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The Lethbridge Herald
March 20, 2003

Oscar, schmoscar
by Kristen Harding

Three's a crowd, but not when it comes to award nominations.

Local filmmakers George Gallant, Lisa Doolittle and Deric Olsen have each been nominated for an Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association award. Gallant is the veteran of the group - last year his documentary Global Change won the award for best educational program - but Olsen and Doolittle are first-time nominees.

"I am still a bit in shock, I couldn't hardly believe it at first," says Deric Olsen, a new media student at the University of Lethbridge. Olsen's short The Haven, about a Canadian secret agent's mission to stop a terrorist from transporting a biological weapon into the US is up for best student film.

"It is truly an honour to have industry professionals regard me as one the best student filmmakers in the province. I think that win or lose, being able to be recognized at this level will do wonders for my professional relationship with the industry." Olsen plans to attend graduate school but first he's been busy launching his website, www.northboundstudios.com, and working on three new projects.

"(I) have started writing a neo-noir action/thriller tentatively entitled Tarantula (now known as The Phoenix Agenda) and adapting a one-act play by Gavin Williams for a 3D animated short film. Also in the works is a coming of age story for two teenage girls set in Waterton in the 1970's."

[George Gallant and Lisa Doolittle excerpt has been removed by request]

The 29th Annual Alberta Film and Television Awards - the Oscars of Alberta - take place April 5 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton and a portion of the ceremony will be televised on A-Channel. For more information visit www.ampia.org.

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