Born in a small village outside Montreal many years ago a young Andrew Cope was destined to become a great DP. He didn’t know it yet but he was prewired, it was in his DNA. The signs began early. At just 1 year of age he picked up his fathers old Brownie camera and spoke his first words, “papa, how can I work like this, the light, it is all wrong!” The rest is shall we say history. A few years of bouncing around colleges, hanging at the beach, searching for the perfect wave, and it finally came to him almost like a vision. “I need a job” he said. “I’m out of beer money” And that was it, he worked for local news as photojournalist and editor, then had another vision. “If I were to spend some time, effort, and money on these stories, they might actually be good.” But that was not to be, his news director replied “Just get it done, I don’t care what it looks like, and NO overtime!” And so, Apex Productions was born, and the local news was never quite as good.
Over 20 years shooting experience! Wow he doesn’t look that old… Kiting, windsurfing, and acting like a kid keep Andy young. Andy’s shot News, Sports, Documantary, Reality, Lifestyle, Travel–you name it, he’s done it all. A versitle DP who excels in lighting and creative shooting, Andy’s an asset to any shoot.
Paul Waide, now he’s a different story. When his first grade teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up he replied, “A digital non-linear editor, using state of the art computer based equipment.” “But Paul, none of that stuff has been invented yet!” she replied. “I’ll wait” was his answer. “Wow, an editor with patience and vision” she said, “this I want to see”. So he waited, taking 35mm stills, shooting 8mm films, feeding punch cards into the mainframe. And he waited some more, working in every two bit cable station, and small broadcast facility that would let him in. Then it happened one day in the hallway of WPEC TV-12, he overheard the news director telling a frustrated cameraman…No Money, No Time, Get it done. “Hey Paul” Andy said, “If I get a camera, and you get one of those new non-linear edit things, maybe we could make some good stuff, and some money too.” ” It’ll never work, but let’s try anyway” was his answer.
Fast forward over 10 years, 5 or 6 cameras, 4 edit systems, thousands of completed projects and countless happy clients. We’re still making video, and still have the same desire. To deliver a creative, high quality product that we can all be proud of. It’s what we do. Let us do it for you.
Another 20 year veteran, Paul keeps busy playing softball, fishing, skiing, and coaching youth sports. He’s shot everything under the sun, and the sun too. Plus he can edit, and not just machine to machine. Graphics, animations, creative opens, closes and bumps, are all a daily event at Apex.
My mom once told me I should be an engineer, and she was probably right in some ways, but there’s now way I’d have as much fun as I’m having now. So let someone else build bridges, I’m gonna keep making television. I tell my son, “follow your passion, whatever it is, if you want to be truly happy”…PW