TIMELAPSE EXPERIMENT #2: still some bugs to work out
So here’s a second attempt at a timelapse and I’m still learning so please forgive the imperfections.
The biggest bother in this one are the jumps in the image 4 or 5 times in the sequence. I was shooting with a much longer focal length, about 110-120mm vs about 16mm before and I believe I also had the lens on Image Stabilization – the combination of these two were probably the cause of the jumps in the image you see. Even walking by the camera with these settings (on the second floor of wood and brick apartment building where the ground isn’t super stable like the concrete floor of my last apartment) would also explain where the jumps came from… shouldn’t IS keep the image from doing that? Fine vibrations are dampened by IS yes. Bumps or moves near the camera can set off the IS to adjust the image slightly that will appear as vibrations in this timelapse. That’s just a theory at this point – but I’ve worked with this lens long enough that I’m pretty confident that IS should have been off.
Other changes – I shot on large jpeg rather than raw (so I could get more images onto the card for a longer timelapse) – and had the intervalometer set to fire every 5 seconds rather than 15. This smooths out the motion and slows it down compared to my first timelapse but you can still see the trees in the foreground moving around erratically, which I understand can be smoothed out if I use a longer shutter speed to let the motion blur a bit. Next time.
BTW, this was shot through the bedroom window of my new apartment. Nice view huh?
Music is Joga by Bjork.
Oh and don’t forget to hit the fullscreen button to view it in 1080p!
DIG IT: My First Timelapse
Okay so it’s short and sweet, certainly no Sean Stiegemeier, and yes there are things I will do different next time – but hey – my first attempt at timelapse sequence was fun and, I’d say, successful (enough to post it here anyways).
The process for these 11 seconds of ‘wow, neat’ factor took 285 frames from my still camera using an intervalometer to fire a frame once every 15 seconds over the course of about an hour. I then batch processed the lot in Aperture and cropped them down from their native 21 megapixels to 1920×1080 or full HD resolution. Some contrast adjustments, vignette, and the like to give it some pop (as these were stills, I knew how to do this quite easily, whereas I still need some work with color timing video footage). Import the lot into Final Cut, drop it into a timeline with some music, output to a Quicktime movie and voila. I’d say I’m hooked… expect to see more from me in the future.
KA-BOOOOM!: a temporary departure from Changing The World to Pure Unadulterated Escapism
Oops left the burner on again - Cory makes a quick exit form the living room - take 2
This weekend I was assisting/operating/photographing/data wrangling for the pilot of a new television show – a television show where they like to blow things up, set people on fire, launch guys out of buildings several times, and such.
Okay, so it’s not exactly the kind of stuff that’s going to make the world a better place but it was pretty fun. For the three days on set I saw the same stunt man, Cory, be lit on fire countless times, get launched through a kitchen wall twice and blown out a living room window twice. I also filmed my first “squib” a small explosion that set off a blood spatter (that sprayed the whole left side of my body and the camera I was operating with fake blood). This was also the biggest crew I have ever worked with (I am used to DIY (do it yourself) or very small crews) and the community on set was again, fun. By no means will I stop working on my own projects – but I’m not against throwing one of these in every once in awhile for some simple fun – and now we’re cooking with gas. Pun intended. Got some cool stills too – production still photographer for hire - any takers?
UN-fortunately however, my pricey 24-70 2.8L lens got damaged… but at least it didn’t get dunked like the sound guy’s $1,500 microphone.
Cory rehearsing a quick exit from the kitchen.
Cory making another quick exit from the kitchen. Yes, this time he's on fire.
SEAN STIEGEMEIER: Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull
Simply Gorgeous. I just had to share. This guy, Sean Steigemeier, is my new hero.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 11: Last Day
Farewell My Friends - Doc U at Hot Docs 2010
Okay… In Vancouver now and finally trying to close the week of Hot Docs blogging. I’ve had a couple glasses of wine and I’m still sleep-deprived from the week, but here goes.
This morning (Friday morning) our last Doc U session was with Robin Smith of Kinosmith, the distribution company of docs such as Rip: A Remix Manifesto and Up The Yangtze (the latter which put Kinosmith on the map). I really appreciated the frankness of Robin. He did not hold back from his opinions of the NFB and the CBC, and his opinions were mixed, shall we say. He provided one example that I won’t get into the details over but let’s just say that the commercial launch of the DVD of one of his films was in competition with the free streaming version on nfb.ca. Kinosmith asked the NFB for a temporary removal of the film but it was not granted. It’s tough to compete with free but I am also reminded that, as the NFB is a publicly funded producer, we the taxpayers have already paid for the right to watch the film. Tough call. I’m sure there are many details and insights I am missing here, but the bottom line is that I really liked and respected Robin Smith and his honesty. I also appreciate the NFB for sticking to their guns. I hope, over time, I still admire and respect each the same as I do today.
The final hurrah
That was the last session of Doc U for 2010. I have to say that the experience was the best I’ve had in my new career (besides the experience I had shooting Surviving In The Cracks). I made lots of new friends, contacts with big time distributors, saw lots of great films and had a little too much fun at the parties.
Later that evening I went to the awards ceremony and the festival wrap up party with my new friends made at Doc U. Only one of the films I saw this week was nominated for best-of awards (Arsy Versy), which indicated that, despite my best efforts, I still didn’t see that many ‘critically-acclaimed’ films. That’s fine – especially since judging a film as the “best-of” is a tricky thing to do… judges may be experienced (or not) but they still have their subjective tastes… the only legitimate award is the democratically decided Audience Award, but even then, these can be biased too depending on the audience, and how well the filmmaker was able to populate the screenings with the films supporters (this is more of a problem at the smaller festivals anyhow). That controversy aside, the highlight of the awards was seeing Nimisha Mukerji, fellow NFB Cookin’ Creative participant and co-director of 65_Red_Roses win the Don Haig award. Way to go Nimisha!
Anyhow, I ended the experience on a high note… partook in some festivities that night but left the party early to get some sleep in time for my flight back to Van. Sad to leave but happy to be home. Back in Van now and still feeling quite short on sleep… so off I go…
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAYS 9 & 10: Chasing the money at the Toronto Documentary Forum
Okay now I’m on the plane trying to squeeze my ancient 17” laptop open just enough to continue writing. The seat in front of me is reclined and my elbows are sticking out the sides.
A behind the scenes look at the business of doc film is what the TDF is all about and, despite my insistence that I love the art of film, the TDF could very possibly be the highlight of this Doc U Hot Docs experience for me. I learned more about pitching and the subtle and not so subtle conversations up on stage and from watching how others pitched their projects to commissioning editors than at any of the other seminars or summits I’ve been to. These are the documentaries that are currently in production, and will be seen perhaps in 2011 in festivals and television.
Hot Docs is a market festival meaning that the industry comes here to make deals, find films, and fill slots in their programming. (In contrast, a festival like DOXA only shows films – there are no summits, seminars, or pitch sessions that business people gather round to make deals.) The TDF at Hot Docs is the main event. It is first class. Held this year in the Royal Conservatory of Music, three rows of tables in a crescent shape surround a single table with the producer and director of the project being studied. A trailer or a demo for project plays above and the audience (observers) watch as the rights for the carefully prepared pitches are then bid on (or not) by broadcast executives from around the globe as they fill their slots for the year.
One of those executives is the curator for none other than Oprah Winfrey’s new documentary film club – which, similar to her book club, will be one feature film per month beginning in January 2011. She was the one I had my Rendezvous meeting with – to talk about my new film project. Besides just having the chance to pitch to a person of her stature at this stage of my career, she actually showed some genuine interest, and left the door open to stay in touch as the film reaches its finishing stages.
That meeting and the TDF are the business of documentary. The films we are making need to fit the slots that are available and the audiences of the broadcaster. In order to make the film something that Oprah’s audience will want, I would need to modify my original vision, especially the length. Is this a trap? Ekhart Tolle didn’t write a New Earth to suit the requirements of Oprah’s Book Club and to please the demographics and tastes of the readers, at least I hope he didn’t. Of course, I’m no Ekhart Tolle either. I think the best thing to do will be to follow my instinct to tell the story as I see and feel it – and if this resonates with Oprah’s audience, well that’s obviously a great big plus. In order to survive here, in film, catering to the requirements of the market will be necessary – let’s not be naïve. But I don’t want to get lost in it, or be dictated by it. If I do, I will be chasing the money again.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 8: What the [bleep] is new media?
The festival is over. I am now sitting on the floor, plugged into the only power outlet near my gate at the Pearson airport, catching up with my blogging before the 5 hour flight home to Vancouver. The last few days I’ve taken a break from writing but let me assure you that there has been plenty going on. Exhausted by all of the screenings, summits, seminars classes, pitches and meetings – something had to give. So I apologize to you, my three readers, for letting the blog slide. In the next few posts are a summary of the highlights and lowlights from the rest of the week at Hot Docs 2010.
On Tuesday – Day 8 – I went to the NFB Coffee Talk: Digital Content Strategy. The two-man panel of Rob McLaughlin and Hughes Sweeny began by framing the discussion with this: demographics are changing, the democratization of media is here (whether it’s here to stay is another thing), and technology is the catalyst for the new canvas called new media. The last time there was a change like this was in the 1950′s. I, along with the standing-room only crowd, hung on every word as they shared their expert opinions on where this industry is going. Something that I am hearing over and over again is that television is dead, film is dead, and that, to my great dismay, the linear documentary is dead. That’s a little disconcerting of course, so everyone who happens to do that for a living is listening to anyone who will give them some semblance of hope as they gaze into their crystal ball to predict the future. I am a little skeptical of anyone who claims to know what the future looks like, and what I got from this talk was the same thing I already know: nobody knows what new media, cross-platform, cross media, 360, or whatever you call it, is – because it hasn’t happened yet. The canvas is blank. The ‘model’ doesn’t exist. And, as funding for linear stories dries up, the recently announced pool of twenty-eight million dollars called the New Canadian Media Fund will be hotly fought over for projects that may pioneer this new ‘model’ for the future of our industry.
Only one year into this industry, I am being challenged to adapt to the changes in the industry. I am tech savvy. I am business savvy too. I believe I have all of the skills I need to succeed in the “new media” world. But I have chased the money all of my life and my move into this field was to create linear stories. I don’t think the linear documentary is dead. What I am hearing sounds a lot like what was being said at the dawn of colour film – that black and white photography was dead. Half a century later, it’s still here, and as beautiful as ever. The linear documentary is similarly not dead. The craft of creating a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end will remain.
Days 9 & 10 in my next post.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 7: The Devil Operation
I’m burning out a little. My lack of sleep (caused mostly by staying up late or rising early to blog) has caught up with me and so I’m behind a bit on my posts. I still intend to at least touch on the happenings for the rest of the festival, but I may not go into any great depth, to reserve my energy to experience the festival. There, now I can write.
The Doc U classes began today with Waterlife creator, Kevin McMahon. The most valuable piece of information from this session is one that might seem obvious. Kevin is always prepared before he goes into shooting – a lesson he learned the one time he went in without a plan, on An Idea of Canada. He puts constraints on himself during production and ‘works within the box’ in order to give the film a definitive aesthetic style – without it there is confusion and disarray. The phrase ‘work within the box’ caused me anxiety as I imagined Beautiful Creativity being thrown into shackles and locked up in solitary confinement… but then, as he quickly added, research is naturally conducted without restraint, working outside the box, so to speak. Whew.
Following Kevin, we had Deborah Parks, producer of Life With Murder. This was an energy-sucking session for me… My heart slowly sank into my stomach as Deborah drove home many points that I have heard before but have been in denial over… “the financial challenges of being a documentary filmmaker are high, regardless of experience” Heart sinking… “It’s hard for new filmmakers to find experienced producers…” further… “99.9% of films do not make money (so get paid while you do it)…” down… “People have lost their homes doing documentary films…” into the pit of my stomach. By the end I was questioning why I had entered this field at all. Our afternoon screening of The Devil Operation, and our next Doc U session with filmmaker Stephanie Boyd, reminded me why: for the passion of it. Thank you Stephanie.
The Devil Operation is a story by Oshawa-based filmmaker Stephanie Boyd, who will be one of our Doc U mentors tomorrow. Stephanie has lived in Peru for 13 years and began as a journalist with CUSO, and hooked up with a group of Peruvian filmmakers to tell her stories and reach a bigger audience.The Devil Operation is the third film in a trilogy by Guarango Association and is about the struggle in Peru against foreign (Canadian) mining interests. With damning evidence it exposes is that Peruvian farmers, who are standing up to keep their homes and water (which would be destroyed by the mining operations) are being spied upon, terrorized, and murdered by Peruvian private security forces – basic logic will connect the mining companies’ interests as the cause. Aesthetically this film was not my favorite – the narration and the music seemed a little much for me – but overall this is a well-done, compelling activist film with an important story and we should pay attention. I won’t look at a mining company the same way again. Vancouver-based Manhattan Minerals Corp. was a company that was eventually pushed out of Peru (and now they are operating in Turkey under a different name). You or I, or any of our proudly Canadian friends could be happily commuting to and from the offices of a company like Manhattan Minerals, sending our kids to school and soccer, having barbeques on weekends and going to the cheap show on Tuesday nights. That spreadsheet you worked on for your supervisor Friday afternoon could contain that little bit of data that tipped the company towards more development which consumed the water supply before it could reach the farmers further down the valley. This film helps connect us to the consequences of our privileged and often ignorant lifestyle and gives us an opportunity to use our conscience when we choose where we work and what we buy. How many people do you know that work in the mining industry, or provide services in some way to the mining industry?
Father Marco, a humble priest from the mountains of Peru, is being followed. A private security firm is filming and photographing the priest’s every move; their meticulous reports are code-named “The Devil Operation.” Marco’s allies are murdered and tortured, but he and his disciples refuse to be victims. They turn their cameras on the spies and develop a counter-espionage plan that leads to an American-owned gold mine. For the past decade, the priest has defended farming communities against the mine’s abuses, earning him the nickname ‘The Devil’. This real-life political thriller shows how to catch spies in their own web.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 6: Doc U Day 1. Feeling a little low.
Doc U Day 1. Today we all met. I am tired of blogging now.
Fine. Continuing, we went around the room and introduced ourselves, and our favorite films. In case any of these newish filmmakers (some are newer than others and our ages range from 20 to in-their-50′s. I, along with many others fit nicely in the middle… ) So as I was saying, if any of these filmmakers become famous, then I will be able to boast that I was in their Doc U class in 2010. Here are their intros as we went around the room:
Firstly our two mentors:
Daniel Northway-Frank is the coordinator of Doc U and many other things here at Hot Docs as well as an excellent and enthusiastic host. He made darned sure we all made it to brunch safe and sound, at a charming Italian wine bar and bistro, Langolino, near Kensington (first time I’ve seen that area of Toronto – love it!).
Jeremy Gans stumbled into doc film from journalism and some time spent at the CBC. His directorial debut was a film called No Past To Speak Of, which screened at Hot Docs in 2006. Both Jeremy and Daniel have already gone out of their way to help Anam, myself, and Hayley for our Rendezvous meetings. Thanks guys.
Doc U Recipients 2010:
Jodie Martinson, Masters of Journalism UBC, her doc To The Tarsands screened at the Calgary International Film Fest and DOXA. Wow. One favorite film: Iraq in Fragments.
Anam Abbas, U of T, Sheridan College. Fave: Up the Yangtze
Ajit Zacharias, successful software developer, now a creative producer, Sheridan College. Didn’t hear his favorite film, sorry Ajit.
Zdravco Jovanovic, MFA York, he’s a triplet. Missed your fave too Zdravco.
Me, Greg Masuda, for readers who don’t know me. Langara College, mechanical engineer. Fave: Born Into Brothels, now also Czech Dream, and I just thought of another: King of Kong.
Gabriele Kislat, an experienced DoP in fiction, now a director/DoP in documentary, she’s Quebec’s TDF recipient, like I am BC’s. Fave: Sari Soldiers
Jules Koostachin, Ryerson U, Cree, daughter of a residential school survivor, mother of four, and a very impressive CV including theatre, film, and aboriginal and women’s social issues. Missed your fave Jules.
Kathleen Mackey, Ryerson. Makes personal films. Fave: Bright Leaves
Sue Johnson, Ryerson. Enjoyed your film at Doc Shop Sue. Fave: The Beaver Trilogy.
Chris Bevacqua, Langara College, photographer for social and street newspapers, ex-social outreach worker in Vancouver. Fave: Hoop Dreams (can’t believe I still haven’t seen this one)
Kevin Caners, Algonquin College, has mechanical engineering to fall back on if film doesn’t work out for him (sound familiar? …for those of you who don’t know I also have a mechanical engineering degree) – don’t do it Kevin. Fave doc: Fog of War or Manufacturing Consent.
Wendy Dallian, Capilano U, worked for the David Suzuki Foundation for 8.5 years, including directly for David Suzuki and his wife. Fave: anything by Werner Herzog.
Thomas Retzlaff, representing the prairies – U of Regina. Everyone else here is from BC or Ontario, and one from Quebec… Where is the rest of Canada? Fave doc for Thomas: Don’t You Forget About Me
Hayley Crooks, Queen’s U, has 7 Rendezvous meetings! Did I mention she has 7 Rendezvous meetings? Missed you favorite film, Hayley.
Ashley Burke, Masters of Journalism, Carleton U, CBC Radio has syndicated some of her radio shows. Fave: Errol Morris’ first film Gifts to Heaven (did I get that right?)
Marcus Pukonen, Capilano U, stand up paddle boarded from Vancouver to Nanaimo to raise awareness for – I think – sewage treatment (lack of) in Vancouver, plus filmed it for his doc project. Fave: The Yes Men or Carts of Darkness
Tavi Parusel, Capilano U, this kid (I’m almost twice as old as him!) screened his first film at two festivals and has won awards. Fave: Man on Wire.
Reviews today:
Okay, I’m not a movie critic as you’ve probably figured out by now, and honestly, I’d prefer to spend less time on my computer on this trip so I’m going to try to keep these review to a minimum. Firstly, my screening schedule has changed quite significantly. For my first show today I had two options selected but opted for a third at Daniel’s suggestion (The Player with Dear Matthew)…
Dear Matthew - short film about a son, from the father’s perspective. The son was an artist, who went missing one day, I don’t remember how many years ago, and never returned. The father’s wife died wishing her son would return. This was a touching story, the pacing and music was appropriate, but this was your standard portrait. Technically it was fine. Editing fine. Everything fine. That’s it – there is nothing really unique or groundbreaking about this film, except that it sets up the next one, The Player, also a father-son story, but this time about a father told from the son’s (also the filmmaker) perspective. This reminds me that film selection for festivals is not only dependent on the qualities of a particular film over another, but also for programming considerations – i.e. does it fit in a certain ‘theme’, a niche, or a slot that could be quite specific. In this case, I believe Dear Matthew was that film. A fine film, and a complement to the feature for this programming slot at the festival. 3/5
The Player – as already mentioned, a son, the filmmaker John Appel, tells the story about his father, a gambling addict. A quick aside: Chris Bevacqua commented earlier this week that he is not a Rush fan, but that the film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage was excellent and it didn’t matter that he was not a fan – something that only a good film can do. That’s how I feel about this film. I have absolutely no interest in gambling. I’ve been to Vegas and didn’t even play the slots. I do not enjoy poker, casinos even faux-casinos, or the horse races. It’s just not my thing. As hard as my mind seemed to try however, it could not turn my interest off in this story of an addicted gambler and the effect it had on his family. Good storytelling, interesting subjects, the filmmaker’s POV, good technicals all made this a surprisingly enjoyable experience. 4/5
133 Years of Music In Six Solos – sorry I had to take this down since it’s now being submitted to festivals
The last thing I’ll talk about tonight is the International Doc Challenge… no our film, 133 Year of Music In Six Solos, did not make the finals. The experience of watching the 12 that did deflated me a bit… I felt pretty strongly about this little piece as we waited for the jury decisions, and watching the 12 last night brought back those feelings of disappointment …anyhow there were some very strong shorts in the Doc Challenge this year and my congratulations to all of the finalists. The great thing about this competition for me was that it unblocked me – focusing on Surviving In The Cracks for so long had frozen me I think. For the Doc Challenge I was literally forced to be creative again – and to shoot, edit, master and deliver a film about something that I know little about, in a very short period of time. It’s a piece that, in the end, was just fun – eye candy and ear candy; it has no social, environmental, or political agenda whatsoever. I am embedding 133 Years… here again.
Okay, I’m going to give myself a break now. Blogging every day is exhausting and I’m sure my writing must be suffering. I haven’t given up on photos, I just forgot the cable for my camera – a final funny anecdote to remember from my 2010 Hot Docs experience. Yesterday as I emerged from the Museum Subway station, I was greeted by thousands of cannabis fanatics and a pot parade for the Freedom Festival. This morning as I emerged from the same station I found myself surrounded by hundreds, maybe thousands of police officers for a police parade. It was funnier that it sounds. I just love the contrast. I snapped pics of each, and will share eventually I think. But now it’s 1:02am. Goodnightynight.
Pot Parade on Saturday...
...Police Parade on Sunday, in the same park.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 4: Everyone’s a critic. Even me.
If you take another look at Day 3, you’ll see that I was overly ambitious with my movie viewing today. While my plans had me seeing four films, I managed to watch only two. The first change happened when I had to leave the Isabel Bader theatre after Babies to get back in line for Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. And what a line it was. Both Babies and Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage received a disproportionate amount of publicity due to their screenings last night, the opening night of the festival. Babies is having a massive North American theatrical release following the festival. Their popularity at the box office reflected this publicity (line ups around the block), and proved that our society – well, the choices we make of what we consume at least, are highly dependent on the media. I am just as guilty. That’s why I decided to see Babies today – I wanted to know what all the hype was about. Similarly, with all of the films out there – shelves and shelves of them at the video store, thousands on television and perhaps millions on the internet – I gravitate to the ones with the best critics quotes on the package. It saves me time and improves my chances that the viewing experience will not be a wasteful one. But it also robs me from experiencing the great films with far less or no marketing. So here I am, the hypocrite, about to ‘review’ a movie or two, and add to the media circus, for what it’s worth to the reader, for what it’s worth to the film.
Hmmm. I’m feeling a little feisty tonight. Probably not a great time to try my hand at being a movie critic. Plus I don’t really know if it’s a good idea for filmmakers to criticize other filmmaker’s work. Courage Greg (or stupidity). Here goes.
Review: Babies – Thomas Balmes
Follow four babies from four countries (Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the US) from birth to bipedism. Like nothing I’ve ever seen in a film, I admire the courage (and the patience) of the filmmaker and his attempt (intentional or not) to put the onus on the audience to decide what this film is about. Some will adore it for it cutsie putsie surface qualities – after all, babies and absolutely everything they do are cute. And these babies are sickeningly cute. Much of the audience will be happy to see it just for that, and go no deeper. But some will attempt to go deeper and decide this film is a silent commentary on the common ground we share as humans, despite the contrasts we have in our geography and culture; people will be aghast with the “primitive” way in which some cultures raise their children, other people will be more self critical – aghast with the ridiculousness of western ways of raising our kids. Still others will see this film as a window into our own behaviour as human adults – both the joy and the hopelessness. From absolute happiness to fear, frustration, curiosity and cruelty, we as adults behave in exactly the same manner, albeit with the burden/responsibility of having to deal with the consequences that moral, ethical, and legal consciousness carry. I think I see this film as all of these. Summary: Courageous. Fun. Cute but not too cute. A little long. Love the music but each time (several times) the same song played I thought it was cuing the credits – it wasn’t. Technically falls short of expectations. Definitely falls short of the hype. 3/5
Review: The World According to Ion B. – Alexander Nanau
Seriously, I’m too tired to write another review tonight so I’m cutting to the summary. Summary: A solid textbook portrait doc about a world-reknowned artist’s rise to stardom from the gutter (literally). A political film about a political artist. Inspiring. Purposefully remains true to the artists’ rise to fame, his work and his political motivation – the celebration of the artist is not stolen by the story of the gallery-owner’s agenda, which in the film appears well-intentioned, but as we learned in the Q&A with the filmmaker, was rooted self-service. 4/5
In other news, I learned today that one of my Rendézvous requests was accepted by a distributor out of California. Next Tuesday I have a 15 minute slot to pitch my new project Alexis.
Well, turning in a little early tonight to get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow is a long day – lots of screenings and in the morning I’ll have a look at the Doc Shop, the online market where Surviving In The Cracks can be screened. GNight.
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 3: Opening Gala, Bottomless Drinks & Dr. Nakamatz!
Lotsa Hot Docs stuff
It must be something about the air in this town, because in any normal environment, I would be a write-off this morning. By write-off, I mean hung over. That, or maybe they were watering down the wine. Last night was a hoot, and the drinks were bottomless, as the Doc U crew descended on the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) for the Hot Docs kickoff gala.
Earlier in the day Chris Bevacqua and I went to pick up our delegate packages. The sun was out as we hoofed our way along University from Queen to Bloor and back. We bumped into Jon Ornoy near the registration building and sat down for a chat. He’s in town to pitch With Glowing Hearts, his doc about social media and the Olympics.
We picked up our recyclable Hot Docs bag, full of a lot of stuff that is bound for the recycling bin, but a lot of useful things too, like our travel allowance cheque and our program guides. Some party invitations were in there too, but I think I probably had enough at the gala to last me a few days. As Chris went back to the hostel to rest, I found some jerk chicken and a sunny spot in the grass at Osgoode Hall and began marking up my agenda for the next 9 days. See the bottom of this post my schedule.
I put on my Sunday best (sneakers and a blazer) and caught the subway up to Bloor to meet up with the Doc U crew (some don’t arrive until the weekend). We shared a pitcher across the street then headed down the green carpet into the cavernous ROM.
Chris, Kathleen, Sue, Jules, Hayley, and Yours Truly
Doc U is actually put on by a combination of different agencies for different provinces. For BC and Quebec, this is Astral Media. For the Ontarian filmmakers, and there are many, the agency is ________ (help me here Ontarians). The TDF scholarship that Gabriele Kislat (from Quebec) and I receive is unique to the Astral Media version of the scholarship, as is the $1,000 travel assistance that all of us receive. Our Ontarian friends (Sue, Kathleen, Jules, and Hayley so far – also met Eric from Windsor last night but he didn’t show up until a little later) are quite a talented bunch. Sue, Kathleen and Jules are just finishing up at Ryerson University, a two year master’s program in documentary film. Hayley just finished as a film major from Queen’s University and has a very impressive 7 (seven!) Rendézvous meetings (15 minutes pitch sessions, your project ideas are selected by buyers and they decide if they want to meet you).
Heheh… a little tangent here: as I’m writing this entry in the hostel common room this morning, the feeding frenzy has begun. Sharply at 9:00am there is a good morning announcement and plates stacked high with pancakes are rushed to the table. Hungry travelers dig in. Aunt Jemima quivers with fear. Chewy.
Dr. Nakamatz and Me.
I’m quite looking forward to the Toronto Documentary Forum on Wednesday and Thursday – I actually bought a pass to watch Storyville at VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) last September and the first pitch on the TDF schedule is Family Portrait in Black and White by sister and brother team Julia Ivanova and Boris Ivanov, who also run many of the DOC BC workshops back in Vancouver. Their demo from VIFF was very effective, quite emotional, and I think successful as it seems they received some funding there.
As I shamefully double fist a wine and a very nice tequila, Chris and Jules approach me with (a little bit of drunken) excitement. Dr. Nakamatz is in the room! Dr. Nakamatz is none other than the inventor of the CD and the floppy disk among 3,373 others patents and he is also the star of The Invention of Dr. Nakamatz, a documentary which I will be screening on Saturday.
Here is my agenda for Hot Docs, as planned:
Friday April 30:
1:40 Babies
4:00 Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Lay in the grass
7:15 The World According to Ion B.
9:45 Gasland Slice and a beer then blog.
Saturday May 1:
2:00 Disco and Atomic War didn’t do that
4:15 The Invention of Dr. Nakamats (with Arsy-Versy) - was very cool
7:00 Chemo - beautiful
9:45 Doc U – Life With Murder Screening – not my cup of tea
11:59 The Year Punk Broke - too tired!
Sunday May 2:
10:00 Doc U Welcome
12:00 Doc U Brunch
18:30 Sex, Magic, Manifesting Maya - took a break
21:30 International Doc Challenge (133 Years will be there in spirit) – mixed feelings
23:45 Talhotblond - too tired!
Monday May 3:
10:00 Doc U – Creative Approaches to Docs (Kevin McMahon – Waterlife)
11:45 Doc U – The Producer’s Role (Deborah Parks)
14:00 Doc U – The Devil Operation Screening
16:00 The People vs. George Lucas (or Tues 23:45)
17:30 Hot Docs Happy Hour – visited friends Dan, Toni and Oliver
19:30 The Mirror (with Freshwater Plague) - still visiting
23:45 The Parking Lot Movie
Tuesday May 4:
14:30 Doc U – Off the Grid Doc Funding (Stephanie Boyd)
16:15 Doc U – Story Structures (Life With Murder team)Rendézvous meeting – Rendezvous delayed to Thursday
16:30 Doc U – Story Structures (Life With Murder team) - just caught the last bit
17:30 Hot Docs Happy Hour
18:30 12th and Delaware
21:30 I Bought a Rainforest
23:45 The People vs. George Lucas (or Mon 16:00)
Wednesday May 5:
8:30 Toronto Documentary Forum - awesome
13:00 Doc U – Kickstart (miss first 1/2hr for TDF) - stayed at TDF, then lunch with Gabi
17:30 Hot Docs Happy Hour - chilled out a bit, blogged
19:00 Space Tourists
21:15 Wasteland
Thursday May 6:
8:30 Toronto Documentary Forum – awesome once more
13:00 Doc U – Workshop (miss first 1/2hr for TDF) - still at TDF, then Rendezvous meeting with Sue Turley
17:30 Hot Docs Happy Hour - free drinks!
21:00 DOC Party - fun!!
Friday May 7:
11:00 Doc U – Selling Your Work (Robin Smith, Kinosmith)
12:00 Doc U – Wrap-Up Meeting
19:00 Hot Docs Awards
20:00 Closing Night Party
Apres gala (mellow subway ride)
Whew! That’s a lot of stuff isn’t it? Why on earth am I posting my schedule here anyways? I dunno, but I’ve done it so it’s too late now. Why on earth am I spending so much time on this blog??? The things I get myself into…
HOT DOCS INSIDE OUT – DAY 2: Arrival in the Big Smoke
Follow this beacon to find me.
Tired in Toronto. I lived here once, long ago. I only lasted 5 months into a 2 year contract and then I was poached by an ex-employer in Calgary, only an hour from my beloved Rocky Mountains. It was a no-brainer to leave back then but times have changed and Toronto now has more appeal. It’s good to be back.
Today was mostly a travel and catch up day. A short flight from Winnipeg, a thirty minute ride on my chariot (the airport shuttle) towards the Toronto Beacon; it stretches into the blue as the bus pulls up to the Hyatt Regency. As I step onto the sidewalk, I am immediately descended upon by a woman asking for $2. I deny her, apologize as I sling my pack on my shoulder, and begin to hike the five blocks to my home for the next 10 days: the Canadiana Backpacker’s Inn on Widmer, between Adelaide and Richmond, just around the corner from MuchMusic on Queen. To the south, the CN Tower stands unobstructed from view. Chris Bevacqua, also a Langara Doc Film alumni and a fellow Doc U recipient, arrives a few hours later and we decide to split a private room to avoid the frenzied dorms. Chris is also blogging his experience here at Hot Docs – check it out.
The house is full up. A medly of accents from India, Australia, Germany and the US fill the common room as I type. Some talk of going to Niagra, others of the party they were at last night. Others busily scan the screens of their computers. A growing group of travelers gathers to my right; there are welcome hugs as familiar faces join the crowd and introductions made for those who are still strangers. One thing that every person here seems to have in common – each is surely an entire decade my junior. A last smiling face appears at the door and the crowd of new friends leaves together for the beginning of tonight’s adventure in the City. Quiet.
Updates:
The interview at APTN yesterday went very quickly, and quite well, besides the spelling mistake in our last name. The APTN website has the interview online but it’s quite cumbersome to get to so I have taken the 6 minutes that Jeff and I occupied in the last bit of the news hour and posted it here to make it easier to watch. I don’t look or sound quite as bad as I thought I might, but it’s certainly a validation of why I prefer the viewfinder side of the camera. This morning as we drove to the airport, I teased my brother that his hair is brushed forward in a way that it might be mistaken for a combover. Gotta play the cruel older brother. Heheh. BTW when Todd Lamirande says “…just in time for Aboriginal Day” do you think I knew what he was talking about? Answer: no, and it shows despite my best efforts to play it smooth. I did look into it though and now I know that Aboriginal Day is June 21 annually, and celebrates First Nations, Métis and Inuit culture across Canada.
The screening went well too. As the lights dimmed to watch the film, we seemed to have less than half of our expected turnout, but as the lights rose for the Q&A, it seemed that the empty seats had sprouted a much larger audience, like mushrooms in the darkness. People laughed with Cody and cried with Amethyst. The Q&A, my first, was highly engaging and encouraging. I am looking forward to organizing a similar screening in Vancouver this June, perhaps on the anniversary of last year’s play, and perhaps at the same venue. As well I would like to organize similar events throughout Canada, and find a broadcaster who might like to show the film… perhaps the APTN? We shall see.
Well that’s it for today. Nap time I think. The festival opens tomorrow.
MY FROSTBITTEN TOES: One Year Later…
All Bandaged Up
“DECEMBER 30, 2008 – First Post
It’s almost two weeks now since the day I got frostbit… since I’m now laid up, with my feet up, watching lots of TV, and not skiing, running, hiking, tobogganing with the nephews, or doing any of the things I like to do, and since quite a few people have taken an interest in the progress of my toes, I thought I would create this blog. I give one disclaimer: I will not be censoring this blog in any way – the photos are you are about to see are not for the weak of stomach. The fate of my toes is still unknown as of today – my recovery will be long and, as I’m learning as my nerves begin to grow back, quite painful.”
JANUARY 4, 2010 – Above is an excerpt from a blog I wrote over a year ago now. And yesterday I went skiing. Not a big deal right? Wrong. A year ago I was on a backcountry trip with the BC Mountaineering Club and severely frostbit all of my toes – enough that I was told I might lose up to three of them and I was bandaged, bleeding and oozing for nearly three months as they healed oh-so-slowly (and they’re still not 100%). Thankfully I didn’t lose anything and yesterday I stepped back into my ski boots for the first time since the incident – and had an amazing day at the slopes at Mt. Baker, Washington. Okay, my legs seem to have atrophied somewhat and I need to get out more to regain my strength, but hey – I wasn’t sure that I would ever ski again!
Last year when I was recovering, I put up my first blog ever (gregmasuda.com is my second and is more of a professional site). That frostbite blog is however an undoubtedly visual story – and visual storytelling being the theme of this site, is appropriate to include (note photos are not pro-quality – they’re hastily taken with my old iPhone). The blog is also a good “lesson-learned” that other snowbound recreationalists may want to heed. Be warned, the photos are not for the weak of stomach. You can see the whole story here.
Happy New Year!
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: you have a conscience – trust it
Today I am offering a follow-up on a recent post where I shared my thoughts about shooting on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. The same day I posted that article I was contacted by Pacifica Photography, a studio that I work with from time to time, to teach a “street photography” tutorial – on the streets of Vancouver. Hmmm. Well this is a bit of a dilemma. “Street photography” and “Vancouver” immediately conjure up images of the Downtown Eastside, poverty, drug abuse and prostitution in a lot of people’s minds, including my student’s; with that perception relentlessly fed to us by the mainstream media, it’s no wonder. Well I can definitively tell you that the Downtown Eastside also has probably the strongest soul of any neighbourhood I’ve been to in Vancouver – and I’ve been to them all. But photographers don’t usually go to that neighbourhood to capture happiness and soul do they? Without getting into the why right now, I also previously warned photographers from venturing into the Downtown Eastside without first being invited. So we didn’t go there.
Carlos (background) and Darrell gave us permission to photograph them.
With that touchy area now off the table, we still need to be ethical in our approach to shooting people in public. So how do I do (and teach) street photography while remaining well within my own ethical comfort zone? As Carlos, one of our subjects today so simply put it: ask. Don’t be shy. Ask permission to take someone’s photo. If they say no, respect their wishes. If they say yes, shoot away. Think about it: how would you like it if you were minding your own business and then you noticed someone taking photos of you without asking first? Things are a little more gray when it comes to candids, sometimes described as “stolen” pictures because, well, they’re stolen, taken without permission – and may even be downright voyeuristic – which is or may be awfully close to exploitation. A rule of thumb I use is with regards to the context of the photo – for example, a person is holding their ears as a firetruck screams by, then that might be okay. But if you’re taking a candid photo of someone just because they look decrepit, down on their luck, emotionally distressed… or on the flip side perhaps you find a person attractive and photogenic – and if you’re doing this without their permission – then you’re venturing into the realm of voyeurism and exploitation. Do not exploit your subjects. Respect them.
I did not ask the pedestrian for her permission - and I think that's okay because of her contextual role in this photograph.
Another form of exploitation happens when you take advantage of the reduced mental capacity of your subjects. Last week I was browsing the internet and came across a photograph that Google found – a photograph of a well-known neighbour on the Downtown Eastside – and it was clear that this person had given permission, or at least stopped long enough for the photographer to take their photo. It’s a safe bet that this person also suffers from mental illness. While it may seem that you have been given permission (or at least there has been no objection) to taking someone’s photo, they may not fully understand that their photo may end up at the top of the list when someone Googles “downtown eastside vancouver” – on display for the world to see, and for others to then further exploit (note that if someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs they do not have adequate mental capacity). On the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, there are a lot of people who may not have the mental capacity to understand what their photo may be used for. Use your judgement. Be respectful. Trust your conscience. Your subjects are human beings, like you, like me.
So, what did we do today during our tutorial? Well, first of all we didn’t go to the Downtown Eastside. We weren’t invited and the area is just too exhausted from having photographers coming in, taking what they want, and leaving. Instead we went to Commercial Drive. And it was beautiful – the light was warm, the shadows long, the people happy and willing – because we asked – and didn’t exploit. Thanks Carlos. Thanks Darrell. I look forward to seeing you, and photographing you, again.
JENN & JUSTIN’S WEDDING: Second Shooting with Fran Chelico
On Saturday, October 10, I had the pleasure of being Fran Chelico’s 2nd shooter for the wedding of Jenn & Justin, a very expressive, fun and photogenic couple. This is my second wedding working with Fran and I’m looking forward to more next year.
A beautiful October day in Gastown, Vancouver, BC.
Fran Chelico is an extremely talented and successful wedding photographer. It’s no wonder – she has all of the right stuff: an energetic and positive personality to attract and direct her couples, an ability to adapt to changing light, locations, and personalities which helps with shooting on the go, sharp business acumen and professionalism to manage and grow her business, and an easygoing attitude which makes her fun to work with. Oh, did I mention she has a great eye, and beautiful style? She was named one of Vancouver’s favorite wedding photographers by the readers of Metro News and is constantly in demand throughout every wedding season.
Weddings are where I cut my teeth in the world of professional photography. In 1999, while I was studying with the New York Institute of Photography, my little sister asked me to shoot her wedding. This was of course a great honour and I felt a huge responsibility to deliver professional results – I got down to work studied the wedding genre voraciously for the next six months. Soon the word was out and my friends Monica and Ian also booked me – their date: the day after my sister’s wedding, in a city three hours away. When August finally arrived, I was terrfied, afraid I’d mess up my exposures or miss a critical shot. I learned quickly why so many photographers shy away from weddings – they are very stressful and a lot of work!
Fortunately the hard work was worth it – the results were amazing – and I was off to the races, working my corporate job during the day and moonlighting as a professional wedding photographer on weekends. I put up a website, printed some business cards, signed up with Queensberry Albums, discovered and honed my style. I learned that had the most fun, and therefore the most strength, in shooting documentary-style, also known as photojournalism or verité in the filmmaking world. By my fourth season I was busier than I could manage and had to make a decision. I had the momentum to make a living as a photographer with my bread and butter coming from weddings. In parallel however, my career as a corporate citizen was in high gear and was demanding longer hours and more energy. I chose what made sense at the time… and sadly decided to let the photography fade away. I continued to shoot for two more summers, but turned away all but a few jobs reserved for friends and referrals from my favorite past clients.
Three years passed while my expensive gear gathered dust – it made sense to sell it but I just couldn’t bring myself to. In 2007 I picked up and moved to Vancouver then this spring, following an overwhelming heart-felt urge, I left a great job at one of the world’s largest professional services firms and took the plunge, back into the creative world, to study filmmaking. Within three months I had produced/directed my first film, Surviving In The Cracks, which went on to be selected for the Vancouver Short Film Festival this October. I also wanted to start shooting weddings again so I connected with some photographers in town and picked up a few jobs as a second shooter to get myself back on my feet. In addition to my film projects I’ve been shooting with the Powell Street Festival Society and the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House, I followed Canada’s Governor General around at We Day, and I’m beginning to teach, assist, and shoot various jobs with a major photography studio in Vancouver. I am back in the game, and this time, it’s with my whole heart.
HONOURING OUR PEOPLE STORIES OF THE INTERNMENT CONFERENCE: filming stories of Canada’s internment of its Japanese citizens
Today I was a videographer at the Honouring Our People Stories of the Internment Conference at the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre in Burnaby, BC. Since moving to Vancouver two years ago I have had many opportunities to reconnect with my Japanese-Canadian heritage; I jumped at the chance to be part of this event and I hope to bring my own family members from Alberta to participate next year.
My father's family working the sugar beet fields near Raymond, Alberta
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, thrusting the Allies into a new front in World War II. One of Canada’s and the US’s reactions on the home front was to effectively declare war on their own citizens; anyone of Japanese descent – men, women, children and the elderly – were harshly discriminated against in what became one of the most shameful violations of civil liberties in our countries’ histories (this was recognized through formal redress by both the Canadian and US governments in 1988). The entire population of Japanese Canadians (20,000) and Americans (120,000) were promptly stripped of all of their property and rights; families were split up, and “evacuated” to internment camps in the interior of British Columbia. In Canada one of the only opportunities for families to stay together was to move to the prairie; due to a serious labour shortage in the sugar beet industry, whole families were permitted to move to Southern Alberta to live and work in the fields – backbreaking manual labour that was normally done by transient workers during the summer. My father was the youngest child in of one of these families.
My grandparents immigrated to Canada from Japan in 1917 and worked a confectionary store next to Oppenheimer Park, in Vancouver, BC. In the early 1930’s they left Vancouver and settled near Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island to work in the lumber industry. In February, 1941 my father was born and one year later, after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, the family avoided the internment camps by moving to the Raymond District of Southern Alberta to work the sugar beet fields. In 2007, sixty-five years after my family was forced from their home by their own government, I was the first to move back to the west coast of Canada.
At today’s event I was witness to a circle of seven people who shared their evacuation stories and what ensued afterwards in their lives. As much as I thought I knew about this period in my family’s history, I realized that I actually know very little. The more I learn, the more I am inspired to learn.
The videos I helped to shoot today will be added to the archives at the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre in Burnaby, BC.
Photographer or Filmmaker?
Film, to me, is a far more complex and difficult craft than photography, the creation of still images; one cannot make a good motion picture by mistake – but one can take a good photo by mistake. Certainly, a photo, a single image of one instant in time, can change the world, and has. But imagine orchestrating the creation and sequencing of thousands upon thousands of these still images, layered upon one another, and then layered and synchronized with sound: voices, effects and music, to create something that occupies a very specific space in time and moves through this time at just the right cadence, to engage the audience enough, hopefully, to hold their attention and more, until the presentation is complete. This is an effort that often takes hundreds of people working in unison to complete. And sometimes it takes one.
My solution to the dilemma of which medium to practice is to do both. I consider myself both a photographer and filmmaker. Each complements the other. And so each adapt, evolve and improve. My objective is to create material that appeals to you, the viewer, enough so that I may pay my bills and continue to create this material. But it is also important, and in my heart I believe it is more important, that the material I create and the stories I tell appeal to myself, so that my work remains interesting and fun for the rest of my days.
First Post
Greetings and welcome to my new website/blog. Yes this blog is now my website. Here I intend to post updates on the goings-on in my world, my creative world specifically, both professional and personal. I am firstly a photographer, at least in the chronological sense, and I have been so for over a decade of my life. It is true that I have been below the radar for at least a few years now, well three to be specific I suppose, but now it is time to rise up once again. More recently I became engaged in the world of filmmaking – and more specifically documentary filmmaking although I am also a fan of drama.
