Village Gamer

In 1982, Montreal filmmaker Gabriel Hoss created, produced and directed the first episode of the original “How It’s Made” television series (in French “Comment c’est fait”). The pencils were the subject. Their detailed fabrication process was filmed inside the manufacturing plant. PBS in the United States as well as TVO, CFCF, Radio-Québec and CKCO in Canada were the first channels to broadcast this series, which pioneered the new “How It’s Made” TV series presently broadcast in approximately 180 countries, notably on the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel. The new series, produced by Maj Productions in Montreal, is based on Gabriel Hoss’ concept.

The original “How It’s Made” series comprises thirty-six 4-minute films for television, which show the specific manufacturing processes inside the plant of all kinds of objects, such as the light bulb, boots, beer, soap, chips, candles, books, tissue paper and gold chains, to name a few. Produced by his company Holia Film which was established in 1980, this first “How It’s Made” series of films contains no narration, rather expressing its content through a visual and universal cinematographic language. Between 1982 and 1999, the original series was broadcast on television in Canada and in the United States, and was distributed in approximately 30 countries worldwide by The Multimedia Group of Canada.

Since 1999 and to this day, Gabriel Hoss continues to direct the new “How It’s Made” series. While he still films within the manufacturing plants, he has been supported for a few years now by a second director whom he trained, in view of other shoots which regularly occur in plants located around the world. Mr. Hoss continues to supervise closely the editing of all the material shot for each object in all episodes of the new series, to ensure compliance with his original directing method. This year is the 30^th anniversary of Mr. Hoss’ first series. Up until now, both series, the original one produced by Holia Film, and the new one produced by Maj Productions, have cumulatively shown the manufacturing and fabrication processes of about 1100 objects ; a simultaneous contribution to the arts and science.

Gabriel Hoss also created, produced and directed the dramatic television series “A Touch of Genius”, broadcast on the Family Channel in French in 1991 (soon to be at Voir Les Grands Createurs) and also distributed worldwide by Multimedia.

Holia Film wishes to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of its original “How It’s Made” series’ creation, and shall be holding later this year a retrospective screening of some of the first series’ episodes, which were shot in 16mm film format.

Established in Montreal thirty-two years ago, the film production company Holia Film has also had an office in Los Angeles, California since 2008.