Videos
FEMME FETAL:
DOP Brad Sayeau. Edited by Brian Chambers and Brad Sayeau. Starring Aurora Browne, Kris Siddiqi, and myself.
You never forget your first.
So this video was done for Seven Day Shorts, a Second City contest where you’re given a word for inspiration and a week to make a film no longer than two minutes. In this case, the word was “kids.” Given the time constraints, my first thoughts were available resources, including cast, and given the suggestion, I thought it would be fun to take advantage of the fact that I knew two wonderful actresses (Aurora Browne and Marjorie Malpass) who were both quite pregnant. So my initial concept was of a Prisoner’s Dilemma where the cops are running back and forth, but in the end, simplicity worked out better (plus it turned out that Marjorie was due any day), and this is the result. I must admit I was also warmed by the idea of having Kris and Aurora in the video together, so that it might someday be a nice keepsake for our unborn costar.
Also notable: I think this was the first (and possibly only) video to be called up from Seven Day Shorts to the main Second City Network. So I’m proud of that. Interestingly, the video has since been unlisted (i.e. you need the link to find it.) My current theories are that someone finally complained about the politics of it (though the comments online seem to indicate (correctly) that people couldn’t figure out what the politics of it are), or that 50,000 hits is the point at which they’d have to pay us, and it was easier for Second City to unlist it than to have to cut us a cheque for a nickel. Either way, it lives on here!
[UPDATE: Sadly, as I write this in September of 2021, it looks like the Second City Network version, with more views and the funny debate about the politics of the sketch, has been removed. But the Seven Day Shorts version still exists… and will forever, damn it!)]
*****
FRIENDLY FRIDAY:
Shot, Edited and Directed by Brad Sayeau. Starring Alice Moran and myself.
Another Seven Day Short, this one inspired by the word “friends.” A little underexposed as Brad wanted to see how his camera would operate in low light. And due to inclement weather, we had to switch nights, and so Brad ended up having to operate both camera and boom. And I was still definitely figuring out the whole “acting for camera” thing. All that said, I’m very proud of this one. I like the script (if I do say so myself), Alice is great, and I was told if we reshot it, it could be on the Second City Network as well, so another nice shot on the arm.
I suppose if I was to spell out my inspiration for this one, it would be twofold. First, and most obviously, I always thought it would be funny to see one of these body-swapping stories go cross-gender. But the other, perhaps richer, inspiration is my observation of the friendship borrowing paradox, i.e. people take better care of things they borrow from acquaintances or strangers than they do the things they borrow from friends. Which does make a certain sense, but it’s still a funny little irony, and I figured that it would be extra-funny if the things being borrowed were bodies. Premise explained!
*****
BRITISH HUMOUR:
Filmed by Brian Chambers. Edited by Brad Sayeau and Brian Chambers. Starring Jim Annan, Brad Sayeau, Georgea Brooks-Hancock, and Amber Harper-Young.
Okay, not much to explain here, except my supreme gratitude to everyone involved. (Especially the ladies, for a super thankless task, which may be why I’m constantly thanking them.) And the first video I’d made without being in it, which feels significant. And my first collaboration with Jim Annan, of which I hope there are many more.
In terms of inspiration, I can’t remember where it came from (“An idiom with two double-meaning words in it! Pinch me!”), but I feel I probably owe some thanks to the UFC for keeping the fact that “stone” is a British measure of weight in my head. I also want to someday use this as a Lipton’s commercial; all you would need is a title screen at the end saying “Stick to tea.”
Oh, and it won at “My Tapes”!
*****
THE SQUID AND THE FLORIST:
Shot and directed by Brad Sayeau.
Another video for Seven Day Shorts, this time with two suggestion words. Any guesses?
I think the best trivia for this one is that Brad was standing just out of frame with the squid held over my head on a shovel, and that to create something that would read on film as squid-like, we took multiple pieces of squid and stuffed them into a condom. And then repeatedly dropped that on my head.
*****
PAR-TEE!:
Directed by Matt McCready
I’d like to be able to tell you that this one was inspired by a dream I had. But I think I just heard the suggestion word “Party”, realized that it broke down into two golf words, and then the part of my brain that makes puns (about 60% of my brain) took over. It makes me laugh, and it won the week, so stop judging me!
*****
THEY KILLED THE HOLIDAYS:
Director: Rob Spence
Cast: Gord Oxley, me, Amie Vu, Darryl Dinn, Jane Luk, Mark Kalzer, Amber Harper-Young, Justin Kosi
Okay, I didn’t write this one, but it was improvised, so I pretty much wrote my part. And it was a very fun afternoon, so enjoy.
*****
CALVIN COOLIDGE: MUMMY SLAYER:
Written and edited by Ian MacIntyre, Shot and directed by Jon Blair, Starring Ian MacIntyre, me, Jocelyn Geddie, Jon Blair, and Andy Auld
And this one I wrote even less. As in not at all. But I’m in it, and it makes me giggle. I hope it does the same for you!