Recently spent a week DOP’ing for award winning documentary film director Nettie Wild. The focus was on the legendary salmon run that occurs annually in Adams River and we managed to come away with some incredible images. Working with Nettie was a truly awesome experience in that she allowed us to really break away from traditional ‘literal’ styles of wildlife shooting. We strove for a visual aesthetic that felt experimental, but at the same time told a story in every image.

Special thanks to Steve Breckon (our camera assist) for his talent and wisdom on location.

Completed my film Fallen Gardens and it is now online. The film recently won a Critics Choice Award at the BCSPCA Wild Arc Film Festival in Victoria and I’ll be dedicating the next few months to sending it to other film festivals internationally. Fingers crossed.

This piece follows three neighbors and their devotion to garden culture. The film focuses on co-existance between society and nature; the love/hate relationship between humans and deer.

This black and white mood piece touches on professional bmx’er Travis Collier, and his influences growing up as a flatland bike rider. This is the last installment of a three part series with Travis, and all three videos reflect his different experiences within the confines of flatland bmx.

More filming with the Wilderness Committee. This time we did a trip to 100 Mile and did a piece on the elusive badger. Less then 300 left in BC, these beautiful animals are suffering from habitat destruction as well as roadkill casualties. I hope that inspirational pieces such as this will open peoples eyes to appreciating the importance of these amazing creatures.

BADGER from Mike McKinlay on Vimeo.

This video showcases biologist Elizabeth Vincer in her quest to help conserve the lizard species ‘SKINK’. We spent an afternoon filming with Elizabeth in the South Okanagan and came up with this run and gun style vignette that helps raise awareness for endangered species such as this small lizard.

ELIZABETH VINCER – SKINKS from Mike McKinlay on Vimeo.

In March of 2011 I spent a Saturday in Kelowna B.C. working as cinematographer on a short piece for the Okanagan Regional Library district. The video is meant to inspire people to spend more time at the library. I hope it serves it’s purpose.

Special thanks to director/producer Jordy Starling for getting me on board to DP it.

Our Regional Library System from Jordy Starling on Vimeo.

‘SPOTS’ is the second installment in a two part series of videos that I shot and directed starring professional BMX’er Travis Collier. It explores the lives of the flatground bike rider and the years they spend turning everyday parking lots into grounds for creativity and comradery among friends. I filmed with Travis over a two day period and I’m really happy with the results. SPOTS has already made its way into the Simpel Session Film Festival (in Tallinn Estonia) which will take place February 5-6th.

TRAVIS COLLIER ‘SPOTS’ from Mike McKinlay on Vimeo.

I became an Associate with the PWLF in November of 2008 and have now extended my work with the foundation, shooting a vast array of videos that highlight marine birds and mammals throughout British Columbia and abroad. Working along side the researchers involved in the countless environmental restorations has been truly inspiring and I feel privileged to be a part of this association. As a team, we’re dedicated to delivering a clear message of conservation while at the same time showcasing every species in a cinematic, artful manner.

Click on the link to see the first of many video installments..

http://www.pwlf.org/videos/eelgrassvideo.htm

PACIFIC WILDLIFE FOUNDATION TRAILER from Mike McKinlay on Vimeo.

I have now been contracted as one of Greenpeace Canada’s west coast cameramen. An exciting opportunity for sure. The most recent project shoot was a protest on the streets of downtown Vancouver focused upon the ban on Enbridge’s pipeline proposal from Alberta’s tar sands to Kitimat in northern BC’s Great Bear Rainforest. The shoot was highly successful and well received.

In June of 2010 I worked as 2nd camera for the latest trailer instalment of the acclaimed video game ‘DEUS EX’. Voted by many as one of the top games of all time, the trailer itself will be a mix of CG and live action footage to keep game players hyped.