“Do we get to keep the make-up artists?” asks Melanie Harder, a local curler and a hired extra for last weeks’ Canadian Curling Associations national commercial shoot. The high scale production was shot on location at the Trenton Curling Club (TCC).
The commercial, planned to air on TSN during this seasons national curling broadcasts, was produced by Josh Johnston and Kyle Geerkens, partners in Toronto-based production company SwitchFrame Media. Josh and Kyle, both 27, grew up in this area so were quick to approach the TCC with the opportunity to be the home ice for this 30+ cast and crew project.
Every time you watch the 30 sec advertisement featuring our brightly coloured rings during commercial breaks of Championship curling this season, you’ll know Trenton is being showcased coast to coast.
“I wasn’t expecting such an elaborate set up. It was really impressive.” said Kerry McCue, a TCC curler. Kerry and Melanie, plus local rock throwers Erin Cloutier, Allison Besnard, Justin Johnston, Saoirse Graham and Kate Tepylo, were all hired extra’s working alongside a professional cast and crew being directed by Josh and Kyle.
When asked if he was enjoying his acting debut, Saoirse Graham said “Josh was my Skip when we were in Junior curling. I’m used to him calling the shots.”
The Trenton Curling Club has long been known for great ice, courtesy of our ice technician, Neil Harder, but shooting in a curling rink does present its challenges.
“With our lighting system throwing off intense heat, we needed Neil to maintain a low enough temperature to keep the ice hard and not create puddles. It was a lot colder than normal curling conditions but everything ran really smoothly. All these details are worked out in pre-production, well ahead of shooting.” said Johnston.
Geerkens added “We have a skilled team of people who know what they’re doing.”
Both Josh and Kyle are Ryerson University grads who have built a great company and impressive portfolio (www.switchframemedia.com).
Dearbhla Trainor, a Toronto actress shooting here on location, loved the curling and learning the winter sports lingo, and suggested “It’s ‘harder’ than I thought.”
Truth is, your teams Skip might call for ‘harder’ sweeping, but the game is actually easy to learn.
SwitchFrame’s objective was to create a commercial that promoted club level curling in communities across the country. This project joined another initiative by the CCA to freshen up the face of curling — the launch of the hilarious and wacky www.startcurling.ca website. Check it out and enter their “Hurry Hard” video contest for some great prizes.
If commercial acting isn’t your calling but you think curling might be, the TCC is still welcoming brand new curlers this season. They offer step by step introduction to the sport in a fun atmosphere.
After all, curling is known as ‘the social sport’ that includes sitting down with the opposing team after the match and congratulating shots made and game changing ends.
As they now say out on the ice: “That’s a wrap!”
Special to the Trentonian
