Recently Colin McKeown, Producer of
Truth Duty Valour invited me to his office to talk about the much anticipated second season.
Mike: A lot of folks I've talked to have seen some or all of season one. Given that many readers are already familiar with the series concept, what will they find new about season two?
Colin: Quite a bit actually. First, we have much better technology than last year. The cameras we're using provide better quality shots, and we have some interesting new gadgets. Helmet cams, boot cams and cameras capable of filming underwater to name a few. The camera crew are also more experienced and we're able to do things like dolly shots and POV shots to enhance the experience. This translates to a much more professional look and feel compared to last season.
<img src="http://army.ca/img/tmp/tdv_int_1.jpg" align="right">The downside though is that while we're barely into second season shooting, we've already sustained over $5,000 in damaged equipment. The total loss last season was $8,000 for comparison.
Technology wasn't the only thing we've changed though. We're also trying to make the episodes more interesting by creating some continuity with the people we're filming. So instead of simply filming a company on exercise, or a particular course serial, we focus on a few individuals in that organization and follow them throughout the duration of the show. This gives the series a much more personal feeling. We typically try to select different types of individuals where possible. For example, in an episode about deploying overseas, we may pick a Reg Force Sgt. who's "been there, done that," and a Reserve Pte. who has never been on tour to provide as much variety as possible.
We've also tried to inject more history and background into the episodes. In the Pathfinder show, instead of just describing what the Pathfinders do today we trace their history back through to their origins. The intent is to give the viewer more context for the events they're watching.
Mike: It's been said that TDV isn't always well rounded in it's coverage. For example there was little or no Reservist representation and it seemed that Western Canada stole the spotlight last year.
Colin: It's true, last year we
did spend a lot of time out West. That was primarily due to the fact that we had a better relationship with the CF out West than anywhere else in the country. This year however we've managed to build up a much better rapport with the other headquarters which translates into pretty even coverage. We also have two episodes that are devoted to the Reserves, who were admittedly not well represented last year.
Mike: Speaking of "rapport" how has your relationship with the CF been to date? Any differences between this season and last?
<img src="http://army.ca/img/tmp/tdv_int_2.jpg" align="left">
Colin: Definitely. Last season there was a lot of suspicion and hesitation, especially on the part of the Army. I think soldiers were reluctant to go in front of the camera because they didn't know how we would portray them. After seeing last season, things have changed a lot. People know we're not out to make them look bad or change the context of what they're saying. We try to focus on the positive, and edit out anything that seems like it would be inappropriate to air.
I think as a result of seeing how we portray things, this season the Army has been a lot more open and cooperative, from the top to the bottom. I believe that's going to translate into better coverage for them in the end.
This season, you'll be happy to know, the Army gets a bit more coverage than the other components. While the Air Force and Navy have lots of interesting things on the go, many Army activities lend themselves to this type of series. That is, more action oriented and less technical or equipment based in general.
Mike: Focusing on the positive aspects of the CF is likely a contributing factor to the show's success. Can you point to any other factors that you feel have made TDV so popular?
Colin: I try to remain faithful to the CF. I try to capture what they do, how they do it, and why we should be proud of them. And we should be proud of what they accomplish, given the resources they work with. They rely on skill, training and dedication - not kit - to get the job done.
Mike: What have your biggest challenges been in putting the show together?
Colin: It may sound odd, but mandatory leave has been a problem for us. Under this system, many soldiers are taking their block leave at the same time, usually in the summer. That forces a lot of training into the September-November time frame, which is a scheduling challenge for us. A lot of what we want to cover happens concurrently or in rapid succession. That doesn't leave us a lot of time to shoot an entire season of episodes and makes for a very busy shooting schedule.
<img src="http://army.ca/img/tmp/tdv_int_3.jpg" align="left">It's also a challenge to make sure we're technically accurate, within available timelines and budgets. For example I've seen stock footage of an F16 inserted during a segment on CF-18s, or a shot of someone firing the M72 while the voiceover discussed the Carl Gustav. That type of thing is going to be spotted immediately by an audience like ours. A lot of military shows let this type of detail slip past, but having a military background helps me identify some of the obvious inaccuracies.
We also have an SME review the final cut for some shows, to make sure it's technically sound. For example we've invited a Capt. and a Sgt. instructor from the Pathfinder's course to review that episode. Granted, they'll be viewing the final cut for technical accuracy and suitability, not for artistic input, but I think it helps create a more realistic and seamless show in the end.
Mike: How much work goes into producing a single episode?
Colin: It varies from episode to episode, but generally we shoot 25-40 hours of video for each show. [Colin backed this up by showing me a stack of about 35 hours worth of tape for the Pathfinder episode.] We then have to distil all that footage down into a one hour show, which generally takes about 10 days of editing.
Mike: What does the episode list look like for season two?
Colin: Here is the full episode list:
Army Combat Divers
<img src="http://army.ca/img/tmp/tdv_int_4.jpg" align="right">Op Celebration (Medic Competition)
HMCS Naniamo (Navy Reserves)
Non Combatant Evacuation (NEO with PPCLI)
SAREX (SAR Tech Competition)
Exercise Stalwart Guardian (Army Reserves)
HMCS Ville De Quebec (with SNFL)
Sea Kings (onboard HMCS Athabaskan)
Pathfinders
TALEX (Hercules Low Level Sustainment Drops)
Jungle Warfare Training
Training for Afghanistan (RCD/CER/RCR)
Aurora (War on Terrorism - Italy)
Mike: Sounds like you have some interesting topics lined up this season. What have your personal favourites been so far.
Colin: By far the Pathfinders. Those guys are hard core! But the Medic competition was also very cool. Very realistic, having to deal with scenarios from drunks to wounded soldiers with their guts hanging out.
Mike: Ok, I'm hooked. When does the new season start?
Colin: The exact date is TBD, but look for us in early January on Outdoor Life Network. The first episode covers Op Celebration, the Medic Competition.
Mike: I know the second season hasn't even aired yet, but do you have any long term plans for a third season? Or beyond?
Colin: Well that depends on a lot of things of course. To be honest, I don't see us going beyond four seasons in total regardless of what else happens. Anything more than that and I believe we would run out of good, solid content.
Mike: What other projects do you have in the works? Anything Army.ca visitors may be interested in.
Colin: Actually yes. I'm working on a couple of concepts that I believe will hold a lot of interest for Army.ca visitors, but unfortunately it's too early to provide any details.
Mike: I guess we'll have to save that for a future interview. Keep us posted, and thanks for your time.
Note: To read an interview conducted with Colin regarding TDV Season 1,
click here.