When Blackstone airs next week on APTN and Showcase, there will be more than a few tongues wagging about political correctness.
Produced by Prairie Dog Film and Television, Blackstone is a nine-part series that explores the corrupt power and politics of a fictional First Nation. The one-hour episodes focus on Blackstone, a once peaceful nation that is crumbling under the shady dealings of its chief and band council.
“Anytime you have a project that is dramatic, you will have some people say it is not for them. When The Sopranos came out, the Italian-American community went after the show. At the same time, David Chase grew up with these people. He wrote what he knew. But when the pilot was aired, some people didn’t feel it was exactly true,” explains writer/director Ron E. Scott, a Métis and founder of Prairie Dog productions.
Scott, whose resume is packed with groundbreaking dramatic series including Mixed Blessings and Cowboy Country, has crafted a powerful series with complex conflicts tugging between the forces of good and evil.
“We are using a dramatic element to voice truth. What makes it powerful is that people can see the truth in their own lives.”
Much like Dallas’ bad boy J.R. Ewing, Chief Andy Fraser (Eric Schweig) is the show’s driving force as he bullies, manipulates and funnels band funds into his own private projects.
Even as some band members feel certain despair, there are the younger voices of Victor Meratsy (Nathanial Arcand), Sheila Deloronde (Ashley Callingwood) and Leona Stoney (Carmen Moore) determined to bring about a healing change.
While some of the characters are involved in alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual assault and assorted illegal activities, Scott is quick to point out that like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost, Blackstone is built on human frailties. “We put people forward rather than issues and the issues are wrapped in human skin.”
Award-winning filmmaker Gil Cardinal (North of 60, Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis) introduced the idea of exploring politics, corruption and other challenges facing First Nations natives. “Gil’s script was really dark. At the time I was working on Mixed Blessings and I shelved it for about a year.”
Cardinal was brought on board as writer to work with Scott and the other two creative forces, producer Jesse Szymanski and producer/writer Damon Vignale.
The script was lightened up and a Blackstone pilot was shot in Namao two summers ago and aired on APTN last year. Although the storyline was different and the characters not completely realized, APTN considered it a success and ordered a nine-episode series.
In 2010 a complete cast and crew converged once more at Namao for 25 days using Sturgeon Composite High School, Johnny’s Store, Namao Community Hall, the rodeo grounds, a local dump and the local rodeo grounds as stand-ins for a reservation.
“The opportunity to do a one-hour drama outside of Vancouver or Toronto is extremely rare. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity. It’s a ground-breaking move that allows us to present a strong voice. There are valuable stories being told and at the heart of Blackstone there is real hope and reconciliation.”
Blackstone airs Tuesday, Jan. 25 on APTN and on Showcase on Friday, Jan. 28. Check local listings for times.
