FILM WORK

Here's a collection of several of my films and films that I've worked in mostly reverse chronological order.  I hope you enjoy.

Music matters: For sask Music 2021

This is a video I made for Sask music in February of 2021. It was made entirely inside blender and also allowed me to really play with creating both folding and rolling paper effects.

Ugly x-mas sweater party: by Girlhouse (2020)

This music video was my first big attempt with sculpting rather instead of just modeling in blender. Since I mostly do paper modeling works best for the most part. However, for this video I wanted a more sculpted look for the face and tree, which is something that would be difficult with sculpting alone. It was also my first time using substance painter to texture things, and it definitely made me a believer in the power of that particular program.

Finally, all the animations were driven by the music instead of me animating everything by hand, which saved time on my end, and cost on for the band. This was done using an addon called animation nodes, which I recommend checking out if you’re a blender enthusiast.

‘Saskatoon: Where the Art Is’ for the city of Saskatoon (2018)

This piece was commissioned by the city of Saskatoon to help promote the city leading up to the Creative Cities Network Conference which Saskatoon will be hosting in 2019. This was my first major foray into a full 3D workflow. I had dabbled before, but this was my first completed animated project. It was working in 3D and creating a video that could also be viewed in stereoscopic 360 degree video which lead me down the path of Augmented Reality, which is where I focus most of my time, both learning and creating. Hope you enjoy the video, because it took me many hours to create.

Wild: Here We Go (2018)

This piece is one of several music videos I’ve done for the band Wild. It was my first time bringing my paper cutout style into a fully 3D workflow,

Animation Showreel (2015)

I've been working professionally in the film industry since about 2007.  I've had films tour festivals, I've had films nominated for awards, and one of the tv shows I was cinematography and editor on won some Gemini's (Canadian Emmy's for those of you not from Canada.) However, I've never taken the time to put together a show reel, which is an industry standard.  So in June of 2015 I created my first ever showreel (Yay me!).   You may have already seen it on my home page, but if you haven't it's 3 minutes and will give you an Idea as to whether you want to watch any of the other films located here.  Enjoy!

Beastly Beauty (2013)

Beastly Beauty was a film I worked on for the television series HitRECord on TV.  The Illustrations were created by the talented Soju Shots from New Zealand, the music was written and sung by Peppina from Finland, and was contributed to by members of the HitRECord Community.  On beastly beauty I built all the sets, did cinematography and animated the whole piece.

'Robin Song'  By Woodpigeon (2013)

Robin song was created over several hundred hours of work.  I started out by hand painting and scanning all the elements onto my computer.  Then cut them out and built the sets.  Once everything was made I could start animating and moving cameras around within After Effects.  On this one animating and set building took about the same time.  Each of the five sets took close to two weeks to create.  One of the reasons this took so long is I did everything by myself...although that's pretty common for me.  I am quite happy with the results.  I hope you enjoy.

'Le Ruisseau' By Alexis Normand (2013)

This one wouldn't have been possible without my mother and her dining room table.  I'm sure I could've found another dining room table, but this one was perfect and readily available, so thank you mom.  I thought a stream that formed in the opening of the table would be an interesting space to centre a music video around.  Also since the location was quite static, and I love clockwork machines, I thought clockwork men pulling the scenery into view would be interesting visually.  One technical problem I had was getting Alexis to fit on the table, so I created a rudimentary shrink ray out of sticks, rocks and 5 sugar cubes.  It seemed to do the trick.   Anyway here it is.

Iterations (2012)

Another collaboration with HitRECord.  I built the sets, animated and co-directed the film.  The illustrations and music were created by artists from around the world.  But I'll let Joe who is far more articulate than me explain all that at the beginning of the video.

'Bodies' By Slow Down Molasses (2012)

Bodies was a bit of an homage to my father, and being raised in the theatre.  I was trying to create the feel of a theatre production if budget and crew restraints were no object.  It has very few cuts, but again that was to try and mimic the feel of a theatre where the viewer has only one point of view and it's the set that moves around or shifts in order to change the sense of place.  On top of that I did a stereoscopic 3D version to enhance the feeling of being in the theatre watching a production.  It was my first time working with stereoscopic 3D so there are some technical problems, but overall I think it worked out well.  Everything but the music and acting was created by me.  It was a long but rewarding process.

Here's the 2D version, but the youtube video includes a link to the 3D one if you want to watch that one.

'Be My Juliette Gréco, Paris 1949' By Library Voices (2011)

My second music video.  This was my 1st time doing stop motion with photos of  people.  It was interesting.  Everything was put together in after effects.  Paper textures were used to create the rest of the elements used to create the back drops.  Everything but the music and acting was done by me.

'One Mushroom Too Many' By POGO (2011)

Not only my first music video, but also my first time animating on top of live action footage.  I filmed the footage on Christmas Day so that there were no people in my shots.  All animation was done in Adobe After Effects, and composted over top of the footage.  I did everything but the music on this film.

The Anglerpod (2010)

My first film animated in After Effects, the Anglerpod holds a special place in my heart. I didn’t think it was about me when I made it, but during a Q&A at the first screening I was asked ‘is this autobiographical?’ I went from, “no,” to “not really,” to “somewhat,” to “I guess it is,” in the course of a minute or 2. But don’t feel sorry for me I live a happy and fulfilled life, as I like to imagine the Anglerpod does. My style of storytelling could be categorized as “adorably tragic.” Enjoy.

PS, excuse the bad audio. I tried my best, but ultimately it’s a bad mix and I apologize for that.