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Winnipeg film takes early award at Hot Docs festival
Wednesday May 01st 2013Winnipeg producer Merit Jensen Carr’s trip to the Hot Docs festival in Toronto is already paying off.
The film she produced, Special Ed, won the Don Haig Award, a prize worth $10,000. The nod came the day Special Ed premiered, and honours an independent producer who has entered a feature-length film in the event.
Filmmaker John Paskievich describes the subject of his film, Ed Ackerman, as a dreamer. “Ed is the most unique personality that I’ve ever met. He has a very obstinate, contrarian nature. Nothing stops Ed. He’s interested in everything. He looks at the world like a buffet. He always says he has a large plate and he always samples everything.”
Paskievich first met Ackerman 25 years ago when they were working at the National Film Board. During his time there, Ackerman wanted to create teaching tools for teachers and students and began working on an animation project about the alphabet.
Paskievich learned that Ackerman had always had trouble spelling, which gave him an idea for his own film project. “He was wanting to help kids spell because nobody helped him. And I thought this would make a nice sweet film.”
When Ackerman lost his job with the National Film Board, he decided to raise funds himself to continue the animation project. But Paskievich’s documentary took a turn when his main subject suddenly directed his energies into another project.
Over the next three years cameras followed Ackerman as he purchased three derelict houses and attempted to renovate them with no money or experience. He battled police and city officials who wanted the houses torn down and even decorated one of the houses with larger-than-life letters of the alphabet.
Does Paskievich think Ackerman will ever finish the animation project that was the original focus of the documentary? “I reserve comment,” he says.
“As in all things it’s important to have a sense of balance. Ed’s gone over to one side. He’s almost possessed with finishing the animation project. As a result, various other things in his life suffered: his relationship with his [3] wives, his kids, his economic well-being absolutely, and his friendships.”
After its debut in Toronto, Special Ed will have a showing in Winnipeg. “I’ll invite the mayor and the chief of police,” Paskievich laughs.
Source: CBC news
Front Page, Industry News
Winnipeg film takes early award at Hot Docs festival
Wednesday May 01st 2013Winnipeg producer Merit Jensen Carr’s trip to the Hot Docs festival in Toronto is already paying off.
The film she produced, Special Ed, won the Don Haig Award, a prize worth $10,000. The nod came the day Special Ed premiered, and honours an independent producer who has entered a feature-length film in the event.
Filmmaker John Paskievich describes the subject of his film, Ed Ackerman, as a dreamer. “Ed is the most unique personality that I’ve ever met. He has a very obstinate, contrarian nature. Nothing stops Ed. He’s interested in everything. He looks at the world like a buffet. He always says he has a large plate and he always samples everything.”
Paskievich first met Ackerman 25 years ago when they were working at the National Film Board. During his time there, Ackerman wanted to create teaching tools for teachers and students and began working on an animation project about the alphabet.
Paskievich learned that Ackerman had always had trouble spelling, which gave him an idea for his own film project. “He was wanting to help kids spell because nobody helped him. And I thought this would make a nice sweet film.”
When Ackerman lost his job with the National Film Board, he decided to raise funds himself to continue the animation project. But Paskievich’s documentary took a turn when his main subject suddenly directed his energies into another project.
Over the next three years cameras followed Ackerman as he purchased three derelict houses and attempted to renovate them with no money or experience. He battled police and city officials who wanted the houses torn down and even decorated one of the houses with larger-than-life letters of the alphabet.
Does Paskievich think Ackerman will ever finish the animation project that was the original focus of the documentary? “I reserve comment,” he says.
“As in all things it’s important to have a sense of balance. Ed’s gone over to one side. He’s almost possessed with finishing the animation project. As a result, various other things in his life suffered: his relationship with his [3] wives, his kids, his economic well-being absolutely, and his friendships.”
After its debut in Toronto, Special Ed will have a showing in Winnipeg. “I’ll invite the mayor and the chief of police,” Paskievich laughs.
Source: CBC news
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Front Page, Industry News
Winnipeg film takes early award at Hot Docs festival
Wednesday May 01st 2013Winnipeg producer Merit Jensen Carr’s trip to the Hot Docs festival in Toronto is already paying off.
The film she produced, Special Ed, won the Don Haig Award, a prize worth $10,000. The nod came the day Special Ed premiered, and honours an independent producer who has entered a feature-length film in the event.
Filmmaker John Paskievich describes the subject of his film, Ed Ackerman, as a dreamer. “Ed is the most unique personality that I’ve ever met. He has a very obstinate, contrarian nature. Nothing stops Ed. He’s interested in everything. He looks at the world like a buffet. He always says he has a large plate and he always samples everything.”
Paskievich first met Ackerman 25 years ago when they were working at the National Film Board. During his time there, Ackerman wanted to create teaching tools for teachers and students and began working on an animation project about the alphabet.
Paskievich learned that Ackerman had always had trouble spelling, which gave him an idea for his own film project. “He was wanting to help kids spell because nobody helped him. And I thought this would make a nice sweet film.”
When Ackerman lost his job with the National Film Board, he decided to raise funds himself to continue the animation project. But Paskievich’s documentary took a turn when his main subject suddenly directed his energies into another project.
Over the next three years cameras followed Ackerman as he purchased three derelict houses and attempted to renovate them with no money or experience. He battled police and city officials who wanted the houses torn down and even decorated one of the houses with larger-than-life letters of the alphabet.
Does Paskievich think Ackerman will ever finish the animation project that was the original focus of the documentary? “I reserve comment,” he says.
“As in all things it’s important to have a sense of balance. Ed’s gone over to one side. He’s almost possessed with finishing the animation project. As a result, various other things in his life suffered: his relationship with his [3] wives, his kids, his economic well-being absolutely, and his friendships.”
After its debut in Toronto, Special Ed will have a showing in Winnipeg. “I’ll invite the mayor and the chief of police,” Paskievich laughs.
Source: CBC news
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