GENERATION Y-NOT
Columnist Jill Ellsworth says local filmmaker changed her creative outlook.
As a writer, one of my biggest flaws has always been keeping a wall around my work and the process that goes along with it.
It’s not something that I’m proud of, and I realize that opening up to other creators is beneficial in many ways, but nonetheless it’s something I still struggle with. This column is inspired by someone who changed my outlook on the creative process, and allowed people a glimpse at his hilarious and amazing, though sometimes bizarre, creative genius.
I met Fritz Bishop during my third or fourth year at Cape Breton University. Being part of such a small group in the English department, we found ourselves in a few of the same classes and I was captivated by his seemingly bitter, yet hilariously, insightful views on literature. I couldn’t put a finger on whether he was more of a “write drunk, edit sober” Hemingway type, or a spontaneously radical Kerouac type, but whatever it was I knew I enjoyed his perspectives on writing and felt challenged to keep up.
Even as I write this, I’m increasingly aware of my tone, wondering if he’ll get a laugh out of these comparisons. Without knowing it, Fritz challenged me to become a better writer, and I will always appreciate him for that. But by now he’s probably thinking “stop stalling and get to the part about me, damn it,” so here it goes.
On Saturday, Fritz’s second feature-length film will be screening at the Highland Arts Theatre. Grim is a surrealist dark comedy that will both make you cringe and laugh out loud. It’s a best-of-both-worlds combination that is guaranteed to please your twisted mind. Filmed over nine days in the summer of 2017 with a cast and crew of more than 60 volunteers, Grim is presented in a mockumentary format similar to classic Canadian independent films like Bruce MacDonald’s “Hardcore Logo,” Michael Dowse’s “Fubar,” and Mike Clattenberg’s “Trailer Park Boys” says Fritz.
In his own words, “Grim explores themes of arrested development, substance abuse, and identity with the same shocking, crude humour and raw tragedy that audiences have come to expect from the Tar City Productions crew.”
Tar City Productions was founded in 2016 by Fritz and Kenzie Cameron who met through CBU professor Sheila Christie. Sheila went on to produce Tar City’s first feature film “Bigsby” through her non-profit organization, iCreate Cape Breton. Deriving its name from the notorious Sydney tar ponds, Tar City Productions is the culmination of hard work, grit, and a unique brand of humour possible only in a community built around hazardous waste. All of Tar City’s crew members volunteer their time, learning on the fly through first-hand experience, having no professional training prior to Tar City. Fritz says their unique process of trial and error combined with a close-knit crew of creators results in a collaborative environment of trust and co-operation. He says nothing compares to the freedom they have in both content and execution thanks to running their own production company.
If being on the set of a Tar City film sounds like an incredible experience, it’s because it is. Participation in future Tar City projects is open to anyone over the age of 19, and I highly recommend it.
If you’re interested, you can reach Fritz at fritz@tarcity.ca, or by checking out “Tar City Productions” on Facebook.
Is the world of dark local humour piquing your interest yet? Check out Fritz’s masterpiece for yourself at the premiere on Saturday. You might even see a familiar face on the big screen!