Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Leah Cameron: I think it’s important to share struggles to create a safer and more equitable working environment

Posted: 09 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST

Storytelling is more important than ever as we all face the unique challenges this year has brought us.

Stories entertain, inspire and transform. They remind us of where we come from and where we can go. We need more stories to free our imaginations and open our hearts to create a path of understanding and healing.

To mark the season of giving during December, we’re sharing impact stories from our alumni and board members to show the power of story in action.

Current NSI students are blessed by the commitment of NSI’s Board of Directors – 100% of whom have donated to NSI’s annual fund. Please join them in supporting our students by donating today and making the power of story even more powerful.

Today’s impact story comes from Leah Cameron, NSI Drama Prize grad.

Leah participated in the NSI Drama Prize program in 2009 with her film, Subway Harmonies. The film was successful at festivals across North America and won a BravoFACT short film award.

The Communist’s Daughter, a web-series written and directed by Leah is in its final production stages with plans to air on CBC Gem.

NSI mentors Rosemary Dunsmore and E. Jane Thompson taught Leah to stay true to her vision and build on her skillset. Leah wants to start conversations about the common barriers women and many others face in the industry – whether it be health or financial issues. These conversations can break the stigma around these barriers and create positive change within the industry.

• • •

If you could describe your experience with NSI in three words what would they be, and why?

Nurturing: the NSI Drama Prize program did an excellent job of nurturing the development and learning of each member of our team – writer, director and producer.

Fun: workshopping Subway Harmonies in Winnipeg with our team and three others was an incredibly fun experience.

Dynamic: as a director, I was amazed by the breadth of the teachers’ knowledge and how NSI packed so much into a short window of in-person development training – like script workshopping, working with actors taught by Rosemary Dunsmore and scene analysis taught by E. Jane Thompson.

How did your training through NSI help you get to the place you’re at in your career today?

The training provided me with tools to analyze scenes, work with actors and a music supervisor.

What advice or encouragement would you give a prospective applicant considering NSI programs?

Apply with a story you truly want to tell. Not because it’s marketable or for any other reason than it makes you feel alive, excited to tell it. If something speaks to you, it will speak to other people out there as well.

What has your career trajectory looked like between when you completed training and now?

After completing NSI Drama Prize, I completed a two-year MFA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles in 2011 where I received the Joseph A Stefano Award in Excellence in Screenwriting and a graduate scholarship from the Organization of American States to finance my education.

I think it’s important to share struggles to create a safer and more equitable working environment for creators so I will share the following. I hope it highlights what a lot of creatives don’t like to admit for fear of sounding weak: that not having financial means, struggling with health issues and being a woman are huge impediments to moving your career forward in an industry with little financial security, protection for workers, and that is still quick to judge anyone who is not male as “not equipped” to direct. We like to pretend that people get ahead through talent alone but there are huge financial, gender, racial and ageist barriers to success in our industry.

After I graduated from NSI and AFI, I became very sick while in the US and dealt with extreme tiredness and physical health issues 10 years later. I loved the States, but it made most sense for me to move back to Canada where we have proper health care.

Dealing with this along with the financial challenges of being a working, female artist in Canada meant it was much harder to move my career forward than peers who are male and/or have enough family and financial means to focus solely on their film careers. I used to not talk about it. But now I think it makes sense to speak up so we can create safer working environments.

If I’m afraid to speak up about the health issues I’m dealing with, how many other people are also afraid to voice this in an industry that sees long working hours as a badge of honour? This survival of the fittest attitude is not okay! We need to change that.

Like a lot of creatives, I have always had to juggle paid work doing odd jobs with my development work as a director and writer. People don’t like to talk about this aspect of the industry or that those who are male or have financial backing from family are usually those who can move their careers ahead at lightning speed. But it’s the truth. If we want to hear from more BIPOC and female voices in our industry let’s fund them. Let’s start giving people the support they need.

What was the most transformative part of your learning experience?

Definitely working with Rosemary Dunsmore and realizing that working with actors was a skill I brought to the table as a director. I studied acting for a long time but never did it professionally.

What skills did you acquire in your NSI program that you did not have before?

I remember E. Jane Thompson saying that you don’t show up on set as a director to be liked or make friends. That you have a vision and to stay true to it. This was very helpful advice.

What project(s) are you currently working on?

The Communist’s Daughter – we are in our final stage of editing and it will be out on CBC Gem soon. My first episode of Coroner just went to camera too.

I’m writing a new feature that I will direct and am looking to option a short story and a novel for adaptation into two feature screenplays.

I’ve also started a writing group of multi-hyphenates (actors, writer, directors) called The Table, where we help one another to write, direct and finance our own projects. The idea being to not spend so much time stuck in development or waiting for funding but to get work out into the world.

Where can people find out more about your work online?

My Vimeo and IMDb.

What is your favourite Canadian film / TV show / web series?

The Neddeaus of Duquesne Island, Slings and Arrows, Kim’s Convenience, Last Night, Highway 61.

The post Leah Cameron: I think it’s important to share struggles to create a safer and more equitable working environment appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).