PAY DIRT: Making the Unconventional Conventional tells the dramatic story behind the development of the Alberta oil sands, the largest oil reserve in the world, projected to one day yield five million barrels of oil a day.

The documentary guides the viewer through a fascinating and compelling investigation of the hows and whys of the oil sands, including new technologies, environmental concerns (water, natural gas use, greenhouse gas emissions), social concerns regarding local Aboriginal communities, and infrastructure issues due to the tremendous growth.

All this is framed by discussions of the need for oil sands due to a tight worldwide oil supply, increasing demand, and political instability in many key oil-producing countries. In a post-9/11 world, where Canada is the only country where oil reserves and production are increasing, PAY DIRT challenges its audience to consider the cost and need for oil and the oil sands.