Channel 3 Communications and Summit Productions collaborated on the video to help generate discussion on the difficult, yet important topic. The video is being featured on http://www.advancecareplanning.ca/ in Canada and the Livestrong.org site in the U.S. at http://blog.livestrong.org/2012/04/16/make-your-wishes-known/

Please share the links and start the discussion with those who matter to you!

- Chris

Michael began the day at the Farmer’s market in front of Stauffer Library where he met with local farmers and mingled with the community. Rather than simply signing autographs or posing for pictures and then moving onto the next fan, Michael really takes the time to interact with those around him on a more personal level. He devotes his complete attention to whomever he’s speaking with, listening intently to every word, often at times going out of his way to make each and every person he meets feel important. By far, the funniest part of the morning was when Michael asked a young boy what his favorite vegetable was… “french fries!” – *facepalm*.

From there, Michael headed over to the Leonard Dining Hall were he served tasty dishes to students. Without any hesitation, Michael jumped right in with the other staff and the energy in the kitchen felt amazing as the students eagerly began to line up. Michael served up some delicious penne in a roasted pepper sauce, as well as his Grandmother’s hearty chicken stew. With the support of the kitchen behind him, it was incredible to watch so much healthy food move so quickly. I frequently film for Hospitality Services where great food is a fantastic perk, but I didn’t want to miss a beat and opted to keep my batteries charged and memory cards backed-up whenever there was a break. Not tasting some of the incredible food throughout the day was one of the hardest things I had to do that day, but I was determined to film as much as I could. Once the rush had passed, students were delighted to get a chance to talk with Michael about everything from cooking tips to his appearance on the Iron Chef.

After lunch, we headed over to Mack-Corry for a book signing featuring his latest cook book; The Best of Chef at Home: Essential Recipes for Today’s Kitchen. What surprised me again was that despite a long line, Michael still took the time to talk with each and every fan. What also sets him apart from a lot of celebrities is the fact that he sits in front of the table near to everyone, rather than behind it.

Once the last book had been signed, we headed to Ban Righ Hall for a reception with Hospitality Services and Queen’s University staff to celebrate their continued partnership. Speaking to the crowd, Michael reminded everyone that their initiative towards food sustainability wouldn’t have been possible without the team’s hard work and congratulated everyone for their effort. After spending the day with Michael, it’s easy to see why he’s become Canada’s best-known chef. His passion for cooking, genuine interest and humble nature really connects with people. The relationships he forms over food are just as important to him as the food itself.

You can see more pics from the day on Hospitality Services Facebook page here (photos taken at the book signing where taken by another photographer). If you’d like to see what Michael’s been up to lately, check out his new web series “Food Country” at ChefMichaelSmith.com or follow him on Twitter.

- Chris

The film coverage was provided for my other site over at Tremblant360.com and gave us the opportunity to test some new equipment in the harsh cold. Filming for 24 hours is a tough test on its own, but the patience required in the cold to capture the dynamic shots we created is a real testament to our filming capabilities in extreme conditions. Being able to film in a snowy environment for hours on end throughout the night in sub-zero temperatures is something that I’m really proud of. It’s an advantage that carries over to everyday real world applications too – if we can film there, we can probably handle your next video shoot. More importantly, it gave us the opportunity to be part of something special and help raise awareness about a fantastic event for a great cause! If you’d like to know more about the 24h Tremblant events, you can find out more at 24htremblant.com

- Chris

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My personal fascination with cinematography stems from both my roots in downhill skiing and my interest in the BBC’s hit show, Top Gear. As a kid, I grew up on the slopes of mountains like Mont Tremblant where I spent winters carving turns with family, which drew me into the world of Warren Miller flicks and all sorts of epic ski & snowboard films. For the record, I think the ski & snowboard film industry is filled with some of the most creative, innovative, young filming talent on the planet, as each new filmmaker tries to outdo the last. It’s not enough to simply go out and film someone jumping off a huge kicker… you’ve gotta push the limits of your equipment in some of the most adverse conditions in order to find the coolest shots. Then edit it together in a way like no one ever dreamed of in order to stay ahead. All on a tight budget, or sometimes no budget at all.

I’ve been running another venture over at Tremblant360.com for a few years now, where I’ve gained considerable experience filming around the mountain and learned a great deal in the process, both about film production and myself. I can spend the entire day (sometimes an entire night) out in the freezing cold filming, or find myself collecting shots in the middle of a stormy blizzard, yet I feel like I’m on an epic adventure and love every minute of it. I like to think of Tremblant360 as a testing ground for North Summit Productions… if we can film at -30′ celsius for hours on end, we can probably handle your next shoot.

At the other end of the cinematic spectrum, I’m a huge fan of the BBC’s jaw-dropping automotive series Top Gear. Among other things, Tremblant360 gave me something to film and Top Gear drove me (no pun intended) in the direction I wanted to take my filming style. As the BBC’s most popular show, they’ve managed to attract a huge global audience, many of which aren’t even into cars. The show prides itself on breathtaking cinematic quality and truly stunning edits that really captivate your attention. Everything I’ve learnt about cinematography and film production has been in pursuit of achieving that level of cinematic video quality.

Which brings me back to the bit about the business. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to win a film festival in San Francisco, have work featured on television across North America, and formed numerous positive relationships along the way with big players in some major industries… all before I ever thought about making a business out of it. It was purely for the love of it. How things got started at the beginning of the year is a prime example. Last winter (early 2010), I was out walking around Kingston looking for interesting things to film and came across members of the Queen’s University rowing team who were fundraising on campus for Right to Play, a charity that benefits children through sport. Someone from Queen’s Marketing happened to tap me on the back while I was filming and asked if they could see my work. A few weeks later, I had a filming contract with Queen’s for a major project they were working on, which led to more projects around campus. I think that story speaks volumes about the nature of North Summit Productions. We’d still be out there making great films and videos, even if we weren’t being paid. We absolutely love what we do and we’re driven by that passion.

- Chris