Discovering the Movie Making Magic

I'm a former graduate of the Film program offered here in Thunder Bay. It was a great time in my life. It was over 20 years ago now. I didn't pursue it though as a means of employment. I think I was too young and didn't have enough 'life' experience to really do anything with it and lacked direction (see what i did there?). I've always kept a passing interest in it. Those that pursued it - I hope they still find joy in it.

It's got to be at least twenty years later now and I'm rediscovering the 'art' of it and it's something I've been trying to re-connect with through my photography and youtube channel. As it turns out I've sort of gone full circle in my technical career having now been happily employed at the local TV and Radio station where I'm exposed to a news production on a daily basis. I don't work on the sets themselves but help manage some of the systems that help put that product to air.

I also work with some pretty amazing people - one in which is still an avid film enthusiast who has written an award winning screenplay.  I've had the opportunity now to work with him for a third time being in front of the camera.  That's right!  ACTING!

This last short film had a full scene of dialogue for me.  It was a very surreal experience.  We did a few takes of this scene from a couple of different angles.  Each time "action" was called I could feel myself slip into a different existence or dimension where everything around me darkened.  I could feel my whole being focus on the lines, the actions, the deliberate pauses in dialogue.  It was transcendental - as if I was the character living in a different life.








I could almost feel as if I was watching myself.  As if I was having an out of body experience.  I'm somewhat familiar with this feeling when I play guitar in my band in front of 100's sometimes 1000's of people.   One really gets into the performance and the focus and synergy take over and it's like you're on another plane of existence.  I didn't realize this form of creative exhibitionism took other forms.

I was able to take some behind the scenes photographs of the night's film making.

Ryan and Jenny	Ryan And Jenny	Me! Acting!
Ryan framing the shot	Ryan framing the shot	Script
Jenny	Jenny	Chris, Myself, Jenny and Ryan