Comments on: Made in Alaska – Dana Stabenow and Evergreen Films http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/ Tiptoeing Through the Muck of Alaskan Politics Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:08:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: wakeupak http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143417 wakeupak Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:58:11 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143417 Dana, a big thanks. Use real Alaska Native actress or Native American for title role. Show duct tape, blue tarps, occassional honey bucket, butchering game, calloused hands of Alaskan living the rural life, beat up village trucks, northern glitz of town visits, hectic box store shopping for the winter, bush mail plane lifeline, smiling, inquiring faces of native kids...show it all. Native and Non-Native, Bush and urban and even suburban mall strip of Wasilla. Then have Kate solve the continuing Babygate mystery. I have faith in this investigative sleuth to get the facts right about former Gov. Thanks for fish camp reading, 'seeing' parts of AK I haven't been to yet and seeing folks I know in the characters of your books. Break a leg to all involved. Drag Mike, Evergreen crew everywhere. Rely on Rene Hayes Casting for Native acting authenticity. Dana, a big thanks. Use real Alaska Native actress or Native American for title role. Show duct tape, blue tarps, occassional honey bucket, butchering game, calloused hands of Alaskan living the rural life, beat up village trucks, northern glitz of town visits, hectic box store shopping for the winter, bush mail plane lifeline, smiling, inquiring faces of native kids…show it all.
Native and Non-Native, Bush and urban and even suburban mall strip of Wasilla. Then have Kate solve the continuing Babygate mystery. I have faith in this investigative sleuth to get the facts right about former Gov.
Thanks for fish camp reading, ‘seeing’ parts of AK I haven’t been to yet and seeing folks I know in the characters of your books. Break a leg to all involved. Drag Mike, Evergreen crew everywhere. Rely on Rene Hayes Casting for Native acting authenticity.

]]> By: leenie17 http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143256 leenie17 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:38:40 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143256 I'm SOOOO excited to hear this news!!! I discovered Dana Stabenow a few years ago and LOVE the stories. Kate Shugak is such a fascinating, unusual character and I really enjoy the humor that's in every book. Now that I've actually been to Alaska several times, it's particularly interesting to read the books and understand some of the quirky only-in-Alaska details. "Breakup" is one of my all time favorite books and I read it whenever I'm feeling down and need a good diversion with a lot of laughs! Yayy for Dana insisting that the production actually be done in Alaska instead of one of the usual stand-in locations. I’m SOOOO excited to hear this news!!!

I discovered Dana Stabenow a few years ago and LOVE the stories. Kate Shugak is such a fascinating, unusual character and I really enjoy the humor that’s in every book. Now that I’ve actually been to Alaska several times, it’s particularly interesting to read the books and understand some of the quirky only-in-Alaska details. “Breakup” is one of my all time favorite books and I read it whenever I’m feeling down and need a good diversion with a lot of laughs!

Yayy for Dana insisting that the production actually be done in Alaska instead of one of the usual stand-in locations.

]]> By: sandy beach http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143245 sandy beach Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:11:22 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143245 Don't forget the wonderful John Sayles film, "Limbo." It was filmed right here in Juneau. They cast lots of locals as extras. I moved here the year after that. My first 4th of July parade in Juneau featured a float with John Sayles and his crew. They had fallen in love with Juneau (who wouldn't? OK not Sarah) and wanted to come back for the parade. Great, gut-wrenching movie with David Strathairn and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Don’t forget the wonderful John Sayles film, “Limbo.” It was filmed right here in Juneau. They cast lots of locals as extras. I moved here the year after that. My first 4th of July parade in Juneau featured a float with John Sayles and his crew. They had fallen in love with Juneau (who wouldn’t? OK not Sarah) and wanted to come back for the parade.

Great, gut-wrenching movie with David Strathairn and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

]]> By: Sister A http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143226 Sister A Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:16:07 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143226 There's something about a story being filmed in the place it is set. I was a big fan of Northern Exposure (I liked quirky characters and story lines, not the "allure of mysterious, rustic and remote Alaska"). But I never though it was likely to represent Alaska, and have often wondered how locals felt about it. I assumed "not favorably." Sounds like I assumed correctly. I was, however, familiar with Roslyn (where Northern Exposure was filmed) and given that small towns in the foothills of the Cascades are quirky enough on their own, couldn't figure out why the story had to be set in Alaska. I suppose because of the "allure" and the "remote" aspects. Hopefully, however, Alaska stories will be filmed more and more [i]in[/i] Alaska, just like stories feel better and work better whenever they are set correctly. The downside, I suppose, is that it puts a load on the filmmakers, and makes it harder to do with period pieces. The 1983 movie "Heart Like a Wheel" was set in my hometown, Olympia WA, which apparently had the right feel for 1950s Schenectady, NY. Bet the trees were all wrong, bet the roads didn't look right to Schenectady locals, and those of us who've never been to that part of the county missed out on a view into the place. (Still, a joy for me, tho, to see footage of my hometown when I see the film.) But hey, where it works, use at least get the feel of the locale right. There’s something about a story being filmed in the place it is set.

I was a big fan of Northern Exposure (I liked quirky characters and story lines, not the “allure of mysterious, rustic and remote Alaska”). But I never though it was likely to represent Alaska, and have often wondered how locals felt about it. I assumed “not favorably.” Sounds like I assumed correctly.

I was, however, familiar with Roslyn (where Northern Exposure was filmed) and given that small towns in the foothills of the Cascades are quirky enough on their own, couldn’t figure out why the story had to be set in Alaska. I suppose because of the “allure” and the “remote” aspects. Hopefully, however, Alaska stories will be filmed more and more [i]in[/i] Alaska, just like stories feel better and work better whenever they are set correctly.

The downside, I suppose, is that it puts a load on the filmmakers, and makes it harder to do with period pieces. The 1983 movie “Heart Like a Wheel” was set in my hometown, Olympia WA, which apparently had the right feel for 1950s Schenectady, NY. Bet the trees were all wrong, bet the roads didn’t look right to Schenectady locals, and those of us who’ve never been to that part of the county missed out on a view into the place. (Still, a joy for me, tho, to see footage of my hometown when I see the film.)

But hey, where it works, use at least get the feel of the locale right.

]]> By: Tremelai http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143214 Tremelai Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:40:09 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143214 "The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans" I find it condescending when tourists ask me where Mystery or Cicely Alaska is located. (don't get me started on "The Fourth Kind".) It would be nice for a change to have a popular Alaskan plot TV series and/or movie shot on location here in Alaska. On a related note, I think they should cast Irene Bedard for the staring role. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/ “The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans”

I find it condescending when tourists ask me where Mystery or Cicely Alaska is located. (don’t get me started on “The Fourth Kind”.)

It would be nice for a change to have a popular Alaskan plot TV series and/or movie shot on location here in Alaska.

On a related note, I think they should cast Irene Bedard for the staring role.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/

]]> By: Terry http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143212 Terry Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:36:41 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143212 Congratulations to Dana both for her well deserved success and for having the strength to hold out for what she knows is right....filming in Alaska. I got to meet Dana at an event at the Homer Library. Such a nice and talented lady. Congratulations to Dana both for her well deserved success and for having the strength to hold out for what she knows is right….filming in Alaska.

I got to meet Dana at an event at the Homer Library. Such a nice and talented lady.

]]> By: petepeta http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143138 petepeta Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:47:03 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143138 The novels are not that well written, I give her a C. I think I got through a couple when the series first began but found better writers after that. The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans if you think about it. The novels are not that well written, I give her a C. I think I got through a couple when the series first began but found better writers after that. The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans if you think about it.

]]> By: physicsmom http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143127 physicsmom Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:29:11 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143127 Excellent news! I've loved the Kate Shugak stories for many years and look forward to each new installment. Hooray for Dana for holding out for authenticity! I'll be waiting impatiently for the final product. Thanks for sharing your amazing experience with us AKM. Excellent news! I’ve loved the Kate Shugak stories for many years and look forward to each new installment. Hooray for Dana for holding out for authenticity! I’ll be waiting impatiently for the final product. Thanks for sharing your amazing experience with us AKM.

]]> By: Lainey http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143117 Lainey Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:01:45 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143117 #25 Hollywood can only do sterotypes. Just be glad that Alaskans as a group don’t have an accent that can be belittled. ----------------------- you betcha #25 Hollywood can only do sterotypes. Just be glad that Alaskans as a group don’t have an accent that can be belittled.
———————–
you betcha

]]> By: Juneaudream http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/27/made-in-alaska-dana-stabenow-and-evergreen-films/#comment-143095 Juneaudream Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:11:41 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7614#comment-143095 "who field dressed".. well then..I will make a verrra small gauze bag for the situation..in jest of course..but as a prop..should Brian ever wish to pull a snl-type comedy skit... ;) “who field dressed”.. well then..I will make a verrra small gauze bag for the situation..in jest of course..but as a prop..should Brian ever wish to pull a snl-type comedy skit… ;)

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