T-55 Test Drive on Vimeo.

A few days ago, on the rainiest August day on record, I was part of a crew that headed to Chilliwack for a test drive. Our test vehicle has a 38-litre V12 engine and weighs 40 tons: the venerable T-55.

I had to think about whether to post this. My views on war aren’t really compatible with going out to “play” with a machine like a Russian main battle tank. But at the same time, this is about making movies. And we had a lot of fun on the day. This test drive is part of a more extensive behind-the-scenes look I’m shooting for the 3rd season of Sanctuary, a Vancouver-based television series that airs on the SyFy network. I can’t say any more than that. Have a look at the video.

OnGray on Vimeo.

Recently I had the privilege of working with friend & photographer Dave Delnea on his first short film, OnGray. Conceived as a collaboration between friends, OnGray began as a photography shoot before growing to include video and a large crew of collaborators. My part was to cut the piece together and colour grade the final film. I worked with Dave to build a story out of the photographic pieces and create a colour palette signifying events within the story world. It was a lot of fun, and the finished product & website looks great!

Last night was titled “WALK THE TALK: GREEN YOUR CITY”, with the talks centring on sustainability. What struck me is the passion of each of the speakers (well… most of them. There were a couple “huh??” moments… but overall awesome). Like watching TED talks, I’m inspired when listening to people who can’t help but put into action something they’re passionate about.

The night was full of good information and inspiration, with a packed house of 2000 at the Queen E Theatre. Besides sustainability and the surprisingly pro-economic benefits, the theme of collaborative leadership came up again and again. While the speakers were chosen as leaders in their field, it’s their ability to build strong, authentic connections that creates action & movement on their issue.

Here are some bullet points I couldn’t resist jotting down in my phone as the talks progressed:

• Inspiration leads to action
• Products are a common currency. They bring people together. What if they could be all good? (fairware.ca)
• Imagine the subjectivity of others, especially the less privileged
• Difference is a point of negotiation
• Community based around food
• “A One Planet Footprint”
• Play = activity together
• Building beyond the property line. Green buildings are stronger together, connecting the capabilities of a neighbourhood to create a net-zero unit.
• Live like you plan on staying

Overall a great night! I can’t wait for the next one…

Though targeted at photographers, the eBook is for anyone who’s interested in the world of motion picture storytelling. With the explosion of video-capable stills cameras, many are considering dipping their toes into moving images. But while there are many resources out there on how to operate a video camera, what does it take to create a visual story that moves people? We talk some about gear, but mostly about process. What is story? How do you build a story? How do you connect images together to build towards a climax? What are the differences between composing a shot for a still image vs. motion?

It’s tough to pack all that into one eBook, but feedback so far has been positive. It’s gotten people excited to give video a try and get started with motion pictures storytelling. Go check it out!

VISION IN MOTION is a downloadable PDF. USD $5.00

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In the meantime, I also had the pleasure of shooting the two-day open house just prior to the centre’s May 3rd opening. I had fun capturing the energy as YMCA volunteers toured prospective members through the new facility. Click on a thumbnail below for photos of the open house (and check back soon for more about the photos in the Vancouver Sun…)

During the facilitated three-course dinner, participants will be able to dialogue through conversation and visualisation in order to investigate new ways to respond to these complex topics by applying the value of design to them. The tablecloth will be a conduit to allow for idea development and exchange. The aim is to investigate how a collaborative informal approach can help a community work collectively toward a common future. By treating complexity with a measure of comradery, and using design process and thinking, we propose that new and undetected ideas can emerge.

The documentary I directed & produced, Rwanda: Hope Rises was the recipient this past week of the Best Foreign Documentary award at the International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles. Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible!

A three-corner panorama taken at Robson & Granville in Vancouver after Canada’s Olympic Hockey Gold-medal win last night.