Crude Sacrifice

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The Company

System of Illusion Pictures Ltd.

System of Illusion Pictures was established to create films and documentaries that examine our perception of reality.

Art and the medium of film have been used for decades to push our ability as humans to communicate our emotions, thoughts and ideas to ourselves as well as to others.

Over the last century with the invention of digital technology the medium has now become for the most part a tool for marketing.

The team working at System of Illusion Pictures hopes to bring the medium of film production back to it’s original form of speaking to issues and systems thus providing a different perspective than that of large production companies and media giants that were formed to capture mind share and mind space of the masses.

We believe a small company can play an important role in truly understanding our world. We are all connected and the way we share our ideas, emotions and thoughts can have a profound influence on our collective consciousness.

The Producer

Lawrence Carota


		The filmmaker of Crude Sacrifice wore three hats during the production of the film. The first was to be the primary financier and producer in a concerted effort to maintain a truly independent point of view without restriction or political bias. The second role was to be a cinematographer, drawing upon 30 years of experience shooting film to transport the audience from the Athabasca River and into the lives of the people who live there. Finally, as the director, his most important job was to capture and express what was happening in a timeless way, in his own unique, intimate style of filmmaking. The result is a nostalgic and symbolic parable for our times and a story in which we all are connected. Filmmaking is an art form, but throughout his thirty years, many of his award winning documentaries such as, A Nurses Opinion, Recognition and Respect, A Time for Change, This Business of Living and Keepers of the Light were all produced in a real and honest style. Keepers of the Light featured beautiful stories about lighthouses and their keepers from around the world before full automation. A Nurses Opinion and Recognition and Respect are films about the history of nursing and the prediction of the deterioration of Canada’s healthcare system. Time for Change and This Business of Living are a very special look at the ailing Atlantic Canada’s Fishery as well as a personal look at one family who has been fishing lobsters for many generations in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Most of Lawrence Carota’s films have dealt with change and loss. Northern Canada is a very wild, cold place to make a film. Passionate and fiercely independent, Lawrence took his film camera to Alberta through all four seasons of the year to allow the audience to experience the cycles of nature first hand.. to go on the river banks, to stand next to the tailing ponds, to see the Tar Sands under development from the air in order to experience the size and scale of the project. He spent weeks living in the northern community of Fort Chipewyan where he got an intimate look at a warm but hurting community full of people trying to cope with losing their way of life. As a cinematographer, he attempted to capture the honesty and beauty of a people along with a way of life which is being destroyed before their eyes. His intention is to showcase the positive nature and spirit of defiance which has allowed them to survive sustainably on the land for thousands of years. Crude Sacrifice is a cautionary tale for all of Canada. As a seasoned filmmaker, Lawrence is experienced in dealing with complex issues and controversy, covering news from around the world, investigating and documenting our changing world and how it affects our lives.

Credits

Professional Film Credits

Production Company: System of Illusion Pictures Ltd.
Producer and Director: Lawrence Carota
Cinematographer: Lawrence Carota
Editor: Andrej Marko, Christopher Carota
Sound: Cole Bayford, Arbour-Dale Robinson
Music: Matthew Rogers, Shawn Hall

End Credits:
Location Sound and Synching: Cole Bayford
Sound Assistant: Arbour –Dale Robinson
Additional Cinematography: Nicholas Carota
Post-Production Producer: Christopher Carota
Sound Editor: Laura Davis
Sound Mix: Spence-Thomas Productions
Animation Sequence: Nicholas Carota
Original Theme Song: Lorenzo Antonio
Music Consultants: Brennan Saul, Kelly Noble
Musicians: Shawn Hall, Matt Rogers
Film Lab and Scanning: Northwest FX, Deluxe Laboratory
Colour correction: Tom Metzger
Post Production Facilities: Ocean Tides Productions Ltd., Northwest FX

Thanks to:
Claris Voyageur, Wood Buffalo Housing Development Corporation
Dale Monaghan, Air Mikisew
Precision Camera
Panavision Canada, Toronto
Clairmont Camera INC., Vancouver
Arri Canada Limited
Parks Canada
Fuji Film LA & Vancouver
Northwest Imaging & FX
Vidcom Vancouver
Mario Carota
Tudor Weeks
Heidi Carota
Alberta Legislative Assembly
Athabasca Heritage Society
University of Athabasca

Participants
Dr. John O’Connor – Physician, Fort Chipewyan
Dr. William Rees – Population Ecology, UBC School of Community & Regional Planning
John Piche – Elder
George Martin – Elder
Alice Martin – ECFN Board Member
Donna Cyprien – Director Nunee Health
George Poitras – Consulting Coordinator Mikisew Industrial Relations, Cree First Nations
Joseph Boucher & Raymond Ladouceur – Fishermen
Dr. Kevin Timoney – Alberta Ecologist
Colin Kaufmann – Former Suncor Mining Engineer
Alana Bresson – Ft. McMurray Resident
Paul Spring – Phoenix Heli-Flight
Andrew Nikiforuk – Oil Sands Journalist
Sheila Hodder – Secretary
Len Hansen – Syncrude Heavy Machine Operator
Mike Alan – Ft. McMurray City Councillor
Alice Haxton – Ft. McMurray Land Developer
Mia Wolniewicz – Mapping Project Coordinator
Dr. Jeffrey Short – Supervisory Research Chemist, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Don van Hout – Canoeist
Tony Boschman – Former Government of Alberta Environment Inspector
Murray Banting – Calgary Soil Engineer
Hon. Rob Renner – PC, Minister of Environment (Medicine Hat)
Dr. David Schindler – Professor of Ecology, University of Alberta
Kevin Taft – LIB (Edmonton – Riverview)
Hon. Ted Morton – PC (Foothills – Riverview)

Distributors

National Film Board of Canada

Screenings

Screenings info coming soon..

Contact

System of Illusion Pictures Ltd.

Lawrence Carota
4705 Strathcona Rd.
North Vancouver, British Columbia
V7G 1G9

Telephone: 604.739.8434
Fax: 604.929.7914
Email: oceantides@telus.net