I’m not a dictator, nor am I fast at typing. I do love Canadian film, music and television however, and I enjoy being a voice and advocate for it. It’s been an absolute pleasure to have the privilege, the opportunity and the ability to have spoken to so many outstanding, interesting, smart, creative and brilliant filmmakers, actors and crew that work in the Canadian film industry! I’ve broken the 500 interviews mark this past summer and I never thought it would happen so fast, so thank you so much to all my amazing guests. I sincerely hope that it’s been as much fun for you as it’s been for me.
The film industry can be very demanding and it can take a pound of flesh before you’re done. Although the demands can be heavy, most times – they’re put there by artists themselves. You’re perfectionists, you’re passionate about your work and you want your characters to shine, to impact and embody the story! It takes a huge group effort by all and if the lighting isn’t right, the dialogue doesn’t go anywhere and the continuity is off, you’ll lose your audience. It’s the small details that take us out of the story, so having a film check off all the boxes is the difference between a hit and a miss.
Interviewing actors, filmmakers and crew members has been one big happy accident. I went to a local Raindance networking event one night 6 years ago. I had only been in Vancouver for 2 years and had previously lived in Calgary. I had moved to Vancouver to attend Vancouver Film School (VFS) and like many aspiring students/filmmakers, had begun to build my network. If you’re not familiar with a Raindance event, I highly recommend it for industry networking and job opportunities. Within the first 30 mins of each event, people are given the stage to make announcements for their films, events or ask for help on their projects. A young and savvy Nick Wangersky (owner of Hollywood North Magazine) stepped onto the stage to make a request. He was seeking new writers to join his magazine. I had only a screenwriting background, so I kept silent until closing time. My table was next to Nick’s and I had overheard him state to his friends that nobody had approached him for the position. I thought to myself, this is a little serendipitous and I shouldn’t miss out on this golden opportunity.
I spoke with Nick about the opportunity and explained that I’d only written screenplays. Nick was a righteous man and he asked me to write a 250-word article on my film experience. I wrote about my travels from Calgary to LA for the Great American Pitchfest. I’d travelled there 10 years consecutively but had never sold a screenplay. Was it me or the hot weather? Writers really need to write to keep their creative mojo active and writing for a magazine was a great way to keep the hamster wheel turning. I had read the magazine to catch up to speed and they loved my first article about my pitching experience. I had earned a place at the table and I discovered where they needed my help. They were a new magazine with little promotion, besides film reviews, so I started seeking out filmmakers to interview. In a city known as Hollywood North, I knew there were people that wanted to talk about their films and welcomed conversation around them. Let’s promote Canadian filmmakers and put them on the map! The torch was in my hands and I ran with it.
I began searching through the Directors Guild of BC and the Creative Directory, for local productions. I began reaching out and only 1 in 10 replied, but I was still impressed, excited and I knew that the interviews were going to grow. Next came red carpet invites, invites to film sets to interview directors and talent in their comfort zone and the writing became a thrill. It was different, it was a window into their lives and career, and the readers seemed to love it. My first interview was with a doc filmmaker with autism. He was incredibly inspiring and he was tremendously passionate about educating the world on the local sea life. Within the next month, I had interviewed a wardrobe supervisor that had worked with Tom Cruise on Mission Impossible in Dubai. She was amazing and was able to educate me on the responsibilities and pressures of working on big budget films, including Tron (170,000.00 for each Tron uniform) and the importance of star celebrities that love control and demand perfection.
The research continued and I was soon forming relationships with Publicists and managers. Months turned into years and I soon fell into my own comfort zone of talking to actors, directors, producers, crew members and celebrities that don’t act. I’ve interviewed 2 guests from The Dragons Den and initially I was a little nervous. The nerves settled and I learned that it doesn’t matter how much wealth a person has, or how to stroke an ego in the right direction. I learnt that multi-millionaires have concerns just like the rest of us and money is not as important as success and pride. I’ve spoken to a couple Oscar winners and found out that it meant the world to them to be recognized for their niche talents; ‘an out of body experience’, one guest had stated. I can only imagine but it’s still a thrill to hear it first hand. We all hope to reach the pinnacle of success, to be the best within our group of peers and to be recognized for our dedication and professionalism.
When you pick up the torch and run with it, you can’t stop and it wasn’t long before publicists started becoming aware that our magazine was talking to talent. They began reaching out to promote their clients. I began forming relationships and after some time, they turned into extended family. I was sent new clients weekly to coordinate interviews with and I came prepared every time. It was always a privilege and honour to speak with the talent/artist. After speaking with so many actors, directors, producers, writers and crew members, I realized – they all just love great storytelling, escapism, the industry and impacting an audience. I’m very fortunate that I’ve been privy to many screenings, many red-carpet events, film festivals and so many talented individuals.
Although Vancouver is a hub for filmmaking nectar, you can make a great film anywhere, even a warehouse (Reservoir Dogs) if you have talented writing chops. Talent exists everywhere and I’ve always scratched my head when I hear that a filmmaker had to look outside the country for the right actor; really? We’ve lost so many terrific actors to the US, because they have bigger budgets… but not necessarily better writers or crew. Canada has the talent, the tools but we lack the enormous financing to create our own stories. We shouldn’t have to keep pretending that the Vancouver/Toronto/Montreal/Halifax/Alberta location was filmed in Detroit/New York or LA. Times are changing and the sooner we own our cities, the sooner others will want to claim it. After 500 interviews (with my head in my hands) why are we still faking it?
Covid-19 came into our lives and it tried to end all forms of entertainment… but the storytellers, the creatives, the artists and the industry demanded that we march on and fulfill the need for escapism. Whether it’s for the rush, the romance, the laughter of comedy or the mysteries we need to solve as we watch; we need it as much as a vaccine.
There’s no denying that entertainment is our escape and sometimes our salvation. Having a window into the front lines has given me a real appreciation for film and why we need to tell those amazing stories. Although I never anticipated I’d be interviewing 500 plus talented people, then writing about it – but it’s been a true blessing. I grew up a very shy individual and I’ve always approached people cautiously. This opportunity eventually taught me to throw caution to the wind and to not over analyze/overthink individuals with tremendous success. The butterflies have all returned to their homeland in Mexico and my nerves have adjusted. I no longer get intimidated, but instead am always educated in how different every process of filmmaking is unique. The financing is also unique; the motivation, the plan, the audience is all unique in its response to a new film. You never really know who your film will impact.
Along with my gratitude, I would like to conclude that the experience of speaking to 500 plus filmmakers/actors/writers has inspired me to take risks, be bold and follow my heart. I moved to Vancouver to be a filmmaker and I was welcomed with open arms to write for this magazine. For that, I will always be grateful and I’ve cherished every interview like it was my first. I’m currently editing a film I recently made and I long for the day when I’m interviewed by a magazine to talk about it. I enjoy promoting, shining a light, fostering talent and being a vehicle to discovering new films and great performances. Listening to people about their preparation for that outstanding role/film or a director that persevered through a hurricane of setbacks, or a producer that couldn’t convince anyone to finance their film and took out a bank loan because they knew the story had significance – has taught me that every film is worthy of an audience. It takes a group effort and every story has earned an audience.
My 500th interview incidentally was, Tammy Gillis. An outstanding actress known for her recurring role on Siren, Ghost Wars, Riverfront Romance and 63 other films/television series. I’ve interviewed her on the red carpet at The Leo’s and on now Zoom. If you’ve used Zoom, you’ll appreciate the convenience and the accessibility. I used to drive to Vancouver to interview talent, but the virtual technology and convenience has allowed that reach to expand to the 4 corners of the world. Africa, Iran, the US, the UK and other countries have become surprising contributors to our Canadian films. We continue to welcome others to make their films, tell their incredible stories and use our Canadian backyard to produce their next blockbuster/network series. We do have the best landscapes, outstanding talent/crews and we look forward to supporting your next film! We anticipate your knock on the door if your film needs promoting, support or a bullhorn to announce its arrival. We are here for you and your films, so be aggressive and reach out! You will never regret it and we/I will always be here to capture the essence, the message, the impact and the performance! God speed with all in your aspirations/endeavors as filmmakers and actors. I thank you all so much for allowing me a window into your films, your characters and your process in creating them; it’s been an adventure and an education.