Shmanff

SO MUCH TO process here in the Canwest Showrunner Program at Banff.  Much good, much notso. We had a great day today with Rene Balcer, the showrunner for Law & Order.  The ep that I watched today, as well as a few others I've seen recently, were a bit revelatory for me because the show seemed different, and much fresher than I remembered.

Balcer filled in the blanks:  he came in with a mandate to "dirty the frame a bit" which means that they shoot in a looser, more naturalistic style -- which also has implications for lighting.

But there's also a big difference -- though subtle -- in the way they tell their stories. They spend way longer in the teaser, getting to know the people who wind up being the victims.  (HOUSE is probably the vanguard of this trend, still, it's an interesting and profound change to a format that we all probably think of as set in stone; not so...) I was also interested in how they eliminated a few scenes toward the end -- instead of catching a suspect, they cut straight to him in interrogation and merely talked about how he was caught.

Now a lot of the time that would maybe seem like a lame "Canadian style" dramatic compromise. But Balcer argued it was the right scene to cut first, since it's in the home stretch when the ending is in sight, and people are on a tack of figuring out, not needing to see the action. I thought that was a very different way to look at it.  

The pacing was also very different. Not your father's Law & Order.  

Also spent a great hour and change with The New Adventure of Old Christine's creator and showrunner Kari Lizer, who's as warm, funny, present and normal as you'd ever want from someone in this sometimes crazy business.  

Most of the 'wisdom imparted' in these sessions is in camera and off the record sort of stuff, but it was extemely heartening to see and hear workaday knowledge from two people who manage to maintain both their sense of joy and sense of humanity in the business. Inspiring.

Then it was the St. James' Gate after an extended Disco Nap, and various and sundry wonderfuls.  Good to catch up with Maureen Parker,  and KL Ashton, J.J. Johnson, Children's Producer Extraordinaire, making the jump to drama for us old kids; the mighty Will Pascoe, Mike Kiss of the golden voice, writer/performer and bon vivant (and brand new Jeans wearer) Tracy Dawson, Montreal writer Cynthia Knight and the Heroic Film Company's secret weapon Jennifer Morrisette. 

And I talked to a real live CRTC guy too...but that, my friends, was just between us girls.   Still, an interesting exchange of viewpoints and passions and concerns and perspectives...smart people in a room -- you can never go wrong.  Well. Sometimes with booze. But not tonight.

The trend at Banff this year?  Cheap.  Crackers and cheese at receptions.  The Banff Bag looks more like a recycled cat.  You can't find a coffee anywhere. And today, we were reduced to scarfing saltines at 4pm for some sustenance.   It's kind of like "Survivor" but without the challenges.

Oh and there were awards too. 

Tomorrow is a session with BSG's Ron Moore.  Must set my geek to "low."

For more Banff Insight, check out Will Dixon's post here.