Cinematography in Canada Since 1957

#TamarraCanu #AssociateMemberCSC @tamarracanu.dop Today a post with a bit more bts than actual work. We have all heard it before, “travel is so glamorous“. But we know better don’t we? Cinematography has allowed me to travel around the world, sometimes it looks like beautiful hotels but most of the time it looks like shared dorms in university research stations. @frickilovenature is a comedy nature series on @cbcgem that will always stick with me. Travelling across the country with a film family just to crack jokes and perform ‘bits’ all for the love of science? The answer will always be yes from me. Midway through the trip, our team traversed across an island with the wonderful folks from @bamfieldmsc to film at the beach on the other side. Our host had hours of makeup done on his body for an animal comparison joke in the script. Well, rules are rules. And if you’re going to get a torso full of fake tattoos and trek through a forest- it might as well also be in the pouring rain. The care it took to keep this bit fresh on such a shit day meant our day going longer than expected. When we got back to the boat on the other side, the tide had changed and took our boat just far enough that we would have to call the coast guard to come give it a tow back to us. After a 13 hour day in the rain carrying heavy equipment, I decided waiting another hour would be less than ideal. One small walk into the inlet and a slow but steady tug did the trick. Frick, I Love Nature will always be one of the best shows I’ve ever had the privilege of working on as a DoP. At that time, I had done one offs, shorts, tv episodes but never an entire series. Most of the time, we couldn’t carry more than a couple Astera titans with pigeon on top of two cameras and accessories. Every show has unique challenges. Frick gave me the opportunity to lean into our natural environments for motivating light that I could emphasize with the gear we had on hand.

#TamarraCanu #AssociateMemberCSC @tamarracanu.dop A couple years back I got the opportunity to work with the @albertaballetcanada in a very intimate capacity. Alongside @joemediagroup , @_aerialballerina and I created a piece entirely our own with their incredible roster of performers. In concept, the idea was to mirror challenges we’d both been navigating in our personal lives which I think we achieved in some truly unique ways. We had one day to shoot this ambitious piece and I am grateful our team brought everything they could to it. @chrischowcamera absolutely nailed it on steadicam, allowing me to actually watch the piece come to life at video village. A rare luxury that made the making of this piece feel like a milestone moment. 10 second clip on the final slide.

“We know these bitches, let’s fuck them up” Over time, I learned that hours spent with our film participants; both with and without my camera, was a vital piece of the process. Vulnerability is something I think we earn as cinematographers. You spend hours in tight spaces with people figuring out how to ‘dance together’ Real life can be a bit tight when you are 5’11 so the EZRig might have to stay in the car on this one you know? It’s hard for any human to be authentic, emotionally regulated, and vulnerable if they are in a room with a stranger. Let alone a stranger with a camera in front of their face. @onf_nfb does what so many don’t these days, they gave us time. Three extended blocs in Dawson City, YT filming women in the darkest depths of winter ride their skidoos across the frozen river in -40 just to get to hockey. Women who are as aggressive on the ice as they are gentle and accepting of each other off the ice. Who take a sport seriously and not for the sake of pursuing it professionally. After the second bloc I started practicing my skating. I bought a bright green helmet, despite my niece telling me that I would look like a ‘total duster’ if I wasn’t wearing a black one. Before we wrapped, some of the women asked me If I thought this film would matter to people. We all think our own story is less impactful when we compare it to the rest of the worlds. After the third bloc I came home and signed up for a 10 week hockey class. Trying something brand new to me at 33 years old. I told them I didn’t just think it would, I knew it.

Some grabs and raw clips from our final bloc early this year. I’m absolutely in love with the handheld even in the moments I’m moving into position. Shot on both Canon FD and Contax Zeiss. Sony Fx3

The A team
@classicyas_
@micah__henry
Michael Toledano
@frederique.conradi
@marieguerrette
Arielle Freoa
Gabe Ng

#TamarraCanu #AssociateMember @tamarracanu.dop
We filmed 90’s inspired teen slasher, Nemesis in only two jam-packed days. Shot on the Sony fx3 and fx6 with Arri Ultra Primes from @favacommunity. Director Sylvia Douglas and I knew we were limited to one location because of the time restraints. So we scouted out a location that historically we both felt wasn’t utilized the way it could’ve been- ‘The Orange Hub’ in Edmonton, AB. Embedded with rich 70s brutalism, we were determined to make this look like a highschool with elevated elements. Andrew Foley re-wrote certain scenes on the fly that Sylvia and I scouted out as possibilities. Utilizing these wicked cool sound proof booths in the basement of the hub, we were able to create a tension that elevated the entire piece. Sylvia knew that while I was ultimately happy with the booth scene- there was something I imagined I hadn’t quite captured yet on primes. We had time for one more take before moving on- I got the nod from Sylv and put on the lens I felt most comfortable with. My Canon 70-200 2.8. A lens I have used for 14 years and is a go-to in my kit. I decided to pull my own focus on this take for a more natural feel and alter the shutter for a bit of motion blur. @ecfleske gave us the performance of a lifetime, not breaking character once even when her actions were completed. My gaffer @apa9175 made my actual dreams come true. Our entire team accomplished something incredible, and for me it felt triumphant. Flip to last slide to see a clip of the scene.

Director @dougiecreative
Writer Andrew Foley @thatguystandingoverthere thatguystandingoverthere

#TamarraCanu #AssociateMemberCSC @tamarracanu.dop “I’m trying to make the corporate ladder a ramp.”
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A few years back I directed and DPd my second episode for Canada’s A Drag on @cbcgem . After months of complete burnout, I felt like I finally had the energy to try something new rather than stick to my everyday creative routine. The whole episode was shot in one day- a feat in itself. I picked up a tilt shift lens and set our main interview in their kitchen to highlight the gorgeous vintage features in Wheelz’ home. I was so pleased to see how the setting really grounded their story alongside the rest of our visuals which were jam packed with colour and contrast. At their next show, Hot Wheelz played the film to kick off the night. In my world, it’s rare to see any of my work shown in front of a live audience. To have a screening set up by our participant was a rewarding surprise! I watched as people reacted to the piece my small but mighty team made in a single day. The crowd hooted, hollered and laughed while I stood frozen at the back of the room. Held breath and goosebumps until the moment it ended- the room erupted in cheer just as Hot Wheelz started the show. Tears running down my face, I can only imagine the confusion of the people cheering next to me. Not knowing I played a part in the film at all- let alone watching it impact a room filled with people.
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Made possible by my super team:
Access Coordinator / Disability Story Consultant @carly.neis
Camera assist @cardhousedreamer
Sound @alynnetrue
Production Assistant Jakob Dahlgren

- last but not least the incredible team at CBC.

#TamarraCanu #AssociateMemberCSC @tamarracanu.dop
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Hi all! Your resident country bumpkin here thriving in the prairies, and I am so thrilled to be sharing my work with all of you- many of whom I truly admire. I’ve spent 14 years on this long, bumpy, dusty, dirt road and I’m proud of every moment. Most of my professional growth has been within documentary, slowly expanding into commercial and narrative mid-way through. My work; first and foremost, has taught me what it truly means to be present. To watch the world around me with one eye and my viewfinder with the other. Most of the time I have found that life is interesting enough to write itself if you know what to look for. That sometimes supporting and being there for our participants is more important and just as valuable as a stunning shot. Above all, being an observer in so many peoples lives brought me back to myself. Back to humanity. What a privilege it’s been. My work has taken me across the prairie provinces, the Arctic circle, throughout North America and overseas. Now today, it’s taken me here to you. So here we are, hosting the CSC instagram and we aren’t nervous at all… I am longwinded, I am intense, I am passionate. It can feel like a lot when we first meet. Sometimes I jumble my words because I get so excited to share, that they all come out at once. At least in person I also have maxed out charisma stats to back me up. Every shoot has a story and I feel compelled to share each one with you. I don’t necessarily sugar coat things (see previous comment about being intense). So buckle up and come along for the ride with me. I’ll do my best to keep it brief. Thank you @416cw for working so damn hard to make this work for me. It means the world.