Provenance from Octovo on Vimeo.
The story behind Octovo –
We are excited to present this first Off Map collaboration with photographer and filmmaker Wes Sumner. We started the Off Map project as a way to produce creative expressions of travel – and to remind ourselves of what can make travel so worthwhile in the first place. Through his short film, Provenance, Wes has taken the Off Map premise and made it personal and beautiful.
Why did you decide to shoot at Lake Moraine?
I’m from Florida. It’s flat and it’s hot there so naturally I was drawn to the complete opposite of home. Years ago I remember seeing a photo of a glacier lake surrounded by white peaks and instantly knew I had to go see this for myself. After doing some research I figured out it was Lake Moraine and immediately added it to my very long list of ‘places to go’.
When Matt from Octovo and I first discussed this project, some of the ideas floating around made a natural connection to that place. As the work progressed, we spoke about possible locations, and remarkably we were both thinking of Banff. It was settled instantly.
How does this place connect with Off Map?
I think there is something special about locations like this. It’s about 3hrs from Calgary, so for locals it’s an easy weekend getaway. It’s also a National Park, so for many it’s a once in a lifetime pilgrimage. Either scenario, it’s a place that sort of forces me to appreciate time, resources, and environment. People who go there gain a hunger for being fully engaged with such a wild and rich place, and that’s something that speaks to me and reflects what I think Octovo is focused on too.
How do you approach film projects – what experiences do you draw from?
I entered College as a film major, and the first thing you take is a film history class. I think that instilled a refinement of my own eye. There’s a way I naturally see things, and I think it has been polished over the years by experiences, whether they were good or bad. When starting something I get excited about creating beautiful images and that’s where my mind goes first. Then I switch gears and concentrate on the story. If the story doesn’t connect, then it will not have reached it’s full potential.
How did the story come to be?
It all revolves around old photos and family connections. When I was a young kid, I remember finding old black and white photographs, faded and discolored. Most were distant relatives that I had never heard of, but I loved the images regardless. As an adult I now have a better understanding of the lives inside those photos. I have one of my grandfather, possibly in his early 20s in a military uniform leaning against a motorcycle. When I first saw this I enjoyed how it looked, but now I understand who he was in that photo, where he was in his life and it has a lot more meaning to me. So I tried to translate my feelings about this family connection into a film about using travel to bridge a gap spanning the many years between different lives.
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