In order to study abroad, students need to find a great deal of information about the institution where they will study; the city, region, and country where that school is located; the school year; academic information; scholarship information; living expenses; exchange rates; climate; transportation; daily life; visa requirements; language requirements; proof of language proficiency; etc.
Nowadays, there are many Internet sites related to studying abroad, both for Japanese people interested in going abroad and non-Japanese people who are interested in coming to Japan. I have compiled a list of links to many of them, in addition to writing articles and learning materials for students who want to study abroad. I have made a web page “Study Abroad” http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/study.htm) (Appendix A)
which has links to those resources. This is a guide to show how to use the Internet effectively to find such resources. On-line resources are particularly helpful, because users can search for information, navigate through links, and look up information just by changing screens. In addition, web pages can be updated more easily than printed materials.
Though this page was made for both Japanese who go abroad to study and non-Japanese who come to Japan, it is more useful for the former, and some information is particularly intended for Doshisha University students who are planning to participate in the university's exchange student programs.
Organization of "Study Abroad”
This web page includes links to 1) a Japanese resource (which is a link to another web page which has links of web resources written in Japanese), 2) useful sites in English, 3) articles about studying abroad, 4) organizations and governmental offices, 5) resources, 6) tests, 7) institutions, reports and projects by Doshisha University students, 9) learning materials on studying in the US, 10) academic English, 11) traveling abroad, and 12) information for non-Japanese people.
1 The Japanese web page
"Ryugaku" (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/Japanese/library/resource/abroad/) (Appendix B) has links to resources written in Japanese. The contents are: useful information, information about different countries, embassies, organizations for international exchange, traveling abroad, cheap international phone calls, free e-mail, university programs related to international exchange, and study abroad resources for Doshisha University students. Students can get overall information about studying in various countries, particularly about universities where Doshisha University sends exchange students.
2 Useful Sites
This section includes information on time, exchange rates, weather, Internet domains, school calendars, universities, and language schools. For students planning to go abroad, these sites include a great deal of valuable information
3 Articles about Studying Abroad
These articles were written for students who are thinking about studying abroad. There are seven articles which explain American higher education, studying abroad and the Internet, studying in an American university, using university libraries, the differences between American and British higher education, and benefits of three types of studying abroad.
4 Organizations and Governmental Offices
This section is a list of links to organizations and governmental offices related to studying abroad, such as embassies, associations of language schools, educational exchange organizations, and Departments or Ministries of Education. Students can get information from these organizations and offices. They are organized by country or region: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe.
5 Resources
This section includes various types of information which students may need. There are some general resources, such as guides to studying abroad and links pages related to studying abroad, as well as some resources for certain regions or countries. The latter has the following categories: Asia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Korea. This section includes commercial resources and other resources for studying and traveling.
6 Tests
Since some institutions require test scores as part of their application process, I have included links to information about the GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, and SAT in “Tests.” The GRE and GMAT are required by many American graduate schools. Most English-speaking institutions require non-native English speakers to provide IELTS or TOEFL scores to show the English language proficiency. The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand generally require IELTS, and American and Canadian universities require TOEFL.
7 Institutions
This section links the pages of many universities all over the world, or connects to links pages for universities in certain regions or countries. The first part of this section has the general links pages, and then there are links classified by country. There are some lists of individual institutions, which have some useful resources for people who are considering studying there.
8. Reports and Projects by Doshisha Students
One Doshisha student has written a report on her experience studying in Australia. Some students have made web pages to help people who are considering studying at a certain university in a certain country. Those are listed in “Reports and Projects by Doshisha University Students.” They are very helpful for students who are considering to study at those universities. There are more projects found at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/class/practicum/.
Doshisha University students made some web pages for non-Japanese people to come to Japan to study, do business, to live and to do sightseeing. They are at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/library/student/japan.htm. Also some Doshisha University students have made web pages for non-Japanese people who want to study Japanese language and understand aspects of Japanese culture, which are included in the section for non-Japanese people.
9. Learning Materials on Studying in the US
This section includes five articles which are included in our textbooks. They are explanations about an American college, taking classes a college, living in at college dormitory, and experiences of Japanese students in the United States and on an American college campus. The latter were written from the point of view of Japanese students as they experience new things in the United States, so it is easy for Japanese students to understand, and they can learn about studying abroad from the point of view of someone who had experienced it.
10. Academic English
This section is another resource I have made, which can be found at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/class/material/academic.htm (Appendix C). It includes valuable information for students who want to study abroad. It includes information about how to evaluate resources, plagiarism, fields of study, search tools, study skills, research, writing research papers, writing, resources, and making web pages.
11. Traveling Abroad
This page (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/japanese/online/overseas.htm) is made for Japanese scholars and business people interested in traveling abroad, particularly to the United States, the UK, and European countries (Appendix D). Thus it includes both English and Japanese resources, and probably more Japanese ones.
This web page includes very practical resources for traveling, including information about obtaining plane tickets; transportation such as trains, buses, ships, etc., in various countries; finding night accommodations and even making reservations; major airports; and other helpful information for traveling.
12. For Non-Japanese Students
This section is for non-Japanese people who come to Japan for study, business, or sightseeing. There are many Doshisha student projects to help those people enjoy staying in Japan, and study better or do business more effectively.
Those projects include information about studying the Japanese language, studying at Japanese universities, various places in Japan, entertainment, famous places, avoiding problems, eating, etc.
This section also includes links on Japanese culture and language that could be helpful to non-Japanese people to study Japan. “Japan and Japanese Language” (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/japan.htm), which I made, is linked, and it covers learning Japanese language, gateways for various types of information, culture, Japanese language, Japanese literature, libraries, mailing lists, newspapers. magazines, TV and radio; movies, organizations, resources, teachers' homepages, learning material, college associations, university Japanese programs, Japanese programs in Japan, and food. (Appendix E) These links are beneficial for non-Japanese people who live or stay in Japan.
Using "Study Abroad" Effectively
Japanese students who have just started thinking about the possibility of studying abroad should read the articles about studying abroad, particularly "Why Don't You Study Abroad?" which explains three different types of studying abroad and their advantages and disadvantages in "3. Articles." Other articles explain higher education in the United States and Britain. If you are interested in studying abroad, the learning materials are interesting and informative as well as giving you a chance to read English.
The Japanese resources "Ryugaku" include explanations about educational systems and universities in various countries, and they are very informative for students who are trying to decide what English-speaking country they want to study in. There are great differences among the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The web pages of organizations and government offices provide various resources and information, and students who are interested in studying abroad should skim this information. While you might not need the information right away, it may later be useful, so you should know what kinds of resources are available.
Choosing the institution where you study is a big and important decision. Fortunately, most institutions have well developed web sites, and you can find almost all the information you need. One way of comparing institutions is to make a chart. You can list the institutions down the left side and characteristics of the institutions across the top (for example, the size of the institution, the courses of interest to you, or whatever is important to you in choosing an institutions). You can fill in the chart with information from web pages. That way, you can choose the five institutions that best fit your priorities. Then you can send e-mails to them to collect more information or begin the application process.
"Reports and Projects by Doshisha Students" might be helpful in deciding what kind of information you need to look for. Students have made web pages with information they thought might be useful, and most of them are well done. One problem might be that some of the information might become outdated, since they will not be revised.
If you are considering getting into a degree program, you need to take TOEFL or IELTS depending on which country you are going to. You need good scores before you apply for admission. You should check the schedule, etc., for those tests, and take them as soon as possible.
After you decide to go abroad for study, I strongly suggest that you study academic English. Writing essays and research papers is particularly important, so you need to learn about doing research and writing a paper. "Academic English" section has resources that will help you in this area.
"Reference Materials for Students and Researchers" (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/referenc.htm) has valuable resources. Resources for writing and search sites are particularly important for the students who are going abroad to study.
"Useful Sites" and "Traveling Abroad" have very practical sites where you can get a lot of information about traveling and living abroad. Some of these sites might be interesting for students in general. They might spark an interest in studying abroad if students use them to studying English. When students are ready to go, they can use these sites to make travel plans, etc.
For non-Japanese people, web pages by Doshisha students are interesting and informative. Keiko Schneider's "Japanese language learning tools on Web" is very extensive, and you will find a great many useful sites.
My "Japan and Japanese Language" also has a great deal of information about that you may need to know about Japan, Japanese culture, and Japanese language. I have included some information about language and university programs as well as universities.
Web Resources for Studying Abroad
.
Introduction
In order to study abroad, students need to find a great deal of information about the institution where they will study; the city, region, and country where that school is located; the school year; academic information; scholarship information; living expenses; exchange rates; climate; transportation; daily life; visa requirements; language requirements; proof of language proficiency; etc.
Nowadays, there are many Internet sites related to studying abroad, both for Japanese people interested in going abroad and non-Japanese people who are interested in coming to Japan. I have compiled a list of links to many of them, in addition to writing articles and learning materials for students who want to study abroad. I have made a web page “Study Abroad” http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/study.htm) (Appendix A)
which has links to those resources. This is a guide to show how to use the Internet effectively to find such resources. On-line resources are particularly helpful, because users can search for information, navigate through links, and look up information just by changing screens. In addition, web pages can be updated more easily than printed materials.
Though this page was made for both Japanese who go abroad to study and non-Japanese who come to Japan, it is more useful for the former, and some information is particularly intended for Doshisha University students who are planning to participate in the university's exchange student programs.
Organization of "Study Abroad”
This web page includes links to 1) a Japanese resource (which is a link to another web page which has links of web resources written in Japanese), 2) useful sites in English, 3) articles about studying abroad, 4) organizations and governmental offices, 5) resources, 6) tests, 7) institutions, reports and projects by Doshisha University students, 9) learning materials on studying in the US, 10) academic English, 11) traveling abroad, and 12) information for non-Japanese people.
1 The Japanese web page
"Ryugaku" (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/Japanese/library/resource/abroad/) (Appendix B) has links to resources written in Japanese. The contents are: useful information, information about different countries, embassies, organizations for international exchange, traveling abroad, cheap international phone calls, free e-mail, university programs related to international exchange, and study abroad resources for Doshisha University students. Students can get overall information about studying in various countries, particularly about universities where Doshisha University sends exchange students.
2 Useful Sites
This section includes information on time, exchange rates, weather, Internet domains, school calendars, universities, and language schools. For students planning to go abroad, these sites include a great deal of valuable information
3 Articles about Studying Abroad
These articles were written for students who are thinking about studying abroad. There are seven articles which explain American higher education, studying abroad and the Internet, studying in an American university, using university libraries, the differences between American and British higher education, and benefits of three types of studying abroad.
4 Organizations and Governmental Offices
This section is a list of links to organizations and governmental offices related to studying abroad, such as embassies, associations of language schools, educational exchange organizations, and Departments or Ministries of Education. Students can get information from these organizations and offices. They are organized by country or region: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe.
5 Resources
This section includes various types of information which students may need. There are some general resources, such as guides to studying abroad and links pages related to studying abroad, as well as some resources for certain regions or countries. The latter has the following categories: Asia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Korea. This section includes commercial resources and other resources for studying and traveling.
6 Tests
Since some institutions require test scores as part of their application process, I have included links to information about the GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, and SAT in “Tests.” The GRE and GMAT are required by many American graduate schools. Most English-speaking institutions require non-native English speakers to provide IELTS or TOEFL scores to show the English language proficiency. The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand generally require IELTS, and American and Canadian universities require TOEFL.
7 Institutions
This section links the pages of many universities all over the world, or connects to links pages for universities in certain regions or countries. The first part of this section has the general links pages, and then there are links classified by country. There are some lists of individual institutions, which have some useful resources for people who are considering studying there.
8. Reports and Projects by Doshisha Students
One Doshisha student has written a report on her experience studying in Australia. Some students have made web pages to help people who are considering studying at a certain university in a certain country. Those are listed in “Reports and Projects by Doshisha University Students.” They are very helpful for students who are considering to study at those universities. There are more projects found at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/class/practicum/.
Doshisha University students made some web pages for non-Japanese people to come to Japan to study, do business, to live and to do sightseeing. They are at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/library/student/japan.htm. Also some Doshisha University students have made web pages for non-Japanese people who want to study Japanese language and understand aspects of Japanese culture, which are included in the section for non-Japanese people.
9. Learning Materials on Studying in the US
This section includes five articles which are included in our textbooks. They are explanations about an American college, taking classes a college, living in at college dormitory, and experiences of Japanese students in the United States and on an American college campus. The latter were written from the point of view of Japanese students as they experience new things in the United States, so it is easy for Japanese students to understand, and they can learn about studying abroad from the point of view of someone who had experienced it.
10. Academic English
This section is another resource I have made, which can be found at http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/class/material/academic.htm (Appendix C). It includes valuable information for students who want to study abroad. It includes information about how to evaluate resources, plagiarism, fields of study, search tools, study skills, research, writing research papers, writing, resources, and making web pages.
11. Traveling Abroad
This page (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/japanese/online/overseas.htm) is made for Japanese scholars and business people interested in traveling abroad, particularly to the United States, the UK, and European countries (Appendix D). Thus it includes both English and Japanese resources, and probably more Japanese ones.
This web page includes very practical resources for traveling, including information about obtaining plane tickets; transportation such as trains, buses, ships, etc., in various countries; finding night accommodations and even making reservations; major airports; and other helpful information for traveling.
12. For Non-Japanese Students
This section is for non-Japanese people who come to Japan for study, business, or sightseeing. There are many Doshisha student projects to help those people enjoy staying in Japan, and study better or do business more effectively.
Those projects include information about studying the Japanese language, studying at Japanese universities, various places in Japan, entertainment, famous places, avoiding problems, eating, etc.
This section also includes links on Japanese culture and language that could be helpful to non-Japanese people to study Japan. “Japan and Japanese Language” (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/japan.htm), which I made, is linked, and it covers learning Japanese language, gateways for various types of information, culture, Japanese language, Japanese literature, libraries, mailing lists, newspapers. magazines, TV and radio; movies, organizations, resources, teachers' homepages, learning material, college associations, university Japanese programs, Japanese programs in Japan, and food. (Appendix E) These links are beneficial for non-Japanese people who live or stay in Japan.
Using "Study Abroad" Effectively
Japanese students who have just started thinking about the possibility of studying abroad should read the articles about studying abroad, particularly "Why Don't You Study Abroad?" which explains three different types of studying abroad and their advantages and disadvantages in "3. Articles." Other articles explain higher education in the United States and Britain. If you are interested in studying abroad, the learning materials are interesting and informative as well as giving you a chance to read English.
The Japanese resources "Ryugaku" include explanations about educational systems and universities in various countries, and they are very informative for students who are trying to decide what English-speaking country they want to study in. There are great differences among the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The web pages of organizations and government offices provide various resources and information, and students who are interested in studying abroad should skim this information. While you might not need the information right away, it may later be useful, so you should know what kinds of resources are available.
Choosing the institution where you study is a big and important decision. Fortunately, most institutions have well developed web sites, and you can find almost all the information you need. One way of comparing institutions is to make a chart. You can list the institutions down the left side and characteristics of the institutions across the top (for example, the size of the institution, the courses of interest to you, or whatever is important to you in choosing an institutions). You can fill in the chart with information from web pages. That way, you can choose the five institutions that best fit your priorities. Then you can send e-mails to them to collect more information or begin the application process.
"Reports and Projects by Doshisha Students" might be helpful in deciding what kind of information you need to look for. Students have made web pages with information they thought might be useful, and most of them are well done. One problem might be that some of the information might become outdated, since they will not be revised.
If you are considering getting into a degree program, you need to take TOEFL or IELTS depending on which country you are going to. You need good scores before you apply for admission. You should check the schedule, etc., for those tests, and take them as soon as possible.
After you decide to go abroad for study, I strongly suggest that you study academic English. Writing essays and research papers is particularly important, so you need to learn about doing research and writing a paper. "Academic English" section has resources that will help you in this area.
"Reference Materials for Students and Researchers" (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/referenc.htm) has valuable resources. Resources for writing and search sites are particularly important for the students who are going abroad to study.
"Useful Sites" and "Traveling Abroad" have very practical sites where you can get a lot of information about traveling and living abroad. Some of these sites might be interesting for students in general. They might spark an interest in studying abroad if students use them to studying English. When students are ready to go, they can use these sites to make travel plans, etc.
For non-Japanese people, web pages by Doshisha students are interesting and informative. Keiko Schneider's "Japanese language learning tools on Web" is very extensive, and you will find a great many useful sites.
My "Japan and Japanese Language" also has a great deal of information about that you may need to know about Japan, Japanese culture, and Japanese language. I have included some information about language and university programs as well as universities.
This article is continued from Jenny's first article, "Starting a Business in Canada - Part 1 of 2".
PREPARING PLAN B: WHAT IF IT FAILS?
A frequent cause of personal financial difficulties is the failure of a business and the attendant business-related liabilities personally owed by the company owner. Here are some simple suggestions to preemptively protect your personal assets in the event the business fails:
1. As we suggested in the previous section, consider incorporating the business. Incorporation will provide you with a level of creditor protection. So long as you've been current on paying your statutory liabilities (listed in the previous section) and those creditors for which you gave a personal guarantee, you'll be personally protected from your other business debts.
2. Consider transferring personal assets to a spouse's name or a family trust. After the transfer, these assets no longer owned by you and are therefore not subject to claims of your personal creditors.
3. If you are putting away money for retirement, consider investing in RRSPs that are exempt from the claims of your personal creditors; for example, segregated funds. The distinction between segregated funds and mutual funds is that segregated funds are insurance contracts. The Ontario Insurance Act provides that:
"where the beneficiary of the insurance contract is a spouse, child, grandchild or parent of a person whose life is insured... the rights and interests of the insured in the insurance money and in the contract are exempt from execution or seizure..."
Therefore, insurance products held in RRSPs will be exempt from seizure by your personal creditors.
A very important point: you should make these arrangements before you get into personal financial trouble, not after you've become exposed to personal debts. If you were to say, transfer your home to your spouse when the bank is trying to collect on the personal guarantee you gave to them, these arrangements will not work. There are laws that can set aside transfers of assets where the intent is to hide your assets from your creditors as they're trying to collect their debts.
Therefore, make arrangements to protect yourself personally with these tips before you open the doors to your business, not after you've closed them!
SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS
Finding a location
Many entrepreneurs start their businesses from home. If that suits you, then read no further.
However, if you require actual business premises, you should consider the following factors:
* How will your customers get to you? Is it conveniently located by public transportation? Is there free parking? * How much space will you need to operate? * What is the reputation of the landlord? Do they regularly maintain the upkeep of the building premises? You don't want to turn off potential customers because they think your place looks like a slum. * How are the views and lighting? You don't want rent a place with a view of the wall from the next building. You want to create a nice work environment for your staff so they're happy and productive. * Will you be able to get the landlord to waive a personal guarantee for the lease?
After considering these factors, review the price per square foot and negotiate a mutually agreeable arrangement with landlord. For example, you may be able to get at few months free rent as part of the final lease agreement.
Interviewing and hiring staff
Getting people to submit resumes is always easy. Hiring the right person out of that stack of resumes is not.
It's been said that the first thirty seconds of a job interview will ultimately determine if the candidate gets the job or not. You either like someone or you don't. However, even though you might "click" with the candidate, it would be a mistake to hire someone without performing a thorough background check.
It is important that you verify a candidate's employment history and references as well as their educational background. Even if their previous job experience and educational background have no bearing whatsoever on the position that they're applying for, it is crucial that you confirm that they're being truthful to you. If not, then this is a significant character flaw - if they can lie to you so easily, they can just as easily steal from you.
You should also consider performing a credit history search and criminal background check. It is not unusual to meet job applicants who filed bankruptcy or who've been convicted of a criminal offence. Everyone has made mistakes in their life and you should not necessarily hold this against the applicant. The honest ones will usually tell you up front about their past before you even perform such a background check. That being said, it is a factor for you to consider in making your final hiring decision.
Advertising your business
Whether you advertise using "traditional" methods like print media and television, or "modern" methods such as internet advertising depends on your audience.
If for example, you are targeting an older demographic (say over 55 years), then traditional advertising may be the way to go. On average, this demographic tends to spend more time reading newspapers and watching television than younger people.
On the other hand, if you are targeting a younger demographic, then internet advertising may be the way to go. It is not surprising that traditional print media like newspaper companies and television stations are in serious financial trouble. Their audience (and advertising revenue) is shrinking because more people are getting their news and entertainment through the internet.
Advertising in print media like the Yellow Pages or in newspapers can be very expensive (especially in a market like Toronto). From our personal experience, we've found that advertising on the internet is the most effective and cost efficient way to reach out to our audience.
There are many freelancers who can help you design and place a website on the internet. However, you also want people to find your website when a prospective customer types in a search term into a search engine like Google or Yahoo! For this, you'd need to hire a Search Engine Optimization consultant (SEO).
An SEO will essentially make your website more "searchable" by search engines. This is usually done by, among other things, integrating certain keywords into the text of your site, building "links" to your site from other websites, creating "cost per click" web advertising campaigns with Google Adwords or Yahoo Search Marketing, and listing your business in Google's Local Business directory
TAXES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
GST
* If you provide a good or service in Canada and your annual revenue will exceed $30,000, you're required to register your business and collect GST * If you're operating as a sole proprietor or you are the director of a corporation, you'll be personally liable if you don't collect and/or remit.
PST
* If you sell goods to "end-user" consumers (as opposed to reselling to another business), you're required to collect and remit provincial sales tax * If you're operating as a sole proprietor or you are the director of a corporation, you'll be personally liable if you don't collect and/or remit.
Payroll tax
* You are required to deduct income tax, CPP and EI withholdings from your employees' wages and remit these withholdings to the Canada Revenue Agency every pay period * You are also required to pay CPP and EI premiums, calculated as a percentage of your employees' wages * If you're operating as a sole proprietor or you are the director of a corporation, you'll be personally liable for failure to remit withholdings and/or premiums to the Canada Revenue Agency
Corporate Income Tax
* The federal corporate tax rate is 38 percent of net income * If you're operating as a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (essentially a company incorporated in Canada whose shares are privately owned by a Canadian resident), this rate is reduced to 28 percent * For the first $500,000 of net income earned by a CCPC, there is a further reduction to 11 percent * In Ontario, the provincial corporate tax rate for a CCPC is 14 percent of net income. The first $500,000 of net income earned is taxed at 5.5 percent * The combined federal and provincial corporate tax rate in Ontario on net income under $500,000 is 16.5 percent * There is no director liability for non-payment of corporate income tax.
EMPLOYER OBLIGATIONS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
WSIB
* Employers contribute to WSIB, which is a provincial insurance fund. * The amount of premium payable is based on the size of your payroll and the accident experience in your industry. For example, a mining company will pay a higher premium for its employees than an accounting firm * Injured workers are compensated by the WSIB on a "no fault" basis; that is, compensation is paid no matter who is at fault, the employer, the employee or someone else. In return for automatic compensation, the employer is shielded from any other liability. An employee cannot sue your company for negligence if that negligence causes a work-related injury * The main focus of the WSIB system is to get the injured employee back to work as soon as possible. If injured employee cannot perform his or her regular work, your company may offer suitable modified work that the worker can perform without aggravating the injury. If the work is, in fact, suitable the injured worker must accept it. * There is no director liability for unpaid WSIB premiums of a corporation
Wages and vacation pay
In Ontario, your obligations to your employees are governed by the Ontario Employment Standards Act. You are required to give your employees:
* Two weeks vacation * Termination pay, which increases with the length of employment * Severance pay where: (1) an employee has worked at your company for at least 5 years and; (2) your annual payroll is $2.5 million or more. The amount payable increases with the length of employment * If you're operating as a corporation, a director of the corporation is personally liable for up to 6 months' unpaid wages and vacation pay
FINANCIAL CONTROLS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Segregation of duties
The basic concept is this: the person responsible for the recording of assets coming in and going out of your company should not be the same person who handles those assets. For example:
* The person who approves invoices for payment should not be responsible for writing and signing cheques. He has an opportunity to defraud the business by making payments to fictitious companies * If the purchaser orders and receives the goods, he can place an order for more than is needed and keep the rest. * If the person who writes the checks handles the bank reconciliation, no one will know if he writes checks to himself or relatives.
When starting out your business, this usually won't be an issue as you will be the only employee along with perhaps a handful of staff. However, as your company grows and you hire more staff, internal control through segregation of duties becomes extremely important.
Periodic Financial Statements
This would include a balance sheet, profit & loss statement and cash-flow statement. It is crucial that you regularly monitor your businesses' financial performance on a periodic basis. This is particularly important during the first few years of business - you need to know if you are making money or losing money, and when to call it quits if you're operating at a loss.
Ideally, you should prepare financial statements on a monthly basis, so you can make the necessary adjustments to your business operations if you determine that you're spending too much in certain areas or whether your sales targets are being met. If you wait until the end of your business year to prepare the financials, you may not realize the problem areas in your business operations until it's too late.
CONCLUSION
As a professional accountant in Toronto, Canada, the country's largest city and financial and business capital, I have come across many poor souls who've lost everything after having failed in business. This article was written to assist the reader in avoiding the pitfalls that hinder many entrepreneurs. However, it is an overview rather than a complete analysis of issues facing a prospective Canadian entrepreneur. Before applying any of these suggestions, consult your professional advisor. If you reside in Toronto and are looking for a Toronto accountant, please contact the writer directly.
Jenny Lin, CGA is a
Toronto accountant practicing in Toronto, Canada. She is a licensed Certified General Accountant specializing in the areas of
personal income tax and corporate income tax preparation as well as providing bookkeeping, accounting and financial statement preparation services.
Jenny is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese
Adrian Mainella: Entertainment Tonight Canada, Diva on a Dime
Announcing the Annual Black Book Fair in Celebration of Black History Month
For Immediate Release. Please announce the following not-for-profit event:
In Celebration of Black History Month, The Caribbean Community Resource Centre will present the “Annual Black Book Fair” on Wednesday, February 6th, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at Toronto's City Hall, at 100 Queen Street West.
This Annual Event features Writers, Publishers, Storytellers, Booksellers, Spoken-word Artists, Emerging Writers, Workshops, and more. Many activities will be available for adults and youth alike. Teachers are encouraged to bring students. Parents should bring children. All are welcome; the event is free to the public.
Thank you for your help in spreading the word! For booth space or more information on this event, call Nicholas Austin at (647) 892-1159.
Other Details:
– The Annual Black Book Fair creates a unique opportunity to share educational and learning materials in an innovative and experiential way with the community at large. The Event is provides students with role models for self-efficiency, and exposure to career options including entrepreneurialism, writing, publishing and other creative pursuits & endeavors from and by people of diverse backgrounds. The experience will increase self-respect, self-esteem and expand self-awareness and success.
– Ms. Jo Lena Johnson, International Speaker & Trainer, will kick-off the event –and then conduct an 11 am workshop for educators, teachers and librarians focused on encouraging self-esteem, success and engagement among children of color.
– At 6 pm Ms. Johnson will conduct an exciting, interactive workshop for parents and children to provide tools for communication, inspiration and ways to create quality time during day-to-day family activities. She has conducted training sessions and keynotes throughout the US, the UK and Canada for over 51,000 adult and student participants - www.absolutegood.com.
– Featured Writers Include: Writer/Actor DIRK Mc LEAN - The CBC has produced The House On Hermitage Road which Dirk adapted from his Trinidadian childhood memoir of the same title. The script was published in the anthology, Canadian Mosaic II, by Simon & Pierre. His plays for young audiences, which have toured elementary schools in Ontario, include Shall We Call A Teacher? and The Real McCoy (with Amah Harris and Itah Sadu). He is the children’s author of Steel Drums and Ice Skates (Groundwood Books, Toronto) and Play Mas’! A Carnival ABC (Tundra Books, Toronto & New York).
– Dr. Rosemary Sadlier is an outstanding author and the well-respected President of the Ontario Black History Society. Sadlier has written four books including Leading the Way: Black Women in Canada, Mary Ann Shadd: Publisher, Editor, Teacher, Lawyer, Suffragette and Tubman: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Her Life in the United States and Canada. Her best selling book, The Kids Book of Black Canadian History (2003) was nominated for Silver Birch Award, the Hackmatack Award, the Red Cedar Award and other international awards and was ranked number one in children’s literature by the Quill and Quire in October 2003.
You can view satellite television on a regular PC without monthly payments as you pay for satellite TV. Not require the purchase of expensive hardware used by satellite / cable TV and dish antenna, decoder and TV card. What we need only a PC or a laptop and a fast internet connection.
Pc satellite TV is 3 classes namely, professional, elite and titanium, but I will highlight in the most important. Elite Edition has more than three thousand television stations from 90 countries including Canada, China, Nigeria, Spain, USA, UK, Germany, Japan, etc. Some of its channels CNN, BBC, Comedy Central, to name a few. Its share sale for $ 49.95 at one time. This is another way to save money on satellite TV bills and invest that money in a show a long time. What I mean by a time entertainment? I refer to an entertainment that will last over the coming years.
This is a better way to enjoy entertainment events on the computer. The benefit of using this software are many and I recommend it to anyone who loves the world of entertainment. Software is full of television channels from more than 100 countries, these 100 countries that I write on includes both developed and developing countries. This will give you a sample of what one is as entertainment in countries other than their own, like in the movies for entertainment, music and sports. The entertainment does not stop there, but includes a variety of shows otherwise you see on your computer.
I have written a thorough review of this PC satellite TV software. My review will be able to guide you through getting the software Satellite TV for PC more. Check it out at http://modospot.com/satv.html
I want to introduct something about Multifunctional Computer Hot-Cutting Edge Bonding Bag-Making Machine. Features: 1) Suitable for both large order and small runs, which shorten model change time and improve production efficiency 2) Convenient usage and easy operation, which save operating crew 3) Adopt advanced digital electric installation, high-precise and high quality mechanical parts, which ensure the durability of the machinery and the precise of the products quality 4) With the function of auto alarm and shunting down, auto temperature controlling, self-adhesive tape, counted stiletto, magic eye tracking, spot sealing and hot cuttingSpecifications: 1) Model: DRQ-500, DRQ-600, DRQ-700, DRQ-800 2) Output: 60-180pcs/min, 60-180pcs/min, 50-150pcs/min, 50-150pcs/min 3) Thickness: 0.02-0.08mm, 0.02-0.08mm, 0.02-0.08mm, 0.02-0.08mm 4) Max. hot-cutting breadth: 480mm, 580mm, 680mm, 780mm 5) Hot-cutting length: 50-600mm, 50-600mm, 60-600mm, 60-600mm 6) Bag-making precision: ±0.5mm, ±0.5mm, ±0.5mm, ±0.5mm 7) Operational (Redirected from Brian Doyle (Writer)) For other persons named Brian Doyle, see Brian Doyle. Brian Doyle (born in 1935) is a well known Canadian author, whose children's books have been adapted into both movies and plays. He lives in Ottawa and the stories are drawn from his experiences growing up in Ottawa and the surrounding area. Among Canada's most distinguished authors of middle-grade and young-adult novels, Brian Doyle is acclaimed as an exceptional storyteller as well as a talented writer whose works reflect both insight and sensitivity in depicting the moral dilemmas of young people. Doyle's books take place in both historical and contemporary periods and his sense of humour is considered one of his most appealing features. His writings evoke a strong sense of location, reflecting urban Ottawa and the Gatineau Valley-which lies to the north in the province of Quebec. Angel Square and Easy Avenue are set in Ottawa in the 1940's and 50's; Spud Sweetgrass represents Ottawa in the early 1990's. Uncle Ronald and Covered Bridgedraw on Brian Doyle's childhood memories of the Gatineau Valley. Writing in Books for Young People, Eva Martin called Doyle "one of the most daring and experimental writers of young-adult novels. He deals with the most sensitive of issuesace, violence, anti-social activity of all sortsith a tongue-in-cheek humor that never denigrates the human spirit." Writing in Magpies, Agnes Nieuwenhuizen concluded, "Perhaps Doyle's most extraordinary feat is that there is never a sense of design or message or moralising. What shines through his work is a breath of vision and tolerance and a quirky exuberance and curiosity even in the face of adversity and resistance." Many of Doyle's most popular early novels are collected in the 1999 anthology The Low Life. Born in Ottawa, Doyle grew up in two "homes": his family's home in the ethnically-diverse section of Ottawa where he spent the school year and a log cabin on the Gatineau River near Low, Quebec, about forty miles north of town, where he spent his summers. Doyle's memories of his parents, siblings, and neighbors as well as the landscape and atmosphere he encountered as a child greatly influenced his writing, as did his experiences raising his own two children. Doyle grew up in a home with a rich story-telling tradition but his home life was difficult. His father was cruel when he drank and his mother, who cared for Doyle's mentally disabled older sister, Pamela, as well as for the rest of the family, was often overwhelmed. When he was in the eighth grade, Pamela, who had Down's syndrome, passed away; Doyle's memories of Pamela and the toll her caretaking took on his mother, has led him to include several characters with disabilities in his books. In high school at Ottawa's Glebe Collegiate Institute, Doyle began submitting short stories to magazines, some of which came back with personal rejection letters. However, writing only occupied a small part of his teen years. Doyle played football, won medals in gymnastics, and published poetry in the yearbook; he also fought, stole, and skipped school. After graduating from Glebe Collegiate, Doyle attended Carleton College in Ottawa, where he majored in journalism and met Jackie Aronson, the woman he would later marry. Just before graduation, he won a prize for an essay he wrote on the Gatineau River Valley; right after graduation, he became a reporter for the Toronto Telegram. He soon left journalism to teach high school in Ottawa; he also completed the course work for a master's degree in literature at Ottawa University, but left before writing his thesis. While working as a teacher, Doyle continued his writing, working as a columnist for a local newspaper and publishing a short story in the literary magazine Fiddlehead. After he and his wife adopted two children, Megan and Ryan, and became involved in local theater, his writing took a new turn when he began writing well-received plays for his students. Doyle also became somewhat of a celebrity when one of his articles on the poor quality of teacher training was quoted in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Offered a position at his alma mater, Glebe Collegiate, Doyle became head of that school's English department and continued to write well-received student plays, including ten musicals and a satirical parody of Shakespeare's Hamlet before retiring from teaching in 1991. Doyle published his first book for young readers, Hey, Dad!, in 1978. A story for middle graders that he wrote for his daughter Megan, Hey, Dad! uses the journey motifoth literal and symbolico represent the growing maturity of its young protagonist. With Up to Low, Doyle produced his first young-adult novel. Set in Quebec's Gatineau Hills and based on the author's boyhood experiences at his family's cabin, Up to Low takes place during the early 1950s and features teenage narrator Young Tommy, a boy who has recently...(and so on) To get More information , you can visit some products about red brick machine, automatic heat machine, . The Multifunctional Computer Hot-Cutting Edge Bonding Bag-Making Machine products should be show more here!
Internet privacy and necessity of personal data collection
For today, there are two main problems very seriously contradicting each other regarding privacy in the Internet and anonymous surfing in a particularly:
1) Ensuring Internet privacy of a person (anonymous surfing, anonymous email, etc.);
2) Personal data collection aiming at identifying a user's personality and thus helping the law machinery.
It is notably that this conflict has become one of the hottest topics of today's Internet life: as regards both e-commerce development and more specific area called delicately "Law machinery regular work support" or something of the kind.
Marketing structures are constantly searching for new and more effective ways of gathering maximum possible information about their potential customers. This data is convenient, and since now, essential addition to nowadays commerce in Internet automatic world. It is clear to anyone that it is much easier to collect large bulk of data about consumers by means of the Internet. A manager or anyone who holds information concerning customers can get essential profits in business.
However, it is not unreasonable that civil liberties defenders trace some attempts to breach citizens' fundamental rights as in most cases the information about Internet users is collected without their consent. That is why in order to protect and promote such civil rights as privacy and freedom of speech it is necessary to ensure Internet user’s anonymous surfing and make it possible to use pseudonyms when communicating on-line.
Anonimization services and their compromise
In recent years there have appeared a number of services that provide free and paid "anonymization" services: anonymous surfing, anonymous email, etc. In other words, a user gets guaranties of personal data privacy in the Internet while using servers of these agencies. Among dozens of such agencies one can point out the most popular ones: Anonymizer (www.anonymizer.com), Private Web Access (www.bell-labs.com/project/lpwa), Onion Router (www.onion-router.net), and Aixs (www.aixs.net/aixs/).
But as detailed survey of their features showed they do not provide anonymous surfing and anonymous email they declare. Richard M. Smith, Internet-consultant from Boston, carried out a research. He did not create new facilities; he just used well-known tools that web-servers use. Smith demonstranted that it is quite enough to use these tools and some defects of browsers "Internet Explorer" and "Netscape Navigator" to compromise "anonymization agencies".
Smith created a web site to test the results (he equipped it with fit programmes and sent the invitations to computer news groups). He applied 6 different tests to identify anonymity level of services, above all, using possibilities of Java, JavaScript and Active X. Real test work showed that all 4 anonymization services listed above failed to stem the onslaught and yielded at least to one test having showed the real IP address of a user. According to Smith, it took up less than an hour to demonstrate insecurity of 4 most reliable services.
"SmartHide and future"
But a couple of years ago a revolutionary anonymization service appeared. It is called "SmartHide" (http://www.smarthide.com). It was created by the famous USA Company "Arovax LLC". "Arovax LLC" Company creates qualitative and efficient security software for Internet users for many years.
It was spent a lot of time and money to create SmartHide and according to Arovax LLC CEO, Joseph Boyd, "SmartHide will protect each user on fundamentally other level of security because we use VPN service. SmartHide can encode all information that users send and receive. I believe that SmartHide is a principally new Internet privacy solution that will be used in future as a fundamental one. And do not forget that SmartHide applies VPN that is why you cannot call it merely as a proxy server".
It is necessary to be registered on the web site to download SmartHide software http://www.smarthide.com/members/registration.php. After the installation of SmartHide on a PC a user gets easy software with GUI (graphical user interface). There is a button "Make me invisible" allowing to hide IP address, list of servers and some useful options inside the program. So, it is easy as a pie to use such program. SmartHide has a glance structure that "knows" in itself that programs' information should be encoded (browsers, IMs, e-mail applications and others). I.e. all applications' information using Internet connection will be secured by just one button pushing "Make me invisible". In this case a user is getting some advantages: to send and receive anonymous email, to talk in chats anonymously, to write on forums and blogs not being seen and just get anonymous surfing through the Internet.
SmartHide system uses VPN service, modern algos for encoding the information and fast servers from different parts of the world.
According to third-parties' and many customers' comments, this software really provides what it declares.
Overanxious Authorities
Such kind of protection really bothers many structures.
Let's remember the same problem with project "Freedom" (www.freedom.net). Austin Hill and his colleagues from Zero Knowledge received many invitations to go to government instances just as they launched this project. In recent months of the year they had to make a presentation of their product for different office members: RCMP - "Royal Canadian Mounted Police" (the analogue of USA FBI), CSE (like American NSA), and CSIS - Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (like CIA). Also they had an informal meeting with Department of Justice (computer crime control division).
In history there happened many cases when after similar actions companies changed their policy radically and attenuated their systems under authorities' pressure. That's why natural apprehension arose in the Internet-society regarding reality of future stable work of anonymous service after authorities' pressuring.
According to SmartHide developers, they do not violate any laws by providing anonymity to citizens in the digital age, similar to the one an ordinary list of paper and a pencil provided in ancient times. The human should have right to keep personal information private. They have to know that they need to hide IP address and ought to use software for anonymous surfing and anonymous email.
In conclusion one can remember the expression of a famous lawyer about a difference between a free state and a totalitarian one. Paraphrasing his words, in free country law machinery should have problems with getting access to the private information of citizens. If it has no problems with that then this country is fascist one.
About the Author
My name is Stephen Ward. I am one of the Internet surfers who consider anonymous surfing problems. I’d like to help people on Internet privacy issues. I write articles about anonymous surfing and anonymous email to suggest people how they can hide IP address. My main task is to give people the information that I was not given in time.
Great Technical Writing: the Two-edged Sword of Reader Experience
Overview
When we write User Documents we rely on our Reader's/User's experience to simplify our work. This can cause problems for the Reader. This article will discuss the effects of Reader experience and how to minimize the negative effects of incompatible experience, and how to handle the writer's assumptions about the Reader.
Writer's Benefits: Relying on Reader Experience
When we write, we rely on our Reader's experience to give us a "starting point" for our User Document. Often we make hidden assumptions about our Reader's experience.
Here are some examples where relying on our Reader's experience makes things easy (and causes problems) for us as writers:
Example: Using a Computer's Mouse
in writing User Documentation for Graphical User Interface-based computer products (such as the Windows or Mac User interface), we assume that the the Reader knows how to use a mouse to click on items, drag, etc. This saves much background writing.
Example: Cooking: How to Measure Ingredients; Terms
Cook books save space by (usually correctly) assuming that a Reader can perform basic cooking operations (such as measuring ingredients), and terms (such as puree or slice).
Example: Common Acronyms
We rely on "common" acronyms such as AM and PM to simplify our writing lives. However, many Readers use a 24 hour clock, and thus AM and PM are meaningless to them.
Beware of any acronyms that you assume that your Reader knows. It is best to define acronyms in line (perhaps in parentheses) when they are first presented in that part of the User Document.
You cannot define them only the first time they appear in the User Document. This assumes -- incorrectly -- that Users read your User Document from start to finish.
Problems Writers Cause When Assuming User Experience
Our assumptions as writers can get us into trouble.
Example: Unfamiliar Words
Here's a gardening example: Acme's (a fictitious company) Illustrated Guide to Gardening in Canada (1979) makes an incorrect assumption about its Readers:
In one of their definitions they use a term, "the axil of a leaf" to define another term. "Axil of a leaf" is not listed in the book's index, and there is no glossary in the book. Clearly this book assumes that the Reader understands the term "the axil of a leaf." I don't, and am therefore unhappy with the presentation.
Solution: Provide a glossary of gardening terms or a reference to a page in the book where the term is defined.
Example: Assuming Students' Experience
Here is an example where an (unstated) assumption by a training company rendered one of their courses useless.
In order to do the exercises in a computer programming course, students had to be able to use an editor (a simple word processor) to program the system. The only editor available on the course machines was a UNIX editor known as vi.
Unfortunately, the students were not told that they needed to use the vi editor. The course presenters assumed that the students knew vi. The students did not, and they spent half the course time trying to learn and deal with vi.
The hidden assumption by the training company resulted in a failed learning experience (the students never needed to use vi again). It wasted two days of the four-day course time.
Don't Present Assumptions in a Sneaky Way
If the training company had said that, "We train on UNIX systems," then they leave a way out for themselves when they disappoint students who do not know the vi editor. When confronted, the company could respond with, "We told you it was a UNIX system. You should know that vi is the editor available on that system."
This sneaky statement of the assumption is foolish. It will result in a lose-lose situation.
The Bottom Line
As writers, we to make assumptions about our Reader's experience. However, if you make assumptions, then make sure that you tell the Reader what you assume about him/her.
Think about the assumptions that you make about your Reader. Are these assumptions valid (that is, can you really expect your Readers to meet your assumptions)? If there is any doubt in your mind, include information explaining the terms and procedures that you assume.
Make sure that when you state assumptions, that you present them in a way that the Reader (student) can understand what the assumption means to them. Don't be sneaky about presenting the assumptions.
User Experience Can Cause Trouble for Writers
Your Reader's experience can cause confusion. Here are some examples:
Example: Shampoo/Conditioner Product
One of my favorite examples is a combined hair shampoo and conditioner product. If a User has experience with the separate products, then their experience is to:
* Shampoo: Wet thenhair. Massage shampoo into the hair, then rinse it out.
* Conditioner: Wash the hair. Massage conditioner into the wet hair, leave in the hair for two or three minutes, then rinse it out.
The problem arises with the combined product. Should the User leave the product in the hair for two or three minutes (as done with the conditioner), or rinse it immediately (as done with the shampoo)?
The User Document (product label) for a combined shampoo-conditioner should tell the User how to use the two-in-one product. Most such labels do not.
Example: Words Used in Unexpected Ways
Your writing can set the expectations of the Reader, resulting in confusion when words are used unexpectedly.
An article in the Technology Section (of a newspaper on June 10, 2004, page B14) described, "How the little guy can back up computer data". The article was about computers. When I came to the sentence: "Let's face it: backups are boring and a hassle to boot." I wondered about the phrase "to boot."
In computer jargon, "boot" is the process where the computer starts up ("lifts itself by its bootstraps"...by a program originally called a "bootstrap loader"). Does the author's quote about "hassle to boot" mean that if I do backups, then my computer will be slower ("boring") and require more work from me to start up ("hassle to boot")?
The use of the phrase "to boot" is inappropriate in this article, given that "to boot" has multiple meanings. The author used it as slang for "in addition to." Since the article was about computers, I thought of the computer meaning of "to boot." The sentence would be less confusing if the author left out "to boot," as: "Let's face it: backups are boring and a hassle." We'll return to this example shortly.
Example: Functional Fixedness
An object's function is fixed in a person's mind. For example, a hammer's function is to pound things. Experiments have demonstrated that people have a hard time using a hammer for an unusual function, such as a paperweight, a prop, or a lever. This is called functional fixedness.
Functional fixedness can limit the usefulness of your product. Your User Document should attempt to overcome functional fixedness. Perhaps this example will show how critical I am of User Documents.
I have a wrist global positioning satellite (GPS) device that keeps track of my long walks. Sweaters and heavy coats, needed for walking in the winter, make it difficult to wear the GPS device on the wrist. But it is a WRIST device. Functional fixedness arises, causing me struggle to use the GPS on my wrist. But it turns out that the GPS works well when used in a pocket.
The GPS User Document should mention this (obvious?) capability, thus reducing the functional fixedness associated with the WRIST GPS. In my defense: I am not sure that putting the wrist GPS in a pocket is more obvious than using a hammer as a paperweight.
Example: Humor
Humor relies on:
. a subtle knowledge of the language (for example a pun)
. or a knowledge of an event (perhaps a current event or entertainment event)
on which the humor is based. Here's an example, from an old joke:
"You're so funny, you should be on a stage. There's one leaving in 15 minutes."
This joke relies on the Reader's knowing the two meanings of "stage": (1) a place for performing, and (2) transportation used in the western United States in the 1800's. Most Readers might not know the second meaning, rendering the humor a confusing waste of words.
Earlier we examined the sentence: "Let's face it: backups are boring and a hassle to boot." The author used the phrase "to boot" as some form of folksy talk or humor. It confused the Reader.
Eliminate Humor from Your User Document
. Humor will only confuse Users who do not understand it.
. Humor is difficult, if not impossible, to translate into other languages.
I suggest that you use a writing style that is informal and conversational, but with no attempts at humor. Remove attempts at humor when you review and revise your writing.
If you want to write humor, do it elsewhere (you should be on a stage). User Documents are no place to practice your humor.
The Bottom Line
Assumptions
Be careful about what you assume about your Reader. When in doubt whether or not a Reader knows something:
. State your assumptions about your Reader
State the assumptions in a way that the Reader can relate to
. When in doubt, add the information that you assume, or
. Tell your Reader where to find the assumed information
By providing or pointing to this assumed information, you increase your audience
Readers' Experience
Be aware of how your Reader's experience influences how he/she interprets your User Document or uses your product. If necessary add material to your User Document to counter your Reader's incompatible experience.
About the Author
Barry Millman, Ph.D., has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (1966, Carnegie Institute of Technology) and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Psychology (Human Information Processing, University of Calgary). He has been a consultant for over 25 years, an instructor, course developer, and award-winning speaker. For the past seven years he has been researching and creating resources to help organizations create great User Documents.
Visit: http://www.greatuserdocs.com for resources to help you create the content and access that your Users want and need.
Tea Party - Live In Studio - Writing's On The Wall
Throughout our relatively young life as a video-sharing site for people with discerning tastes, Openfilm has been able to show off the work of some great, yet-to-be-discovered artists. One of our most exciting contributors has been the French-Canadian writer, director and animator Patrick Boivin. From his wacky, battle-bot, stop-motion-animation shorts to his more serious live-action work, Boivin has permanently raised the bar for everyone here at Openfilm. In this interview, we discuss how he does it and where he goes from here.
Q: What first got you interested in filmmaking? Were you working on other kinds of art before you started making films?
A: My first approach with art was comic books. I learned to draw just to be able to tell stories. Then I discovered that it was faster to tell stories with a camera. By chance, I came to the cinema when it was changing and becoming more accessible with DV cameras and computer editing. So I learned to use those tools as they were developed. Also, since I didn't go to film school, nobody told me I wasn't supposed to do everything. In a way, that became an advantage, because I can now perfectly understand every step in the process and, sometimes, create films completely on my own for fun.
Q: Your films are filled with striking images, often involving characters with distinctive make-up and costume design. How do you work with your crew to get the pictures in your head onto the screen?
A: Actually, for lots of my recent work, I've been doing it on my own. But I usually make very precise plans, and then I go shoot my film once with a mini DV camera, alone with an actor, and then edit it as a first draft. If I'm happy with it, I use it as a prototype and show it to every key member of the crew. Then I choose stills from the film to build a precise storyboard for the actual shoot.
Q: What challenges are presented in working with animation as opposed to live-action?
A: I have to answer that question as two different guys. The first one is Patrick Boivin, who prepares a lot for his live-action projects. The second one is Monsieur Monsieur Boivin, a retarded kid who animates toys for the Web just to have a reason to buy and destroy some. If I have an idea, I buy the toy and begin to think about all the shots without trying them first. Since I've done a lot of directing, having a one- or two-minute animation story with all the shots clear in my mind is easy. And so I animate a shot each time I manage to find an hour or two alone in my apartment. I edit the story progressively and change things throughout the process. A real animator would have a great time laughing at me when I do my thing over a corner of my dining table. The bad thing about this is that I sometimes regret choices that I made earlier. When I really regret a shot, I do it again. But since it's something I do for fun, I'm not too hard on myself and I include a lot of mistakes in the final cut.
Q: Your work sometimes has a political bent, from the Confederate flags in Jazz with a General Problem to the brain-dead politician at the center of The Bean. What's your philosophy on mixing art and politics?
A: I'm really interested in what's going on in the world today. An important part of my day–to-day thinking is about politics and human beings. So when I develop a story, I think those concerns naturally come up. And, of course, those concerns sometimes provoke stories. But it's not something that I feel forced to do. It's just part of the process, and having good ideas is so difficult that I don't trash one for the sake of political correctness.As for the Confederate flag in my last animation, it all began with the desire to invent a Transformer. So I had to find myself a cool car! I'm 34 years old, and when I was a kid, my favorite car was The General Lee on "The Dukes of Hazzard." I figured from the start that the Confederate aspect of the car would embarrass some people. I even thought of picking the voice of a known black actor to make my General Lee talk, just to add some more confusion. By the time I was ready to animate the segments where he talks, I thought of Michael Madsen, who plays the evil Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. So General Lee, the Confederate decepticon, is in fact Mr. Blonde, the evil maniac of Reservoir Dogs, killing one of my favorite autobots with his Confederate flag – an unfair weapon in a fist fight. All of this is to say that when you feel you have a great idea, you can easily lose yourself in explanations and justifications. In the end, I personally think that all that matters is to be comfortable with your own sensibility. Doing things to please everybody ends up watering it all down.
Q: The National Endowment for the Arts in the United States is not a well-funded organization. Could you talk about the Canadian system and how government grants have helped to fund your work?
A: I'm not well informed about the arts funding system in other countries, so I won't try to make comparisons, but I feel that in Canada, we've managed to find good ways to help artists over the past 20 years. But it's really hard to get funding for any kind of project because I feel the cultural budget is not enough. Also, I'm living in a French reality, here in the province of Quebec, where the market is small. We are a bit over 7 million, and our French movies don't travel much, so the private funding is almost nonexistent. And, most importantly, the actual government is engaged in a cutting campaign over cultural sector funding. That's what my film LES COUPURES, ÇA TUE LA CULTURE is all about. It was a commercial made just before the federal elections we had in Canada this October. Personally, 90% of what I have done for the last 15 years has been independently financed.
Q: PhylactereCola is the name of one of your channels on Openfilm, but it's also the name of a TV show you were involved in. Could you tell us about the show?
A: "Phylactere Cola" was a French-Canadian TV show that was broadcast in 2002-2003. There were nine of us doing everything, from the set building to the acting. I was the director, DP, cameraman, editor and FX coordinator. One of the team members, Strob, specialized in 3D and makeup. Another one, Eric Pfalzgraf, was the sound designer and music compositor. Everyone had a specialty. An important thing to mention is that we were all cartoonists. That's how we met at first. Since we started the project as a hobby many years before doing it for TV, we have made over 400 sketches. That was my school.
Q: What's on the DVD that's for sale on the PhylactereCola website?
A: It's the complete second season of the TV show, plus some extras like making-of.
Q: Radio is probably the best film anyone has uploaded to Openfilm so far. Where did the idea for the film come from?
A: Wow! I'm glad you appreciate it! One day during a car ride, a friend of mine – who was also a team member of Phylactère Cola – told me he had an idea about a guy hearing news from a broken radio, but he wasn't sure about doing something with it. It was my birthday, and I asked him to give me this idea. Ten drafts later, I was shooting it in a five-day production. Eric Pfalzgraf took care of all the audio parts, including the beautiful music he made with another great composer named Alexis Lemay.
Q: What films/directors inspire you?
A: It changes a lot. I think the work of Roy Andersson, who did Songs from the Second Floor, and Paul Thomas Anderson is what I'm going to be looking forward to the most in the next years. But to be honest, I think Tom Waits is my greatest inspiration. Oh, and my all-time favorite movie is 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini.
Q: What films/projects are you working on now?
A: I just finished two shorts on the same level as Radio. One is a love story. The other is the story of a dead clown discovering that he became a zombie. And I'm actually working on the editing of a 30-minute science-fiction film with a lot of FX work. I'm also working on four feature films. The more conventional one is scheduled to be shot in May. As for the stop-motion, I think I'm done with it for a while. It started as a funny hobby, but the last one took me a lot more time than I had planned. There are many things I'd like to experiment with in life, and I already know that if I managed to live another 50 years, it won't be enough. So when I do something, I try to be as intense as possible, which sometimes leaves big gaps in my responsible adult life.
About the Author
Take a look at some of the most remarkable contributions to Openfilm. You will be provided with some insights into the filmmaking process and the creativity of our contributors. Read and enjoy!
RSS
US $6.75
reports and projects by Doshisha University students, 9) learning materials on studying in the US, 10) academic English, 11) traveling abroad, and 12) information for non-Japanese people.
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