Oil Sands Karaoke
| Oil Sands Karaoke | |
|---|---|
Poster
|
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| Directed by | Charles Wilkinson |
| Produced by | Tina Schliessler Charles Wilkinson Kevin Eastwood Murray Battle |
| Music by | Various |
| Cinematography | Charles Wilkinson |
| Edited by | Tina Schliessler Charles Wilkinson |
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Production
company |
Shore Films Inc.
|
| Distributed by | Indiecan Entertainment Knowledge Network |
|
Release date
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Running time
|
82 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Oil Sands Karaoke is a 2013 feature documentary film directed by Charles Wilkinson. The film follows five people working in or around the infamous oil sands of Northern Alberta as they compete in a karaoke contest held at local watering hole Bailey's Pub. The film was produced by Wilkinson and Tina Schliessler, and executive produced by Kevin Eastwood and Knowledge Network's Murray Battle.
Alberta's oil sands project has been called the single most destructive industrial project in human history.Oil Sands Karaoke focuses on the people who live and work around the oil sands project, whose voices are rarely heard in the debates about the economic value and environmental cost of the project.
As the five featured workers progress through the stages of the karaoke contest, singing pop favourites from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Britney Spears, they explain through interviews how and why they came to work in the oil industry, and how it has impacted their lives. Some are dismissive of the opinions of "environmentalists". Others say they are aware of the destructive impact that the oil industry has on the environment, but without the lucrative salaries available from the oil companies, their debts and financial obligations would be too much to bear. All feel that singing helps relieve the stress of long hours working heavy equipment, or the loneliness of living in a remote industrial town.
Director Wilkinson believes the vicious tone of the debate over the oil sands has precluded any meaningful discussion. "There's so much shouting that we don't talk," he says. "...there are human beings involved. We need to talk about this stuff, but we should maybe try to be a bit more polite with each other."
Dan Debrabandre works as a haul truck driver. The mining truck that he drives, a Caterpillar 797, is one of the biggest motorized vehicles ever invented and can hold up to 500 tons of bitumen-laced dirt. Prior to working in the oil sands, Dan pursued a career as a country singer, but family and financial obligations made him give up on his recording dreams. Dan says he is grateful for all the financial and emotional support his friends and family gave him while he worked on his music, and part of the reason he works a lucrative oil sands job is to pay them back.
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