Quesnel’s own Shawn Swanky, who graduated from Quesnel secondary school in 2001, is bringing his considerable talent back to his home town Feb. 9 in an evening sponsored by the Quesnel Film Club.
Swanky graduated from Vancouver Art Institute in 2003 and has been pursuing a career in filmmaking ever since that time.
However, even during his high school years in Quesnel Shawn displayed a passion for filmmaking and credits the encouragement he received from his teachers in both Maple Drive Junior Secondary School and QSS.
“I discovered I loved making movies,” he said of his earlier projects.
His film Golden Streams, Dangerous Dreams, completed when he was a teenager, received positive reviews and was screened at Toronto International Teen Movie Festival in 2005.
Despite his early beginnings, once Shawn graduated from film school, establishing himself as a filmmaker was no easy feat.
“I dropped off more than 50 resumes at different productions and didn’t get a single response for six months,” he said.
Shawn said the easiest way to crack the industry was as a production assistant. He then joined the Directors Guild of Canada.
“Then I could begin making films,” he said.
During the Feb. 9 event, four of Shawn’s short films will be shown.
He said he chose the subject matter of these four films because it interested him.
Although emerging filmmakers create short films as a method of perfecting their craft, they also serve a calling card, something to display their abilities.
“Another problem is having very little money,” he said.
“I question myself ‘How can I make the most entertaining story with very little money?’”
He added “You basically work with volunteers.”
“Two of the films are with animals,” he continued.
The ducks were filmed in a duck sanctuary.
“With these shorts, the actors generously donate their time but it’s also helpful to them to perfect their craft.”
Shawn said he was very grateful for QFC’s continued support of his work over the past 10 years as well as his family’s support.
Currently, he’s working on a film with the help of his father Tom Swanky.
The Great Darkening is about the dispossession of the native communities which took place during the gold rush.
Ten years ago Tom began researching to discover whether the history told by the native elders is correct.
Tom plans to publish a book on his findings this spring and Shawn is working on the film.
“How can anyone hope to understand what is happening around us now without appreciating that the native community believes it lost control of its resource base illegally and immorally through genocide?” Shawn said.
“The documentary I’m working on is a detective story, starting with the hanging of the Tsilhqot’in Chiefs in Quesnel, then tracking back along the smallpox trail, uncovering the evidence piece by piece, until finally it leads to the Governor’s office to see if there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the elders were right.”
Shawn will be in attendance Feb. 9 to answer questions about his work and his industry.
With regards to his earlier work on Golden Streams, Dangerous Dreams, Shawn said the subject matter is timeless and for that, his first film has held up over the years.
“I hope the new films show my growth in technique, my studying and understanding of the craft and its tools,” he said.
The Night with Filmmaker Shawn Swanky, sponsored by Quesnel Film Club, begins at 7 p.m. in Chuck Mobley Theatre. Admission is $5 at the door.