Ciao bellas!

Hope you had a great Monday to kick start your week, I know I sure did!

While I spent a large majority of my day in bed coughing and sneezing, I was feeling significantly better on day 4 of the mutant cold. Good thing too because tonight was the Spring Impact Awards put on by the EBM12s!

The Impact Awards are a VFS wide, tri-annual awards show put on by the EBM students in their 3rd and 4th terms in the program.  We did ours last August with the CopaCabana theme (mine and Nadeem’s idea if I might add.) and the EBM11s did theirs in January with the Masequerade theme (I was a waitress/nominee). This round was the red carpet, and it was lovely.

Tonight was a particularly special night for me, because once again my project Miles Off Track was a nominee. And this time it meant a lot more to me than it did the first time, because of the reason we were nominated for. (That sounded so much better in my head, but I guess I’m sticking with it, there really isn’t a pompous way to say that.)

This round of Miles Off Track started with my new “format” where I bring in a producer friend of mine who has done great work in the past, and I get them to plan the episode, reach out the locations, handle the set the day of, and start on the road to post production.  It can be a challenge at times leaving your “baby” in the hands of others, but I know that I have built the right team with the right people, and that they will not let me down.  There really isn’t much a producer could ask for. (Alright perhaps some funding, but other than that, there’s nothing.)

So back to why this was exciting for me.  This episode of Miles Off Track was all from the mind of my lead producer, Sebastien Dryland. He reached out to each of the locations after a quick team brainstorming session, and delivered far beyond what I could have imagined with each.  (He even got us up to the 360 lookout where we were able to shoot some great footage of Downtown Vancouver.) His charm and optimism make him an awesome addition to any team, and I’m lucky to have him on board!

Alongside Sebastien we had the help of his classmate, Ellie Irwin who served as our project manager, helping on set the day of, and handling the paperwork I loathe so much. (Ellie is moving to Whistler next week — good luck Ellie!!!)

In addition to them, I also had my lovely PAs, Jennifer Conley and Natalye Vivian from EBM12 on set.  They helped out on the Sunday shoot at Lynn Valley, and in addition to that, they’re both planning future episodes of Miles Off Track! Win-Win!

So back to this Award. We were nominated for the ‘More than the Sum of it’s Parts’ award at the Impact Awards based on the fact that as an EBM grad I came back and brought new and old students together to create something as a team.  This only seemed like the natural step for me, you know, go back to the place where I learned my skills to find people with similar skills, and it worked out so very very well.  Who knew I’d be nominated for wanting to work with my incredibly talented friends? What luck.

Once again, a huuuuuge thanks to everyone who worked on this episode of Miles Off Track — I’m not gonna name you all tonight, because there will be a big big thank you post in the coming days with the premiere of episode 2, so stay tuned for that — but suffice to say, you guys have rocked my world.

And while I didn’t win the award, it was still an honor to be nominated, and a thrill to see my friends Malin, Sarah and Susan win an award for all of their hard work on the sets of Compendium vol 3. (Craft Services represent y’all), as well as my classmate, the lovely Janelle Miguel for her work on Autumn.

On my way to the show, I met up with my BFF and #teamawesome co-member, Andrew Menzies, and he told me the wonderful news that he and my inadvertent mentor / fancy hair guy, Bob Woolsey, had been nominated for a Leo Award today! I was so thrilled for them! They (and the ever changing Borrowtime crew) work so hard every single day in each other their projects, and never cease to amaze me, and I’m so very happy that they’re getting the recognition they deserve.  To Bob & Andrew, may this be the first of many, MANY, nominations for Bob&Andrew, Do Something With Your Life, and whatever other wonderful projects you may come up with.  You guys are my inspiration.

So I guess what I’m trying to say here people, is that I’m surrounded by amazing people. I am seriously so very lucky to get to be in the same room as so many film makers, storytellers, creators, whatevers, every single day, and as I’ve said a million times before, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. So continue on talented friends, we’ll continue to take the world by storm step by step, country by country.

Peace&Love y’all.

P.♥