The ProFusion Expo is the largest photo and video event in Canada, where the newest and latest audiovisual equipment and technology are showcased and demonstrated. Seminars by established AV professionals are also available for attendees. ProFusion 2025 took place on Nov 5–6 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Because video production is a key component of the work ETO does, part of the ETO team—Inga, Marisa, and James—attended ProFusion to stay on the frontline of the ever-changing AV technology and to learn from and connect with industry professionals.
Here’s what they attended and learned at ProFusion:
Posing and Directing Real People
Nicole Ashley is a professional photographer based out of Alberta, Canada. Most of her work is in portraits and big life events so she’s often photographing regular people. In this presentation, Nicole shared tips on how to work with non-models to make them feel comfortable enough to their let their personalities come through in the final shot. 
Inga chose to attend this presentation because she often directs instructors and subject-matter-experts appearing on camera. Although this presentation focused on still photography, a lot of the tips and tricks can be applied to video. Nicole, who is also a mom of young kids, uses the children’s song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” as a reminder of the key parts of the body that should look relaxed. A trick for getting her subjects to feel relaxed is to introduce movement. When Nicole’s subjects are moving (e.g., walking, shifting from foot to foot, doing an action), they tend to be less in their heads about being in front of a camera, which translates to a more relaxed and natural pose.
When reflecting on the different types of videos that the ETO has produced in the past, Inga noticed that some instructors seem to be most comfortable on camera when they are doing something while speaking. Whether it’s writing on a lightboard as they talk through a complex equation or demonstrating how to use a piece of equipment safely in a lab; having the person doing something (movement) they are comfortable with can help them feel more comfortable speaking in front of a camera. Movement is not always possible, especially in a confined space like a studio, but that’s where “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” are important. If you can get the subject matter to feel more relaxed in those parts of the body, they won’t appear as stiff and uncomfortable in front of the camera.
100 Ways to light a face
Dale Sood is a Toronto based commercial and narrative cinematographer with almost 20 years of experience in the industry. Presenting for Vistek and the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Dale led a lighting techniques demonstration that explored various lighting methods used by industry professionals worldwide. The session focused on practical ways to light faces, while also demonstrating how a single or multi-light setup can be controlled and shaped to create a natural look. Marisa chose to attend this session because she enjoys working with lighting and is always looking to expand her skills. It was a great chance to explore new techniques and strengthen what she already knows. 
One important takeaway Marisa took from this session was the importance of lighting to feel natural and to blend seamlessly into its environment. Dale emphasized that good lighting is often the kind of lighting that you don’t even notice. Some of the lighting techniques that were demonstrated included feathering, skip-bounce, and cove lighting, all techniques that lean toward soft, buildable setups that enhance a subject without flattening the overall scene. Another key takeaway for Marisa was Dale’s breakdown of how much can be achieved with a minimal lighting kit, supporting that thoughtful placement and control of lighting often matter more than having a lot of large and expensive equipment at one’s disposal.
Seeing these techniques in action has Marisa thinking about how the ETO’s Content Production team can elevate their approaches to lighting when working on projects in studio or on location. Much of what Dale demonstrated reaffirmed the methods the CP team already incorporate, such as feathering the key light, choosing softer sources for faces, and using a more intentional multi-light setup during filming. It was encouraging to see our everyday workflows align so closely with industry-standard practices. At the same time, the workshop introduced a few refinements that can be integrated into our existing process, like experimenting with larger diffusion surfaces, incorporating skip-bounce lighting into our setups and playing with the concept of cove lighting, which involves creating a soft, even light using large panels. Overall, the workshop validated the strength of the ETO’s current lighting process, while also offering some new tools and small, thoughtful adjustments that the team can try testing out in upcoming productions.
Why I Switched (Back) to Sony: Building a Creative Career with the Right Tools
Based out of London, Canada, Gerald Undone is a content creator well known in the audiovisual community for his highly technical and in-depth educational videos on AV equipment. Chris Ray is a filmmaker and the co-founder of Motion Clubhouse, a creative production company known for bold, story-driven content. This session is a candid, unscripted conversation between Gerald and Chris on camera equipment in general as videographers, content creators and video editors. 
James chose to attend this session because he is passionate about AV equipment and Gerald’s videos are one of the main reasons he became knowledgeable enough of video production to have a career in it. Having watched many of Gerald’s videos, James knew he’d be interested to hear the content creator’s thoughts on the “the right tools.” Gerald talked about the fact that digital cameras have reached a point of maturity where there are less and less groundbreaking new features and improvements in new releases. For professionals, this means that there’s less of a need to upgrade their equipment, but instead, they can focus on their “non-negotiables”—the features that their cameras must have for them to do their job successfully. They also talked about the fact that everyone has much higher standards for video content nowadays because capable cameras have become more accessible to everyone. This, in turn, drives up the quality standards for video creators, which then prompts AV equipment brands to create products that can meet such a demand. The cycle continues that way.
As a videographer and video editor, James thinks it’s important to continue to learn and seek ways to improve the quality of the videos the ETO produces to match the rising standards of online video content. Hearing Gerald and Chris discuss their approach to gear selection and their relationship with “the shiny new gear syndrome” made James think about the importance of knowing your gear—meaning to understand both its strengths and limitations. Additionally, since more advanced features are available in cameras, a higher skill level is required to get the most out of a camera. As equipment becomes less of a limiting factor, skills and quality of content have become more significant as a factor instead.