Coopers' Camera (2008)

Director:

Warren P. Sonoda

Writers:

Mike Beaver (written by) &
Jason Jones (written by)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Using a professional grade video camera, a dysfunctional family records their Christmas Day in 1985, which descends into total chaos.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Vhs | Uncle | Suburbia | Dysfunctional Family

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Boyd Banks	...	Sgt. Stevenson
Jennifer Baxter	...	Aunt Bev
Mike Beaver	...	Uncle Nick
Samantha Bee	...	Nancy Cooper
Kate Campbell	...	Baby Davidson
Jayne Eastwood	...	Nana Gert
Onyekachi Ejim	...	Okeke
Dylan Everett	...	Teddy Cooper
Dave Foley	...	Bill Davidson
Jason Jones	...	Gord Cooper
Peter Keleghan	...	Tim Cooper
Hayley Lochner	...	Heather
Nick McKinlay	...	Marcus Cooper
Jock McLeod	...	Poppy (as Jock Mcleod)
Gage Munroe	...	Dougie
Jenny Parsons	...	Aunt Joan
Robert Tinkler	...	Officer Malette (as Rob Tinkler)
Steven Yaffee	...	Wayne

Directed by
Warren P. Sonoda

Writing credits
Mike Beaver		(written by) &
Jason Jones		(written by)

Produced by
Sean Buckley	....	producer
Joel Burch	....	associate producer
John N. Kozman	....	executive producer
Kate McColeman	....	executive producer: Notch
Nicholas Tabarrok	....	producer
Sarah Vingoe	....	post-production producer

Original Music by
Rob Deboer		(uncredited)
Tony Grace		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Samy Inayeh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Aden Bahadori
Warren P. Sonoda

Casting by
Caroline Malette
Michael Stevenson

Production Design by
Diana Abbatangelo

Costume Design by
Laura Montgomery

Makeup Department
Dee Daly	....	key makeup artist (as Danielle 'Dee' Daly)
Tami El Sombati	....	makeup artist
Nina Stephen	....	makeup artist (as Nina M. Stephen)
Tami El Sombati	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Aden Bahadori	....	post-production supervisor
Rogelio Cazares	....	unit manager
Chris Pavoni	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elizabeth Bannon	....	second assistant director
Ben Iscoe	....	first assistant director
Michael Josse	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Samantha Ann Brown	....	props master (as Samantha Brown)
Samantha Ann Brown	....	set dresser (as Samantha Brown)
Forbes Campbell	....	art department production assistant
Martha Guy	....	lead set dresser
Christopher Lazar	....	set dresser
Martha Guy	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rob Beal	....	sound recordist
Boomtang	....	sound
Rob Deboer	....	foley artist
Rob Deboer	....	sound effects
Tony Grace	....	foley artist
Tony Grace	....	sound effects
Jeffery Magat	....	boom operator (as Jeff Magat)
Luke McLean	....	first boom operator
Andrew Penttila	....	boom operator (as Andrew Pentilla)
Daric Schlesselman	....	adr editor: NYC

Special Effects by
Max Macdonald	....	special effects: Max FX (as Max MacDonald)
Melinda Ramsay	....	special effects: Max FX
Melinda Ramsay	....	technician: puke effect

Visual Effects by
Aden Bahadori	....	Photoshop artist
Nick Flook	....	lead visual effects artist
Nick Flook	....	special visual effects: Pixalite
Mike Sevigny	....	lead visual effects artist (as Mike Sévigny)
Mike Sevigny	....	special visual effects: Pixalite (as Mike Sévigny)
Aden Bahadori	....	visual effects producer: Pixalite (uncredited)

Stunts
Simon Fon	....	stunt coordinator
Simon Fon	....	stunts
Daniel Levinson	....	stunts
Kevin Robinson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Annunziata	....	second assistant camera
Angelica Bailey	....	camera trainee (as Angie Bailey)
Michael Bailey	....	first assistant camera
Justin Beattie	....	grip
Devon Burns	....	electric
Christopher Chung	....	first assistant camera (as Chris Chung)
John Crockford	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Dylan Everett	....	camera operator
Allister Foster	....	key grip
Mark Giles	....	first assistant camera
Guy Godfree	....	camera operator: "b" camera
John Greenwood	....	generator operator
Kevin Hall	....	second assistant camera
Samy Inayeh	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Jason Jones	....	camera operator
Sean Keay	....	electric
Peter Keleghan	....	camera operator
Alan G. Kelly	....	first assistant camera
Matt Kniavski	....	grip
Siegfried Kopp	....	electric
Adam Landucci	....	electric
Bob Lyte	....	grip
Nick McKinlay	....	camera operator
Nabil Milne	....	grip
Juan Carlos Montalvo	....	first assistant camera (as Juan Montalvo)
Oscar Navarro	....	second assistant camera
Joseph Pauls	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Joseph Pauls	....	gaffer
Chris Pavoni	....	camera operator
Guy Porter	....	publicity photographer
Guy Porter	....	still photographer
Steve Purvis	....	grip
Max Putintsev	....	grip
Anthony Ranieri	....	grip
Brendan Steacy	....	director of photography: special guest alumni
Danny Sturman	....	grip
Stephen Thorne	....	camera provider: EPK
Zach West	....	balloon technician: Airstar
Martin Wojtunik	....	camera operator
Martin Wojtunik	....	electric
Grant Wood	....	electric

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rachel Ford	....	assistant costume designer
Janet Lawson	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Ryan Baxter	....	assistant editor
Rouzbeh Heydari	....	first assistant editor
Gerry Legros	....	business development: Notch
Chuck Nosworthy	....	colourist
Dan Racicot	....	first assistant editor
Aden Bahadori	....	on-line editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gene Champagne	....	driver: tour bus

Other crew
Ryan Baxter	....	production assistant
Candice Best	....	unit publicist: Best PR Boutique
Donny Blais	....	caterer (as Donnie Blais)
Donny Blais	....	craft (as Donnie Blais)
Joel Burch	....	assistant locations
Joel Burch	....	production coordinator
Rogelio Cazares	....	assistant locations
Steve Chartier	....	caterer
Steve Chartier	....	craft
Nelson Furtado	....	production assistant
Patrick Hepburn	....	production assistant (as Patrick 'Big P' Hepburn)
Leah Jaunzems	....	office manager: Darius Films
Tasso Lakas	....	coordinator: ACTRA TIP
Nancy MacKay	....	caterer (as Nancy Mackay)
Nancy MacKay	....	craft (as Nancy Mackay)
Nathan Monteith	....	publicity designer
Noreen Murphy	....	steward: ACTRA
Douglas Murray	....	legal representation
Chris Pavoni	....	locations manager
Reinel Payumo	....	production accountant
Matthew Sarsfield	....	production assistant
Katrina Saville	....	script supervisor
Kiran Singh	....	production assistant
Todd N. Thompson	....	production assistant
James P. Villeneuve	....	epk producer
Ruth Vollick	....	production assistant
Noah Yates	....	production assistant
Donald Young	....	production assistant

Thanks
Otto Abbatangelo	....	special thanks
Aden Bahadori	....	special thanks: The Butcher Shop
James Bakker	....	special thanks
The Beaver Family	....	special thanks
Max Berdowski	....	special thanks: SIFT
Donny Blais	....	special thanks: Rancho Relaxo (as Donnie Blais)
Patrick Cameron	....	special thanks: TwoThreeFive Films
Aaron Champion	....	special thanks
Harry Cherniak	....	special thanks
Isaac Clements	....	special thanks: Telefilm Canada
Suzanne Cohon	....	special thanks: ASC Public Relations (as Suzzanne Cohon)
Brandon Cooper	....	special thanks: Panavision
Michelle Daly	....	special thanks
Rob Deboer	....	special thanks: Boomtang (as Rob)
The Fata Family	....	special thanks
Tony Grace	....	special thanks: Boomtang (as Tony)
Marc Green	....	special thanks
Vince Harper	....	special thanks
The Iscoe Family	....	special thanks
Martin Jean-Baptiste	....	special thanks: Set Solutions
The Jones Family	....	special thanks
Tasso Lakas	....	special thanks
Gerry Legros	....	special thanks: Notch (as Gerry)
Sara Lohman	....	special thanks
Dan Lyon	....	special thanks: Telefilm Canada
Kate McColeman	....	special thanks: Notch (as Kate)
John Nadalin	....	special thanks: Childhood Toys
Boramey Ngem	....	special thanks
Chuck Nosworthy	....	special thanks: Notch (as Chuck)
Mick Reynolds	....	special thanks
Kathy Scianitti	....	special thanks
The Sonoda Family	....	special thanks
Griffin Sonoda	....	special thanks
Sarah Sonoda	....	special thanks
Dan St. Amour	....	special thanks: William F. Whites
Michael Stevenson	....	special thanks: Fade To Black
Sabri Ugur	....	special thanks (as Sabri)
Sue Ugur	....	special thanks
Gloria Walman	....	special thanks: Tapeworks
Alexandra Weston	....	special thanks: ASC Public Relations (as Alexander Weston)
Scott Wylie	....	special thanks: Tim's caddy

Production Companies

• Boutique Films (presents)
• BUCK Productions (producer)
• Darius Films (producer)
• Téléfilm Canada (produced in association with) (as Telefilm Canada)
• Coopers Camera

Distributors

• Boutique Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Films (2010) (USA) (all media)
• Eagle Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Eagle Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (all media)

Special Effects

• Pixalite (special visual effects by)
• Max FX (special effects by)

Other Companies

• Best PR Boutique  unit publicist
• Butcher Shop, The  post production facility (as The Butcher Shop Digital Post)
• Notch  transfer facilities
• Fade To Black Casting  casting facilities (as Fade To Black)
• Rancho Relaxo  craft and catering
• Boomtang Studios  recorded at
• Pixalite  titles by
• Panavision  HD camera
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment (as William F. Whites)
• Set Solutions  location support
• Discount Car & Truck Rentals  vehicle rentals
• Tapeworks  tape stock
• Apple/Final Cut Pro  edited on (as Final Cut Pro Editing Systems)
• Comedy Network, The  developed in association with
• BUCK Productions  special thanks to (as The Dream Team at Buck Productions)
• Summer Institute of Film and Television (SIFT)  special thanks to (as everyone at SIFT)
• Clarkson Village Motel, The  special thanks to
• 235 Films  special thanks to (as TWOTHREEFIVE Films)
• Trew Audio  special thanks to (as Trew Audio & the Crew)
• City of Mississauga  special thanks to
• City of Toronto, Ontario  special thanks to (as City of Toronto)
• Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC)  special thanks to: The OMDC Locations Database
• City of Mississauga Film Office  special thanks to (as The Mississauga Film Office)
• Toronto Film and Television Office, The  special thanks to (as The Toronto Film & Television Office)
• ASC Public Relations  special thanks to
• Chivas Luxury Lounge  special thanks to
• Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)  acknowledgment (as ACTRA)
• Actra Tip  acknowledgment (as ACTRA Toronto Performers TIP [Toronto Indie Production])

Also Known As:

"Coopers' Christmas" - Canada (English title) (DVD title), USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

Canada:95 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:MA (2010)

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Boutique Films

Trivia:

Based loosely on Mike Beaver's own home Christmas videotapes.

Soundtrack:

Walking On Sunshine

One funny movie

I don't know where to start. I just finished watching the movie at its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and I am still recovering from over 90 minutes of non stop laughter. Imagine, if you could, every family dysfunction that you have ever experienced condensed into 90 minutes.

Between cringing, laughing and dying from emotional flashbacks I have never enjoyed a movie more.

I have to commend a cast that was able to pull this little gem off as according to the director it was shot in 11 days. The characters ranged from the repressed and emotionally stunted father to an alcohol fuelled, racists, mullet sporting, date rapist and multiple vehicular homicidal maniac uncle.

This is a unique film and deserves a wider release than it will get. I can only hope that it will become a cult classic to be referenced and plagiarised at will.

Go see this movie you will not regret it and you too shall appreciate the phrase "Balls deep" and you will never look at a mannequin in the same way again.