GORE BAY—A Gore Bay father-son duo has been selected among the finalists for the CTV Best in Short films 2016 competition.
‘Homegrown,’ a short film by Jack and Dylon Whyte of Gore Bay, is among the 15 short films that are on the finalist list in the competition, as announced by Cinefest Sudbury.
Jack and Dylon Whyte have been making short movies for as long as they can remember.
“Actually, it was in the late ‘80s when we rented our first video camera. Back then cameras were shoulder mounted and weighed over 20 pounds, not including the VCR-sized ‘portable’ recording unit,” recounts Dylon Whyte.
“We sure have seen a lot of change in movie making over the years. In the beginning we were manually editing movies between two analog video cassette recorders-then by the mid to late ‘90s it was computer editing,” said Mr. Whyte. “Each iteration of the technology afforded new avenues of exploration and at the same time opened up new technical challenges to overcome. Probably the biggest difference between now and then is the accessibility of technology. At one time major industrial speed bumps existed between independent film makers and their audience. Today we have produce-on-demand services which help artists avoid issues with overhead and digital platforms and allow artists to reach a global audience. That’s a lot of change in just 30 years!”
Jack Whyte’s fascination with adding motion to his creations began in the 1960s with the development of his signature “Time Art.” Dylon’s interest in short stories began with music videos and commercials in the 1980s.
Jack and Dylon’s first success with short movie making came in the year 2000 with ‘Misery Bay,’ a short film shot entirely on Sony Hi-8.
“Cameras used to be something special and we wore our original Sony into the ground sometime in the early 2000s. Today, just about every single person carries one, if not two cameras in the form of cell phones and mobile devices. In fact, I always have one on me at all times,” said Mr. Whyte. “You just never know when a fortuitous opportunity will arise. If you’re not ready for it, it’s not going to wait for you!”
Not that beautiful moments cannot be enjoyed for their intrinsic value, which is what Jack and Dylon’s short film ‘Homegrown’ is all about.
“How many people wake up in the morning and rush into their day without enjoying the simple beauty of here and now? We miss remarkable moments, like sunrises, without even turning up our heads?” said Mr. Whyte.
Their newest film features time lapse footage by Mr. Whyte combined with an original soundtrack by his father that came from a reel-to-reel tape originally recorded in 1978.
Locals may recognize imagery in the short film, seeing as the footage was shot in Gore Bay during the summer and includes landmarks such as the Manitoulin Transport depot, Dean’s Valu-Mart and the Anglican Church. The Whytes have found great satisfaction in promoting Manitoulin in their projects and have helped raise awareness of the island and the unique experiences it has to offer.
‘Homegrown’ is screening as part of the CTV Best in Shorts competition at 12 noon on Saturday, September 24 at Silver City Cinemas in Sudbury. Those interested in attending are encouraged to contact Silver City and Cinefest for ticket details.
The film will also be posted online at Whytes.tv after its premiere for those who are unable to attend.
The screening of the finalist’s films will be followed by the awards presentation. There are three categories for awards, the open category, student category and Northern Flicks award.
The prize for first place in both the open and student category is $1,250 with second place being $750.
A prize of $500 will be presented in the Northern Flicks Award category. The Northern Flicks Award will recognize the film that best celebrates aspects of life in Northern Ontario and that inspires people to examine their values and beliefs relating to the environment, health behaviours and/or social change.
The 28th edition of Cinefest Sudbury runs from September 17-25.