Renowned Artist’s Transition To Moving Image

Media Release
17 October 2007

Canon Supports Renowned Artist’s Transition To Moving Image

Canon New Zealand is partnering with prominent artist Grahame Sydney as he makes the transition to the moving image for his first documentary – The Old Dunstan Road.

Renowned for his magnificent landscapes of Central Otago, Grahame has already made the progression from painting to photography. Now, with the support of Canon, he is training his eye on the region once again for a series of pictorial documentaries.

To enable Grahame to capture the extraordinary Central Otago landscape in stunning clarity, and in the distinctive Grahame Sydney manner, Canon has equipped him with the professional XLH1 High Definition Digital Video Camera. He has also been given the use of Canon’s HV20 High Definition Digital Camcorder, a compact model he uses for scouting shots.

Produced by Hinterland Productions and Huntaway Films, The Old Dunstan Road tells a little known story of the discovery of Central Otago forced by gold. For the gold mining immigrants of the time, the Old Dunstan Road – the shortest, most brutal route over the ranges from Dunedin to the goldfields of the West – was a track into the unknown, and for a brief, hectic period in the 1860s, it became a highway of people and gold.

The documentary is Grahame’s own concept. As well as the filming, Grahame wrote the script while his daughter Melissa, a graduate of Melbourne’s Music School, is composing the music score for the documentary.

“This film has enabled me to bring a painter’s eye to the moving camera,” said Grahame. “I can still emerge with a quality of work which reeks of my own vision, my own hand, unlike any other. I think when people see the film they will recognise the distinctive Grahame Sydney stamp.

“As an artist, I find the framing of the movie camera very appealing,” he added. “It enables you to indulge in overt story-telling that you can’t do as a painter.”

Robert de Jeu, Canon New Zealand’s digital video product manager, is thrilled to have someone like Grahame Sydney showcase the abilities of Canon’s high definition video cameras.

“This professional digital video camcorder is able to capture moving images in stunning clarity. In the hands of Grahame Sydney, with his extraordinary eye and ability to portray the beauty of this region like no-one else, we are seeing some breathtaking footage.”

Grahame has begun shooting, and will continue to do so over the coming seasons, particularly next winter – as winter, when the rivers ran low, was gold mining season. The Old Dunstan Road is expected to near completion toward the end of 2008.

Grahame says he enjoys the challenge of having to become an expert at something new. “I feel utterly happy with the movie camera in hand. I find it very energising, as though it’s sharpening everything again. The mechanical eye of the camera is shaping more strongly what I have to do with painting, and vice versa – it’s like one boosts the other.”

Robert de Jeu concluded by saying Canon was excited to be supporting Grahame’s progression from canvas to screen.

“I know people will be blown away by Grahame’s ability to capture the magnificent beauty of this region as well on video as he does on canvas.

“Grahame is also a talented writer, and The Old Dunstan Road tells the extraordinary stories of what gold miners endured, and in doing so shares an important piece of New Zealand history.”

In addition to his series of pictorial documentaries, Canon has also equipped Grahame with an EOS 1DS Mark II and lenses for some photography projects he has in the pipelines.

The Old Dunstan Road is produced by Hinterland Productions (Grahame Sydney’s company) together with Huntaway Films.

It will be distributed by the newly launched Astronought Distribution - a new paradigm distribution business based around a more direct relationship between the artist and his or her patrons.

Ends.

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