For the haunted corn maze video above I wanted a gritty dreamy look.
I attached a 40-year-old Russian fisheye lens to a 30-year-old Vivitar zoom lens that I bought at Value Village for $5. I’m in love with the soft focus and distortion.
I added grain in FCPx for an extra gritty look.

My lighting setup for the main interview. Notice the small LED light in the bottom left. This was to add a nice little pop of light on the cello in the foreground.
I used a large 4×6 foot diffuser in front of a Lowell Pro Light as the main fill to get a nice soft light on him.

Bruno Mercier and Brent Wittmeier discuss being on the High Level Bridge with a suicidal man for more than 45 minutes.
For this segment of the video I wanted to try something a little different. Rather than interviewing them looking into the camera I decided to put wireless mics on them and just have them stand on the bridge and have a conversation about what it was like to be on the bridge with the jumper.
I was inspired by this short film http://mediastorm.com/publication/new-york-reacts with real people having real conversations about 9/11. I just love the style and how even though the situation is staged, the conversation feels real.

Here’s all the people it took to film the Brent and Bruno segment.
Left to right. Bruno Mercier, Brent Wittmeier, Sam Brooks, Cailynn Klingbeil, Otiena Ellwand, and Ryan Jackson.
Sam videoed the whole bridge from the North side of the river valley and had the opening shot of the bridge in the video.
The girls videoed Brent and Bruno from the train bridge below the High Level.

Here you can see how far away I was from Brent and Bruno.
If I could do this shoot again I wouldn’t have used my GH4 for this video angle. I would have used a video camera with image stabilization like my Canon XF300.
The bridge had too many vibrations and since I was zoomed in all the way the vibrations were exaggerated in the video.
Luckily Final Cut Pro X has some fantastic image stabilization filters but it’s always better to get it right the first time.

I made Brent carry A LOT of wireless mics and backup audio devices. You can only record it once!

Dr. Michael Trew, chief addition and mental health officer with Alberta Health says height and accessibility make the High Level Bridge a magnet for suicidal people. Trew poses for a photo at the High Level Bridge in Edmonton on August 6, 2014. The High Level Bridge is considered by some to be a magnet for suicide in Edmonton and the city is investigating measures to reduce the number of people who jump to their deaths.
(Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Believe it or not this is an actual frame grab from the 4K video of the Panasonic GH4. It’s nearly indistinguishable from a still image from a DSLR.
What really helps is the lighting and also the camera is still.

Otiena Ellwand interviewing Dr. Michael Trew about the suicide statistics in Alberta.
It was a rainy morning and I wanted Dr. Trew to look as good as possible so I lit him with two LEDGo 1200 LED video lights with battery packs.
The lights made a HUGE difference to help him pop out from the background.
I wrapped everything in clear bags and used an umbrella for the camera.

Journal reporter Cailynn Klingbeil interviewing Kris Andreychuck about barriers for the bridge.

Kris Andreychuk, supervisor of community safety with the City of Edmonton, is working on a report about suicide prevention on the High Level Bridge for city council. He poses for a photo in Edmonton on June 12, 2014. The High Level Bridge is considered by some to be a magnet for suicide in Edmonton and the city is investigating measures to reduce the number of people who jump to their deaths.
(Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Journal reporter Otiena Ellwand interviewing Dan Klemke about his wife who jumped off the High Level Bridge.

Dan Klemke lost his wife Marilyn Klemke to suicide off the High Level Bridge on Jan. 2, 2013. Since then, Klemke has urged city council to examine suicide prevention barriers on the bridge. Klemke poses for a photo at his office in Edmonton on June 10, 2014. The High Level Bridge is considered by some to be a magnet for suicide in Edmonton and the city is investigating measures to reduce the number of people who jump to their deaths.
(Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Here is my Panasonic GH3 shooting the time lapse photos of the bridge from my friend Patrick’s apartment.
You can’t see it in this photo but I covered the camera with black tinfoil and taped it to the window so that there weren’t any reflections on the glass.
You can also see a small fan under the camera to keep it cool in the sunlight.
Although I shot a couple weeks of photos I only used photos from the day that Brent and Bruno were on the bridge as they actually looked the most interesting.

Cailynn Klingbeil and Mack Lamoureux helping setup gear for the interview with Sgt. Chris Hunter.

Journal reporter Cailynn Klingbeil interviews Sgt. Chris Hunter with the Edmonton Police Service about suicides off the High Level Bridge in Edmonton.
I really wanted this important interview to be outside with the bridge but Sgt. Hunter was only available in the afternoon to talk so we were forced to do it in bright sunlight.
This provides heat, brightness, shadows and squinting issues when filming a long interview.
I decided to setup the interview under a tree as that would give us shade so that it wasn’t too hot. The shade also meant I could control the light easier.
I used four LEDGo 1200 LED video lights with battery packs to give fill light on him so he stuck out from the background.
Those lights are very very bright and yet I could have used twice as many to really light him properly. LED lights are fantastic for indoors but anything outside needs really big power or reflectors.

Acting Sgt. Chris Hunter started studying ways to improve safety after responding to numerous calls on the High Level Bridge related to suicide. Hunter poses for a photo in Kinsmen Park in Edmonton on July 28, 2014. The High Level Bridge is considered by some to be a magnet for suicide in Edmonton and the city is investigating measures to reduce the number of people who jump to their deaths.
(Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Doug Boyer who is involved with the North Saskatchewan River Keeper was kind enough to take me out on the North Saskatchewan River one night to get some establishing shots of the High Level Bridge.
Shooting the bridge from the water and river banks far from roads really helped to get different perspectives of the bridge for the video.

I had to haul a lot of gear around for this project but it was worth it.
I used the Panasonic GH4 in 4K video with Canon 24mm f1.4L and 50mm f1.2L lenses for all the interviews which looked beautiful.
I carried almost everything I needed in two Thinktank Logistics Managers.
I absolutely love these cases as they can fit the Kessler Slider, Kessler Pocket Jib and two tripods in once case!

Journal reporter Cailynn Klingbeil interviews Melanie Lintott about her partner Louise Veillard who jumped off the High Level Bridge.
I only needed to use one 4’x6′ reflector to light Melanie. I placed her with the sun behind her as a hair light.
This also allowed us to conduct the interview mostly in the shade so it didn’t get too hot.

Melanie Lintott lost her partner Louise Veillard to suicide off the High Level Bridge on May 2, 2014. Lintott poses for a photo at her home in Edmonton on July 30, 2014. The High Level Bridge is considered by some to be a magnet for suicide in Edmonton and the city is investigating measures to reduce the number of people who jump to their deaths.
(Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Huge thanks to Edmonton Journal summer Intern Mack Lamoureux for helping me with the last two food truck shoots! https://twitter.com/macklamoureux

I started lighting the standup videos with Liane half way through the series which really raised the production value.

Filming a standup with Liane Faulder.

Lighting setup for meat slicing for the S’witch Food Truck video.

Since I was around pepper spray I took the necessary precautions.

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE,19, 2013: A Welcome to Fort McMurray sign stands on the side of Highway 63 on the south end of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 19, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: — An aerial view of Syncrude’s oilsands upgrading facility north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. The plant converts bitumen which is extracted from oilsands into synthetic crude oil which is then piped to southern refineries. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Muskeg near Fort Chipewyan, Alberta.

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: An aerial view Suncor’s Millennium Mine oilsands operation north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: An aerial view Suncor’s base plant oilsands upgrading facility next to their oilsands mining operations north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. Syncrude can be seen in the distance at the top right. The base plant separates bitumen from the nearly 500,000 tons of oilsands it receives per day and turns it into Synthetic crude. It also processes bitumen from Suncor’s McKay River and Firebag steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) oilsands operations in the area. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: — An aerial view of Syncrude’s North Mine oilsands mining operation north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCKAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: — An aerial view of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) oilsands mining operation near Fort McKay, Alta. on June 18, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: — An aerial view of Kearl Oilsands Project which is owned by Imperial Oil and ExxonMobile Canada north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 18, 2013: — An aerial view of Suncor’s Firebag steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) in-situ oilsands project north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 18, 2013. The process uses natural gas and water to create steam which is then piped into the ground to separate bitumen from oilsand deposits. The bitumen is then pumped up and sent to Suncor’s base plant to be upgraded into synthetic crude. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: June, 20, 2013: A panoramic view of the heavy hauler maintenance shop which services all millennium mine equipment at Suncor’s base plant oilsands operation north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 20, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal) This image was created by stitching multiple pictures together.

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: JUNE, 20, 2013: — An aerial view of Highway 63 just north of Fort McMurray, Alta. on June 20, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Editor Mark Suits recording the voice overs for all my videos. He has a golden voice.

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 7, 2013: —Roadside marker crosses Tanya Zwaan and Ione Curr who died on December 13, 2010 along Highway 63 in northern Alberta, 92.2 km south of Fort McMurray, Alta. on September 7, 2013. More than 170 people have died on Highway 63 in the last 10 years. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

EDMONTON, ALTA.: JULY, 31, 2011: — An aerial view of the Imperial Oil Strathcona refinery with the Kinder Morgan and Enbridge oil terminals in the foreground and the Edmonton skyline in the background on July 31, 2011. The area is part of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT SASKATCHEWAN, ALTA.: OCTOBER, 4, 2013: —An aerial view of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, just north of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. with the Shell Scotford plant in the foreground on October 4, 2013. The industrial heartland is Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing centre. 75% of all motor fuel used in western Canada comes from this region. Dozens of oil refineries, chemical manufactures and fertilizer plants are all fed from Alberta’s various oilsands, conversional oil and natural gas companies in northern Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

EDMONTON, ALTA.: OCTOBER,28, 2013: —A plume of yellow sulfur coloured smoke billows from the Suncor Energy refinery in Edmonton, Alta. around 2:52pm on September 28, 2013. The refinery is part of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

EDMONTON, ALTA.: MAY, 11, 2013: —The Tripp family (left to right). Ethan, 22, Rebecca, 18, Teague, 24, Fiona Styles-Tripp and Stan pose for a photo at the front steps of their Edmonton home on May 11, 2013. The family has had to manage over the years with a father who commutes back and forth from the oilsands in Fort McMurray. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

ST. ALBERT, ALTA.: JUNE, 4, 2013: —Heather Fredeen tends to her one-year-old daughter Jordyn in her home in St. Albert, Alta. on June 4, 2013. Her husband Cory is a welder for an oilsands mine in Fort McMurray and commutes back and forth to St. Albert. which is just north of Edmonton. Despite the stresses of working six days on six days off, the family prefers the commute rather than living in Fort McMurray. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 9, 2013: Dr. John O’Connor poses for a photo outside the hospital in Fort McMurray, Alta. on September 9, 2013. O’Connor has spent years as a physician for the northern communities of Fort McMurray, Fort McKay and Fort Chipewyan. He has been fighting to get proper cancer studies done on the residents of Fort Chipewyan who have higher than expected rates of rare cancers. The debate has been whether the cancers are caused by pollution from the oilsands industry or other unrelated factors. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Interviewing John O’Connor. Two LED lights.

FORT MCKAY, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 25, 2013: Fort McKay First Nation Chief Jim Boucher poses for a photo in his office in Fort McKay, Alta. on September 25, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Shooting setup for Chief Jim Boucher. I wanted to show his beautiful office. One large LED light helped balance the window behind him.

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 11, 2013: An aerial view of boreal forest, muskeg and the Athabasca River delta system near Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 11, 2013.. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 11, 2013: Fishing boats in Lake Athabasca on the shores of Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 11, 2013. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Interviewing Alice Rigney. The sun was going down so I added two small LED lights for fill.

Photographing Raymond. Unfortunately I got my 5D Mark-III wet and it short circuited it. Still shoots video but won’t take stills now.

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 12, 2013: Metis commercial fisherman and trapper Raymond Ladouceur poses for a photo on Lake Athabasca in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 12, 2013. Ladouceur says he has seen big changes in Lake Athabasca over the years caused by oilsands industry. He has also lost several family members and friends to cancer which he believes is caused by industrial pollution. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 12, 2013: Metis commercial fisherman and trapper Raymond Ladouceur poses for a photo on Lake Athabasca in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 12, 2013. Ladouceur says he has seen big changes in Lake Athabasca over the years caused by oilsands industry. He has also lost several family members and friends to cancer which he believes is caused by industrial pollution. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Catching a boat ride with Raymond and reporter Marty.

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 12, 2013: Fort Chipewyan residents walk down MacKenzie Ave. in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 12, 2013. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 12, 2013: Hundreds of crosses and grave markers with dates spanning centuries in the cemetery in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 12, 2013. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 13, 2013: A tarp is raised over a teepee holding wild elk meat during a dry meat making workshop in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 13, 2013. The workshop was put on by the ACFN to teach residents aboriginal traditions. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 13, 2013: Ten-month old Rayelle Marcel sleeps while his mother Raylene Gibot cuts elk meat during a dry meat making workshop in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 13, 2013. The workshop was put on by the ACFN to teach residents aboriginal traditions. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

Me eating a moose burger in Fort Chipewyan.

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 13, 2013: A sunset aerial view of Edward’s Lake and First Lake south of Fort Chipewyan in the boreal forest and muskeg or northern Alberta on September 13, 2013. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALTA.: SEPTEMBER, 13, 2013: Northern lights fill the sky over monument hill in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. on September 13, 2013. Established in 1788, Fort Chipewyan is the oldest settlement in Alberta. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)