We already know that Fredericton has a vibrant and diverse music scene. It’s a bit scrappy, and a little wild, and righteously so—there’s no denying that the talent is there in its own sort of self-supporting microcosm. It’s the sort of music scene that at the very least deserves better than cliches, but maybe we didn’t know it could look quite this good. This week, RayneMaker Productions gave an early peek at The Capital Project, their documentary on Fredericton’s music scene, and it looked good enough to garner a standing ovation.
The brief preview offered just a bit of a teaser, more of an ode than an examination, but gave a hint of the full scale of the project. It showcases the amazing music scene that has formed in Fredericton, New Brunswick—not just the level of talent but also the amount of diversity: from rock, pop, folk, country, hip hop, to alternative music genres. The quick glimpse audiences were given made clear how extensive filmmakers Tim Rayne and Arthur Thomson have been in their work.
“This project is truly a community project,” said Director Tim Rayne. “In all, we have recorded over 80 band performances and conducted over 100 interviews with bands, solo musicians, music educators, theatre performers, festival organizers, venue owners and music promoters.
“The documentary not only features the local music scene, but also explores other topics such as music education, DIY music production, and local music’s impact on culture and the economy in New Brunswick.”
Fredericton Mayor Mike O’Brien, who was in attendance at the early screening at the Picaroons’ Roundhouse, said that “music and culture are two very important contributors to the quality of life in Fredericton. We are very lucky to have a local arts community that is so rich in talent, and are very excited to know that through that the Capital Project will be showcasing our best to the world.”
The documentary will be launched this fall, first in a two-hour film format that will be shown at national and international film festivals. Following that it will available as an 18 episode web-series in early January 2018, with rumours of a Netflix Canada deal.
Update: The Capital Project documentary is premiering at The Fredericton Playhouse on April 20th, 2018 at 7:30pm! Tickets are available online here.