We didn’t start MEDIAPOP to fill up an award shelf or be showered in accolades. We founded it because we wanted to produce projects that made an impact on the viewer, represented our clients’ goals, and did it with style and substance. Those were the most important aspects, and since then we’ve been honoured to work some some amazing clients and produce some really interesting projects.
One of those projects was the “St. Patrick’s Island – Bike Roll” produced on behalf of Civitas Land Architecture Firm based in Denver. They brilliantly and beautifully designed St. Patrick’s Island in Calgary; part of the massive redevelopment of the East Village spearheaded by Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC). The redevelopment has seen a derelict area become a hub of activity, visitors, and residents (Including myself!). Where once stood open, worn out parking lots now sit beautiful condos by BOSA Development. The old Simmons Building, a historical mattress factory, is now the home of Charbar Restaurant, Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, and Phil & Sebastian Coffee.
Civitas approached us to find a way to show off the island and it’s design from the mouth of Civitas President, Owner, and lead designer Mark Johnson.
We could have simply set up interviews, shot the island, and put music under it. But for this project it wouldn’t work. You wouldn’t feel the island, you wouldn’t feel what Mark and the team at Civitas (including Calgarian Scott Jordan) had created.
So we came up with the idea with Ilana Fowler of Civitas to have Mark ride his bike around St. Patrick’s Island and talk about it. Talk about the challenges, the creations, the reasons for certain design elements. In the end we have a beautiful, raw, immersive project that brought whoever watched it on that bike ride with us. It’s a project we’re extremely proud of.
But back to the beginning…we don’t have shelves for awards. Yet we’re humbled, surprised, and excited that we’ve been nominated for a 2016 AMPIA Rosie Award for Best Corporate Production for the “St. Patrick’s Island Bike Roll.”
Thank you to AMPIA, its judges, Civitas, CMLC, Ilana, Clare, and everyone involved.