HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-10-23, Page 2626 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Hockey Knights in Canada
Ryan Pyette
OMI Agency
You better show up with more than
fancy cameras and league approval to
shoot a compelling eight -part TV docu-
mentary about the London Knights.
Fadoo Productions, Toronto radio host
Bob McCown's company responsible for
last year's stunning On The Edge series
about the Memorial Cup host Saskatoon
Blades, found themselves in the same
boat as everyone else.
To make this work, they had to gain the
Hunters' trust.
That doesn't come automatically for
anyone sticking a giant lens or tape
recorder into the faces of GM Mark
I hinter and head coach Dale, the club's
co-owners for 13 years.
"In Saskatoon, we had unfiltered
access," Fadoo president and executive
producer Corey Mussell said.
"'There was never a question that if
something happened, we wouldn't be in
the room. I think with the Knights, we've
had to earn their trust. Any time you have
a camera crew following you around, it's
unnerving. You're not used to it.
"1 think the relationship (with the
Knights) is great. It's going really well
right now but 1 think at first, they were
apprehensive and 1 don't blame theta,
Director of photography Mark Utley gathers footage inside the London Knights dressing room prior to their game against the Oshawa
Generals in London, Ont. on Friday October 18, 2013. The documentary series Quest For The Cup: A Season With The London Knights
debuts on SportsNet 360 on Sunday. (Derek Ruttan, London Free Press)
Nilf *Ny: 'Neu t ,a4e
My heartfelt thanks and best
wishes to Chris Thompson,
'the entire TD Canada Trust Team
and my wonderful clients, you
have made the past 8 years very
memorable.
My journey has been blessed by
crossing our paths! 1 look forward
to continuing to see you in our
community.
Warmest Regards
It.161i Kim ll eatltcute
113. Canada Trust
OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, October 31st
10-6pan.
Please join us as we bid farewell to
K i m Heathcote.
Wr
‘visit K all the hest in her new position with
Integra Technologies.
it's tough. But my guys are
really happy with the way it's
going:'
Russell's "guys" are a team
of 15 dedicated storytellers
who have churned out the
opening 46 -minute episode
of'lhe Quest For the Cup from
more than 50 hours worth of
footage shot during training
camp and up to the season's
first game. The show pre-
mieres Sunday on Sportsnet
360 and continues monthly
leading up to London's
Memorial Cup tournament in
May.
Sportsnet-released num-
bers suggest 3.2 million Cana-
dians watched some of the
Saskatoon journey. The net-
work expects a season -long
look at the Knights, the so-
called "Yankees of the 0111.'
will do even better.
"When you have a team like
the Knights that have been
successful so long, I think
people will be naturally curi-
ous as to how it works behind
the scenes," Russell said.
'Ihe over -arching theme of
this Knights season is fairly
predictable. They have been
to two straight Memorial
Cups, saw each dream end by
suffering two crushing one -
goal losses and are looking to
make amends with a third try
on home ice.
The Saskatoon story
evolved into a focus on GM
and coach Lorne Molleken.
1his one will be, first and fore-
most, about the Knights
players,
The Hunters, who have
already screened the opening
episode, will like that
approach.
"Last year, we were caught
a little bit by surprise by what
a great character Lorne
Molleken was," Russell said.
"Ile was comfortable with
the camera, he gave us a lot
of access. 'That'll be the dif-
ference this year. You're not
going to see Dale Hunter
ranting and raving in the
dressing room. 'That's not
their style and you wouldn't
see that anyway.
"It's a very different feel
from last year's show. There's
a lot of great storylines
because there's so much tal-
ent on this team."
Russell would know. Ile
grew up in London and
cheered for Knights like big
Jim Sandlak in the'tBOs at the
London Gardens.
"Being from London, this is
a huge treat for me," Russell
said. "'Phis is fun, a great
opportunity and I'm a hockey
fan, as well. 111 always gravi-
tate towards more hockey.
There's very few of these
projects that get sold to net-
works in Canada and to do
this a second time is an awe-
some opportunity."
Brett Welychka, the Ione
Londoner on the Knights,
expects the players will tune
in Sunday night too.
"It'll be fun and we'll prob-
ably get some razzing going,"
the veteran forward said. "It's
really for the fans, the kids
and the parents who follow
junior hockey and like to
know what's going on. They
want the inside scoop. The
1 lunters didn't tell us any-
thing. 'they just expected we
would be able to handle it.
We don't think about It too
much, Just let the cameras
filin what we're doing and I
don't think anyone's changed
since they've been here, so
that's good:'
Some opportunities have
opened up along the way.
The teats allowed a Cam-
era on the bus for the one-
hour road trip to Sarnia. Dale
Hunter agreed to a day of
shooting at his Petrolia-area
farm.
The trust is building. The
cameras keep rolling.
Where this ends up, it'll be
fascinating to follow.
ryas. pyette@sur►media.ca
fl ;1ttercvn►/Itvanat1.17prc:ss
QUEST FOR THE CUP
(TheICnights TV
documentary on the
Memorial Cup season
kicked off this week-
end on Sportsnet 360,
farrnerty The Score)
Premiere: Sunday, 9
p.m. (replays Monday,
4 p.m.; Friday, 11 p.m.;
Saturday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.)
Episode 2: Sunday, Nov. 10
Episode 3: Sunday, Dec. 15
Episode 4: Sunday, Jan. 19
Episode 5: Sunday, Feb. 9
Episode 6: Sunday, March 9
Episode 7: Sunday, April 6
Episode 8: Sunday, May 4