Musivision Films

My Hat and Me Lost in Occupied Territory Hebron. Here I am with sun hat while in Israel for Musivision's pitch for I Spy My Father. Chosen as the Canadian Delegation in Israel 16th Co-Pro Documentary Screen Market.

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Me and my BIG hat. LOST IN "OCCUPIED" territories - my hat occupied most of the space this afternoon.

Was a bit freaky. The hat not quite right...fearing for my life somewhat and still looking like a dusty shop window - funny in a paradoxical way - can we call Hebron a "tourist trap?" where "death" is merely a rumour?

I like hats and I usually sport a few at any given film festival or conference: as a video camera person, journalist, filmmaker, producer. And now the latest to the collection is as animation film festival director Animaze. (more on that later...)

All of this can be loaded with excitement or complete disaster if one does not tread carefully stay focussed on the type of festival and the agenda - industry and social side. Sometimes just letting go is the best way to allow for a spontaneous meeting for which could never be planned nor pre-arranged ahead of time. Just ask me like a tour of Hebron where I lost my group and had a tense moment unsure of where to go or who to follow...sometimes a new hat brings along a great story and a solid film idea.

I Spy My Father is now in followup stage after a full week of pitching to Israel Broadcasters and producers. Some film commissioners included Nick Fraser of the BBC Arte France, Claire Aguilar ITVS among the who's who in documetary film commisioners.  Other Canadians included Pat Ferns of Ferns Productions as pitch forum guru and moderator. Peter Raymont of White Pine Pictures, James Weyman of Ontario Media Development Corporation, Ed Barreveld of Storyline Entertainment Elizabeth Radshaw from Hot Docs International Documentary Festival.

The key to choosing the right hat is to know who's coming and where you're going. Also ask the weather man check out the map and see which part of the equator you'll be travelling to next. On the buzz buzz side ask for meetings, attend conferences which also help with the hat collection. Glamour and cocktail parties are the flavours of such events and are a mechanism which allows people to relax, be themselves and to talk shop without a specific agenda. :) Sometimes a party is not what is seems and a good hat to block the sun is really very practical. But next time I'll try army green. And yes I do have much more to share about this very amazing experience. Next blog!