Yesterday, Carly and I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and go on a little adventure. So I grabbed my camera and we headed north to Stouffville to visit Horton Tree Farms for their annual Maple Syrup Festival. Having grown up in the country, Carly was no stranger to the wonders of freshly tapped sweet sap. But I had never been to a sugar bush before and it was quite amazing. The grounds were breathtakingly beautiful, the staff was extremely friendly and knowledgable, and the pancakes were absolutely delicious (smothered in maple syrup, of course!). It was an afternoon filled with log cabins, wagon rides, trees, sunshine, and fresh air. What a lovely way to spend a lovely day. I made this video to capture the experience. Also, the music featured here is a demo track I’m currently playing around with. I hope you enjoy them both!

Horton Tree Farms – Sugar Bush from KidKulit on Vimeo.

On Friday, February 17, I joined John and Paulo (of RubioFilms) to check out the Sony PS Vita launch at 99 Sudbury. I was eager to get my hands on the gorgeous new handheld early (release date is February 22) and it did not disappoint. The huge LED screen is pure luxury and I found it extremely easy to lose myself in gameplay. The entire unit feels light, but it plays very big. This video (shot and edited by John) features some of my first impressions of the device as well as gameplay footage from titles like Escape Plan and Little Deviants.

Playstation Vita Event Coverage from John Lacsina on Vimeo.

On Saturday, I went to a garage sale in one of the Artscape Triangle Lofts in Parkdale. The items that lined the tiny condo first appeared in the usual order — old clothes, used books + records, miscellaneous housewares, and a few random pieces for good measure. The owners were very friendly, offering warm drinks and sweet treats while we perused through their unwanted things. I politely declined and waited patiently as CB rifled through mystery boxes. While looking around the apartment aimlessly (and somewhat disinterestedly), I spotted something silver on the end of a small table — it was a Canon GL2 digital video camcorder! I could hardly believe my eyes. I remember wanting that exact model years ago. And now, there it was… a $2000+ piece of pro equipment sitting quietly in a garage sale. I picked it up and casually inspected it. It seemed to be in good condition. It seemed too good to be true. I paced around nervously and finally asked one of the owners how much. She replied that there was a slight issue with the tape deck mechanism that she had never bothered to repair and had since replaced the camera with a new one. Since she was selling the device potentially broken, she offered it to me for $10. TEN DOLLARS. My head nearly exploded, but I tried my best to disguise my delight. Noting my interest, she began to gather some extra accessories for the unit — a power adapter, a charger, and a battery pack — as if in attempt to sweeten the already amazing deal. A mere tenner later, and I am now the proud owner of this awesome camera. Obviously, I took it on a test run (see footage below) to check the functionality. So far, so good! Best. Score. Ever.

Canon GL2 Test from KidKulit on Vimeo.

Marshall McLuhan, “Oracle of the Electric Age”. He was a man ahead of his time. It seems many of his concepts still remain relevant today and I attempted to illustrate this here. This video is my entry for the CBC’s Demystifying McLuhan Mashup Challenge contest. All the video clips were provided by the CBC and the music, of course, is one of my own compositions. Whether you agree or disagree with the professor, there is no denying his impact on the way we think about media.

All Electric Information Is Simultaneous from KidKulit on Vimeo.

Photo Credit: Jason Chan

On Sunday, October 30th, 2011, Digifest held a Sunday Funday at Yonge Dundas Square. The event included live bands, food trucks and karaoke. I cut a short video of the day using footage shot by my brother. Props to all those brave souls who sang on one of downtown Toronto’s busiest corners.

DigifestTO – Sunday Funday – Yonge Dundas Square from photojunkie on Vimeo.

Halloween on Church Street (Toronto’s Gay Village) is unlike anything else you’ve ever seen before. The street is closed off for several blocks and everyone just roams around in their costumes, taking in the sights and sounds of the night. It’s truly an experience and always a great time. This year, my brother headed down to check out the spectacle and captured some really great clips on his new Canon 5D Mark II. Since I was unable to join him, I figured editing his footage would be the next best thing. Watching this video, I almost feel like I was there with him. I hope you feel that way too. Enjoy!

Halloween in the Village from KidKulit on Vimeo.

It’s a modest edit, but I hope you enjoy it. Also, I composed the music used in this video too. If you’d like to see how it was created, check out the recording process as well.

CLUTCH was a pilot program that spanned over 6 months in 2008-2009. It offered a select group of young Filipino women the opportunity to express their cultural and personal identities by creating art through a multitude of mediums. Nothing was off limits and their final products have been truly awe inspiring for me. The girls collectively showcased their pieces at their program end exhibition, Open Fire – The Debut. Here is a short video I edited highlighting their work over the course of their program and from the event itself.