chronique - printemps 2012

Le magazine des locataires du Fonds de placement immobilier Allied Properties

V ICTORIA • VANCOUVER • CALGARY • EDMONTON • WINNIPEG • K ITCHENER • TORONTO • OTTAWA • MONTRÉAL • QUÉBEC

PRINTEMPS 2012

[ PAGE 14 ] Le géant Produits forestiersRésolu délaisse son ancienneimage pour bâtir une organisation verte et efficace.

[ PAGE 6 ] La maison de productionJimmy Lee tente de redéfinir la mince ligne entre la publicité et le contenu.

+• À Calgary : le détaillant de chaussures JohnFluevog ouvre son musée

• À Vancouver : une université américaine au seuilde Yaletown

• À Montreal : les jeux mobiles de Massive Finger

Studios Darwin : ce que l’industrie de la production cinématographique ettélévisuelle attendait depuis longtemps.

CASTING ET CONFORT[ P A G E 2 1 ]

TORONTO TORONTO

Michael Emory, président et directeur général d’Allied, étaitheureux de poursuivre sa lancée entamée avec ses réalisations l’andernier en annonçant à la fin de février de nouvelles acquisitions à Victoria, Calgary et Montréal pour ensuite annoncer, 15 joursplus tard, un nouveau portefeuille d’acquisitions pour Toronto.

« L’Édifice Woodstone ouvre un nouveau sous-marché pournous à Calgary, alors que le 535 Yates Street nous permet de prendre pied sur le marché à Victoria. Le 5445, avenue de Gaspé

à Montréal est un formidable complément au 5455 de la mêmeavenue, propriété acquise l’an dernier et qui a fait l’objet de rénovations à grande échelle » explique-t-il.

Pour ce qui est de Toronto, l’achat d’un portefeuille d’immeublesdans la région de King et Spadina qui comprenait quatre propriétéset un terrain de stationnement était stratégique en raison non seulement de l’emplacement mais également de l’énorme potentield’améliorations et d’intensifications que chacun représente.

INCOMING...Expansion nationale marquée par d’autres propriétés dans King & Spadina à Toronto, par une présenceaccrue dans le quartier Mile End de Montréal et par deux nouvelles acquisitions dans l’Ouest canadien

Le 379 Adelaide West est situé du côté sud de la rue, adjacent au 96 Spadinaà l’est, propriété d’Allied. Le 383 Adelaide West est situé du côté sud de larue, adjacent au 379 Adelaide à l’est.

Le 80-82 Spadina est situé du côté ouest de l’avenue Spadina et est encoreloué en grande partie par les galeries et par Home Sense.

TORONTO MONTREALLe 57 Spadina est situé du côté est de l’avenue Spadina, au sud deKing Street West.

Le 5445, avenue de Gaspé à Montréal jouxte un édifice dont Allied s’est portéacquéreur l’été dernier.

CALGARY VICTORIALe 535 Yates Street à Victoria a été construit au début des années 1900.L’édifice a été restauré et rénové dans les années 1970, puis en 2009.

a l l iedpropert iesre i t .com • 1

L’Édifice Woodstone, dans le quartier Inglewood à Calgary, a été construit en1911 comme moulin à bois pour être réaménagé en bureaux administratifsen 2009.

2 • SPRING 2012

www.alliedpropertiesreit.comSend your company info, events and story ideas to

[email protected]: Yvan Marston • Design: Gravity Design Inc.

Fresh City Farm pick up at Patagonia Toronto

Anyone familiar with the history ofPatagonia clothing will know that sustainability practices and environ -mental stewardship are a part of thecompany’s operations. What’s more,each retail store worldwide is enabled to work with local groups on anything to do with sustainability practices. So it is that the Patagonia store on King Street West is now a Fresh CityFarm pick up location. Fresh City Farms offers boxes of locally farmedvegetables starting at $31/week. Visitwww.freshcityfarms.com, or stop byPatagonia Toronto, for more information.

Recycle your Small ElectronicsAllied is encouraging tenants to ‘Think Recycle’ by usingthis cost-free environmental fundraising program that has partnered with the David Suzuki Foundation to helpraise funds by collecting unwanted cell phones, print cartridges, laptops, digital cameras and iPods/mp3 players for disposal through re-use, refurbishment andrecycling. Here’s how it works:

1. Visit www.thinkrecycle.com to become a member(please select to support the David Suzuki Foundation).

2. Collect a minimum of 10 unwanted electronics (cellphones, print cartridges, laptops, digital cameras andiPods/mp3 players) and pack into a cardboard box.

3. Request your pre-paid shipping label, attach it to yourbox and send it back to Think Recycle. The funds youearn will be donated to the David Suzuki Foundation.

Recyclez vos vieux appareils électroniquesAllied encourage les locataires à recycler en faisant appel à ce programme de financement environnementalgratuit en partenariat avec la Fondation David Suzuki quicontribue à amasser des fonds en récupérant les vieuxtéléphones cellulaires, cartouches d’impression, ordina-teurs portatifs, caméras numériques et iPod/ lecteurs mp3 pour les remettre à neuf, les recycler et les réutiliser.Voici comment le programme fonctionne :

1. Visitez le site www.thinkrecycle.com pour devenirmembre (vous êtes encouragé à appuyer la FondationDavid Suzuki).

2. Récupérez dans une boîte de carton un minimum de 10 vieux appareils électroniques (téléphones cellulaires,cartouches d’impression, ordinateurs portatifs, camérasnumériques et iPod/ lecteurs mp3).

3. Commandez une étiquette de livraison prépayée, fixez-la à votre boîte et retournez-la à Think Recycle.Les fonds obtenus seront versés à la Fondation David Suzuki.

Milgram nommée parmi les 50 sociétés les mieux gérées au Canada La Direction de l’entreprise de services detransports et de logistique savait que saplanification stratégique, ses innovations etson solide rendement continu lui avaient permis de figurer sur la liste des entreprisesretenues en sélection finale du palmarès des50 sociétés les mieux gérées au Canada à la fin de l’année dernière. C’est toutefois sonengagement envers ses employés, sesclients, l’environnement et la collectivité qui a vraiment séduit les juges, qui l’ont nommée sur la liste des Mieux gérées, sans rang précis, affirme Jay Goldman, président de la firme de transit de fret international, decourtage en douane et de transport nord-américain dont le siège social est situé au 645 Wellington, dans la Cité du Multimédia à Montréal.

Milgram named one of Canada’s 50 bestManagement at the transport and logistics firm knew its strategic planning,innovation and continued strong performance helped them make theCanada’s 50 Best Managed Companies shortlist late last year. But it was itscommitment to its employees, clients, environment and community that trulyresonated with the judges putting them firmly on the unranked top 50 list,says Jay Goldman, president of the international freight forwarding, customsbrokerage and North American transport firm whose main office is at 645Wellington in Cite Multimedia.

COMMUNIQUÉ

FASHION CENTRAL, CALGARY / - Halfway through his explanation of the Vog vending machine, a breakroom snack dispenser refitted to sell arts and crafts, Stephen Baileystops short.

“It occurs to me now that if we didn’t work for a companythat supported creativity so strongly, it would be a total waste of money,” says the marketing director with a laugh. “But it builds goodwill.”

Indeed, Fluevog, the Vancouver-based shoemaker known for its funky,original designs, has earned enoughgoodwill to merit its own exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver with a40-year retrospective featuring 150 pairs of shoes along with letters,sketches and marketing materials.

And when Fox, Fluevog and Friendsclosed in 2011 after being held overfor twice its intended running time,the company bought the display casesand signage with an eye to using itsomehow in the future.

PERMANENT ‘FLUESEUM’ Thatfuture was upon them sooner thanexpected when only a few months laterthe company signed a Calgary lease for space in Fashion Central on 8thAvenue SW.

The 1,100 square-foot space, aninfill between two historic propertiesand so benefitting from the decorativeeffect of exposed brick walls on bothsides, had a mezzanine that served up a perfect venue for a scaled-down version of the exhibition. Thus wasborn the more permanent Fluevog museum – or Flueseum.

In more than 40 years of providing original shoe designs, John Fluevog developed a loyal following known as Fluevoggers. Now they form a virtual community that regularly connects with the creative spirit of the design house through several intersections on its web site.

CONNECTING CREATIVE From the site’s ‘Stuff ’ heading,Fluevoggers can upload photos of their latest pair in situ; offer shoe design ideas through the Open Source Footwear

initiative started some nine years ago that has seen some 12 original designs go from concept to production; or design a Fluevog ad to win $1,000 worth of shoes.

Highlights of some of the graphic arts projects stemmingfrom the Fluevog Creative initiative decorate the walls of thelower level Peanut Gallery in the Calgary store. And up abovethe main floor, the mezzanine’s open space offers what Bailey

calls community space.

A few café tables surrounded by the Flueseum exhibit are open for any and all, he explains.

The space is meant to be used –whether it’s staff from other retailerslooking for a neat space to scarf back a quick lunch or just someone teachinga creative workshop on photography or crochet, for example.

“The idea is that people can justcome here and be inspired,” says Bailey,adding that the space recently hosted alaunch for the book The Boiling FrogDilemma, which posits that nothinggenerates economic wealth except thepower of ideas.

WHEN INSPIRATION STRIKES Indeed,powered by ideas and fueled by the creative environment it seeks to fosterin each of its 14 retail locations acrossNorth America, Fluevog isn’t a typicalshoe company. While its does trendanalysis, Bailey admits that a lot ofdesigning is done “when inspirationstrikes.”

And styles that sell well are often discontinued if they feel it has run its

course, that way most runs are limited, says Bailey. Each stylewill usually come in two or three colours and anywhere from120 to 300 pairs are made. These are then divided among the 14 stores and assorted international retailers (while about 25 percent of the company’s sales are made online, orders areprocessed by the stores).

“So if you buy a pair of shoes in Calgary, you’re not likely tosee them on too many other people, if at all,” says Bailey. n

Fluevog.com

SHOE INFluevog’s Calgary store includes an art gallery, a community mezzanine anda museum featuring a 40-year retrospective on the shoe designer. By Yvan Marston

al l iedpropert iesre i t .com • 3

[ R E T A I L ]

• John Fluevog opened his first store with business partner Peter Fox in 1970in Vancouver’s Gastown. It was called Fox & Fluevog.

• In the 1980s, after an amicable split with Fox, Fluevog sold his car to fund the opening of a Seattle store where hebecame the first North American retailerto import Doc Martens.

• In the late 1980s, Fluevog abandoned the Doc Marten sole due to some of theharmful chemicals used in its productionand designed his ‘Satan-resistant’ Angelsoles made from hevea tree latex, a natural latex harvested in Vietnam.

Fluevog Factoids

4 • SPRING 2012

MIRACLES MEDUGORJE

FAITH HI JERICHO

RADIO CISL

CALGARY

Store Photos: Sana Makhdoom

OPERETTA MALENA

CITÉ DU MULTIMÉDIA, MONTRÉAL / - Un soir, Richard Jean-Baptiste était chez lui à regarder avec un vif intérêt la première télédiffusion de Les chroniques d’une mèreindigne, la série Web produite par son équipe à Jimmy Lee qui a été reprise et coproduite par Radio-Canada. C’est à cemoment qu’il a été témoin d’une remarquable intégration.

Le premier message publicitaire à interrompre la diffusionétait une pub également produite par Jimmy Lee et son entité mère, l’agence de publicité Sid Lee; un autre message publicitaire de Sid Lee est apparu plus tard, suivi d’un autre, et d’un autre.

Alors que le générique défilait à la fin de l’émission, Jean-Baptiste s’est tourné vers sa copine.

« Je ne sais pas s’il y a beaucoup de gens qui se sont renduscompte de ce qui venait juste de se produire là, » lui a-t-il confié à la conclusion de cette demi-heure de télé ET de messages publicitaires presqu’exclusivement produits, post-produits ougérés par l’entreprise mise sur pied deux ans auparavant.

DIFFUSION CIBLÉE C’est en effet quelque chose d’étrange qui vient de bouleverser le paysage médiatique, alors que latélévision a perdu son rang de médium si important. Elle a en effet cédé devant le Web, qui constitue essentiellement son propre amalgame de canaux et de diffusions ciblées.

Et dans ce cas-ci, alors que les médias sociaux exigent unecommunication davantage axée sur le contenu, il est logique que ce soit l’une des agences de publicité canadiennes les mieux connues qui prenne les devants non seulement à titre dedéveloppeur de publicité mais également à titre de développeurde contenu.

Reconnue à l’interne comme le « petit frère » de Sid Lee,Jimmy Lee est une entreprise dédiée qui offre une multitude

de services de production conçus à l’origine afin de répondreaux besoins de production audio-vidéo de Sid Lee pour le Web,la télé, le contenu de marque et les installations interactives. Mais Jimmy Lee devait plus spécifiquement être une maison de production numérique.

DE L’ACHAT D’ART À LA PROGRAMMATION ORIGINALEMaintenant une entreprise de services multi-production, ellepeut tout faire, de la gestion et du développement de production(elle œuvre avec un grand nombre de maisons de production enplus de coproduire) à l’achat d’art, en passant par l’organisationde tournages internationaux et la création de programmationsoriginales complètes.

« Lorsque je me suis joint à l’entreprise, j’avais une condition,c’était de pouvoir continuer de développer des projets de con-tenu » déclare Jean-Baptiste, ancien producteur à son comptequi est aujourd’hui partenaire de Jimmy Lee avec Claudia Roy.

Les chroniques d’une mère indigne, une série de webisodes de cinq minutes qui présentent le point de vue humoristique d’une mère en congé de maternité, ont débuté un peu à lablague, admet-il. La série a été coproduite pour trois saisons avec Radio-Canada.

C’est ce type de réalisation qui a aidé Jimmy Lee à signer une entente de développement avec Vidéotron pour coproduirele contenu original réservé exclusivement aux utilisateurs desplateformes numériques tel que le téléphone mobile.

En collaboration avec Patrick Huard et sa maison de produc-tion Jessie Films, l’entreprise a développé LibTV, qui offreactuellement plus de 25 émissions produites depuis juin 2011 – toutes des programmations originales et toutes pour les appareils mobiles. Vidéotron devient ainsi le premier fournisseur francophone de ce type de contenu.

(suite à la page 7)

L’agence montréalaise Sid Lee donne naissance à une maison deproduction particulière qui développepresqu’autant de contenu originalque de publicité. Par Yvan Marston

LEE TV


[ P R O D U C T I O N ]

6 • PRINTEMPS 2012

Montreal’s Sid Lee spins off a dedicated production house that develops almost as much original content as it does advertising. CITE MULTIMEDIA, MONTREAL / - Richard Jean-Baptiste was at home one evening excitedly watching the first television broadcast of Les chroniques d’une mère indigne, the web series produced by his team at Jimmy Lee and picked up and coproduced by Radio-Canada, when he witnessed a remarkable integration.

The first commercial to interrupt the broadcast was a spot also produced by Jimmy Lee and its parent company, Montreal adagency Sid Lee, and later another Sid Lee commercial appeared,and another, and another.

As the final credits rolled, Jean-Baptiste turned to his girlfriend.

“I don’t know that many people caught what just happenedthere,” he said to her at the completion of a half-hour of televisionAND commercials almost exclusively produced, post-produced orin some way managed by the two-year-old company.

NARROW CASTING Indeed, something strange has come uponthe media landscape now that television has lost its grip as thepenultimate medium. It has ceded to the web, which is essentiallyits own amalgam of channels and narrow casts.

And here, where social media demands more content-drivencommunication, it makes sense that one of Canada’s best known ad agencies stake out ground not only as a developer ofadvertising, but also as a content developer.

Known internally as Sid Lee’s ‘little brother’, Jimmy Lee is adedicated company offering a multitude of production servicesconceived originally to respond to Sid Lee’s audio-video productionneeds for web, TV, branded content and interactive installations.But most specifically, it was to be a digital production house.

FROM ART BUYING TO ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING Now amulti-production services company, it handles everything fromproduction management and development (it works with a numberof other production houses and even co-produces work) to art buying, arranging international shoots and creating complete original programming.

“A condition when I signed on was that I could continue todevelop content projects,” says Jean-Baptiste, a former freelanceproducer who, along with Claudia Roy, is a partner at Jimmy Lee.

Les chroniques d’une mère indigne, a series of five-minutewebisodes offering a humorous take on one woman’s mat leave,was started, he admits, as a bit of a lark. Now it is already in itsthird season being co-produced with Radio-Canada.

Indeed, it was this kind of work that helped Jimmy Lee land adevelopment deal with Videotron to co-produce original contentdedicated to mobile phone users. Working with Patrick Huard, itdeveloped LibTV, which now has a roster of more than 25 showssince June 2011 – all original programming and all for mobiledevices. This makes Videotron the first French-language providerof such content.

(continued on page 7)

L’amalgame des activités de publicité simples et directesque fait Jimmy Lee pour Adidas, Dell, IGA et le Cirque du Soleil, par exemple, au développement créatif plusindirect tel dans l’émission d’humour Les chroniques d’une mère indigne, a transformé l’environnement detravail en un lieu effervescent, grouillant de créativité.

“« Les gens ont la possibilité de commenter le contenu que nous

créons; si vous ne respectez pas ce concept, cela pourrait

bien se retourner contre vous. »

MONTRÉAL


SIX SUITES DE MONTAGE ET UN MÉLANGE D’ESPACES DETRAVAIL À AIRES OUVERTES Pour le personnel de Jimmy Lee,cela signifie une saine pollinisation croisée des idées dans sesbureaux du 50, rue Queen dans la Cité du Multimédia, où sixsuites de montage et un mélange d’espaces de travail à airesouvertes sur deux étages accueillent des équipes de post-produc-tion, une direction de production ainsi qu’un service de tour-nage en ligne, d’achat d’art et de développement de contenu.

« Vous pouvez avoir un gars qui travaille sur un message publicitaire pour Dell qui croise un autre en train de développerune émission d’humour pour LibTV. Ils sont dans deux mondesdifférents mais travaillent dans le même environnement – celacrée une dynamique fantastique », confie Jean-Baptiste, quiexplique que la plupart des maisons de production mises surpied par des agences de publicité se concentrent exclusivementsur la production de messages publicitaires.

Jimmy Lee a de plus en plus de discussions avec des clients à propos du développement de contenu original payé par lesclients. Selon Jean-Baptiste, la plupart d’entre eux comprennentla nécessité de fournir un contenu intéressant.

« Les gens ont la possibilité de commenter le contenu quenous créons; si vous ne respectez pas ce concept, cela pourraitbien se retourner contre vous », déclare-t-il.

APPROFONDIR LA RELATION Il est vrai que les annonceurspeuvent utiliser divers moyens pour s’exprimer mais le fait d’offrirà des auditeurs un contenu qui répond à un besoin permettrad’approfondir la relation que vous avez avec eux, explique-t-il.

Par exemple, lorsque la Société de transport de Montréal avoulu développer une programmation «dans les coulisses», les producteurs de Jimmy Lee ont découvert une sous-cultured’adeptes de transports publics; ils ont ainsi créé des vidéos sousforme de chroniques, par exemple sur les capacités de recyclagede l’eau des installations de lavage des autobus de la STM.

« C’est un contenu que cet auditoire trouvera utile et qui peutvoyager dans les médias sociaux vers un plus vaste auditoire »,explique Jean-Baptiste.

En effet, l’amalgame des activités de publicité simples etdirectes pour Adidas, Dell, IGA et le Cirque du Soleil, parexemple, au développement créatif plus indirect a transformél’environnement de travail en un lieu effervescent, grouillant de créativité.

« Beaucoup de personnes créatives dans le domaine demandent à travailler avec nous », confie Jean-Baptiste. «C’était d’ailleurs l’un de nos objectifs : faire de cet endroit un lieu où les gens veulent vraiment travailler. » n

Jimmylee.tv

(continued from page 6)

SIX EDITING SUITES AND A MIX OF OPEN-CONCEPTWORK AREAS And for Jimmy Lee staff it means a healthy crosspollination of ideas in its offices at 50 Queen Street in La CiteMultimedia where six editing suites and a mix of open-conceptwork areas over two floors house post-production teams, production management as well as a line shooting department,art buying and content development.

“You can have one guy working on a Dell commercial crossingpaths with a guy developing a humour piece for LibTV. They are in different worlds but work in the same space – and that createsa fantastic dynamic,” says Jean-Baptiste, explaining that mostproduction houses started by ad agencies focus exclusively onproducing ads.

Now Jimmy Lee is having more frequent discussions withclients about developing original content paid for by the clients.And most, says Jean-Baptiste, are understanding of the need to provide valuable content.

“The content we are creating – people have the means ofexpressing their thoughts on it, and if you don’t respect that, itcan turn against you,” he says.

DEEPENING THE RELATIONSHIP Indeed, advertisers can usemany means to express themselves, but giving an audience content that answers a need will deepen the relationship youhave with them, he explains.

For example, when the Société de transport de Montréal wanted to develop some ‘behind-the-scenes’ programming,Jimmy Lee producers discovered a subculture of transit amateursso they developed videos chronicling things like the water recycling capabilities of the STM’s bus washing facility.

“That’s content that is useful to that audience and that can travel in social media to a broader audience,” explains Jean-Baptiste.

Indeed, merging the straight advertising work it does forAdidas, Dell, IGA and Cirque du Soleil, for example, with the more indirect creative development has made the offices a lively place to work, and one teeming with creativity.

“We are getting a lot of creative people in the business asking to do work with us,” says Jean-Baptiste. “And that was one of my objectives: to make this a place where peoplereally want to work.” n

8 • SPRING 2012

For those who love the taste of grilled food, Calphalon’s No Borders Grilling class, offered in June, takes students through each step to create a fully grilled meal featuring a lobster tail, Moroccan-inspired lamb chops and sustainably-sourced salmon as well as a grilled fruit salsa. Each Calphalon course is filled with tips and techniques from a roster of professional chefs. And for those who areready to start grilling today – indoors on a grill pan or outdoors over an open flame – here are a few tips from Calphalon’s Executive Chef Susie Reading.

1. PREHEAT THE GRILLFirst, preheat the grill. Once the grill is preheated, wipeon some oil. Next, season the meat with salt and freshpepper and place it presentation side (the nicer side)down on the grill, says Reading. This is when you willget the hottest heat and the best grill marks. Before youflip it, give it a quarter turn. (You’ll know it’s ready toturn if the meat ‘releases’ easily from the grill, saysReading.) It’ll add some nice X-shaped grill marks butmore importantly, it’ll improve cooking, says Readingexplaining that you always have to move the meat to another spot on the grill because the spot it has beengrilling on has now been cooled by the moisture escaping the meat.

2. DRY IS BESTDon’t pour the extra marinade all over your grill-ables,says Reading. “You’ll go from a nice, dry heat to addingtoo much moisture and lowering the temperature,” shesays, adding that you should shake off any excess liquidbefore adding meat or veggies to the grill.

3. DRESS VEGETABLES AGAIN AFTER COOKINGKeep the liquid used to marinate your vegetables so thatonce the vegetables have been grilled, you can returnthem to this marinade. “The warm veggies will continueto absorb the marinade, but don’t do this with meat,”she adds. You always want to avoid cross contaminationof raw to cooked proteins.

4. GET JUICIERCHICKENKeep your chickenfrom drying out bykeeping the fat on,suggests Reading. Inother words, don’t gofor boneless, skinlessbreasts. Instead, trybreasts with skin on or

thighs. To check for doneness on chicken, set the skinside down and check the meat by pressing on it withtongs. The juices should run clear. (Cooking anythingon the bone tastes better, but it takes longer.)

5. GIVE IT A RESTWhatever the meat, make sure you give it time to settle before cutting it. Reading recommends fives minutes to allow the juices to redistribute themselvesevenly throughout the meat (rather than have the juices run all over your cutting board).

6. GRILL YOUR FRUITReading says fruit is an often overlooked grilling item.“Anything with high sugar and not too much moisture,like mango, pineapple, peaches and plums will grill well. Look for something that has structure,” she suggests. Cut these into large pieces and make sure thegrill is hot, “because when those sugars come out, theyhave to caramelize,” she explains, adding that if there are no grill marks, it’s too soon to remove it.

CALPHALON CUL I NARY C ENTER

SUMMER GRILLING TIPS

Don’t miss the Calphalon Culinary Center on King Street West’s 9th Anniversary party, June 2nd and 3rd. Cooking demos, food sampling, classroom tours, and of course, cake and balloons. For details, visit Calphalon.com/centers

TORONTO

THAT SECRET STORETo passers-by it might be just another clothing store tucked away in a discreet spot of an up-and-coming neighbourhood, but to streetwear devotees, it’s a HAVEN.

QUEEN STREET EAST, TORONTO / - Arthur andDaniel Chmielewski don’t think of it as a store as much as they do a showroom.

Haven’s exposed brick, industrial wrought iron accentsand white gypsum board walls rising from the polished concrete floors provide a blank canvas for the highly exclusive, urban styles tidily racked and folded throughoutthe Berkeley Street space, at the corner of Toronto’s Queen Street East.

A wall of factory-style windows lets in the late day’s sun,lighting a white oak laminated counter that sits like a giant butcher’s block in a corner of the tidy white space.

Single samples of each clothing item hang on racks, sit artfully displayed on recessed shelving that’s inset with slim-line lighting, or are featured prominently on two low-slung,Douglas fir benches stained to match the shelving detail.

JAPANESE RETAIL Much of the work was completed by the brothers them selves with considerable help from theircontractor father, says Arthur, explaining that the clean aesthetics are something one might find in a Japanese retailenvironment. A massive ten by six-and-a-half-foot-wide custom mirror reflects a glassed-in section whose contentsare just a little more exclusive that the regular collection.

“This section is where you’ll find $2,000 jackets,” saysArthur, explaining that if there was a specialization for hisstore it would be Japanese streetwear and technical outerwear.

Since 2006, the Edmonton-born brothers have curateddesigns from the likes of Original Fake, Acronym,Neighbourhood, WTAPS, Sophnet, Junta Watanabe MAN,Wings + Horns and more to establish a solid reputation aspurveyors of one of the most complete collections of luxurystreetwear available in Canada.

ROOTS OF A STYLE Distinct from hip hop, streetwear has roots in 1980s skate wear and many of the fashionsdraw inspiration from military, outdoor and work clothingaesthetics.

It was adopted as urban fashion in Japan in the ninetiesand strengthened into designer and luxury apparel quicklyfinding a foothold in the U.S. market in the early 2000s.

With price points ranging up to $500 for pants and$2,000 for jackets, many of the brands Haven carries appealto a market of clothes buyers most interested in technicalfeatures, and the exclusivity offered by this carefully curatedcollection.

To round off its offerings, Haven also has a selection ofmore affordable collections for more price conscious shoppers.

A FAITHFUL CLIENTELE “When we look for a store loca-tion, we’re not too concerned about foot traffic,” he says,explaining that consumers forming the niche market inwhich he and his brother first ventured, by opening a Havenstore in Edmonton, know the brands they carry and form a faithful customer base.

While its slick web site delivers a large part of its sales,having a physical presence in major Canadian cities is amust, says Arthur, explaining that building a network ofstores is part of an effort to consolidate a national presenceas well as provide its customer base with the chance to physically experience the product.

“Many of our customers have only heard of or seen thesebrands on the web, so having stores across Canada meansthey can see this stuff first hand,” says Arthur.

As physical expansion goes, Toronto is the third store.Vancouver saw the company’s second store open in 2009,tucked away in a corner of Gastown.

Its Queen Street East store sits in an eclectic neighbour-hood, but that has always been a draw when the duo looksfor locations.

“We’ve always been drawn to up-and-coming neighbour-hoods that have historical appeal,” says Arthur of his newCorktown space. n – Yvan Marston

Havenshop.ca

10 • SPRING 2012

[ R E T A I L ]“

TORONTO

“When we look for a store location, we’re not too concerned about foot traffic.”

FD WHO?Why the largest private, not-for-profit university in New Jersey has a campus in Yaletown. By Yvan Marston

YALETOWN, VANCOUVER / - To understand what U.S.-based Fairleigh Dickinson University’s 40,000-square-footcampus is doing set in a trendy part of downtown Vancouver,you’d have to know a bit about its history.

You’d have to know that it was formed in 1942 during thelast global war when its founder championed dialogue overconflict.

You’d have to know that he wanted to create a school where future leaders could learn in an international context ofcollaboration, and that as such, it has been affiliated with theUnited Nations since that organization was formed in 1945.

You’d also have to know that by 1999 it had two campusesin New Jersey, one in England and a president keen to furtherpursue that global vision with an eye to welcoming studentsfrom the Pacific Rim.

BEYOND BORDERS Los Angeles was initially considered,explains Dr. Cecil Abrahams, FDU-Vancouver’s campusprovost, but the location committee decided to look beyondthe U.S. borders.

“And Vancouver was ideal. For its climate, for its city andbecause it was open to the pacific,” he says, adding that whilethe institution’s Yaletown campus started with 18 students in2007, it has grown exponentially to 406.

It is managing the growth by doubling its footprint and renovating the second floor of its 842 Cambie Street address.

Indeed, 406 students is still small compared to the NewJersey campuses with their combined 12,000 students, butthose serve primarily Americans, whereas the Vancouver campus is for international students.

And rather than coming mostly from the Pacific Rim, Dr. Abrahams says the Vancouver student body has turned outto be much more diverse with students from some 45 countries.

EXPANDING PROGRAMMING When FDU-Vancouver opened, it offered undergraduate degrees in business management andinformation technology, but has since expanded its offerings to include a bachelor of arts in individualized studies and amaster’s degree in administrative science.

“Over the next few years we plan to expand our graduate programming. We’re looking at starting a master’s of science in computer science, an MBA and a master’s of science in hospitality and tourism,” says Dr. Abrahams.

FDU in New Jersey offers more than 100 accredited degreeprograms, to which the Vancouver campus can have access as long as the program is approved by the province’s degreequality assessment board.

SPECIAL UN ACCESS With an average class size of 10 students,teaching and learning is done in what amounts to a close-knitcommunity space. The main floor lounge is the campus’ socialcentre and with a growing influx of students, it needed to belarger. The renovations will push more classrooms upstairs.

As enrolment grows, this UN-associated university – FDUstudents and faculty enjoy special access to UN resources andpeople, including a UN broadcast that occurs about twice asemester where ambassadors speak to campuses via a live inter-active television broadcast and a monthly diplomatic series(open to the public) where local consuls general speak at theVancouver campus – moves ever closer to its founder’s vision.

In this way, FDU-Vancouver’s modest size belies its fargreater mission: That of being a space in which world citizenslearn to work together. n

fdu.edu/vancouver


[ E D U C A T I O N ]

• Founded in New Jersey in 1942 by Dr. Peter Sammartinoand his wife, Sylvia it is still the state’s largest independent,not-for-profit university.

• Named for an early benefactor, Colonel Fairleigh S.Dickinson, co-founder of Becton Dickinson, an Americanmedical technology that was one of the first companies tosell U.S.-made glass syringes.

• Locations include two campuses in New Jersey, one inEngland and one in Vancouver

• The first American university to own and operate an over-seas campus (Wroxton College in Oxfordshire, Englandopened in 1965)

• The first comprehensive university in the world to requiredistance learning of its undergraduates.

• Enrollment for all campuses includes 8,585 undergraduatestudents and 3,527 graduate students.

Fairleigh Dickinson University Facts

12 • SPRING 2012

Photos: Lynda Kuit

VANCOUVER


CITÉ DU MULTIMÉDIA, MONTRÉAL / – L’aménagement est de bon goût : quatre fauteuils Barcelonedisposés devant un panneau translucide décoré de poutresdénudées. Assurément, la réception de Produits forestiersRésolu se démarque radicalement des somptueux bureauxqu’occupait jusqu’à récemment, sur la rue Metcalfe, le géantdes pâtes et papiers sous la bannière AbitibiBowater.

C’est justement l’essence de notre message, explique SethKursman.

« Nous voulons que cet espace reflète ce que nous sommes,qu’il représente notre volonté de réduire non seulement noscoûts d’exploitation, mais aussi ceux du siège social », expliquele vice-président responsable des communications, des affairesgouvernementales et du développement durable de la nouvellesociété, qui s’est affranchie du régime de protection contre lescréanciers en décembre 2010 après avoir ramené sa dette de6,8 milliards de dollars à 850 millions de dollars.

Première société de produits forestiers au Canada, Résolupossède ou exploite 18 usines de pâtes et de papiers et 23usines de produits du bois aux États-Unis, au Canada et enCorée du Sud, et sa nouvelle vision de rentabilité est liée audéveloppement durable, explique M. Kursman.

Au delà des progrès réalisés d’un trimestre à l’autre et de savigoureuse stratégie de gestion de la dette, qui lui a permis

d’abaisser encore sa dette de 850 millions de dollars à 586 millions de dollars, la Société s’est aussi repositionnée en tantque fournisseur de choix respectueux de l’environnement.

Comment? Tout d’abord, elle est un des membres actifs de l’Entente sur la forêt boréale canadienne. Résolu siège àplusieurs comités régionaux, aux côtés d’ONGE commeGreenpeace et la Fondation David Suzuki.

Signée en 2010 par 21 acteurs de l’industrie forestière etneuf organisations environnementales, l’Entente s’active à trouver des solutions aux enjeux de conservation qui répondentà l’objectif du développement durable, soit de trouver unéquilibre cohérent entre les éléments que son nouveau chef de la direction, Richard Garneau, considère comme les troispiliers du développement durable liés aux activités humaines :les enjeux écologiques, sociaux et économiques.

Résolu est aussi membre du programme Climate Savers du Fonds mondial pour la nature (WWF), qui incite les entreprises à se fixer des objectifs ambitieux de réduction desgaz à effet de serre et à travailler activement à l’atteinte de ces objectifs.

« Tout cela est nouveau pour nous en tant qu’entreprise »,explique M. Kursman, en précisant que c’est son désir detransparence qui a motivé Résolu à publier un rapport détaillésur le développement durable en novembre dernier.

[ M A N U F A C T U R E ]

AXÉ SUR LE CHANGEMENT : Le géant Produits forestiers Résolu délaisse son ancienne image pour bâtir

Préparé conformément aux lignes directrices G3 de la GlobalReporting Initiative (GRI), une des normes internationales les plusacceptées pour la production de rapports responsables et trans -parents sur le développement durable, le rapport 2010 de Résoluanalyse sa performance dans plusieurs secteurs clés, notammentl’impact environnemental, la gestion responsable des produits etles ressources humaines, en plus de cerner les défis et de fixer desengagements ambitieux en matière de développement durable.

Parmi ces engagements, Résolu a promis de réduire de 65 % sesémissions absolues de gaz à effet de serre des niveaux 1 et 2 d’ici2015 par rapport à l’année de référence 2000. Elle compte aussiaccroître la proportion de ses terrains forestiers sous sa gestion certifiés conformes aux normes du Forest Stewardship Council(FSC) pour la faire passer de 18 % en 2010 à 80 % d’ici 2015. Au chapitre des ressources humaines, l’entreprise s’engage à assurerla relève au sein de son organisation en se donnant comme objectif de recruter de 2 500 à 3 500 employés au cours des troisprochaines années.

Nouveau nom, nouvelle vision, nouveaux bureaux : c’est ainsique la Société et ses 10 000 employés assument leur nouvelle réa -lité. Dans ses nouveaux quartiers de la rue Duke, Résolu s’est dotéed’une structure plus légère et souple, capable de s’adapter au con-texte commercial et économique actuel, en constante évolution. n

pfresolu.com

Renewed in purpose and commitment, forestry product giant Resolute shakes off its former image to build a lean and green organization that is...

FOCUSED ON CHANGECITE MULTIMEDIA, MONTREAL / - Tastefully appointedwith a quartet of Barcelona chairs set before a translucent wall studded decoratively with exposedtwo-by-fours, the reception for Resolute ForestryProducts marks a departure from the lavishly appointedMetcalfe Street offices the pulp and paper giant onceoccupied under the AbitibiBowater banner.

And that, explains Seth Kursman, is the point.

“This space makes a different statement about who we are, about our commitment to reducing costs –not just at an operational level but also including headoffice,” says the vice-president of communications,government affairs and sustainability for the companythat emerged from creditor protection in December of2010 having reduced its $6.8 billion debt burden to$850 million.

The largest forest products company in Canada,Resolute owns or operates some 18 pulp and papermills and 23 wood products facilities in the UnitedStates, Canada and South Korea, and its renewedvision of profitability is tied to sustainability, saysKursman.

So beyond the quarter-over-quarter improvementsand an aggressive debt management strategy that hasseen that $850 million debt further reduced to $586million, the company has also repositioned itself as anenvironmental supplier of choice.

How? To start, it is an active commercial member of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. Resolute sitson several regional committees sharing the table withENGOs like Greenpeace and the David SuzukiFoundation.

(continued on page 15)

une organisation verte et efficace.


Texte : Yvan Marston

MONTRÉAL

The agreement, signed in 2010 by 21 forestry industry players and nineenvironmental organizations, works to identify solutions to conservation issuesthat meet the goal of balancing what its new CEO Richard Garneau considersto be the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities: economic,social and environmental.

Resolute is also a member of the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, in which businesses establish ambitious targets to voluntarily reducegreenhouse gas emissions and work aggressively toward achieving them.

“It’s really new ground for us as a company,” says Kursman, adding thatResolute’s commitment to transparency prompted it to release a thorough sustainability report last November.

Using one of the most broadly accepted standards for accountable andtransparent sustainability reporting (the G3 guidelines of the Global ReportingInitiative), the Company’s 2010 Sustainability Report reviewed performance ina number of key areas including environmental impact, product stewardship,and human resources, identifying challenges and setting aggressive sustain-ability commitments.

Among these, Resolute aims to achieve a 65% absolute reduction in scope1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2015 over the 2000 base year. It alsoexpects to increase Forest Stewardship Council certification of its managedwoodlands from 18% in 2010 to 80% by 2015. And from an HR point of view, it is committing to successfully ensure the next generation of the company'sworkforce, with the goal of recruiting between 2,500 and 3,500 employeesover the next three years.

With a new name, new vision, and new office, the company and its 10,000 employees worldwide are adapting to its new reality. And from its newheadquarters on Duke Street, Resolute is showing itself to be a leaner andmore flexible organization, designed to respond to today’s rapidly changingeconomic and market realities. n

Montreal office reception area

““This space makes a different statement aboutwho we are, about our

commitment to reducingcosts – not just at an

operational level but alsoincluding head office.”


16 • SPRING 2012

Maintaining any level of physicalfitness requires regular assess-ments as your body changes and adapts to the workout or dietyou are following. Having a clearand specific start point will helpyou determine a specific endpoint. And to that end, Totum LifeScience has begun offering a bodycomposition assessment service

using a high tech chamber called a Bod Pod.

“The great thing about the Bod Pod is that it tells you if your workouts are effective,” says Dr. Shannon Lee, the director at Totum Performance.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH USING A SCALE? “We don’twant to just see the weight fall off, we want to see the fatgo while we build muscle. The problem is that if you’re not following a proper nutrition plan while working out, you could be burning off muscle,” saysLee, explaining that muscle, or lean mass,drives your metabolism and helps your bodyburn calories even when you’re at rest.

And it’s not a matter of bulking up, shesays, addressing the frequently held notionthat strength training is for bodybuilders. Forthe same volume, lean muscle weighs morethan fat. For some people, their weight mightnot change dramatically as they lose fat andgain muscle, but their measurements surelywill, she explains.

The tradeoff between muscle and fat isone of the reasons the body mass index orBMI is used only as a general point of refer-ence for determining whether your weight isadequate for your body type.

WHY NOT JUST FOLLOW THE BMI? The trouble with the BMI, says Lee, is that is doesn’t consider body composition. Forexample, bodybuilders will often register inthe obese range of the BMI because of theirheight to weight ratio, but in fact they havevery little fat.

Other methods range from using skin foldcalipers and tape measures to bio electrical

impedance devices, handheld ultrasounds and dual-energyX-ray absorptiometry. The gold standard is underwaterweighing, which measures your body’s volume, but a farmore accessible method is the Bod Pod (which has beenvalidated as being just as accurate).

HOW DOES THE BOD POD WORK? The Bod Pod usesair pressure to determine body volume. In less than fiveminutes, the machine determines fat and lean composition,body mass and fat percentage. Since it calculates air displacement to do the measuring, air caught in clothingand in hair can alter results. Users sit in the capsule wearing bathing suits and simply breathe naturallywhile inside.

Testing is offered at the Totum Performance studio at1073 Yonge Street and is available to members and non-members alike for a $60 fee. To learn more, visit totum.ca

Dr. Lee

T O T U M T I P S

SEEING BEYOND THE SCALEIf you want a true measure of your health, you’ll need to know more than what the scale will tell you.

Totum’s new Bod Pod service offers a complete peek at your body composition.

TORONTO

Selon Laurent Mascherpa, qui a travaillé neuf ans au développementde jeux de console pour des entre-prises de grande réputation commeUbisoft avant de se lancer à son

compte, Pinball Ride fut un début incroyable etune expérience d’apprentissage fantastique pourson équipe de Massive Finger, formée de troisemployés principaux qui œuvrent à plein temps.

Ils proposent maintenant leur plus récenteapplication, un mélange de machine à boules « Pinball » et de Casse-briques, appelée PinballManiacs. On y suit « Justin » et ses amis dans une chasse au trésor épique alors qu’ils doiventaffronter de dangereux ennemis tout au long des deux premiers tableaux, l’Anse aux pirates(Pirate Bay) et le Château du dragon (DragonCastle); le lancement est prévu ce printemps. n

PINBALL WIZARDSBringing 3D graphics and a real pinball feel to a mobile game was just the start.Making it a shared experience is what helped Massive Finger break through tothe essence of the game. By Micayla Jacobs

BLVD. ST. LAURENT, MONTREAL / -Three years ago, Laurent Mascherpa and his team built a gaming experience rooted in nostalgia but firmly aimed at the future.

When Pinball Ride launched in the summer of that year, it was designed to focusexclusively on new connected platforms suchas iPhone and Facebook to provide a socialgaming experience.

Using an illustrative style, quality 3Dgraphics and smooth frame rate to replicatethe physics of an actual pinball machine, the game took players through various challenges unlocking jackpots offered by the table along the way.

FRIENDLY COMPETITION But it was theFacebook Connect option that was parti -cularly prescient. This allowed users to com-pete asynchronously against their Facebookfriends so that they could see each other’s rankbased on score, and compare game profiles.

In short, it made the individual experience of mobile gaming intosomething social. And fans liked it.

To date, the free version of the game has been downloaded 3.3 million times and has received awards from important gaming sitessuch as Pocket Gamer.

A SMALL COLLABORATIVE Mascherpa, who spent nine years working on console games for high profile companies like Ubisoftbefore setting out on his own, says Pinball Ride was a great start and a fantastic learning experience for his team, which currently includestwo senior full-time employees.

“It’s a pleasure to work with such a creative and motivated group,”he says, explaining that by keeping the team small, they can be moreflexible and collaborative – a key component of ensuring that the positive gaming experience they aim to develop begins in the office.

The team is just releasing its latest offering, a mix of pinball andBreakout called Pinball Maniacs that follows ‘Justin’ and his friends onan epic treasure hunt, encountering dangerous enemies along the wayin the first two tables Pirate Bay and Dragon Castle, slated for releasethis spring. n

Massivefinger.com


[ G A M I N G ]

MONTRÉAL

FRONT STREET EAST, TORONTO - If it seems as thoughpets are everywhere, it’s because they are. An Agriculture Canada report on the pet food industry estimates there are some 8.4 million cats and over five million dogs.

And they’re getting older. Dogs especially, according to the same report.

As Canada’s dog population ages,it explains, there is a growingdemand for quality food to addressthe needs of these seniors. So it isthat, to date, more than 200 of PetValu’s 435 stores across Canada and the U.S. have been renovated and reinvented into nutritionalresource centres for pet lovers.

“When the chain first opened itreally was about value and discountand the environment – right downto the triple A racking – reflectedthat,” says Julie Johnston, vice president of marketing and mer-chandising for the 37-year-old petsupply retailer aiming to complete a systematic renovation of all itsexisting stores while opening newones like the location that openedin April at 184 Front Street East.

The urban locale is a departurefrom Pet Valu’s traditional approachto serving suburban markets, admitsJohnston, “but we wanted to trysome downtown locations in placeswhere we haven’t traditionally had apresence.”

The new store design focuses on creating a warmer environment using wood floors, a richercolour palette and exposed brick (where it can) to create a welcoming space in which pet owners can feel comfortable discussing the nutritional needs of what most people consider to be a member of the family, explains Johnston.

Indeed, the 2011 Agriculture Canada report on the industrypoints to ‘pet humanization’ as a key driver for a consumer

preference towards natural pet health products made with quality ingredients.

Large grocery stores can dominate the market on generallydistributed brands of pet food in terms of price and conven-ience, but owners want to see ingredients that are natural and

that they recognize, offers theresearch.

Pet Valu focuses on the qualityfood market. To that end, saysJohnston, it offers a well-priced, broad spectrum of holistic and naturalfoods and has taken the extra step of partnering with California-basedUC Davis School of Veterinary medicine to create a robust onlinetraining system for its staff and franchisees to be able to offerinformed nutritional advice.

It’s a strategy that appears to haveborne fruit with year-over-year salesincreasing 20% in a tough U.S. economy and 11% in Canada, much of which Johnston says, isattributable to sales in natural andholistic products.

But let’s not forget play, she adds.

The chain still sold $15 million in toys last year, also as part of thegrowing affection between pet andowner, people are more moved to buythem things, explains Johnston. Andno matter how innovative (take theultra-sonic squeaky toy that only your dog hears, for example) the topseller remains a rubber ball.

Active in the dog and cat adoption community, most storesdevelop relationships with local animal rescue groups, and inthe spring ‘Paws’ event, where customers can buy paper paws for a donation and stick it to a store wall or window, can raise as much as $250,000.

“People love their pets, but they are also concerned about animal welfare,” she says. n

Petvalu.com


Better Living for PetsPet Valu sheds its discount image for a more targeted approach to becoming anutritional resource for pet owners. By Yvan Marston

[ R E T A I L ]

• As of 2010, 32.3% of Canadian householdsowned a dog, a slight dip in numbers from35.1% in 2009. The dog population hasremained relatively stable, reaching just overfive million in 2010.

• Canadian dog owners who purchased premium dog food, overwhelmingly chose dry over wet food in 2010, with sales reaching CAD $160 million.

• The overall cat population in Canada reached8.4 million in 2010, remaining relatively stablesince 2008. It is estimated that 35% ofCanadian households owned a cat in 2010,with an average of 1.8 cats per dwelling.

Source: Consumer Trends: Pet Food in Canada, Market IndicatorReport, July 2011. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

FACTS:

20 • SPRING 2012

TORONTO

Photos: Yvan Marston

(Clockwise from top) Pet Valu’s Front Street East location; interiors feature warmer colour palette; self-serve pet bathing station; and, Jesse Thibertwith a feline friend ready for adoption.

MILE END, MONTRÉAL / - L’acteur y verra un appartementensoleillé de style loft. Le directeur de casting y verra plutôt unstudio fait sur le long et doté d’un excellent éclairage. Et pourCatherine Simard, c’est ce que l’industrie de la productioncinématographique et télévisuelle attendait depuis longtemps.

La propriétaire des Studios Darwin, situés dans le Mile End,a eu l’idée de créer son environnement de casting unique il y aplus d’un an, alors qu’elle œuvrait à titre de coordonnatrice deproduction et qu’à la dernière minute, elle avait désespérémentbesoin d’un endroit pour y mener des activités de casting.

« II semblait toujours y avoir pénurie de studios disponibles »affirme Mme Simard, Montréalaise dans la vingtaine, auxcheveux lisses noirs de jais. C’est son côté entrepreneurial quil’a poussée à quitter la maison de production qui l’employaitpour se lancer, il y a un an, dans la construction de ce qu’ellenomme aujourd’hui des « appartements du casting ».

Situés dans le Mile End, près de quelques maisons de pro-duction (Attraction Media partage le même édifice), les StudiosDarwin offrent aux directeurs de casting un environnementéclairé et confortable doté d’une cuisinette complète, d’un

espace salon avec canapé offrant un vue imprenable, d’unmoniteur de lecture et d’une table de travail bistro pour six. En face de ces installations s’étend un espace studio de 750 pieds carrés fait sur le long et peint en ton de gris, idéalpour la caméra.

« Nous voulions avant tout créer un endroit confortable tantpour les acteurs que pour nos clients. Vous devez vous sentirchez vous » affirme Mme Simard, qui explique que les journéesd’audition sont souvent longues et répétitives; le fait de profiterd’un éclairage naturel et d’une ambiance chaleureuse peutaméliorer l’efficacité des groupes de casting.

En fait, l’espace qu’elle propose au 5455, rue de Gaspé se diviseen deux studios : le premier a l’apparence d’un grand loftpourvu de fenêtres industrielles qui donnent sur l’ouest et d’uncoin cuisinette alors que le second, quoique de dimension plusmodeste (350 pieds carrés), offre tout de même une atmo-sphère relax et les mêmes services, c.-à-d. l’éclairage, les camérashaute définition, les moniteurs de lecture et les services d’untechnicien qui filme les auditions et organise et transfère lesfichiers une fois la session terminée.

UN ENVIRONNEMENT UNIQUEAux Studios Darwin, lumière naturelle, ambiance confortable et service professionnel s’allient pour créer une expérience de casting de première qualité


[ M E D I A ]

Studios Darwin’s natural light,comfortable setting and professionalservice combines to create a qualitycasting experience MILE END, MONTREAL / - From the actor’s point of view, it’sa sunny loft-style apartment. From the casting director’sseat, it’s a long, well lit studio. And from Catherine Simard’sperspective, it’s what Montreal’s film and television production industry has long been in need of.

The owner of Studios Darwin in Mile End got the idea to create her unique casting environment more than a year ago when she was a production coordinator desperatelyseeking last-minute casting space.

“There just always seemed to be a shortage of availablestudios,” says Simard, a twenty-something Montrealer withstraight, jet-black hair and an entrepreneurial streak thatpushed her to leave the production house she worked forand set out a year ago to build what she calls ‘casting apartments’.

Located in Mile End, close to a number of productionhouses (Attraction Media is in the same building) StudiosDarwin offers casting directors a bright, comfortable environment with a full kitchen area, a living room couchviewing space with playback monitor and a wide café-heightworktable for six – all of which sits opposite a long studio750-square-foot space painted a camera-friendly shade of grey.

“We wanted to create a place that would be comfortablefor both actors and our clients. It should feel like your own space,” says Simard, explaining that casting days areoften long and repetitive and that having natural light and ahome like environment can help casting panels work moreefficiently.

Her space at 5455 de Gaspé Ave. is actually two studios,this first one is large and loft-like with a bank of west-facingfactory windows and a kitchen tucked into one side; whilethe other is somewhat more modest in size (350 squarefeet) but still offering a relaxed atmosphere and the samelevel of service, i.e., lights, cameras, playback monitors anda technician who films the auditions as well as organizesand transfers files once the session is complete. n

Il y avait bien quelques studios de casting en ville mais ennombre insuffisant pour répondre à la demande, expliqueMme Simard, qui a inauguré les Studios Darwin dans lecadre d’un plus vaste plan visant à élargir ses horizons dansle domaine de la production plutôt que d’un projet pure-ment entrepreneurial.

« C’est une bonne façon pour moi de me définir au sein de l’industrie. Au lieu d’être celle qui travaille pourquelqu’un d’autre, les gens commencent à me connaître entant que propriétaire des Studios Darwin. Cela me permetde créer des liens avec les gens de plusieurs boites pouréventuellement avoir la liberté de travailler avec eux. »déclare Mme Simard.

Ce n’est pas le travail qui manque; la demande de loca-tion des espaces n’a pas ralenti depuis les tout débuts. Deuxsemaines avant l’ouverture officielle au printemps dernier,Mme Simard a fait parvenir des invitations à un « 5 à 7 »afin de se présenter à l’industrie et de permettre aux clientspotentiels de découvrir les lieux. Les gens ont immédiate-ment répondu à son invitation avec des demandes de réservation d’espaces.

Lorsque vient le temps de procéder à des séances de casting, certaines maisons de production s’arrangent avec cequ’elles ont, admet Mme Simard, mais ce n’est pas l’idéallorsque vous savez que 200 personnes se présenteront pourpasser l’audition pour une publicité et que vous devrez envoir plusieurs en même temps, par exemple.

C’est pourquoi vous avez besoin d’un lieu réservé à cettefin, doté d’une salle d’attente confortable, de toilettes, d’unecuisinette et d’un endroit confortable pour coordonner letout. Et c’est pour cette raison que le carnet de rendez-vousde Catherine Simard ne cesse de se remplir. n

Studiosdarwin.com


Simard

MONTRÉAL

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