| Gemini Award winning grads (l to r)
Ian Towes, Dennis Jackson and Robert Pitlyk.
Alumnus Ron Forsythe also received a Gemini but is not pictured.
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The Gemini Awards are handed out every year for the very best in English Canadian television programming. By the time the stardust had settled on this year’s event in mid-October, there were four U of R grads holding the sleek, golden trophies.
Ian Toews BFA’99 received the Gemini for best arts program for his television series Landscape as Muse. The award for best direction in a series aimed at youth went to Robert Pytlyk BFA’03 for the series Drug Class. The best ensemble performance in an animated program went to the actors in the series Wapos Bay which is written, directed and produced by alumnus Dennis Jackson BFA’98. Ron Forsythe BFA’80 received the Gemini for best direction in a live sporting event for his direction of the CBC’s coverage of the 95th Grey Cup game.
“I was in shock,” Toews said recalling when he was announced as the winner. “I wasn’t expecting this at all. We’ve been nominated before, but I was genuinely very surprised when they called my name. I still can’t believe it. We take a lot of pride in what we do and it’s an honour just to be here, but it really feels great to be recognized by your peers."
Landscape as Muse explores the connection between art and environment. Each episode features an artist creating art in a unique, often remote natural location. The artists reflect and comment on their working process, their sources of inspiration, and influences drawn from the surrounding environment. Each season features episodes from various regions across Canada.
Wapos Bay is a stop motion animation television series that features the adventures of three Aboriginal children as they learn about teamwork and cooperation from their grandparents in the fictional northern community of Wapos Bay. Last year, the series won the award for best children's series and in 2006, the show was presented with a Canada Award for its reflection of the racial and cultural diversity of Canada.
Drug Class follows six Saskatchewan youth struggling with varying levels of drug and alcohol consumption. Their stories are interwoven with counsellor Rand Teed's drug classes, his sessions with the young people, their everyday lives and their personal diary cams. While some clean up their act under Teed’s guidance, not everyone is successful. The program also received a nomination for best youth non-fiction program.
“The Gemini wins by Dennis Jackson, Robert Pytlyk, and Ian Toews make us particularly proud,” says Christine Ramsay, department head, U of R Media Production and Studies. “Because they reflect the philosophy of our program—to enable our students to explore their creativity and showcase their artistry in the genre of their choosing, whether narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, or new media forms. Our alumni are proving that Media Production and Studies at the University of Regina is indeed the prairie centre for excellence in the field.”
In addition to the alumni who picked up Gemini Awards, two other alumni were nominated. Jeff Beesley BFA’96 was nominated for his directing on Little Mosque on the Prairie and Renegadepress.com and Jackie Dzuba BFA’89 was nominated for her editing on The Englishman’s Boy.
For more information, visit the following websites:
http://www.291filmcompany.ca/landscape_as_muse/about.htm
http://www.darkthunder.ca
http://www.drugclass.ca
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