by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Oct 17/97) - Dennis Allen is a man with a mission, and a movie camera.

Since starting Dennis Allen Productions last year, the Inuvik man has been filming footage for everybody from TSN to Northbeat. It's been a fun ride, but business is slow these days. He's now using his experience to seek out hotter markets, and may move to Vancouver or another city to build his experience, not only behind the camera but in front of it.

"I've always liked everything to do with entertainment," said Allen, who has also written screenplays and songs. "It's a broad field to cover."

Last year, he applied to the government for a loan to buy a low-end video camera and start his own company. They did him one better, and suggested he buy a broadcast-quality beta camera, to produce images for television markets outside the North.

His first production was a video travelogue of the Dempster Highway. From there, the calls started coming in.

Since last year, he's filmed for the Discovery Channel (Seasons of the Arctic Red River), TSN (Snow Trax), CBC's Adrienne Clarkson Presents, and a number of stints for CBC North's evening TV news show, Northbeat. He's also a filmed a 15-minute anti-smoking production for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Currently, Allen is working with the National Film Board on "The Last Lapp," a story about the 1929 reindeer drive from Alaska to the Mackenzie Delta. He even landed an acting part in the film, playing Alaskan herder Peter Wood. "I really enjoying acting ... this is going to be fun."

Lately, Allen's business has been "pretty slow.... It's almost time to move on."

After seeing how this winter goes, he may decide to move to Vancouver (he's already received an offer there) or elsewhere, where the market is hotter for his work.

He also lacks editing equipment, and said he'd like to work under somebody who could further hone his skills as a filmmaker. In the meantime, Allen said he's "pressing the flesh" with any video company that comes to town," and hoping for another successful winter.