Since most Canadians have politics on the brain due to today’s election, I thought it would be a good idea to post some film stills I did for the CBC/Gorilla Media television series Make the Politician Work.

The series takes Canadian politicians and puts them in workplaces related directly to their own areas of responsibility and for which they set policies.  I worked on both episodes of this series that were filmed in Ontario.  The first, filmed in 2009, was with Minister of National Defence Peter Mackay at military training camp.  The second episode, filmed in 2010, featured NPD Leader Jack Layton working in the emergency room of St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, Ont.

Peter Mackay

Jack Layton

I loved working on this show because of how different it was to normal film shoots.  No takes, no waiting around while lights are being set up and actors are being staged.  It was a really lively, fast-paced set.  Everything happened once, and only once, and you had to capture it or it was  too late.  I shot the images of Jack Layton in the ER through a doorway with dozens of people moving around, trying to find a clear shot of Jack without getting in anyone’s way.  Lots of fun!