IFCO Member Profile

Name: Paul Gordon
Membership: Full Member, since 2005

Films:
Selected Filmography
Rambled, 1998, 16mm, Black and White, 50 minutes, Drama
Dump Talk, 2001, 16mm/DV Comdey/Doc multi-part television show
Baghdad or Bust, 2003, Feature length documentary, DV/Super 8, 70mins
Super 8 Winter, 2004, 5mins, Super 8
The Changeover, 2006, 8mins super 8, 35mm, DV
E.I life, 2006, Super 8, 3mins
The Incident at Smiths Falls, 2008, 13mins super 8/HD
Short cuts and Pathways, 2010, Super 8, 8mins

1. Why do you make films? When did you realize wanted to make films?
I've always been a movie junky, growing up near the Mayfair theatre probably started it all. It was a chance to see classic/cult films before everyone had a VCR. I started making films in high school on Video 8.

2. What's your process of creation? Who's involved with it?
Most of my films are created on the fly. I always have a "basic plan" but most of my non-narrative films are simply created/tied together in post after I know what I have on the visual side. Dramatic films are always scripted, and storyboarded though. I also like to always location scout before a shoot, taking photos or video of planned locations. I generally try to get a small crew together that I have worked with before... I always go back to the same people.

3. When making films, do you think to adopt a certain style or common theme?
Not really I'm kinda all over the place...though I really like to tie in original music recorded around the time of filming or just after. The music sets the mood.

4. Where to do you look for inspiration?
Fellow filmmakers, Canadian indie films from the 70's and 80's, and literature.

5. What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a filmmaker in Ottawa?
Advantages: A nice pool of gear that is usually pretty available and easy to book. Zero hassle when it comes to filming in Ottawa, or surrounding locations.

Disadvantages: Small crew/actor pool to choose from for bigger budget dramatic shoots. Filmmaking in Ottawa is always a side project and finding people or time when everybody has a day job can be difficult. And finally finding cash to mount bigger projects can be tough when your competing for funding with larger centres like Toronto.

6. What ultimately determines a good film in your opinion?
It has to be engaging whether that is a good story, unique visuals, or a well produced sound scape.

7. What is your personal mission statement?
To try and have enough time to shoot a couple new works every year.

IFCO Member Profile

Name: Irina Lyubchenko
Films: Le néant hauté l`être, Milk, Tea, Untitled (Flour)

1. Why do you make films? When did you realize wanted to make films?
I have a background in photography and I have always been interested in creating spaces for the camera to photograph. At one point the scene in front of the camera started to involve temporal elements and I felt it was important to document this shift. That was the discovery of the medium of film for me.

2. What's your process of creation? Who's involved with it?
I usually have an idea that would be a highly defined still image in my imagination. I start from that and advance it further by making sketches and doing some research. The initial still image that I first imagined evolves into a moving one during this stage of development. When I feel I am ready to test it out I ask my friends Mark Macdonald and Virginia Bullock to assist me. They are my team.

3. When making films, do you think to adopt a certain style or common theme?
Yes, I do. My films have been rather experimental and abstract, involving the themes of adding or subtracting, revealing or hiding and of emotional overflowing expressed through material metaphors. The new film I have in mind will be inspired by the German Expressionist cinema.

4. Where do you look for inspiration?
In having a good time and being attentive to myself and surroundings. In trying new things and learning impractical skills.

5. What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a filmmaker in Ottawa?
Advantages: The community is very welcoming and IFCO stuff is amazing! Thank you guys for doing your job with so much expertise and joy!

Disadvantages: Not enough big film festivals in Ottawa that would feature experimental films as well. Or are there any?

6. What ultimately determines a good film in your opinion?
I believe a good film should provide a ground for an aesthetic and mental re-evaluation of norms prevalent in a viewer’s head.

7. What is your personal mission statement?
Mission is a scary word. I hope to be able to continue to make films that will be able to communicate ideas behind those films. Filmmaking is a much more complicated, time consuming and subtle way of talking to people and that’s what I want to do, to say that which couldn’t be said in words as successfully.