A Glass of Scotch at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

Before we even arrived in Scotland I had made it clear that I wanted to get a glass of scotch at the whisky bar in the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. It just seemed like an iconic thing to do. If you're unfamiliar, the Balmoral has been a fixture along Princes Street in Scotland's capital since opening in 1902, and to this day is one of Edinburgh's most recognizable landmarks.

What I hadn't anticipated over our stay in Scotland, however, was just how much whisky / scotch I would end up sampling. By our final night, not only had I had my fair share of variety already, but I had collected a mini-bars worth of small bottles to bring back home. The reason this is noteworthy is because looking back at this now, I can't remember exactly what kind of scotch I ended up having on that final night when I finally sat down in the Balmoral bar. 

I know I wrote it down, but have yet to find where I hid the note.

Memory loss seems a fitting end when making a point of sampling a lot of scotch in Scotland, I suppose. What I do remember is that the whisky I chose was aged 18 years, the Balmoral itself was incredibly beautiful, and the drink I had was by far the most expensive pour of all the variations I tried that trip. I may not remember the brand, but there's no denying I felt like a king in the castle that night in Edinburgh, Scotland.  

Superwheel at the Calgary Stampede

The Superwheel (the largest travelling ferris wheel in the world) was back on the midway at the Calgary Stampede this year, but did you know they offer a VIP experience? 

We didn't either. 

The Superwheel has a single VIP capsule, and with upgraded seats and air conditioning, what you're really paying for is that it's the only capsule with a glass bottom. The perspective was cool, the air conditioning was appreciated, but the ride didn't last anywhere near long enough to justify the $25 per person ticket. Who am I kidding though, I'm easily swayed by a view. 

8/10 would go again lol. 

 

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.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

When you get a message asking if you'd like to witness one of the last airworthy B-17 Flying Fortresses in the world come in to land and then have the opportunity to privately explore it, the correct response is, "I'm on my way". Here are a few behind the scenes snaps (including a few interiors) following yesterday's landing of "Sentimental Journey" at the Medicine Hat Airport.

Poetry of Coincidence: Monarch Documentary

The thing about storytelling is that you can't help but get swept up in the poetry of coincidence. There's been a lot of it over the course of producing this documentary about the Monarch Theatre, some of which resulted in major plot points.

I like to think about the spaghetti bowl of timelines that result in certain things lining up, even when they're inconsequential. Like how one day during production, waiting between interviews, I realized that one of the old local newspapers I'd found had the same date as the day I was shooting just from 78 years earlier.

Imagine the odds that would lead to me finding the paper in the first place, then sitting behind the movie screen of this very cinema and reading the movie listings on the exact same date one lifetime later. It was just a coincidence, but it's exactly the kind of thing that hooks you. 

 

Funko Hollywood Store in Los Angeles, California

The Funko store along Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California is a well-themed mix of exclusive Funko products, exhibits, and photo-ops. In addition to the seemingly endless merch to look through, the Funko Hollywood location also offers the Pop Yourself experience where guests can build a custom Funko character of themselves in about 20 minutes.  

The custom Editing Luke Funko I built at Funko Hollywood.