Director: Su Rynard
National Film Board of Canada. 2000. $39.95
Length: 76 minutes
Audience: Junior High, Secondary
Topics: music industry, stardom

NFB video description:

So you wanna be a pop star? Think you've got what it takes? Roberta Michèle thinks she does. An aspiring young singer from Edmonton, Alberta, Michèle is lucky: her demo tape grabs the interest of Sony Music Canada which offers her a record deal. But first, Michèle has to face directors, producers, designers, photographers and consultants, who all collaborate in deciding on her look and sound. Is she raunchy or sophisticated? New alternative or adult contemporary? What does it take to break into an overheated pop marketplace?

"B4-4, Canada's hit boy band, tell us how they landed a record deal. Radio programmers, television moguls and agents provide tips on how to get airplay, while singer Jann Arden talks about a business that manipulates an artist's music and image in its ruthless pursuit of more hit product. Dream Machine leads us through the looking glass of the pop music industry, exposing the meticulous grooming of a potential star. Will Roberta Michèle become the next big thing? More importantly, will she survive with her integrity intact? Follow her transformation from aspiring young singer to pop princess, in this fascinating - and rarely seen - glimpse into the music world.

Dream Machine can be ordered online from the National Film Board.

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