This is the first film in Canucklehead films was this little 5:54 film about the Ottawa Senators. Sure it may lack the flaming logo at the start of the film, but its still a Canucklehead film, through and through. Here is the story of how Canucklehead films was started:
Sitting alone at home one February 2002 day, bored, I was thinking about something cool to do. I then remember that a few hours earlier, I had talked to my then girlfriend about hockey. She didn't know much about the senators, but she asked me to teach her about them. I told her that I would later on, but I wasn't really in the mood to play teacher at the moment. She then logged off, and I started thinking about cool ways to teach her about my favourite sports team. Then it hit me, I have an editing program on my computer!! I started scrounging the internet for picures of the senators, and after an hour, I had a very large collection of sens pictures, a few grainy sens movies, and whole lot of time to kill. After 2 hours, I had edited all the films, and pictures into a slide show. I then started thinking about what music I would put over those images. I decided that the since the pictures had deep meaning to me, I would put in music that was equally deep. In this instance, I chose Enya's Only Time and Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.
I felt that since I have such a deep love for the senators that these two songs would adequately capture that sentiment that I had for the team, and the happniess that they bring me when I watch them play. I actually do think to myself "What a wonderful World" when I watch them play. Especially when they win!
Two versions of the film exist. The first version ran 5:45 , and was rather sloppily edited. It began with the words "Ottawa Senators : A history: by Andrew Sztein", followed immeadiately by the words "Pour Steph, Mon Chere" The transitions between pictures were rather uneven, and worst of all, there was a strange buzzing sound at the end of the film, when you see Andreas Dackell (number 10) score a goal on Toronto. I had always planned to actually go back and edit certain things. However, after Steph and I broke up, I didn't want to have much to do with the film. Once the Playoffs rolled around in April/May, Senators fever was running high, as the Senators creamed the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. It was at this time, I dug up the film again, and made my long over due edits.
The Second version (or the Director's cut) is the definitive version of the film, and the one you will likely see. This version was completely re-edited, almost from scratch. All the picture transitions are much smoother, and a few moments were altered, removed or added.
Altered: The scene transitions between the videos were smoothed out, to allow for a greater flow between the pictures. The sound was compltely re-recorded over the original soundtrack, at a higher bit rate, therefore allowing for a greater quality in the music. This rerecording allowed for the complete removal of the buzzing sound that plauged the original. The film was then re-rendered at a higher resolution, therefore representing the highest quality of pciture the film would ever have. It still looks rather pixelated, but this is one thing I like about the film and do not want to change. The pixelation represents my first attempt at filmmaking, and therefore shows the viewer that while it was my first work, it was still a work from the heart.
Removed: The first thing to get the axe, was the very beginning. I dropped the "pour Steph, Mon Chere" line. I had always planned to do this, as it should have actually read "Pour Steph, MA chere" Mon chere is the masculine version of the term. OOPS! So I extended the black screen at the beginning, and now it merely reads "Ottawa Senators, by Andrew Sztein" This cut was made for obvious reasons, as I was no longer seeing Steph.
Added: A few pictures we spliced in between, but nothign substantial there. Finally, I added the words Go Sens Go!, over a black backdrop, at the end of the film, which had originally ended with a picture of the team photo.
For a first film, I am proud of what i was able to accomplish. This film was made straight from my heart, and I believe that it allowed me to overcome any technical difficulties and inexperience I may have had while Making it.
Andrew Sztein
January 15th 2003
Technical details:
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor: Andrew Sztein
Original Inspiration : Steph Derry
Length :Original (5:45) Directors cut (5:51)
Created : February, 2002 , remake May 2003
Pictures used range from 1997-2002
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