Rosebud filmmakers Royal Sproule, Aaron Krogman and Jordan Cutbill have been nominated for six Alberta Film & Television awards for their movie CARL’S WAY.
Two years ago, three Rosebud theatre actors launched their own production company called Smoke Signal Media. Within months they were approached by The Eastern Irrigation Historical Park, in Scandia, Alberta to write and produce a movie based on the life of Carl Anderson, the colourful farmer who managed to snag the Eastern Irrigation District from the CPR and put it into the hands of the farmers of Southern Alberta.
This week the Alberta Film & Television Awards Finalists were announced and Carl’s Way was nominated for six awards, including Best Dramatic Production over 30 Minutes.
“We are delighted”, says Royal Sproule, the art director and one of the camera operators. “When we formed our film company, we dreamed we would produce our first significant film in three to five years, so to get the opportunity so early on was a big surprise.”
Sproule points to one thing that lead to their success. “As soon as we got the gig, we knew the most important thing was to surround ourselves with experienced filmmakers.” Sproule and his colleagues approached award-winning Albert filmmaker Francis Damberger to direct and Wes Doyle as Director of Photography. “Having two veterans like Francis and Wes guiding us through the shoot was the key to the success of Carl’s Way. It was amazing to watch Franny and Wes walk into a location, quickly eyeball it out and plan out where the cameras and the actors would be placed. We learned more from this process than we would have in years of film school. To be nominated for six awards is simply unexpected and a bonus.”
Carl’s Way first screening will be in Brooks June 14th. The general public can view the film at the Eastern Irrigation District Historical Park in Scandia all summer.
Travis Friesen as Carl Anderson and Cyra Roman Stolz as Minnie standing by irrigation ditch in
movie Carl’s Way.
