Briefly on Themes and Nationalism

I caught the Caprica premiere, and while I won't stray into an unnecessary review of that, I'd like to touch on the idea of themes.

Caprica's theme is almost definitely identity. We have several characters all in the same situation and all reacting differently. Taurons behave one way, Capricans another. This is before the Colonies united under one nation. In short, if Battlestar Galactica had lingering racism, then Caprica has blatant racism. Zoe Greystone's digital copy is remarkably similar to the eight manufactured cylon models - but for some reason doesn't carry that characteristic of true autonomous identity. Kind of like a Pinocchio while he was just a freshly cut tree.

That being said it raises a lot of interesting questions that I'm sure you'll have raised yourself upon watching. What I'm here to talk about is the main theme of 'Soundtrack'.

Nationalism:

Questioning who we are as Canadians is one of the things that make us Canadian. Soundtrack, as both a show and a character will explore the theme of national identity. Derek Rhett's journey leads him to question who he wants to be as a person, and what role he can take in preserving what he thinks Canada should be.

Inspired by the mosaic that is Canada's culture, I'd like to have as ethnically diverse cast as I possibly can. I've written parts specifically for Francophone actors/actresses, and I've been encouraged to worked with a translator to get some authentic Quebecois dialogue into some of the future scripts. With any luck, I'll be able to effectively construct the multicultural makeup of our nation's landscape.

Perhaps most importantly is the contributions that Canadians like you and I can make to the entertainment industry. From the actors and actresses to the camera operators and lighting technicians, to directors and musicians - I want to work with and highlight the terrific and exemplary work that Canadians contribute to an industry dominated by Americans. There's a reason a lot of American films and television series are filmed here in Canada; our landscape is beautiful; our artists and crew have world-wide renown; and most important, because there is plenty of economic opportunity for this industry.

If the show is picked up as a longer series - I'd love to explore these ideas even deeper. I'd hope that the audience asked themselves what they thought it meant to be Canadian - and the things that they can contribute to their nation. Through Separatism and other issues, it's clear Canada's geography and history can weather its overall sense of national identity; I hope to address these conflicts as well and find a way to focus on the things that make us a country worth standing united. In the past, it's been media that has united this nation - and with that in mind I'll set out to explore whether or not that can be repeated.