How to be a documentary film-maker in T.O. Part I

So I've decided to take my career into a new direction: documentary non fiction. I also hear that in this day and age having 5 careers ain't no thang. And, what better city to start this career in than Toronto? Home to not only the Toronto International Film Festival but smaller identity-based festivals, which include a plethora of non-fiction and run the gamut from Palestinian, Latin American, Jewish, Italian, and Asian to queer and feminist festivals. Of course we cannot forget the godfather of non-fiction documentary film festivities in Toronto: Hot Docs (which I attended and I have to say that you should stay tuned for Over the Hills and Far Away when it comes out on DVD). And as an FYI, if you have the time and have a love for film, you can volunteer for any of these festivals and watch the films for free and sometimes schmooze with directors!

So how does someone like myself with no prior experience in film kick-start my career?

• Pick up a camera (don't buy a second-hand video camera off of Craig's list though- big mistake), start shooting and practice editing. I did this last summer. I'm teaching myself to shoot, interview and edit with a movie about the Annex. If you're a U of T student, you can use the media labs at OISE to edit your movie with final cut pro or iMovie software for free, which is what I do...even though I'm not a student anymore (work the system!)
  
• Take affordable informal workshops! I'm kind of fond of the Hart House Film Board. For a $80 fee (for non-members of Hart House) you can take a 4 week course and learn how to be a documentary film-maker. They also have editing labs there. The workshop I'm currently attending is taught by a real film-maker, who is experienced and clued-in to the industry. He is not only teaching us about different genres of doc. films, but how to actually make and pitch documentaries to funders and broadcasters. We have also been given the low down on where to find funding for films, small and wide in scope. The ideas people have pitched are really interesting and it's fun to sit around and change them into movie ideas. The Hart House Film Board also offers follow-up courses on editing, and tons more on movie-making, including one-offs which give you waaaayyy more technical tips on movie-making in 3 hours than you paid for.
  

Key things I've learned so far:

• Good sound is key. You can have mediocre visuals but without perfect audio, your movie basically sucks. (Which sucks for me, because when shooting my Annex movie this past summer, I filmed everyone without a microphones, outdoors, in really noisy places...and the final result is that it sounds pretty bad).
  
• Documentaries have to be really well-planned and organized before you start filming.
  
• You don't need to be skilled in the art of camera and video to be a film-maker. You just have to posses knowledge of the industry, and have a well-researched and unique idea.

Stay tuned for more movie talk. I might need feedback and a team of researchers, camera-people and editors to help me carry out my next movie idea...

S.

Munch Brunch

What did you all do May 2-4 weekend? It wasn't the most amazing weather in Toronto on the Monday. It was a bit sunny, but kinda windy and chilly. Still, we wanted to spend the day at the park, so we made plans to have some brunch deliciousness and then throw a softball around.


Torontonians love brunch. It's like the city's collective Saturday afternoon hobby. We wake up late, hungover or not, stretch, throw on some comfortable clothes, and then walk/bike/TTC to our favourite spot or trek out to discover new and exciting ones. Toronto has a lot of great brunch places, from pubs and coffee shops to joints that do nothing but eggs benedict and pancakes. We planned to spend the afternoon at Trinity Bellwoods Park, so we tried to find a place within walking distance with a good reputation. We had heard of Saving Grace, and although it's located in Dundas West, we thought we'd brave the throngs of hungry hipsters and see if we could score a table.


We picked up some tastey coffee at the Linux Caffe, and then slowly strolled through the Annex into Dundas West, dressed in sweatshirts and sunglasses and carrying softball mitts and beach mats. The streets were pretty empty, but when we arrived at Saving Grace, there was a clump of scenesters standing out front in skinny jeans and plastic sunglasses, waiting for a table in the tiny restaurant. We stepped inside, where the no nonsense waitress directed us to a list near the door where you're supposed to write your name for a table. As I casually scanned the room, I locked eyes with this guy who looked up when we came in, and what do you know it was Michael Cera! I think he was there with his Scott Pilgrim film crew, and their party took up half the place. We hurried out of there so we wouldn't embarrass ourselves, and stood around outside and did not stare through the window.

We ended up waiting almost 1 1/2 hours for a table, but what with the celebrity sighting and bumping into some cool people, the time flew right by. We ran into Dundas West-ers N and K who agreed to pose for some pics with their delicious looking take out - baked banana walnut pancakes and a brie and pear sandwich, which K described as "so f-ing good!". Then, as George Michael stepped out to get something from his car (which we innocently caught on camera), K casually said "Hey, do you mind if we get a picture?", to which he replied "Oh, uh yeah, uh I'm just gonna go inside to buy a cookie first". The picture didn't happen, but too bad they ran out of cookies, though, because he could really use the extra calories. That boy was skin-ny.



So we were finally seated and scanned the menus to decide what to eat. The brunch menu was pretty small, and they had run out of many of the daily specials that were written on the chalkboard, including the broccoli scrambled eggs and the banana strawberry waffles. Two of us decided on the black bean quesadillas from the specials board, while S got the scrambled eggs with roasted potatoes and a turkey sausage. While we waited, L got some rooibos tea and I got a skim "lattino", which is their version of a mini latte. I wasn't sure what that was, but I felt weird ordering a latino and just pointed to the menu instead. When it arrived, it was not very small, but it definitely tasted kind of weak. It was ok though. Just not very strong.

The quesadilla plate was pretty big, with mixed greens and a homemade salsa of roughly chopped tomato chunks and red onions. The plate was sprinkled with chipotle seasoning and was pretty tastey, though I could have used a little more cheese. S's scrambled eggs were yummy, but she wasn't a huge fan of the turkey sausage, and there could have been way more roasted potatoes.

While definitely delicious, for almost $20 a person I would have wanted a little more...something. The food did taste really healthy, and I didn't walk away from brunch wanting a nap and a gym membership. I also didn't walk away wanting to go back there right away. Apparently, though, Canadian celebrities seem to dig it (they say Feist is also a fan), so maybe celebrity fixtures are its saving grace (oh come on, it's been begging for a pun. Just be happy I didn't use it in the title). I wouldn't mind going back to try some of their brunchier options, like waffles and eggs, but I'll maybe have to get there a little earlier in case they run out again. And keep in mind we had to wait over an hour, and The Bluth family won't be there every time to make time pass faster.

Overall, I give Saving Grace three awkward teenagers out of four.

e

(P.S. does anyone else remember the Munch Bunch? It popped into my head after typing the word brunch a hundred times, and I'm wondering if other peoples' parents tried to promote a healthy love of vegetables at an early age too)

TTC Tall Man

So there's a man that I see every morning on the bus to work (This is not the same boy who I wrote a soulful missed connection entry about which I also posted on the actual Craig's list Missed Connections - to which I never got a response...alas). And to this statement you may think "big deal, I see the same people at my bus stop, every day, on the way to work." Sure, but these are people in your neighbourhood, who live within proximity to you. I live at Bloor and Bathurst, yet I board the same bus with this man on most mornings all the way in Scarborough at Victoria Park Station! Then I have seen the same man all over downtown Toronto for over a year now. And why do I recognize him each time? The Tall Man is a really really tall man. That's all that stands out about him. Apart from his height he is quite generic looking.

He wears glasses, has blue eyes and light brown hair, borderline dirty blonde. He is usually quite neat, wearing blue or grey collared shirts to work. He often reads on the bus, wears a black coat in the winter, and leather 'office' shoes. He is stiff in demeanor and I have never seen him smile. He looks like he could be pretty boring, and I often wonder why I'm so intrigued by him. He has an amiable enough face but nothing to write home about. Maybe it's because I believe in signs and think that the universe is encouraging us to meet or even to be friends? Well, I'm just starting to feel like a stalker and want to show you a list of all the locations that I have seen Tall Man and share all that I have conjured about his life and personality:

1. The first time was on the 24 bus platform at Victoria Park station, waiting for the 24 bus North. This has been happening for about a year now, since about May 2008. I usually see him when I'm actually on time for work, or even a little bit early. Most days I'm late. Okay, no big deal; I have started to see my fair share of other Victoria Park 24 bus passengers over the year:

• The South Asian woman with thinning hair who I'm sure is Bengali.
  
• The blond woman with the her bratty blond kid in a stroller who gets off at Eglinton Square Mall just for fun because shops don't open until 10 am.
  

• The really attractive but clueless dark haired boy with a lunch box who gets off at the O'Connor Community Centre, to which I always wonder: Is he is a construction worker remodeling the centre or a youth worker at the daycare?
  

There are plenty more regulars, but the Tall Man and I have been encountering one another beyond the Victoria Park bus. Each time this happens, in and around the city of 6 million people, I just find it a little uncanny.

2. September, 2008: I'm for the first time on the South-bound Victoria Park bus going from Don Mills station to work, which is at Victoria Park and Lawrence. The bus takes a short cut through Consumer's Road. I see tall man walking way up on Consumer's Road. My sleuthing tells me that he takes the Victoria Park Avenue bus at the station and takes it all the way up North to Consumers Road and this is where the tall man works. What is on Consumer's Road? It's a little industrial area where head offices to numerous companies lie. This made me think that the tall, potentially boring man has a potentially boring job.
3. However, then I see him on October 29th at the Guvernment at a Sharon Jones concert. It's a big venue and he was only about 10 people away from me. He was wearing jeans this time, and had loosened up a bit with beer. And I mean it's Sharon Jones. I don't think you go to a Sharon Jones concert if you're boring or stiff. At this point the tall man became much less boring.

4. Tuesday, November 25th: I'm eating dinner with my cousins at the Red Tomato on King Street West before catching a showing of the Sound of Music and guess who sits down on the table right beside us? You guessed it: tall man with a date. I'll admit he and his date weren't having the wildest time. She seemed chattier than him. I remember wondering whether it was a first date or a full blown relationship. At this point I had leaned over to my table and quickly told them in double pig latin so that he wouldn't understand "Oh my god, you see this guy sitting to my left - Well I see him every morning on my way to work, and I saw him at the Guvernment and on Consumer's Road. Don't you think it's some sort of sign!? Isn't that weird?" (although in double pig-latin it sounded like this: "Ogoh mogy gogod, yogou sogee thigis goguy sigitigitiging togo mogy legeft- Wegell IgI segee hegim egevegeregy mogorniging ogon mogy wagay tego wogork, agand IgI sagaw hegim agat aga cogoncegert agat thege Govegernmegent, agand Cogonsegumeger's Rogoad! Dogo'nt yogou thegink igit's sogome sogort ogof sagign!? Igisn't thagat wegeiird?"). I had then tried that evening to smile at him. I mean come on, I was sitting diagonal from him, but he looked at me blankly so I guess he either didn't recognize me or purposefully showed a lack of enthusiasm in my direction, thereby choosing to not be friends. I then started to hold a grudge against tall man.


5. After a couple months of not taking our regular Vic Park North-bound bus together from the station, I got on the South-bound bus after work in April and he was already sitting on the bus. This was the first time we were riding the Victoria Park bus south-bound together. He definitely gave me a look of recognition. He didn't smile though. He was reading a newspaper. His shoes were kind of fancy. We got off the bus together and walked side by side to the Westbound Subway platform, to which I conclude that the Tall Man is not native to Scarborough and could even be my neighbour. He glanced over at me on the Subway platform, curious I'm sure about where I was headed.


6. What propelled me to go through with this blog entry was that last Saturday night I saw the Tall man out and about at Andy Pool hall. This time he stared at me for about 15 seconds. He still didn't even smile. I really wanted to talk to him this time. Enough was enough; we see each other everywhere. I knew so much about him at this point. So encouraged by a number of Gin & Tonics and some advice from a few strange fellows we met, I purposefully walked on to the dance floor ready to go up to him and say "Hi, my name is S. I see you EVERYWHERE!" but when I approached him he was involved in some grinding action with his girlfriend (who happened to be the same girl he was on a date with November at the Red Tomato - they are in fact a couple), and I turned right around, pretty embarrassed and thankful that I did not say anything in the end.......

All this to say: I'm not a stalker, I promise. I'm just now really intrigued. And, in a city as big as Toronto, when you start to see the same person across the breadth of the city, it's a sign that the city is becoming smaller. You consider for a minute that there is a Toronto community. When you ride the bus with the same people every day you feel akin to your fellow passengers... So, Tall Man if you're reading this (because you googled yourself...?), we're kind of like neighbours now so at least crack a smile at me next time. Or just fully shed the cold exterior and say hi. I think there's a 50% chance we might have something interesting to say to one another, even if it's just about the 24 Victoria Park bus.

S.

Quiet on Set

I was right! They totally were filming Scott Pilgrim at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor.


And I guessed it'd be the scene where Scott is in a phone booth in front of Insomnia cafe. I headed down Bathurst at about 1pm today and there were film crew trucks and gear everywhere and signs saying "SP film shoot". When I got to Pizza Pizza, the police weren't letting people cross the street until they finished filming their shot and I could hear loud shouts of "ACTION!" every so often. 

I squinted through the sun across the street and saw Michael Cera (in the title role) in a fake phone booth in front of Insomnia. I took a couple photos and contemplated what my next move should be.

I figured I'd be in the way and look like a giant loser if I tried to loiter near the set, so I decided to take a seat at Lettieri, as planned, and stare from there. Armed with a book (to make myself look like I had something better to do), camera, iPod, and Americano (which, by the way, tasted like gross freeze dried Nescafe. I need to find a new cafe), I sat at a booth and stared out the window hoping to catch a better glimpse of Michael.

So before I continue rambling, who is this Scott Pilgrim?

I was introduced to this Canadian graphic novel when I visited my friend J in Calgary in the summer of '07. J is a big comic book nerd, and even dragged us along to various comic book stores while we were on a time-limited vacation so he could find the latest issue of whatever it was he was into at the time. I'd never read a graphic novel and the only comics I read were Archie and Calvin and Hobbes. He told me I would really dig this one because it's cute and witty, and he was right! The series is about Scott Pilgrim, a 23 year old boy who lives in Toronto and plays in a band called Sex Bob-Omb, has a 17 year old Chinese girlfriend named Knives Chau, shares a bed with a cool gay roommate, and falls in love with a roller blading Amazon.com courier named Ramona Flowers, who takes a shortcut through his dreams. However, in order to get with Ramona, he must defeat her 7 evil ex-boyfriends in epic battles. How could you not love a story like that? Plus, the artist, Bryan Lee O'Malley, includes detailed sketches of lots of spots all around Toronto including Casa Loma, Sonic Boom, Lee's Palace, and the Bathurst/Bloor intersection. 

So when I first came across the character Knives Chau, I said, "That's the perfect part for me! I can do whiny high school Asian kid! I want this part when it gets made into a movie! I must have it!" I really did say that. But dammit they cast the movie without doing a proper casting call that made sure girls like me knew about it. [edit: the girl in the photo is so not Knives, this is Knives]

There are 5 books, and I think they are planning to make 6. I have only actually read 2 of them because they are not available at my usual book stores. I know they're available at Pages on Queen Street, so every time I go there I try to pick one up (I guess I've only been there twice since '07)(I just received word that they are also available at Suspect Video on Markham St., so I'm gonna check that out). The problem with graphic novels is that there is so little text, it takes about 10 minutes to finish a book. Then you can read it again to look at the images more closely, but that's pretty much it. 20 min and you have to find yourself a new book.

I didn't stay long at Lettieri before getting antsy, so I got up and walked across the street, being careful not to step in the fake snow (made of actual ice and spun cotton), and tried to go to Sonic Boom. Sonic Boom prides itself on being open 365 days a year, but it was CLOSED! A film crew guy outside said they would be closed until Wednesday, so I deduced that they must be filming the interior for the scene when Scott breaks up with Knives. I'm quite the detective.

I stared longingly across the street for a moment more before deciding that it was futile, director Edgar Wright would never notice me, so I went on my way to buy groceries to make samosas (I'll tell you about those later!). On my way back, I walked through the main set and tried to spot some of the actors, but they were all gone. Just film crew people. Bo-oring!

I guess trying to be an actor by hoping directors of already cast movies will notice me when I casually walk by isn't the best of plans.

e

Won't someone please notice me?

I think they are shooting Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World tomorrow at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. There is fake snow along the Green Beanery, Honest Ed’s, and Pizza Pizza, and there are pylons all up Bloor and Bathurst with big wires on the sidewalks. I am going to bring a book and my camera and park myself at Lettieri for a while, in hopes that someone will notice me and ask me to please take over Ellen Wong’s role and reshoot all of her scenes.

And for the record, I knew about Scott Pilgrim way before the movie started filming, and when I first saw Knives Chau I said I would be the perfect choice for the movie adaptation. (Same thing happened when I read Memoirs of a Geisha. Hollywood has no idea what they’re missing.)

I’ll update after my attempt at discovery tomorrow! Wish me luck!

e

In and around the Annex

Friday, May 1st, 10:45am, Bathurst Street

• Woke up grateful for having the unusual Friday off.
  
• Committed myself to staying within the neighbourhood today. No TTC. Was only going to do things within a walking distance of 10 minutes from my apartment.
• Decided that it would make a fun fun blog entry. Made a mental note to take camera with me everywhere I went.

11:45 Grabbed stuff for yoga.

• Grabbed camera. Realized camera has no batteries.
• Threw camera and yoga stuff in a bag.
• Grabbed bike, zoomed across the street. Debated for 30 seconds whether to patron larger, frequently patroned convenience store, Steven's, or smaller, less congested Olive's Convenience, Variety & Grocery. Decided to patron the 'underdog' today for batteries.
• Put batteries in camera, turned camera on. Camera revealed itself to have no memory card.
  
• Ran back across the street to apartment, raced up 2 flights of stairs, grabbed memory card. Cursed the fact that even on my day off I found myself rushing and running late for something.
• Shoved memory card in camera. Ran back downstairs.
• Stood across the street from Steven's and Olive's to take the first pic of the day. Felt accomplished
• Biked through pretty Annex streets to yoga class.
  

12 pm Arrived at Hot Yoga class.

• Got really really really sweaty and wet really really fast.
• Felt grateful that I had found the Kula Yoga studio (304 Brunswick Ave.) and was no longer at Octopus Garden (440 Bloor St. West), which I had previously loved but the regular occurrence of 36 students per class had increasingly been starting to piss me off. Yoga was supposed to be my sanctuary.
  
• Thought for a second that I should change my religious affiliation on my facebook to "yoga". Then thought people might think I was like one of those lulu lemon yoga heads. Decided against it.
• Listened intently as teacher plugged the 30 day transformation challenge, which was explained as a commitment to 24 yoga classes in 30 days (for a price of course), and wished that I was that disciplined, or had that much time on my hands.
  
• Decided, though, that if I ever quit my job I would volunteer at Kula to clean bathrooms and run reception in exchange for free classes all day and everyday. Felt that by thinking about doing yoga everyday, I was already on my way to being hard core yogi and sat there smugly.

1 pm Left yoga feeling amazing and in need of a shower.

• Got groceries from Bloor Superfresh (384 Bloor St. West): tomatoes, spinach and crackers.
• Remembered that I wanted to buy a copy of Shantaram, my interest re-ignited by friend from time in Bangladesh. Walked purposefully to discount bookstore BMV to find it, upon friend's suggestion. Got frustrated with the lack of staff at BMV and the fact that they couldn't locate the book or tell me if it was even in stock. Walked over to Book City (501 Bloor St. West) and begrudgingly bought it for the store price of $16.95, with two copies of Spacing magazine.
• Decided that I needed my coffee for the day and walked my bike over to Aroma Espresso bar (500 Bloor St. West) because I liked their coffee, their healthy salads and sandwiches, and generally think that they're a better alternative to chains like Starbucks. Remembered though that I hated the service at Aroma, and cringe every time they mispronounce my name over the loudspeaker when my order is ready (they do it every time).
  
• Chose to stay there because I really wanted to sit on their patio in the sun with a large Americano and start writing this blog entry.
• On the patio overheard a conversation between young girl who was on a gluten free diet and went to India to get yoga certificate. Wondered if Indian yoga certification was recognized in Canada. If so, wondered if any Indian yoga teachers came to Canada to teach yoga.
  
• Overheard that the gluten-free diet girl worked at Lulu Lemon so concluded that she must have received teacher training that was 'internationally recognized'. Decided India yoga certification was a great way to spend time traveling in India.
• Finished my coffee.
• Rode my bike back home, parked it in front of BlueBird Handmade (986 Bathurst St.), the new knitting and stitching storefront. Wanted to go in and check out class prices, and find out if their Stitch N Bitch Thursday nights would teach me how to knit. Disappointed that they were in fact closed. Wondered if I attended Stitch N Bitch who my other stitchers and bitchers would be: yuppie Annex stay-at-home moms? Or younger students? Or a mix? Only Women?
  
• Took a moment to reflect on the Sewing Club residents started in a little hood' in Scarborough (my neighbourhood of 9 to 5). Decided that it was a super cool project. Wished that there was a free, resident-led sewing club in the Annex. Wished I wasn't so busy at work so I could actually take advantage of the sewing club in Scarborough. Decided if I ever quit my job, I would start a sewing club of sorts.
  
• 
• Needed a plant for a cousin's bridal shower for Saturday evening. Debated again between Olive's or Stevens. Went with Stevens because found gorgeous Bougainvillea plant and decided it was meaningful because it was reminiscent of flaura in Pakistan. Decided cousin and fiance would be happy with this pretty plant in their new King Street West townhouse.

3pm Came home happy to still have some quiet downtime alone at home.

• Made healthy lunch with pita, veggie burgers and newly purchased spinach and tomatoes.
• Listened to CBC's The Point and cringed as they discussed 'settling' in relationships vs. waiting for romance and passion. Decided in the end that I shouldn't judge people for 'settling' because maybe marriage and children are most peoples' life goals, and therefore rightfully take priority over chemistry and romance.
• Decided that there's no way I'm going to get Swine Flu, irregardless of WHO alerts.
• Reflected on the latest butgooddifferent blog entry and decided I needed to give baking a chance even though I despise following instructions for food. Reminded myself to ask E if I could follow a recipe with her supervision so that I would not get lazy and not follow instructions. Felt lucky to have such a good baked-goods connoisseur as a roommate. Made a mental affirmation that E was a great co-blogger. Felt relieved to have this blog with someone else. Realized I was getting a little "emo".
  
• Looked up ice breakers for tomorrow's Jane's Walk that my 9 to 5 project was doing. Couldn't pick an ice breaker for 50-plus people.
• Took one more look at the Bougainvillea plant and decided that it needed a pretty pot to be a more substantial gift.
• Showered and changed. Finally.
  

5 pm met friend from Montreal for a 5 a 7 at Insomnia (563 Bloor St. West).

• Treated her to a Bailey's martini while I drank a sweet but weak Mojito.
  
• Came home, made warm vodka tonics with lime in them with E. Finally chose two ice breakers for my project's Jane's Walk, with help from E & R. Felt relieved. Thank goodness for roomies.

9pm went out for dinner with second friend from Montreal.

• Ate at New Generation Sushi (493 Bloor St. West). Had emailed friend earlier saying that they gave Sushi on Bloor a run for their money. Was disappointed with all the dishes that night apart from the Dragon Roll and apologized for my mistake. Drank a lot of Sake.

11pm Met others and walked across the street to Lee's Palace (529 Bloor St. West) to see Lady Sovereign.

• Noted and discussed with friends her young age, wasted demeanor, and sexual and lewd actions on stage. Amused that we were social work nerds. Decided that her music is still super fun and that she is talented, but perhaps sounds better recorded than live. Made a mental note to read up on her habits.

12:50 am Left Lee's Palace

• Wanted to continue partying. Decided, upon better judgment, to step into the Annex Wreckroom (794 Bathurst St.) Unimpressed with $5 cover at 1:15 am, decided against it.
• Walked home, pointed out Trane Studio to friend from Montreal.

1:30am Set alarm for 8:30 am feeling thankful that I didn't have a 9 am start the next day

• Went to bed with usual sleeping aids of ear plugs and eye mask, hoping to feel decent for the big day in Scarborough tomorrow after a day in the Annex.

S.