Site Media’s newest film project about Canadian artist Wanda Koop will open the 2011 edition of Toronto’s Reel Artists Film Festival. Working to a tight schedule, the film has been has been in the capable hands of editor Jared Raab for the past eight weeks. After several stages of refinement and revision following test screenings and feedback from trusted colleagues the edit was locked on February 11. It immediately went to sound wizard Alan Geldart who added sonic texture and oversaw the 5.1 mix that was completed on February 17 at Kitchen Sync. The final colour corrected output will be completed the day before the gala premiere on February 23rd.
It used to be said of film that the print was still ‘wet’ from the processing laboratory when it arrived just in time for the premiere screening. There doesn’t seem to be an analogous description for the arrival of a digital film at the projection room straight from the post production process. There is something romantic about the notion of the film still ‘setting’ as it awaits its inaugural screening. But whatever romance may be missing from digital delivery, there is nothing lacking in the craft required to bring image and sound to full potential for the screen in this relatively new medium. And being a collaborative medium we are extremely grateful to everyone who exerted their talents to make the film as rich an experience as possible for the audience . The final stage of completing “Koop” was demanding but exhilarating. So while the digital medium may be dry, chemically the filmmakers are still ‘wet’ and looking forward to having the film ‘set’ in the minds of those first to see it.
“Kinngait: Riding Light Into The World” will screen at Montreal’s Festival International du Film sur L’Art ( http://artfifa.com ) on March 24th. Director Annette Mangaard and Producer David Craig will be present at the screening for a Q and A. This will be the 28th edition of FIFA and the festival was the first in Canada to focus on films about art and artists.
“Kinngait’ will be screened in Toronto at the Female Eye Film Festival on March 17 at 2:30 p.m. at Rainbow Cinemas Market Square, 80 Front Street East along with another Site Media production, “Pretend Not To See Me” also part of the official selection. In April, “Kinngait” will be screened at the first Docs North festival to be held in North Bay, Ontario.
Work is progressing on Site Media’s online, interactive documentary “Memory Factory: Caribou Harbour”. The project was developed at the 2009 Hot Docs Festival as part of the Documentary Organization of Canada’s DOC Agora. Work began in earnest in January with the development of the web architecture by the design firm Foxhound (who also developed Site Media’s home website). Editor, Almerinda Travassos, who has been with the project from the outset in 2007 has completed work on videos to accompany various chapters of the project. We aim to have the initial proof of concept design by April, in time for the 2011 Hot Docs Festival.
Stay tuned for more information about Site Media’s exciting new project with architect Todd Saunders ( www.saunders.no )
Written by David