Documentary Production at the Towne Theatre

Documentary production briefly moved centre stage this week with some exploration of the abandoned spaces within the former Towne Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Those who remember seeing movies here would now be hard pressed to recognize this interior as the cinema it once was, but there are still a few clues hiding within these walls.

It's a strange feeling to return to a place you so actively remember from your own childhood, not least of which because you find yourself tapping into memories you didn't know you still had. Each step just gets me a little more excited about how this documentary is coming together.

This stage of production has become about rounding out a lot of the specific visuals inspired by the stories collected during numerous interviews at the nearby Monarch Theatre. Creating a record of a lot of these forgotten spaces has been a real bonus.

Searching For Monarch Theatre Artifacts

I need your help Medicine Hat, Alberta.

With production of the Monarch Theatre documentary well underway, it's become increasingly clear that there is an extreme lack of artifacts surrounding any of the movie theatres in this area. Having exhausted numerous archives, online resources, and the locations themselves - I wanted to ask the public if you have anything in your personal albums or collections?

Some of what I'm looking for:

1. Any photographs or souvenirs from movies theatres in the Medicine Hat area. This includes the Towne, Monarch, Drive-Ins, Empress, etc. One place to look is if you took pictures during a Stampede parade there's a chance you may have captured the theatre in the background. Really anything could be an asset as there are so few pictures from over the years.

2. Were you a former employee of a Medicine Hat movie theatre? Did you keep anything? Name tag, uniform, pictures, tickets, free movie swag, etc. Please reach out as you may have some of the only leftovers from these theatres.

3. In 1999 the Monarch Theatre gave away its old cinema seats to anyone who wanted to come and take them. Did you get one? Do you know someone who kept one? I would love to see an image or connect with anyone who may have done this.

4. This is a shot in the dark, but I'd love to know if anyone knows what happened to the old neon Monarch marquee when it was taken down? The assumption is that it just went to the dump because it wasn't working anymore, but if anyone knows anything I would love an update.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered information and resources to help further the production of this documentary this year. With so little written or formally documented a lot of this project has been made possible through word of mouth.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have anything to share regarding the Monarch or any of the former Medicine Hat movie theatres. Thank you!

Contact here.

Monarch Theatre Documentary in Production

Currently in its second month of principal photography, my latest documentary featuring the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta has provided some really memorable experiences so far. With hours of interviews shot and a deep dive into every space, cubby, and rafter of this old theatre, I'm already certain that I've uncovered a few untold gems in the story of this cinema that have never been formally documented or contextualized before.

In addition to this being a story about one of the oldest surviving cinemas in all of Canada, what's been particularly interesting about the Monarch is how little material actually exists about it. Photographs, artifacts, records, etc. are few and far between so connecting the dots to go beyond the obvious has been a really involved, but fascinating undertaking.

While I'm saving a lot of the surprises for the finished documentary, I wanted to share a few of the production highlights up to this point:

• Interviews are still ongoing, but a few early highlights have come from acquiring stories from both a 101 year old with a unique connection to the theatre and a 94 year old who used to work at the Monarch as a teenager.
• In addition to the obvious task of documenting the Monarch, the cinematic side of the production has involved playing with various lighting rigs, gimbals, cameras, props, and even painting with projections throughout the cinema. 
• As a result I'm certain I've now filmed and photographed more details inside the Monarch Theatre than anyone else in its 110+ year history.
• I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge how helpful the social media response has been, in addition to features in the local news, Toronto Star, etc. in helping to connect me with a wide array of people with memories about cinemas in this area.
• Numerous highlights have also come from uncovering clues through old paperwork, basement finds, and mapping out the history of the theatre. What's been so thrilling about this is that I know just the exploratory aspect of this documentary will be compelling to a lot of people who have likely never even heard of this place.
• Speaking to former employees has made me wish I'd have worked at a movie theatre as a teenager too lol.
• And finally, one of the absolute coolest things about shooting this documentary has been the unfettered access I've been given to the Monarch. While it was always going to feature this space, the ability to arrange and film every interview within the cinema, while also coordinating multiple ancillary shoots, has been practically ideal. 

There will be lots more to share in the weeks ahead, particularly as the project transitions into post-production in the spring. Follow the Editing Luke instagram for more regular updates and stay tuned for details about the release of this documentary later in the year. 

If you have any information or memories to share about the Monarch Theatre (or any of the former cinemas in the Medicine Hat area) please contact me via my business site here.

Meet Alice: Monarch Documentary

With interviews for the Monarch Theatre documentary kicking off this month, I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to one of the interviewees - Alice. 

Alice will be 95 years old this year. Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with her about her time working at the Empress and Monarch theatres as a teenager in the early 1940s. From the uniform she wore to first seeing Gone With the Wind, moments like this - capturing memories and untold first hand experiences - are what make documentary filmmaking such a thrill.

Still razor sharp, her memories tap into a time when very little was written about these cinemas. This is what's been so exciting. The process unlocks doors that haven't been opened in decades.

Much more to come about this latest film project.

Monarch Documentary Story in Toronto Star

The Medicine Hat News story about my new Monarch Theatre documentary was picked up in the Toronto Star today with subsequent features in their partner publications. It's exciting to see this latest project garnering early attention. Read here. 

 

Front Page: Monarch Theatre Documentary

My thanks to the Medicine Hat News for featuring my latest documentary (currently in production) on the front page of the newspaper this morning. Read here.

What's exciting about getting greenlit to produce a project like this one (with hometown roots) is that you're able to amplify a story for a wide audience that has likely never even heard of this place. The result is something that feels new and untapped, while at the same time inspiring support from those "in the know" who are rooting to see it succeed.

I'm really grateful to everyone who has been reaching out to share so far - this genuinely wouldn't be possible to pull together otherwise. Thank you! 

Please don't hesitate to get in touch here.

 

About That Documentary I Mentioned ...

As my final announcement of 2021 I shared that my latest documentary proposal had been greenlit with plans to move into production in early 2022. With things continuing to progress I wanted to share a few more updates about what the project is actually about.

Inspired by my love of vintage films and the cinematic experience - specifically, going to the movie theatre - this new documentary is all about cinemas. Highlighting the evolution of the theatre going experience and showcased through the rise and fall of some largely forgotten movie houses, this new documentary tells the story of how the oldest purpose-built cinema in all of Canada ended up (in of all places) my hometown - Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Locals are sure to recognize names like the Monarch, Towne, and Gemini, but what makes this story unique is how much hasn't been widely told - particularly regarding the 110+ year history of a single screen cinema on main street that is actually older than every major Hollywood studio. Perhaps most amazing, it's still here!

There's a lot to unpack, but I'm really excited to bring this story to life in this new feature documentary in the months ahead.

Here's where I could use some help ... 

Did you, a family member, or friend ever work at a movie theatre in the Medicine Hat area? 

I'd love to connect with anyone who has stories to share about what your time was like at the Monarch, Towne, drive-ins, etc. I'm deep in research these days and have already coordinated with the Friends of the Monarch, local archives, and City - what's missing is you!  

If you have any pictures or souvenirs from these venues from over the years it would also be a massive help as (not surprisingly) a lot of these places were not documented. Thank you in advance.

Lots more to come as this ramps up! 🎥😉 Please get in touch if you have anything to share that you think may be of interest. Cheers!   

Announcing A New Documentary

So, a little news to share ...

In the spring of 2021, feeling like I was still spinning my wheels with everything going on, I went into development on some new ideas. I came up with a few concepts, pitched them around, and settled on one that I was really excited about.

I won't drag this news out ... this fall it all came together. Word came back that my latest film proposal received the greenlight! 

With the treatment approved, funding secured, and the production agreement signed - I'm happy to finally announce that my next feature documentary project is going into production in 2022.

There will obviously be lots to share as everything unfolds in the months ahead - particularly as production kicks off next month - for now, just let me say how thrilled I am to have the opportunity to dive into an elaborate storytelling experience like this and direct another original project. Details to come.

Happy new year, indeed! 🎥😉🎬👌

About the Medalta Documentary

I have social media to thank for reminding me that two years ago this week I completed "that Medalta documentary" called Clay, Creativity & the Comeback. Late 2019 only feels like 5 years ago given the weird time loop we've all been in, but as I'm currently in the middle of finalizing several new contracts it's exciting to look back at a project that by all accounts was a success.

As a quick recap, this doc tells the story of the industrial ruins and abandoned factories of a once booming clay industry in a small prairie city and how a group of volunteers helped to transform the area into a National Historic Site of Canada through efforts that spanned decades.

I think more people have found this documentary in the last year as a result of having more time, but I also attribute it to more house cleaning and organizing. No joke, the number of messages I've received about this documentary because someone found a random piece of pottery that lead to them discovering this film is amazing.

While I really don't have more to say about this project that I haven't already said in previous posts, I'm always happy to recount what a great experience it was and have a reason to share it again. Given the incredible amount of work that went into this and all of the efforts from so many amazing individuals, I will gladly keep promoting it. 

The entire documentary is free to view online here.    

A Look Back at "the School Project" Documentary

For much of this summer I've been in the process of writing proposals and exploring options as we head into the fall. This isn't out of the ordinary, but with a lot more time on my hands over the last year I found myself revisiting past projects and trying to contextualize them. In short, I was re-exploring what I've already done, what's worked, and what I'd like to do next. 

This is how I found myself re-watching hours of unused footage from "The School Project" again, a documentary I completed in 2017 that was never formally released in full. That's actually another story entirely, which if you care to dive into and watch some clips you can here. 

What's been amazing about exploring this old project (among several others) has been finding so many fragments of ideas that were never fully developed. "The School Project" was an incredibly ambitious documentary about finding the culture of a brand new Canadian school by filming the daily life inside of it over the course of an entire year. 

In some ways this fall feels like starting over again, which is perhaps why it's been so liberating to re-explore highlights amidst projects that I remember taking on and thinking, "where do we even start with this?". Finished work aside, diving into the ideas that inspired past projects to begin with has been a valuable creative exercise to get the gears turning again. Especially with a project this size, it reminded me how much of it was about just being present. 

Thinking all this, I then found the teaser (see above) that I'd made just after principal shooting on this documentary had wrapped. It felt poignant. This work in progress really is never ending - that, and I'm still just a big kid continuously trying to find new ways to entertain myself lol.

Clay Documentary Continues To Find New Eyes

One year ago today the documentary I directed Clay, Creativity & the Comeback premiered inside one of the historic factories showcased in the film (Medalta Potteries) and was then released to the public. Resulting in some amazing connections over the last twelve months, the project has now reached hundreds of thousands of people on various platforms across Canada. 


Clay, Creativity & the Comeback is the story of how the factories and abandoned ruins of a once booming industrial clay district were saved from demolition and renewed through the work of artists, volunteers, and a community with a vision. 

Shot in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta this was a story that I felt echoed one of the challenges that communities across Canada are continually facing. How do you preserve heritage while also adapting historic sites for renewed purposes? What does that even look like? And who are the people that make these visions a reality?

Clay, Creativity & the Comeback is a documentary that captures the first hand stories of many of the individuals directly involved in this decades long transformation - a transformation that lead a collection of crumbling structures to not just be saved or restored, but to become a National Historic Site of Canada that would welcome artists from around the world.

The entire feature length documentary is FREE to watch and has been posted on Editing Luke. View Clay, Creativity & the Comeback here.  

Documentary Premiere at Medalta Potteries

Last night was a surreal experience. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the premiere of my documentary Clay, Creativity & the Comeback at Medalta. We seriously underestimated just how many people would show up - which was a great problem to have.

To be in this old factory, surrounded by many of the people who stepped up to save it, while watching a film I'd worked on for months inside what is now a National Historic Site of Canada - it was an experience I won't soon forget.

I've been truly humbled by the reactions and messages regarding the documentary and am so grateful to everyone who made it possible. Thank you for the incredible night!

Clay, Creativity & the Comeback will be released on the Editing Luke website tomorrow, September 20 for those who missed it.

Documentary in the Medicine Hat News

My latest documentary - Clay, Creativity & the Comeback received some attention in the Medicine Hat News today in anticipation of the debut screening taking place at Medalta Potteries this week. The documentary explores the efforts that were made to save the buildings of Medicine Hat's clay district from demolition (including Medalta) beginning in the 1970s - a journey that lead the site to becoming a National Historic Site of Canada.

See the full article on the Medicine Hat News website here.

The debut screening of Clay, Creativity & the Comeback takes place Wednesday, September 18 at 6pm at Medalta Potteries in Medicine Hat, Alberta. All are welcome. Admission is free.

Documentary in Post Production

Updates have been sparse recently as my latest documentary project entered post production at the beginning of July. Hours and hours of interviews, stacks of archival material, and all of the other bits and pieces surrounding a project like this become a bit consuming. 

All that said, I'm really excited to see this project coming together. This is going to be an interesting story to share about the historic clay district in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta. It's a story that I was personally interested in, one that I hadn't seen told before, and certainly one that you won't find at the Medalta museum. 

You'll have to excuse the lack of new photo sets in the meantime - although there are lots of those still in the works too. This new documentary is set to be completed by the end of August.  

Filming in Vancouver, British Columbia

Over the weekend I made my way to Vancouver, BC to film another interview for my upcoming documentary. In addition to uncovering a few treasures and getting some more details on camera, the quick trip also allowed me to squeeze in a bit of travel shooting (as always).

Having explored Vancouver several times over, the trip was mostly a comfortable refresh. The real highlight of my time in BC was in flipping through vintage albums and sharing stories over coffee. The interview was a success and I think it'll help play up the novelty of the project. Of course, more on that to come as the documentary moves into editing next month. 

I also played around in a Jaguar while in British Columbia - because, why not make a few more memories? As always, I shared a few sneak peeks on the @editingluke Instagram. Be sure to follow for updates on the documentary and to see when these new photo sets go live.
  

Production Underway On New Documentary

With principal photography kicking off just few weeks ago, things have been a blur as this latest Editing Luke project gets up to speed. It was only one month ago that I revealed the documentary had been greenlit, but since then there hasn't been a day without planning, shooting, interviewing, upgrading, and more planning in the mix - as you'd expect. I've been having a lot of fun so far and have already captured some amazing material.

What's the documentary about, you ask? Well, it's still a little early to reveal the narrative, but those of you who follow @editingluke on Instagram will have noticed quite a few clues as I've been filming around the Historic Clay District in Medicine Hat, Alberta. And no, it's not a history lesson on when pottery was booming in the Hat - not exactly anyway.

Production will continue through to the end of June with the project scheduled to be delivered / released later this summer. Obviously I'll have a lot more to share as all of this unfolds - like the picture above which was shot in the old Medalta factory while preparing for the very first interview of the documentary or meeting with this local legend. More to come here. 

A Production Company Grows Up!

Editing Luke officially became a full fledged production company at the end of February 2014 - and like many entrepreneurs before me, that leap from casual side-hustle to a full-time business of my own felt like a monumental leap. Now, here we are 5 years later!

While it would be a lie to say that the last 5 years haven't been without their challenges and growing pains, looking back I can't help but feel proud about what's been accomplished in that time. From travel shoots to documentaries to art commissions, Editing Luke has come a long way from a simple website I launched in my film school dorm room in 2007 to a company that now reaches millions of people around the world through various multimedia projects each year.

Even saying that out loud to myself still sounds pretty wild.

From the beginning I always believed that the key to growing this idea was in holding myself accountable to the things I said I wanted to achieve. This has meant continually experimenting, stepping outside of my comfort zone, pushing myself creatively, and challenging myself to surpass my previous milestones. I won't pretend that any of that has been easy or has always worked, but consistent effort has certainly opened a lot of doors. 

In many ways the success of Editing Luke is a result of simply defining the types of content I wanted my company to be known for and then always pushing for new opportunities within that arena. For example, Editing Luke is a photography & video production company, but it's never been a portrait studio or a wedding video business - instead, the focus has always been about producing narrative, experiential, or lifestyle content, often with a promotional component. 



This simple distinction really helped to define the kind of work that Editing Luke became recognized for - and 5 years in that's truer than ever. Back in 2014 it was a gamble to intentionally restrict production jobs within an already competitive market when there were no guarantees. As is often the case though, big risks can lead to big rewards. It worked. 

That's not to say the work is done. Every year presents new challenges.

Editing Luke owes a lot to the daily audience, clients, collaborators, and businesses that ultimately helped this company to thrive. Thank you to all of you who have continued to support, share, and engage with the projects we've released over the years. It really wouldn't have been possible to keep this dream alive without you. Genuinely, thank you!


And finally, what anniversary would be complete without sharing a few highlights? Here are some of the things that Editing Luke achieved in the last 5 years:

• Over 1000 photo essays have been shot and shared on this website alone. 
• I launched new travel photography collections including the Middle America series, Roadside California series, Around Alberta series, Hey, Canada series, and massively expanded on the Pacific Northwest series and Around the Hat series.
• Production work expanded from simple promotional videos in 2014 to larger scale documentaries, cultural showcases, and travel campaigns - including new Editing Luke specific projects (like On 2nd) that received independent backing. 
• I was awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016.
• I began shooting professional concert photography which lead to capturing artists like the Tragically Hip and gaining media access to music festivals like Shambhala.  
• Commissions for Editing Luke photography increased dramatically - an achievement that became especially noticeable in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta. 
• Thanks to a growing online audience, social media shares, and consistent networking, in 2018 the impressions of Editing Luke content on this website surpassed 50 million.
• What else ... these projects lol.
• And perhaps what I'm most proud of - in 2014 my production company felt limited to projects only in Alberta, but it's since expanded to include collaborations with clients all over North America - from national brands to local tourism boards. Honestly, the potential has never been greater. 
• Here's to continued adventures and the next 5!

How a Schoolwide Documentary Changed Everything

I understand that it's no small statement to say that one project 'changed everything', but in my personal experience, that's exactly what happened when I agreed to take on what inadvertently became the longest shoot of my career (thus far anyway). For over a year, from December 2015 to December 2016, I captured months worth of footage while filming an open-ended documentary inside a newly built Canadian school. Here's the story in a nutshell. 

It all started in the summer of 2015 when I took a meeting at Dr. Roy Wilson Learning Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. We sat down to discuss the idea of collaborating on an original project that would utilize video and photography in some capacity. The concept was loose, but essentially the goal was to document learning, collaboration, and to showcase the emerging culture of a brand new school. The funds had been made available through a private donor to do something just like this, however it was clear from the start that we would all be embarking on a big experiment.

Schoolwide Documentary: Clip #1

What none of us really knew at the time was how a project like this would evolve. While it was clear it would take months to create, I don't think any of us imagined how big it would become or that it would end up stretching over several years. I had a lot of other projects in the works at this time as well, but I still found myself in the school almost weekly throughout 2016 to shoot another classroom, interview, discussion, etc. 

We truly embraced the unknown in those early months of filming. As things progressed a narrative began to emerge about the importance of collaboration, how education had evolved in recent years, and what learning looked like inside a modern Canadian school. 

After filming wrapped at the end of 2016, editing began and continued into the spring. In early June 2017 a rough cut of the documentary was completed, screened, and received with overwhelming positivity and excitement. I'm glossing over what a daunting task editing a project with terabytes / weeks worth of raw footage actually was, but let's just say it was an experience. It seemed we were only a few final tweaks away from having the project go live and released to the public at large. Then we hit a roadblock.

The thing about working on a project with a timeline as long as this one was that there had been some major shifts between when we began shooting to when we finished. Pressures outside of the school, internal politics, the school district - I would love to tell you exactly what happened, but frankly, I still don't fully understand it myself. All I know is that the barriers that kept the documentary from a public release had nothing to do with anyone involved in our project.

Schoolwide Documentary: Clip #2

As frustrating as that setback was, too much had gone into all of this to simply give up. After months of back and forth we finally got the green light to share some of the collaborative clips that had been filmed around the school.

It bears repeating, this project would have never happened in the first place had it not been for the incredible involvement of the teachers, students, and staff at Dr. Roy Wilson Learning Centre who wholeheartedly embraced this wild experiment from the get-go. From class projects to impromptu interviews to candid scenes playing out all over the school, there was no shortage of enthusiasm (particularly with the grade school kids) when the camera came out.

On top of that, to be invited into classrooms, to participate in class projects, and to share some of my own passion for multimedia was a real bonus throughout this entire journey. I owe a lot to the lead team, teachers, and staff who helped to facilitate these experiences and link a lot of the moving pieces together. These few clips just scratch the surface of how much was actually happening. You have to realize, by the very nature of the project, this schoolwide documentary had a cast of hundreds.  

Schoolwide Documentary: Clip #3

While the narrative element of this documentary has been archived, I'm proud to at least be able to share some of the collaboration that really defined what this experience was all about. When I took this on I never could've imagined what a profound impact making this documentary would have on my own creativity, shooting style, and outlook. Whatever small impact I may have had by simply being in the school, I was rewarded tenfold by the humour, ingenuity, and the willingness to share I experienced from the students of WLC week after week. 

There's poetry in the fact that shooting a schoolwide documentary (that was never officially released) ended up becoming an elaborate life lesson. We all grew a bit in the process. We embraced an ambitious challenge and a rare opportunity to do something big. We turned a lot of everyday moments into art. And when it counted, there was no shortage of inspiration, ideas, or creativity to go around. Maybe it was all just a glorified work in progress, but in my humble opinion, that's how a schoolwide documentary changed everything.

   

     

On 2nd Teaser

The story of a main street, its evolution, and some of the people behind its recent revival is a compelling subject to explore. I set out to do just that with On 2nd, a brand new documentary short about the first block of 2nd Street in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta. The project is set to release later this year on Editing Luke.

Featuring a handful of local business owners, On 2nd focuses on some of the strides that have been made in the last 5 (or so) years that have seen the street transform dramatically. Challenges certainly remain, but some of the achievements that have been made on this block may surprise you. Shooting for On 2nd is still underway, however the teaser can now be viewed above.
 

2nd Street Documentary Production Underway

Getting an original Editing Luke documentary project, such as this one, collaboratively funded and moving forward is an achievement in itself. Discussions began earlier this year about an idea I had for creating a short-form documentary about the rapid evolution that's taken place on 2nd Street in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta over the last few years.

From renovations, street upgrades, new businesses, and the growth and popularity of my Medicine Hat photo series - I've been surprisingly close to a lot of the change on 2nd Street over the last 5 years without fully recognizing my connection. That was until this year at least. 

While a lot of the plans and ideas for this project have been roughly laid out for months, the last few weeks have been especially exciting. With the budget finally secured, partners on-board, questions prepared, and interviews scheduled, production on the documentary is now officially underway. Naturally, that means there will be a lot more to share very soon.

I'm keeping a lot of the production details quiet for the time being, but if you're an individual with a close connection to this street or a business that would like to become a last-minute sponsor / partner get in touch with me here and let's chat. 

It's always difficult to make predictions at this stage, but if the numerous photo essays I've shared are any indication it seems likely that this project will also reach thousands and thousands of interested viewers. A documentary like this is unique for a community like ours, and it wouldn't be possible without local support. Given the interest already shown, I know this is going to be something special.