toronto foundation

Our crew is stuffed into a backroom in the CRC building in Regent Park. Out in the dining hall, the tension mounts as more and more hungry mouths wait for food to be served after a breakdown in the kitchen. We’re waiting to film Frances Deacon, a vibrant 92 year old woman who comes here to help serve food to people in need. Full stomachs make happier people, says the kitchen manager as he signals for us to continue waiting. Slowly the meals start landing on tables and we are let loose to begin filming Fran as she floats around the room welcoming everyone who’s come for a much needed meal.

This is just one small part of Fran’s story – a story that has led to her being honoured with the Spirit of Philanthropy award from the Toronto Foundation.

In partnership with writer and creative director Inna Gertsberg, I had the pleasure of directing, editing, and shooting the stills for this piece for the Toronto Foundation. Thanks to DP Dwain Barrick, producer Justin MacRae, and our entire cast and crew for all their hard work putting this together. 

Also checkout this alternate version we produced, edited by Sean Danby. Special thanks to Andy Mcleod. 

Graphite Stallions

Hold onto your seats ladies, and a few of you gents, the Graphite Stallions have arrived. I recently had the chance to shoot this campaign for the sassy start-up that hosts naughty art parties for bachelorettes and other functions. Thanks to Dan Cantelon, Marc Levesque and the folks over at TAXI 2 for the fun concept!

Raphael Cruz

A talented acrobat, musician, and circus performer, Raphael Cruz never ceases to to put on a show. We caught up with him in Ottawa while he was in town performing with Les 7 Doigts de la Main, a circus troupe out of Montréal. Before that, Raph was in Los Angeles performing the lead roll in Cirque du Soleil's production Iris. It was there where he worked closely with Danny Elfman on developing the score for the show – one that he played on the piano while simultaneously flipping and twisting to the choreography of the show. Raph’s next stop is in Sochi, where he’s been for the past two months, assistant directing a large component of tomorrow’s opening ceremonies for the 2014 Olympic Games. Clearly Raph keeps in good company, and it’s not hard to see why when you have a chance to collaborate with him. He’s a true talent.

Here’s a look at some of the shots we got.

Dave Arnold

Olympic gymnastics coach, gifted poet, and self proclaimed luckiest guy around. Enter the world of Dave Arnold. I had the chance to connect with Dave as part of an ongoing project with writer Inna Gertsberg. We spent the day exploring country roads, reading poetry, shooting guns, talking about religion, and eating fish and chips. Our own little Jack Kerouac novel. Dave provided no shortage of amazing shots. Here’s a peak at some of what we got.

On Location: 19 Crimes Wine

The opera music echoes around the wood paneled walls of the billiard room. Over by the fireplace someone is tweaking the position of a century old rolling ashtray. I regain focus and return to our current task of lighting the suit of armour in the corner. Minutes away from our first shot, I leave the set and stroll past the bowling alley and down the hall of the largest mansion I’ve ever set foot in. I find our hero talent in the servant’s kitchen –er… holding area. We’re ready to shoot.

“What started out as a three shot campaign has somehow ballooned into seven shots and seven different setups.”

We scream through our shots in the billiard room, and move on to the dining room. Followed by the grand stairway. Then the sun room. And on, and on. What started out as a three shot campaign has somehow ballooned into seven shots and seven different setups. To top it all off, we have to delicately dance around all the priceless artifacts and décor in the hundred year old mansion that is our location.

15 long hours later, the last of our gear is packed into the truck. A minor emergency ensues when we realize the wheel of cheese prop has been locked inside the mansion. I am not leaving without the cheese. The crew surrounds the house, tracks down the security guard, and the cheese is recovered. Crisis averted.

Projects this good don’t come along very often: a shoot day in a fantastic location, a great concept, a crew and creative team that push the limit to make every shot the best it can be, and above all a client that is open to such a unique campaign. My only regret is not banging out a tune on the built-in pipe organ.

Thanks to Dan Bache, Geoff Morgan and the crew at Giants & Gentlemen for such a great project. A huge thanks to our crew for making this happen: Stephen Connor at Pinpoint Locations for finding the perfect location, Anita Cane and Kirsten Reader for making the guys look their best, and to the tireless assistants Abe Roberto, Ian Patterson, Mike MacMurchy, and Spencer Robertson for all their hard work.

Oh, and I highly recommend getting your hands on a bottle of the fine wine that is 19 Crimes.