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CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
$4 September 2011 www.csc.ca
Jeremy Benning csc
in
the
V02 #03
Desert
Afghan Luke
with
04
0
56698 94903
9
John Walker csc • ICSC Conference in LA
A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers
The Canadian Society of Cinematographers
(CSC) was founded in 1957 by a group of
Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen.
Since then over 800 cinematographers
and persons in associated occupations
have joined the organization.
The purpose of the CSC is to promote
the art and craft of cinematography
in Canada and to provide tangible
recognition of the common bonds
that link film and video professionals,
from the aspiring student and camera
assistant to the news veteran and
senior director of photography.
We facilitate the dissemination and
exchange of technical information and
endeavor to advance the knowledge
and status of our members within the
industry. As an organization dedicated
to furthering technical assistance, we
maintain contact with non-partisan groups
in our industry but have no political or
union affiliation.
FEATURES – VOLUME 3, NO. 4 SEPTEMBER 2011
Jeremy Benning csc in the Desert with Afghan Luke
By Fanen Chiahemen
16
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Living the Dream: An Interview with John Walker csc By Staff Writer
Mission Impossible? ICSC Conference in LA
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
2 From the President
4 In the News
23 Camera Classified
24 Productions Notes / Calendar
Cover: From left, Nick Stahl, Nicolas Wright and Stephen Lobo.
Still pulled from RED MX by Jeremy Benning csc
20
By Joan Hutton
Canadian Cinematographer
September 2011 Vol. 3, No. 4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Joan Hutton csc
EDITOR EMERITUS
Donald Angus
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Saranchuk
[email protected]
EDITOR
FROM
THE
PRESIDENT
Joan Hutton csc
Fanen Chiahemen
[email protected]
COPY EDITOR
Karen Longland
ART DIRECTION
Berkeley Stat House
WEBSITE CONSULTANT
Nikos Evdemon csc
www.csc.ca
I
t is with great pleasure that I introduce to our readers Fanen Chiahemen,
the new editor of Canadian Cinematographer. Fanen took over the reins of
our magazine this month and shows off her editorial and writing chops by
not only putting the issue together, but also penning the cover story on Jeremy
Benning csc and his DOP’ing of Afghan Luke which makes its North American
debut this month at TIFF.
ADVERTISING SALES
Guido Kondruss
[email protected]
CSC OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP
131–3007 Kingston Road
Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1
Fanen honed her formidable editorial skills as former associate editor of UN
Wire and as staff writer for such publications as iHealthBeat.org, all out of
Washington D.C. She has also written for POZ Magazine, the Montreal Gazette,
the Washington Post and American Journalism Review.
Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996
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Email: [email protected]
Canadian Cinematographer makes every effort to ensure
the accuracy of the information it publishes; however,
it cannot be held responsible for any consequences
arising from errors or omissions. The contents of this
publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the express written consent of the publisher.
The opinions expressed within the magazine are those
of the authors and not necessarily of the publisher.
Upon publication, Canadian Cinematographer acquires
Canadian Serial Rights; copyright reverts to the writer
after publication.
Canadian Cinematographer is printed by Winnipeg Sun
Commercial Print and is published 10 times a year.
One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for
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including HST. In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00
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are $50.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions.
Subscribe online at www.csc.ca.
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2 • Canadian Cinematographer - September 2011
There is journalistic pedigree in Fanen’s background, being born in Nigeria
to two journalists. Her father was a foreign correspondent for Reuters, which
translated into much travel for Fanen and her family. She has lived in such
countries as South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Cyprus, France, Germany, the
U.K. and the U.S. where she received a Master of Journalism at the University
of Maryland. She also speaks French and German. She has lived in Montreal for
the past three years before setting up shop in Toronto.
Fanen is a self-confessed film fanatic with a particular interest in cinematography. She says poignant cinematography is key to any production and that
she is often “won over” by a film’s cinematography irrespective of other elements.
To indulge her passion, Fanen has also
been working as an English subtitle editor
on film and television shows for studios
such as Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony and
Universal. We are fortunate that she has
chosen our industry and are delighted to
have her as our new editor. All of us at the
CSC welcome her aboard and we wish her
all the best.
Photo: Joan Hutton csc
Email: [email protected]
Fanen Chiahemen
What ever medium I shoot with, at
Clairmont, they are always ahead
with new technology, and for that I
am very grateful to them. Thank
you to Clairmont for always sharing
with me what will become my
favorite new toys.
Serge Desrosiers, CSC
www.clairmont.com
IN THE NEWS
CSC Members Nominated
for 2011 Gemini Awards
Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
Fakers, Pierre Gill csc
Best Direction in a Dramatic Series
Flashpoint – Acceptable Risk, David Frazee csc
Best Photography in a Comedy Program or Series
18 to Life – Family Portrait, Marc Charlebois csc
Wingin’ It – Hold the Dressing, Kim Derko csc
InSecurity – Get Cranston, Anton Ken Krawczyk csc
Vacation with Derek, Gerald Packer csc
Living in Your Car – Chapter 1, Stephen Reizes csc
Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Series
Love at the Twilight Motel, Daniel Grant
Photo credit: Justin Edward Lake
Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series
Turn the Beat Around, David Greene csc
Lost Girl – Faetal Justice, David Greene csc
The Kennedys, David Moxness csc
The Tudors – Episode 405, Ousama Rawi csc, bsc
Flashpoint – Acceptable Risk, Stephen Reizes csc
Director Wim Wenders
3D FLIC - The Toronto
International Stereoscopic
3D Conference
T
he conference on stereoscopic 3D at the Bell TIFF Lightbox, June 10 to 14, was a spectacular follow-up to CSC’s
2010 3D workshop. Filmmaker Ali Kazimi, csc associate
member, organized the conference, gathering a research group in
stereoscopic vision to explore 3D cinema production within the
Future Cinema Lab. Laurie Wilcox and Rob Allison from York
University’s Centre of Vision Research also collaborated.
Best Photography in an Information Program or Series
Make the Politician Work – Peter MacKay, Michael Grippo
csc, Hans Vanderzande
First Annual CCE Awards
May 19, 2011, was a big night for film and television editors,
when the First Annual Canadian Cinema Editors Awards took
place in Toronto to honour editing achievements. On hand was
Filmmaker Wim Wenders detailed the 20-year odyssey leading to
the release of his first 3D documentary Pina, while top stereographer Peter Anderson ASC, (Close Encounters of the Third Kind,
Tron) used chopsticks to explain the principles of convergence
and interaxial. Other key participants included Jonathan Barker
on “Bugs in 3D,” Don Carmody on “Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D,”
and Graeme Ferguson, csc honorary member, highlighting the
IMAX spectacle “Hubble 3D” shown at the Scotiabank IMAX
Theatre.
Photo credit: Rick O’Brien
Bill White of 3D Camera Company; Ken MacNeil from Creative
Post; Rob Burton from Arc Productions; and Michael Drabot
from PS Production Services were among 12 industry supporters
to join the consortium and back research into capacity building and expanding local expertise in the field. 3D FLIC emerged
from these initiatives, supported by the Ontario Media Development Corporation and the Ontario Centres for Excellence.
Susan Saranchuk, Executive Director, Canadian Society of Cinematographers;
Student winners: Ernesto Sosa Lopez, York University; Deborah Gurofsky,
Queen’s University; and Cameron Nixdorf, York University; Paul Winestock,
President, Canadian Cinema Editors.
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Canadian Cinematographer - September 2011 •
5
Susan Saranchuk, CSC Executive Director, who handled the
presenting duties in the student category. The CSC congratulates
all the winners and nominees, as well as the CCE for an excellent
inaugural awards show.
Congratulations to the Newest
Accredited CSC Members
The membership committee, chaired by Philip Earnshaw csc,
met on July 6, 2011, and screened the works of 13 directors of
photography applying for CSC full membership. Congratulations to the following newly accredited members of the Canadian
Society of Cinematographers: Johnny Abi Fares csc; Norm Li csc;
Matthew Lloyd csc; Anthony Metchie csc; Boris Mojsovski csc;
Ali Reggab csc.
CSC Donates TV to Women’s Charity
Sony of Canada donated a 32-inch flat screen TV to the 2011
CSC Awards Gala raffle. It was won by Denis Paquette of
Cinépool in Montreal. Denis requested that the CSC
donate the television to a worthy charitable cause. We chose
the 416 Community Support for Women which provides
refuge and resources to some of the hardest to reach women in
the community -- who are often coping with isolation, addiction
and/or mental health issues and other difficulties -- so that they
can preserve their health and dignity.
From left, Rosie Smythe, Executive Director, 416 Community Support
for Women; Susan Saranchuk, Executive Director, Canadian Society of
Cinematographers; and Joan Hutton csc, President, Canadian Society
of Cinematographers
CORRECTION
In the feature article "The Borgias" published in the
Summer 2011 issue of Canadian Cinematographer,
the Panavision Genesis was incorrectly referred to as
the Panasonic Genesis. We apologize for the error.
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7
Jeremy Benning csc
Desert
in the
with
Photo credit: Bob Akester
Afghan Luke
By Fanen Chiahemen
“These new MX Red sensors really blew me away.
The quality that we were getting from the camera in
natural light with very little control was quite stunning”
C
arving out a versatile career that includes shooting films, television shows,
commercials and music videos inevitably means working in every corner of the
world, often under taxing conditions, as Jeremy Benning csc knows. But it was
while working in British Columbia last year as director of photography on Mike
Clattenburg’s film Afghan Luke that the Toronto-based cinematographer faced his
biggest challenges, ultimately reshaping his approach to filmmaking.
Benning had worked with Clattenburg several years earlier, operating the steadicam on the director’s first Trailer Park Boys feature and doing promos for the series of the same name, which aired
on Showcase, and he was convinced they would make a good director-cinematographer team. “We
really got along well and shared similar creative styles,” Benning says. “And Mike had said, ‘Let’s
do a movie together at some point.’” By the time Clattenburg approached him about working on
Afghan Luke, Benning had already gotten wind of the story and knew it was the opportunity he’d
been waiting for. “I really wanted to be a part of it because it’s a good Canadian story,” he says.
Afghan Luke -- which stars Nick Stahl in the title role, along with Nicolas Wright, Stephen Lobo
and Vik Sahay -- is about a young Canadian journalist who, disappointed with the way the war in
Afghanistan is being covered at home, quits his job and travels to Afghanistan to report the news
on his own terms. Most of the action takes place in Afghanistan, and the production team initially
scouted locations in India and California. But due to security risks and high costs the film was shot
in interior British Columbia, with the arid grasslands surrounding the town of Ashcroft standing
in for the Afghan countryside.
Unaware of Ashcroft’s high desert landscape, Benning had his doubts at first. “When Mike told
me, I was like, ‘There’s no way this is going to look like Afghanistan.’ I had this vision of mountains and pine trees,” he says. But when he saw the location photos he was impressed. “That
particular area is very dry,” he says. “It’s basically a desert in Canada. It’s pretty barren, it’s rocky,
it’s extremely dusty, and once you throw in the right set-dressing and people who look the part,
it’s quite convincing.”
The credibility of the landscape was a priority for Clattenburg and the crew when it came to the
look of the film. “Our first thing aesthetically was to try and make the film believable in terms of
what people know of what Afghanistan looks like, but also bring in a classical feature film look,”
says Benning. To capture an authentic feel, he started by working with the light that the setting
provided. “We went with a very natural look. We were working mostly with natural light, so it
was largely about dealing with what we had there light-wise,” he says. Trying to shoot around
the changing weather conditions, however, was another story, and for that he relied on the magic
of post-production. “We had sun most of the time, but we didn’t always have sun. And we
knew going into it that we may have days when it’s cloudy or rainy, which of course doesn’t
necessarily work for a dry Afghanistan feel. So we knew that we had some control in the post
process of making the images look warmer and dusty and desaturated,” he says.
9
Photo credits: Bob Akester
From far left, B-cam operator Jason Vieira, DOP Jeremy Benning csc, and director Mike Clattenburg in ski goggles to protect against extreme dust.
Previous page: A convoy making its way through a valley in Ashcroft, BC.
Initially, Benning, who is also a dedicated stills photographer,
thought he would achieve Clattenburg’s vision shooting the
entire film with the Canon 1D Mark IV DSLR because of its
small size and high quality pictures. “Mike and I wanted to see
could we shoot a film entirely with these small cameras to really
give it an authentic, on-the-fly feel, make it very real and gritty,”
he says. They also thought the cast would welcome the smaller
camera because “they would have that freedom to be in the
moment, to not have a big camera and not be tied down to all the
conventional things of movie-making that take the actors out of
the moment a little bit.”
At the time, however, the new MX sensors for the Red One
camera were just becoming available on the market. With the help
of SIM Video, the production was able to secure two of their first
five cameras, and it was soon clear that the quality of the detail
from the Red was what the film needed. “We realized that on the
big screen, because so much of what we were doing was going to
be wide big vista landscapes, the Red was the way to go,” Benning
says. There was still a place for the Canon, though. According to
Benning, the Canon was perfect for time-lapse shots and transitional scenes, “as well as quick moments that we could just grab
really close, like a quick detail of a hand writing a note, or a face.”
But there was another crucial aesthetic element the film needed
that would test both the crew and the equipment. “We really
wanted to get that dusty dry feeling that you would expect in
Afghanistan,” Benning says. As it turned, out Ashcroft provided
lashings of dust, something the crew was not prepared for. “I’ve
shot in deserts and all kinds of places around the world, but
I’ve never been to a place as dusty as that,” Benning says. “It’s
almost like talcum powder. The ground has probably a layer of
a few inches deep. And when the wind picks up all the dust and
flings it, it’s like having a bag of flour being thrown into a fan.
Everything is covered in it all the time.”
Not only did the crew have to wear ski goggles to protect
their eyes, they spent hours in the camera truck cleaning the
equipment, and they worried whether the cameras, lenses and
monitors would endure the conditions. “Everything had to be
taken apart, cleaned, put back together, and the next day it would
be the same thing again,” Benning says. “No one had ever seen
that kind of dust before, and we didn’t really know how any of
the stuff was going to survive it.”
Just before production began, Benning had acquired the first of
Cooke’s Panchro/i lenses, which he decided would be right for
the desert shoot based on “an educated guess.” He explains, “I
was relying on the fact that I’ve known Cooke lenses for my entire career. I know that their construction is among the best and
the image quality speaks for itself. So it was just, ‘Well, let’s take
them into the desert and see how they do.’” The lower cost of
the Panchro, compared to Cooke’s other lenses, was also a factor.
“They’re not as expensive as their higher-end series of lenses, so
it was kind of like, “’Well, maybe these are lenses that can withstand more punishment because they’re not the super high-end,’
Above: DOP Jeremy Benning csc. Below: Buzkashi match scene shot with Canon 1D
but from an image quality standpoint they’re just as good as the
high-end lenses, just not as fast light-wise.” he says.
As it turned out, Benning’s instincts were right. “Amazingly,
nothing failed us,” he says. “The cameras worked the whole time
even with that dust, and the lenses got a bit gritty, but they survived. At the end of the shoot they just went back to the factory
for a cleaning and they were completely rejuvenated.”
The film proved to be a turning point for Benning, not only
because it was his first large-scale feature film, but also because
it was his first big project on which he didn’t shoot on film. “I’ve
shot a lot of HD and a lot of digital cinema stuff, but nothing
of this scope on a digital capture system,” he says. A lifelong film
devotee, Benning says his experience on Afghan Luke finally sold
him on the benefits of the digital world. “It kind of changed the
way I see filmmaking and the way I see image making,” he says,
adding, “These new MX Red sensors really blew me away. The
quality that we were getting from the camera in natural light with
very little control was quite stunning. We were getting beautiful
skies, not-burned-out clouds, and great skin tones and shadow
detail – all these things I didn’t really expect to see so quickly
from a digital camera. It actually kind of converted me.”
“No one had ever seen that kind
of dust before. Everything had to
be taken apart, cleaned, put back
together, and the next day it
would be the same thing again.”
Shooting digitally in remote conditions brought about a streamlined workflow on the set that Benning described as a “gamechanger” for him. “We’re five hours away from Vancouver.
We can’t really send our footage to a lab every night to get it
processed or converted into rushes to look at the next day. So we
11
Photo credit: Bob Akester
film. “I owe a lot of the finesse and the final polish of the film to
Walt because that was me and him together doing that,” Benning
says, adding, “In this day and age with digital, your colourist is a
big part of your team. “
In addition, Benning would grab TIFF frame captures of key
moments of every scene using Red Cine X, ending up with 30
to 80 stills at the end of each day that he would take to his motel
room, Photoshop and post as JPEGs to his Flickr site. That way
every night, within a couple of hours of wrapping, Clattenburg
and key crew members, such as production designer James Hazell
and first assistant director Mike Crain, would have an updated
gallery of the stills of each day’s shoot with the look applied to
the images. It ended up being so efficient that some chose to look
at the stills rather than spend hours watching rushes. “They liked
getting the stills better because it was an easier way to digest what
we’d shot,” Benning says.
Top: DOP Jeremy Benning csc (far right) operating steadicam in a scene with
actors Aria Saadi, Stephen Lobo and Nick Stahl. Bottom: From left, actors
Pascale Hutton and Nick Stahl. Still pulled from Red MX footage by Jeremy
Benning csc
realized early on we’d have to basically make our rushes on site.”
Working with Bling, a division of SIM, the crew built their own
data cart, allowing them to take the Red footage and convert it
into dailies for Clattenburg and editor Roger Mattiussi to look
at. “Every day I’d go to the camera truck and I’d spend an hour or
so going through everything we’d shot that day on the data workstation. I’d go through all the footage and basically set the look
of all the scenes as far as the colour and the saturation,” Benning
says. “I’ve never really done that before, basically being my own
colourist.” He is, however, quick to give credit to Walt Biljan the
RedLab colourist he worked closely with to set the look of the
What came about out of necessity has become a new
working method for Benning on all subsequent projects,
although he still loves film. “I know that film is still better by
a small margin, but the benefits of the digital world, as far
as workflow and amounts we can shoot and ease of working,
outweigh those subtle differences in some ways,” he says,
adding, “Without this technology I don’t think we could have
done the film the way we did.”
Afghan Luke will be screened at this year’s Toronto International
Film Festival, and wide release is expected shortly after that,
although, according to Benning, the film has already been warmly
received at a screening for a group of military personnel in Halifax.
“They felt it really told the story well and gave a new angle to the
Canadian perspective,” he says. “It’s nice to be part of something
that’s timely, especially to do with Afghanistan. I’m looking forward
to seeing it with a big audience and seeing how they react.”
By Susan Saranchuk, CSC Executive Director
Photo credits: Ernie Kestler
From left, Canadian Society of Cinematographers President Joan Hutton csc,
Executive Director Susan Saranchuk and George Willis csc
P
roFusion 2011 more than delivered the goods. In only its
second year of operation, the pro video and photography
trade show has doubled in size and blossomed into the
premier event of its kind in Canada. Four thousand people
walked through the doors of Toronto’s Congress Centre over a
two-day period to look at the wares and ask questions of some
80 exhibitors and attend over 40 scheduled product demonstrations, seminars and panel discussions. Vistek, which produces
ProFusion and is a sponsor of the CSC, must be looking angelically towards the heavens, asking what they did right. Well, from
my perspective, it was sheer hard work, will power, expert organization and filling a void that needed to be filled in our industry.
Good work, guys!
Of course, the CSC was there in force at ProFusion 2011, with
an exhibit manned by myself, my assistant Karen Longland and
CSC members George Willis csc sasc, Erne Kestler, Antonio
Galloro csc, Sarah Moffat and Michael Jari Davidson. We
chatted up the CSC to show attendees and vendors alike, all
the while handing out hundreds of copies of Canadian Cinematographer. In fact, we ran out part way through the first day. Must
make a mental note to bring many more copies next year!
Sarah Moffat and George Willis csc sacs did double time by also
leading workshops and seminars at ProFusion 2011. George
CSC booth
demonstrated “Lighting for Movement,” a condensed version
of his renowned multi-day CSC lighting workshop, while Sarah
provided an informative lecture on “Motion Camera Theory
Basics.” I would also like to note that Philip Bloom, cinematographer, filmmaker and HD-DSLR guru, who also lead
seminars at ProFusion 2011, was interviewed by Canadian
Cinematographer in its October 2010 issue.
CSC sponsors at ProFusion 2011: Kino Flo and its fluorescent
tube-based lighting systems, Arri with its revolutionary and
innovative technologies that include the ARRIFLEX D-21, Sony
Canada with its groundbreaking products such as the NXCAMS,
and PS Production Services demonstrating the Red Epic-M and
the remarkable Mo-Sys Lambda Remote Head.
Want to know more about ProFusion? Please visit their website
at www.profusionvideoexpo.com. Vistek says it has already started
planning ProFusion 2012. See you there!
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Living the Dream
An Interview
with
John Walker csc
Photo Credit: Anita Olinack
By Staff Writer
From left, Jackie Burroughs, Louise Clark with clapper,
John Walker csc on camera on the set of A Winter Tan
J
ohn Walker csc began his career in photography and turned to
documentary filmmaking as a cinematographer freelancing for
Crawley Films, the NFB and others in the 1970s. He directed
his first film, Chambers: Tracks and Gestures produced by Atlantis
Films, in 1982 and was part of the collective that produced and
directed A Winter Tan. In 1990, Strand: Under the Dark Cloth
won the Genie Award for best feature documentary. Five years
later, he received a second Genie for executive producing George
Ungar’s The Champagne Safari. His most recent documentary is
A Drummer’s Dream.
One of Canada’s most honoured documentary filmmakers,
Walker won the 2004 CSC award for best cinematography in
a documentary for Men of the Deeps and won Gemini Awards
for best performing arts program and best photography in a
documentary program for the same film.
John Walker’s passionate commitment to the documentary form
has led him to work around the world and to co-found the
Canadian Independent Film Caucus (now the Documentary
Organization of Canada), a lobby group for point-of-view
documentaries. One of the best in his generation of independent
Canadian documentary filmmakers, he’s a natural successor to
the poetic tradition created by Colin Low.
Canadian Cinematographer: When and where were
you born?
JW: Montreal in 1952. I grew up in a household where there
were a lot of books on art, and my father had built a darkroom.
I got my first Brownie at the age of six. When I was eight, my
dad gave me a twin-lens reflex camera. I remember going into
the darkroom at eight and seeing an image develop. The magic of
that struck me forcefully.
CC: Was your interest just photography, or were you also interested
in movies?
JW: Just photography in high school, then a Super 8 Bolex with
a zoom appeared in the house when I was 14 or 15. Later I had
friends at Sir George Williams University studying cinema, and
I began to shoot their films. I had met Paul Strand several years
before he died [1976]. I also met Patrick Crawley, the son of
Budge Crawley, who was shooting film in Toronto. In 1970, I
moved to Toronto to join him. While there I met Richard Leiterman csc, who was shooting Hamlet for Crawley Films, directed
by René Bonnière. I got a chance to watch Richard work with
the actors, with his camera on his shoulder. A short while later,
Patrick was involved in a plane accident where he nearly died.
When he left hospital, he was living with me, and Martin
Duckworth had decided to make a film about the accident. While
Martin was making this film, I was assisting him, working with
a Nagra tape recorder. I was totally inspired by what Martin was
doing. So it was Martin and Richard who inspired me to become
a filmmaker using the handheld camera.
I was still doing still photography to make a living, but I began
to shoot film in the early 1970s, for Crawley Films and for the
NFB. Nothing much, just small things. Then one thing led to
another, and I began to shoot my first films for Crawley in 1975.
A Song for a Miner, which I shot in 35 mm, was my
first credit as a DOP. Another film I remember from
that period was Acid Rain: Requiem or Recovery, which
was banned from showing in the U.S. by the Reagan
administration. That was an important one.
CC: Let’s talk about your film about Jack Chambers, one
of your early ones that won all sorts of awards.
JW: Jack Chambers was a London-based artist and
filmmaker who came to some notoriety when he announced he had leukemia. The prices of his paintings
went up, making him the highest paid living artist in
Canadian history at that point. Then his cancer went
into remission, and he lived another 10 years. People
thought he had pulled a publicity stunt. So he became
a controversial figure. He had founded the Artists’
Union, he was politically engaged, and he was also an
important experimental filmmaker. He had founded the London Filmmakers’ Co-op long before the
Toronto Filmmakers’ Co-op. He was somebody who
used photography as a basis for his paintings. Chris
Lowry, a London-based student, came to me with the
suggestion we make a film about Chambers, which became Chambers: Tracks and Gestures. I shot that one in
1981. It was a one-hour film that we financed through
the tax-shelter provisions of the time. It was totally
successful. We sold 15 units at $10,000 per unit and
raised $150,000. We sold it to the CBC for broadcast.
CC: I notice that you also produced, which was a bit
unusual for a documentary filmmaker at the time. Why
did you choose to go that route?
JW: The reason I started producing was that I wanted
to make a film about the photographer and filmmaker
Paul Strand, and I had the idea to make a film about
Strand since the early 1970s when I first met him.
CC: In the meantime you were shooting a lot of film for
other people.
JW: I was doing a lot of work for Rhombus Media. I
shot Making Overtures, which was nominated for an
Oscar. It was Larry Weinstein’s first film. Rhombus
basically had me shoot most of their films at that time.
CC: Also around this time, in the mid-1980s, you
became involved with the Canadian Independent Film
Caucus, a lobby group for documentary filmmakers. Tell
me how that came about.
JW: Jack Chambers was political; he fought for the
rights of artists. In a sense, the formation of the Caucus was inspired by Chambers. 1984 was the first year
of Telefilm Canada, which had been created out of
the ashes of the Canadian Film Development Corporation. They announced their funding guidelines,
and documentaries were not included. I thought this
was outrageous, especially in Canada with our documentary tradition. There were several others who felt
the same way. We had been talking about creating an
organization for point-of-view documentary filmmakers, and this was the issue that crystallized us. I
was designated by the group to attend a meeting arranged by Telefilm. Don Haig [from Film Arts] was
there. Michael MacMillan [from Atlantis Films] was
there. André Lamy [representing Telefilm] was there,
as was Peter Pearson, who was second-in-command
to Lamy. There were representatives from other
producer organizations and distributors, and I was
there, representing this new, upstart organization.
I looked around the table and said there is not a filmmaker sitting at this table who has not drawn from the
Canadian documentary tradition. It’s central to who
we are, and if you [Telefilm] do not fund documentaries you are cutting off the umbilical cord of Canadian
film culture. I was looking at Peter Pearson right in the
eye when I said that because he was the guy who was
against the idea. He felt that it was the NFB’s job to
fund documentaries, and I was representing the private sector. I was backed by MacMillan. Atlantis at the
time was making documentaries, and he agreed with
my point of view. If Michael and Don had not backed
me, I would not have succeeded with my points. Two
months later, it was announced that Telefilm would
include documentaries in its funding guidelines.
CC: Let’s move on to A Winter Tan, which came in the
late 1980s.
JW: We started work on that film in 1985, and it
was released in 1987. Initially it was agreed that the
credits would read: “A film by…”. There would be no
directing or producing credits. We were making this
film as a collective, and we wanted to break the hierarchical rules of filmmaking. It’s when we submitted
the film for festival screenings, and the forms wanted
the director and producer listed, that’s when we said
so-and-so did this or that. It was collectively made,
but I was the only one looking through the camera.
And Jackie [Burroughs] was the one working on the
screenplay, with the help of John Frizzell. But she
was the one pulling the material from the book Give
Sorrow Words by Maryse Holder. The five of us
[John Walker, Louise Clark, Jackie Burroughs, John
Frizzell and Aerlyn Weissman] would meet every
couple of weeks for nearly a year to discuss the film
and the script that was taking shape.
The reason it worked was because we did have separate responsibilities. The nice thing about A Winter
Tan, and probably the reason it worked so well, is that
we had the freedom of a low budget and we were all
friends.
Selected
credits for
John Walker csc
A Song for a Miner
1975 (ph)
Tree Power
1979 (ph)
Acid Rain: Requiem or
Recovery 1981 (co-ph)
Chambers:Tracks and
Gestures 1982 (d/ph)
Making Overtures:The Story
of a Community Orchestra
1984 (co-ph)
A Sense of Music
1984 (ph)
Blue Snake
1986 (ph)
Whalesong
1986 (ph)
A Winter Tan
1987 (co-p/co-d/ph)
Calling the Shots
1988 (co-ph)
Strand: Under the
Dark Cloth
1990 (p/d/ph)
Hand of Stalin: Leningrad
1990 (co-d/ph)
Hand of Stalin:
Leningradskaya, a Village
in Southern Russia
1990 (d/ph)
Distress Signals 1990
(co-p/d/co-ph)
Out: Stories of Lesbian
and Gay Youth in Canada
1993 (co-ph)
Hidden Children
1994 (d/ph)
17
CC: I would like to move on to Place of the Boss: Utshimassits,
which you made in 1996. This appears to be a film closer to your
heart. Tell me about that one.
JW: You’re right, that story was closer to home. “Place of the
Boss” is a literal translation of the Innu word utshimassits, which
is where they were living. This is the Davis Inlet story, and since
they had been put there by the government, the Innu called it the
“place of the boss.” It wasn’t their home, and I thought it a very
poignant notion, so I called the film Place of the Boss.
Photo Credit: Simone Sinclair Walker
This story came to national attention when several children died
in a fire while sniffing gasoline. I got a call from Louise Lore of
the CBC series Man Alive asking me if the story interested me.
But Man Alive is only a half-hour show, so I went to Davis Inlet
to do some research and when I came back I told Louise I don’t
think I can do it in half an hour. Concurrent to this, the Caucus
was lobbying the CBC for a new documentary strand, which became Witness, and Place of the Boss was shown during the first year
of that new series and it won a number of awards, including the
Donald Brittain Award.
CC: Let’s talk about Strand. Tell me about that film.
JW: I called Paul Strand my mentor. I met him when I was a
young photographer, showed him my work and had the chance
to talk to him about it. I had total freedom in the making of
that film, and I made it the way I wanted to. That was critical.
Making the film reinforced my interest in filmmaking. Strand’s
photographs are in black and white, but I shot the film in 35 mm
colour, because although they were shot in black and white, they
have colour. Some are blue-black, some are warmer. They have
the subtlety of colour, so I shot the film in colour so you could see
this colour of his black and whites. I shot my own scenes in the
film in colour, but on 16 mm, which I later blew up.
CC: And you won the Genie Award for best documentary for the
film. Was that your first Genie?
JW: That’s right. In those days they had two awards, for
feature documentary and short documentary. I won for feature
documentary.
CC: You were involved with another Genie-winning documentary,
The Champagne Safari, on which you served as executive producer.
How did that one come about?
JW: I also did some additional photography on that one. Around
that time a lot of filmmakers who were trying to get their projects off the ground were coming to talk to me. Bruce McDonald
came to me after A Winter Tan, asking me how we did it. With
The Champagne Safari I formalized that relationship and spoke
to Don Haig. He gave me advice on what to do as an executive
producer, and he became my mentor. This took place over a period of years. Basically my role on that film was to satisfy Telefilm
Canada and the OFDC that they were going to get a film at the
end of the process, because at that time George Ungar was a firsttime director. It got the Genie and the New York Film Festival
Gold and some other awards.
I was very fortunate to be working with Nigel Markham, who
was the cinematographer on that film. I chose not to shoot it
myself. He had worked with the Innu before, so he brought
experience, and it was a good collaboration. But it was very
tough to shoot such a tragic story. The whole village had decided
collectively that they had to start on a path of healing. So we were
dealing with this transitional process to healing. So the timing is
critical when telling these types of stories. People were at a point
when they wanted to talk and get their stories out. We shot Place
of the Boss over a period of a year, and I made three or four trips
up to Davis Inlet.
CC: Which brings us to The Fairy Faith, which I understand you
also worked on for a while.
JW: The Fairy Faith came about because I was quite drained
from making films with a lot of tragedy. I was really questioning
the type of films I wanted to make, and I thought I should go into
drama and maybe make some fictional films. Frankly, I wanted
to get away from documentary reality and documentary truth
because it was becoming painful and difficult as a filmmaker. I
wanted to use my imagination, and several forces converged that
led me to make a film about mythology and the “little people.”
It ended up being a documentary about the imagination. The
fairy lore became the vehicle to explore this. What tweaked me,
what got the whole thing started, was when I was in London and
I went to an exhibition at the Royal Academy on Victorian fairy
paintings. I saw all these incredible illustrations and paintings
from that period.
CC: Wasn’t your next film, Men of the Deeps, a more traditional
documentary?
JW: Coal is in the very veins of Cape Breton culture; there is an
oral tradition that dates back generations, so I rooted the film in
that tradition. I was familiar with the choir, but this is a film I
Selected
credits
continued
Orphans of Manchuria
1994 (d/co-ph)
Tough Assignment
1995 (co-p/d/ph)
Photo Credit: Chuck Clark
The Champagne
Safari
1995 (exp)
Place of the Boss:
Utshimassits
1997 (co-p/d)
Above: John Walker csc at table with coal mine choir members. Previous page: John Walker csc
wanted to do since the mid-1970s. This was a story
that had been living inside me since I shot A Song for a
Miner. What precipitated the film was the announcement that the last coal mine in Cape Breton was being
shut down. It was the end of a 300-year tradition of
coal mining in Cape Breton. I was speaking to Kent
Martin, my NFB producer on The Fairy Faith, about
this, and he was the one who suggested making a film
on the Men of the Deeps choir. It struck me like a
thunderbolt. I would combine a film about the choir
and the closing of the last mine. At first my plan
was to make it feature length, but when I started the
editing process I liked the hour, although we did blow
it up to 35 mm for some theatrical screenings in Cape
Breton and festivals.
CC Note: John’s next film, the docudrama Passage,
about Sir John Franklin’s failed Northwest Passage
expedition and subsequent attempts to discover what
happened to him by the Scotsman John Rae, was
written about in a feature article by Maurie Alioff in
the first issue of Canadian Cinematographer, April
2009. It can be found on the CSC website (csc.ca) by
clicking the magazine archives link.
the people organizing the camp, got the permission
I needed, and went about raising the money. It was
the first film I had shot on digital, and we used the
Sony 900R.
We were going to shoot long performance takes, and I
thought the digital format was ideally suited for that.
As for the result, I would say there’s about 10 per cent
of A Drummer’s Dream that I wish I shot on film,
mainly the exteriors. When you are shooting highcontrast summer light, film handles that beautifully.
But I was really happy with the interiors and the projection looks great.
It just won the FIPA gold prize in France, which is a
big award. That’s like the European Emmy Awards.
The film got a standing ovation.
CC What is the best piece of professional advice you
received?
Tops and Bottoms
1999 (co-ph)
The Fairy Faith
2001 (p/d/sc/co-ph)
Changing Ground
2001 (d/sc)
Men of the Deeps
2003 (co-p/d/sc/ph)
Pegi Nicol: Something
Dancing about Her
2004 (p)
Passage
2008 (co-p/d)
Second Sight
2008 (exp/co-p)
JW Probably from my father, who said don’t worry
about the money, focus on your craft. Do your craft
as best as possible and the money will follow. It was
good advice, and it has worked out that way.
Winds of Heaven:
Emily Carr
0000 (ph)
CC Your most recent film is A Drummer’s Dream. Tell
me about that film. Again you produced and directed it,
and were you behind the camera as well?
CC One final question. You seem to be a bit of a workaholic, what’s next for John Walker?
A Drummer’s Dream
2010 (co-p/d)
JW I shot some additional third camera but very
little. My DOPs were Kent Nason csc and Nigel
Markham, both of whom I worked with before.
The film had been developed in conjunction with
the Canadian Film Centre and the NFB. I was in
Montreal for my father’s wake, and my nephew,
Jamal, told me about this drum camp his uncle was
putting together with this amazing line-up of talent.
I was immediately interested. So I got in touch with
JW I’m really spending a lot of time with A
Drummer’s Dream, promoting it. There’s a lot of
potential with the film, and I’m spending more time
with its distribution. I promised myself I would spend
at least another year promoting it. I also have another
Arctic film I am developing, and I want to do another
music film, because they’re a lot of fun to make. I do
have a feature script I am developing, so I hope to
do a drama sometime in the future.
19
By Joan Hutton csc
ment that is constantly shifting direction. However, we took a
giant first step by producing a powerful and mutually agreed
upon mission statement emphasizing our obligations as cinematographers.
“Cinematographers must continue the development of our craft as an
art form, and at all levels, promote the highest standards of visual
storytelling within the creative community.
“Our vision is to foster and encourage dialogue between all Societies,
Governments, Ministers of Culture, Manufacturers, Producers and
Directors to further nurture and protect the visual integrity of the
final product.
Photo credits: Joan Hutton
“We, as cinematographers are the custodians of the image. This is our
heritage and our responsibility.”
Haskell Wexler asc
L
ast May there was an historical meeting in Los Angeles. Fifty-seven delegates representing 22 cinematography societies from around the world came together for the first International Cinematography Summit Conference (ICSC). We were
there to open a global dialogue between cinematographers and
tackle common issues and challenges that our profession faces in
an ever-changing fast-paced digital world with new technologies
seemingly emerging almost daily. Some might call a conference
of this magnitude and scope a “Mission Impossible.”
The four-day event was the brainchild of Michael Goi ASC, the
president of the American Society of Cinematographers. I tip
my hat to Michael and our ASC hosts for producing a skillfully
organized conference that allowed for a perfectly balanced forum
to voice concerns over creativity and technology in an industry
that is increasingly focused on computer generated and enhanced
imagery.
The conference was very successful, even if it only scratched the
surface for heightening awareness of our artistry, and redefining
the role and future path of cinematography in a work environ-
One of the more poignant topics of discussion at the
conference dealt with the issue of image authorship. All the
societies at the conference contend that cinematographers are
co-authors of the works they shoot, entitling them the right to
maintain and control the creative integrity of the image through
the entire production process from pre to post and beyond. This
puts a cinematographer’s contribution to a project on equal
footing with producers, directors and writers. Remarkably, there
are 15 European countries, most notably Poland and the Scandinavian region, that sanction co-authorship rights which in some
cases include residuals for cinematographers. So, the concept is
grabbing hold, if only in a small portion of the world. In Canada,
cinematographers have no such status federally or provincially.
A demonstration at Universal Studios’ Virtual Stage and a presentation by the Previsualization Society seemed to produce a
collective angst among some of the delegates. The virtual stage
was outfitted with a huge green screen, camera, jib, and Lightcraft Technology’s Prevision real-time camera-tracking system
that allows the user to preview action on established backgrounds
instantly. It was a fascinating process for some, while worrisome
for others who felt this would lead to job redundancy and the
breadlines for cinematographers. The Previsualization Society’s
presentation later in the day, on the importance of the cinematographer’s participation in the previs process, was a tough sell
to the spirited audience of cinematographers. Purists dismiss
previs as a threat to the creative control of the cinematographer.
Above: Attendees at conference. Below: Isidore Mankofsky asc
have a new camera standard in the making with the F65, it was
that good! Of particular interest was the lack of artifacts when
the picture was blown up 900 per cent for night scenes. We
also got an education in solid state lighting versus tungsten in a
presentation and film shot by Daryn Okada ASC, and their effect
on wardrobe, make-up and set props. One particular test that
used various lights bounced off a white screen showed the gap
in colour consistency between the two lighting sources. Even to
the naked eye, it was apparent the tungsten reigned supreme over
LED for colour consistency.
However, with visual effects becoming more and more prevalent
on today’s motion picture sets, there was also a school of thought
that virtual reality and previs were just another tool to add to the
cinematographer’s bag of tricks.
There were also presentations and discussions regarding education and archiving in a digital age. With education, it was felt
that young cinematographers lack sufficient understanding of the
visual language of the cinema to implement the creativity necessary to produce images that go beyond the flat video picture. With
on-the-job training virtually non-existent in many areas of the
world, it is felt that mentorship mentality should be fostered by
cinematographer societies to guide and develop the next generation of cinematographers. The CSC has long made mentorship a
part of our philosophy and initiatives. As for the current and future state of film and digital archiving and preservation, there are
some systems in place, but there is no universal standard. Plus,
“indie” films are still problematic, since there is no methodology
for integrating them into the archiving process. Most of these
films still seem to languish in basements and garages.
On other technical notes, Sony gave the delegates a sneak peek
at their new Sony F65 4K capabilities through a test film shot
and directed by Curtis Clark ASC. By all accounts Sony may
Being a cinematographer, I see the world around me as a series of
images. In a conference with some of the best cinematographers there were two endearing and lasting images. One was of
the legendary Haskell Wexler ASC wielding a small hand-held
camera, with his eyes transfixed on a small monitor. The 89-yearold, two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer made
it his mission to shoot everything and everyone at the ICSC,
only rising for air every once in a while to trade good-natured
barbs with old friends and colleagues. I can’t wait to see Haskell’s
finished film! The other image was of 80-year-old and equally
legendary Isidore Mankofsky ASC, with a still camera slung
around his neck continuously snapping pictures. The Emmynominated and multiple ASC award winner took charge of
documenting the ICSC event through fabulous still photos. The
images of these two elder statesmen of cinematography working
the conference like a big-time feature…priceless!
The aura of the summit was upbeat, filled with purpose. It was a
good first meeting for gathering consensuses and laying groundwork for future discussions and programs. Yes, invoking change
and direction on such a large scale may seem like a “Mission
Impossible.” But, after all, we are cinematographers challenged
to do the impossible every day in the course of practicing our
creative craft. Cinematography is alive, well and thriving,
and we’ll see that it remains so through initiatives such as the
International Cinematography Summit Conference.
Used Leica Geo System Disto Laser Measurement Devices Attention
crew technicians interested in selling used Leica Disto Laser Measurement
devices for cash to upgrade to newer models. Contact: Alan J. Crimi,
Panavision Canada Corp. at 416-258-7239, shipping, receiving and client
services at 416-444-7000 or ca.mc880.mail.yahoo.com alan.crimi@panavision.
com. www.panavision.com.
SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION FOR RENT
Visiting Vancouver for a shoot? One-bedroom condo in Kitsilano on English
Bay with secure underground parking, $350 per week. Contact: Peter Benison at
604-730-0860, 416-698-4482 or [email protected].
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
• Sony EX-3 HD Camera, Sachtler Video 20 Tripod, JVC GY HD-100 Camera.
Sony PMW-EX3 XDCAM HD Camera, with accessories, memory card,
Fujinon lens, BP-U30 Battery, BC-UI Battery Charger & AC Unit, Fujinon VCL614B2X Lens (5.8mm-81.2mm) w/Lens Hood, Porta Brace Camera Case and rain
cover, Vari-Zoom pan-handle zoom controller All in excellent condition- $7500.
Sachtler Video 20 111 Tripod with aluminium legs and ground spreader and
hard transport case. All in excellent condition - $7000. JVC GY HD-100 Shoulder
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batteries. Vari-Zoom pan-handle zoom controller. Excellent condition $2000 or
best offer. Contact Peter Rowe at 905 891 9498 or [email protected]
• Pro 35 with three mounts (Nikon, PL & Canon) $4,5000; Sony F900 with low
hours and accessories, no lens $6,000 obo. Contact: Angela Donald, 416-8494877 or [email protected].
• Sony DXC-D30 3 Camera Live Production Package includes three
DXCD30 cameras/camera backs/ CCUs and multicore camera cables; Panasonic
WJ-MX70 8 input switcher; full camera and switcher monitoring package and
waveform/vectorscope; equipment rack for camera monitors & CCUs. Wired
and operational. $19,500. Contact Ted Mitchener at ZTV Broadcast Services for
complete list of equipment: 905-290-4430 or [email protected].
• Portable Gel Bin great for studio or location use, holds 24 Rosco or Lee
colour correction, diffusion, reflective, scrim, etc., rolls outer dimensions measure 17.5x24x 63 inches, not including wheels and sturdy wooden construction,
painted black, bottom and back wheels, side handles hinged front & top, locks
for added safety, handy reference chart, $300 obo; Darkroom Safety Lights
popular Model D type, accepts 10x12 inches safelight filters (possibly included,
depending which kind you’re looking for), takes 7½-, 15- or 25-watt bulb, excellent condition, $50 each. Contact: Andrew at [email protected].
• Canon HJ11x4.7Birse HD WA lens one DOP owner, canon factory
maintained, $12,000; Canon KJ16Ex7.7 HD lens, mint-used only a dozen times,
one DOP owner, canon factory maintained, $5,000; Sennheiser evolution 100
wireless mic kit with wireless lav and wireless handheld mics and receiver with
original packaging, mint, barely used, $700. Contact Dave: c 416.553.3356 or
email [email protected].
• Briese 77 Light, full kit, including Tungsten and HMI flicker-free setup, two
Eggcrates and Manfrotto Mega-Boom. Excellent condition, $ 22,000.
Contact: [email protected].
• Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WSP/PVV3P, PAL, 262hours drum time, $ 2,500;
Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WS/PVV3, NTSC, 251hours drum time, $2,500; Sony
BetaCam SX DNW-7, NTSC, 257hours drum time, $5,000; and IKEGAMI DVCAM HL-DV7-AW, NTSC, mint condition, as new, 61hours drum time, $7,000. All
cameras with porta-brace covers. All owned by me and serviced by Sony Hong
Kong. Sony Beta SP/SX player/recorders, DNW-A25P X2, PAL & NTSC, 500 &
644hours drum time, $6,000; Satchler 575 HMI, open-face, mint condition with
spare bulb, $2,500 & case. The lot for $20,000. Contact: François Bisson at
[email protected].
• Sony BVW-400a Betacam SP Camcorder camera used by professional
cinematographer (one owner), never rented out. Comes complete with Fujinon
A15x8BEVM-28 lens, Petroff matte box with 4x4 and 4x5.6 filter holders, remote
zoom and focus control for lens, six Cadnica NP-1 batteries, Sony BC-1WD battery charger, Porta-Brace fitted cover with rain jacket (like new) and Sony factory
hard shipping case and manuals. Lens and camera professionally maintained
by factory technicians. Usage hours are: A – 1,918 hours; B – 1,489 hours; C –
4,286 hours, $10,000.00 obo. Contact: Craig Wrobleski csc at 403-995-4202.
• Aaton XTR Super 16 package including body, video relay optics, extension
eyepiece, three magazines, Cooke 10.5-mm–60-mm S-16 zoom lens, Zeiss 9.5
prime lens, 4x4 matte box, 4x4 filters (85,85N6, polarizer, ND6, clear), follow focus and cases $12,000. Nikon 50–300-mm F4-5 E.D. lens with support, $1,000.
Kinoptik 9–8-mm 35-mm format lens c/with sunshade. Contact: stringercam@
shaw.ca or [email protected].
• New Video Camera Rain Covers. Custom rain covers for sale. New design
that fits and protects most Sony PMW EX3, Canon XHHDV, Panasonic VX200
cameras with the viewfinder extending toward the rear of the camera, $200.
Noiseless rain cover for the external camera microphone, $30. Onboard Monitor rain cover, camera assistants can see the focus during the shot. No more
hassles in the rain, $60. Custom Red One camera covers available upon request.
Also can sew various types of heavy-duty material. Repairs and zipper replacement on equipment and ditty bags. Contact: Lori Longstaff at 416-452-9247 or
[email protected].
• NEW PRICE – DVW700WS Digital Betacam with viewfinder and two widescreen zoom lenses. Canon J1 5x8 B4WRS SX12 and Fujinon 5.5-47. Very low
hours on new heads, $8,000 plus tax. Contact: Michael Ellis at 416-233-6378.
• Betacam SP Camera package including BVP550 Betacam SP camera with
BVV5 recorder, complete with Fuijinon 15x8 broadcast zoom lens, “Red Eye”
wide-angle adapter, 6 IDX Li-Ion batteries, IDX quick charger with AC adapter,
flight case, soft carry case, Sony monitor and 10 fresh Beta SP tapes ($140
value), $2,500. Contact: Christian at 416-459-4895.
• Fujinon XA17X7.6 BERM-M48 HD Lens in new condition, bought and
mounted but never used. As new in box (camera is sold), $7,900. Panasonic
Digital AV mixer WJ-MX50 (missing a few knobs from the lower right corner on
the audio mixer), $400. JVC TN-9U 9-inich colour monitor, $60. Photos available
for everything. Contact: [email protected] or 604-726-5646.
CAMERA CLASSIFIEDS
EQUIPMENT WANTED
FOR SALE
• 28-Foot Black Camera Trailer with new brakes and tires, 20-foot awning,
dark room, viewing lounge, two countertops with lots of storage space, heating
and air conditioned, side windows and three access doors. Contact:
[email protected].
• Digital audio natural sound effects library for sale, recorded in various
countries. All recorded on VHS digital with analog audio search on audio
channel 1 and time code on audio channel 2. Completely catalogued by time
code and includes Sony PCM decoder. $3,500.00 OBO. Contact: rvbocking@
rogers.com.
Camera Classified is a free service provided for CSC members. For all
others, there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee. Your ad will
appear here and on the CSC’s website, www.csc.ca. If you have items
you would like to buy, sell or rent, please email your information to
[email protected].
VANCOUVER
CALGARY
604-527-7262
403-246-7267
VANCOUVER
CALGARY
604-527-7262
403-246-7267
TORONTO
416-444-7000
TORONTO
HALIFAX
HALIFAX
902-404-3630
416-444-7000
902-404-3630
23
PRODUCTIONS & CALENDAR
Production Notes
Bag of Bones (miniseries); DOP Barry A Donlevy; to October 28, Halifax
Being Erica IV (series); DOP Michael Galbraith; OP Dino Laurenza; to September 20, Toronto
Bomb Girls (miniseries); DOP Eric Cayla csc; to November 16, Toronto
Covert Affairs II (series); DOP Colin Hoult csc & Jamie Barber (alternating episodes); OP Dave Sheridan; to October 7, Toronto
Degrassi: The Next Generation XI (series); DOP Alwyn Kumst csc; OP Jeremy Lyall; to November 24, Toronto
Flashpoint IV (series); DOP Mathias Hemdl & Stephen Reizes csc (alternating episodes); OP Mark Chow; to September 15, Toronto
Foxfire (feature); DOP/OP Pierre Milon; to September 21, Sault Ste Marie
Good Dog II (series); DOP/OP Jason Tan csc; to October 6, Toronto
Haunting Hour II (series); DOP Michael Balfry csc; to October 28, Aldergrove
Heartland V (series); DOP Craig Wrobleski csc; OP/Steadicam Damon Moreau & OP Jarrett Craig; to November 30, Calgary
Highland Gardens (series); DOP Alwyn Kumst csc; OP Jeremy Lyall; to September 30, Toronto
Lost Girl II (series); DOP David Greene csc; OP Rod Crombie; to January 22, 2012, Toronto
Mr. D (series); DOP Thom Best csc; OP Peter Battistone; to September 16, Halifax
Murdoch Mysteries V (series); DOP James E. Jeffrey; OP Michael Fylyshtan; to November 15, Scarborough
Nurse 3D (feature); DOP Boris Mojsovski; to October 14, Toronto
Republic of Doyle III (series); DOP Malcolm Cross; to December 11, St. John’s
Secrets of Eden (TV movie); DOP Michael Storey csc; OP Glenn Warner; to September 2, Toronto
Snow White (feature); DOP Brendan Galvin; OP Francois Daignault; to September 9, Montreal
Story of Luke (feature); DOP David Klein; to September 3, Sault Ste. Marie
Total Recall (feature); DOP Paul Cameron; OP Angelo Colavecchia; to September 16, Toronto
The Transporter (series); DOP Derick Underschultz; OP Rudy Katkic; to November 21, Toronto
Wingin’ It III (series); DOP Kim Derko; OP Antony Ellis; to September 2, Toronto
Yamaska III (series); DOP Daniel Vincelette csc; to December 16, Montreal
Calendar of Events – September
1–11, Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, vlaff.org
8–18, Toronto International Film Festival, tiff.net
15–24, Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, atlanticfilm.com
17–25, Cinéfest International Film Festival, Sudbury, ON, cinefest.com
21–25, Ottawa International Animation Festival, animationfestival.ca
27 – CSC Meeting – Videoscope, 100 Howden Road, Toronto, [email protected]
23–Oct. 1, Edmonton International Film Festival, edmontonfilmfest.com
23–Oct. 2, Calgary International Film Festival, calgaryfilm.com
28–Oct. 14, Vancouver International Film Festival, viff.org
OCTOBER
12–16, Planet in Focus: International Environmental Film & Video Festival, Toronto, planetinfocus.org
12–23, Festival du nouveau cinéma, Montreal, nouveaucinema.ca
14–22, Antimatter: Underground Film Festival, Victoria, B.C., antimatter.ws
18–22, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, St. John’s, NL, womensfilmfestival.com
19-23, imagineNATIVE Film Festival, Toronto, imaginenative.org
20-27, Toronto After Dark Film Festival, torontoafterdark.com
ALREADY T HE CAMERA
OF CHOICE
ALEXA is now in use on a vast range of 3D and 2D feature films,
To name only a few...
T V shows, commercials, documentaries and music videos.
ANO NYMO US – 2D feature
All over the world, filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese
H UG O C ABRET – 3D feature
and Roland Emmerich have quickly taken advantage of the
TH E TH REE MUSKETEERS – 3D feature
camera’s exceptional image quality and streamlined workflows
D ISNEY PRO M – 2D feature
to bring their creative visions to life. With a modular design and
RED BULL AIR RAC E – 2D feature
convenient update methods, the future-proof ALEXA enables
ARMANI PERFUME – commercial
cinematic storytelling like no other camera system before.
MERC ED ES BENZ – commercial
...much more to come
www.arridigital.com
Film. No Compromise.
©Kodak. 2010. Kodak and Vision are trademarks.

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