Client Corner

As General Manager of Pacific Backlot, Derek Hall has his finger on the pulse of the Vancouver production scene. Since his first day 17 years ago he’s seen consistent growth of the family-owned studio rental company located on the Vancouver Film Studios lot. While they started out catering to studios, today they also do off the lot rentals of lighting, grip, and lifts of all types. The Matthews Connection With an extensive lighting inventory Pacific Backlight is big on gear that positions the hefty fixtures. So another favorite is MSE’s award-winning Max Menace Arm that facilitates easy positioning of fixtures...

Barry Cheong believes in making the most of his time, and investing in great equipment has always paid off for him—like Matthews, for example. While in film school in Toronto, he bought his first equipment staples. Smart kid—living at home with his folks he put income from his first gigs into future-proof gear that he still uses today for his cinematography. “I got clamps, C-stands, sandbags and more, that have always worked well and I still use 20 years later,” he explains. Cheong says he’s a gun for hire, and owns a small van equipped with gear including LED and...

Filmmaker Shanra J. Kehl is partial to green, especially when it comes to her Dutti Dolly from Matthews. And she’s been working it consistently. A member of Local 600 and the DGA, she’s says she’s fortunate to have regular production gigs during the age of COVID. That’s what made her decide to get her own Dutti Dolly instead of using the one her AC Jordan Lee brings to set. That’s what got her hooked. A veteran of unscripted and documentary filmmaking, Kehl needs to be ready to be a one-person band or work with a full crew. “Having the Dutti...

It’s hard to put a label on Mike Bradley. His life has been a juxtaposition of practicality and art. Although photography has always been his passion, his early livelihood as a microelectronics and software engineer gave him the income to pursue his fascination with elegant technology. He collected cars and Beverly Hills Lamborghini was on his speed dial. But the artist within eventually demanded attention so he turned his career left, picked up his camera and was on the road to becoming a top fashion photographer. It didn’t take long until his style, imagery and bold concepts stood out at...

Every day is Halloween for Cameron and LeeAnna Vamp. The 2-person team creates an array of family fun content around their favorite theme. They have a great time and so does their audience. After growing up with the The Munsters and Beetlejuice, the couple decided to “create what we love and share it with the world.” Under their Fiends banner they write, shoot, edit, produce and star in their own video series like “The Fiends” and “Let’s Get Spooky,” that feature Halloween themed entertainment with puppets, sing-alongs, cooking, and their own “imagination videos”— all aimed at sparking the imagination, with...