creative thought

Change of Scenery

Michael — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:03:37 +0000

My family and I just got back from Alberta on Tuesday. Although we didn’t end up with as much time as maybe we would have liked to travel we were able to get to Waterton Lakes National Park. We had visited the park a year ago. At that time the sun was shining, the snow was almost melted and it was very bright and warm. This year, the road heading up the mountains was closed, the air was cool and there was a haze of clouds and blowing snow over the mountain peaks. I was able to grab just a a few photos from down below.

The post Change of Scenery first appeared on Horizon Line Films.

A Good Word For Great Work

Michael — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 01:28:04 +0000

I like to make sure if someone has done great work for me, that I let them know. So today I spent some time setting up a testimonial for the crew at Lotta Digital. That’s the team that put this website together. True professionals in every sense of the word. Generous with their time and knowledge, detail oriented and quick to respond whenever I had a question. The whole HLF team couldn’t be any happier.

Testimonials are a great add on to any company website. Video testimonials are even better. Seeing someone who is completely satisfied talking about their experience working with a fantastic company speaks to your audience. It reassures them you’re the right choice. If you’ve done great work and clients would like to recognize you for that, give us a call. We’ll bring the lights, camera, microphones and even a teleprompter if needed.

The post A Good Word For Great Work first appeared on Horizon Line Films.

Opening the Vault

Michael — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:39:13 +0000

We just wrapped up the Advanced TV Doc workshop at King’s College on Friday. The class had a packed screening along with an in depth Q&A about process, the do’s and don’ts and advice for the next group of hopeful documentarians to pass through the university doors. I am extremely proud of all of them for what they accomplished. I am also sad to see them go.

With a little time off over the weekend I went back to revisit my final documentary project at Vancouver Film School from 2005. It’s a short doc called “Bleeding Blue Walls” that I co-created with Rosan Sashida Duffour. It’s a historical piece about the history of Canada’s oldest blues bar The Yale. My favourite part is still the narration by the late, great Jack Velker. Enjoy the watch!

The post Opening the Vault first appeared on Horizon Line Films.

The Students and Their Stories Part 2

Michael — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 14:21:42 +0000

The Documentary: East Side Till the Grave

Introspective yet vibrant and provocative, East Side Till The Grave offers a glimpse into the world of 25-year-old African-Nova Scotian rapper MAJE (mah-jay). Through MAJE’s story, the film touches on obstacles within the hip-hop and rap community in Halifax, and the genre’s influence on the city’s culture.

The Team: Bronwen McKie & Victoria Walton

Bronwen McKie is a fourth year Journalism and International Development honours student at the University of King’s College. She’s keen about science and nature writing, yoga, hiking and being in the ocean. This is her first documentary and she hopes to explore filmmaking and storytelling into the future.

Victoria Walton is a fourth year Journalism student at the University of King’s College, with combined honours in International Development studies through Dalhousie. She’s interested in social issues and international reporting, and enjoys exploring new cities. Victoria will graduate this spring and hopes to gain experience in video production. This is her first film.

The Documentary: Whisper of Freedom

Love, food and shelter are only a few things that Angela Welburn provides to the sick and senior animals at her rescue centre. She gives them a home and the opportunity to live their last days with dignity.

The Team: Sofia Ortega & Kieran Leavitt

Sofia Ortega is a journalism student from Guadalajara Mexico. She has a degree in marketing and most of her work experience is focused on that field and communications. Her main passion is the visual story telling and meeting people from all over the world.

Kieran Leavitt is a student in the one-year baccalaureate of journalism program at the University of King’s College. Even though he has focused heavily on video and documentary film making in school, he will be doing his internship at the Canadian Press in Halifax, N.S. Kieran hopes to one-day work on feature length documentary films.

The post The Students and Their Stories Part 2 first appeared on Horizon Line Films.

Weekend Watch

Michael — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 17:24:12 +0000

https://vimeo.com/blog/post/staff-pick-premiere-skateboarding-on-frozen-sand

I was looking for some creative inspiration on Vimeo yesterday when I came across “Northbound”. Jørn Nyseth Ranem’s short film about skateboarding the frozen sands of Norway’s Lofoten Islands is beautiful and authentic both in subject matter and execution. The article attached to the short film is a great read about his process. Enjoy something a little different and have a great weekend.

The post Weekend Watch first appeared on Horizon Line Films.