Canada has many talented actors, writers, directors, and other content creators. To help our industry grow, we would like to introduce you to some of those gifted folks who have managed to capture that magic on screen.
This week we spoke with Winnipeg born actor, writer, and director, Markian Tarasiuk.
HNMAG: Congratulations on Hunting Matthew Nichols. It’s very compelling. It’s not a documentary, but it really looks like one.
Markian Tarasiuk: We stay away from the word Mocumentary because it’s usually tied into comedies.
HNMAG: Exactly.
Markian Tarasiuk: I’m not mocking anything. I suppose there is a bit of that format and we are using clichés from the true crime format but it’s a serious tone we are going for in the film.
HNMAG: Where was it shot?
Markian Tarasiuk: We shot in Vancouver for most of the interviews and we shot in Surrey and Langley for most of the locations. We also went to Vancouver Island to Port Hardy. “Port Rupert” is a fictional town based on that town. So we went up and shot there for three days.
HNMAG: Right, that was really clever because viewers could be familiar with the word Port and they’re familiar with Rupert and you put it together.
Markian Tarasiuk: Exactly.
HNMAG: There is a sign in the movie, where it has the name of Port Rupert.
Markian Tarasiuk: It’s exactly what you just said. We named it on purpose because it’s a mixture of Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. The signs that you see in the movie are all VFX composites.
HNMAG: When you were a teenager, you made your own short films.
Markian Tarasiuk: I got my first camera when I was fourteen. I bought a camera and just started making movies and shorts with my friends. I look back on that stuff now and it’s not bad for a 14-year-old! I started my journey there, but then I kind of went away from that. I went to theater school for for three years and then focused on acting until my mid-twenties.
HNMAG: What made you decide to audition for Studio 58?
Markian Tarasiuk: I was working as an actor in Winnipeg and my peers and mentors recommended it. I had such a great audition experience with Katherine Shaw. I remember that audition really well and that experience made me want to train under her.
HNMAG: Did you want to initially work as a film the TV actor here in Vancouver?
Markian Tarasiuk: Like a lot of actors, especially in theater school, you just have the attitude that you want to do everything. The opportunity in Film & TV is far greater than it is for theatre in Vancouver.
HNMAG: It’s not a theater town for sure.
Markian Tarasiuk: I got an agent and started working as an actor in Film & TV. I didn’t really plan or strive for it. But, all of a sudden, you get those cheques and theatre becomes less of a priority, haha.
HNMAG: Yes, exactly.
Markian Tarasiuk: I love it and wouldn’t change my journey for anything. I really love the last decade by of getting into the craft of film and also being behind the scenes. I love the process.
HNMAG: With the Hunting of Matthew Nichols, even though it’s set in a fictional place, it is very much a Canadian film and Canada is a big part of it. The movie is filled with great performances. How did you cast it?
Markian Tarasiuk: Thank you for saying that and I agree it was. It was a mandate of mine to always set this story in Canada and we built it around Vancouver Island. I’m proud of that. We should all be advocating for more Canadian stories. Especially, unique ones. In terms of casting, I did really wanted this to be local.
HNMAG: Yeah.
Markian Tarasiuk: We started the casting process with ourselves and I was worked with Monica Falcos. She was my agent’s assistant but did an excellent job as a casting director.
HNMAG: Ok.
Markian Tarasiuk: She helped develop the project. She knew the characters and she knew rosters across the city in terms of actors and was an amazing resource.
HNMAG: Perfect.
Markian Tarasiuk: One part that we did go North America wide was for Tara. We put out the call to Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles because I just wanted to make sure that the actor who we got was the right one. It’s such a heavy lift. I wanted to feel confident. I did the most thorough search for the perfect character.
HNMAG: Where is Miranda MacDougall from?
Markian Tarasiuk: Vancouver.
HNMAG: Lol, Perfect! You search the world to find someone at home.
Markian Tarasiuk: Yeah, exactly! But it made my confidence in Miranda that much higher by doing our due diligence. She was the perfect one for the role and we had that feeling early on. We considered a lot of submissions from Los Angeles, but Miranda was at the top of our pile the entire time.
HNMAG: We have a great talent pool in Vancouver.
Markian Tarasiuk: It comes down to trusting or giving local actors those opportunities for really juicy parts. It’s such a rarity they come along. It seems like those things are being cast out of Los Angeles because they don’t trust us up here.
HNMAG: It’s unfortunate.
Markian Tarasiuk: I’m proud of our movie and it is all local talent. We ended up doing all BC talent and everybody is just fantastic in it and I’m so thrilled about it.
HNMAG: There are some good quality productions that are being set in Canada now. Do you think the tide is turning? Do you think Canadians are going to be able to tell our own stories to sell internationally?
Markian Tarasiuk: Man, that’s a great question. Is the tide turning? I mean it’s definitely getting better but I’d say it’s a slow shift. Canadians are comedy masters but where I wanna see the shift happen is more in the dramatic and genre space. It’s an untapped market. There’s just not a lot of investment into the dramatic content because it is harder to make money in that space. Television is harder to build audiences with drama, especially if you’re not known for them. In Canada, the fact that we don’t celebrate our stars until they make it big in the US is also a barrier. You have to allow artists to mess up in order to really hit as well. We need a system that rewards those big swings.
HNMAG: Definitely. How can our readers find your film?
Markian Tarasiuk: Follow us on Instagram and the Hunting Matthew Nichols website. We’re on the festival circuit right now. In terms of being able to see the movie, we’re just gonna be in festivals till next summer.
It was terrific to speak with an accomplished actor who has found success in Vancouver. Markian moved to Vancouver from Winnipeg and never lost his passion and drive as a filmmaker. We look forward to enjoying more work from Markian Tarasiuk on big and small screens everywhere.