That beautiful government cheque

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith poses with the film makers working on That Beautiful Somewhere. (L-R)Director Rob Budreau, Smith, executive producer Bill Plumstead and producer Ian Murray. Photo by Phil Novak, BayToday.ca.

Bill Plumstead says That Beautiful Somewhere is a film “about the North, made in the North, for the North.”

But Plumstead knows the film has got to be sold in the south to make it successful.

Thirteen years ago the Nipissing University English professor wrote the novel That Beautiful Somewhere has been based on.

Now it’s in the hands of up and coming Toronto director Rob Budreau, who adapted the book and has been filming it in North Bay and Temagami for the last month or so.

The enthusiasm
The film makers received a boost Friday when Nipissing MPP Monique Smith announced a $400,000 grant for the production from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

“Bill wrote the story a while back and came to see me 16 to 18 months ago about the project, and what a great idea he had and what a big vision he had,” Smith said during the announcement, which was held at the Pro Cathedral of Assumption, where several scenes are being shot.

“And I’d have to say the enthusiasm caught on.”

Plumstead said the grant, which had already been factored into the budget, helped him realize the vision.

“When you put yourself into the career of filmmaking, you need a little money on the table,” Plumstead said.

Principal photography for the film, which stars Roy Dupuis and Jane McGregor, will likely wrap up today.

“At this time of year the weather is completely unpredictable,” producer Ian Murray said.

“We are very fortunate to be wrapping-up on time.”

Any smaller
For the past three weeks North Bay has become a sort of Hollywood North, with many city locations forming the backdrop of That Beautiful Somewhere. The Ontario Northland Railway, interiors of Algonquin Secondaire, Northeast Mental Health Centre, the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption, and many public areas such as roadways and parks were used.

North Bay residents also allowed film crews into their homes to stand in for offices, dwellings and hospital settings including the Senator Gordon Heritage Home on Copeland Street.

The film has been budget at $1.7 million, said Plumstead, who’s also executive producer.

“I hope it won’t get any bigger, but it won’t get any smaller,” Plumstead said following the announcement.

“We figure we’re needing about between $700,000 to $800,000 more.”

Nice bit of coin
Plumstead admits inclement weather caused the film to go “slightly” over budget.

“I think we’ll be okay, though, because our private investors have been very supportive of this film,” Plumstead said.

“There are two or three who have put in a nice bit of coin and if there are any more budget problems I think they’ll come to our aid.”

Still without the Grant, Plumstead said, “we would have really been in trouble.”

Mass appeal
That Beautiful Somewhere will be shopped at at least five film festivals between August 2006 and January 2007, Plumstead said.

He sees it having mass appeal.

“I think this film has what it takes to go all over the world, it’s not a parochial film at all,” Plumstead said.

“We’re looking for distribution around the world.”

Germany has been mentioned as a strong market, Plumstead said.

“The Germans really love the sort of Aboriginal content and I think it will do well probably in Japan,” Plumstead said.

“I hope it will do well in Canada, but Canadians don’t particularly support Canadian films very well. But I’m hopeful we’ll have something that they like and that they’ll want to see.”

Then there’s the big enchilada, Plumstead said.

“We’ll definitely have American distribution.”

But the film won’t be in the theatres anytime soon, Plumstead said.

“It will probably be January 2007 before that happens.”

That Beautiful Somewhere notes:

- Lead actor, Roy Dupuis spent his early childhood in Kapuskasing and became famous worldwide for his starring role in the hugely successful La Femme Nikita TV series.

- Jane McGregor hails from Vancouver and appears regularly in the CTV series Robson Arms.

- The Gemini-nominated Gordon Tootoosis has starred in countless feature films and television series and is generally acknowledged as the grandfather of Aboriginal actors. Gordon resides in Saskatchewan.

- David Fox has appeared in several stage productions for North Bay’s Nipissing Stage Company.

- Local resident Lindsay Cote former Chief of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai performed alongside his eight-year- old daughter.

- More than 20 local residents have invested in the production of That Beautiful Somewhere.

- Local actors were cast in 24 roles, and hundreds of people were hired as background performers and extras. Over 30 people from the First Nation’s community have been employed as cast and crew.

- The production staff of That Beautiful Somewhere boasts 17 local hires ranging from executive producer, office management, unit manager, location scouts, third assistant directors, and numerous production assistants.

- North Bay has a rich tradition of theatre dating back over 50 years. Many see the establishment of a permanent Production Company in North Bay as a further development of the cultural environment of the city.

- The immediate economic benefit to the Northern Ontario regions of Temagami and North Bay will exceed the $700 thousand mark

- Writer/Director Robert Budreau’s last project Dry Whiskey won the Bravo! Fact Award for best short feature at Cinéfest, Sudbury’s international film festival.