Say, for argument’s sake, that we are all the product of an omniscient being — created and guided by his (or her, or its) hand. Our life is mapped out, our actions predetermined. Now, imagine you have the opportunity to sit in a little room and express your confusion, your anxiety and your reluctance to be party to certain activities.

That’s the situation in a new twist on book trailers released by Edmonton’s NeWest Press. Calgary author Michael Davie sits across the table from Bacon Sobelowski (actor Ryland Alexander), the main character in his first novel, Fishing for Bacon. The 18-year-old protagonist is confused, not yet fully developed — including a skeletal arm and missing feet — and has the opportunity to question his creator. The author, for his part, gets to flesh out (ha ha) Bacon and gain a better understanding of his progeny.

The production is a joint effort between NeWest and the Film and Video Society of Alberta (FAVA). The video is an online offering — ahead of the March 29 book launch at Broken City — running a mere four minutes and 29 seconds, and wouldn’t you know, it’s damn funny. The short film opens with Davie sitting at a desk pondering, it appears, who Bacon’s friends are. It looks as though he’s talking to himself, doing some hard thinking on his novel. The camera then cuts to Bacon, sitting across from him, mouth agape and anxious.

Bacon says he has no friends, no favourite movie either. He’s a bad interview. Bacon says he fishes, spin casting not fly-fishing, and Davie finally has something to write in his pad. Bacon explains that everyone in his town fly-fishes and the spincasters are looked down upon. “That’s good, that’s good stuff,” says Davie, writing. “Not for me, it’s not,” responds Bacon. “Exactly,” says Davie, looking just a little too eager to torture his poor creation.

Fishing for Bacon follows its titular character as he stumbles from one poorly timed event in his life to another, living in the small town of Bellevue, where you turn to the sweet music of Kenny Rogers if you need advice. Bacon is searching for that special someone but his quest appears hopeless.

While Bacon is uncomfortable with what Davie wants to put him through (he’s particularly concerned about a waterslide scene), it’s always the author who gets his way. In this particular instance, Davie seems to relish in it.

 You can view the trailer here