Apr 26, 2010

In the Yobi Film Top 5! Please Vote

To skip ahead and vote click here.

Things are really coming down to the wire now. When I first started campaigning for votes over a month ago, there were 40 filmmakers in the running for Yobi Film's 'filmmaker of the year' and now there's 5 - and I'm one of them! This is a huge honour, and just to have made it this far feels like a huge achievement.

Please help me continue my run for the win by using your email address to cast a vote for me here. It's quick and easy and could make a huge impact in attracting a lot of attention for my video work.

Also, the winner receives a trip for 2 to see the Toronto International Film Fest, which would just be another dream realized.

Thank you guys for all your help in getting me this far. In a tight competition like this your individual votes can really be the deciding factor. I really appreciate all your efforts! Use your email addresses to vote, spread the word, send an email, forward my promo video, tweet me - anything you can do to help is very much appreciated. Thanks again!


Apr 25, 2010

Singapore River Experience

Sailing around Marina Bay and up the Singapore River was one of the many highlights on this amazing trip. The boat ride takes you all around the financial district of Singapore, so in addition to all the colourful restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, you're also surrounded by towering skyscrapers, large museums, the famous Merlion statue, and even the parliament building.

It was on the river cruise that I really had to pinch myself about where I actually was. The red lanterns, Asian signs, and impressive structures all emphasized the vibrant and modern culture of Singapore. The small country proved to be a mash-up of numerous Asian and western influences, and the wealth of the country was unmistakable in all the scenes we were witness to.  While there was a lot to love Singapore for, it was cruising down the river that actually gave us a moment to let it all sink in.



Apr 24, 2010

Singapore: A Bit of Everything Edit

While it seems like there's so much to reflect on I think I'll save most of it for my complete Singapore project post. In the meantime, I wanted to put something together relatively quickly to show everyone just what my Singapore experience was like - the video only making it more difficult to believe this was actually a business trip.

A co-worker and I flew to Singapore via Calgary, Vancouver, and Hong Kong - finally arriving at Changi International after an exhausting 27 traveling hours (including the transfer time in airports). The time difference was 14 hours ahead so it was interesting after finishing my work on the Monday in Singapore to realize that everyone back home hadn't even started their Monday yet.

We were out there because our company is buying a brand new custom laser machine to cut designs for a range of new stationary products for our site, and as the guy responsible for the in-house web media, I was sent to document just how the machine works and what it's going to look like. As far as I'm concerned this was one of the most awesome reasons to ever get into video - paid to travel to the other end of the world, yes please!

We clearly made the most of our down time enjoying (among a few of the highlights I recorded) a trip to Merlion park with the half lion half fish statue (the symbol of Singapore), exploring downtown, taking a river boat cruise around Marina Bay, riding the Singapore Flyer (the largest observation Ferris Wheel in the world), checking out an impressive Hindu temple while walking side streets, eating in Clarke Quay, and traveling out to Sentosa Island and visiting the brand new Universal Studios Singapore. It was the perfect blend of tourist spots and local exploration.

Specific edits of some of these places are still to come, but for now enjoy this snappy highlight reel of one of the most unforgettable, and certainly most foreign trips I've taken to date.