So like everyone knows I’ve been hanging out in Burlington these days cooking, hiking, and riding out isolation with someone special and overall my life is pretty good considering there’s a global pandemic messing with society. Long story short I am busy living it up like a retired Renaissance woman and literally haven’t opened my laptop in months… but now that I have I’m thinking why not more blogging?
I put the word out looking for cool gigs but there isn’t much happening these days. Everyone is online. My laptop is closed but my phone is glued to my hand. I’m kind of glad to not be in Toronto during all this but I’m there in spirit – I support the #BLM insurgency in all forms.
Last week a friend called and asked me to help him do a video for an Oakville Burlington home renovation contractor which I was happy to accept but didn’t know what to expect.
I said sure I’ll give ya a link let’s do this!
This is Keith and he specializes in renovating split side homes. He seems like an all-star handy man and with my expertise of directing and coaching him on camera, we worked our way through the script and got’er done. I passed on my tips from years in the field.
Talking on-camera while delivering lines and trying to look flawless, sound flawless, is a lot harder then you’d think. The night before we were watching some show where the host is simply talking while walking, using his hands a lot too and it was seamless enough but I remarked on how hard I knew that was to do. For me personally, I am at my best when I’m unscripted but many times you ramble on too long and it can come off sloppy.
Remember the Brady Bunch? Well, they had a split level home, two bedrooms over the garage. Except the house they used in the establishing shot didn’t have a garage. If you add up all the interiors, I’m told there isn’t enough actual house for the whole Brady family — I love these geeky facts. That island kitchen and the couch room, the big living room they never used and the father’s den – that’s the whole first floor. You’re telling me eight people slept upstairs? What about Alice? She could have been in the basement or maybe she lived off site lmao. Anyway, in reality they needed a renovation and home remodelling and probably more bathrooms.
Those are the types of buildings that Eastview Homes renovate best so they say; each box is like an uncut gem and they find the best light and add windows and work around that. That’s their big secret by the way.
Day started at ten am which was civilized. They had watermelon slices and apple-fritter pastries but I declined. At first my job was to help run lines and then I was to hold reflector dish but then we had too much daylight and I had to hold a sunshade. Then we kind of evolved beyond all that and just made Keith stand in the best light. Then my job became light hunter.
Also I was blown away to notice the house next door to one of the sites I had spent a week painting with my mom’s painting business the summer before, as in last summer and THAT mes amis is a tale for another time… the day we wrapped the gig the owner got us loaded I’m talking two cases of wine pool party and ants in the pizza I was uber’d back to Toronto because they made me miss the train and I had a date I wanted to see which in hindsight I should have just stayed LOL.
The kitchen builders’ name is Remi and that’s his son. First thing the cameraman did was kill their music and then he complained about their taste in music. This caused Remi to talk excitedly about Pink Floyd which he declared was his favourite. That stopped the conversation. Dark side of the moooooon forever bruh.
The sound on the camera was a concern and we worried Keith wouldn’t be loud enough. Then too loud. The mic picked up everyone talking in the background, lawnmowers and helicopters. It was a nice day and everyone was home and outside enjoying the morning. Kids on bikes came by with their grandpa wearing a mask. They left. Our shoot was too boring for them.
All in all it was an enjoyable, hilarious, and knowledgeable time. I like being outside, wearing pink hats, bickering with my colleague and helping businesses out. We did two locations then it was over and so this is the blog. Done and dusted.
Now, here’s the video. Great job Keith!
TTYL Everyone, your pal Raymi.
