So, What's Your Documentary About?

Every project comes with its own unique challenges, but to produce a feature length documentary in just a few months has been a wild adventure in filmmaking. From initial concept to research to production to editing, the last four months have been unlike any I've ever experienced in my career simply because of how much had to get done in such a brief time frame.

On Friday the fine cut of my documentary was completed for a first preview - which means the project is now in the final stages of post-production. It will all be wrapped up by the end of August. I've left a few breadcrumbs online while production was ongoing, but otherwise I've been pretty secretive about what my new documentary is actually about ... until now! 



My documentary is titled Clay, Creativity & the Comeback. 

It's a story about abandoned industry, creative ingenuity, and the preservation of a community's heritage. Specifically, it's the story of how the industrial ruins and abandoned factories of Medicine Hat, Alberta's once booming clay industry were saved from demolition (beginning in the 1970's) to eventually become part of a vast, vibrant, and emerging cultural district that is now recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada. 


The clay district in my hometown of Medicine Hat has captured my attention for years. I've shot thousands of images here, filmed various projects here, I've even had one of my designs showcased on vintage Hycroft China here. But mainly, I wanted to tell this story because I knew it hadn't really been documented in a significant way before - and frankly, the time to capture some of these oral histories was running out. How were these old factories saved, who was involved, why did they do it, why did it take decades to achieve? 

The story was way bigger than I initially realized.

Featuring newly uncovered archival materials and exclusive interviews from many of the key people who were involved over the decades, Clay, Creativity & the Comeback is a fascinating look at reinvention, artistic passion, and the drive to make things happen when the odds are stacked against you.

Stay tuned to Editing Luke for more details and where you can watch the finished project when it's released in the very near future. This original Editing Luke documentary was made possible by outside funding in Vancouver - more on that to be revealed soon too. 

I can't wait to share this new project with you!  

Union Station in Los Angeles, California

Opened in 1939, Union Station in Los Angeles, California is said to be the last of the great railway stations built in the United States. The station combines elements of Art Deco, Spanish / Mission Revival and Moderne to create a structure that echoes the charms of Southern California and the grandeur of rail travel in its heyday.

Union Station is still a major transportation hub, serving over 100,000 passengers a day. Commuters can access Amtrak, subway, commuter trains, and bus lines here. I stopped in to explore Union Station after touring downtown Los Angeles, and despite a few exhausted travelers playing on their phones, I immediately felt transported back in time as soon as I walked through the front doors. Union Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Portland Aerial Tram in Portland, Oregon

A few visual highlights from a ride on the Portland Aerial Tram in Portland, Oregon.