Merk

When I first got wind of Merk Snack Bar, I began learning about the plethora of challenges they had been overcoming as an entity. I knew immediately that it would be a story worth telling. As storytellers, we naturally have a vision and perspective on which to base our initial direction, which usually forms the foundation of our overall idea. However, spending time with Mark Baker and the Merk staff surprised me. Where I saw the story of a business doing its best to stay alive amid vicious COVID limitations lay something much more precious - the real lives of real people.

Learning about the personal and tangible sacrifices Mark had endured getting the snack bar up and running. His sheer determination to avoid failure and the reciprocity and loyalty of his staff revealed to me that this wasn't just a fund-generating unit. It reminded me of the already unique culture only Hamilton, Ontario, can provide. Lied an indelible subculture of people who loved genuinely and passionately what Merk meant to them. This energy proved contagious, and I couldn't walk away from it.

I give you Merk: A COVID Survival Story!

Awards:

Independent Shorts Awards (2022)
- Best Documentary Short

IndieX Film Festival (2022)
- Best Documentary Short
- Best First Time Director
- Best Cinematography

Hamilton Film Festival  (2022)
- Top 10 Screenplay
- Official Selection

Chicago Indie Film Festival (2022)
- Best Documentary Short

Indie Short Fest (2023)
- Best First Time Director