On Location: Siblings

Project: Siblings
Shot: July 2008
Location: Ross Glen Green Strip - Medicine Hat, AB
Revisited: April 2009

Funny, the transformation from the summer to the spring. The park currently in shades of yellow and brown is slowly coming back to life now. Siblings was all about an excuse to enjoy the weather, get outside, and have fun, so it's interesting being in the same spot and feeling like everything's so quiet and lifeless. Things change quickly though, and I know we're on the verge of warm weather and a new season of swinging. Not like I need much of an excuse to make another short though.

My Video Cameras: Part 2

Camera #3: Samsung SC-D453 (2005-present)
MiniDV Camcorder

It was just after Christmas in 2005 that I decided to spring for a MiniDV camera. I'd been shooting several projects in film school on MiniDV and after collecting a small collection of tapes I thought I would benefit from having a DVcam of my own.

There was nothing complicated about my choice. I picked this little Samsung because it was compact, no bigger than my hand, and it seemed ideal for traveling with. Truthfully, I didn't feel I needed a major quality upgrade so much as I needed a format upgrade to output my video to the new MiniDV standard. Plus, for homevideo sake and after carrying around my Sony in LA and Vegas, it was nice to have something a lot lighter.

The first thing I did with this camera was a project titled, A Chill in the Air in January 2006. It opened a lot of doors for me, and was directly involved in my next camera upgrade that spring. To this day I still use this camera for casual shooting and experiments. I took with me to Vegas again, and use it mainly to capture homevideos. It's still a sleek and easy to use little piece of equipment.


Camera #4: Sony HDR-FX1 (2006-present)
High Definition Video (HDV) Camera

When I was on the verge of nearly winning the National Film Board Citizenshift contest with A Chill in the Air, I got into a conversation with my parents about my camera. I had sent them an email about how I dropped and broke my picture camera, which they read as me breaking my video camera.
When I discovered I'd lost the NFB contest in the final round, my parents surprised me by saying they'd been looking at cameras for me - as an early university graduation/consolation present. After several weeks of back and forth they ordered me my new camera.

When I got home from university that spring it came in the mail - and I can't explain how awesome it was. It felt like a real step up, that all my early experience compounded to say 'you've finally earned this' - that staying determined really does payoff. It was a huge show of support from my folks, who seemed just as proud and confident that not only did I know what I wanted to do, but that I had the chops to succeed.

This camera has really marked my transition from student to independent filmmaker. From Educated Detours to my Rushmore travelog to Elliot, the Buick Series, Give it Time, Gizmo Tree and beyond, this camera has allowed me the means to truly play - and get paid.

I think it feels twice as good to have this camera after all these years because it feels like I've really worked my way up to it. Receiving it as a gift from my folks felt like I'd proved something to them and to myself - that my approach was more than just a part-time hobby, that this was the start of a career.

It's still an amazing and very flexible piece of equipment. I've used it when hired as an independent videographer, for festival submissions, for personal experiments, and most anything else I possibly can.

Equipment is all about options, and at this point I feel able to achieve the majority of what I want to do within my own personal studio. It's been a long road to feel this sufficient regarding my productions, but a step at a time has turned into quite a journey. I can't wait to see what comes next.

My Video Cameras: Part 1

Since the ripe old age of 12 I've owned my own video camera and have been shooting under the banner of my personal studio, Fandrix Productions. Now 25, I can easily say that it's been one long and exciting learning experience using a series of cameras that have each marked a new level and challenge in the development of my video work.


I've always championed that it's not solely the equipment one uses, but the drive and conviction that an artist approaches an idea with that determines how successful they'll be. A filmmaker without resourcefulness is just a dreamer. Comparatively speaking, I've never had the best or most expensive stuff, but it hasn't stopped me from producing quality work or being recognized by my peers, strangers or film festivals.

Excluding the number of film and digital cameras that I experimented with in film school, I've personally owned 4 cameras in my now 13 years of producing independent video. While they vary in price and quality, they've all served me well and have each been used for projects that I consider personally significant. Here are the first 2:


Camera #1: Sony CCD-F46 (1997-2000)
8mm (Video 8) Handycam

My first ever camera was purchased with the help of my folks, who matched the money I had saved so I could get this camera used. Like I previously mentioned, I was 12 so aside from an allowance and birthday money I didn't exactly have a lot of options.

At this point it was really about starting out in any way possible.

I felt pretty sure that I wanted to make movies, but I can't say I blame my parents for being cautious. It took over a year before I had $125 saved and when I saw an ad in the newspaper for a used camcorder in early 1997 I pounced.

Having that camera was amazing. I remember making shorts just for the sake of seeing myself on camera, finding any excuse to use it for a school assignment, capturing my first homevideos, and teaching myself the basics (along with editing on the VCR). While there wasn't much produced during this time that was meant for critical review, the one thing that I have shared on this blog from this camera was the Alaska Edits that I shot in 1998.

In 2000, having pushed myself as far as I felt I could and nearly breaking this camera several times, I decided to sell it when I finally had the money to purchase my first brand new piece of video equipment (which incidentally could still play all of the 8mm tapes I had shot).


Camera #2: Sony DCR-TRV110 (2000-present)
Digital 8 (D8) Handycam

When I turned 16 I had been working for a little less than a year, but had managed to save enough money to purchase a new camera. I suppose most kids my age were saving for a car, but my priorities were clear.

I was hired to shoot a seminar in the summer of 2000 and was asked to help select a camera to buy for the shoot. After it was complete, I was asked if I wanted to purchase the camera and I agreed - shelling out around $1200 for it (a slight discount).

What made the camera worth emptying my bank account for, was that it was digital. This was the beginning of editing on the computer, higher resolution and most importantly, more options. Having a digital camera and a decent family computer meant that for the first time I could add music, titles, and transitions to my work. I could actually edit with some accuracy! It's something that now seems so easy, but at the time it was a rush - and truthfully, my evolution in using the computer was slow going.

Through most of high school and into my first few years of university this was my camera of choice. I opted to use it on my productions in early film school courses because it seemed just as good as what they'd let us use. The quality still seems good to me, and the list of projects that I've made with this little camera is long - including Keys to Existence which has screened at several international festivals and venues. For more just check My Selected Videography in the sidebar between 2000-2005.

In late 2005 I decided it was time for an upgrade mainly because of how much I was using MiniDV in my production classes. Without a doubt, I got my money's worth from this camera though. These days, my D8 is used mainly to access my old footage, but on occasion I've still used it for homevideo shooting. This is one camera I'll never sell.