An older interview but worth reading from the Movies of The Week

Last spring (2004), the characters of Maureen Jennings’ Detective Murdoch Mysteries novels came to life with the world television premiere of the film Murder 19C: Detective Murdoch Mysteries – Except the Dying. Now mystery fans can enjoy a second instalment based on Jennings’ Poor Tom Is Cold. In this intriguing drama, Victorian Toronto detective William Murdoch (Peter Outerbridge) investigates the suspicious death of his friend and protégé, Constable Wicken – ruled a suicide by the coroner but Murdoch is unconvinced. The principled and resourceful policeman launches his own inquiry, uncovering the sordid secrets of a local family that may lead him to the truth.



Jennings became involved with the adaptation of her Murdoch stories when her husband Iden sent two of her books to Toronto’s Shaftesbury Films four years ago. Shaftesbury was working with fellow mystery writer Gail Bowen, and the Jennings hoped the company would be interested in Maureen’s work as well.



“I saw two versions of each script in the early stages and was able to add my comments, some of which were incorporated, some of which weren't,” explains Jennings. “My favourite thing was seeing how the writers worked because TV is a different media and what can happen in a book doesn't always work on screen. I learned a lot about adaptation. My least favourite was seeing some of my ‘pet’ scenes omitted. For instance in Except the Dying, the subplot involves dogs, which I enjoyed writing about but it wasn't possible to carry that over to the screen. I was hoping to be there and see the dogs at work. I have a clever dog, I thought he might get a job as an extra.”



Jennings says it is “amazing” to see her novels translated to the small screen. “All of the actors, especially Peter Outerbridge, have captured the essence of the characters as I saw them. Except that she has good teeth and eyebrows, Flora Montgomery, who plays Ettie, is exactly as I imagined her. At one point, as I was watching the show, I was aware that THE Colm Meaney (Inspector Brackenreid) was saying to my character, ‘Murdoch, my office!’”



The Detective Murdoch films vividly capture the Victorian society depicted in Jennings’ novels.
“Although Toronto was here, sort of, in the 1700s, its history is really Victorian,” Jennings muses. “This is when it grew and took on its character. I love knowing about other cultures
and history is really another culture. I loved finding out about how those Victorians lived, the language they used, how they thought. It's always interesting to see what has changed and what hasn't. Sort of sobering on the one hand, what hasn't changed, but also hopeful, what has changed.”



Jennings’ stories touch upon the era’s attitudes towards sex, religion, immigrants and mental illness, and also examine Victorian law and legal proceedings, the methods of police work and the early forensics that intrigue Murdoch, and coroner and love interest Julia Ogden (Keeley Hawes). Jennings spent “many happy hours in the Ontario Archives on Toronto’s Grenville Street where they have criminal case files.” She also used the Toronto Archives on Spadina – the annual reports that various institutes had to turn into the city council are “treasure troves.” “If you see where the money is being spent, you know what was happening in society at that time. For instance, liquor is listed as an expense to the insane asylum because brandy was an essential ingredient in the tonics that were administered daily.”



“I've read as many books as I can lay my hands on from that time period,” continues Jennings, who believes that in another life she would have been a historian. “For instance, I acquired a book called Advice to Coroners, written in 1892. What a gold mine! Also newspapers, especially the advertisements and as Sherlock Holmes knew, the personal columns. These are more revealing even than the news.”



Jennings says she was initially concerned that the films were to be made in Winnipeg, which was chosen for its period architecture. “Although the books are fiction, I really wanted to say something about Toronto, the city as I understood it to be. But here again is the difference of media. TV doesn't have time to lovingly linger on old stone carvings or typical Victorian buildings and that isn't the point of the show. I was happy that the costumes and setting were brilliantly authentic.”



What did Jennings learn about filmmaking? “It's bloody hard work, and it's teamwork. That's the big thing I came away with. Although I knew that the story is never shot in sequence and is
not a play, I don't think I realized how much happens in the editing process, for instance. And the director has to look at his movie dozens and dozens of times and still catch things that can be improved. I couldn't do it!”



Jennings has two favourite memories from her time on the Murdoch set, where Except the Dying and Poor Tom Is Cold were filmed simultaneously. “First, arriving there and meeting up with Peter Outerbridge in his Murdoch clothes. My husband took a photograph of us and I
have my arm around the embodiment of my detective. Secondly, I was sitting in the cold, dusty building where they were shooting some scenes. It used to be the jail and it is gruesome. Suddenly, I turned around and there coming up the stairs in single file were the extras, person after person in costume, quietly walking toward me. It was like seeing warm ghosts. I’ll never forget it.”

Moose Jaw here we come

Maureen was invited today to be a presenter at http://www.festivalofwords.com
A writers festival held every year in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan in July. Maureen asked my if I wanted to go and I said. . . . . . when ever will we go to Moose Jaw?? It is near Regina and this is an annual tradition. They pay her expenses and an appearance fee. So let's go to Moose Jaw eh???

Three more of Olivia

The Web Galleries are popular

I am able to see what people are looking at on Maureen's web site. Seems the galleries are very popular. Glad you like them. One thing I try to do as a photographer is give my subjects lots of different looks and try and capture different parts of their personalities. Hence you see Claire with three different looks on this blog.

a few more from yesterday

and another with different lighting and different model

A shot from today

Wanted: Cancon, everywhere - Todays Globe and Mail

Wanted: Cancon, everywhere
GAYLE MACDONALD
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
November 23, 2007 at 10:17 PM EST
Veteran TV producer Christina Jennings's phone didn't start ringing right away.

But two weeks into the American TV writers' strike, the Shaftesbury Films co-chair says that several U.S. networks have now placed calls to her Toronto office expressing interest in such shows as the procedural drama ReGenesis and 13 episodes of the period drama The Murdoch Mysteries (based on the acclaimed novels by Maureen Jennings, and set in Victorian Toronto).

“They can't do reality and reruns forever, and they only have so many movies in the can,” says Jennings. “So they're looking around. ReGenesis is on the desk of three networks, and I had a call this week from one of the Big Three presidents,” she adds, referring to the chiefs of NBC, ABC and CBS. “Whether it amounts to anything, who knows? These calls may – or may not – have happened regardless of the strike, but let's just say it pushes [available Canadian programming] up the pile.”

This past week, debate has been ongoing in Canada's close-knit production community about whether or not the mainstream U.S. networks will actually bite – and buy Canadian shows to fill a schedule that could soon be depleted of fresh content. (Talks are set to resume on Monday between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers).

Some, such as Jennings and CBC's executive director of network programming, Kirstine Layfield, bet they will bite if the strike drags on. Others doubt the insular, conventional American broadcast market – which rarely co-produces or buys non-U.S. programs ( Due South on CBS was a notable exception) – will ever do more than merely eyeball Canadian shows.

Regardless of whether the American interest is feigned or real, Jennings says, “we're very much on the American radar.” And she is encouraged that U.S. broadcasters might finally be understanding what other broadcasters around the world have long realized: that Canadian TV can travel, sell and be lapped up by an international audience. “We are selling shows all over the world,” says Jennings, pointing to a couple of high-performing Shaftesbury programs, the tween drama Life With Derek (sold in 138 countries, translated into nine languages) and ReGenesis (110 countries, 15 tongues).

"Power" arrived - another locked cut and . . . . .

The episode that features Nicola Tesla and an electrical demonstration gone wrong has arrived. You can see the shots from that episode on one of the web galleries on Maureen's Page (tv series).
The really cool thing is that the credits are now on the opening sequence. I LOVE THEM. It kicks off with the camera focused on a giant old fashioned light bulb and a bit of Murdoch's face. Then rolls into all these neat credits which of course feature "Based on the characters from the novels by Maureen Jennings".
It's all done in dark sepia so you get a period feel from the opening.
We watched the first scene, but we are going to kick back and look at the whole episode tonight.
Now the irony is that our furnace broke down yesterday ( 6 years old) and we are operating on electrical heaters this morning. They are coming to replace the heat exchnager today which costs $800. So mad about this as the furnace is supposedly good for 20 years.
Thanks Sears
PS this is a custom made pin by the same jeweler whose medallion I posted awhile back. I am shooting in the studio tomorrow with a couple of models. Should be interesting stuff which I will post.

Okay web site revised- part one so to speak of Maureen's site

Slaving away here to make a great web site and I have one more month of class. So it will be added to and enhanced. The biggest change is the layout, all the links, check out the links buttons, and.....and......and....
the PHOTO galleries!!
Especially on the tv page where I put up three galleries and there are also some lovely shots from the research trip and visit to the Hebrides on the novels page for Does Your Mother Know.
Take a tour and give me feeback. The index page is really very simple at the moment and it will have lots more on it once I master some more of the flash stuff
http://www.maureenjennings.com
check it out!

CITY tv news

If you copy and paste this link
http://www.citytv.com/micro/acrosstherivertomotorcity/index.asp
You can see a whole bunch of stuff indirectly related to the Murdoch series.
First off this is a six part mini series which is directed by Michael DeCarlo who was the director on the first two Murdoch movies, Except the Dying and Poor Tom Is Cold.
This show premieres this coming Thursday on CITY television and is a 6 part mini series.
Second, Joe Pingue is in it and he is a rising star of Canadian acting, he played Professor Otranto in the first two movies of the week and was amazing. He is in an upcoming movie with Jude Law, you can read his bio on the site.
Third, the beautful and mysterious Charlotte Sullivan is in this show and she is also beautiful and mysterious in, as is noted on her bio, The Murdoch Mysteries series premiering in 2008. Charlotte apppears in "Stlll Waters" which is the rowing episode.
Fourth, CITY television showcases this show on its own dedicated web page with galleries, interviews, and a whole bunch of stuff. They also promote their five stations.
So this is probably how the Murdoch web site will look, replete with episode previews and summaries, interviews, cast bio, lots of fun stuff. But we have to wait for that.
If you are in Canada, watch this show, it starts up this Thursday and runs for six weeks. Next up after this one for CITY is . . . . You guessed it. The Murdoch Mysteries

Looking over our trip to the UK

We're going back to Shropshire this coming summer so Maureen can research this new novel she is working on set in and around an internment camp in 1941. Did you know that German Jews were held prisoner by the British in these camps eventhough they were escaping certain death back home? One of those well kept secrets the the Brits don't like to talk about. But it is making for good story telling.
I love these shots and am going to print very large versions of them for our walls.

A bit of a rant, a bit of reflection

It is still tough on an energy level, to go through normal life with the baggage of a tragedy hanging over one's shoulder. We have the pleasure and enjoyment of everyday escape in our lives with all the things going on. My photography, webpage course and design, planning photo shoots, sharing the excitement of Maureen's new project, etc.
Then last night we sat down to watch the first episode of season three of Between the Lines, a UK crime show that won raves back in the 90's. We have seen the first two seasons and have really loved that show.
In episode one, there is a scene in which one of the officers is holding his wife, who has a degenerative disease (Lou Gherig's or something like that), while she commits suicide by taking an overdose. Instead of calling 911 she begs him to let her die. I lost it, it was soo soo sad.
And then today all sorts of people are still asking how we are doing and how Maureen is and all about the tragedy, and I am still quite burdened with the whole thing. It takes time for this to heal, I have to be patient.
Then I think of Mrs Hunt, and I find it excruciating to think what she has to go through.
I am sorry to burden you nice people with this but it keeps rearing its head and will for awhile.
I will post lots of groovy stuff over the next while, but I felt the need to say all this and reflect on the fact that we had a close call, and I am deeply grateful to a higher power that my wife was saved.
More later
Iden

First locked cut arrived today

This is the first cut of an episode that is considered locked with all the music and effects added. No more ADR, it is done. It is episode 106 "TIl Death Do Us Part". We have seen a rough cut already so we may look at it again with some friends on Sunday.
I am re working Maureen's web page with all the new things I am learning from my class, and it is looking fantastic. Same content with few more bells and whistles but it loads perfectly and will not run off the side of anyboyd's viewing screen. I will have it done in about 4 weeks and mine right after that.
I have two very big photo shoots coming up, serious glamour stuff. One of the 24th of this month and another on the 15th of December.
The shoot in December will be blonde heaven. I have two very attractive blonde models sitting for me where I will use a technique I am planning with special wrap around lighting. I am looking forward to both shoots.
Maureen was hard at work today shaping the plot and outline for the new book. She had a sort of breakthrough and it started really humming for her. It is all in prep at the mo and she hopes to be at her computer next week and start. She wants the whole thing outlined first before she starts writing chapters.
She has a gift.
That's it for now.

Okay it's up on this link . . . . . .

http://whatarewritersreading.blogspot.com/

Copy and paste that link and let me know what you think.

From an interview with Kate Trotter who is in our show

Kate Trotter: More Famous Friends.
Murdoch Mysteries star on Thomas Craig, and Angelina Jolie.
© Coral Andrews-Leslie

Nov 10, 2007

Mini -series guest star tells the cool truth about Coronation Street's Thomas Craig, Beyond Borders' Angelina Jolie, acting vs directing, and her fave playwright.
For her finale in this four part series, Kate Trotter discusses other projects on the go - including her latest guest stint on acclaimed Canadian television series The Murdoch Mysteries written by Maureen Jennings and co star Thomas Craig who Corrie Street fans will remember as irascible Tommy Harris. Also - the age old question, acting or directing or both... and why Angelina Jolie's 'the real deal.'

You are also a director. You did a piece called Wednesday’s Children. Are you going to do any more directing?

"That was something I did for the National Film Board. I got my start directing a couple of stage plays up at Blyth Festival. I love directing. The problem is, there is so much to do. I do a lot of TV and film which I really like doing including The Jane Show on Global. You can’t be everywhere. I have not got to the stage yet where I am willing to put my acting career on the back burner in order to further the directing career because you have to do that."

You have done theatre, television and film including Beyond Borders.

"Yes, with Angelina Jolie. I played her mother in law. What a wonderful woman she is. I am here to say to everybody that she is the real deal. You see these stories about her in the papers and magazines…. Having met her, she is an extraordinary woman and seeing the love she has for those children, that’s 100% real. I adore her."

Are you still doing The Murdoch Mysteries?

"Oh My God, I had such a good time doing those a few years ago. I have just finished another one. (Trotter plays a character called Donalda Rhodes and the series will air on Bravo/ City TV in early 2008). The plot line is revolves around a Canadian theatre troupe and the play they love doing is The Scottish Play, so I get to play Mrs. M.
Who else is in this one?

"Thomas Craig (ex Tommy Harris) from Coronation Street (2002 - 2005) plays Inspector Brackenreid. I don’t know Coronation Street as well as others. But everyone that does watch the show recognized Thomas instantly. He is a very very nice guy and cute as a bug’s ear. I took him to see some plays. I took him to see Top Girls for a start.

Did he like Caryl Churchill?

"He loved it. It is his culture. He and some of the other cast members and directors from Murdoch came to our opening night of Elephant Man and they loved it."

Who is your favourite playwright?

"Is it ridiculous if I say Shakespeare? I have a hard time saying just one because I would also say Tennessee Williams and ( George Bernard) Shaw. Because, again, both Williams and Shaw understand and know women. You don’t have to try and wrestle the part to the ground and say 'Oh My God, these people don’t even know how we think.'

But you step into a Shakespeare play and you think how did that man understand Hermione? ( Trotter played Hermoine) How did he ever write Winter’s Tale? How did he know when a woman, when she speaks about love, would say?"

It wasn’t from Anne Hathaway..

"He wasn’t there with Anne at all. Who knows? I would say the same thing for Tennessee Williams. It is a shock to see how well they understood the female psyche and again how much they love the female psyche."

Look for Kate Trotter in Bruce MacDonald's The Dark Room, and the 2008 season of The Murdoch Mysteries.

What writers are reading coming this week

http://whatarewritersreading.blogspot.com/

Is the link for a piece Maureen wrote and sent off to the blog host, Marshall Zeringue, for a request for submission on one of his blogs about writers and writing.
Back in the Summer she did a piece on another one of his blogs called the 99 page test.
It will be interesting to see the response to Maureen's latest reading list which many of you know about.
I spent the day working on the revised version of Maureen's web site which will be published in about a month and should feature some Flash within it. But mostly the site will look the same but more orderly and tidy.
Studying this course has been especially challenging with all the circumstances we have been through as concentrating on little details and text is a challenge. But I have a background in this already from the summer so with a bit of help I am mucking through it.
In the end I will be a better web designer but only for as as I really am a photographer and don't want to spend loads of time tweaking web sites.
We finished the Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Reifthenstal last night and what a fabulous documentary about a most amazing woman.
Back to the ball game and more tomorrow when I will be printing about 8 of my shots for display on Wednesday night.

Another bottle and glass shot I worked on today

Getting ready to print some shots for class on Wednesday and I will use this one. Maureen is reading all about Nazis and Himmler and Hitler. Can you believe it?? The new book is a ww ll thriller, but not what you might think. One of her characters will know a lot about these two and will be in peril. Heh heh, tease. In fact we are watching an amazing film about Leni Reifthenstal call The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni R.... Get it and watch it it is amazing.
From Murdoch to Nazi's, can't beleive it either but it will be amazing.

Granada and our show is now first on their list!

Granada Announces Offerings for ATF

HONG KONG, October 30: Granada International has unveiled a diverse slate of programming, including drama, children’s entertainment, factual and formats, for debut at the Asia Television Forum (ATF) in November.

From its drama catalogue, Granada will be offering Murdoch Mysteries, a 13x48-minute Shaftesbury Films production set in Toronto during the 1890s that follows a young detective who solves a series of challenging murders using forensic techniques; My Boy Jack, a 95-minute family drama about duty, sacrifice and the horror of war starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Kim Cattrall (Sex & the City); Ballet Shoes, a 95-minute event drama for the BBC; and the fourth season of Blue Murder, a 3x70-minute series which blends the grittiness of murder investigations with the warmth and chaos of family life.

three out of four nights at school and this is what I came up with

It is still intense for us and probably will be for awhile. I had to complete an assignment this week for school and last night I shot this stuff. Can you figure it out? I have no exciting news at the moment on the tv front, it is in a bit of a lull til the publicity machine cranks up prior to broadcast which is not far away. Oh we did watch the episode they are talking about ending season one with, The Rebel and the Prince. Murdoch has a tricky time in this one and there is some rather gruesome autopsy stuff. It was good and was based on a story idea Maureen gave the writers. We will view 4 more cuts when they come to us from the production office and that will wrap it up for us til we get to see the final cuts with all the credits, music and effects. The old city of Toronto that is layered into the background in some of the outdoor scenes is quite jaw dropping.
Enjoy the photos, I used a macro lens which allows me to get in very very close. Nice toy to have in my arsenal.

A dark and stormy night at the Casa Loma Library

Maureen did an amazing reading last night at the Casa Loma library to an enthusiastic audience. I was heartened by the turn out and the response as Journeyman to Grief sold out save two copies as Maureen read from the chapter where Murdoch is put into the Spanish Stoop by an assailant. The Spanish stoop is how slave during the civil war days and prior were treated by their masters. Maureen got a volunteer from the crowd she could demonstrate how it looked, then read from the chapter. Go and read Journeyman, it is a touching story of human suffering, revenge and redemption.

The UK is knocking on the door for the rights to all of Maureen's books

Looks like there is a company that specializes in tv tie in's has contacted Maureen's agent to acquire the rights to all the Murdoch books. I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it. But this is the first time this has happened and they specialize in film and televsion tie ins. Here is a shot I did for an assignment. I am rather proud of it. I will let you know how tonight goes at Casa Loma and will post photos. Cheers.

Crime Writers of Canada Readings at Casa Loma with Maureen Jennings

Maureen feels well enough to do this event and is recovering nicely from Friday. If you live in the Toronto area this should be a fun and atmospheric event. Maureen will also be talking about the tv series and some of her upcoming projects.

Tuesday, 6 November 2007 (7:30 p.m.)

Where: Casa Loma
1 Austin Terrace
Toronto ON

Contact Lou Seiler @ Casa Loma

tel: 416-923-1171 ext 205
operations@casaloma.org

Details:
Crime Writers of Canada Readings at Casa Loma
with Maureen Jennings and Caro Soles

Maureen Jennings, celebrated mystery novelist and author of the popular Detective Murdoch series, reads at the second of a six part series, featuring Canada's top crime writers. Set in Victorian Toronto, Jennings’ Detective Murdoch books have been made into three TV movies and an upcoming City TV show, and have won rave reviews from critics and mystery lovers alike. Maureen will be reading from her latest novel, A Journeyman to Grief (McCelland & Stewart, 2007).

News on the development of the Christine Morris TV series

Maureen met with the person in charge of development from Shaftesbury Films last Monday about her new book in the Christine Morris Series, The K Handshape. At this stage it has been indicated to us that Shaftesbury is now searching for a writer to turn the novel into a script for further development. We hope that there will be further news before the novel is published in mid February. Again it is early days on this and is still in the develomental stages, but the idea of turning the two Christine books into a full blown series would be done in stages. Script, pilot episodes, series. All of this is very exciting because the character is one that is so different from Murdoch as is the setting.
The enthusiasm expressed by the producer to us on this project is just wonderful.
Christine is a great character and I know all of you will enjoy her story in The K Handshape.
Stay tuned for further news on that front.

How I spent my afternoon

Many flowers have been sent by friends including this lovely boquet from one of Maureen's creative groups. Thought you might like to see how I shot these roses in front of an unusually lit fireplace.

Matt 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

Well, yesterday turned into a temporary nightmare in that Maureen was rushed to the hospital at 9 in the morning when she collapsed in the park walking the dogs. She could not stand up and was very very sick. I had a friend call 911 and everything came back from the tragedy. It turns out that after a whole day of testing, her inner ear had some sort of problem and it was leftover from her ordeal in the sea. The good news is all her vitals are terrific and she has a strong heart and low blood pressure. Another scary moment. She will now take it easy for the next two weeks as one cannot underestimate the stress and physical demands the tragedy took on her.
We have had a lot of news and I will bring you up to date over the next week. We have looked at more rough cuts from the series and that has been a wonderful distraction. I have a whole set of amazing photos which I did in Cocoa Beach. That kept me occupied, but we are still recovering emotionally and will for awhile. We give our best to the family as the funeral is today. Thanks everybody for all the warm and thoughtful letters. Unless you go through something like this, you cannot appreciate the challenges, but I will tell you one thing for sure, you find out who your real friends when you are in a crises.
God Bless
Iden
PS click on the top photo and blow it up. It's hard to believe such a calm and beautiful sea could have been so treacherous.