View Map

For my first film, I needed a collection agency’s call centre as a shooting location. And I didn’t know what I was going to do about that. I didn’t actually want to deal with a collection agency because they’re scary. And I also thought I wouldn’t be allowed in. They’re usually secure places. Lots of sensitive information. I was at a loss and I was worried about what I was going to do.

So I was at home and I got this phone call from the University of Alberta Alumni Association asking if I’d like to make a donation. And I got really, really excited and I said “Where are you? Where are you calling from? Describe the room to me. What does it look like?” I was inches from “What are you wearing?”

I think I creeped out the poor young woman on the line. Finally I just said, “Let me talk to your supervisor!” and the woman put her supervisor on the phone. And I said, “I want to come in and meet you! I want see this room!”

I explained myself and asked if I could come in on a weekend. I wanted to bring a film crew and take over the space. We needed to take down everything they had tacked to the walls and bring in a whole bunch of camera and lighting equipment and invade the place. And she said yes to all of this, on one condition: as long as she got to be an extra in the film. And I just thought that was amazing: the answer was yes, as long as she could also give me 12 hours of her own personal time to do nothing other than sit around and wait for free, for my benefit. It was such an opposite reaction than what other young filmmakers get in other cities. It was an Edmonton reaction.

Photo Credits: Dennie, Photoganda (top) & Tom E. (below).