The air is electric and the anticipation is palpable as the best musicians, producers and performers in the country have descended upon Calgary for the 2016 Juno Awards. Hundreds of hours of painstaking work has been put into preparing the Scotiabank Saddledome for this evening’s event.
One person who has been working behind the scenes for months in the lead up to the night is ETalk unit manager, Elizabeth Mitnik. Mitnik is responsible for shipping the entire entertainment news team and crew out to Calgary from their home in Toronto to cover the Canadian music industry’s night of nights.
“It’s been a lot of work to make sure the event goes off without a hitch,” says Mitnik. “I had to get another colleague to physically help me book all of the airfares, car rentals and hotel rooms because it was way too much for one person,” adds Mitnik.
A veteran of the industry, camera operator Basil Young says every year you run into unexpected challenges, but every year, the team gets through it.
“It’s funny, even after 38 years in this industry, you always see some kind of new and surprising issue or mistake come up. It keeps it interesting!” laughs Young.
With acts from the infamous Weeknd to newcomer, Alessia Cara, both fans and industry professionals will be blown away to the talent that is in store for tonight’s awards show says ETalk executive producer, Morley Nirenburg.
“Shawn Mendes was unreal in rehearsals today, the buzz and excitement around that guy is huge,” says Nirenburg.
With just hours remaining until Canada’s music industry steps onto the red carpet at the Saddledome, the hive of activity behind the scenes is more frantic than ever. Hosts and reporters may look to be cool, calm and collected on screen, but that may just be in part to the thousands behind them that are hidden from the spotlight.
