First Tracks for First Nations

Canadian project gets new name and tighter focus

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network becomes First TracksSo many musicians responded to a music video program started last year by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network that the venture is being relaunched this year with a new name and a tighter focus.

The new First Tracks project will select up to six Canadian aboriginal musicians or groups to have a music video produced from a song featured on a current or soon-to-be-released CD.

The response to last year's Open Call contest was amazing, said Marty Ballentyne, APTN's western region programming manager, in a telephone interview from Vancouver.

"We had so much response and such a depth and breadth of talent. ... We had over 100 entries and we ended up upping the amount of videos we'd be making, from five to seven."