I wanted to to let  everyone know that next weekend is the start of of the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival and DB Photo and Film is one of the proud sponsors! This is the second year running and for 2011, VISAFF is collaborating with Indian Summer, a 10 day festival that will bring the best of Indian arts and culture to Vancouver. The Festival Kicks off on July 15th with the screening of West is West. For the complete film list go to the following link.

Also ~ VISAFF on Facebook

This spring I shot the feature “Barricade” starring well known Canadian actor Eric McCormack (Will and Grace)  and directed by Andrew Currie (Fido).  Glen Schaeffer from The Province wrote this following article while we were in production.

Parental fears heighten horror tension.

The news that Videomatica and Happy Bats have closed within weeks of each other is perhaps just news of the inevitable due to changes of online content accessibility  for so many of us. And while it is tough to see small business go and in particular strong supporters of the indie film industry here in Vancouver, there area also other cool things happening that I hope we get to see more of ~ film screenings of rare and\or obscure films.

“The Silent Partner” was screening at the Waldorf Hotel some weeks back. Introduced as a classic of Canadian cinema, it probably wont make my top ten list, but it was a lot of fun to see it on a bigger screen. We also got to see a few t.v. commercials (trailers) from the era to kick off the matinee. I took a few picks with my camera phone because I really had forgotten the way  dressed back then….

GENIE AWARDS WESTERN NOMINEE RECEPTION ON MARCH 22ND 2010 AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL VANCOUVER

The nominations for the 30th Annual Genie Awards were announced this month by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television at a press conference in Toronto hosted by Gordon Pinsent (three time Genie Award winner) and Tatiana Maslany (Special Jury Prize, Sundance 2010 – Grown Up Movie Star). Leading the pack with 11 nominations is Polytechnique, including nods for Best Motion Picture and Best Direction. Following closely behind are NURSE. FIGHTER. BOY (ten nominations), Before Tomorrow (nine nominations), Grand Ourse: La cle des possibles/The Master Key (eight nominations) and Fifty Dead Men Walking (seven nominations).

“This years nominations reflect a national cinema that is courageous in it s storytelling.” says Sara Morton, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. “They are films created from the wealth of cultures, communities and historical moments that make up the Canadian identity. As the Genie Awards celebrates its 30th anniversary, these nominees will remind us of why it is as important as ever to celebrate and cherish the best of Canadian film.”

Charles Officer and Sara Morton

Tantoo Cardinal, Peter Leitch, Sara Morton

Chad Willett and Sonja Bennett

Terry McKeown and Ben Mink

Gabrielle Rose and Tantoo Cardinal

Garry Chalk and Karen Robyn

Scott Weber, Stephen Adams and Lorne Wright

Stephen Hegyes

Jim Finn

Terry Mc Evoy

Sonja Bennett

Clare Contini and Sara Morton

Ben Mink

Gabrielle Rose

Mayor Gregor Robertson

Mayor Gregor Robertson

Charles Officer

Stephen Hegyes

Paul Armstrong and Ryan Catherwood

Jim Finn, Pamela Finn, paul Quinn and Clare Contini

Daniel Ingram, Stephanie Swedlove and Jeff Chiba Stearns

Leslie Wooton Tom Adair and Colleen Nystedt

Tantoo Cardinal

This is a really sweet script played by a cast with subtlety and range. A real treat to be with this crew for 2 days.  Working on green screen really doesn’t change my job during shooting but it does give me some thing to play with afterwards. And as I dont have to shoot each scene over and over again I also had a lot of time to shoot the crew. One of the most enjoyable parts of being on set. Some crazy folios of Peter New who just can not resist the camera – which I like and a good publicity spread for the Red.

Its a hard thing to keep up with all the publishing isn’t it? Back in February 2009 I presented James Longley’s “Iraq in Fragments” at our weekly Tuesday night gathering at the Vancouver Film School theatre. Created by Dave Rocnin and Kryshan Randel the “VFS Movie Night” was conceived to introduce significant cinematic works both new, old and obscure to the passionate movie making community here in Vancouver. Knowing that many of these magnificent films will almost never be seen on the big screen for years to come – if ever – this was an opportunity to make it happen and to talk afterwards about what makes these great films succeed with a passionate articulate group of artists and filmmakers.

So it was that I brought Iraq in Fragments to the attention of my colleagues, but not before I tried to contact James Longley about his film. I am not going to spoil the viewing for those of you who have not seen this work (because I recommend it highly) but I had one important question for James – how dangerous was it in Iraq? I actually did not even expect to hear from him but amazingly James emailed me from Iran where he is working on his next feature film (see the accompanying photos in this post which he sent me).

The fact is being in Iraq after the US invasion had to be dangerous but if you watch this movie you dont sense that the access James got put him in danger and this is a remarkable testament to the camera work and filmmaking. Really watch the movie.

In James’ own words:

“Of course my life was in danger while filming in Iraq — but that is not unusual given that Iraq was the most dangerous place in the world at the time of filming. Everyone’s life was in danger.

The same thing was certainly true in the Gaza Strip, where I made my film feature-length documentary; I was shot at by Israeli soldiers twice while filming there. This sort of thing just comes with the territory, as you know.”

Anyways go rent this movie! Below you you can read an intro and some trivia.

*Winner of 12 major international awards including 3 Documentary awards at Sundance (2006) which has never happened before including Best Documentary Cinematography, Best Documentary Directing, Best Documentary Editing.

*”….a one man production of startling audacity and aesthetic provocation. ….If Longley’s astonishing feat of poetic agitation has a precedent in the entire history of documentary, I am not aware of it.” Rob Nelson – The Village Voice

“An opus in three parts, Iraq in Fragments offers a series of intimate, passionately felt portraits: A fatherless 11 year-old is apprenticed to the domineering owner of a Baghdad garage; Sadr followers in two Shiite cities rally for regional elections while enforcing Islamic law at the point of a gun; a family of Kurdish farmers welcomes the US presence, which has allowed them a measure of freedom previously denied.

To Join the VFS Movie Night.

More info on Iraq In Fragments.

All images are Copyright James Longley.

“A popular part of Motion Picture Industry Week in Vancouver, Career Expo ’09 offers a rare point of access to the people, organizations and companies that make the Motion Picture and New Media Industry tick!” Yes and this early shot of the day showing all the exhibitors and the beautiful Roundhouse Community Center, a perfect location for this event. Some of the industry organizations in attendance at the Carreer Expo included: Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, MPPIA, BC Film, BC Film Commission, BCIT, Canadian Film Center, Center for Arts and Technology in Kelowna, CFTPA, Annex Pro, Amethyst Eye Creative, Capilano University Film Center, CIS Vancouver, Creative Women Workshops Association, Deluxe Vancouver, FTX Events, IATSE 669, IATSE 891, Directors Guild Vancouver, First Weekend Club, Celluloid Social Club, MPC, SHAPE, UBC Continuing Studies, UBC Department of Theatre and Film, Vancouver Film School, Whistler Film Festival, Women in Film and TV Vancouver.

all images © Dean Buscher 2009

http://www.productionheads.com/2009/11/883/#more-883

Panelists included: Casting Director Stuart Aikins, Literary Agent Anna Archer, President of Force Four Entertainment Rob Bromley, Producer/Development Executive Louise Clark, Producer/Director Gary Harvey, Manager Elizabeth Hodgson, Producer Reunion Pictures Matthew O’Connor, Producer No Equal Entertainment Larry Sugar, Producer Brightlight Pictures Shawn Williamson.

All Proceeds from this event went to the Performing Arts Lodge Vancouver.

all images © Dean Buscher 2009

This past weekend was the annual Bloodshots 48 hour filmmaking challenge. Teams of filmmakers were invited to script, shoot, score and edit a short film in a measly 48 hours. Team Baby Jaxk is comprised of Director Kryshan Randel, Writer Marilyn Thomas, Producers Trevor Carroll, Marilyn Thomas and Kryshan Randel, Associate Producer Magali Gauthier. Starring Trevor Carroll (Blade: The Series), Anita Reimer (Harvey Putter), Isabelle Landry (Canadian Zombies), Krystal Verba (Joyride 2), and introducing Sydney Stubbs as Baby Jack. Director of Photography Ian Kerr, Editor Stefan Heinke, Zach Lipovsky and Trevor Carroll, Production Designers Daren Sasges and Clayton Flagg, Sound Designer Luke Dunn, Music by Aaron Grain, Visual Effects by Zach Lipovsky, unit stills by Dean Buscher. The screening for Bloodshots will take place at the Anza Club on Wednesday October 28th at 8:00 pm doors at 7:00.

All images © Dean Buscher 2009

I have recently been on set with Director Kyle Hunter Welton and Dr. David Suzuki who are in collaboration on a new documentary. I am loosely calling this, as yet untitled work, “The Passion of David Suzuki”. The images below tell the story. Dr. Suzuki has been in my consciousness for  over 30 years first visiting me on the Nature of Things and then later when I was very active in the environmental campaigns of the late 80′s including: Carmanah, Walbran, Stein, Tatshenshini, Robson Bight, Clayoquot Sound among others. What is remarkable to me is the energy Dr.Suzuki carries without waver after all these years. Remarkable! To find out what he has to say about “Doomsday” and possible extinction twitter me and I will keep you posted…….

http://twitter.com/deanbuscher

http://www.dbphotoandfilm.com/film-stills/

All images © Dean Buscher