Interviews with Black Canadian Filmmakers and Creatives

Interviews with Black Canadian Filmmakers & Creatives

A complementary resource to the Combatting Anti-Black Racism in Film workshop offering firsthand interviews from Black filmmakers who share their journeys, challenges, and successes within the film industry through short, impactful interview clips.

Enroll for free

Course curriculum

1. Pre-Workshop Questionnaire
2. Welcome!
1. Introduction
2. What made you fall out of love with the Industry?
3. Barriers faced being a person of colour in an industry like VFX?
4. “The odd one out” feeling on set, and what did that experience feel like?
5. Barriers Black filmmakers face in terms of accessing funding
6. Are there particularly stronger barriers in certain areas?
7. Black creatives permission to fail
8. Chance to succeed even when it fails
9. Speaking up in your filmmaker journey
1. Introduction
2. Opportunities sought to get more experience in filmmaking
3. Barriers faced so far and do you still experience them today?
4. Did you ever feel like you had to adapt your vision so that it “fit the norm”?
5. Was there a time where your perspectives or ideas weren’t taken seriously?
6. Do you only have access to certain projects or jobs within the industry? If so why?
7. Consciousness of being a person of colour on-set and how did that feel?
8. Are there certain aspects of the movie industry where barriers are stronger than others?
9. Hurdles Black filmmakers face to get funding
10. Utilizing private funders or crowd sourcing in your fundraising efforts
11. Permission to fail: do you see a difference between filmmakers of colour and white filmmakers?
12. Day to day cultures of film sets that are exclusionary
13. Allyship: Speaking up / advocating
14. Allyship: Concrete things that people in power (producers, EPs, funders) can do to better support Black creatives
15. Advice for upcoming Black filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Opportunities in front of the camera
3. Finding mentorship in this industry?
4. Obstacles faced because of intersections
5. Was there a time where your perspectives or ideas weren’t taken seriously?
6. Do you only have access to certain projects or jobs within the industry? If so why?
7. Biggest unspoken barriers for Black people in film
8. Fighting against stereotyping and tokenization of Black characters in movies
9. "Diversity" in the film industry –– what emotions come up for you?
10. Hope about Black representation in the film industry
11. Forwarding representation in the film industry
12. Type stories you want to see more of on the screen?
13. Advice for Upcoming Filmmakers/ actors
1. Introduction
2. Advocacy work in filmmaking
3. Barriers or challenges for BIPOC finding funding for projects
4. “Gatekeeping” in certain areas of filmmakers
5. “The odd one out” feeling on set, and what did that experience feel like?
6. Experiencing Allyship
7. Inclusivity in the Canadian film industry
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship to further your craft
3. Process of teaching yourself filmmaking
4. Feelings of exclusion in the film industry
5. Representation of women behind the camera in film
6. Feeling like the odd one out on set
7. Do you have access to certain jobs within the industry?
8. "Diversity," what emotions come to mind?
9. Did BLM movement had an impact on the industry?
10. Feeling of having to tone down to fit in
11. Do Black creatives have the same permission to fail?
12. Ideal changes to the Canadian film industry
13. Advice to future filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Inspiration into the film industry
3. Education, mentorship or training to get to your level
4. Barriers faced in your career
5. Have you experienced different treatment because of your ethnicity?
6. Passed opportunities because of the intersectionality –– queerness and racial belonging
7. Barriers that are particularly stronger for people of colour
8. Systemic barriers in funding
9. Permission to fail: Are Black creatives are given the same as other creatives
10. Fitting the norm: dialling down or dilute a story
11. Standing up
12. Perfect film industry: what does it look like?
13. Support for aspiring filmmakers
14. Advice for aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. What drew you to this industry?
3. Opportunities you sought out in your career
4. Tokenism and appeasing the masses
5. Barriers faced as a Black Francophone woman filmmaker
6. Hurdles Black filmmakers face to get funding
7. Making a stronger Canadian Black Film Industry
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship and Training to Further Craft
3. Being part of the largest Black settlement in Eastern Canadian & Influence
4. "Diversity": What emotions come to mind?
5. Barriers experienced in Canada
6. Funding Barriers today: More or Less?
7. Tokenism
8. Exclusionary areas in the film industry
9. Compromising vision for stories to be green lit
10. Feeling like the odd one out
11. Microaggressions and how do you deal with them?
12. Experiencing allyship & support, and what it looks like
13. Ideal changes in the Film Industry
14. Advice to aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. What drew you into the film industry?
3. Mentorship, training or programs to get to your level
4. Mentors to get to where you are
5. Challenges as a Black Trans Filmmaker
6. Fitting the norm: diluting story or perspective be to digestible by the general majority
7. Permission to Fail: Are Black creatives are given the same as other creatives
8. "The odd one out," tokenism on set and were there allyship
9. Challenging areas for people of colour
10. Funding as a Black filmmaker
11. Sending a message to entice diverse project funding
12. Hope about the future of Black film
13. What does a thriving Black film industry look like to you?
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship recommendations to gain experience in film
3. Barriers you’ve experienced in your career
4. Gatekeeping in the film industry
5. "The Odd one out" and Tokenism on set
6. Opinion not received or accepted for who you are
7. Microaggressions or subtle biases showing up in the film industry
8. "Diversity," what kinds of emotions does it bring up?
9. Barriers in funding for Black filmmakers (especially in the prairies)
10. Allyship in the industry
11. Progress of Black representation in film
12. Advice for aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship or training recommendations to gain more experience
3. Producer Point of View
4. Barriers you had to overcome as a Black filmmaker
5. Black Canadian stories VS Black U.S.A. stories
6. Funding Barriers
7. Permission to Fail: Are Black creatives given the same permission as other creatives?
8. Allyship: support you on your journey
9. Making a perfect film industry in Canada: What does that look like?
10. Allyship: What can white allies do so Black filmmakers can more visibility?
11. Advice to future filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Education/ mentorship outside of traditional school
3. "Diversity," what kind of emotions does it bring up?
4. Barriers that Black creatives face when it comes to funding
5. Areas of the movie industry that feel particularly exclusive
6. Barriers experienced as a Black female producer
7. Compromising your vision to appease the majority
8. Access to distributors
9. Permission to Fail: Are Black creatives given the same permission as other creatives?
10. Allyship: concrete actions people in positions of power can do to better support Black creatives
11. Allyship: when someone stood up for you in your career
12. Restructuring the Canadian film industry
13. What kind of stories do you want to see coming from Black creatives?
14. Advice for Black filmmakers that want to protect their creative voice
15. Advice for aspiring Producers
1. Introduction
2. Further education to gain experience or knowledge of the craft
3. Access to opportunities
4. Barriers faced or continue to face as a Black filmmaker
5. Funding - What been your experience?
6. Freelance Filmmaking - What's that like?
7. What do you think attributes to job availability throughout someone’s film career?
8. Thoughts on AI and automations: Effect on filmmakers
9. Advice for filmmakers on how to navigate upcoming technologies
10. Mental Health as a filmmaker
11. What kind of stories do you wish to see more of?
12. Film industry in an ideal world
13. Advice for aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship you’ve embarked on to get where you are
3. Getting access to things early in your career
4. Barriers faced in your career
5. Barriers to funding
6. Pressure to dial down or dilute your story
7. Allyship: someone stood up for you and helped you
8. Canadian film industry in an ideal world
9. Advice for Black filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Programs/ mentorship to feel ready for your film journey
3. Programs that "Main Film" offers
4. Programs specific to Quebec or Canada
5. Barriers being a Black female filmmaker
6. BLM movement's effect on the film industry
7. Diluting yourself to fit the norm
8. Feelings on being the only Black person in the room
9. Particular barriers within areas of the industry
10. Funding as a Black filmmaker
11. Hurdles Black filmmakers have to jump through to receive funding
12. Current state of Black representation on film
13. Given all the resources, what would the film industry look like to you?
14. Allyship Example
15. Advice for upcoming filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Did you have to attend any learning or mentorships to be in the position you are today?
3. Mentorship or opportunities outside of Canada
4. Barriers in your experience in film
5. Barriers to funding as a Black filmmaker
6. Avoiding tropes and stereotypes in storytelling
7. Permission to Fail: Are Black filmmaker given the same permission to fail as other filmmakers?
8. Fighting for a place at the table on set
9. Making Canadian film industry more inclusive
10. Allyship: 10. Has anyone ever stood up for you (or with you)
11. Allyship: What can white creators and influencers do to create a more inclusive film world?
12. What is the Arts Council?
13. Advice for your younger self or future filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Training or mentorship you recommend to aspiring filmmakers
3. Barriers changed over the course of your career or stayed the same
4. Consciousness of being a person of colour when on set
5. Navigating tokenism/stereotypes on sets or production houses
6. Unspoken barriers to Black people in film
7. Do you feel you've lost opportunities because of the colour of your skin?
8. Exclusionary acts in the day to day culture of film sets
9. Systemic issues in how funding and grants are distributed
10. Freedom to grow: Do Black creatives have the same freedom to fail and grow as others?
11. Ideal changes to the Canadian film industry
12. Allyship Examples
13. Advice to aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship or education you sought to further your career
3. Barriers have you faced as a Black filmmaker
4. Barriers faced as a Black filmmaker in general and in funding
5. Did the BLM movement had an impact on the industry?
6. Areas of the industry with particularly stronger barriers
7. Feeling like the the odd one out on set: What did that feel like?
8. Other people on a set not understanding your vision
9. "Diversity," what emotions come to mind?
10. Making sure there are diverse voices in nature photography
11. What kind of stories do you want to see coming from Black creatives?
12. Are Black creatives given the same freedom to fail as others?
13. What would you change in the film industry?
14. Training or mentorship recommendation for aspiring filmmakers
15. Advice for anyone who wants to get into wildlife photography
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship or education you sought to further your career
3. Accessing mentorship
4. Barriers have you faced as a Black filmmaker
5. Dialing down identity down to fit in
6. Feeling like the odd one out on set
7. Areas in the industry where there are stronger barriers
8. Are Black creatives are given the same freedom to fail as others?
9. Ideal changes to the Canadian film industry
10. Tip: Having your voices be heard in an industry that asks to conform
11. Advice to aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship or education you sought to further your career
3. Accessing mentorship
4. Barriers faced as a Black filmmaker in funding
5. Barriers faced as a Black creative in a white dominated world
6. Access to opportunities as a Black woman
7. Ideal changes to the Canadian film industry
8. Advice to aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship or education to further your career
3. Accessing mentors
4. Barriers faced as a Black female filmmaker
5. How do we get away from tropes and tokenism
6. How to get stories out there?
7. Ideal changes of the Canadian film industry
8. Advice would to aspiring filmmakers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship to further your craft
3. Barriers being a Black female filmmaker
4. Systemic issues in how funding and grants are distributed
5. Areas of the industry where you see particularly stronger barriers
6. Compromising your vision because of who you are
7. Ideal changes to the Canadian film industry
8. What kind of stories do you want to see coming from Black creatives?
9. Advice for your younger self
1. Introduction
2. Navigating being the only Black woman on a set
3. Feeling unheard because of who you are
4. Are Black creatives given the same freedom to fail as others?
5. Access to opportunities as a Black woman
6. Systemic issues in how funding and grants are distributed
7. Making sure their is diversity in the room
8. Ideal changes in the Canadian film industry
9. Stories you want to see coming from Black creatives
10. Mentorship opportunities to find themselves in your shoes one day
1. Introduction
2. What drew you into writing and how did you pursue a career in this field?
3. Mentorship to further your craft
4. Dialing down the stories to fit in
5. Barriers faced as a Black woman in the industry
6. Is there an exclusionary culture in the writing room?
7. Allyship: actions other writers can do to minimize barriers to Black creatives in film
8. Advice would to other aspiring writers
1. Introduction
2. Mentorship opportunities
3. Feeling like the odd one out
4. More diversity in hair & makeup
5. Advice for aspiring film make up artists
1. Post Workshop Questions
2. Get REAL with Us

About this course

Free
284 lessons
15.5 hours of video content

Discover your potential, starting today

Enroll today