History Was On Hand: Monarch Documentary

Thank you to the Medicine Hat News for being in attendance and sharing this story following the opening night of the Premiere Screenings of Your Cinema Needs You at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Read the full news story here. 

Opening Night of Your Cinema Needs You

Night 1 of the premiere screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" took place in a sold out Monarch Theatre last night, and I'm still struggling to find the words to say something more profound than thank you. But, thank you all the same.

I didn't take a single picture (although the photographer I hired should have some great shots) so instead I was left to assemble a collage from some of the images that were shared on my socials last night when the screening ended. The kind words, excitement, and shared stories are so incredibly wholesome it's making my teeth hurt lol.

I can't really summarize this experience yet as there are still 5 more screenings to come, but one moment that sticks with me from last night was after the movie ended and the lights came up. This sweet little old lady approached me through a crowd of well wishers and grabbed my hand just to tell me, "It's made me fall in love with my childhood movie theatre all over again." It was so earnest, she uno-reversed me with the emotional feedback lol.

Thank you to everyone who was there. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. I'll never forget this. It was worth the wait to debut this in the Monarch first.

Monarch Theatre Turns 112 Years Old

Opened 112 years ago today, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta may just be the coolest little movie house you've never heard of. With roots stretching back to some of the very first widely released films ever made, and a series of lucky streaks that have kept it alive this entire time - this may now be Canada's oldest purpose-built movie theatre left standing.

Come experience this history from within the cinema at the centre of this story. New tickets for "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre have just been released for January 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2024 at 7 PM. These encore screenings following the 3 night sold out premiere event in December will be the last opportunity to see this feature-length documentary before the Monarch once again goes dark for continued renovations.

Book your movie tickets here.

Encore Screenings of the Monarch Documentary

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the encore screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta at 7 PM on January 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2024.

After more than 2 years in production, the feature-length documentary about one of Canada's most underrated cinematic landmarks is finally ready to debut within the very cinema at the heart of this story, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 

Following the 3 night sold out premiere event in December 2023, the encore screenings in January are an exclusive opportunity to return to the Monarch Theatre for the first time since its closing, experience the largely untold history of one of Canada's last surviving cinemas of the silent era from within its auditorium, and be among the very first to see "Your Cinema Needs You" before its Canada-wide release later in 2024. 

Directed by Luke Fandrich, the 2 hour and 15 minute documentary traces the origins of the Monarch Theatre, the rise and fall of its direct competitors, and the cinema's evolution over 112 years since it first opened its doors on December 21, 1911. "Your Cinema Needs You" features newly uncovered images, artifacts, and exclusive interviews from individuals spanning the Monarch's history, including former usherettes, managers, projectionists, moviegoers, and more! 

This will be the final opportunity to view "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre before the cinema once again goes dark for an extended time to continue with planned renovations.

Book your tickets now to experience the start of the Monarch Theatre's next chapter.

Your Cinema Needs You Premiere is 100% Sold Out

One week ago, I was beyond stressed thinking about all of the things that could potentially go wrong. Did I pitch this correctly? Is anyone going to show up? Did all of those "internet points" over the course of production actually mean anything? Lol.

It's actually made me look the best kind of foolish as everyone around me goes, "I told you this would happen." But I guess you don't know until you know.

In the last 7 days, I've sold out the capacity of the Monarch Theatre for 3 nights in a row for the premiere screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" on December 28th, 29th, and 30th. I can't fully express just how thankful I am, and completely surprised that all of the tickets moved that quickly. We're still two weeks away from the screening and don't have a seat left in the house.

Stay tuned for an update next week about additional screenings.

Premiere Posters at the Monarch Theatre

The exterior poster windows at the Monarch Theatre have now been restored - new lights, new plexiglass, and a fresh logo inspired by how these frames looked back in the forties.

We've also just installed the premiere edition posters for "Your Cinema Needs You" and they don't just pop - they glow! Lots of really cool little steps happening behind the scenes as we get closer to the premiere dates on December 28th, 29th, and 30th.

 

Your Cinema Needs You on the Monarch Marquee

Admittedly, I'm biased, but I think this looks way better on the Monarch Theatre's marquee than "CLOSED" did. Movie tickets for the premiere of "Your Cinema Needs You" are moving quickly. Purchase your tickets here for the screenings on December 28th, 29th, and 30th.

 

Monarch Theatre Premiere: Purchase Movie Tickets

CLICK HERE to get your movie tickets for the premiere of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta at 7 PM on December 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2023. 

After more than 2 years in production, the feature-length documentary about one of Canada's most underrated cinematic landmarks is finally ready to premiere within the very cinema at the heart of this story, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 

This 3 day premiere event is an exclusive opportunity to return to the Monarch Theatre for the first time since its closing, experience the largely untold history of one of Canada's last surviving cinemas of the silent era from within its auditorium, and be among the very first to see "Your Cinema Needs You" before its Canada-wide release in 2024. 

Directed by Luke Fandrich, the 2 hour and 15 minute documentary traces the origins of the Monarch Theatre, the rise and fall of its direct competitors, and the cinema's evolution over 112 years since it first opened its doors on December 21, 1911. 

"Your Cinema Needs You" features newly uncovered images, artifacts, and exclusive interviews from individuals spanning the Monarch's history, including former usherettes, managers, projectionists, moviegoers, and more! 

Book your tickets now to experience the start of the Monarch Theatre's next chapter.

Hurry Up & Wait: Monarch Documentary

I can sum up my rollercoaster of a year in just a few headlines, despite being pretty quiet about the Monarch Theatre and my documentary over the last few months. Spurred on again by today's story in the newspaper about the cinema, I realized that this game of "hurry up and wait" is causing some confusion about what's happening. 

First, no, you didn't miss the release of the movie. 

Make no mistake, I'd love nothing more than to finally have news to share about the premiere, when it's happening, and how you can get your tickets to see the film. A year ago the expectation that this would be out in 2023 was not only incredibly realistic, I was also committed to that plan as contractually I knew it's when the film would be delivered. 

Unfortunately, a lot of the activity surrounding the Monarch Theatre and its reopening has taken considerably longer than expected, and contrary to some popular belief, this activity doesn't involve me at all. I'm watching from the sidelines just like everyone else. 

The 2 hour and 15 minute documentary about this historic, largely unknown movie house, "Your Cinema Needs You" was completed this summer following the long-anticipated news that the Monarch Theatre was finally going to be purchased. This was the final piece of the narrative puzzle that I had been waiting for. The film was then finalized, delivered to await distribution, and the plans were set in motion for a premiere that would reopen the cinema. 

This was roughly 3 months ago. 

I know better than anyone how unpredictable a timeline can become when a story is still unfolding. It's also why the wider distribution / streaming of the documentary has been put on hold until it can play in the Monarch Theatre first. The overwhelming local support to see this outcome is now seemingly shared by everyone connected to the documentary, including the new owners / operators of the Monarch. So, here we are. 

Put simply, I know it's taking longer than everyone thought, but as soon as the Monarch is able to confirm a timeline, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops.

Another Round of Las Vegas Travel Shoots

This month brought on another round of Las Vegas travel shoots following the success of a whirlwind visit that took place earlier this year. This latest shoot was more extensive in that we covered the entire Las Vegas Strip, starting from the iconic sign on the south end to the Strat on the north end, as well as each of the downtown casinos along Fremont Street. 

Las Vegas is such a fascinating place to document in that it has evolved so much in such a relatively short amount of time. Having visited countless times now, I have so much nostalgia for this city and love coming back and seeing what's new. The Sphere, Formula 1, Halloween, and more made the list this time. Early highlights also appeared on the Editing Luke instagram account, but you can expect lots of this new library will roll out online over the next year. 

 

Monarch Documentary: CBC News & the Homestretch

Earlier this week, Your Cinema Needs You was featured on the Homestretch on CBC Radio One following news of the Monarch Theatre's planned reopening. As part of this, CBC then ran a story about the documentary adding to a long list of features as plans for the premiere develop. Read the full story and listen to the clip from the Homestretch here.

One of Canada's Oldest Cinemas is Reopening

This week following the news of the Monarch Theatre's reopening in Medicine Hat, I did a follow up interview with the Calgary Herald about the premiere of my documentary, Your Cinema Needs You. The story was then picked up by the Edmonton Journal. Read the full story here.

 

Monarch Theatre Has Finally Been Sold

At last night's city council meeting it was finally made public that the Monarch Theatre has sold and is now on track to reopen! You can only imagine the barrage of messages I've already received asking if I knew about this, what this means for the documentary, and does this mean the movie premiere is finally a go? Original post here.

In short, for the better part of this year I was aware this deal was in the works. I finalized the documentary in July only after this outcome became certain, but was still at the mercy of the news becoming public before I could say anything. It's been a long, long wait, but yes, this outcome has fulfilled the ending I'd been holding out for for so many months.

While dates are yet to be determined and there are many more discussions to be had, I am thrilled to announce that we've already confirmed the grand reopening event at the Monarch Theatre will be the premiere for Your Cinema Needs You.

More details to come soon.

 

A Month of Travel Shoots Across Italy

The better part of this month has been defined by a series of brand new travel shoots across Italy. This time I was fortunate to have my dad along for the ride as we explored landmarks and attractions (largely) around Rome, Florence, Naples, and Venice. Stay tuned as these new photo essays are added to the Overseas Collection in the months ahead.

 

Medalta Documentary: Tourism Feature

My thanks to Tourism Medicine Hat for their feature on my documentary about Medalta Potteries and the historic clay district this week. The documentary is titled Clay, Creativity & the Comeback and was released in 2019. Read more about that project here.  

Film On Monarch Theatre History Complete

With the documentary on the Monarch Theatre (Your Cinema Needs You) finally wrapped, it's now all about working out the details for a premiere and the much anticipated release. This story appeared in the Medicine Hat News today following the official announcement on the film's completion just a few days ago online. Full article here. 

 

Filmmaker Eager to Debut Film: Monarch Documentary

My thanks to Chat TV for the feature on "Your Cinema Needs You". 

This is where the Monarch documentary gets a lot more fun for me again. First looks, behind the scenes, and a few more promos as we work out delivery and the eventual release date. We're getting so close to completing this thing! Read the story here.

Mid-Year Visuals & Recap

Somehow we've found ourselves halfway through 2023 already.

If I'm honest, I've mostly been consumed by the ongoing post-production of my Monarch documentary this year, but there have been a few stand out shoots amidst the filmmaking. California and Nevada travel shoots took place this spring, a return of the hot air balloon festival saw some really strong engagement, and new highlights released from Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC all received their own features.

When I'm so consumed with a singular project I like to remind myself that there has been more going on than I realize. It helps to give my mind a rest. As the documentary closes in on completion this summer it will be interesting to rediscover my routine this fall and hopeful find time for a break. I can't complain though, it's always a plus to be busy and to be producing the content you want to be making. I sometimes just wish I could space it out a bit better.

 

A Documentary By the Pages: Your Cinema Needs You

When post-production on the Monarch Theatre documentary kicked off last year, it was difficult to describe what condensing a 110 year story actually looked like. I had 400+ pages of production notes outlining dates, archival references, transcripts, visual cues, etc. all in addition to the script I wrote and was working from. 

That's when we had the idea to line the aisle of the Monarch Theatre with the notes I had on hand. This is what editing a feature-length documentary actually looks like (about 30% of it anyway).

The reason I'm posting this now is because for months and months, it has felt like an unending battle to work my way through these notes. Some weeks I was a machine, some weeks I was lucky to shave off a couple pages. I became the living embodiment of the Titanic meme "it's been 84 years ..." lol. But at the moment of posting this, the number of pages that stand between me and the completion of Your Cinema Needs You? ... 9. 

Just 9 pages to go.

Monarch Documentary: End Game

Post-production on my Monarch Theatre documentary has been through numerous stops and starts in 2023 in anticipation of the expected news about this historic cinema's reopening. A feature in the Calgary Herald in February highlighted this predicament and my "search for an ending" amidst the changing timelines I'd been experiencing in trying to wrap the project.

While we are still without a public announcement about the Monarch Theatre's future in Medicine Hat, Alberta, I have to admit that I'm not entirely in the dark about what's been happening behind closed doors. This hasn't made the wait any less grueling, unfortunately. So much can still happen despite things seemingly moving in the right direction, and naturally, no documentarian wants to risk the reputation of their film on well-intentioned speculation. 

If this already complicated timeline stretching back to 2021 has demonstrated anything, it's that a lot can change quickly. When production first started we were still in lockdowns, for example.

For what it's worth, this has been exhausting for everyone involved. I feel like I've been teasing this documentary for so long and disappointing people with the continued uncertainty about when they can actually watch it and what we can share. Point being, it's time to wrap this up.

I've come to realize that I need to end this story while it's still fresh in my mind and there isn't much point in waiting any longer. Whether an announcement is made a week from now or months from now, my biggest concern is in telling a good story. So, how do I strike a balance and end this documentary properly? 

I'm happy to share that I have worked out an ending that I think will satisfy both the story and my increasing anxiety. I won't spoil anything here, but this does mean that completing the final stages of Your Cinema Needs You is currently my top priority. 

I have to remind myself sometimes that I've already wrestled with just how much there was to fit into a single movie, already revised numerous times, and that a lot is going to continue to change surrounding the Monarch Theatre regardless of my efforts. Who's to say that there isn't room for a follow-up to this doc anyway? Here's to a story worth the 112 year wait.