AJAs 2024 Finalists
The Bricklin: Coming Home
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| Date Aired or Published | Nov. 24, 2024 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC |
| Name of Program: | Atlantic Voice |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | Fredericton |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 26:10 |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: In the 1970s, American businessman Malcolm Bricklin had a dream of building a sleek sports car: the Bricklin SV-1. At the same time, New Brunswick premier Richard Hatfield also had a dream of something more for his province than fishing and forestry. Together, their venture became one of the most enduring business stories in the history of New Brunswick, and a wild sidebar in the Canadian automotive industry. 2,854 Bricklins were built and assembled at New Brunswick plants over the course of 2 ½ years, but when the venture failed, costing taxpayers $23 million, the car became a political punchline. A half century later, about half those cars produced are still on the road. In August 2024, Bricklin owners from all over the world rolled into New Brunswick, back to its birthplace, marking 50 years since the first Bricklin rolled off the assembly line. They gathered to celebrate their cars, and revisit the complicated history of the sexy sports car with the gull winged doors. CBC producer Myfanwy Davies was there, taking in the anniversary and creating the audio documentary The Bricklin: Coming Home. This story is told through the eyes of owners from the International Bricklin Owners Club, interviews with workers from the Saint John assembly plant, and historian and author Dimitry Anastaksis, as well as Malcolm Bricklin himself - both through archival tape with him and Richard Hatfield, and a newly recorded interview in 2024, at the age of 85. Myfanwy uncovers that history has softened some opinions around the Bricklin, and that experts and enthusiasts alike recast the well known tale in a new light - a story of risks and business boldness, and the creation of an enduring New Brunswick icon. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: Producer Myfanwy Davies travelled from Fredericton to Saint John to gather audio of Bricklin owner stories during a meetup of international Bricklin drivers, and tour a former factory. This trip proved invaluable to gathering fascinating stories, sound and colour for the documentary. She also scoured archival footage and interviews to piece together the history, as well as securing an interview with octogenarian Malcolm Bricklin, via Zoom in the United States. On top of this gathering, the documentary required more than a week of scripting, editing and revision work. |
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