REEL | Spielberg, Streep, and Hanks Publish 'The Post'

"We can't hold them accountable if we don't have a newspaper."

Famed director Steven Spielberg makes his best case for journalism and freedom of the press in the face of government overreach. The simply titled The Post is a rather straightforward yet stirring story of The Washington Post's efforts to publish the controversial leaked Pentagon Papers detailing several different White House administrations' well-documented lies about the Vietnam War during Nixon's second term (think of it as a sort of prequel to All the President's Men) all stylishly told in pure Spielberg-ian fashion with some extra timely urgency.

REEL | All the Cardinal's Men – 'Spotlight'

Co-writer/director Tom McCarthy uses The Boston Globe's 2002 investigative "Spotlight" team's uncovering of the Massachusetts Catholic Church's child sex abuse scandal to make a case for the value in the procedural work of journalism as he successfully recreates and constructs it for audiences here as high drama. Taking place mostly in drab offices, meeting rooms, and other everyday locations, Spotlight is a thrilling reconstruction of the real-life story about uncovering abuse and corruption at the highest levels.

Vancouver Daze #96: Interview – Cheryl Hickey x ET Canada

Vancouver Daze, Volume 96: Interview with Cheryl Hickey from Entertainment Tonight Canada at Shaw TV studios in Coal Harbour on November 19, 2012. Published in Vancouver Is Awesome.



I met and interviewed the lovely (and very pregnant) Cheryl Hickey, host of ET Canada. She's in town to shoot a week of shows for their annual west coast tour. It was a fun, charming chat with some interesting takeaways.

TEDxVancouver 2012 x Confluence x Orpheum Theatre

2012 TEDxVancouver: Confluence conference at the Orpheum Theatre on October 21, 2012.



Two bodies of water joining together, "confluence". It's hard to believe this past weekend's independently organized and annual TEDxVancouver was my third already and fourth ever. Twenty-three hundred attendees packed the beautiful Orpheum, doubling last year's total.

TEDxVancouver 2011 x The Frontier x UBC Chan Centre

2011 TEDxVancouver: The Frontier conference at UBC's The Chan Centre for Performing Arts on November 12, 2011.



Seemingly everyone who is anyone woke up early on Saturday morning and jam-packed the Chan Centre fo a day of knowledge and "Ideas worth spreading". My second and the third annual TEDxVancouver conference was bigger and better than last year's effort in most ways.

Interview: Ch-Ch-Changes x CTV BC News

CTV News interviews with Aamer Haleem, Norma Reid, Rob Brown, Keri Adams, and Coleen Christie at CTV BC on October 6, 2011.



Big changes are happening at Canada's largest broadcaster. CTV BC announced today two new news shows, CTV Morning Live and CTV News at Noon in addition to a slew of anchor and host shuffling at 5, 6, and 11:30.

The Ubyssey: UBC Campus Profile + Interview

Read my UBC campus profile and interview for The Ubyssey student newspaper written by senior culture writer Taylor Loren (who I interviewed last year for CBC News).



Apparently, I party hard. Who knew?

Said the Whale x 'Winning America' x CBC Music Documentary

The Said the Whale music tour documentary Winning America airs on CBC BC television on July 23, 2011 at 7pm.



The story is an old one. A Canadian band goes south to make it in the States. This CBC documentary follows Vancouver's Juno Award-winning Said The Whale and their tour travels to the South by Southwest (SxSW) music festival in Austin, Texas.

5 Tips: If You Don't Take Your Own Blog Seriously, No One Else Will

1) Writers write.

Write about something, anything. If you call yourself a "writer" and you don't write every single day then you are probably not really a writer. Getting paid to write also helps, obviously. Write every day. No exceptions, period. Most of it won't be good, but it will teach you discipline and speed. Writer's block cannot happen if you force yourself to write.

Northern Voice 2011: Blogging + Social Media Conference x UBC

Northern Voice 2011 personal blogging and social media conference at UBC Life Sciences Centre on May 13-14, 2011.



I attended my first Northern Voice conference this past weekend. I remember last year, just starting out in the social media community, watching all the live tweets and thinking I needed to be there next year. And I was. In fact, I was even invited to speak on a panel on day 2.

5 Tips: Don't Wait for Opportunities. Create Them.

"Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been." – Wayne Gretzky

Nobody great ever achieved success by waiting around and hoping for opportunities to come to them. Sitting around and thinking things are just going to happen is a recipe for mediocrity. Today, more than ever, we have the tools and knowledge available to us to find and make things happen on our own with a little help. I'd like to share a few humble tips on how to create your own opportunities. So "do it yourself".

BCIT Broadcast Short Film: 'Command Z' – A Zombie Comedy

Every BCIT Broadcast Journalism student makes a short film or "fun feature" during their first semester. The best one each year is awarded the Jello Award. My group won last year.

This year's winner, Command Z, blows them all away. This 12-minute short film is a zombie comedy epic. It features some excellent writing and production values done by Rafferty Baker, Brittany DeAngelis, Mitch Pollock, Marc Staeling, and Anita Sthankiya including an opening narration by CKNW host Bill Good. Enjoy.

Guest Speaking: Langara College x Online Journalism Class

A few weeks ago, Langara College instructor and Rabble editor Alexandra Samur asked me to guest speak to her online journalism class. Needless to say, I accepted immediately, jumping at another public speaking gig. The focus was primarily on online branding and freelancing.

Dinner with Kemp & Steff x Social Media Radio x Roundtable

Social media radio roundtable and dinner hosted by writer Steffani Cameron and social media instructor Kemp Edmonds with CBC consumer reporter Theresa Lalonde, Vancouver Sun digital writer Gillian Shaw, Rick and Kathleen Rake on March 9, 2010.



Today's Vancouver Daze article is a little different. No party or event per se this week. Instead, I gathered with some social media elite to discuss digital journalism and media. My friends Kemp and Steff are starting a late night radio show and podcast for CiTR campus radio at UBC.

BCIT Broadcast: Katy Perry 'Teenage Dream' Parody

Watch this hilarious music parody of Katy Perry's pop hit single, "Teenage Dream", done by first-year BCIT Broadcast Journalism student, Justin Morissette, called "Best News Team". The music video mocks our program and campus radio station, Evolution 107.9 FM. The in jokes and references are spot on. You can also listen and download the audio here.

CBC News: Vancouver Coworking x The Network Hub

Listen to my news story for CBC Radio One on Vancouver Coworking Spaces and The Network Hub.



Shared coworking spaces are becoming a more popular alternative to traditional offices as a growing trend in Vancouver's entrepreneurial and start up community. (1:11)

CBC Open House x Food Bank Day

CBC Open House and Food Bank Day at CBC Vancouver Plaza on December 3, 2010.

Live Hit: BC Liberal Leadership Race Heats Up

Anchorman: BCIT Magazine x November 25, 2010

I played anchorman at the news desk for BCIT Magazine airing on Shaw TV with Christine Tam at the BCIT Broadcast Centre on November 25, 2010 featuring two of my news stories. Watch the show after the jump.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC and EA Sports Get in the Game

In anticipation of their inaugural season in the MLS, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced a videogame partnership today with EA Sports for their FIFA soccer franchise at their Burnaby campus. I found out what the collaboration means for soccer fans and gamers alike.


Shot and edited by Dan Milligan.