GATEKeeper’s Blog

These pictures are worth more than a thousand words. I’m thriled to once again have photographer Rick McGinnis with us for The GATE’s Interview Lounge at TIFF 2017, Presented by Hamilton Watch, and this year he captured some truly stunning portraits of the filmmakers, actors, and talent who dropped in.

Have you snuggled a puppy recently? The first five days of TIFF were hectic, fun, and challenging–which is exactly what you expect from TIFF–but on the bright side we also got to snuggle puppies thanks to the fine folks at Save Our Scruff, who brought their adorable dogs to #GATELounge17.

The GATE would like to congratulate Alicia P., the winner of the Hamilton Watch Ventura giveaway. Alicia visited The GATE’s 2017 Toronto International Film Festival Interview Lounge, presented by Hamilton Watch, and acted as our official interview Timekeeper during two interviews.

One day you’re trying to fit in as many press screenings as you can, and the next it’s time for TIFF to start. That always seems to be the way with the festival, but this year seemed to disappear especially quickly as I planned for The GATE’s Interview Lounge at TIFF 2017, presented by Hamilton Watch. Now here I am: the lounge is open, and we’ve been hosting interviews and guests for 2 days now.

One moment it’s January and you start planning to do something big for TIFF, and the next it’s September and you’re a few days away from the festival. The last eight months have been a blur, but it’s been nothing less than a thrill ride all along the way, with challenges, and rewards, at every turn.

My family raised me on country music. When I was a kid, my mother and grandmother listened to nothing but old school country, and that certainly rubbed off on me. My tastes are all over the place, but country still speaks to kid in me that grew up on it, so when I got an invite to come down to Chicago to cover the Windy City Smokeout country music festival, I was excited for a whole bunch of reasons.

Summer is around the corner, I just got back from a Canada 150 road trip with Ford, and there are only 85 days until the Toronto International Film Festival. There is a lot going on, but the festival is front of mind since I’m prepping The GATE’s Interview Lounge at TIFF, and my accreditation application came in Monday too.

Samsung gave me an early look at the Galaxy S8 last week, two days after their Samsung Unpacked event in New York City. Demoing the new devices to media last Friday, Samsung showed off some of the big changes, including one of the big new ways you can use the S8.

March is almost over and it’s been a fun month, and just a tad more relaxed than I expect in April. A little down time is welcome, and it’s certainly easy to hibernate when the weather is not so hot out. There has still been a lot to do though, and this weekend would have been a lot busier if I’d been able to make the Juno Awards, but I’ll be watching the festivities from Toronto.

Welcome backstage to the press room at the 2017 Candys, or as they’re also called, the Canadian Screen Awards. The afternoon started with the red carpet arrivals, and now we’ve moved on to the live telecast where the stars are coming back to chat.