TIFF party night

The ceramic museum hosts party for The Perverts Guide to Cinema

Today being the first night of the Toronto International Film Festival I was assigned to shoot a few parties. One of them being at the Ceramic museum, the other at Lobby a "exclusive" nightclub known for it's snobby way of handling of people trying to get in.

The first party at the ceramic museum was kind of boring. It supported two floors of people who seemed to be in party mode if they weren't in networking mode. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with networking events. However if you meet a person and shake their hand while at the same time they're looking around the room and not at you cause they think they'll find someone more important... well it's a little discourteous.

Not too say everyone I met there was like that. Anna-Lea for one was a nice face to run into. She let me take a few pictures how bad can she be?


It's Anna-Lea on the red carpet.


Sophie Fiennes Director of The Perverts Guide to Cinema


A blue stilt walking fire twirler

Later on over at Lobby, a bar I couldn't get into with a camera, I stood outside and managed to meet a few interesting media people. Some videographer named Scott and Caitlin a photographer. We were all waiting outside at the entrance for Cillian Murphy to show up so we could take some promotional pictures. #


Caitlin, a photographer getting ready to shoot Cillian Murphy on his way to Lobby.

After standing around for about an hour and a half Cillian Murphy stepped out of a car flanked by a bunch of body guard heavies. The only shot I got was the one below. He looks kind of stunned. I hate taking photos of people like this. You can't use this for really anything promotional, the subject in the photograph isn't looking their best. That's the last thing I would want to post over the internet for all the world to see.  After all I'm trying to photograph them looking great, maybe even having fun, not in some awkward position that some low life paparazzi would shoot them in.

It would be different if this was some random thing, but I was hired by his publicist to take a photo for their use.  Since no other photographer got a still this is what got printed. Why do actors even show up to these events if they don't want the press to shoot them knowing that press and photographers will be there specifically for them? They are supposedly promoting their movie after all.


Cillian Murphy surrounded by security type people getting out of car

It's times like this when you look at Tom Cruise and even though he's prone to jumping up and down on a couch he does promote his movies. Maybe production companies will keep this in mind next time they hire an actor. On screen, off screen. What the actor does affects sales.