Investing in your industry’s community programs, helps develop and shape its future. This is why we at VMG Cinematic feel it’s important to offer support to The Remix Project. 

The Remix Project is a youth program for those between ages of 16-22 that acts as an incubator for youth in the Toronto Area. It’s for young people aspiring to start careers in the urban arts sector who would not necessarily get the chance. The program develops a 6 month action plan for success for these entrepreneurs by providing:

-Supportive and knowledgable staff.
-A 4,930 sq. ft. facility, with a full recording studio, business development centre, visual art lab, video editing suite & more.
-Mentors and industry professionals with wide range of experience.
-One on one guidance sessions.
-Regular workshops lead by industry professionals, giving practical steps and advice.
-Flexible schedules for youth.
-Meeting like minded individuals.

Specifically, VMG support the  City Life Film Project that finds young, talented filmmakers from Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods to tell their stories through film.

So why The Remix Project?

For VMG partners Mark and Reid Campbell and Nick Haffie-Emslie, it carries a personal interest. Spending their youth making films, they know first hand how important it is to be able to pursue your passions at a young age. In their case, it eventually lead them into starting their own business of making brand videos.

As Reid Campbell explains, “Filming, editing, video cameras…. film making as a hobby can get ridiculously expensive. Especially when you’re in high school! We wanted to give back to the community and give a chance for others to follow their artistic passions”

The Remix project works with priority neighbourhoods, of which over 30% of high school students are not expected to graduate resulting in higher unemployment, increased crime rates and deeper social divisions. The City Life Film Project trains talented youth and gives them the chance to work with top filmmakers from the Toronto film industry helping the youth expand their education.

TIFF Bell Lightbox hosted a red carpet and special screening of City Life Film Project on January 24th showcasing artistic excellence in film making created by talented youth from priority neighbourhoods, and VMG was proudly in attendance showing our support.

It was an inspiring event with many of our industry friends. So amazing to have a chance to be a part of something this great!

And you know what the best part about supporting organizations like The Remix Project? Reading stories like these:

Via Adverblog: New Autobahn stunt viral for the Mini Cooper Clubman has a sense of humour…

The documentary series we’ve been working on about the Scarborough Hospital is now live on the foundation’s new website (designed by our friends over at Lush Concepts – check ‘em out). The series is part of the Scarborough Hospital Foundation’s new PR initiative, and is aimed at educating the public about some of the amazing things that are going on at TSH. (more…)

It’s true, such a thing exists and I’ve discovered it.  Whilst perusing through the latest offerings on YouTube, (now with new widescreen player!) I came across this little gem that’s sure to be a classic in the brand film world.  The JCB Action Brand Film!. Admittedly they we’re probably just setting out to make a really cool film about their construction equipment but I was pulled in to what is probably some of the most heartfelt brand emoting I’ve ever done. Seriously, after watching this I simultaneously wanted to own a JCB construction vehicle and make a career out of digging holes in the rain while in slow motion.

Would I have done anything differently? No absolutely not. This film is a masterpiece of extraordinary cinematography and editing. My only addition might be to intercut scenes showing a rain soaked battle between vikings and medivel knights happening in between the construction vehicles while bikini-clad, models playing electric guitars rocked out on top of the diggers.  If JCB wanted to take this viral anyway…

But in all serious I tip my hat to this production team, they’ve explored new frontier in the burgeoning brand film genre and it is sure to be repeated by others.

check it out:

JCB

So there’s been some buzz going around about Ogilvy Toronto’s newest effort for Dove.  An interactive choose-your-own-adventure microsite/webseries called Waking Up Hannah.  Now what I find interesting about this series isn’t necessarily the interactivity features (which are well integrated if somewhat superfluous) what I’m excited about is the fact that this is one of the first branded web series to adhere to TV quality production values. (more…)

Nintendo has an interesting spot up on their Experience Wii YouTube channel. It doesn’t seem that special at first, but give it 30 seconds – it’s pretty surprising.

How do they do it? Well without getting too geeky on you…

(more…)

Two examples for you. First, a childhood hip-hop mashup:

Second, a drunken twist on historical docu-drama (after the jump)…

(more…)

Something I missed mentioning in the annotation post: Samsung is out ahead in the commercial annotations game with their campaign for the Samsung Instinct.

Follow Your Instinct is an annotation-powered choose-your-own-adventure movie in which you (a young heterosexual male office worker) must make a series of choices between (1) having sex and (2) doing boring shit. You’re rewarded for following your rebellious instincts (jury’s out on how the compulsively boring dudes out there feel about this).

(more…)

Sometimes it’s better to avoid MTV. Promoting their new unpronounceable album “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust”, Sigur Rós’ video for Gobbledigook (NSFW… why do I find myself typing that so often?) isn’t the kind of thing the FCC smiles upon. I don’t think most people would find it offensive – far more disturbing things routinely make it onto afternoon television – but naked Scandanavians frolicking in a forest are more of an online-only thing. And while the Internet isn’t free from content censorship either (you won’t find this on YouTube), this is a nice way to take advantage of online freedom. It’s the kind of thing that otherwise would only find distribution on DVD or in a gallery, but can reach a much wider audience this way (and better serve its purpose as a promotional film).

-Nick

Video for Santogold‘s “L.E.S. Artistes”