Rezolution Pictures of Montreal announced today that principal photography has started on the Showcase Original series MOOSE TV, and will run until early July. The series consists of eight half-hour episodes and is Canada’s first native-produced comedy featuring an all-star native cast, including Adam Beach (Windtalkers) and Nathaniel Arcand (Da Vinci’s City Hall). Director Tim Southam helms. The first season is slated for broadcast on Showcase in early 2007.
When George (BEACH) returns to Moose, his hometown in a remote corner of Quebec, it’s no longer the wholesome town he fondly remembers. George arrives in the bucolic native community after spending 10 years of hard living in Toronto. Not long after his arrival, he lock-picks his way into an abandoned local television studio. A natural leader with big dreams, George decides to revive the old abandoned station. He convinces his childhood pal and the town’s local fix-it guy (who fixes mostly toasters) Clifford (ARCAND) to lend his technical expertise to run the studio. George makes the station his new hobby and passion. With the flick of a transmitter switch MOOSE TV comes alive, and so do the residents that inhabit the tiny, isolated former mining community.
Soon, townsfolk are lining up with their ideas for television shows. Among them is Joan Littlebear Whitney (DIANE FLACKS), who proposes a kids’ show called “Me and My Beaver,” co-starring Beaver, a brazen activist sock-puppet. Meanwhile, Alice (JENNIFER PODEMSKI), the promiscuous older sister of prim and reserved station manager Robin (MICHELLE LATIMER), has just hitched a ride into Moose with gallant and corrupt mayor Gerry Keeshig (GARY FARMER)—who also happens to be George’s father. There is some “history” between them that could threaten George’s grand plans for his “teevee” success. Gerry gets his hapless sidekick Leonard (BILLY MERASTY) to spy and report on what’s going on at MOOSE TV. It’s just an ordinary day in a small, sleepy town where nothing ever really happens… or so it seems.
MOOSE TV: Television for the people, by the people, run by a bunch of misfits escaping the greater world. Most of the populace living in Moose, PQ, are native people who live by and respect the Old Ways. There are others, including Mayor Gerry Keeshig, who have decided that profit trumps culture and community. It doesn’t take long before all hell breaks loose, family rivalries escalate, old and new ways collide, and secrets start to be revealed. It’s all captured from the single camera unit of MOOSE TV. In a small town like Moose, that has a bigmouth like Beaver, nothing remains secret for long.
“We are thrilled to entrust the vision of this comedy series to the expertise and talent of director Tim Southam who, along with an extraordinary cast and crew, are dedicated to making a series that’s funny and entertaining, and will show a side to Native people that is rarely represented,” said Ernest Webb, Moose TV’s co-creator and Executive Producer. “We have also developed a ‘Directors in Training Program’ for three upcoming directors from the aboriginal community who will have the unique opportunity to learn, train and gain experience in a professional setting. It is our hope that this initiative will open new doors for Native people in the TV and movie industry,” added Webb.
Rezolution Pictures (Moose TV) Inc. producers have put together a knockout cast from the native community and beyond. The cast includes Adam Beach (Clint Eastwood’s upcoming Flags of Our Fathers, John Woo’s Windtalkers), Nathaniel Arcand (Da Vinci’s City Hall, North of 60, Johnny Tootall, the upcoming Pathfinder directed by Marcus Nispel), Gary Farmer (One Dead Indian, Disappearances, Doomstown Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man), Michelle Latimer (This Is Wonderland, Naked Josh) and Jennifer Podemski (One Dead Indian, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Moccasin Flats). Joining them are gifted comedian Diane Flacks (Walter Ego, P.R., Sibs) and Billy Merasty (The New World, The Big White). All native characters are portrayed by native actors.
The comedy series is helmed by award-winning director Tim Southam (One Dead Indian, The Bay of Love and Sorrows, The Tale of Teeka, Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making). Paul Quarrington, acclaimed author (Galveston, Whale Music) and screenwriter (Due South, John Woo’s Once a Thief, Power Play, Perfectly Normal), is the Executive Story Editor.
MOOSE TV, Canada’s first ever native-produced comedy series, created and executive produced by Ernest Webb and Catherine Bainbridge, is a Rezolution Pictures (Moose TV) Inc. production in association with Showcase (an Alliance Atlantis network). The Producers are Christina Fon and Linda Ludwick; Megan Thorne is the Associate Producer. Michelle McCree is Showcase’s Production Executive overseeing the series. Rachel Fulford is Director, Original Production for Showcase.
Joining the production team are Line Producer Michel Siry (The Sum of All Fears, Thirty-two Short Films about Glenn Gould), D.O.P. Daniel Jobin (The Hanging Garden, Lilies), First A.D. Anne Murphy (Bon Cop, Bad Cop), Art Director Donna Noonan (Gemini-nominee for Bliss), Costume Designer Claire Nadon (One Dead Indian), Editor Philippe Ralet (Naked Josh, Le Négociateur) and Set Decorator Suzanne Cloutier (Lucky Number Slevin).
MOOSE TV was made possible with the financial participation of Showcase Television (Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting Inc.), Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Television Fund’s Equity Investment and Licence Fee Programs created by the Government of Canada and the Canadian cable industry, the Quebec Tax Credit Program administered by SODEC and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
Rezolution Films International is an Aboriginal-owned film and video production company with a reputation for heart and excellence. It is one of Canada’s leading lights in social issue documentary, covering subjects such as contemporary aboriginal culture, environmental protection and gay parenting. The company’s documentary productions include, Cree Spoken Here (2001); One More River (2004); Heavy Metal: A mining disaster in Northern Quebec (2004); APTN’s top rated six-part television series, Absolutely Cree – DAB IYIYUU (2003); Absolutely Aboriginal – DAB IYIYUU (2004), and Mohawk Girls (2004). Mommy! Mommy!, a documentary that follows the trials and tribulations of future gay parents, is slated for broadcast on CBC’s The Lens.