling an illness for years.  When they named Van Rooy, 42, in the next sentence I was shocked.  Not only did I know of his award winning work, I actually spoke with him at a book signing in November and blogged about it.  He seemed at ease and humble behind the small desk in McNally Robinson.  He was soft spoken, helpful and very encouraging.  I left with a signed copy of his book and a sense of inspiration to pursue my interests in writing.  I read the signed copy of his book, An Ordinary Decent Criminal over Christmas break. When I spoke to him in November the film adaptation of the book was in preproduction.

On mbwriter.mb.ca Michael wrote this about writing: 
Writing has become simply what I do. The never-to-be-perfected art of putting pen to paper and creating plots and characters is the most challenging and satisfying endeavor I have ever found. In my writing I am motivated by many things, the desire to give a voice to people who are unheard, the desire to write the truth and the desire to simply explore. These are all equally important and they all lead me to the belief that there is no end to the craft of writing, there will always be something for me to explore.

Michael Van Rooy was a man who had a troubled past and even did time in Stony Mountain Penitentiary.  But in recent years he was doing what he loved: writing.  And he was very successful and influential in the short career that he had.  He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, readers and all others he inspired.

Soupy out.

The Line Up Saves My Night From Nicolas Cage

The Line Up is that tiny restaurant on the peninsula of property where Albert Street and Arthur Street meet at Bannatyne.  Right beside Cinematheque.  Anyways I went there after a late Friday evening at school.  I had just finished my Blog about how I was going to break free from the shackles of CreComm and start to enjoy the culture offered by the historical Exchange District.  OK so maybe The Line Up doesn't quite justify 'National Historic Site' status (yet) but what can I say, I was motivated and hungry after my ranting.
 
I met a friend who works in the area and we decided to partake in The Line Up's great offer of Dinner and a Movie.  The deal is you pay $11 for an entree, a regular drink and admission to movie at Cinematheque, Towne 8, The Globe, or even IMAX.  YOU CAN NOT BEAT THAT!

But I am getting a little carried away.  Why am I singing the praises of this Exchange District mainstay?  This is not purely a plug for the 'little diner that could.'  There is a point but you need some more back story.  You see after enjoying a delicious dinner my friend and I walked over to Towne 8 where we had our pick of only a couple of BAD movies: Little Fockers and The Season of the Witch.  (Next time I get the Dinner & a Movie deal I will check what's playing first.)  We checked the online reviews to which were not very flattering.  Daily Nexus compared Nicolas Cage's Season of the Witch to Monty Python and the Holy Grail... "but without any jokes and worse special effects."  But as true Winnipeggers we did not want to waste our free movie ticket.  So we chose bad action (Witch) over bad comedy (Fockers).  In hindsight we regretted our decision.  Season of the Witch was complete crap.  We should have gone to the King's Head for some live music instead.

Now back to The Line Up.  After the credits rolled we were walking out, trying to forgive ourselves for sitting through such crap, when I suddenly realized that I had left my school bag at The Line Up. My bag contained my lap top and memory stick with all of the year's assignments.  So needless to say I was a little worried. 

We rushed back to the restaurant but it was closed. So I called and left a message and even emailed their website. The following morning, after a sleepless night of imagining the worst, I got on the bus and headed back to the Exchange (a very depressing bus ride on a Saturday morning: "This is supposed to be my day off!").  When I got there I spoke with a cashier.  My bag was safely stored behind the counter.  When I got it back I thanked her profusely and quickly checked it.  Everything was there.  Phew!

So thank you to the Line Up's trustworthy staff and clientele.  You have restored my faith in mankind, which was very shaky indeed after realizing that many millions of people can suffer at the hands of just one man. See: Nicolas Cage's film career.

By the way here is a little excerpt from Monty Python's Holy Grail.  Funny, and amazing special effects! Cage could learn a thing or two from these guys.

Soupy out.





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Culture Right Under My Nose

Cre8ery Gallery is right across the William Avenue from the Red River College's Princess Street Campus.  In fact I can see it right now as I sit in the computer lab writing this blog.  The brown brick building typical of Exchange district architecture used to be a factory and was converted into a gallery by the Cre8ery co-owners Jordan Miller and Shawn Berard in 2006/2007.  The art supplies store on the main floor faces the William street exit of the our lovely building.  Maybe you have noticed it.  Owner Shawn Berard says that a lot of the Graphic Design students take advantage of their 40% off nights on the first Friday of every month.  The gallery entrance is just around the corner on Adelaide. 

I visited the gallery as part of a Projector story I was doing on First Fridays in Winnipeg's Exchange.  (In case you did not know First Fridays are A free year-round once-a-month event in the Exchange District & its' borders when Artists & Galleries -along with cafés and small businesses- open their doors to the public every first friday of each month from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m ...and later.)  And the thing that stuck me about Cre8ery was how close it is to our campus and the fact that I had no idea it was there.   There are a lot of great little restaurants and shops and galleries in the Exchange, or so I hear, but they can be very hard to find if you don't know where to look. That is part of the charm of this little part of Winnipeg... I guess. 

I remember during my first week of CreComm walking around the Exchange telling myself that this is where I will be spending the next two years of my life.  And I was glad.  It is a great part of town.  The old buildings inspire creativity and romantic notions.  I imagined myself finding all the little 'hole in the wall' shops and restaurants.  Saw myself checking out underground bands and alternative art shows.  I would be immersed in the culture of the Exchange.

Five months later and I am no more immersed in the culture of the Exchange than I was in September.  Sadly when I do venture from the sanctity of this womb of recycled brick and steel that we call the Exchange District Campus I am either running to get to class, running to catch a bus or running to get a drink at the King's Head.  (And I went to the King's Head plenty before I went to school here so I can't even include that under the "broadening my horizons" category.) 

Don't let yourself get blinded to the beauty that surrounds us here in the Exchange.  Venture out of the building on lunch hour some times.  Find a new coffee shop or cafe that you have not tried yet.  And hey if you need some artistic inspiration I encourage you to check out Art-i-peg at Cre8ery.  It is literally less than a one minute walk from the William St. RRC doors.  There is some great Winnipeg inspired art being displayed there.  The last day is Wednesday the 18th.  Catch it before it is too late. 

It is truly scary how school work can envelope your existence.  I for one have had the CreComm blinders on for too long!  No more!  I will tear them off and see again for the first time.  I will soak in the uniqueness of these historical surroundings.  I will wrap myself in the banners of art and entertainment that decorate this district.  I will live, damn it!  I will live!

Soupy out

Blogging After the Holiday Hangover

If you are like me you probably spent too much time partying with your friends and eating with your family this holiday season (and of course spending quality time with all of them).  After three and a half months of overworking my brain in my first term of Creative Communications, I effectively turned my grey-matter-muscle off for the three week break.  However, my guzzling, gulping and gorging muscles were in marathon mode.  It was a great holiday.  That was well deserved.  Or so I keep telling myself, but failing to convince my guilty conscience.  I had so much down-time.  Surely I could have got a head start on my IPP proposal.  Or prepped my communications portfolio for the summer job hunt.  Or researched the local magazine market in order to find a niche for my term 2 project.  I didn't even blog (I was going to blog about the Weakerthans show I went to but somehow it never got done...amazing show by the way).

Even now as I type this, the Blogger website feels unfamiliar.   And I feel guilty.  It looks up at me like a sad puppy after I have left it alone in the house for too long.  I try to convince it that I am not a horrible master: "Souppppyy.  Come here. Come here.  Well I know I was gone for a while, little buddy.  But I'm back.  Did you think that I was gone for good?  No I would never leave you."  

So in order to get back in good favour with this little guy I decided to take him for a little walk around the blog.  And just a hundred words in he is looking up at me lovingly again, having forgotten about being abandoned for three weeks. "Good boy."

Soupy out.