etc...news, Toronto, Ontario, July 26, 2001

East Toronto Artist by ANTHONY FUREY
Nature documentary film editor by day, short social commentary film director by night (and weekends), the director of the Flying Spot Players, Riverdale resident Cameron Tingley, definitely has a full plate when it comes to film work.  Cameron describes the Players as a community theatre company but instead of using a stage to showcase their work they use the television screen. The cast and crew of their team consist of both community friends and professional acquaintances that Tingley has developed over the years.   The Flying Spot Players, founded three years ago by Tingley, has so far completed two short films (Out of Sight, Out of Mind and Welcome to Our Humble Home). Both of these films are part of the Life As We Know It collection. This collection focuses on making statements about society and how we treat the world and people around us. Pollution and television vision violence are the issues that have already been tackled by the first two films. Tingley. first got his interest in social issues through his father, who was the editorial cartoonist at the London Free Press for 47 years. He sees his films as being live action editorial cartoons, all single simple ideas with a major issue behind them.		"I got an inclination for visual humour from my father, and a sense of social conscience from my mother," notes Tingley. He feels that when he makes films the two are being combined. Volunteers who get together on weekends run the film projects, when they're all available (this is a major hardship.) Weekends on a set with the Flying Spot Players is time apparently well spent, as Tingley recalls his shooting days, as a bunch of parties. So far the films have been well received and, not only have they been shown on community access stations all over North America, but have also won awards. It feels, from Tingley's viewpoint, that the cable access stations have a fundamental role in community activism and in the U.S. these stations have become the voice of the people. The film Out of Sight, Out of Mind is about a man who waits for his wife in his car.  The whole time he is waiting he leaves the car idling. Later in the short film chaos ensues and the man has done quite a bit of damage to his environment just from leaving his engine on.		Tingley openly admits that the film is over the top, but for a good reason. He feels that air quality is a major issue and is something that always seems to be on people's minds but is never truly addressed. These films suggest the little things, like an idling car, that will hopefully, act as baby steps towards solving entire problems. For the future Tingley plans to work with such themes as noise pollution, advertising and urban sprawl for his projects. "My films are designed as a stepping stone to bridge the gap between crass consumerism and fanatic activism."  Maybe the next wave of concerned citizens won't consist of angry mobs and protesters and violent vigilantes but gentle, subtle artists like Cameron Tingley and the Flying Spot Players. Maybe, hopefully, they'll make a difference.