Author: Kevin Bourne

A series of short films stood out among the numerous masterpieces presented during the Ottawa International Animation Festival (or OIAF). A tremendous amount of directors and film students proved that they understood the potential of animated films and succeeded at giving us some of the most amazing work our team has seen this year. It would be impossible for us to cover every single one of the short films that deserve a mention but we believe it is our duty to give credit where it is due regardless. In order to honor the short film competitions, we put together a…

Directed by Scott Cooper, written by Jez Butterworth, starring Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton “Black Mass follows the adult life of notorious South Boston gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, his incredible rise to power in the criminal underworld of Boston and his eventual fall from grace.” Black Mass sees a return to form for the Academy Award winning actor, Johnny Depp. After years of mediocre to absolutely abysmal performances, Depp shines as the ruthless and notorious gangster, physically transforming and embodying the character. Supported by an outstanding cast and a chilling soundtrack, Depp carries the lacklustre story of Black Mass and…

North America’s largest animation festival took over Canada’s capital last week in what turned out to be a fantastic gathering of fans and industry professionals. Whether you’re into action, drama, romance or comedy, we can guarantee you that the Ottawa International Animation Festival had something for you. From September 16th to September 20th, the audience was pleased and charmed by the multitude and variety of short films, presentations and feature length films. SHIFT Magazine was lucky to attend a few screenings and talk to a few fans. As expected, the festival delivered. From the short film competitions to the conferences,…

We recently had the opportunity to attend the 20th installment of the Honey Jam concert, a program and annual concert for young Canadian female artists, produced annually by PhemPhat Entertainment Group. In its first 20 years, Honey Jam has gone on to help musicians like Nelly Furtado, Jully Black, Anjulie and Melanie Fiona get their start. The concert, featuring live performances from featured artists from 14 to 24 years old from across Canada, took place at The Mod Club in Toronto. All participants will receive a free music workshop, vocal training, and an A&R consultation from Universal Music Canada. The…

Koliah Bourne recently had the opportunity to chat with actor, rapper, poet, and playwright Anthony McLean about his recent documentary Colour Me, finding his voice, and his non-profit iEngage, a bullying awareness education program. Anthony has appeared as a guest speaker on CityTV’s Breakfast Television, Global Toronto’s Morning Show, 680 News, CTV News and CBC’s Here and Now. He is currently writing a book about bullying entitled Before You Send Your Kids To School. Koliah Bourne: So tell me a bit about iEngage? What is your organization? What is that about? How did that come about? Anthony McLean: So I…

I discovered at a very young age that I loved writing, but that, of course, came after I discovered that I loved reading. Throughout the years, there have been many writers who have influenced my thought life and stretched me to think deeper on certain issues, whether it be racism, religion and spirituality, the environment, global warming, or world economics. And that’s what I love about writing; it is a powerful form of knowledge sharing and, in some cases, a call to action. Let’s look at three of the many steps to becoming an influential writer. Be a Reader Stephen…

Our editor, Kevin Bourne, recently had the opportunity to sit down with former backup dancer to the stars turned politician, Gregory Hines NDP candidate in the Greater Toronto Area, to talk about being a professional dancer, the entertainment industry and his new path as a politician. Kevin: So we’re here with Greg Hines (not with the world famous Gregory Hines), but this is another Greg Hines who is also a dancer. So we’re talking today because he’s not just a dancer, he’s now a political candidate for the NDP party in the Markham-Stouffville riding. Just for full disclosure, he is…

There’s a new brand of influencer in town- the maker. And there’s a whole new culture forming around these entrepreneurial creatives. From the success of e-commerce platform etsy to the growing number of makerspaces popping up all over the world from Berlin to Sydney, an ecosystem is forming that’s allowing craftsmen and craftswomen to create and present their work to consumers in an unprecedented way. One of the key cogs in this ecosystem is the makers market. Although the market place continues to be highly globalized, there’s a growing type of discerning consumer that wants to “buy local”. As a…

It’s a writer’s world. Digital and self-publishing have transformed the ease and speed of which writers can share their message with readers. Amazon quickly proves this fact with the more than 32 million books that it hosts on its global distribution platform. Yet, if you spoke to them, more than half of these authors will tell you that the success they looked forward to experiencing with the release of their books did not pan out the way they expected. That leads me to the five things I’d like to share with you today. There are some key things that all…

Name: Jasin Dollin Home Base: San Diego, California Past and present creative icons: I look up to those that have created something from nothing or from difficult situations and made something of themselves. Sheppard Fairy with his iconic sticker and merging iconography and propaganda to create Obey Giant. Illustrator Ralph Steadman who lives and creates by his own terms alongside his partner and friend in crime Hunter S. Thompson (RIP). Banksy, bringing street art and graffiti to the foreground in society, changing minds, making fun and political statements while keeping his identity secret. All artists created in many ways and…

“How to build your personal brand?” must be one of the most searched phrases on Google. Branding is all about transparency and knowing who you are tied into; knowing what exactly it is your brand says about you. I learned this a while ago when I started to brand my photography business. I noticed people were intrigued by who I was and if they felt attached to me they were more than likely going to book me as their photographer. We live in a world where although social media and technology exist more than ever, people still want relationship. They…

It’s no secret that YouTube has grown in popularity and influence in recent years becoming the platform of choice for content creators everywhere. It’s responsible for the discovery of Justin Beiber and the popularity of the Old Spice Guy. Television stations like Much have hired YouTube creators to come on board and create under their brand. Some of the top companies in the world have hired YouTube sensations to test their products and in return tap into their followings. With subscribers in the millions, YouTubers have become just as, or in some cases even more, popular than mainstream celebrities. To…