Fredericton Production Company Examines N.B’s Music Scene in Upcoming Doc
A Fredericton production company is examining the province’s music scene with a new documentary and web series set to debut next year.
The Capital Project by RayneMaker Productions looks at the province’s diverse music and art scene and how it can be better supported. It features music and interviews from local bands, promoters, supporters and fans alike.
The title “The Capital Project” is a play on the Capital Complex, the name of a popular music venue in Fredericton. Though part of the project will touch on the venue, RayneMaker co-founder Tim Rayne says the word “capital” encompasses a lot more.
“What ‘the capital’ means is capital as in art and culture, economic development, like building our capital. It also means the capital as in the capital city, in reference to the government sector,” he says. “And then we have the Capital, of course referencing the bar. But really ‘the Capital’ is meant to mean a few different things. “
Rayne says the project will examine how the province’s local music scene became so vibrant, but also how it can be better supported.
“Looking at Fredericton in the context of here’s a small community of 50,000 people. Look how rich the local culture and art and the music scene is,” says Rayne. “And look how we can potentially build a stronger economic and supportive infrastructure that could help produce and support more acts that can go beyond the region.”
RayneMaker productions recorded more than 100 performances and close to 200 interviews for the project. The interview subjects include James Mullinger, Bob Mersereau, Don Bosse, Natalie Sappier, Lisa Anne Ross and more. Performances include Grand Theft Bus, The Olympic Symphonium, Kill Chicago, The Hypochondriacs, Motherhood, The Waking Night, among many others.
“It’s more of a ‘how did we get here?’ kind of documentary,” says Rayne. “What was the evolution of getting here that we created such amazing talent, but yet there’s not a strong infrastructure in place yet to really support it, distribute it and understand it, and that’s what we’re trying to bring it out.”
Though the project focuses on Fredericton and New Brunswick, Rayne says the topics discussed can be relatable to any community.
“I think when people and artists from anywhere watch this they’re going to see themselves. They’re going to see people they know. They’re going to see their friends,” says Rayne.
“If you think about it, there hasn’t been a music documentary series or film yet that really focuses on local music in such an in-depth way. We feel like that’s what’s going to draw people because they’re going to see a lot of themselves and it doesn’t mean that you even have to know where Fredericton or New Brunswick or any of these places are, it just means you’ve got to be an artist.”
The film has entered post-production and the full-length documentary film will debut at the Fredericton Playhouse April 20, 2018. The web series will also be rolled out that sometime that month.
In the meantime the company will be hosting a special gala event called “The Capital Project Presents: Awesome; I Shot That!” on Nov. 2 at the Boyce Farmer’s Market. The event will feature a screening of segments of the documentary and a concert headlined by some of the bands featured in the film. It will also be filmed and be used as the ending to the full-feature film.
“My hope is that through this particular project that people will be able to hear helpful advice, will be able to maybe take advantage of the resources that are around them that are available and we’ll be able to showcase how New Brunswick musicians should be supported the way we court international and national artists,” says Rayne.
“We live in a province that looked upon it as not achieving as much as others,” adds Arthur Thomson, RayneMaker Production’s other co-founder.
“I’m hoping that when people get to see what we’ve done, what these artists are all doing, that it serves as an inspiration for others in whatever field they’re working and to look to maybe achieve more, push themselves harder and bring more success to the province.”