On behalf of Cadillac, the official vehicle of the Toronto International Film Festival, I’m thrilled to be covering all things TIFF again for another year in a unique social media reporting assignment. With my insider reporting partner Skye Collyer, in our beautiful Cadillac CTS-V coupe we’ll ride to some of the best of what TIFF has to offer – the press conferences, red carpet premieres, and parties that take over downtown Toronto.

I hope you’ll join us Festival Insiders as we ride through TIFF this year. You will have a few ways to keep up with us during TIFF:

– The Festivalinsider.ca blog where I post stories each day about the red carpet premieres and events we visit.

– Cadillac Festival Insider features the photography of George Pimentel – a TIFF renowned celebrity photography with his own unique access. Photo albums are published daily throughout the Festival on Facebook and Flickr.

– I’ll tweet a lot on our popular Twitter feed at @FESTIVALinsider about all the TIFF action.

– We produce a daily series of YouTube videos hosted by my co-insider SKYE as we visit the hot spots around the Toronto International Film Festival.

– And if that wasn’t enough, I’ll somehow find the strength to get up at 7am each day during TIFF to chat with Mad Dog on 99.9 Virgin radio where I’ll dish all things TIFF.

– We’ll even giveaway a few TIFF premiere tickets, so for that reason alone, it’s worth following along.

Four legends of tennis; Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Michael Chang take to a sponsor stage to share stories at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. (August 13, 2011)

A special week in late June when two of the most distinctive voices in soul history made separate, but equally important appearances in Toronto. Ms. Aretha Franklin and Sade made rare concert stops in the city. Online music news site Manifesto.ca asked to use photos I shot at the shows. Was thrilled to see my shots end up in beautifully penned reviews (coincidentally, by a friend) – Mindbender Supreme.

On Aretha Franklin’s show kicking off the 2011 Toronto Jazz Festival;
“It was truly something reminiscent of the arrival of royalty: it was like the musicians had to lay a bed of sonic rose petals, orchids and chrysanthemums down before the Queen would even set foot down in the court of the crowd and concert. Honestly, for any other artist, it would have been a tedious display of pretentiousness. But on this occasion, it actually felt proper.” – SEE MORE.

On the magical Sade show at Air Canada Centre;
“Sade. Ooh, let me say it again, just because it’s so sensual: SADE. Her name alone is nothing short of holy in many music lovers’ hearts. She eternally floats in the pantheon of immortal soul vocalists, artists that create above and beyond the confines of time, space, and the plastic parameters of the music industry.” – SEE MORE.

Sade has always been one of those artists that fascinates me. She is considered reclusive and very rarely gives press interviews. Sade quickly released four multi-platinum albums during the eighties – then almost as quick, she practically disappeared from public view and has released just two more records during the last twenty years.

The wait was worth it as Sade gave a mesmerizing two-hour performance with her very tight band. Sade started the evening in stiletto heels but my mid-performance to the end, it was bare feet.

I just had my point-and-shoot camera so it was fun again to challenge myself to try and get the best shot possible (all photos Richard Budman.)

I was quickly reminded of something when pulling out the camera – it’s far more challenging finding good picture composition for a thirteen piece band, than when shooting solo artists. In the case of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, I discovered being very close to the stage (the usual hotspot for capturing artists best) would not prove to be the ideal shooting location on this evening.
I started side-stage left. But having the band leader’s back to me (on piano) just wasn’t working.
When moving to first-row, centre stage – it took about a second for me to realize I just wouldn’t be able to capture a full band shot. You might have gotten something cool if you were shooting with a 10mm fish-eye lens, but I had nothing wider than my 35mm Nikon prime – no way I would get a full-band shot from this spot.
Spent a few minutes catching some close up stuff while I was in the front-row, but was anxious to move onto a better shooting spot.

We next tried side stage-right, almost behind the band. An interesting spot. But I still wasn’t completely satisfied.
When I got to centre stage, from the back of the main tent, I could start to feel we were getting closer to right spot to capture the band.
BINGO! Centre stage, about ten rows back felt like the right spot to capture the full band. Sometimes it’s too packed in shows to afford the luxury of moving around like I did for the Spanish Harlem Orchestra tonight. But the lesson on the night for me is if the shots aren’t feeling right and you’re not happy with the composition – move around in the venue and find other shooting spots.

So when the chance came to see Shad in a much more intimate (and warmer!) venue, I was all over it. Since it was more a night out with friends – I didn’t take the shootin’ that seriously and just came armed with my camera over my shoulder and one lens – my 35mm prime f1:8 – also great in low light which these club shows tend to be usually be in.

(June 17, 2011) Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney greets American politico legend and diplomat Henry Kissinger after the Munk Debates at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. Kissinger was making the appearance to lend his thoughts to the nights topic, “Does the 21st Century Belong To China?”

I’d been catching up with office work and doing those pesky taxes when by 4pm realized I hadn’t been outside all day, it was time for some fresh air. Noticed lots of Sikhs flowing into Queen’s Park. A quick google told me it was Toronto’s annual Khalsa Day celebrations and when noticing a ton of media – I figured somebody famous must be here (and now, maybe a picture moment or two.)

Another photographer alerted me that both Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP leader Jack Layton were both set to arrive and address the crowd. Since we are just over a week from a Federal Election here in Canada – both these guys are pretty big in the news right now (all photos Richard Budman.)

It was time to get the camera out. Decided to use my wide angle lens because I had a hunch there would be some tight press scrums around the party leaders and I would need to get in close for a clean shot.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff & MP Ruby Dhalla just before they take the stage to address the thousands of Sikhs that had gathered at Queen’s Park.

It was strictly shoes off on the Khalsa Day stage.
What’s this man thinking? If his party doesn’t perform well this election – many will second guess if Ignatieff is the right man to lead the Liberal Party.
I followed Ignatieff’s exit from Queen’s Park. I enjoy very candid moments with political leaders and their security. The Liberal leader would chat with and take questions from anyone approaching him.

I then went to look for NDP leader Jack Layton. There seemed to be a bit more buzz and media attention around Layton I could almost feel. Took me a few minutes to penetrate the circle of media around him, but when finally finding a hole got some nice picture moments.


The “shot” the media was looking for was whether the two party leaders would greet each other. I overheard people with Ignatieff say it wouldn’t happen. But when the Liberal leader exited the stage he would have to cross paths with Layton. It was very fast and Ignatieff gave Layton just a quick handshake and, “hello Jack.” It was very crowded and super fast so not sure if any media got a good shot of it. (mine sucks I think.)


Think they were protesting something.

But I was still doing office work past six on the eve of Sheen’s first appearance in Canada on his Violent Torpedo of Truth tour and I didn’t think I could get to Massey Hall’s stage doors in time for Sheen’s arrival for what I knew would be a mob scene of media and fans.

But when Twitter was telling me Sheen still probably hadn’t arrived to the Toronto venue by 7 pm and the crowd awaiting his arrival had grown quite large, it was time to check out the Massey Hall scene (all photos Richard Budman.)