NCCK Cold Squad debuts SO, there’s another cop show starting tonight on Baton Broadcasting’s VTV. But Cold Squad is different — it’s the first TV series filmed in Vancouver that is actually set in Vancouver. Who % Maria Verdicehio would have thought it? The North Vancouver father-daugh- ter producing team of Philip and Julia Keatley and ex-RCMP officer Matt McLeod, that’s who. Maria Verdicchio: What is the premise of Cold Squad? Julia Keatley: It’s about a group of detce- tives within the Vancouver Police Services who solve old, unsolved homicides. Through new techniques of DNA testing and forensics they are able to solve murders that sat “cold” for years. There’s contlict between the reguiar homicide unit and the “cold squad” as well as between the older cop and the youn; female cop. Philip Keatley: In every episode it’s about how they solve something now that no-one was able to solve before. MV: Are the stories based on true unsolved murders in Vancouver? PK: Not necessarily in Vancouver. Inevitably, murders make us ask questions about ourselves and how socicty deais with this type of crime. There are some many true stories that you start thinking how did it happen, that a man with a family he loved could turn around and kill two girls? Why? “JK: It’s really a psychological drama and 2 mystery. There’s always elements of truth in each story. MV: What is mind-boggling to me is that with alf the production that’s been going on in Vancouver for the last 10 years, none of these series or films is actually supposed to take place in Vancouver, let alone Canada. This is a first. Why is that? Why has no-one done this before? JK: Most of the shows that have been done here are American shows and they’re just using Vancouver as a location. One thing though is that we did not get permission to use the Vancouver Police logo. They were going through 2 change in police chiefs, so getting the approval to use the name and the logo was difficult and we were starting production, so we went ahead and created something. We thought, well they’ll either love it or hate it and want to be associated with us next vear — or they won't, MV: So, what are they called? JK: We call it Vancouver Police Services, and we designed our own logo and uni- forms. They are very specifically Vancouver police, but it was too complicated at the time. Everything is very much Vancouver ... I was born here, my mother and father were born here, my grandfather designed the Burrard Street Bridge... PK: ... and the Granville Street Bridge. JK: It’s interesting for us because we know abour the history of Vancouver, and what the city is like. Or if you look for an exam- ple where we are right now, a half'a block that way is the financial district and half a block there is skid row. It’s the odd justa- position that a lot of people don’t know about Vancouver. ¥.u've got this really active port. All these elements we pull together into the stories as much as possible to give the feeling of what it’s like now, It’s an interesting thing for me, as we learn more about other countries and their suc- cessful TV shows, a fot of them are location specific. If you look at the best of British tcievi- sion and the best of American tclevisiun they tend to say this is New York or L.A. and there is something inherent in that that is a strength rather than a weakness. MV: I think that American viewers know now that the shows they’re watching are made in Vancouver, so there is going to be an audience out there when people find out iz’s about Vancouver. JK: I remember about four or five years ago we were pitching another idea for a cop show ard we got a bite from the U.S.A. cable network and went to pitch the idea and sort of made a mistake of saying that we really wanted it set in Vancouver. And they thought about it and said, “Well I guess it’s just like any other American city.” i thought, “What's the point.” MV: So what happens now, is Cold und going to be seen in the U.S. too? Phillip: Not at this point, no. What happens is it’s up to us to cither sell it in the States or find someone to help us do that. You don’t usually sell it to the States until it’s been broadcast ia Canada. PK: We also need to have more shows to seli it. We have only 12 shows so far and that’s not a lot in the American market. They call a season 22 episodes. JK: We wouldn’t be able to sell this to a network like NBC or ABC anyways. They would never buy it. Also, we would have never been able to make this a Canadian show with an American broadcaster creatively involved at this point. MV: Why? Is there some sort of prejudice against Canadian televi- sion, or just anything un- American? JK: Well, if you look for example ar Cracker, which has been imported into the US. now, they basically brought everyone over (from Britain) but they’ve set it in L.A., not in London. They've taken the stories, made it about L.A. which they feel their audience “gets.” You’ve got to look at that and say why is that hap- pening, and I guess that for some rea- son the American networks feel that it wouldn’t work on prime time. However, calsle nerworks are more open to us, and will be buying it. PK: Basically, American television doesn’t buy fron: other people. Theirs is a commercial business. They finance the show, chey make their moncy back by showing it in the States, then they make a profit by sell- ing it to Canada, Britain, France, etc. That’s a wild oversimplification, but essentially that’s how it works. Gne thing about the States, is that I don’t think even 4% of their drama comes from other parts of the wor!d. MV: So the way they run their business is different? PK; In Britain, only 14% of their pro- grams are allowed to come from other countries. So, our chances of selling Cold Squad to Britain are pretty slim, but nat impossible. JK: 1 think because of the genre, we have a pretty good chance of selling it overseas, fall of 1997, placing number one in their time-slor in the Friday, January 23, 1998 ~ North Shore News -3 MV: What about the actors? Are they all from Vancouver? JK: They’re ail Canadian, but two of our main actors, Michael Hogan and Joy Tanner, are from Vancouver. PK: They are two of the four lead actors. The other two are Julie Stewart and Paul Boretsky. JK: We got quite a good reputation for the quality of our scripts and a lot-ui the local acting community got excited about us having a strong guest starring clement. We had meaty roles for cur guest stars and pco- sie seemed to like that challeage. MV: Your other producer, Matt McLeod, is an ex-RCMP officer of 29 years. So, obviously he’s drawn on his own experiences when he’s writing. JK: Sure, but he’s just one of the writers and our partner. We ail created the series together. He’s written two of the scripts Signed, sealed & Dear Mr. Fizz: What is freedom? Fizz: Only what is indifferent and detached is free. What is distinc- tive and characteristic is never free, it is formed, determined and bound, much like a Vodka Sling: 2 oz. vodka, 1 tsp. powdered sugar, } tsp. water, the juice of halfa lemon. Dissolve the sugar in water and lemon juice. Add vodka and pour into an old fashioned glass over ice. Stir and garnish with twist of lemon pecl. Dear Mr. Fizz: I have a feeling and taste for the infinite. Fizz: Consciously fill up with energy, this energy brings on the coincidences. Nurture a Veivet Orchid: 1 oz. dry Vermouth, } oz. white Creme de Menthe, 2-3 drops Black Raspberry syrup. Shake well with cracked ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Be. Dear Mr. Fizz: I recently partook in a time and space odyssey with a nutty pack of cosmic dwarves. What’s next for me? Fizz: Let's all get up and dance toa song that was a hit before your mother was born. Now reward with a Toasted Almond: 1/2 oz. Kahlua, 1/2 oz. Amaretto, 2 07. “oo THE North Shore-produced TV series Cold Squad debuts tonight on VTV with Julie Stewart (as Ali McCormick), Jey Tanner (as Jill Stone), Michael Hogan (as Tony lL.ogozzo) and Paul Boretski (as Nick Gallagher) in the lead roles. including the opcning script, Christopher Williams. ( It airs tonight at 10 p.m. on VTIV.) MV: Are you going to be filming more episodes? JK: It will depend on critical response as well as reviews and ratings. We'll know by the beginning of March. I feel like there’s been 2 lot of support here, though. PK: Hopefully peopte will watch it. and like - it, but not because it’s Canadian, because it’s good television. I'm pretty proud of it. MV: I still don’t understand wity this - hasn’t been done before in Vancouver. _ JK: You mean why hasn’r a television series been set in Vancouver? I think people are afraid that it will limit their ability to sell it in the U.S. That’s the bottom line. I'm glad that’s not the bottom line for this team. ; stirred Mix the ingredients with ice. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Dear Mr. Fizz: I sub- scribe to a scientific theory that proposes an asteroid many kilo- — metres in diameter will collide with Earth. Fizz: The wheel is turn- ing, but the hamster is dead. Time to get Tropical: 2 oz. rum, 4 oz. lime juice, ¥ slice pineapple, 1 dash grena- dine. Sprinkle sugar on the pineapple slice. Beat all ingredients in an electric blender. Pour unstrained and serve with a short straw. Dear Mr. Fizz: Some folks feel that they hayen’t arrived as trout fishermen until they've created a uew pattern of fly and named it after themscives. Might they be right? has Fizz: Lots of trout don’t know the names of all the patterns in a tackle catalog. Some trour don’t even know a Dotterel Dun or a Waterhen Bloa when they see one. Flush the fly ma Tidy Bowt: ¥ 02. vodka, 1-2 drops Blue Curacao, 2 raisins. Mix the ingredients with ice. Strain into a shot glass and add the raisins. Making Life Work ~/ wi vVly ~ oF = ~ - ca New time slot for VIV's Double Exposure 7 pam. on VTV. Starring Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen, Double Exposure debuted — across Canada on VIV and on most Baton/CTV szations, in the Commentary Come and see the excite]. ment of church in actich:|* 6. Fun-Packed hour of kids Pursue Wisdom from CGiads activities. Perspective. Thursday January 29th 1998 - 7:30pm - 8:30pm West Vancouver Baptist Church @ 450 Mathers 922-0911 Music Childeare Services will be provided. Infants to grade ‘Yoronto area. Across the rest of Canada the show continnes in its regu- jar time slot of Saturdays at 7 p.m. on Bator Broadcasting, It also repeats nationally on The Comedy Network Saturdays. Midweek Church is a series of 8 one hour events focused on Making Life Wark. BATON Broadcasting’s Vancouver: produced Double Exposure is moving to Sunday nights — in British Columbia only — starting Sunday, Jan. 25 at