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Young Winnipegger Liam Karp building a career in film as visual effects specialist
By MYRON LOVE When The Jewish Post & News last touched base with Liam Karp, he had recently returned from a trip to Jordan where he was part of a film crew – he was assistant director – filming the Canadian-made feature, “Hyena Road”, a fictionalized account of the Canadian military experience in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.
“We did half the filming in Aqaba in southern Jordan,” noted Karp at that time of his second visit to Jordan. (The first time Karp was in Jordan was when he was 14. He and his family _ his parents are Morris and Marsha Karp – were visiting Israel and took a side trip to Petra.) “The Jordanians were really hospitable. It was beautiful where we were but a lot colder in northern Jordan.”
(The rest of the filming was at Camp Shiloh.)
Fast forward seven years and the young filmmaker would seem to have built a successful career as the go-to guy for visual effects for movies and television series being shot in and around Winnipeg. Included in his film resumé are a couple of Christmas movies,“The Ice Road” movie (starring Leeam Neeson), a television series, “Channel Zero” (which was filmed her in 2018), last spring’s CBC production, “The Porter” (which was produced by Winnipeg’s own Ian Dimerman), the current ”Sky Med,” and the upcoming “Safehaven”.
So, I ased Karp what a visual effects supervisor does? “My role is to supervise scenes as they are shot that require CGI later,” he responded. “I insure they shoot them correctly so artists can add digital effects later as smoothly as possible.
“In ‘The Porter,’ for example, the series was set in the 1920s, soon after World War I. As visual effects supervisor, I had to ensure that any items in the scenes that would be out of place – say, air conditioners – in that era were removed.
“I work closely with the director on the set mapping out the digital enhancements and making sure that after adding the effects, the finished product aligns with the director’s creative vision.”
The former Brock Corydon student and Grant Park High School graduate’s interest in film comes naturally. Both his father, Morris, and his uncle, Carl Karp, were long time CBC producers.
The younger Karp studied film and theatre at the University of Winnipeg. While he began his career in filmmaking as a production assistant, he notes, there are many career paths that one can choose to pursue behind the scenes.
“I have a computer background and I did some digital work in university,” he said. “Digital artistry is a perfect fit for me.”
The young artist though, also has ambitions to write and produce films of his own. He is currently working on one such project – a short (10-minute) feature which he is in the process of editing. The film is semi autobiographical. It is the story of a young Jewish boy whose zaida, a Holocaust survivor, is in a nursing home and has come to spend one night with the family. The boy can’t help but observe his zaida’s unusual behavior.
“My own grandfather (the late Harry Karp) was a Holocaust survivor, Liam noted. “I know first- hand how the experience of the Holocaust continues to have a lingering effect on survivors and is passed down through the generations.”
To play the lead role of the zaida, Karp recruited Harry Nelken, one of our community’s most seasoned actors. “I needed an actor who could speak Yiddish,” he said. “And is also the son of Holocaust survivors.”
Karp noted that he received grants from the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and Manitoba Film and Music to help fund his short film. He said that he hopes to have the film ready for viewing some time next year and is looking into different film festivals.
For relaxation, he also enjoys kicking back at the family cottage at Black Sturgeon Lake in the Whiteshell.
In addition to his love for filmmaking, Karp has a passion for music. He mentioned that he plays guitar and drums and gets together with friends once a week to jam. “We used to do live shows,” he said. “I loved that but, things change in people’s lives with kids coming along and careers.”
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
