Monarch Documentary: Tourism Feature

I want to thank Tourism Medicine Hat for their article on my upcoming documentary on the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta titled Your Cinema Needs You. Read here.

 

Finding An Oscar in the Monarch Theatre

You never know what you may find hidden in the basement of a century+ old movie theatre. And if you believe this ... might I suggest, for your consideration ... Your Cinema Needs You.

Ok, ok, we're getting way ahead of ourselves here.

A few interesting tidbits from the upcoming documentary though:

1) If you were standing in this portion of the Monarch Theatre back when it opened in 1911, you 'technically' wouldn't have been inside the Monarch.

2) If you were alive to witness the grand opening of this cinema, you would've had to wait another 17.5 years before anyone mentioned what an Academy Award was.

3) Even if you've never heard of the Monarch Theatre before, I have a good feeling that you're going to find it fascinating to discover how this unassuming little movie house became one of Canada's oldest surviving cinemas.

We're still on track for a spring premiere. And with any luck, I think we know the perfect spot. Want to meet at the Monarch?

 

Previews, More Edits & Fine Cut Progress

For those inquiring, the Monarch documentary entered another round of previews this week bringing the project another step closer to completion. Just over 80 minutes of runtime has now been locked as work on the fine cut continues to progress.

The final section of the documentary is now the focus (representing at least another 30 minutes in the 3rd act) - and about that ending, it does seem like the stars may be aligning for some news to break about the future of the cinema very soon. While nothing is official yet, it does seem like we're on track for a spring release.

Editing progress continues to be slow and steady, but we're getting there!

 

Where Should We Host the Movie Premiere?

Yesterday I posed a question to my audience about whether they'd show up to a premiere for my new documentary "Your Cinema Needs You" if we held it in the historic Monarch Theatre. As the theatre is at the centre of the documentary, naturally the expectation was that the responses would be favourable, but I was blown away by the support and engagement that this question elicited on Facebook and Instagram.

As we're still awaiting news on the outcome of the Monarch Theatre's purchase and reopening, further encouraged by my feature in the Calgary Herald this month, there are still quite a few details to iron out as this documentary officially wraps up and 'finds its ending'. All that said, I'm excited to finally see all the pieces coming together for the eventual release of this movie. It's been a long, drawn out process and I can't wait for everyone to finally see it.

Here we're some of the top responses on the post:

In Search Of An Ending: Monarch Documentary

A full page write-up appeared in today's Calgary Herald about the story surrounding my upcoming documentary on the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat titled "Your Cinema Needs You".

My thanks to Eric Volmers and the Calgary Herald for this generous feature, particularly as the documentary still has a few final hurdles to overcome towards completion. Everything is still pretty hush hush surrounding what might happen at the Monarch, but there's potential I may still get the ending I've been holding out for before this documentary truly wraps.

Link to the Monarch Theatre documentary story in the Calgary Herald here.

Fine Cut, Renders & A Quick Update

This month post-production has entered its final stages as we move into completing the fine cut of the documentary. This is where we trim, tighten, refine, and generally stitch together all of the final details of the finished film. It's been a process, but it's looking good.

Since the trailer for the Monarch Theatre documentary was released in late December it feels like everything has been moving non-stop. January was full of some early promo work and media interviews about "Your Cinema Needs You", as well as some newly revised schedules about what may be happening at the Monarch Theatre in the near future. I don't want to make any predictions, but this is the first time in months where I feel like I'm finally on top of things.

On the travel photography side, lots has been on hold, however there are some new shoots on the horizon this spring. In the meantime, the @editingluke Instagram has been nailing down some high-profile features in 2023 so far from Oahu, Detroit, New York, Calgary, and Banff. On the hometown front, there are also a few new prints that have already sold and are waiting to go up in a new location. A reveal should be coming very soon.

So, that's a brief overview. My apologies that social posts will continue to be limited until the documentary is completed, but there's lots on the go again. As the documentary continues to take shape and we get closer to locking down a release date, be sure to follow along at @editingluke for exclusive updates and behind the scenes content.  

 

What Difference Does A Trailer Make?

A week ago I had anticipated some public response when the preview for "Your Cinema Needs You" finally dropped. What followed ... thousands of fresh eyes on what I'd been up to this year, renewed public interest, HUNDREDS of messages, media coverage, a rally of support to see the film premiere in the Monarch, and so so so many questions. 

All amazing - but also, exactly what you'd hope a solid trailer would do.

What I wasn't prepared for was the trailer for "Your Cinema Needs You" inspiring a few tip-offs about the potential future of the Monarch Theatre, and the preview convincing the only hold out interview of the entire documentary to finally request a sit down.

Earlier this week production resumed for a single day inside the Monarch, and as a result of this final interviewee's involvement even more unreleased archival material has been secured for the documentary. On what in any other year would be the sleepy haze between Christmas and New Years, I feel like I've been racing. I've just created more work for myself, but I suppose this is the hectic reality of capturing a story that's still being written. 

This new year should be very interesting.

Monarch Documentary Trailer on Chat News

My thanks to Chat News for featuring the trailer for my new documentary "Your Cinema Needs You" on their broadcast today. See the trailer featuring the Monarch Theatre below.

Monarch Documentary: Teaser Trailer

Let's go to the movies!

Opened 111 years ago today on December 21, 1911, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta is a cinema that's been hiding an incredible story. Here's your first look at the new documentary "Your Cinema Needs You" directed by Luke Fandrich. Coming 2023.

For more updates on the release of this documentary follow @editingluke

Documentary Sneak Peek, Trailer Release Date

Thank you to the Medicine Hat News and Kendall King for this feature on my latest documentary "Your Cinema Needs You" in today's newspaper. 

Following the incredible response online last week I can finally share that a trailer for the film will be released on December 21 - marking the 111th anniversary of when the Monarch Theatre first opened her doors to the public back in 1911. More updates to come soon.

One Year Into Production on the Documentary

One year ago I announced that my new documentary about the Monarch Theatre had been greenlit - a largely unknown (outside of my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta) historic cinema with a really unique backstory.

No surprises, it's come to define a lot of my 2022.

Production updates, exploration, title reveals, behind the scenes, media releases, etc. It's been fun to share parts of this process (if for no other reason) because uncovering the history of a century old cinema, its origins and evolution, etc. lead me down a few rabbit holes that I needed help climbing out of (so to speak).

Through months of research, interviews, filming, more research, delays, and seemingly endless editing I'm able to finally share that the project is ... still not done. But, we're close-ish ... at least closer. All the puzzle pieces are built and the outside edges are done.

So while a 2023 release is imminent, I'm feeling more and more excited about what's coming up in these final months.

Which begs the question, would anyone like to see an actual sneak peek of the documentary if I decided to release a preview early? Because the trailer is ready and I'm hyped lol.

*REPOSTED: From the Editing Luke facebook page.

Post-Production Extended on Monarch Documentary

In an alternate timeline I'd be celebrating the completion of "Your Cinema Needs You", my latest feature length documentary, this one about the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. In production since the beginning of 2022, the project entered post-production this summer and had originally been scheduled for completion by the end of August. Well, that didn't happen.

Overall, early reception to teasers, previews, and behind the scenes images from the documentary have all been well received throughout production and there's no question that a lot of progress on this story has been made over the last few months. While nothing has gone wrong per se, it just became clear in early assembly that there was a lot more material to go through and distill than was feasible within the existing timeline - particularly because as it turned out I'd amassed enough material from this 110+ year history to make a mini-series.

The newly revised timeline will still see the documentary completed this year, but there's still a lot to do and a lot of uncertainty about what may actually happen to the Monarch Theatre in this time. Everyone is still being pretty hush-hush about what may "officially" happen to this old cinema. That said, as things continue to be refined and take shape I'm only getting more excited to reveal the incredible amount of effort that's gone into producing this story. 

"Your Cinema Needs You" is going to be amazing! With any luck we'll be able to debut it at the Monarch Theatre upon its completion. Please stay tuned for further updates.

 

Cinema Illustrations: Monarch Documentary

Early into production of "Your Cinema Needs You" it was clear that existing archival material was going to be an issue, and so I went in search of an artist to commission original drawings exclusively for the documentary.

Cue, Leanne Stock. I don't want to give too much away yet, but here are some of the original drawings (of just the Monarch) that she completed for the production. What makes a lot of the shots additionally impressive is that I asked that they all be drawn from the same perspective even though a lot of the archival images were not from that angle. She nailed it!

Just one of numerous details that has made this project such a collaborative undertaking. Thanks again, Leanne, for the incredible illustrations!

Title Reveal: Your Cinema Needs You

Title reveal / teaser poster: I'm happy to finally share that my upcoming feature length documentary on the Monarch Theatre is called Your Cinema Needs You.

Spanning the 110+ year history of a single screen cinema, Your Cinema Needs You is an exploration of "what might just be" the oldest surviving movie theatre in all of Canada.

From its origins to its reinventions to the numerous other cinemas it outlasted along the way, Your Cinema Needs You takes place against the backdrop of the Monarch's uncertain future and looks at why the cinema experience, in general, is still worth saving. 

Release date TBD. Late 2022.

Interview Edits: Monarch Documentary

Working on long form documentaries requires being a bit ruthless with how much you have to cut. After 3 weeks of review about 90% of the raw interview footage has hit the cutting room floor and it's still too much to fit into a feature length edit. It's a process.

That said, I'd like to think it's an indication of how much fun filming was that I have so much material to comb through. More quick updates to come as assembly of the Monarch documentary kicks into high gear through July. 

Monarch Documentary Enters Post-Production

That's a wrap! After months of filming this is where it all comes together now. The Monarch documentary is officially in post-production with the release planned for late 2022. 

Production Winding Down & New Edit Suite

Since getting back from travel shoots earlier this month it's been an exhausting blur. 

Production on the Monarch documentary is finally winding down as post-production ramps up for June. There are still a lot of moving pieces behind the scenes, a bit more b-roll scheduled, but it's exciting to finally have a grasp on just how much has been uncovered for this movie. 

The final interview of the doc was filmed today and just last week I finished building the new edit suite .... although full disclosure, I immediately changed the desktop backdrops to a neutral image after snapping the picture of the build. I'm just a few steps away from the full on Minority Report screens lol - but it's cool to have so much versatility between layouts / displays.

Mostly, I just wanted to share how excited I am to see this all coming together after the months so many people have invested into making this possible. We're just a few more months away from having a finished movie. Stay tuned as these last few chapters unfold.

Documentary Production Continues

Production on the Monarch documentary has been ongoing this month. 

This week I've been following up on rumors about several artifacts / stories surrounding the Monarch Theatre. I literally examined screw placements on vintage chairs over the weekend lol. I crawled on my hands and knees through a century of basement cobwebs in search of another secret hatch. And, perhaps best of all, yesterday I successfully acquired an untapped collection of images featuring the former neon marquees lit up two decades ago.

Piece by piece we're pulling this thing together. Post-production is on the horizon. Now, how cool would it be if we could invite everyone back and premiere this in the old Monarch?

Talk of the Towne: Theatre Memories

This weekend I posed a question on my socials targeted at Medicine Hat, Alberta locals to share their movie memories from the former Towne Theatre. Closed in 2007, this was once the spot to see all of the biggest flicks when they came to the Hat. The responses were excellent.

Production on the documentary briefly moved into the Towne last month to capture some new footage of the abandoned movie theatre. You can expect new interviews, images, and the history of this former landmark theatre to appear in the finished film. 

Pieces of the Monarch: Collector's Prints

These framed prints are from a BRAND NEW collection titled "Pieces of the Monarch" photographed during the production of the new Monarch Theatre documentary being shot in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Composed entirely of artifacts found throughout the Monarch Theatre, these flat lays showcase over a century of theatre mementos in a series of (4) original prints photographed in the basement of one of Canada's oldest surviving cinemas.

Each print is 8x10" and comes in your choice of a black or white frame (with included white matte) and measures 13x17". Each print is also hand-signed and stamped on the reverse by photographer and documentary director Luke Fandrich, and includes a collector's note from the "Pieces of the Monarch" series.

Regular $125 - each print is on special for $80 as part of this limited release flash sale.

Shipping: Local delivery in Medicine Hat is FREE. Worldwide shipping is available for a flat fee of $30 (for up to 4 framed prints per order).

💥 Please message to purchase.

Framed prints available for selection:

A - Vintage boxes, tubes, capacitors, sprockets, and projector parts.

B - Carbon rods, the lamp house fuel of a 1940s projector.

C - 35mm film rolls, platter control plate, and leftover springs.

D - Fuses, circuits, shipping tags, and Simplex projector parts.

Thank you for the incredible support shown on this latest project!

Proceeds from the sale of these framed prints will directly fund the continued production of this documentary due to be released in the fall of 2022.