Humans Making Movies
A small photojournalism project I started to get to know people working in film, tv, commercial and broadcast here in Hollywood North. All photos taken by me.
This is Jordan Waunch.
Jordan is a Vancouver based Métis performing artist, writer, producer, and director. His family is from St. Albert, Alberta with a lineage stretching across the prairies to St. Boniface and the historic Red River settlement. Born and raised in rural South Okanagan, he hitched a ride to the big city at the age of 18 to pursue a career in film & TV.
Over the next few years, Jordan dedicated himself to developing as an artist and content creator. He graduated from Capilano University’s Acting for the Stage and Screen Program and subsequently, BCIT’s Television & Video Production Program.
In between studying, and booking acting gigs, Jordan moonlighted as a mental health worker in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for the non-profit Lookout Society, released several hip hop albums with the now retired rap collective “Family Compact” – opening for names such as Nelly, Warren G, D12, Lil’ Kim, Hopsin, B-Real, and following graduation he started a career assisting in film & TV casting with Vancouver’s premiere casting company Studio 3 Media.
In 2019, while premiering his directorial debut “Sisters of Sorrow” at the ImagineNative film festival, Jordan was struck by an idea to create a project inspired by the stories and language of his Métis heritage. With the support of the Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN) and his creative partners at Hammer & Tong Productions, he began the development of a new Indigenous series concept that would shine a light on a people and culture who’ve often been overlooked throughout history and regularly underrepresented in the media landscape. An important part of the development process was working with Elders and Knowledge Keepers on the story and the three Indigenous languages featured throughout the script, which include the Métis language Michif (Northern dialect), Cree (Woodland & Plains dialects), and the old Salish trading language Chinook Wawa.
Within a year's time the script went to camera and the ending result was the APTN limited series Shadow of the Rougarou, “a dark western that spins the traditional cowboy narrative of the past on its head while delivering true suspense and horror all wrapped up in a thrilling period piece. The story follows sâkowêw, a westward bound Métis-Cree fur trapper called back home to rally recruits for the 1885 North West Resistance. Ambushed in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains by a hostile group of American Wolfers and stalked by an ancient evil deep within the woods, this young Métis woman must unravel the truth of her past if she is to return to her childhood village alive". The series launched May 9th 2022 and is now available for viewing on APTN’s online streaming service Lumi.
Jordan is an unstoppable force, and a master at his craft. I cannot wait to see what he develops next!
I met Gideon a few weeks ago on a Hallmark set. I was taking unit stills and she was working the prestigious position of 1st AC. She carried herself with such quiet and cheerful confidence, and you could tell everyone in the camera department respected and loved her. Today, Gideon would have been working on the set of Riverdale - had she not sprained her wrist while skateboarding.
We walked around New Brighton Park. I learned that she grew up in Kamloops and got her start in film by working as a PA for 4 years. In 2019, she moved to Vancouver by herself. She didn’t have a safety net, connections, or a film degree. So she started as a grip and mastered the basics quickly. She worked hard, had a great attitude, and knew her stuff. Gideon pointed out that there weren’t (and still aren’t) a lot of female grips in the business - this often worked to her advantage.
She became the bestboy grip on sets and feeling welcomed by the camera teams in 2021, Gideon decided to start applying for assistant camera positions.
Her first opportunity as a 2nd AC was for an indie feature film, shooting for a month on Gabriola Island. Not only that - the feature was on 35mm film - most filmmakers’ dream! Although there was a huge learning curve, tonnes of pressure, and some mental math - she got the job done - and hasn’t looked back!
In conclusion - Gideon is a beautiful soul and she makes everything seem possible. She is optimistic, funny, and you can tell she knows her shit.
This is Gideon Hogan.
This is Filip "Fil" Zivanovic.
He is an actor, filmmaker, sketch comedy writer, director, and co-founder of Smashed Potato Kids (SPK). He has a Bachelors in both Fine Arts and Education, from the University of Calgary and three cats named Clark, Khaleesi, and Peter.
Before becoming a sketch legend, Fil worked as a high school English and Drama teacher. He also worked a couple hours at a call centre - but that's a story for another day.
In late 2019, Fil and the Nelson brothers - Cody and Jessey - decided to commit to creating consistent sketch comedy. They began with just an iPhone and a few good friends, and have since grown into a community of incredibly talented artists (both in front and behind the camera). The goal is to create a sketch TV show, similar in structure to "I Think You Should Leave" or "Key & Peele" by hosting regular writers' rooms, and supporting members' pitches, projects and development.
Fil prides himself on his openness and generosity. He is quick to support new actors and filmmakers in any way he can, and makes enjoying life with loved ones a priority.
It was such a joy to speak with him and hear about his plans for the future!
This is Deborah "Deb" Barnes.
She is a strong and beautiful soul; a long-time casting director, turned personal mentor and mindset coach. Deb's wisdom, love for people, and generosity of spirit are immediately evident upon meeting her, and it was such an honour to interview her for @HumansMakingMovies.
I first met Deb at Studio 3. She was teaching commercial acting workshops with Murdine Hirsch and Jordan Waunch. I learned so much in that workshop, and I'm sure that it was her mentorship that helped me secure an agent.
I've since come to learn that Deb has lived a thousand lives. She's worked as a vacuum salesman, a private investigator, an animal photographer, a crafty, and a first aid (in addition to so much more)!
It wasn't until 1999 that Deb got her first taste of casting. Murdine Hirsch and Deb quickly became an unstoppable team and a force to be reckoned with in the world of casting. The pair recently noticed that the demand for "street casting" and fresh talent was increasing, so they proactively reconfigured their business model to provide seminars and workshops for new actors.
Now after over 20 years in casting, acting and modeling, Deb is focusing on a career that truly makes her heart sing - mentorship and coaching.
If you are an actor looking for guidance, mentorship, and support - I can't recommend Deb enough.
This is Alison Chang.
She is a multi-talented actress, musician, entrepreneur and consultant. In addition to her professional and creative endeavors, Alison is a vibrant source of joy, laughter and wisdom to all her friends (and those that have the privilege of encountering her).
These qualities are no accident. Alison is one of the most hard working and disciplined creatives I've ever met. She is committed to the development of her craft, and is constantly seeking opportunities to learn, network, experiment, and improve her ability to empathize, improvise, perform, and story-tell.
She told me she has four rules for life. They are:
(1) Don't be a jerk.
(2) You're not responsible for anyone else's happiness but your own. And it is your responsibility.
(3) The first thing out of your mouth during an argument should always be: "I hear you."
(4) If someone is being mean to you out of the blue, ask if they're okay! (Alternatively, "who hurt you?")
You'll have to refer to Alison's IMDB profile for a complete list of her acting credits, because there are too many to list here.
This is Jordan Macken.
He is an independent filmmaker who has worked as an art director, set dresser, camera assistant, and producer, in addition to his director work. He is also the second eldest of six kids, a philosophy enthusiast, and a former tennis coach.
From 2010 to 2015, Jordan studied at UBC. He obtained a double major in Film Production and English, and was hired to work on set almost immediately after graduating.
Over the past few years he's worked on tv series (such as Pachinko, Snowpiercer, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Supergirl, and Altered Carbon), features (Public Schooled, Buddy Games); documentaries (Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics); commercials (Volvo, Google Play); and music videos.
In the limited time between these projects, Jordan developed his own ideas, screenplays and projects.
In 2019, he pitched and secured StoryHive funding for a documentary titled "Raising Ava Rose". This beautiful film premiered at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo in 2021 and is available for viewing on YouTube. It is a deeply personal and tender glimpse into the life of Jordan's cousin and her family.
Keep your eye out for all of Jordan's future films - you're going to be seeing a lot more director credits in the years to come!
This is Carolyn Yonge.
She is an actor, writer, editor, producer, director and now teacher (among other things)! She is one of the most empathetic and kind people I have ever met, and it was such a joy to interview her.
Born and raised in Canmore, Alberta, Carolyn decided at the age of 18 that she was going to move to Vancouver and become an actor - so she did.
Carolyn now has over 20 acting credits to her name (with three in post-production and more on the way), including "Sensitive Parts", Disney's "Flora and Ulysses", and "Love at Sunset Terrace".
In 2018, Carolyn directed "Baleful" an award-winning thriller she wrote and produced herself. The short was later nominated for Best Short, Director, and Editing; and received awards for Best Actor and Best Twist.
Less than two years later, Carolyn debuted her second short film titled "After That" at the Whistler Film Festival, a piece she not only wrote and produced, but starred in as well. In addition to all the exciting projects Carolyn is working on these days, she is also teaching at LeBlanc School of Acting, a world-class youth acting school for screen.
This is Mihnea "Mike" Doaga.
He is an award winning actor, seasoned writer, magnanimous podcast host, child of immigrants, occasional debate instigator(which is actually how we met back in ~2013) and overall quality human being.
Mike was only 3 years old when he moved to Canada from Romania with his parents. His father accepted a job driving taxis, and his mother worked for a lottery company. From a young age, it was assumed that Mike would prioritize academic excellence and one day become a doctor.
But Mike had other plans. In October 2015, amidst balancing the rigorous course load of a neuroscience student at Simon Fraser University, working a temp job for the university, extracurriculars, social life and trying to manage a diagnosed panic disorder, Mike realized that his true calling lay somewhere in the world of acting.
After many conversations with his parents, Mike pivoted and graduated with a BA in English and Psychology, before moving to New York City to study at the world-renowned Atlantic Theatre Company Acting School.
Despite temporarily living across the country, Mike found a way to continue creating and story-telling with his friends in Vancouver. In 2016, "I Love You So Much It's Killing Them", a dark comedy Mike co-wrote with Joel Ashton McCarthy and produced by Nach Dudsdeemaytha, Keli A Moore, and Marena Dix, was chosen as a Crazy8's finalist.
There is no way that I can do justice to Mike's litany of creative accomplishments, so I encourage you to check out his IMDB page, "This is a Spoon Studios" YouTube Channel, and his relatively new podcast titled "VanShitty". Finally, this write-up would be totally deficient if I failed to mention that… MIKE FINISHED WRITING HIS FIRST FEATURE LENGTH SCREENPLAY!!
This is Kristen Morrow.
She is a multi-talented actor, wardrobe department expert, published writer, budding virtual assistant, and dog-mom to a small Jack Russel terrier named Daniel.
Born and raised in Calgary, Kristen moved to Vancouver in February 2020 to further her acting career. She's already had the opportunity to act in short films, commercials, numerous documentaries, and a children’s network pilot. She told me that her dream would be to play an athletically dynamic character with a lot of physical expression, such as a superhero (or villain!).
Like most actors, Kristen has come across a few less… “savory” acting opportunities over the years. This inspired Kristen and her friend B.A. Loudon to write and publish a book called "We Could Write This Shit! Hilariously Bad Sex Scenes", which is available for purchase on Amazon and Kindle. If that's not making lemonade out of lemons - I don't know what is!
In addition to co-writing books, Kristen has opened up a virtual assistant business (@kristentheva) where she helps photographers and other creatives maximize their business efficiency. This entrepreneurial endeavor allows Kristen to set her own schedule, so she can meet the many demands of being a represented actor.
Although moving to Vancouver has opened up many exciting possibilities, it's also had its challenges. Shortly after relocating, Kristen learned that she had booked a film role in Calgary, so she had to move back to Alberta for 4 months. Then in July 2021, her boyfriend proposed. All of these wonderful things delayed the process of getting settled and making friends in Vancouver. Leaving Calgary meant saying goodbye to her long-time network of industry professionals and mentors, but Kristen is confident this risk will pay off in the end!
Swipe right for (1) a picture of Daniel celebrating another trip down the slide (2) two scenes from the short film “Snake Oils”, written and directed by Ethan Sharma.
This is Patrick Higgins.
In September 2021, he started his own production company called Higginsfilm Video Solutions (higginsfilm.com) and has since produced commercials for motorcycle helmets, wealth management professionals, fitness gurus and more.
Patrick was only 19 years old when he graduated from BCIT's Television and Video Production Program, and landed the enviable job as a camera operator for Canucks Sports & Entertainment.
Since then, he's worked for Fusion Cine, a national sales and rental house for film and broadcast equipment, as a service technician, lead preparation technician, and freelance videographer.
When the pandemic forced the 2021 Golden Globes to go virtual, he helped set up cameras and streaming equipment for two nominated actors in Vancouver.
Right now, his work is more of less split between broadcast television and commercial videography. He's keeping an open mind though, and will see where Higginsfilm takes him.
When he's not working, Patrick loves playing the guitar and piano.