Many Manitobans have found their way onto the Red Carpet of the Academy Awards. Last year’s winner for Best Original Score, Mychael Danna (Life of Pi), was born in Manitoba; as were such past nominees as Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and Cordell Barker (The Cat Came Back) in addition to winner Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction).

Yet for most Winnipeg filmmakers, performers, writers, special effects gurus, and composers, being part of the film industry’s biggest event may seem like a pipe dream at best. It’s a goal, for sure, but one that likely seems entirely unreachable.

Local filmmaker Ian Bawa (Offline, Under the Neon Lights) has been watching the Academy Awards for as long as he can remember, not only in awe of motion pictures but also in the night celebrating the film world’s best. Once he switched his education path to film, he started to realize that there was a chance – however small – that one day he could direct something worthy of Hollywood’s big night.

For Aaron Merke – a Winnipeg comedian who has studied at Second City and Improv Olympic in Chicago, and lived in New York, Toronto, Vancouver, and Los Angeles performing improv and stand-up comedy – the idea of gaining Oscar notoriety has never really been on his mind. Despite appearing on television (House Party, Less Than Kind, Video on Trial) and film (Make It Happen, Foodland), the path to an Academy Award is nearly impossible for comedic performers.

While both work in the same industry, the contrast between each man’s aspirations could not be more apparent than how they responded when given the opportunity this year to take part in Oscar week as media members for The Uniter and ShowbizMonkeys.com, respectively. Bawa and Merke both travelled south to Los Angeles, California last weekend to collect their Academy Award Exterior Access credentials, but that really was where the similarities ended.

Merke, having filmed pieces in both 2009 and 2010 for ShowbizMonkeys.com, once again jumped at the opportunity to walk the red carpet in the days leading up to the ceremony, taking on the task of “serious reporter” while also filming comedic bits which were right in his wheelhouse. When not on camera, Merke’s goofy grin rarely left his face.

But for Bawa, the chance to step on the famed Oscar Red Carpet – the same crimson walkway he had seen for years on television and dreamed of strolling down – was one he couldn’t take. As an award-winning filmmaker, the reverence for the significance of the red carpet (along with a healthy dose of superstition) was far more powerful than the allure of silly childhood fantasies. With visitors from around the world and locals basking in the glow of show business scurrying about, taking photos from afar and wishing they could cross that line, Bawa remained quiet and subdued – behind the rope.

Paul Little runs the Purple Room venue. Check out some of the aforementioned videos of Merke vs Hollywood at showbizmonkeys.com

Published in Volume 68, Number 22 of The Uniter (March 5, 2014)