“Shoresy” BTS by Lindsay Sarazin
Toronto-based Cinematographer Brett Van Dyke (Heartland, Jann, Carter) stepped into the rink for beloved Canadian hockey comedy Shoresy Season 4 as the show dove into its summer break arc. From Letterkenny creator Jared Keeso, Shoresy’s heart-warming hilarity is propelled by the manic energy and colorful personalities that make up the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs, Senior AAA campaigns at last. Fast-paced and rich with salty dialogue, Van Dyke entered Season 4 with the beloved show’s look already established. The cinematographer chose Zeiss Supreme Primes with the ARRI Mini LF to accommodate the needs of the new “out of the rink” season, adding his mark to the project while keeping the look consistent.
Shoresy is shot on location in the actual town of Sudbury, Northern Ontario. Season 4 features a break from hockey season (although the show returns to the ice several times since titular character Shoresy is also a referee), deep diving to follow its raucous characters as they mesh into local life. “I’ve shot a number of other series where I’ve come on to the show after the look has already been established,” explains Van Dyke. “Shoresy has such a distinct tempo to the timing and the editing; my goal coming in was to maintain visual consistency while subtly enhancing the look.”
The shift to hot summer exteriors offered a good chance to sprinkle something new into the Shoresy style. “In past seasons, Shoresy has tended towards a greater depth of field. I wanted to pull it back just a little — give the show my little stamp with a little shallower depth of field,” says Van Dyke. The team decided to integrate a set of Supreme Primes because they would cut well with the Zeiss Compact Zooms already in place. “During prep, I tested the Supremes to see where the contrast comes in, and for me, the sweet spot is 2.8-1/2 to 4. It wasn’t so much a move away from the look of previous seasons but more a small push to change it up a bit.”
“Shoresy” BTS by Lindsay Sarazin
Seasons 3–4 are directed by former stunt coordinators Dan and Sean Skeen, whose expertise in action is immediately recognizable in the show’s fast-paced, often gag-based dynamism. “This new season was going to feature a lot of Steadicam work, and the Supremes seemed like an obvious choice for that,” says Van Dyke. Lightweight but with Zeiss signature optics, the Supremes were perfect for the exactingly timed shooting style of Shoresy. “Something special about Shoresy is that scripts have music beats written in. Jared Keeso (showrunner) will add timecode to explain what is happening at every beat, and we shoot most things at 60fps.” The camera has to be nimble to keep up.
The cinematographer even took the lenses for a spin in the rink himself. “In earlier seasons, the camera was never actually moving on the ice, so I was the first one to push shooting on ice itself instead of from the sidelines.” Shooting on ice is no easy feat. While skate-specific dollies exist, the show went for a more literally hands-on approach, with Van Dyke operating and skating along with the action. “The trick is to skate up to speed, then glide. When you skate with a camera, you have to skate upright, using a shorter stride so you don’t propel yourself forward by leaning.
“The 29mm Supreme Prime was my go-to for skating shots — it captured the speed and intensity while still holding contrast and detail.” Capturing the exceptional kinetic feeling depends a lot on keeping the operator’s center of gravity in their control, something the Supreme Primes (and an Easy Rig) certainly help with.
“The Supremes strike a great balance — sharp but not clinical, with a soft roll-off in the highlights. The show has an established 2.39:1 aspect ratio to avoid filling out the hockey stands with extras, and the lenses perform beautifully in that aspect. So far, everyone is loving the look.”
Shoresy Season 4 is already being received with open arms and celebration from its rabid fanbase. “If you play beer league hockey, this show is really in your wheelhouse. The jokes can resonate with anyone, but I think hockey as the vehicle for comedy is paramount,” concludes Van Dyke.
Read the full interview with Brett Van Dyke: https://lenspire.zeiss.com/cine/en/article/brett-van-dyke-csc-captures-comedy-of-Shoresy-with-zeiss-supreme-primes/
Shoresy is available to watch on Hulu in the US and Crave in Canada.
Van Dyke skates and operates on “Shoresy” | photo by Dave Ferguson “A” Dolly Grip