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16ARTSCULTURETELEVISIONTuesdaySeptember162014FurHarvestersNWTmakinghitTVonashoestringByJACKDANYLCHUKThewinningmomentintheFurHarvestersNWTseriescomesinthenalepisodewhenAndrewStanleytalksupthejoysofcyclingthroughHelsinkiandconnectshisexperi-enceinthebushwiththeworldofinterna-tionaltradeandfashion.ItsvalidationforStanleywhosepeltswerejudgedbyexpertsinFinlandtobeamongtheverybestintheworldandfortheseriesthathasfoundlegionsofenthusiasticviewersonWildTVandisnowairingonNWTelCableandVimeoonDemand.StanleyproducerMaximBloudovandtheArtlessCollectiveofPabloSaravanjaandJayBulckaertwholmedthetrapperatworklastwinterwereattheTopKnightlastFridaytoscreenthe10-partseriesformorethan100fans.Initsrstseason90000viewerstunedintoeachepisodeonWildTVwheretheseriesisprojectedtodraw2.4millionbythenale.Theshowcurrentlysitsinthetopsixofthenetworks97programs.Producedatatotalcostof180000itmaybethelowestbud-getandmostrealseriesinWildTVsstable.WhetherFurHarvestersNWTgetsasecondseasonormoredependsonwhethertheshowssponsorslikewhattheyseeandbelievetheyaregettingvaluefortheirinvestment.AprogramaboutfurtrappingwasanideathatwasoatingonthemindsofeveryoneintheNorthwhoisinterestedindocumenta-riesSaravanjarecalledinaninterviewwithTheJournal.StanleywasalreadyonYouTubewithabout60self-madevideosaboutwhatitwasliketobeatrapperinthecontemporaryNorthandhadafollowingof10000subscribersmostlyAmericanswhowereintowhathewasdoing.Hisvideosare20-minutemonologuesfullofenergyheartandcolorfullanguage.AftercomingoffacoupleofseasonsofworkingonrealityTVwhichisanythingbutrealIfellinlove.HejustblewmeawaywithhishonestySaravanjasaid.TheArtlessCollectiveguessedcorrectlythattheirfriendFrancoisRossouwwhoheadsuptheterritorialgovernmentsfurmarketingprogramcouldconnectthemwithStanley.HedidandalsosuggestedWesternFurAuc-tionsasasponsor.InOntariothereare10000trappersalonewithmaybe100000intheU.S.ItsahugecommunitySaravanjasaid.SuddenlyAn-drewwasblowingupeverywhere.Hewasthemodelofthemoderntrappertheambassadortopromotethebusiness.Theyrealizedtheim-pacthewouldhaveinternationally.TheNorthBayauctionhouseputupabout75percentofthemoneyfortheprojectandgavethevideoteamtotalcreativecontrol.BuffaloAirwaystheterritorialgovernmentandHayRiverMLAJaneGroenewegenputuptherest.SaravanjaiscondentthesamemodelcanbeappliedtoalmostanylmandTVproj-ectintheNWTtocreateaspecialtyproductthatoneclientlikesbutthatalsoappealstoalargeraudience.ByaccidentwevefoundawaytomaketelevisioninaplacewherethereisnomoneySaravanjasaid.ItsdocumentaryrealityTVmeetshostedshingshowapay-to-playmodelthatdoesntdependonbigfederalgrantsorhugetaxincentives.Hisvideosare20-minutemonologuesfullofenergyheartandcolourfullan-guage...Ifellinlove.Hejustblewmeawaywithhishonesty.PabloSaravanjaArtlessCollectivePhotoArtlessCollectiveHayRivertrapperAndrewStanleyheadsouttocheckhistraplinesonFurHarvestersNWTarealityTVshowprolinghislifeasasubsistencetrapper.