Roll Camera, Roll Sound...Action!

The night before stepping onto the my very first film set at The Junction Album Studios marked a pivotal moment in my career. A sudden promotion to the role of Unit Production Manager due to a colleague's unfortunate Covid-19 situation had left me excited, nervous and, truth be told, a bit clueless about what lay ahead.

The night carried a mix of excitement and uncertainty as I prepared for my new responsibilities. To comprehend the gravity of my role, I knew I needed to understand what a Unit Production Manager truly did. Class was in session, and I was about to embark on a crash course in film production.

Class is in Session

Two months prior, my journey into the film world had begun with a meaningful connection with Darrell Wonge, a seasoned Toronto Director of Photography. Our initial conversation felt reminiscent of the first day of school, with a flood of questions bubbling up inside me, each one accompanied by the internal query, "Is this a stupid question?"

Among the invaluable insights he shared, one piece of advice stood out profoundly. Darrell and I bonded over our shared passion for basketball, acknowledging it as our first true love. Curious about my approach to improvement, he asked, "How did you get better growing up?" In response, I instinctively replied, "A.I.," recalling moments of emulating Allen Iverson after watching him play.

Darrell drew a parallel between basketball and the film industry, emphasizing the need to treat my new role like I would approach honing basketball skills. This was no different.

“Exactly! Treat this like you would basketball. You gotta train, do drills, watch the pros do it and get in the gym (on set). I am always learning, never stop learning.”

With this newfound perspective, my experience on set unfolded. The long hours were not just endured; they were rewarded with a wealth of knowledge and a sense of contribution to the cinematic creation process. Witnessing the collaboration of diverse teams on set underscored the importance of every individual's role and the time-sensitive nature of each task.

Darrell's vivid description of life on set had been remarkably accurate. If you want a closer look at the behind-the-scenes action, check out the Behind the Scenes video I shot on set with Gladstone Media Inc. It captures life on a production set and serves as a testament to the dynamic and multifaceted world I had eagerly stepped into.