As filmmakers, actors and fans from around the world descend on Toronto for the Toronto International Film Festival, Greater Victoria wonB次元官网网址檛 go unrepresented.
Jeremy Ball, with his film Frost, is one of two Victoria-raised directors making their TIFF debuts this week. Frost stars recent University of Victoria theatre department grad Emily Piggford as Naya, a young arctic hunter in search of food.
The 13- minute sci-fi thriller, produced through the dramatic short film program at the Canadian Film Centre, was shot entirely on a sound stage in Toronto and through the magic of post-production, landed Naya in an icy arctic backdrop.
The film gave 38-year-old Ball, who has worked in visual effects on large-scale productions since attending the Beijing Film Academy, the chance to apply his knowledge to his own work, as he completed 25 to 30 of the 80 visual effect shots in Frost.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a school of thought where the director can hand over a cut of the film and be very loosely involved in the visual effects, but I probably wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have been able to do that and I certainly wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have wanted to do that on this film,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very hands on.B次元官网网址�
Ball, also a UVic grad, was enthused to cast fellow UVic alumnus, Piggford B次元官网网址� someone well-equipped to tackle the physical demands of the role with a solid background in theatre and dance.
B次元官网网址淪he has a tremendous attitude about the work and takes it very seriously,B次元官网网址� said Ball, who despite showing allegiance to his hometown cohort, auditioned Piggford twice for two iterations of the project.
Frost is intended as a fairly straight-forward adventure narrative, Ball said.
B次元官网网址淥n a thematic level, I think itB次元官网网址檚 about legacy and how the things that we leave behind form the pathways for future generations, and also the importance of being able to not only see those, but go beyond them or transgress those things.B次元官网网址�
Ball hopes to expand on those themes as he continues to develop the concept into a feature-length screenplay.
B次元官网网址淧art of doing this is to show what is possible without going outside of Canada for resources,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people who have seen plans for the future have suggested itB次元官网网址檚 more of a Hollywood-style production, but weB次元官网网址檒l see. Maybe the short will change peoplesB次元官网网址� minds.B次元官网网址�
Much of BallB次元官网网址檚 so-called Hollywood visual effects work (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has been conducted in South Africa, the Ukraine and China, where he lived for many years. HeB次元官网网址檇 like to believe Canadian filmmakers will be able to one day stay within Canada and pursue a successful career in the industry.
His content, however, will remain universal.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 interested in stories that cross cultural boundaries,B次元官网网址� Ball said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 interested in stories that have a universal or global appeal. IB次元官网网址檓 not interested in getting pigeon-holed in a particular genre of filmmaking, but I do like things that are innovative in terms of the way of telling stories or the kinds of stories being told.B次元官网网址�
University of Victoria graduate student Connor Gaston was also accepted to the festival this year with his short film Bardo Light, which he produced last year while pursuing his undergraduate degree in the universityB次元官网网址檚 writing department.
nnorth@saanichnews.com
