Theogony
THEOGONY . an underwater experimental music video
Shooting “Theogony” is like the experience of 1st and 2nd year shoots combined. So experimental, so “film-like”; half the times I can’t really see what I’m doing, there’s barely any time to check to see what’s going on, gotta trust the pros that they will do a great job for you (and whoa, they captured some amazing stuff), and no chance of reshoots.
…and sometimes maybe you just have to let things go, change the idea to match what you’ve captured even. In David May’s words, “fuck the story, just make it look cool”.
I need to thank everyone in this shoot for being so patient, and trusting me and the team to do a great job, when you guys are barely given any info/details to work with. If you guys didn’t know the story; I just thought of the idea for this shoot about 2 weeks ago while I’m still on a few sets and rushing my homework. Most of the things came together this week. I must say, I’m darn lucky to find all of you to act and crew in this project; mostly at such last minute.
To my Assistant Director, Ruby Chang (who is doing almost everything; producing, purchasing, driving, crafty, costumes, etc.), I can’t say thank you enough. This shoot might not have even happened at all without you. Thanks for driving around, picking up stuff, offering suggestions, controlling my budget, and coordinating everything on the ground while I was in the water.
To my Key PA, Peter Huang, thanks for taking the initiative to do everything and anything at all, being on standby all the time, and always looking for things to do and help out with. The whole project and place would have been a mess if you haven’t been toiling hard in the background. Thank you so much.
To my Camera Department!
Mike Telford, as everyone has said; this shoot would have been a thousand times harder without you. Thank you so much for coming out, bringing all your scuba gear, and being open to ideas and doing just about anything we wanted.
David May, thanks for being “SO DOWN” for this. Thanks for skipping out on an ultra cool feature to do this small little project of mine. Your enthusiasm and great camera work will be missed when you’re gone.
Jon C. Thomas, thanks so much for coordinating the earlier part of the day, setting up the background etc. And coming back for the second session and doing B-roll. I wish I could have given you more stuff to work and play around with.
Graham and Nelson Talbot! Hey guys, sorry to just have you guys standing around for most part of the day; I thought I needed more people… but with the time and lack of gear, things got simplified. I’ll work on getting lights for you guys next time.
Jed Derkaoui, thanks for coming to help out early in the day! Same thing, I wish I could’ve given you more to work with and play around with.
Randy Yee, thanks for coming out to help move stuff! Really appreciate it man.
Thank you Clarissa! For helping out in the morning, not just with taking photos, but with everything else! (: Thanks for running around to get stuff for us, and hanging on to my phone… And ofcourse, moral support!
To my Costumers!
Nataliya Fedulova, thanks for making those trips with us to get costumes, and making the costumes! Really appreciate it!
Vicky Lui, thanks so much for all your input, and doing so much with so little to work with, in such little time. Love ya.
Lain B. Kim, thank you so much for running between two sets (you’re crazy! and awesome!), and helping me dress my actors and actresses. You must have been so stressed! Thank you!
To my Makeup Artists!
Judy A. Gruzelier, thank you so much for helping out! I wish I could’ve gotten more info to you, and given you more time to do the best you can. Really loved your work. Thanks!
Dee Wang, thanks for coming out for the shoot! It’s great to see you and work with you again!
Gemma Low, I still can’t believe I got you to come out for this! Thank you so much for helping out with makeup and diving into all this (: I hope you had fun!
To my trio of costumers and makeup artists, thanks for taking up the crazy task of dressing up almost 20 people in a matter of hours. You guys are awesome!
Thanks to Young Cho for dropping by and feeding us lunch!!! Thanks for making the trip down after class on last minute notice.
Thanks Erik Andersen for lending me a whole bunch of gear, and more than you thought you’d be lending me. Really appreciate it. Thank you!
Thanks to Kial Natale for lending us his LED lights!
Big thanks to Whites for lending us the sandbags.
Thanks to Callow Insurance for standing by us.
Thanks to Stephen Caine for your consultation on Risk Management.
Thanks to Terry Kerr and Colin Browne for input, and advice.
Thanks to Corbin Saleken for getting the gear ready.
Thanks to Paul Gibbs and SFU Aquatics for helping and bearing with us. Your lifeguards are awesome.
To the CAST.
Katherine Elizabeth, Natasha Wehn, Mackenzie Warner, Kimberly Gelera, Jan Manuel, Momona Komagata, Nestor Zerda, Ludi Yuen, Natalie Cryer, Gisella M, Daniel Buzelli, Derek Cheng, Mike Hansen, Su Ting Lai, Aga Postawska, Troy Kozuki, Karan Thukral, Jaimes Baker, Niki Bevers, and Paula McGlynn.
Thank you guys for coming out, being so patient, and trusting us. Thank you guys for being so game to try anything out, and offering suggestions! You guys made the project better than I thought it could be.
To Nestor, Katie, Ludi, Natalie and Momona; thanks so much for being on set all day! Thank you thank you thank you.
Momona, thanks so much for doing one of the most arduous tasks on set; retrieving the sandbags underwater again and again after every drop/dive. Thank you!
Nestor, thanks for taking some underwater stills! Can’t wait to see them!
Ludi, loved the speech you gave. I wish a camera was available to have recorded it all.
Again everyone; thank you so much. You guys aren’t playing heroes, you guys are heroes.(pardon the cheese)
Knight Rider BTS
Had the pleasure of being a part of shooting the Tito DeVille Band‘s music video, “Knight Rider” over the last few days!
Directed by: David McDonald
Directors of Photography: Graham and Nelson Talbot
AD1: Michelle Kee
AD2: Natasha Wehn
RED Cam Op: Shawn Seifert
RED Cam Asst: Jesse Vance
Key Grip/Gaffer: Jeff
Grips/PAs: Ian MacDougall, Kane Stewart, the ADs, Bryce Logan, Helena Cate, Edith Tee
B-roll, Stills: Cedric Yu
Crane Ops: Cedric Yu, Kane Stewart
(temp/unofficial credits)
Here are some of the Behind the Scenes photos!
An epic shoot on a really low budget; a lot of people helped us out in favors, providing us with equipment, time, and manpower.
Thanks to Erik Andersen of Love Story Media for the car mount;
it rained on the night of our chase scene so we didn’t get to use it; but hopefully will if there are pickups.
The Talbot twins made the whole underground party scene (and most of the shoot) work with pretty much only 4 PAR lights.
Can’t wait to see the final product in a few weeks!
Big thanks to all who have come out to help us, and for braving the cold on the last night of principal; our actress/star was visibly shivering at about 2-3am.
Other stuff the cast and crew braved: the rain on the first night of shoot,
the heat and stuffiness of the underground party scene (the walls were condensed with i-dunno-what).
Be sure to look out for the video! Some crazy stunts and VFX will be in there
(there might be a few more BTS shots from the 3rd day coming soon, I don’t have all my memory cards back yet).
Some of the gear used-
Cameras: RED Mysterium, 7D, 5D MkII
Lenses: Nikon Primes; Zeiss ZE 21mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4; Canon EF 24mm f1.4L, 85mm f1.2L, 70-200mm f2.8L IS
Lights: PARs, Altman Fresnels, Z96 LEDs
Grip: MSE Doorway Dolly + Track, 8×8′ Silk, 4×4′ Solids and 250 Diffusion, Flexfills, Photoflex Greenscreen
Camera Support: Kessler 18′ Crane + Revolution Head, 3′ Cineslider, Sony Monitor, Lilliput Monitor, Manfrotto Fig Rig
SFU Film 2009-2010
The SFU Screenings of 2010 are coming up within the month, with the First Year Screenings happening this Thursday evening at the IMAGES theater at the Burnaby Campus (:
Catch the trailer for the 4th year Grad Screening here!
Select 720p!
Trailer by Dylan Innes and David McDonald.
You’ll find below some pictures I took from the sets I’ve worked on over the last year.
I’ll Believe In Anything – Directed by Kiefer Doerksen.
Hearing that Kiefer was using the RED One to shoot his fourth year film, I had to get on his set; and so I did on the last day of his shoot as grip and set photographer. Kiefer’s an awesome guy to work with, and he won a scholarship for the screenwriting/script for this film, definitely a film to look out for.
Mandroid – Directed by Dylan Innes.
Dylan and I have been friends since high school, and I enjoy working with him. Couldn’t miss being on his fourth year film set, even after being jet-lagged (more than 20 hours of flight + transit from Singapore, which is 16 hours apart from Vancouver)… and yeah, I crashed after the first morning on set lol. “Hey Cedric, it’s the second day of the shoot!”, I woke up to them saying. I cam-assisted for D.O.P (Director of Photography) Felix Oltean on the Panasonic HVX300, and when the 5D2 had the 24fps update, I shot a short “news report” clip for Dylan in one of the later pickups. It was amusing to try to make white “blood” not look like jizz. Principal photography was mad; Dylan and his team did so many shots in a day; long days, but really well planned. Kudos to them.
Empire City – Directed by David McDonald.
I was privileged to be the camera operator for David on his fourth year film, being a first year student. Apart from weddings, it is the first piece of serious narrative work I did on the 5D2. Great learning experience. Most of the shoots took place at night so it felt really challenging sometimes, even though the filming days/nights weren’t as long as most others. One of the notable incidents was that the camera was close to being destroyed/damaged when the jib toppled over while on a dolly move when it ran over my feet (good thing I saved my own clumsiness by holding on tight to the camera). It was my first time working with Dave and the Talbots (pro lighters); it was really great working with them and I’ve worked with them on several occasions since.
Imminent Contact – Directed by Philip Jack
Second shoot whereby I was the camera operator. This shoot was very different from the other films, as it was all POVs; either from the characters HUDs (Heads-up Displays)/cameras or from the dropship’s monitoring cameras. Yes, we built a dropship. I helped out with the construction as well; I’ll try to post the timelapses of the set up and tear down of the set soon. The first two days were particularly depressing as it seemed like an impossible task with the amount of time and resources we had. However, Phil, Dylan, and set designers Geoff Manton and Dan O’Shea were able to put the large numbers of volunteers we had on the third day to good work, and everything turned around. The shoot went on a lot smoother and quicker than the set construction.
Can’t wait to see how all these films will turn out!
Check out the fourth year film website at http://www.sfufilm.ca/
#1 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen | Assistant Camera: Teresa
#2 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen | Ryder
#3 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen
#4 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen
#5 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen | Teresa
#6 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen
#7 | I’ll Believe In Anything . Kiefer Doerksen
#8 | Mandroid . Dylan Innes | Assistant Director: David McDonald
#9 | Mandroid . Dylan Innes | Director of Photography: Felix Oltean
#10 | Mandroid . Dylan Innes
#11 | Empire City . David McDonald | Directors of Photography: Graham and Nelson Talbot
#12 | Empire City . David McDonald
#13 | Empire City . David McDonald
#14 | Empire City . David McDonald
#15 | Empire City . David McDonald
Photos from [ Imminent Contact . Phil Jack ] to be updated soon!
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
Parties – 2009, early 2010
Click on the horizontal photos for larger images!
#1 | Switch @ Pop Opera . Deadbeat Digital
#2 | Switch @ Pop Opera . Voodoo Vandal
#3 | Switch @ Pop Opera
#4 | Switch @ Pop Opera . Kissed with a Noise
#5 | Switch @ Pop Opera
#6 | Switch @ Pop Opera
#7 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#8 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#9 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#10 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#11 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#12 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#13 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#14 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#15 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#16 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#17 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#18 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#19 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#20 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#21 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#22 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#23 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#24 | NYE Party @ Kinsmen
#25
#26 | Edoe
#27
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
Portraits 2009
Some portraits from last year, of the Fall leaves at SFU, and of Sister Says.
Click on the horizontal pictures for a larger image (:
#1 | Fall Shoot at SFU
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9 | 2nd Shoot for Sister Says
#10 | Rob and Gillian Thomson of Sister Says
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
2009 2010
A roundup of 2009, early 2010.
#1 | Blossoms at Burrard
On my way to Harbor Centre, I overslept on the bus and ended up at Burrard… but wow what a surprise; it was as if I walked into a dream. So I shot some videos and pictures to prove I wasn’t fantasizing…
#2 | Burrard Station
#3 | Reflection
#4 | Snowed In
So Mnason came from Toronto to hang out and escape from the snow… but we got snowed in here in Vancouver anyway.
#5 | Chxryl
#6 | Lisa Keisha (1)
#7 | AuBar
#8 | Valentines Dance Party
#9 | Prom (1)
#10 | Prom (2)
#11 | Goodbye June
#12 | Keisha (1)
#13 | Keisha (2)
#14 | Lisa Keisha (2)
#15 | Cypress
My first time snowboarding.
#16 | Whistler
My second time.
#17 | Sniper
Crazy paintball gun.
#18 | Seb and James
#19 | Carolyn and James
#20 | Serato Set-up
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
2008
The days before the 5D MkII. These shots were all taken with the 300D in 2008.
I’m currently picking some photos for my portfolio. If you think any of the photos on this weblog stands out to you in particular, or if you see a photo you like a lot here, please let me know! (:
#1 | The Peak Cover Shoot
One of those awesome shoots with Andy Fang, who was the photo editor of the weekly SFU newsletter, The Peak.
#2 | Summer Camp ’08
Camping at Andrew’s cabin. Lake’s water was freezing cold but super fun.
#3 | Okusa Sensei
Okusa Sensei practising his Iaido.
#4 | Meditation
Routine 30-second meditation at the end of Kendo practice.
#5 | Sparring
In the summer of 2009, after acquiring the 5D2, I made a video of our weekend training camp. Check it out here on Vimeo, or Youtube, where it has passed 3,400 views :D
#6 | Jon
Jonathan Page on drums for Painted Cities.
#7 | Painted Cities
#8 | On Set – Boxed-In
#9 | Halloween
A shot from the Halloween party organized by SFU Astronomy Club.
#10 | Kitteh.
Some shots of the pets when I worked at Petland.
#11 | Frilled Dragon
#12 | White-spotted Gecko
#13 | Baby Beardie
#14 | TS – Bus Station
My first faux tilt-shift series shot at SFU Burnaby.
#15 | TS – Badminton
#16 | TS – Pool
#17 | Aquarium 02
2nd time planting the aquarium. Before introducing the fish. Check out the video here.
#18 | Juggling Club
#19 | On Set – Kial
Director of Boxed-In, Kial Natale (Ki-Voltage Productions) gives the boom operator some tips.
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
2006 2007
Some highlights from the army days.
I’m currently picking some photos for my portfolio. If you think any of the photos on this weblog stands out to you in particular, or if you see a photo you like a lot here, please let me know! (:
#1 | Magazine shoot for Dax (01)
#2 | My first wedding shoot.
#3 | Cousin’s wedding.
#4 | Tell me Qundo.
One of the baddest, most fearsome dog in camp, Qundo can only be handled by a few dog trainers. I am not allowed to step into its kennel, and even feeding the dog is a dangerous task. Many dog bites (usually due to negligence) come from this dog.
#5 | The Reject.
Boris was going to be put down because it couldn’t be trained at another camp. Our officer took him in, showed him who’s boss; and now anyone in our camp can handle the dog.
#6 | The dog that can “leopard-crawl”.
All our dogs have unique personalities… just like people. In fact our officer assigns dogs to us by personality… or he would give a slacker a challenging/dangerous/difficult/bossy dog (though Qundo’s trainer/handler is one of his favorite ICs (in-charge)). Rudi here can leopard crawl (crawl through obstacles on its belly).
#7 | Post-grooming.
Duco is the only dog in camp that will carry its own muzzel.
#8 | Guard duty with dog at the base entrance.
#9 |Night Patrol
One of those solo 6 hour patrols in the airfield with your dog…
#10 | 7th Month Prayers at Dog Platoon
“Huat ah!” (fortune be upon us!) The 7th month “hungry-ghost” festival is when Taoist/Buddhist Chinese offer food to hungry ghosts. The 7th month of the Chinese/Lunar calendar is when the gates of hell open and ghosts are allowed to roam freely. Food, cigarettes, beer, incense are offered to the ghosts. Then we will pray for lottery winning numbers (4D).
#11 | Attraction
#12 | Bra.
#13 | Chicosci.
#14 | Fireworks at the Bay
#15 | Mosh ’07
#16 | Recruits’ Night
#17 | Field Camp
Small, 2-man “Basha” tents pitched neatly in rows during field-camp-week, while we were in basic military training (boot camp). The platoons prepare to set off for drill missions. Smoke is from a smoke grenade.
#18 | Parade
#19 | Morning Exercise
Morning “Exercise” is when we take the dogs out to shit in the morning. As you can see, it’s a pretty epic task.
#20 | Magazine shoot for Dax (02)
#21 | Obedience Training
Our officer demonstrating off-leash obedience drills with Hector, another dangerous dog.
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Cedric Yu | Photography . Videography
