Ed Video...35 Years and Going Strong
By: David Briggs
(Originally posted July 3, 2011 on Tri-City Film)
Founded in 1976, Guelph’s Ed Video is one of Canada’s oldest artist-run centers. Since
2008, those running the centre have found a home for Ed Video at 40 Baker Street. Ed Video provides a hub for video, film, and media artists. By providing workshops and training, the centre helps to develop the skills of their members and strive to share their knowledge of all aspects of video production. They also rent equipment at affordable rates, allowing people access to the necessary gear required to create their masterpiece. Once shot, Ed Video has three editing suites to rent as well.
I recently spoke with Executive Director Liz Dent to learn more about Ed Video.
Angus McLellan, Ed Video’s Technical Director, soon joined the conversation. Ed
Video is a non-profit organization and they operate in part through the generous
funding of various organizations, including the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. As their website explains, their mission is to foster the creation, exhibition and appreciation of media arts by promoting and facilitating the needs of local artists. They also provide many opportunities to educate the public about all aspects concerning film and video production.
After all, the ‘Ed’ in Ed Video stands for ‘educational’. “We don’t compete with our film producers,” explains Liz, referring to the various
independent producers in Guelph. “What we’re here to do is not to take work away from them. We’re here to facilitate their contribution to Canadian independent film and video.”
2008, those running the centre have found a home for Ed Video at 40 Baker Street. Ed Video provides a hub for video, film, and media artists. By providing workshops and training, the centre helps to develop the skills of their members and strive to share their knowledge of all aspects of video production. They also rent equipment at affordable rates, allowing people access to the necessary gear required to create their masterpiece. Once shot, Ed Video has three editing suites to rent as well.
I recently spoke with Executive Director Liz Dent to learn more about Ed Video.
Angus McLellan, Ed Video’s Technical Director, soon joined the conversation. Ed
Video is a non-profit organization and they operate in part through the generous
funding of various organizations, including the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. As their website explains, their mission is to foster the creation, exhibition and appreciation of media arts by promoting and facilitating the needs of local artists. They also provide many opportunities to educate the public about all aspects concerning film and video production.
After all, the ‘Ed’ in Ed Video stands for ‘educational’. “We don’t compete with our film producers,” explains Liz, referring to the various
independent producers in Guelph. “What we’re here to do is not to take work away from them. We’re here to facilitate their contribution to Canadian independent film and video.”
They do this in part by collecting and maintaining a large video archive. In 2008, they received funding from the Canadian Department of Heritage, as part of their Canadian Culture Online initiative. This funding has allowed Ed Video to begin the process of digitizing their collection, which not only better protects the videos from deterioration, but also provides another medium to reach audiences.
You can watch the videos at EdMedia.TV. Be sure you have some time to spare, because once you begin looking through the catalogue, you may find it difficult to avert your eyes. Not only are there over one hundred videos posted (with more being added), the videos presented are so various—in style, theme, genre, tone—and so unique that a viewer can easily become enthralled to his or her screen. Films like Supercat by Mary Cross, or Nightmare by Nathan Saliwonchyk, remind us of the significance of the short video form, a reminder that only draws attention to how difficult it is to find these films
and enjoy them again. As many know too well, obscurity is often the final destination for short indie films.
You can watch the videos at EdMedia.TV. Be sure you have some time to spare, because once you begin looking through the catalogue, you may find it difficult to avert your eyes. Not only are there over one hundred videos posted (with more being added), the videos presented are so various—in style, theme, genre, tone—and so unique that a viewer can easily become enthralled to his or her screen. Films like Supercat by Mary Cross, or Nightmare by Nathan Saliwonchyk, remind us of the significance of the short video form, a reminder that only draws attention to how difficult it is to find these films
and enjoy them again. As many know too well, obscurity is often the final destination for short indie films.
EdMedia.tv is doing its part to prevent this atrocity, and as such is invaluable to our local film community and anyone reading this must tune in. It provides an archive of local filmmaker’s works from the 1970s to today. Many of the videos are experimental and filmmakers such as Nora Hutchinson, Myrna Hanna, Jenn E Norton and Peter Karuna are all represented. It is truly amazing to have such a diverse range of locally produced video accessible through one site.
After watching EdMedia.TV, there is a good chance that you will feel inspired to create your own film or put the finishing touch on a work in progress. If so, Ed Video provides a valuable resource. They rent Canon HD cameras, various lenses, tripods, lighting panels reflectors, shotgun microphones, boom poles—the list is impressive, and they continue to add to their collection.
If you do not feel confident using the equipment, Ed Video encourages you to contact them to set up a training session. These sessions are available to current members of Ed Video and designed to improve the skills of filmmakers. So if you want to learn how to use a Canon XF300, master a three-point lighting setup, or perhaps get an introduction to using a Mac, contact Angus to set up an appointment.
After watching EdMedia.TV, there is a good chance that you will feel inspired to create your own film or put the finishing touch on a work in progress. If so, Ed Video provides a valuable resource. They rent Canon HD cameras, various lenses, tripods, lighting panels reflectors, shotgun microphones, boom poles—the list is impressive, and they continue to add to their collection.
If you do not feel confident using the equipment, Ed Video encourages you to contact them to set up a training session. These sessions are available to current members of Ed Video and designed to improve the skills of filmmakers. So if you want to learn how to use a Canon XF300, master a three-point lighting setup, or perhaps get an introduction to using a Mac, contact Angus to set up an appointment.
“We believe strongly in mentoring,” says Liz, who acknowledges that most filmmaking, video making, or any kind of production requires a team. “And a huge part of our role in our community is networking, and helping people network, and hooking people up with who they need to be hooked up with.”
This spirit helps to make Ed Video an important part of our local film community. Besides the training sessions, you can also find on-line tutorials on their website, a project that will continue to grow. They also offer production
programs such as Cinematics, which “supports the creation of new shor narrative works.” Ed Video Killed the Radio Star is a unique project that provides
equipment to local musicians and allows them to create videos for another local
band’s songs. They also offer workshops on a wide variety of topics: screenwriting, creating a film poster, intro to Pro Tools, intro to Sony Vegas,
and sessions on camera operation and film distribution.
When asked to offer some final words to exemplify his experience at Ed Video, Angus was succinct as he was apt: “lots of different productions, lots of different
waves of filmmakers.” His words summarize the philosophy of Ed Video. They strive to create and foster an inclusive environment where all video artists can network, learn, and collaborate regardless of previous experience. Everyone is welcome and all are encouraged to learn more about the craft share their productions, and create the next wave of local film culture.
This spirit helps to make Ed Video an important part of our local film community. Besides the training sessions, you can also find on-line tutorials on their website, a project that will continue to grow. They also offer production
programs such as Cinematics, which “supports the creation of new shor narrative works.” Ed Video Killed the Radio Star is a unique project that provides
equipment to local musicians and allows them to create videos for another local
band’s songs. They also offer workshops on a wide variety of topics: screenwriting, creating a film poster, intro to Pro Tools, intro to Sony Vegas,
and sessions on camera operation and film distribution.
When asked to offer some final words to exemplify his experience at Ed Video, Angus was succinct as he was apt: “lots of different productions, lots of different
waves of filmmakers.” His words summarize the philosophy of Ed Video. They strive to create and foster an inclusive environment where all video artists can network, learn, and collaborate regardless of previous experience. Everyone is welcome and all are encouraged to learn more about the craft share their productions, and create the next wave of local film culture.
