Why I’m the Right Person to Tell This Story

My connection to film didn’t start in a classroom or a boardroom—it started in a small northern Manitoba movie theater, watching The Cat from Outer Space. A few years later, in 1977, I saw Star Wars on the big screen on opening weekend, and I was hooked—not just on the movie, but on the magic of how films are made.

That curiosity became a lifelong pull toward storytelling. In school, I wrote skits and short plays under the mentorship of an inspiring teacher and thespian. I experimented with acting, but I quickly learned that my place wasn’t centre stage. I wanted to create the experience, not perform in it.

That instinct shaped my career. I started as a DJ in a bar, moved into radio, and went on to work as crew for a wide range of entertainers. Each step taught me how collaboration, timing, and trust are at the heart of every great production.

As a professional photographer, I learned how to tell stories visually—how to let images do the work that words sometimes can’t. That skill, and that respect for the craft, carries directly into this film.

When I moved to Alberta more than 22 years ago, I was fortunate to work behind the scenes on remarkable television and film projects. More importantly, I formed relationships with the people who built Alberta’s film industry—crew members, creators, and craftspeople whose stories are rarely told. Many of them are still close friends today.

This is why Reel Alberta matters to me—and why your support matters so much. This documentary is not an outsider’s perspective or a surface-level history. It’s a story told with care, access, and respect, shaped by decades of lived experience and trusted relationships.

This film only gets made if enough people believe in it right now.
Not someday. Not “after payday.” Now.

The stories at the heart of Reel Alberta don’t live in archives or textbooks—they live in the memories of people who were there. And some of those voices are fading. Every day we wait is a risk that a story will be lost forever.

By backing this project on Seed&Spark, you’re not just helping fund a documentary—you’re helping safeguard a piece of Alberta’s cultural history before it disappears. You’re saying these people mattered. This work mattered. And it’s worth remembering.

If this story resonated with you, please don’t scroll past it. Even a small pledge makes a real difference. Your support—right now—could be the reason this film exists at all.

Thank you for standing with me and helping bring Reel Alberta to life.