A new music video, a feature film in the works, and a second nomination for an online commercial. It has been a very busy year for Windsor filmmaker Matt Bendo.
Bendo, who a year ago became the youngest cinematographer to win an award with the Canadian Society of Cinematographers for his moody short film "Storm" for YST and Armytrix, is again nominated in the branded content category. This year's project is called "Legacy".
https://vimeo.com/222805319
"Legacy", tells the story of a boxer, who is also a father, in training for the big fight.
It was shot for Kombat Arts, a boxing academy in Toronto, and unlike the commercials you might see on television, branded content has fewer rules allowing greater creativity and storytelling.
Bendo, a 25-year-old graduate of the University of Windsor, is also the director and editor of "Legacy". Like in last year's winning project, he teamed up with another University of Windsor alum, Cal Cuffaro.
When he won last year, Bendo dedicated his award to his parents, Tina and the late Chris Bendo.
"I think any award I get I'm always going to end up dedicating to them. My parents were really, really supportive," he says.
Bendo spoke to BlackburnNews.com fresh off the release of another project, a music video for up and coming Toronto artist Sickick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjQliDFIsnk
"It took about two months to edit, and she [his mother] saw every single edited version and would help give me feedback and everything like that," laughs Bendo. "She's always been by my side helping me out."
He also has a feature film in the works.
"The co-director and I are hoping to pursue it sometime in 2019," he says. "It's going to be a western that takes place in the 1980s, and it's going to be similar to 'No Country For Old Men' and 'The Assassination of Jesse James.'"
Bendo is nominated in his category along with Kris Belchevski who shot a commercial for Samsung, Daniel Grant who has two nominated projects, and Goh Iromoto for his project called "Bush & Beyond".
The awards ceremony will be at the 61st Canadian Society of Cinematographers Gala in Toronto on April 14.