about Carole

artist… filmmaker… visual artist… writer…

community researcher… activist… yogi…

A few years ago I completed a Masters degree in City Planning (2013) – studies I undertook as part of a long held dream to carve some time out in my life to study political and economic realities. This led to a number of inner city video projects with a focus on social justice, largely in collaboration with urban Indigenous community development practitioners. Making these social and policy research video projects, for a number of NGOs – the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Fisher River Cree Nation, the Manitoba Research Alliance and CEDnet, to name a few – gave me an invaluable look into different realities, and to truly appreciate the extent of my privilege in this colonial and neoliberal world.  

notable research videos :

Meet me at the Merch – short film in collaboration with inner city residents on the impacts of a new education and housing facility in Winnipeg’s North End  (2015) – for CCPA
Breaking Barriers/building bridges – film documenting an event that brought together Elders and Indigenous and non-indigenous teens to share experiences of racism in Winnipeg (2013) – for CCPA
Rite of Passage – short film in collaboration with marginalized youth who are juggling school and living in poverty in Winnipeg’s inner city (2013) – for CCPA
Together we have CLOUT – short film in collaboration with a women-led coalition of Aboriginal inner-city community organizers on the impacts colonialism and neoliberalism on their community-building practices (2011) – for CCPA

notable community development projects :

Planning Consultant – for Fisher River Cree Nation – coordinating and facilitating community meeting to design plans to build a new cemetery
Researcher/Coordinator – Evaluating Mount Carmel’s Mothering Project (for MRA)
Researcher – The Labour Market Intermediary as a strategy for Indigenous employment:     a survey of other jurisdictions – (for CCED-net)

notable volunteer community development video projects :

Do you know poverty? – for Make Poverty History 2016 provincial election campaign
12 shoes of Christmas – for Make Poverty History
Valentine’s Day – campaign to raise EIA rates – for Make Poverty History
Oak Table – Coordinator for Art Show at Gas Station Arts Centre

Participating in alternative research methods comes naturally to me and stems from working for 20+ years as an independent filmmaker and ten years as a freelance television & radio reporter for Radio-Canada in Winnipeg (in French). 

Before moving to ottawa, I was very active in Winnipeg’s arts community, most notably as staff and board member for a number of not-for-profit arts organizations, as a peer assessment committee member for many arts funders, and as a participant in the arts community (which I hope to develop here in Ottawa).  

These activities allowed me to hone a number of important skills: leadership managing  and coordinating projects – often in fast pace work environments – interacting with a wide range of people, ideas and situations, and financial management. Over the years I’ve also acquired solid writing skills in a variety of genres (from poetry to scripts to grant and report writing) – publishing a few along the way.

notable publications in community development :

Working Together and having clout – chapter describing the process of collaborating with Indigenous community practitioners to make a video describing their unique approach to building capacity in the inner city – for Decolonizing community-building practice; UBC Press (2017).
Mothering Project: Effective prevention with vulnerable families CCPA Fast facts re-published by Rabble.ca (2016)
Planning with Urban Indigenous Communities: Power, Resistance and Alliances in Winnipeg – summary of Master’s Thesis – chapter in Decolonizing Planning: Experiences with Urban Aboriginal Communities and First Nations; Common Ground publishing.
Fast Facts: The end of operating grants. article for CCPA-MB, based on research on current housing issues (2011).
Together we have CLOUT. Article for the State of the Inner City Report, on the impacts of colonialism and neoliberalism on the community-building work of a women-led inner city coalition of Indigenous community-based organizations. For the Canadian Centre for Policy alternatives, Manitoba (CCPA-MB), 2010.

EDUCATION

MASTERS OF CITY PLANNING – University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, 2013.

An intensive theory and studio program, within an interdisciplinary architecture school emphasizing the social and political contexts of urban design practices.

Thesis about the obstacles to alliance building between planners and members of a coalition of Indigenous community-based organizations in Winnipeg’s inner city in light of the economic and political challenges created by colonialism and neoliberalism.

Research data generated in the making of a short video about the coalition’s unique approach and the socio-economic-political barriers they face.  Further data generated during follow up interviews with coalition members and planners.

       AWARDS

2013 – Award for Highest Standing in graduating class
2011 – Case-in-point Excellence Award, Manitoba Professional Planners Institute
2010 – Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Graduate Award
2009 – University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship Award

INDEPENDENT STUDIES – University of Manitoba,  1987-1989.

Self-directed studies in philosophy, creative writing, theatre, film.

BACHELORS OF FINE ARTS (HONOURS) –  University of Manitoba, 1985.

Thesis project in photography. Majors in printmaking and drawing.

Thesis Show, Gallery I.I.I. University of Manitoba, 1983.

areas of artistic / practice / interest

interdisciplinary media arts projects
hand-processing analog film techniques
digital art practices
photography
creative writing for time-based visual media
poetry
fibre arts

areas of intellectual interests

social activism
community-led media arts projects
anti-colonial and post-colonial practices
social justice and the right to the city
alternative research approaches
cities and cinema – how the city is portrayed in film

working life (selected)

FREELANCE TELEVISION and RADIO

News reporter, Radio-Canada Manitoba, 1999-2009.
Arts & Cultural reporter, Radio-Canada Manitoba, 1999-2009.
Segment Producer and Production Coordinator, various for Radio-Canada MB, 1996-2009.
Movie Reviewer, L’Heure de Pointe, CKSB radio, 1997 and 1999-2000.
Promo producer, SRC Manitoba TV,  1995-96.
Assistant Floor Director, Manitoba Ce Soir, and RDI’s L’Ouest en direct, 1995-96.
Associate Producer, CBC radio’s Definitely Not The Opera, summer 1995.
Production assistant, Radio Réveil, CKSB radio, 1994.

1st Assistant Director, 3rd Assistant Director, Swing P.A., 2nd Unit Director, Extras Coordinator, and Assistant Production Coordinator on numerous productions, 1995-2007.

FREELANCE PRODUCTION CREDITS

Le feu de la Cathédrale  – (director/editor)
short film about the fire that destroyed the Saint-Boniface Cathedral in 1968 – made with old super 8 and 16mm footage  – gallery installation at the Musée de St-Boniface  (2008)

Swinging – (playwright)
original one-act play, 1988. Produced at Winnipeg Fringe Festival, 1990 and at Black Hole Theatre (1989)

LADIES FIRST: LADIES’ FIRSTS –  (curator)
Part of a Six-Set Historical DVD Collection from the Winnipeg Film Group, (2005).

Referendum – (segment director)
Pan-Canadian documentary project on the Québec 1995 Referendum, produced by the National Film Board of Canada. (1995)

The Dark Room – (co-creator / writer)
Experimental / interactive / collaborative film/theatre project, New Theatre Company production, Produced at Prairie Theatre Exchange (1994)

PROGRAMMING / CURATING

C0-Founder – WNDX, Winnipeg’s Experimental Film Festival, 2005.
Curator – Ladies first, Ladies’ firsts – a programme of short films made by women at the Winnipeg Film Group, 2005.
Co-Founder Re*Visions Women’s Film Festival, Winnipeg, 1993.
Chair of the Programming Committee, Re*Visions Women’s Film Festival, Winnipeg, 1993.
Chair of the Programming Committee, Re*Visions Women’s Film Festival, Winnipeg, 1995.

FESTIVAL PANELS, PRESENTATIONS, TALKS

Gimme some Truth Documentary Festival: Québec Masters panel.  (2011)
Mediator and Researcher for panel discussion with Québec’s Cinéma Direct masters (Claude Fournier and Arthur Lamothe) speaking about the times in which they worked, the impact of the NFB’s French Unit on Canadian documentary filmmaking.
Salon des Refusés. Panelist, Toronto Film festival. (2007)
Hand-processing filmmaking Presentation. Co-facilitator with Dominique Rey. (2006)
Front des Réalisateurs Indépendants du Canada AGM, Winnipeg.
Sugar and Splice Feminist Film Festival. Panelist, Winnipeg (2005)
2^nd Annual Screenwriters’ Showcase. Panelist and highlighted screenwriter.
Event titled ‘4 screenwriters, directors and performances’,  Film Training MB (2004)
Melbourne Film Festival. Panelist, moderated by Australian filmmaker Dirk de Bruyn, Melbourne, Australia, Time Away, (2007)
Local Heroes film festival, panelist, Motus Maestro, (1996)

BOARDS, COMMITTEES, JURIES

Board member, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Manitoba (2011-2015)
Peer assessment committee member, Manitoba Arts Council – film and video production grants (numerous)
Peer assessment committee member, Canada Council For the Arts, Film Production Grant (1994, 1997, 2001)
Selection Committee, WNDX festival, Canadian & Prairie film and video submissions (2007)
Juror, Manitoba Emerging Filmmaker Award competition (2005)
Selection Committee, National Screen Institute, Film Exchange (2004)
Curatorial Committee, Canadian Independent Film & Video Alliance Showcase (1996)
President, Winnipeg Film Group Board (1995-1996 & 2006-2007)
Board Member, Winnipeg Film Group (1993-1997 & 2003-2007)
Executive Committee member, Winnipeg Film Group (1994-1997 & 2003-2007)
Board member, Director’s Guild of Canada – Manitoba (2003-2005)
Juror, Winnipeg Film Group, various film production programs (numerous)

professional artistic development 

16mm hand-processing filmmaking workshop, AKA Phil Hoffman’s “The Film Farm”.  Weeklong Independent Imaging Retreat, 2008.
Hand-processing film workshop, with Sol Nagler Winnipeg Film Group, 2003.
Script analysis and rehearsal techniques, with Judith Weston, 2003.
Acting for directors, with Judith Weston, 2003.
Director observer, with Director Rob King on 2030CE, television series, 2002.
Director’s Lab / Residency Programme, Canadian Film Centre, 1997-98.
Women in the director’s chair, with Director Anne Wheeler, Banff Arts Centre, 1997.
Director observer, with Director Lea Pool, on Gabrielle Roy; Un documentaire, 1997.
NSI Drama Prize Director workshop, with Stacey Curtis and Alyse Rosenberg, 1995.
NSI Drama Prize Writer workshop, with Donald Martin & Bill Corcoran, 1994.
Subverting the Narrative, with videographer Leila Sujir, Video Pool, 1993.
Writing, with videographers Robert Morin and Sara Diamond, Video Pool, 1993.
Collaborative Documents, with Director Lorna Boshman, Video Pool, 1992.
Film Directing, with Director Patricia Gruben, Winnipeg Film Group, 1992.
Bolex Camera techniques, with Filmmaker Guy Maddin, Winnipeg Film Group, 1992
Directing, with Director Paul Cox, week-long workshop, Winnipeg Film Group, 1991.
Basic filmmaking workshop, 1o weeks–hands-on workshop, Winnipeg Film Group, 1991.
Scriptwriting, with screenwriter George Toles, University of Manitoba, 1990.
Creative writing,  with poet George Amabile, University of Manitoba, 1989.

technical skills

PHOTOGRAPHY: solid knowledge of 35mm and 6X6mm still photography and cameras
DIGITAL IMAGING: Very Good knowledge of Photoshop
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Good knowledge of InDesign
WEB: Basic working knowledge of WordPress

FILM CAMERAS:  Experience with 8mm & 16mm film and cameras
HAND PROCESSING: Proficiency with 16mm black & white hand processing
OPTICAL PRINTING: Working knowledge of optical printing
EDITING: Working knowledge of Adobe Premiere elements and Final Cut

LIGHTING: Working knowledge of common lighting equipment and set ups
AUDIO: Basic working knowledge of analog and digital audio recorders and microphones

memberships over the years (selected)

SAW Video
Winnipeg Film Group
Video Pool media centre
Platform Centre for photographic and digital arts
Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada, certified instructor – Introductory II
Council of Canadians
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives- Manitoba
Planners Network – Manitoba (PNmb)  
Front des Réalisateurs Indépendants du Canada (FRIC)
Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC-Manitoba)

alumnus

Canadian Film Centre – Resident Director’s Lab Programme
National Screen institute – Drama Prize program
Women in the Director’s chair 
Black Hole Theatre