Sumo Sumo Sunday Event Promotion

Inspired by Japanese calligraphy, animation, and humour, I created promo videos for Sumo Sumo Sunday events held at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden. I was responsible for the calligraphy, illustrations, animation, editing, and sound design while Stephen Braund wrote and voiced the script. In the video, we got a good chuckle when our model could barely bow during the tea ceremony due to the restrictive sumo suit. I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun making a video.

Sumo Sumo Sunday teaser

Sumo Sumo Sunday feature ad, this thing ran on the big screen at Spitz Stadium among other places.

Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden - Looking Back Over 50 Years!

It was an honour to work with members of the Lethbridge & District Japanese Garden Society to commemorate the Garden's 50-year mark. In these videos, David Tanaka and Colin Hirano offer historical context and information about the origins of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and its signature event, The Winter Light Festival. The video with David plays in the Bunka Centre, and Colin’s video is on the Embassy’s YouTube Channel, celebrating 90 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan. I was responsible for shooting and editing these interviews and the accompanying b-roll that was not from Nikka Yuko’s archives.

David Tanaka discusses the role of Nikkei (Japanese Canadians) in Southern Alberta and the origins of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.

Colin Hirano talks about the features and plants at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, commemorating 90 years of Canada-Japan diplomatic relations.

Giant Sushi Rolls

Michelle Day-Miles at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden hired me to paint these enormous sushi rolls as an activation to help draw visitors into the Bunka Centre and Cleo’s Café.

Friendship Garden Travel Poster

I was the art director on a unique project in which I paired local artists with various Lethbridge attractions. The idea was to create a unique set of attraction posters and postcards that referenced illustrated travel posters. The poster series hangs in the Lethbridge Visitor Centre, and select posters are sold at the various attractions. When selecting artists, I reserved the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden for myself to create. Nikka Yuko has a special place in my heart, and I am a huge fan of the Japanese influences in the work of artists such as Monet, Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec. I chose to represent one of the local dancers, Hisea Price, as I feel the Minyo dancers so beautifully embody the Garden's values. The original oil painting hangs in my home office. The project got local media attention.

Promotional Photographs of the Garden

Over the years I have taken many photos of the Garden, here are a few of my favourites.

High Dine Zip Line!

Back in 2019, we were an up-and-coming Destination Management Organization at Tourism Lethbridge. We decided that dressing up in a suit and a cat head would be a good way to make an impression. Well, turns out Tomo the Cat looks quite distinguished wearing a suit and tie! This video went up on the Tourism Lethbridge Facebook Page and quickly amassed over 20,000 views—our most-watched content since we started with social media. Today, the video lives only on YouTube as a subtle suggestion to any developers who want to steal the idea of the High Dine Zip Line and make it a reality. The script, bad voiceover recording, and acting were provided primarily by Stephen Braund. William Slenders makes a brief cameo as a “local tourism expert.” I was working behind the scenes to record video, edit, mix sound effects and create animations. April Fools, everybody!

High Dine Zip Line - an exciting fictitious attraction connecting the Watertower Grill to the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in Lethbridge. April Fools!

Marketing Campaign Videos

I’ve worked on many other videos featuring Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden over the years. Here are a couple of others not shown above that I have had the privilege of creating. Thanks to all the on-camera and off-camera talent who helped create these videos.

Video promoting Nikka Yuko and other unique City of Lethbridge attractions.

Video showcasing the fall colours and tranquil nature found at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Video Promoting Picnic Lunch Baskets (attraction and restaurant partnership) during Covid.

Winter Light Festival commercial spot for Lethbridge Lodging Association in partnership with Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and Tourism Lethbridge.

Seasonal Campaigns and Tourism Passports

Over the years, I have marketed attractions in Lethbridge and the area, overseeing creative direction and the execution of several campaigns and passports (both physical and digital). Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden has been a valued partner on many of these projects. Below is a gallery showcasing a number of these collaborations with the Garden.