Ep. 24: The Biggest Challenges Facing Emerging Filmmakers

Any filmmaker will tell you that the journey to getting their first feature made is full of ups and downs. But what exactly are the biggest challenges facing aspiring filmmakers and how can we make things easier and more accessible for future generations? To learn more, Rob, and special guest host Chandler Levack, sit down with director Ashley McKenzie, whose debut film ‘Werewolf’ garnered a tonne of attention and admiration at last year’s TIFF. Ashley talks about her long path to getting ‘Werewolf’ made (5:40), why she considers her films “termite art” (13:25), and why young filmmakers need to question the systems in place and find a method that works for them (15:50). She also explains why she thinks female filmmakers have more to prove than their male peers (21:30), why she doesn’t feel at a disadvantage working out of Cape Breton Island (29:30), and why, despite ‘Werewolf’s’ success, she’s not confident that making her second film will be an easier road (30:40) Ashley is currently an ambassador for TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign, a five year initiative prioritizing gender parity within the film industry. To find out more about the campaign, please visit: http://www.tiff.net/shareherjourney/