CBC blocked in China, Meet the Producers (NFB)

Recently, I was pleased to be invited to attend a meeting with some of the upper management of the National Film Board. They were interested in updating new filmmakers as to how they select ideas, and what type of creative approaches attract their interest.

The meeting, organised by Heather, and including Silva, the NFB's Executive Producer, as well as Terry and Leah, their Creative Producers, began with an overview film, then some presentations and finally a question and answer feedback session.

I asked the final question of the day as to whether the NFB could put me in touch with a filmmaker who would be in a wheelchair, and could share my perspective? Silva mentioned that most were located in B.C., but that one of NFB's mandates this year was to develop disabled filmmakers, or promote documentaries from a disabled perspective here in this part of the country.

I then briefly explained my project and she seemed quite interested.

A good friend of mine, Rod, was born with Spina Bifida,in a Japanese internment camp in British Columbia, over 60 years ago and has lived his life in a chair. His story and those of similar people from all 6 continents, are stories that need to be told!

I also met some great contacts, Joseph, a composer and member of the Toronto Rotary club...Rashmi, originally from India, who is an Event Coordinator and Producer, and Gurbeen, who invited me to her Indie Arts festival which will be promoting a disabled theme!

What a great day and such enthusiasm ... thanks to you all !!

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On another note, I see that the CBC president is complaining to China about the fact that CBC has been blocked and that Canadians and others cannot get their message through!!

The irony is that the same thing has happened to me BY THE CBC, as I have not been able to get on TV, radio or a mention on their website....

http://travelsinabluechair.blogspot.com/2008/03/mention-on-bbcs-ouch-podcast-nada-at.html

I guess that the world has a way of evening things out ? CBC will find that being powerless against a large organization is no fun at all, and in this day and age, everyone, even disabled people, need to get their message out.