Rhythm of Heat

Media Productions
Director Karen Chapman
2636 Ontario st #2
Vancouver B.C.
V5T 2X9
604 762 0736
Rhythm of Heat
Documentary Film Proposal
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Synopsis & Background
Documentary Objectives
Production Timetable
Budget
Support
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Current Proposal Goals:
- Find Producer Partners
- Find Broadcasting Alliances
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I. Synopsis and Background
“A people without a culture are a people without reason to dance”
Rhythm of Heat is a 52 minute English documentary film (currently in production) which tells the
untold story of the Caribana parade in Toronto, Canada’s only cultural event of its kind and North
America’s largest street festival.
For thousands who have made Canada their home, the Caribana Festival is a yearly celebration of
their culture and heritage. Filmmaker Karen Chapman goes on a journey of discovery as she learns
the history of her Caribbean heritage while undergoing a cultural metamorphosis into a carnival
masquerader at Toronto’s Caribana Parade.
Much like the eclectic culture of Toronto, the Caribbean is home to many immigrants whose ancestors were original Amerindians, displaced African slaves, indentured labourers and explorers.
During the British Colonial era, the beginning of Lent was marked with great celebration, masquerade balls, feasts were shared amongst the elite in loom of the solemn occasion of Christ’s death.
In Trinidad, African slaves began to mimic their captures in the celebrations, but incorporated
their own cultural heritage of song, dance, drums and religious practices. This became vehemently prohibited along with any other cultural reference.
In 1833 Britain passed the Slavery Abolishment Act in all of its colonies and in a clear act of defiance and jubilation, ex- slaves burnt down fields of sugar cane, the colonist’s greatest source of
wealth and led rebellious processions of freedom throughout the streets. Soon after, the splendour
of the masquerade was added to the procession of freed slaves, in the midst of the fire, Caribbean
carnival began to emerge.
Immediately after slavery was abolished, the slaves were replaced by indentured labours that were
brought from India, in the largest migration in the 20th and 21st century, scattering across Britain’s empire, including the Caribbean- Trinidad. With these indentured Indian workers, came with
their cultures and traditions and as time went on, the Amerindian, African and Indian traditional,
foods, music and cultures began to smoulder into undoubtingly one of the world’s most fascinating
cultures.
Over the years, the tradition of Carnival has grown to be an annual celebration in many other Caribbean countries such as Barbados, St. Vincent, Jamaica and Guyana.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, thousands of immigrants from across the Caribbean migrated to
Toronto, Canada in search of opportunities and as the African slaves and indentured labourers of
India once did, these new immigrants brought with them their greatest asset, their culture.
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I. Synopsis and Background
The Caribana parade began in 1967 as a gift from the Caribbean community to Canada on its
100th birthday, 42 years later the festival has grown immensely entertaining over million a tourists
and annually earning Toronto, Ontario an estimated 100 million dollars.
Caribana adopted Trinidad’s revolutionary interpretation of Carnival, changing the focus of the
mas’ from the traditionally large extravagantly designed floats to the reveller, the once spectator
who becomes a part of the festival by purchasing a costume and joining a band.
Costumes in vibrant colours are finished with the finest beads, jewels and splendid feathers transforming the spectator not only into a masquerade but also a participant of Caribbean culture.
Unending hues of blues, greens, yellows and reds are all encouraged and welcomed, united by the
rhythmic pulse of Soca, Calypso, Chutney, Reggae and steel pan music.
Immigration and evolution of Caribbean cultural traditions also spans beyond music into food.
Much of the current traditional Caribbean foods are based upon the unwanted morsels given to
slaves and indentured labourers by their masters or plant leaders. Although many recipes have
evolved, many traditional Caribbean foods are based upon those same scraps and morsels of food.
For thousands Canadians, the Caribana Festival is a yearly celebration of their culture and heritage.
The movement of the mas, the base of the drums remininicing of a heritage never lost, the whale
of the saxophones, echoing the tune of the sometimes cheeky or political lyrics tickle the skin like
the favoured Anansi spider and his stories. The steel pan that pan the cheerful cry of the pan, the
essence of the carnival; one people regardless of race, creed or religion, much like the traditional
flavourful dish Callalo, Carnival is a mix up of many ingredients. The ‘mix up’ of music, flags, costumes, which are bound by the unity and medley of cultures, song and rhythm, all fuelled by the
same desire of freedom which set sugar cane fields ablaze in Trinidad hundreds of years before in
a distant land. This festival has continued to not thrive but continues to grow as a true testament
to cultural commitment beyond generations of immigration.
In a bustling warehouse, band leaders and costume makers add finishing touches on costumes as
thousands of eager revellers pile into the parking lot, intense energy bubbles over in anticipation
of the parade. Costume makers discuss the history, craft and art of costume making for mas, with
interjections from World famous costume designer Peter Minshell.
Outside, anxious revellers profess their adoration for the Carnival and what Caribana means to
them. They also discuss the dilemma of tradition verses evolution; the concept of introducing
other types of musical forms which have been influenced by Caribbean music and hip hop culture.
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II. Documentary Objectives
This film will not only archive the history of the festival but also explore the aspect of immigration as the major assembly in the Caribbean culture.
The story will begin with by briefly chronicling the history of British slave trade in
the Caribbean and the migration of indentured Indian labourers through a series
of narration and interactive maps. This little known history is one of the foundations of the overall Caribbean culture and will also serve as historical catalyst to
the rebellious adaptation of Trinidadian Carnival. With this historical reference,
the importance of the Caribana Parade is established by interweaving the experience of the Caribana celebration for first generation Guyanese mascarador and
filmmaker.
By using rare interviews and the use of rare historical footage, photographs and
other archival material, Rhythm of Heat will depict the cultural importance of carnival in Toronto. Interweaving Caribana’s past and present organizers such as Joe
Holstad and the festivals founders such as Charles Roach with archival footage,
musicians and festival footage, viewers will experience the essence of carnival in
Toronto.
The distinctive linkage between immigration and the adapting maintenance of
culture will be explored, in interviews such as with cultural sociology Professor,
Jeffery Reitz. Specify the importance of learning and maintaining ones heritage
throughout generations after immigration. Interviews with the long time festival
goers along with founding members will emphasis this importance.
Karen’s journey will be documented throughout the films progression, serving as
commentary from the history of her heritage to her transformation into Caribbean
mascarador. This commentary will also articulate and personalize the importance
of Caribana as a large element of her cultural identity as a first generation immigrant in Canada. Viewers will be invited on this journey into the understanding
the importance of cultural heritage.
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III. 2009 Production Timetable
Expert Interviews
Monday July 27
Charles Roach (Festival Founder)
1:30
688 St.Clair ave West
416.657.1427
Counc. Joe Mihevic
2:30 - 3:00
747 St.Clair ave West
416.392.7460
Prof. Jeffrey Reitz -Sociology, University of Toronto
3:45
1 Devonshire Place, Room 358S
416.946.8993
Prof. Alissa Trotz -Caribbean Studies, University of Toronto
4:30
2041, Wilson Hall, New College
40 Willcocks Street
Curtis Eustace - All Spice Carnival
6:00
538 Goron Baker Road
416.728.6504
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III. 2009 Production Timetable
Jamal Maguire - Toronto Revellers
7:00
1530 Birchmount Road
416.752.6885
Louis Saldinah - Mas K-Camp
7:45
787 Warden Ave
416.978.8286
Nip Davis
8:30
60 Barbados Blvd. unit#5
647.669.5158
B Roll
- Footage of Toronto
- Toronto Skyline Time-Lapse Archival Footage of Past Caribana’s
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IV. 2009 Budget
Interview Day Shoot
Total:
$500
Camera “A” HVX200 w/ 2 batt, Charger, Tripod and 1x 64Gb Card, Laptop and External Drive Back Up (one day)
$150
Dop X2 (one day)
$300
Food, Water and Coffee for 24 hours
~$60
Tent, Table, Chairs rent from ‘Absolute’
~$50
Caribana Shoot
$0
Transport - Dre
$60
Extra 64Gb Card rent from ‘Vistek’ (need Credit Card)
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Total:
$620
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V. Support
Rhythm of Heat has full and unwavering support of the Scotiabank Caribana committee codified in a letter of support from the festival publicist, Stephen Weir. Also
providing letters of confidents and is the festivals major headline sponsor, Scotiabank along with former Get Reel film festival director Lennox Cadore.
Most core and fundamental interviews have been pre-interviewed of booked according to the prospective shooting schedule, including festival director Joe Holstad, world renowned costume designer, Peter Minshall, University of Toronto Sociology Professor Jeffery Reitz and Mr. Goudas of Mr. Goudas foods who was one
of the first major sponsor of Caribana. Mr. Goudas has also agreed to become a
major contributor of the film by way of archival footage and photographs taken
in 1967. Amongst these confirmed interviews are also the interviews and support
of over a dozen band leader, costume makers and macerators who all understand
the importance of documenting Carib/Canadian history.
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