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Field Notes 005: Lytton Forest Fires

In August of 2022, we the Environmental Justice Foundation contacted us to capture footage and interviews of forest fires that were going on in Lytton. Based on the traditional lands of the l’Kemstin First Nation, Lytton had been devastated by forest fires in 2021, flooding in 2021 and a second round of fires were threatening the region in the summer of 2022.

The footage was intended to be used in a project at the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in Egypt, as part of a project to highlight the impact of climate change around the world. Teams were hired all around the world, and we worked as the production crew for the Canadian portion. We prepared as much as possible but ended up relying on our in-the-moment personal skills to get some unique footage for our client.

We acknowledge that we live, work and create on the traditional territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ nations. 

A New Approach to Pre-Production

Preparing for this project was unique for us, as we weren’t editing at all. This job was more of a video-journalism assignment than most of our branding/marketing work. We were hired to spend 2 days in the interior capturing footage of the devastation from forest fires and interviewing survivors.

Although fires were currently going on, interviewing survivors would be difficult as many people who had been impacted were spread around the province.

We knew we could get some distant footage of the current fires but wanted to prepare enough content for a full story. Through our network, we were connected with two residents who had lost their homes in 2021 from fires in the Kamloops region. They agreed to help us out with the project and share their stories. Between the current fires and these interviews, we knew we would get enough footage for the project but weren’t 100% certain that we would be able to get enough b-roll to connect with their entire stories.

As the forest fires were under control, we were running out of preparation time and we set out.

Day 1: Victoria to Lytton, BC

Day one was a hot day full of travel. We left Victoria, BC, and took the ferry from Vancouver Island to the mainland. We made a quick stop in Vancouver before driving the next 3 hours to Lytton.

As we arrived in Lytton, we found out that the entire town had been closed off due to the devastation from 2021. We knew that access would be restricted, but hardly anything was visible from the road and there was nowhere to stop. Although it’s understandable, as it probably helps to stop the public from holding up traffic, it posed a serious issue to our project.

We decided to call it an early night nearby and decided we would investigate early in the morning.

Day 2: Devastation in Lytton

We woke up with the sun on our second day and did a second drive by of the town. We confirmed that the likelihood of getting any shots from outside the grounds would be nearly zero.

As a back-up, our plan was to interview local community members and see if anyone would be willing to share their stories about how they had been impacted. We found a small market at a nearby gas station and began asking a few of the people there. On a lucky break, we met the public liason officer from the municipality who offered to take us on a tour of the site so we could get ground level footage.

This was a huge opportunity, and we were quickly set up with hard hats and reflective vests before entering the site. The images were heart stopping. Much of the clean up was already underway, but a lot of the wreckage still stood. There were twisted bicycles, burnt cars, scorched houses, and ash over many of the house plots.
We were incredible lucky and thankful to our guide for all his help.

With some impressive footage on our memory cards, we headed over to Kamloops to prepare for our interviews on Day 3.

Day 3: Stories From Survivors

We had another early day and went to set up our interviews. Our first contact had bought a new property, to lose everything during the Monte Lake fires in 2021. Hearing the story of their family and how quickly they had to evacuate put whole new meaning behind the footage we captured the day before.

We had the opportunity to fly our drone and capture some aerial footage of the region that had been burnt only 12 months before. Then we headed back to Kamloops to interview our second contact who was impacted by the same fire.

Hearing the stories and seeing where the survivors were one year later gave a whole new perspective. It’s easy to see the impacts of climate change on the news, but seeing the devastation and talking with people who directly had their lives changed was eye opening.

After these interviews were wrapped up, our team had finished early enough in the day to make the full drive back to Victoria. After another 6 hours of travel, we arrived back downtown Victoria with some amazing footage and a new perspective.

Final Thoughts

This project was a new challenge for our team. It required a journalistic intent and a new approach to pre-production while relying on our ability to make connections in the moment. Now that the project is all said and done, we’re grateful to get the opportunity to work on video production projects like this and extremely lucky for all of the help we received on this project.

Field Notes 004: Kapoose Creek

This spring we had the pleasure of sending a video production team up to Kyuquot Sound for a development project. Our videographers traveled from Victoria, BC via car, float plane, boat, and truck to arrive at this destination. It was by far the most remote location that our team has worked on, and it required a lot more logistics and flexibility to ensure that we were able to finish the project on time. This site is on the traditional territory of the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations

As our usual pre-production process dictates, we conceived, scripted, shot listed, and planned as much as possible in advance. We were hit with a couple of surprises before we left but were able to think on the fly and came away with some amazing footage.

We acknowledge that we live, work and create on the traditional territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ nations. 

Pre-Departure: Major Changes

Initially, we created a video concept to show off the rugged beauty of the landscape and the progress of the commercial development underway. The idea made use of a host who would lead the viewers around the property and give the feeling of an in-person tour around the site. 

The talent we had booked to help us with this project, unfortunately, came down with COVID only days before we were set to fly out. This meant that we had to significantly change the concept for the project in a very short period. 

We decided to maintain the structure of the initial video, add more B-roll to our existing locations, and fall back on a voice-over in post-production.

Day 1: Traveling Up North

Our video production team left Victoria at 6:30 am on the first day and embarked on a 4.5-hour drive up to Gold River. This drive took us through Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River, and Strathcona Park. The overcast weather in Victoria turned to rain and stormy as we got closer to Gold River. As we arrived at the dock for our flight, we were greeted by a black bear having a quick bite by the river.

We had a scheduled flight with Air Nootka at noon and were set to get dropped off at Volcanic Cove, however, the storm had set in at this point and winds were over 40km/hour. We had a rough 30-minute flight but even with a great pilot, we were unable to land in the Cove. This meant that we would be dropped off at Walters Cove where we would have to wait for a water taxi.

Unfortunately, it was still pouring rain, and we had a healthy amount of camera equipment to protect. We waited in a nearby shed for the taxi to arrive and tried to stay as dry as possible. After half an hour, our water taxi arrived, and we were off. We had a 40-minute ride on choppy water but arrived safely at Volcanic Cove.

The final leg of this journey was a half-hour drive along old logging roads before we arrived at the site. When we finally arrived, we had spent 10 hours of straight traveling in a car, truck, plane, and boat. All we could do at this point was hope that we would get some nice weather or the whole trip would have been a waste.

Day 2: Enjoying the Sunshine

The weather forecast predicted stormy weather for the next several weeks, so we knew that we would have to make the most of any nice weather patches. 

We woke up at 5 am to overcast but dry skies. We decided to make the most of it and get some footage along the beach and of the mountains. We had a quick tour around more of the site before grabbing breakfast and heading out to film more. 

There were sunny patches throughout the morning as we filmed some of the construction and development sites, but rain set in, and we took a break for lunch.

By some miracle, the rain cleared up as we were eating, and we were treated to beautiful, clear, blue skies for the rest of the day. Rain was still forecast for the rest of our trip, so we made the decision to film as much as possible while we had great weather.

We toured around the area, filming beaches, rivers, forests, cabins, job sites, and farming areas. We were able to capture everything that we needed but it took a 15-hour day of filming.

Day 3: Returning to Victoria

We had initially planned to spend two normal days filming but were glad that we did everything we could on Day 2. We had some dry weather in the morning and grabbed some additional footage, but we had called for a plane to pick us up around midday.

We were picked up in Volcanic Cove this time before the storm set in, but we could see rain in the distance as we took off. Our trip stopped in Walters Cove, Friday Harbour, and Tahsis on the way back to Gold River. Even in the rain, this was some of the most beautiful landscape our team has ever seen.

We landed safely in Gold River and began our trip back to Victoria. We arrived at 8 pm, less than 72 hours from departing on our trip

Day 4: Reviewing Video Footage

This project required coordination with a third party so that we had some animations to use in the final video. Immediately after returning to our studio in Victoria, BC we had to review the footage and share select drone clips. 

After a first glance, it was clear that this footage came out better than expected. In the grand scheme of the project, condensing the shoot time was the best decision and it wouldn’t have been possible if we had additional shots of dialogue or talent. In the end, it worked out for the best.

Final Thoughts

It’s projects like these that make us extremely grateful to live and work here on Vancouver Island. Victoria BC is such an amazing place to provide access to opportunities like this and having worked on other remote projects like this in the past has given us a lot of insight to make projects like this possible. In the end, our team prioritizes the success of the video over comfort, and it really comes through in the final product.

Although the trip was challenging at times, this was an amazing experience and we’re glad to have captured every part of it to share.

Field Notes 003: Victoria & Cowichan Lake

This year we began production on our first short documentary. The filmmaking process began as a search for local craftsmen with an interest in sustainability and post-production is ongoing at the time of writing. We had several locations set for production and we sent a member of our film team to go visit each location and ensure that we were adequately prepared for any outcome.

Our video production team went to a Victoria BC beach, a guitar workshop in Cowichan Lake, and a trail in Mesachie to get the footage for this project and we can’t wait to show you how everything turned out!

We acknowledge that we live, work and create on the traditional territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ nations and for this project we also recognize the traditional territory of the Ts’uubaa-asatx where we filmed.

Day 1: Cowichan Lake Recce

Our first visit to the location was done several weeks before production was scheduled. Especially, when coordinating across several sites, it’s important to have a team member visit in advance so that we can put together an adequate plan for the shoot.

On a normal recce, our team is looking at the lighting, space on location, furniture in the room, or natural features of the location. Once we get an idea of some angles and light availability, we’re able to put together a list of lenses and lighting that will be necessary on the shoot day.

We took several photos of the space, which were useful in planning out the look and feel of the video. Having images to refer to and test out colour grades gave a clear vision for the project.

This day also had a second benefit, we were able to chat with our interview subject and learn about his process. We had talked with Steve from Lone Tree Guitars via email and on the phone but meeting in person was a crucial step in getting to know the subject for the film and planning out the stories’ structure.

Some angles that we initially were considering were dismissed solely on the fact that it wasn’t authentic. Talking with Steve in person gave a much stronger impression of his process and intention with his guitars. We always aim to elevate our subject’s story instead of manufacturing one, and meeting our subject was an important step towards that goal for this project.

Colour Grading Sample

Sample footage taken from our recce that we used to test out different looks and feels for the documentary.

Day 2: Video Production in Victoria 

Our first shoot day was scheduled for a beach in Victoria. For this day, we kept the equipment minimal to prevent any disruption. Since this location was familiar to our team, we picked a time that would work well with either overcast or sunny weather. This proved to work well since we had overcast weather for the first half and sunshine for the second half of the shoot.

On this day, we had a sequence to shoot that would be cut into the film and show part of the process away from the guitar shop. Although the interview hadn’t been recorded for the storyline, visiting the shop and speaking with Steve was really helpful in piecing together some ideas or different shots that we would want to match within the film.

We left with everything we needed, confident that it would fit together well with the larger part of the film which was to be recorded in a couple of weeks.

Day 3: Production in Cowichan and Mesachie

Although this was the third day of our film shoot, it was also the most packed. We had 3 portions planned for the day: hiking in Mesachie, an interview, and building a guitar in the shop.

The forecast for this day was overcast and rainy but on arrival, we had some clear skies. We made the call to switch around the schedule and shoot the hiking portion while we had the chance. Making this call, we knew that the workshop would have relatively consistent lighting throughout the day since we noted this during our recce. We filmed several hiking portions and then came back to the workshop as the rain blew in.

Since we were shooting in a small workshop, the initial plan was to bring several lights so that we could have consistent lighting in different parts of the room. Luckily, Steve had several overhead practical (built-in) lights that we could use and it meant that we only needed to bring in interview lighting. We grabbed the interview shots and filmed part of the guitar-making process for the rest of the day.

To Be Continued

Overall, we walked away with a great story and some beautiful footage. We were lucky in the sense that Steve and his workshop were great on camera but the success of the shoot was also due to our pre-production process and scouting locations in advance.

We’re still working on the edit for this project but can’t wait to share this when everything is done and cut together!

Field Notes 002: Los Angeles

Our videographers get to some of the most interesting places to capture stories. In the fall, we had the opportunity to send a videographer from our Victoria office down to Los Angeles to capture an interview and explore the stunning landscapes outside of the city. 

This project went through last-minute changes, tight timelines, lots of travel, and a healthy dose of fatigue. It’s a perfect example of why we like to plan as much as we can in advance. Our process relies heavily on pre-production and this allows us to execute under pressure and handle last-minute changes without sacrificing quality.

We acknowledge that we live, work and create on the traditional territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ nations.

Camper Van at Castaic Lake

Day 1: Last Minute Changes

Arriving in Los Angeles, we had initially set a day aside to explore to pick up our rental equipment and pick up some props while finishing off some other meetings for other projects. After getting settled into the hotel, we ran into a scheduling conflict that meant our interview had to be moved up a day.

This meant that we had to pick up our audio and lighting equipment from L.A.Camera Rentals and go immediately to the location so that we could conduct the interview before the end of the day.

Although this caused a little stress, we were able to travel across L.A. twice and arrive just in time to get the footage we needed (albeit on a tighter timeline than anticipated). Luckily, we had extensive questions already planned so we were able to get the sound bites we needed on a compressed schedule. 

Unfortunately, we did have some meetings planned for this day so we had to shuffle these around, condensing our schedule for Day 2.

Day 2: The Shoot Day

This was the initial day that we had set aside for filming and returned to the location to capture some additional footage. This day was now a reduced day, but because some meetings from Day 1 had been rescheduled, our timeline was still fairly tight.

This is where having a set of pre-planned shots is useful. When we create our shotlist, we plan out all of the essential pieces that we need for a successful project. In the end, we can always shoot more and if we have better footage than we planned, that’s great! We like to think of our shotlist as the minimum that we need for the project to be a success. This is especially useful when we’re on a tight timeline and don’t have as much time to play around and try different types of shots.

We were able to get everything we needed and then some before leaving the warehouse. We’re especially grateful for the ride that we were lent by Texino (and coordinated by Acuva) since it was essential to the project and allowed us to capture a lot of footage that would have been inaccessible.

Day 3 & 4: Exploring California

When you’re given the opportunity to make a video exploring California, you want to make the most of it. That’s why we planned 5 different locations into 48 hours with the camper van.

We were able to get footage of the vehicle at Zuma Beach, Point Mugu, Wheeler Creek, and Castaic Lake. 

By this point, fatigue was another factor that was starting to set in. Day 3 was another long day, but luckily it’s way easier to follow a plan than it is to make one. A few fun locations did come up unexpectedly but time was too essential to drive around aimlessly searching for a location. Having locations pre-scouted (thanks Google) and planned meant that all we had to do was follow the directions and set up at each location! 

Sunset in California

Saved By Pre-Production

At the end of the day, this trip was a perfect example of why we like to frontload our production process as much as possible. If we didn’t have a schedule, script, questions, and shot list prepared ahead of time, it would have been extremely difficult to handle the schedule changes that we hadn’t anticipated.

Although we like to maintain flexibility on our shoots in case a different storyline or shot reveals itself, having strong pre-production plans to fall back on is a lifesaver. If we had waited until the last minute to plan our shots, questions, or locations, the whole project would have fallen apart when confronted with any changes. When our plans changed, we were able to accommodate our clients and interview subjects without having to sacrifice the end result.

Script with Directors Notes

Traveling as a Creative

Please do not take any of this as legal advice. This is just a summary of our experience. If you are traveling for business we recommend doing your own research and contacting an immigration lawyer or nearest consulate for personalized guidance based on your field and destination.

As Canadians, we’re used to traveling to the U.S. without a visa for recreational purposes but when researching information about traveling for work purposes it became clear that additional documentation may be needed. 

We contacted the U.S. consulate, scoured their website, and consulted with a number of creatives in Victoria to determine what was the most appropriate means to enter the U.S. for us. It can be difficult to get a straight, personalized answer without scheduling an appointment with the U.S. consulate and unfortunately, they’re often booked for months in advance.

From our understanding and based on the conversations we had at the border, we were able to send a videographer to the U.S. for work without a visa because we received all of our funds from a Canadian client. That being said, if you are traveling to the U.S. for work in a creative field, we still recommend scheduling an appointment with an immigration lawyer or the U.S. consulate and researching visas (the O1 Visa was one that had been brought to our attention). 

Field Notes 001: Vargas Island (Bonus: Backcountry Packing List)

We’re often reminded how lucky we are to be a part of a video production company on Vancouver Island and this project will always stand out.

Over the past summer, we took a trip into the backcountry on Vargas Island which is the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht, Ahousat, and Hesquiaht nations. We wanted to capture the experience of being on the island while showcasing the unique natural beauty of the area. Without any location scouting and a limited power supply, we had to plan our shoot with as much flexibility as possible.

The trip started with a spectacular flight over Tofino and was met with an unexpected turn of events but we were left with an unforgettable experience and some spectacular footage. 

For any adventure filmmakers, we even included our packing list at the bottom!

We acknowledge that we live, work and create on the traditional territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ nations. 

Vargas Island

Whether you’re going by water or air, Vargas Island is a beautiful 7km trip from Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The island is a photographer’s dream; sandy beaches, layered mountains, lush vegetation, and islands dotting the coast. Most of the island is now part of Vargas Island Provincial Park but there are several smaller private lots along the coast. The island even features a surf break if you’re interested in getting away from the crowds of Mackenzie or Long Beach.

Note: We were warned several times about wolves on the island, but didn’t see any ourselves. I would still recommend taking the necessary precautions and being smart about your food storage. The only surprise encounter we did have was with cell service and 5g data on our phones!

Ocean view on Vargas Island

Day 1 – Arriving in Tofino

We left Victoria at 4 am and began the journey up towards Tofino. After a quick stop in Port Alberni, we were able to get past the construction at Kennedy Hill without much of a wait. With a little extra time, we stopped at Long Beach to watch some surfers and review our shooting schedule for the day before heading to the airport.

Atleo airlines took us on an amazing flight and they even took one of the doors off so we could get better aerial shots (my first experience hanging out of a helicopter while filming and loved every minute of it). We did a couple of laps around Tofino and circled Lone Dome before making a beach landing on Vargas. We’re fortunate that our pilot mentioned that low cloud cover could prevent a pick-up on Day 3 because if we didn’t catch this we could easily have missed another shoot we had scheduled back in Victoria.

After arriving, our priority was setting up shelter and tying up our food supply before getting any shots. While filming, we prioritized the beach area closer to our camp so we could venture out further on Day 2. The skies were clear and we weren’t sure if it would stay so we took off with our drone to catch at least one golden hour. Since we were filming on private property, we were able to launch without any issues and caught some amazing footage of the island at sunset.

Helicopter shots on Vargas

Day 2 – Turn of Events

Since we did have cell service, we were able to text the helicopter pilot about the incoming weather and he recommended an early pick up at 3 pm. This caught us off guard since we still had a day and a half of shooting planned, which we now had to cram into 8 hours.

Some clouds rolled in over the morning and we used this as an opportunity to get several close-ups of various features around the property with soft lighting. Often when you’re shooting in nature, it’s easy to get caught up with the beautiful landscapes and forget about the little details that you’re experiencing. For us, it was the ocean breeze through the grass, the shell beach crunching under our feet, and waves crashing on the rocky shore that completed the experience.

Luckily, we still had enough time to venture into the forest where we found a mossy creek full of ferns and fallen trees. We decided to risk a flight under the canopy with our drones. This is a technique that a lot of people don’t think to use; drones are great for landscapes but they’re so much more versatile than that. We ended up with some unique gimbal-like shots under the canopy that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

With our last hour, we went snorkeling and grabbed some underwater shots before heading back over to the pick-up spot. For anyone who ever wants to film a helicopter landing on a beach, I would strongly encourage you to use a cover for your camera.

Day 3 – A Blank Sheet

So unfortunately, this 3-day trip became a 2-day trip and Day 3 was spent charging batteries, cleaning out sand from everywhere and backing up our 730 GB of footage. This shoot was a really unique opportunity for us and was a great chance to put our pre-production process to the test. Had we not shot listed and scheduled our time out accordingly, we wouldn’t have been able to re-adjust or could have potentially missed some crucial shots.

Bonus Packing List

For anyone interested in backcountry filmmaking, here’s our packing list:

Camera Gear

      • Blackmagic Pocket 6k Pro
      • V Mount Batteries
      • Sigma 18-35
      • Canon 24-105
      • Rain Cover
      • DJI Mavic Air 2S
      • DJI Mavic Mini
      • GoPro Hero 7 Black
      • 500GB Samsung SSD’s
      • Various SD & Micro SD cards
      • Microfiber cloths
      • Lens Blower/Cleaner
      • Camera Brush
      • Tripod

Camping Gear

      • Tent
      • Headlamps
      • Backpacks
      • First Aid Kit
      • Rain Jackets
      • Hiking Boots
      • Sleeping Bags
      • Thermal layers
      • Sleeping Pad
      • Rope
      • Dry Bags
      • Stovetop
      • Propane
      • Pots and Pans
      • Rain jacket

Food

      • Water 
      • Water purifying tablets
      • Several Backcountry meals
      • Clif Bars
      • Pita & Hummus
      • Oatmeal
      • Flavoured Electrolyte Mix
      • Coffee
      • Trail Mix 
Contact Us
contact@surfandstonestudios.com