“I am the Layton Legacy” is a tribute showcase to Jack Layton made for the 2012 New Democrat Leadership Convention held in Toronto on March 23rd and 24th. This convention attracted record numbers of delegates, media and volunteers. What was created on the convention floor was an immersive, 3D space composed of hermetic instances personifying memories of Jack written in chalk in Nathan Phillips Square.
This piece illustrates my obsession with breathing life into individual, human moments. I got to share my perspective on Jack, in the way I remember him. An attempt was made to capture the nonverbal language articulated by his movements. I wanted to personify his smile in a conversation or a particular statement. He had a way of inviting you in with his gesture, be it a lean into a podium or a sweeping hand movement. The footage selection was based on both the dialogue itself and how Jack was active in the frame.
We applied the Ken Burns treatments to photographs; only in our case we updated the method bringing it into our century. Separating layers and using basic cinematic camera language we created subtle movements and added particle effects, lighting streaks and flares to enhance the environments of the photos in a non-invasive and organic way. We then integrated them with interviews.
I am very proud of this particular showcase and I consider myself fortunate to have collaborated with other very talented individuals. The end result is something I haven’t yet completely digested. It was extremely fulfilling to be able to communicate the respect and admiration supporters have for Layton. As Brian Mulroney articulated in his interview in the piece itself, Layton was “someone who turned out to be a great man.”

« Je suis la relève de Jack » était une présentation en hommage à Jack Layton que nous avons préparée pour le congrès à la chefferie 2012 du Nouveau Parti démocratique qui s’est tenu les 23 et 24 mars dernier à Toronto. Ce congrès a réuni un nombre record de délégués, de représentants des médias et de bénévoles. Nous avons créé un environnement dynamique, dans lequel nous avons pu vivre un moment spécial au cours duquel nous nous sommes souvenus de Jack, nous avons partagé nos souvenirs de lui et nous lui avons rendu hommage avec comme arrière-plan les dessins à la craie qui ont été faits pour lui dans le parc Nathan Phillips de Toronto. Les vidéos présentées lors de cet hommage mettaient de l’avant des moments forts de la carrière de Jack, interrompus des témoignages de Canadiens et de militants, ainsi que de leaders provinciaux, municipaux et fédéraux.

J’étais obsédé par l’idée de donner un aspect individuel à cet hommage : de montrer Jack aux gens comme je le vois lorsque je me souviens de lui. Je voulais personnifier ces moments précieux, comme son sourire lors d’une conversation, une déclaration particulière, au encore le langage qu’il utilisait, non seulement avec les mots employés lorsqu’il parlait, mais aussi sa gestuelle invitante, que ce soit lorsqu’il se penchait sur le podium, ou faisait un grand geste de la main. La sélection des clips vidéos s’est donc faite à la fois en fonction du dialogue et de la gestuelle de Jack dans ces clips.
Nous avons également appliqué le traitement bien connu de Ken Burns sur les photos, mais adapté à notre siècle. En séparant les couches et en utilisant le langage cinématique de base de la caméra, nous avons créé de subtils mouvements et ajouté des effets réalistes de particules, nous avons insisté sur les effets de lumières et les nuances pour améliorer l’environnement des photos de manière naturelle et non intrusive, puis nous les avons intégrées dans les entrevues.

Mon rôle concernait surtout la gestion postproduction et le montage.
Je suis particulièrement fier de cette présentation. J’ai eu la chance de collaborer avec des personnes de talent, et le résultat est au-dessus de mes attentes. Je suis heureux d’avoir participé à ce projet. J’ai l’impression que nous avons eu la chance de communiquer aux gens tout le respect et l’admiration que nous avions pour, comme l’a dit Brian Mulroney dans son entrevue, « quelqu’un qui s’est avéré être un grand homme. »

This particular project has two different incarnations, most of which will be posted soon. This was originally part of the NDP’s 50th Anniversary showcase during the 2011 convention. It highlights the history, achievements and leadership of New Democrat federal leaders from Tommy Douglas on through to Jack Layton. As a City Councillor in Toronto and as the Leader of the NDP and MP for Toronto Danforth, he championed issues in the LGBT community. This piece was modified for the INSPIRE awards; it highlights Jack’s activism and leadership.

I considered it an honour to have worked on the video for Jack’s state funeral. I teamed up with the very talented Aaron Floresco. We had limited time to pull this together. I consider this piece a personal triumph; it was an honour to have helped build the narrative of this historic time both within the party and country. Without Jack, I wouldn’t have known this. I am proud to have worked with him, speak with him and to be inspired by him and his party.

Jack Layton’s Letter to Canadians

I was able to work on the 2011 Provincial campaign for Ontario’s New Democrats. These ads in order…

• “Inspired Choice” Director, writer, editor, animator
• “Positive Choice” Director, writer, editor, animator
• “Choice” Director, writer, editor, animator

“For war rooms, perhaps. Voters might be less inclined to pop the champagne corks. If only they had a choice. By coincidence, on the day before the auditor-general kerfuffle, the NDP started running an ad called, “You Have A Choice.”
At two minutes long, the ad aired only at NDP rallies and in those late-night free-time ad slots nobody watches. It did not produce the shift in attitude toward the NDP. But it almost certainly can help us decode it.

The ad is all text. For the first half, the background is Tory blue or Liberal red and the music is ominous. Blocks of text spell out the message. “For too long in Ottawa, scandals and political games have gotten in the way of getting anything done,” the text said. A little later: “And now other leaders are telling you that you have no choice. That you have to vote for more of the same.” Who could this be about? The screen helpfully displays a blue door and a red door, just as Ignatieff described them in his flop-sweat scrum. “Doesn’t sound right, does it?”

The tone of the music changes—to celestial trumpets. “They’ve been telling JACK LAYTON the same thing for over EIGHT YEARS,” the text reads. “Jack Layton has proven them wrong.” The blue background switches to orange. The doom music becomes peppy acoustic guitar, Layton’s preferred instrument for serenading trapped reporters on the NDP campaign plane. “Fighting for our families. Our veterans. Our seniors.” Here the content of the pitch changes, from hope to accomplishment. “New Democrats sit first or second in 104 ridings across Canada . . . ridings where only New Democrats defeat Conservatives.”

We’ll spare you the rest, except to note that in the ad’s remaining 45 seconds, the words “You can choose” appear five times.”

- Paul Wells, Macleans (May 2011) “The untold story of the 2011 election: Chapter 3 ‘The velocity of indignation’” Page 29.

This piece started as an intro piece to the Platform launch event in Toronto and then morphed in an activist piece and our free time ad.

Every three years, Oxfam Canada members join together to meet Oxfam program partners from around the world and discuss our role in the global movement for change.

In 2010, a gathering took place in Toronto organized by Oxfam members. Attendees included volunteers, donors, academics, advocates and activists. The gathering explored themes of gender-based violence, maternal health, poverty, security, climate change, and food security. The result was a renewed vision and determination to eradicate global poverty and injustice. For more information please visit www.oxfam.ca

Oxfam Canada Gender Justice Summit 2010
Toronto, Ontario
Directed by Steve Guise & Paul Matthews
D.O.P.: Benjamin Dickerson
Additional Camera: Emmanuel Mutsune
Music by Valery Gore

Featured Music:
“Bitters End” (Roxy Music Music Cover) by Paul Kimble & Andy Mackay from “Velvet Goldmine Soundtrack”
“Song of Victory” by Tomahawk from “Anonymous”
“First, Love” by She Wants Revenge from “This is Forever”
“Fantasia, Wq. 117-12.” by J.S. Bach

Things Worth Knowing is a short and warm little film I shot with my friend and frequent collaborator Felix Chan, who wrote and directed this particular piece.