Medalta Potteries: "If These Walls Could Talk"

Taking a fresh look at Medalta Potteries is something easier said than done. At least that was my experience in the production of this latest video. Often Medalta is described simply as a pottery museum, rooted in its early 20th century history, however with the market, gallery space, live music, and a host of other cultural events taking place here it's now so much more than that. 

The basic idea behind the video was to capture a few impressions of Medalta's history and combine that with stories about how the location has evolved and grown. I was tasked with showing off what makes Medalta unique and original, but to also make it current. The history surrounding this structure is fascinating, but it's the other side of what happens here that is sometimes glossed over. I knew this is where we'd find our story.

Video debut during Pecha Kucha night at Medalta Potteries.

To say that this project was a long time coming would be an understatement. We began discussing the idea for this video back in December. It wasn't completed until mid-August, and then it didn't debut until this last weekend during Pecha Kucha Night at Medalta during Culture Days. Sometimes good work takes time - that, and when you're working on something you want to make standout you tend to become your own worst critic.

"If These Walls Could Talk" underwent a slew of personal revisions before I ever shared it with Medalta. I went through several re-writes of the script and 3 different voice actors. As a result the tone of the entire project changed each time. It's not that the video was so massive or complicated, it's that I became hung up on creating something that felt honest, genuine, and relevant. You know when it's not quite right - and then one day it just clicks.    

"If These Walls Could Talk"
How much do you know about Medalta or The Market at Medalta or Medalta International Artists in Residence? Earlier this year I had the opportunity to explore this historic site in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada with the goal of creating a video to showcase what makes this place tick. I can tell you one thing for sure - as cool as the history is, it's a lot more than just a museum today.
Posted by Editing Luke on Thursday, October 15, 2015

When I finally shared the video with Medalta the feedback could not have been more overwhelming positive. As you can imagine, I was relieved and so glad they saw it the same way as I did (always a very real fear). The wait had (thankfully) been worth it.

With Alberta Culture Days approaching it was decided that the video would debut during a live screening at Medalta during Pecha Kucha. I'm so proud of what we all accomplished while making this video together. It was another amazing project, especially with a client and group of friends that I've come to do some of my best work with.