Emerging Voice, Fearless Vision: Yohann Kamto’s Creative Ascent - Part 2

By Oluwayemisi Mafe

Photo of Film Co-op ED Tony Merzetti and member Yohann Kamto

In this issue of the NBFC Weekly E-news, we spotlight a rising creative force in the New Brunswick film community: NB Film Co-op member Yohann Kamto. A multidisciplinary storyteller with a penchant for tackling society’s complexities through humour, emotion, and imagery, Yohann’s journey from high school poetry to producing and directing original films is a testament to talent forged through persistence, mentorship, and the courage to dive in headfirst.

Through the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund’s provincial Mentorship Program, an internship with Strike Pictures, and academic training at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Yohann has been cultivating a unique voice, one rooted in experimentation and resilience. In this candid interview, Yohann reflects on navigating creative breakthroughs, lessons from cramped film sets, and what it really means to “just give it a shot.”

Whether you’re a fellow student, a member filmmaker, an aspiring creative in the community, or a future JL applicant or Film Co-op member, Yohann’s story will both inspire and energize you.

From frozen poetry to blood-splattered rom-coms, Yohann Kamto is shaping New Brunswick’s creative landscape one bold script at a time. Dive into his story in this week’s NBFC Weekly E-news interview.

6. Can you share a bit about a specific school project or moment that affirmed your path as a filmmaker?

Yohann: My most recent project. There was another film I did before that, but my most recent one was a film that I received a grant from the NB Film Co-op for. I was the director, writer, and producer on it. It was a great experience that showed me that I want to continue making films and telling my stories.

7. Congratulations on being part of the 2024 JL Mentorship Engagement Program! What drew you to apply, and how has the experience shaped you as a creative?

Yohann: I was looking for more. My life was all about school. My classes were mainly theoretical, and I needed more hands-on film experiences, so I started discussing my concerns with my teachers. It was a teacher at UNB who recommended that I apply to participate in the program. Initially, I wanted it for writing because I was more focused on writing at that point, specifically creative writing. I also didn’t feel like I had enough experience yet to undertake a film mentorship. Luckily for me, Thandiwe McCarthy chose to be my mentor, and it was a great experience. It was one of the pivotal moments in my career. My mentor taught me how to improve my writing and poetry, but more importantly, he taught me how to make a living from my art and how to write grants, allowing me to pursue the projects I wanted to undertake. I’m very grateful to him for that.

8. Mentorship can be a powerful force. What have you learned from your mentor through the program that has impacted your journey?

Yohann: Do you know the saying? “Give it a shot.” I would say that’s probably the most important thing I have learned from my mentor. It’s okay if it doesn’t work out, but you have to do it. That’s powerful because I received other creative opportunities by incorporating that new belief into my life.

9. What advice would you give to other emerging filmmakers considering applying to the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund for a grant or seeking mentorship?

Yohann: Use your time wisely and ask your mentor questions. Ask why they do the things they do, even if it seems insignificant. Often, they do things that are successful automatically, and that could be a key creative step that you are missing in your creative toolbox.

10. You’ve had some exciting placements with film companies. Could you tell us about those experiences and what you learned from them?

Yohann: I’ve worked with several film companies. I learned how to utilize a location space and position it to achieve the desired look. These internships helped develop my creativity, as well as small things like bringing an extra clip or tape to set to make the minor adjustments that are often needed. Additionally, I learned how to produce a script within budget constraints.

11. What was it like stepping into a professional film environment for the first time? Any memorable moments or“aha” learnings from the set?

Yohann: My aha moment came when I realized how small film sets can be. There are numerous people on set, each with a specific role to play. It's crucial to remain very quiet once the camera and sound start rolling. If any noise is made, the sound recordist will ask everyone to be silent. Ultimately, I had a lot of fun during the experience, which reassured me that this is the right path and career for me.

12. Were there any unexpected challenges, and how did you navigate them creatively or professionally?

Yohann: There are time-based challenges to consider when making a film. Many people assume that the process is quick, but that’s not the case. Once you get into the editing room, you often find yourself debating various aspects with others. For me, collaborating with others and being deeply involved in a project can be quite challenging. For instance, during the editing of a 10-minute project, it took us three hours just to agree on one scene! It's crucial to learn how to step back and appreciate perspectives beyond your own. We needed to figure out how to collaborate, reach agreements, and compromise. There are people in your creative network—like the Film Co-op staff and members—whom you can turn to for support, and that’s really what it’s all about. All these experiences have taught me a great deal.

NB Film Co-op ED/UNB film teacher Tony Merzetti and NBFC member filmmaker Yohann Kamto

Emerging Voice, Fearless Vision: Yohann Kamto's Creative Ascent - Part 1

By Oluwayemisi Mafe

In this issue of the NBFC Weekly E-news, we spotlight a rising creative force in the New Brunswick film community: NB Film Co-op member Yohann Kamto. A multidisciplinary storyteller with a penchant for tackling society's complexities through humour, emotion, and imagery, Yohann's journey from high school poetry to producing and directing original films is a testament to talent forged through persistence, mentorship, and the courage to dive in headfirst.

Through the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund's provincial Mentorship Program, an internship with Strike Pictures, and academic training at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Yohann has been cultivating a unique voice, one rooted in experimentation and resilience. In this candid interview, Yohann reflects on navigating creative breakthroughs, lessons from cramped film sets, and what it really means to "just give it a shot."

Whether you're a fellow student, a member filmmaker, an aspiring creative in the community, or a future JL applicant or Film Co-op member, Yohann's story will both inspire and energize you.

From frozen poetry to blood-splattered rom-coms, Yohann Kamto is shaping New Brunswick's creative landscape one bold script at a time. Dive into his story in this week's NBFC Weekly E-news interview.

1. Let's start from the beginning: when did you first realize that film and storytelling were your passions?

Yohann: My passion for film and storytelling solidified during my last year of high school, influenced by the boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift towards creative writing. Current societal issues influence my comedic writing style. Mentors, including Tony Merzetti, helped me refine my writing and gain a deeper understanding of the film community.

2. Who or what has influenced your creative voice the most? Are there filmmakers, movements, or life experiences that shaped your vision?

Yohann: I don't have someone in particular that inspired me in the film industry. However, there are many things I like that influence my writing style. I enjoy writing about everyday issues affecting this generation and society. I write in a comedic way, adding my own creativity to it.

I'm fortunate to have had several mentors. My one-on-one mentor (Thandiwe Mccarthy) during the nine months of the 2024 JL Mentorship Engagement Program helped me with my poetry, my writing in general, and some grants, and then there was Strike Pictures (Gordon, Lance, and Arianna. The talented trio taught me a great deal about the film industry.I'm grateful to all these people and organizations, including the Film Co-op.

3. Your work often blends strong visuals with deep emotional themes. How do you approach the storytelling process?

Yohann: The storytelling itself is a driving force behind my writing, whether it's poetry, screenwriting, or short stories. I utilize emotional connections in visuals. Especially with poetry, I find it easier for the reader to share my emotional state when reading my work by combining an emotion with an image. I have a poem called Old Sun, and it's about being closed off and then becoming open through the sun. I combine that emotion of being completely closed off with the image of frozen water during winter, which everyone can picture. And then, through that, I'm able to include other things that come with water. For example, when you think about water, you think about waves, wind, and beaches. That's the way I approach it. I will close off like frozen water; how do I become open? The sun melts the ice, and it flows and ebbs, becoming waves; that's what life is like. The water then engulfs you, and you're turned around; you don't know where you are anymore.

4. You've been actively honing your craft during your time in school. How has your academic journey supported or inspired your filmmaking?

Yohann: It isn't easy to put into words the impact UNB has had on my career. As I mentioned, I first realized my passion for writing in high school. My university time has been crucial for me because it first introduced me to the film industry. I received valuable networking opportunities through internships with Strike Pictures, which taught me how to apply what I learned at UNB in a real-life film setting, including screenplay formatting, set etiquette, and other relevant skills.

At UNB, the teachers were so willing to help and hear me out. I would go to them and seek advice, and they connected me to others. It was through my film teacher, Tony Merzetti, that I  met Cat LeBlanc, who works at the NB Film Co-op, where Tony is also the long-time Executive Director. This ongoing support motivated me to pursue more film-related experiences outside of school, and that's how I received additional opportunities.

5. How did you balance school life with creative projects? Were there any breakthroughs or lessons that came from that experience?

Yohann: During my first two years at UNB, I was more focused on school. Thanks to what I learned, I am now confident in my time management skills. I know what to prioritize, when to do it, and how long it will take to finish any given project. My time at UNB provided me with beneficial life skills, but it was also challenging and frustrating, as I often missed out on opportunities outside of school due to the need to study and attend classes. However, the school structure teaches you toughness, strength, and organization. It was hard but worth it.

END OF PART ONE, STAY TUNED!

Vanessa King: Destined to be a Storyteller

By Chantal Jansen van Rensburg

Chantal: Hello, Vanessa; thank you so much for joining me today. You have over two decades of experience in the film industry and many international awards and recognitions. Tell me more about your career as a screenwriter/producer.

Vanessa: I call myself a screenwriter first, and a producer second. I produce other people's work, but primarily, I make my own. There are a lot of writers/directors out there, and screenwriters/producers are in the same sort of combo. I'm not a director - my brain doesn't work that way, but I write in a way that I can control what I write by producing. I had a pilot with Sony - which was awesome - and it taught me something: I was only a screenwriter, so I couldn't control the finished product because I wasn't a producer. There were so many things in the editing room and some of the scenes that were selected, where I was like, what are you doing? One of those moments I decided - screenwriter first, producer second.

Chantal: That's great! Are you currently working on any projects?

Vanessa: I'm working on this one project, but I can't say too much about it yet - Film Co-op members Steven Suntres and Sandy Hunter approached me to write and co-create a pilot for a medical procedural drama series for broadcast TV - set in New Brunswick - that is something that we were all very passionate about.

Chantal: Oh, how exciting! Tell me a little about the process as a screenwriter on this project and the next steps.

Vanessa: We started organizing our thoughts in December (2024). To create the pilot, we asked ourselves what does this medical drama procedural look like? What are some of the challenges that we face right now in New Brunswick with medical care? Those things would get included in the pilot. What issues in NB might lead to people needing medical help right now? What does that community consist of and what are the challenges for a physician? That was our starting point, and we broke it down into lots of research and high-level episodes. Once we decided what the pilot was going to be about, I dived into it and started writing. As a screenwriter, it's more challenging when you are not the producer because you have to feel out the work with the concept creator and impart your ideas into it so you can write it effectively.

Chantal: That sounds interesting, and I'm excited to see where it goes. When can we expect it to be aired?

Vanessa: We don't know yet, but we pitched it to the broadcaster, and they liked it and want us to continue development. We're currently rewriting it and doing more character development. One of the challenges with a medical procedural is asking ourselves how deep we get into this character's backstory. How can we ground these characters? How do we make them seem more real? How do we make our audience already know them before they've ever seen them?

Chantal: Wow! It is quite the process to get to the final stages of a screenplay. Approximately how many revisions were involved in the pilot?

Vanessa: With my pilot for Sony, there were 30 revisions between when I first submitted it and when we went to camera. Then I revise and write every day when we are shooting. Going from your first idea to a finished first draft in about three to four revisions is average. There is a good chance you will make four significant changes to your script from the first time you sit down and go, "I'm going to write something," to when you're handing it off to read.

Chantal: What was your first experience with screenwriting and how did it develop?

Vanessa: It grew out of interest from when I was a teenager and I just kept writing. In 12th grade, my entire class had 12 kids. When we selected the courses we wanted, ten people chose chemistry and only one other person and I chose Media Studies. My wonderful teacher, Briand Dickson, asked me, "What are you interested in?" I was raised by TV and fascinated by it even though I had never written anything before. I wanted to write a script, so I did. I was 18 when I wrote my first spec script for a popular TV show in 1998, and I thought, "Wow, this is fun. I really like it". After that, I went to Laurier, where I did not take film because, at the time, that wasn't a career move I could fathom - I was taking Sociology and Media Studies. There was a film going to be shot at the university and I was the Producer's Assistant. I read every film book I could read. While living in New York City, I wanted screenwriting books but couldn't afford them, so I wrote them all out instead. You could sit in a Barnes and Noble and write as long as you wanted, so I did that. I have pages and pages and pages of handwritten notes from screenplay writing books. It was a very organic way of becoming a screenwriter. I always tell my students they can take a screenwriting class but don't need to. I didn't take a class. Everything I know is self-taught. You have to love what you do; if you love what you do, keep doing it.

Chantal: Great advice! Based on your experience, what would you say is very important in screenwriting for upcoming writers?

Vanessa: Don't be intimidated by the writing process, and don't be intimidated by feedback. Anybody can write; we are natural-born storytellers. Don't be afraid to ask somebody - this is a big one. Don't be afraid to have your work reviewed - find somebody who knows more than you, and ask them to read your script. Sometimes, you must pay a professional to read it and be ready for the feedback because part of writing is receiving feedback. You don't always have to like or agree with it. But I say to my students: if one person says something, it's a preference; if two people say it, you look at it, and if three people say it, you should probably change it. You can't be afraid of editing; words are truly words. I can throw them away and write new ones. You have to just not be precious.

Chantal: Thank you, Vanessa. That is excellent advice. What is your favorite thing about being a screenwriter?

Vanessa: My favorite part is seeing an idea that I had come to life with the help of people I love and trust. I can't do it alone, and working with people you respect who are equally amazing at their job and getting to do it together is validating because you did it, you finished it. So there's the reward in the completion, but there's also the validity of seeing something develop from a kernel of an idea into something other people can watch.

Chantal: That's awesome! What is your favorite project that you've ever worked on?

Vanessa: I haven't done this in a long time, but I used to love going to karaoke when I lived in New York, and I was part of a karaoke league, which is embarrassing, but hilarious. So, I wrote a screenplay called The Karaoke Kid, based on all of the beats of the Karate Kid. It is about an 80s radio host who will lose his station, so he befriends a washed-up 80s rock star and she trains him to become king of the karaoke circuit. It's a project that is so close to my heart and I had everything lined up; I had Michael Jackson's musical director to do the music, then the 2008 crash happened in the States where I lived and everybody lost their money, so my investor told me it's not going forward because he had no money left. It was a really good learning experience. I'm trying to turn it into something, so I've just dusted it off recently, and I have a couple of ideas on how to move forward with it. One of them is turning it into a musical, and I'm also considering making it into a TV series - that's my favourite idea. It is one of those fun projects that I'll have that same sense of validation I talked about whenever it comes to life.

Chantal: That sounds so fun. I hope we see it soon on stage or as a series. Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Vanessa: The NB Film Co-op is such a huge resource for people in this province, mainly because we don't have the same support as other provinces do for their films. It's really important that people understand how hard people behind the scenes - namely Cat and Tony - work to make something out of nothing, and the opportunities the co-op gives are huge. You don't find anywhere else; a community that is willing to embrace you and give you opportunities. I've lived in a lot of places, and building a film community is hard. This is a reminder for everybody to support the Film Co-op because they support you. Always give credit to people who deserve it, and Cat and Tony deserve all the credit.

Chantal: Absolutely, I agree with you! It's a beautiful community for people in the arts, and we are fortunate. Thank you so much for your time, Vanessa. It was great to meet you, and I appreciate insights from someone with so much experience and achievements.

A Conversation with Filmmaker Nancy Lynch

By Amol Malik

When a writer/director is not actively creating projects, the question, “What are you working on currently?” can be challenging to answer.

In reality, writers never really stop writing. Even if the physical act of pen on paper or clicking keys on the keyboard is not happening, the multiverse of stories keeps running through a writer’s mind with many possibilities and even more endings.

Nancy Lynch is a writer and director based in Fredericton. Her writer’s journey began in 2006 when she felt she had a story and could visualize it. She took multiple screenwriter courses through UCLA to educate herself, preparing for her first film project in 2010 called Hello Ladassia, which she wrote and directed. The film was screened at the Silver Wave and Parrsborro Film Festivals, where it won the Audience Choice Award and was nominated for Best Short Drama Screenplay.

In 2015 and 2016, Nancy was awarded the Jane LeBlanc Filmmaker Award and the New Brunswick Short Film Venture grant to produce and direct her script Side of the Road, which screened at the Parrsboro and Silver Wave Film Festivals in 2017. The film was nominated for several awards and screened at many other festivals. It was a semi-finalist in the 2018 Directors Cut International Film Festival (Vancouver) and received an Award of Commendation from Canada Shorts - Canadian and International Short Film Festival.

In 2011, Nancy completed the year-long online program through UCLA and obtained a certificate in screenwriting.

Nancy’s inspiration for writing is her love of stories. “Everybody has a story to tell,” she says. She likes to base her stories on interesting characters; her scripts are character-driven. She also likes her story endings to be somewhat ambiguous, leaving the audience wondering what happens next with the character. She visualizes her scripts as she writes, based on her love of directing.

Nancy tells new screenwriters to get their scripts read by more experienced writers and consider their notes. Sometimes writers attempt to write what they feel is the popular genre at the time, but Nancy prefers to write what she knows about – drama with a hint of comedy.

As for film festivals and grants, Nancy advises submitting to festivals and applying for grants constantly. You may fail the first time and even the second and third time but keep trying. She was given that advice by mentors over the years. You have to get over the rejections and keep trying. That’s the film biz.

Nancy is currently in a mentorship program with Women in Film and Television – Atlantic. She also has a short film that she hopes to film this summer.