I've been a producer for The Shooting Eye for about 6 years now and this was definitely my most important and exciting job to date. I went to the TV fest on advice and okay, a good push from Jacqueline Norton of the Hamilton Film Office. She said: "It was important that I go - it's a must!" And I'm glad we took her advice.

Day one was terrifying.

I attended the "Rookies in the Rockies" seminar hosted by Joe Novak (moderator of the event) and it was the best thing I could have ever done. The panel included spokespersons from large networks that shared their best advice - what to pitch, how to pitch - WHAT NOT to pitch, know who you're pitching to, and to make sure you can take NO for an answer. The people that stood out were Rob Hardy from the CTV, Michael Claydon from the CBC and Jennifer Connolly from A&E. Joe recapped everything and concluded with have fun and drink plenty! That's an understatement - more to follow on that topic.

I attended my first official social function that was hosted by the CBC. There seemed to be 10,000 people in this large ballroom in the springs but I believe it was more like only 1,000. Either way, I was nervous as hell and felt very lost. This lovely lady came right up to me and said, "You look nervous as hell... Relax - my name is _____________ " (I forget her name because I was so nervous) but she gave me her suite number and told me that I could visit anytime. She was with the Yukon Film office and she had a team of producers with her and it was their first time, but not hers!

I then wandered around aimlessly sipping my glass of white wine - maybe red... Again the nerves, I can't remember. I was standing by this huge potted plant nestled between 5 groups of people getting ready to make my great escape because I couldn't handle it anymore - when all of a sudden this guy comes barrelling through the leaves of the potted plant and almost right into me! I couldn't stop laughing - it looked like something right out of a Seinfeld episode! He nearly knocked the plant over. We started talking immediately - once the laughter subsided. His name was Andrew Marley-Clarke, a writer, producer from BC and guess what, it was his first time to Banff too! Boy was I relieved - I made my first friend. We gabbed about how impressed we were with the Springs, with the conference, with the amount of people there and oh yeah, then we talked about why we were there - our projects we were pitching. He told me he had this cool interactive concept called "Drinking Buddies". He was right, it was cool! I told him I was there for a documentary I produced about a rare form of motorcycle racing, sidecar racing - an extreme sport where I spent two years following around some pretty crazy folks who are adrenaline junkies!

That evening we met up again in the hotel lobby (yes, we were staying in the same complex) and introduced our families - my hubby and his brother-in-law (who was his business partner). Later on the four of us hooked up again at the mecca of the TV festival - The St. James Pub. Wow, was this place THE place to be. Anyone you saw that day at the conference was crammed in at the St. James that night.

Day two was just as unnerving - my first official "pitch" session was lunch with a fellow from the BBC, Nick Fraser. He was more posh and proper than the Queen! Also, Nick was super cool. We chatted about England - the beer and the chocolate - okay, I brought up those subjects... Nick absolutely loved my pitch, as sidecar racing is huge in Europe - it's kinda like Nascar! He told me flat out that my documentary had no place in his segment "Storyville" (which is more political, world issues) however, he advised me to send it to the BBC c/o himself and he would forward it on to his colleagues at the Beeb (Shooting Eye's new nickname for the BBC).

That evening I attended the E! Banff Television Awards Show and Reception with hubby in tow (although not a delegate, you are allowed to bring guests at an additional cost to most social events). By this time we both had recognized some familiar faces from the day/night before... ahh, the St. James!

The highlight of the show was KIM CATRALL! That's right folks Samantha was there, in the flesh!! I honestly think I was more excited than hubby. C'mon, ladies, let's admit - she is awesome and her character on SATC is even just a little better : ) Unfortunately, I couldn't get close enough to get a word or photo. After the awards show we waited out front for a cab to you guessed it, the St. James. While waiting I spotted Jennifer Connolly, the woman from A&E who spoke so nicely and warmly to us Rookies at the seminar the day before. She was wearing these really cool red high heels and I had to comment, "Jennifer, I love your shoes!" I told that I wanted to get a pair of red shoes for this week so whenever I got nervous and scared I could click my heels together and say, "There's no place like home". She laughed and thanked me for letting her know how well she spoke on the panel. My hubby decided it was a good idea to show her the plastic A&E logo he stole from our table during the awards reception. I thought I was going to faint - she, being the cool chic that she is, said, "Hang on to that, that's going to be a collector's piece - our logo is changing!" White wine and the St. James and more friends... Simon from Ottawa - who's mom made him go to Banff, designed his business cards and made him pay for the whole trip with the leftover OSAP cash from his film school. Andrew a producer from AB, Jenny and Josh writers from BC and of course Andrew, my first friend and his bro Russell. Forgot to mention the evening was hosted by Arisa Cox who joined in the fun (and drinking) at the St. James.

Funny note... At the St. James I spoke to Rob Hardy from CTV and it was, well a little foggy. It was the end of the night, lots of white wine later... and I couldn't remember anything we had discussed. But I woke up the next day and asked my hubby if he remembers what I said to the cute guy from the CTV - he laughed and called me a piss tank. I did have Rob's card though so it must've gone well!

Day three - I was a pro!!! No seriously, talking to people was a breeze. I was pitching my doc to anyone that would listen and I already got a bit of a reputation - Steel Town Girl, Sidecar Chick or Paul's wife! No joke, people were coming up to me looking for him because they had met outside and were chatting about his motorcycle racing, etc... Smoking is the key to networking - so is the St. James! I did have one "pitch session" that didn't go so well. In a word, the two ladies I met with told me that they believe the production company I work for has bit off more than we can chew for our next project - a feature film (action, drama - heavy on the action, think Fast and Furious) about sidecar racing. They were polite but very sure of themselves that we couldn't do it. I thanked them for their honesty and left there not rejected but greatful for that. I had more fuel in my fire than I ever had. It motivated me more than ever to succeed....and I can't wait to follow up with them in a year or two and ask them, "Did you hear that? That was me SWALLOWING!" Oh, and I will definitely be approaching them for distribution of said film : )

Back to the St. James, more friends, more fun!

Day four - I woke up sad (and hungover) - because this was not only my last day in the Rockies but my last day at the TV fest too. I was having such a blast meeting people, and partying and even pitching my project. My first, and sniff, last appointment was with the CBC (the CEEB as we at the Shooting Eye now call it) and that went well too. Very similar to the Beeb - the doc wasn't a fit for Michael Claydon's "Doc Zone" however, he told me which colleague to contact when forwarding a promo copy on to his office.

As I was walking outside of the springs feeling like I was triumphant - lots of good meetings, good friends, good connections and good partying - I was a lot sad - sniff, sniff, the fun was over... Then I smacked right into hubby, who was waiting outside the conference room, smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer and introducing me to yet someone else he had met while "waiting for me again".

It was a great experience on so many levels - I neglected to mention that in between meetings and partying - Paul and I managed to take in much sight seeing, hiking, and scenic driving! We saw elk, big horn sheep and deer. We visited Lake Louise, Morraine Lake (my new personal piece of heaven on earth), Lake Minnewanka, Johnston Canyon, etc, etc.

Banff, was truly the best of all worlds for me: my business life, my spiritual life and yes, my love life! If only it could always be sooo good. So, I have decided I will try and capture some of that magic again next year at the Banff World Televison Festival 2009.

Wtih hubby in tow, and loads of experience and familiar faces, I think it'll be even better than the first time. Doesn't everything get better over time and with more practice. The more you do it, the better it gets... Hey, am I sounding like Samantha???

 

Written by Kelly Carney

Most recently Kelly produced the documentary Sidecar: The Race 2 Road America

Email Kelly