By Jia Yi Fan
Can you tell us about how you transitioned into film?
I graduated from the Photography and Visual Arts program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and worked with negative film, so I had technical skills in stills photography. Fast forward about 20 years, I realised that being a photographer was relevant to being a director. Having to shoot a wedding while being pregnant with my second child was a wake-up call to take the next step in my career, to find something else to cure my “creative itch” and to allow me to share more real stories. When COVID hit, I felt isolated.
An opportunity came knocking and allowed me to be a production coordinator on a NB Tourism shoot, which was my first official film role. I learned a lot about what production can be. Then, I was hired at Hemmings House as a full-time producer.
In short, I came into film because it allowed me to combine all of my interests and training (music and photography) into one medium.
What was it like to work in corporate media?
It was a great learning experience and training ground. Working for clients can be brutal – you have to align your products to client needs, so you need to engage in a lot of communication. The work is very technical, but you still have room to express creativity. For big corporate productions, the stakes are high, so you need to have an irreproachable team who plays by the rules and avoids any surprises. In the end, you are making something dictated by someone else rather than something coming from your own soul.
Working in corporate media for so long has allowed me to fund my personal film projects and flex my technical muscles.
What is your current involvement in and outside of film?
I have my own film company (ASProductions Inc.) where I make films for other people. But most of my current film-making is about my own projects. I get contracts from time to time because I am one of a handful of production contractors known in Saint John. I now gravitate toward making films with friends.
I am also a part-time communications manager for a women-run non-profit helping women with addiction and rehabilitation.
Have you encountered any obstacles in film-making?
I had to get over my own insecurities / the imposter's syndrome as I lack a formal education in that field as opposed to photography and music.
What challenges did you encounter with documentary-making?
As opposed to narratives, which are sometimes more straightforward in the editing phase, documentaries are more like following a puck – you don’t know where it’s going to go. A storyline can pivot as you reveal more information through interviewing and research.
I am working on a documentary about an artist-run studio/jam space that closed down after around 20 years of existence. The announcement came a month prior to the closure. On top of that, I had another 6-month, 14h/day job lined up at the end of that month. Needless to say, I was time-constrained, but I had a general idea of what to ask people. So that is why I am writing my film now after having already shot my footage.
Another challenge and lesson with that project was the lack of female interviewees, which is a broader reflection of the male-dominated music and film industries. But we ensured to capture these voices and how their surroundings welcomed their impact.
What inspired you to get involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives in film? Do you feel that the landscape has changed over time?
Because of the aforementioned lack of diversity in the music and film industries, I didn’t feel comfortable making my own music even though I was a trained musician. That feeling followed me in film-making. Now that I am a parent of two daughters, I feel that showing up for other women and enabling them to learn and grow are particularly important.
The landscape has improved, but being away from home for long periods of time and working insane hours are still barriers for women with young kids. I’ve had to turn down opportunities. I often wonder if I would have a better film career if I lived in a different province, but I still think those barriers would be present.
Any advice for aspiring or emerging filmmakers?
The best art is made when you’re not scared of saying what you want to say. Put yourself out there.
Also, a lot of building your film business is based on networking rather than having a website for example. That entails inviting people for coffee, participating in industry events and being on boards. Keep your ear on the ground, see what other local filmmakers are working on and help each other out.
What are the biggest challenges in your work?
I think that to work in film, you should embrace change and pivoting. Even if you put a lot of effort into planning, unexpected things can happen on shooting day that will throw all your plans out the window.
What are common pitfalls in film?
In my last short film, I struggled to make it short enough while still getting my point across. In one scene, I only shot with one camera and perspective, thinking that having another one wouldn’t be realistic. But when I put everything together in editing, I realised that the scene was too lengthy, so I had to cut some dialogue to allow a good flow. There’s always creative ways around problems.
What is your advice for filming on a cellphone?
They are great! Cellphones have come a long way and quality is surprisingly high. The only thing you need to watch out for is poor sound quality, but you can work around that using an external recorder, such as a cheap mic. You can get a gimbal stabilizer to move your phone more steadily.
What is the film industry like in New Brunswick?
Unfortunately, NB is so far behind and few people come here to film. It is not an attractive place for film-making as the tax credits here are one of the lowest in the country, but there is a lot of untapped potential and amazing locations. In short films, there is opportunity to learn and try out new roles even if you don’t feel fully qualified for them.