ts update: winter

Wow, i really don't like writing. but i do like what comes out at the other end.
Its the reverse of eating i guess.
so, update is long overdue.
Most people saw us running around all summer with the camera, and gotten footage to finish a half hour documentary. We're in the middle of finishing that now. original plan was to have it festival ready by may. All autumn we were working on writing and selling the film. The writing is more or less complete. We've got several good scripts and treatments that take up 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes or a TV short series (3-6 hours)...whatever the broadcaster wants to do, we'll receive some funding and a chance to show it.
This is a music documentary abut what its like to be a DJ/producer in Toronto today. If we go with a 60min format we will talk more the impact that Toronto EDM and IDM music is making worldwide. If we go with a series then we will have lots more time to work with specific profiles of many local artists. Now its up to broadcasters. We're talking with other guys so you might see the film the next time you're on a plane, or on netflix.

in the meantime I'm in editing with the 30minute show...starting to score for music in about a month. I gave myself a 8 week deadline from today (thats april 30...). By then its got to be good enough to show public.

Im kinda excited actually, and hoping im not gonna get all last minute on it like i did with the teaser. That was dumb...

VF

TORONTO SOUNDS autumn wrapup n holiday plans

Winters are cold in Toronto. We know it's coming every year, but we like to pretend this time might be different. But time always wins.
The original plan was we'd be done by now (my DP reminds me). The Ontario Arts Council funding was budgeted to take us into September, when we originally planned to wrap shooting.
That the funding took us into the cusp of December is more a testament to my cheapness than to my money management skills. We got an extra season out of it though...and, oh yeah, we are not done.


AUTUMN...
has always been my favorite season. first kiss; my birthday; butternut squash soup...and I'm grateful to my crew who allowed me to capture it proper.
100302010 NUIT BLANCHE
Low on story but high on greater themes and apple cider. This night is my case in point for the unique interplay between technology; urban life; and artistic expression that form the crux of my film.
10102010 www.onedayonearth.org 
Although technically not a toronto sounds shoot. I was invited to take part in a global participatory media project involving all 192 countries of the world to document the events of a single day. It happened to be the day all the leaves decided to change colors in Toronto...and we were @ high park to see it happen. Taking part in this project allowed me to see what was really possible in storytelling - with the advent of technologies that bring artists closer together than ever before. Interesting possibilities loom on the horizon...
11262010 HushLamb with BRUNO PRONSATO
After Alicia Hush and Sarah Lamb came to the toronto sounds fundraiser in august (which was a bit of a flop), they reached out to tell me they believed in what I was trying to do, and that they wanted to help. The praise of an honest critic is worth more than gold to an artist. But the hushlamb family went one step further: they opened their doors to us last Friday night at thrush holmes empire - a unique art gallery/studio space on Queen Street West: allowing the toronto sounds crew to focus on making a movie while they did what they do best: throw amazing parties. 
The result was 3 cameras @ an event featuring Cee Cee Cox, Alicia, Talal & Zoi, Zaid, and Berlin's Bruno Pronsato which gave this city a glimpse of how electronic music can simultaneously straddle both the underground and high art. Here's a "little projection" I created for the event. A mashup (ahh - the 'm' word!) of Bruno's technified, minimalist music video for 'Lady Cab Driver' with Chris Marker's minimalistic story of time, love and memory: La Jetee


Preeminent Toronto documentarian Allan King once said: 80% of the story is captured in the last 20% of the shoot. With 2/3 of the project in the can...I'm simultaneously heartened, and terrified, by this statement.
For those who really want to know...My main work over the holidays is to write write write; edit edit edit; and sell sell sell. the 'shoot-shoot-shoot' is going into hibernation until the holiday fog has lifted (except for that little multi-location; multi-national; multi-camera synchronized shoot I'm working on for new years ;)


Its been a year. People in the scene grow tired of seeing me raise a camera to their faces everytime they wanna get a dance on...these holidays, maybe we can raise a glass instead. :)


happy snowflakes!
v

tomorrow's shoot rescheduled...(aka DID I SAY 1ST HALF DONE??)

the blog is becoming more and more one of those things that i get to only when other things get postponed or cancelled, giving me free time...
so, mom, dad, my 2 friends and the 1 random guy from melbourne...heres my production update

AUTUMN:

grant season: television broadcasters and film distributors like art council logos because it gives them credibility but they hate art council logos cuz they figure noone will really watch it...they'll just say they did and debate about the topic covered by the film they never saw...

its all a little complicated for me...so im just gonna dig in where i got my first glimpse of light - from the arts community. There apparently is a grant season. At least in Toronto, and that season is fall.

i dont think im a poor writer, but im a reluctant writer...but when motivated by film funding i turn into Dickens.

scotiabank nuit blanche (the translated double entendre was not lost on the bankers in the towers to be sure)...was an amzing shoot and a blessing to the city. 

We had at one point 6 cameras pointed in every which direction. I was the guy in the middle freaking out about how im gonna edit all the footage after. But if Art is worth creating; its worth celebrating; if its worth celebrating; its worth capturing in time. There is definitely something to be said about editors becoming the new 'creative voice' of cinema (bit that off DJ SPOOKY's remix lectures)

we're looking foward this season to using the camera to capture the shock when a drip of cold rain finds our necks; and the taste of hot apple cider at 11am...and other autumnal stuff.

REEL ASIAN intl film festival PITCH COMPETITION: we applied, and we'll find out on oct 12 whether we'll be pitching live at the november festival...exciting! we'll keep you posted.

ONE DAY ON EARTH: 101010 (binary = 42, ?) global project. thousands of participants. 192 countries, intl space station, every major charity...fun film project!!!!!

see u round xmastime! maybe b4 who is to know?

V

1st half - check...July 2010 update

hey everyone
we just wrapped up the first half of the shoot with an awesome interview with DEKO-ZE where we discussed everything from spinning records in grade 2 to the art of the decks. We all had alot of fun.

thank you Michael, my crew, my new DP: Jared Lorenz, Ken, Ann and the peeps at epique lounge (120 cumberland, 2nd floor - formerly YNot).

Since start of shoot in June 12, my crew has formed a production family who has seen this project grow before their eyes.
What was a film, has now become a feature film, a multimedia website, a CIUT 89.5 radio show / podcast, a soundtrack...
the ideas always seem good, but the key for me is to stay focused on nothing outside the final cut of the film...thats why im enjoying my time forming a basic teaser edit to show people what the film looks and feels like...
on editing/fx: fun but infuriating...working this software is like bumbling through a complex language well enough to compose poetry. but its coming together (the after effects just crashed my mac so im givin it a breather by doin this..)
meanwhile, look out for our 1ST AND 2ND OFFICIAL TORONTO SOUNDS FUNDRAISER. 1st one in august, 2nd at TIFF
- stay tuned for detailz...

thats it for now. back to the edit. i cant wait to show you.
;)
V

...Everytime i type up a DJ lineup i feel like im selling something...its weird

...but im not. This is a shoot update.

what a week. the first two shoot days went as well as can be expected. We didn't get rained on. Nothing broke. nice.

TO BOOT: we got great interviews with BENJAMIN BOLES (MUSIC EDITOR FOR NOW MAGAZINE), ALEKSANDRA AND AADIL 

...although it seems that way, no we're not going alphabetically :)...see, we also had HALI! see - H

These next two weeks is key for all the behind the scenes stuff...i cant wait for that part to be over...cuz in 10 or so days...

TORONTO SOUNDS

WILL

BE

ALL

OVER

PRIDE

TORONTO

2010!!!

check it out! 

WWW.PRIDETORONTO.COM

including: 

main stage with SYDNEY BLU FRIDAY JULY 2ND (with FOOTWORK'S BABY JOEL AND JON-JON)

SOUTH STAGE & INTERVIEW SHOOTS: ALL DAY SUNDAY!!!  (DEKO-ZE)

day 1 - SHOOT

hey,
im going into my first day pf principal shooting today, a lil nervous but not so much. i know what ive got in my head
i know its dope
i know i can run a crew
i know i can capture a shot
i know i can improvise
i know i can interview
i know we have nitin, jonny white, hali, todd synes, benjamin boles, aadil and aleksandra this weekend to shoot
i know they're confirmed
the rest...i just gotta stop writing this blog and show up.
let the film happen...
wish me luck

lookie what i found!

while working on my website i stumbled on this ol clip :)...it was the night of my first film premiere in 2007...an extended QnA session with JOHN MAY at the NATIONAL FILM BOARD

This evening gave me the encouragement to continue ursuing my art just when i thought it was not worth all the struggle.

http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/audience_comments_buzzed.html

hope u likie! v