There was no time for horsing around on the set of a made-for-TV western being shot in South Saskatchewan after Weyburn's Braden Kmita showed up last week.
Production work on Revenge of the Land, a CBC mini-series currently taping near Moose Jaw, Radville and Ogema, required the seven-year-old Braden to appear as a stand-in for several scenes involving characters on horseback. The toughest thing about it, he said, may have been convincing his co-worker - one of two Shetland ponies - to keep his mind on the job.
"It was quite easy," Braden said of his duties, "but when we go through the water he always wants to take a drink."
Revenge of the Land, a western epic produced by 4 Square Productions out of Regina and a Montreal film company, is set in the turn-of-the-century prairies and is loosely based on a book of the same title by Maggie Siggins. The screenplay was written by Saskatchewan native Sharon Riis.
Braden landed his own part in the project as a result of his reputation and simple word-of-mouth. Professional rodeo rider T.J. Bews, the production's livestock manager and a friend of the Kmita family, recommended him as a body double for a child character in the film named Johnny.
A phone call on Aug. 12 resulted in an audition in Moose Jaw three days later, and by Aug. 17 Braden was on the set.
"He rides better than most adults," his mother Shannon said. "That's what they were impressed about."
When he arrived in Moose Jaw he joined his grandfather John Kmita, who had also been hired as a wrangler. In addition to riding cross-country and through a river while on camera, Braden himself helped train the two Shetlands that were used. "T.J. said he's the youngest wrangler he's ever hired," his mother added.
Braden has been riding since he was three years old and participated in competitive team roping earlier this summer. His horsemanship skills impressed his show-business peers so much, in fact, that a professional stunt double expressed interest in working with the young rider again in the future.
For now, Braden is taking his present job in stride. "The 'Johnny' I'm doubling for, he does all the acting," he said modestly between yawns, the effect of two consecutive 12-hour days of working on location.
Much of that involved following strict orders and, in particular, learning to be completely quiet whenever the cameras rolled.
"Now I'll be ready for school," Braden joked.
Revenge of the Land centres on two distinctly different families: the poor Carmichaels and the wealthy Hawkes. The families have little in common except the town of Promise and dreams of prosperity. But their lives are soon thrown together, propelled by Ceilidh (pronounced Kay-lee) Carmichael and the ruthless drive of John Hawke. The series promises murder, sex, arson, extortion and blackmail in the little prairie town.
Kenneth Welsh plays the callous John Hawke, and Jennifer Dale portrays his wife, Carolin. Chandra West plays Ceilidh and Seann Gallagher plays Finn Hawke.
Mini-series spokesperson Alex Lalonde expects the series will be aired on CBC sometime next year.
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