Rebecca Driedger is a theatre creator and freelance photographer/videographer based in Winnipeg, MB. She loves to mix mediums and tell stories both digitally and physically. A graduate of RRC Polytech’s Creative Communications program, Rebecca has taken promotional photos and videos for companies like Film Training Manitoba, Rainbow Resource Centre, The Gargoyle Theatre and more.
When and how did you start in the media production industry?
I’m originally from Brandon, so the film industry seemed like it was too far out of my reach. After I graduated with my BCA from Brandon University, I moved to Winnipeg to study Creative Communications at what is now RRC Polytech. From there, I knew that with my experience with photography and storytelling, I would specialize in Media Production.
My very first experience in the industry was pitching a four-part documentary series to Bell Fibe TV1. It was our major assignment for graduation, and Bell had chosen my idea. I became the Executive Producer for All the World’s a Virtual Stage, which, even after three years, is still available to watch on their platform.
What area of the film industry do you work in now and why?
I am currently a freelance photographer and videographer (among other things). I have taken photos and videos for companies such as Film Training Manitoba, Manitoba Construction Sector Council, Shaw Spotlight, and The Gargoyle Theatre. I have also been developing a few short film concepts and another four-part documentary series.
I’d love to start branching out into some behind-the-scenes work on local film sets, so that is a goal of mine for 2025.
What has been a substantial change in the industry since you started?
I am quite new to the industry, having only been in Winnipeg since 2019, but I have noticed a lot more interest in being involved in the films taking place around the city. It’s been wonderful to see an increase in feature films looking to shoot here in Manitoba. As a female-identifying videographer, it has also been very encouraging for me to see events such as SWIFT and SWIFT’s Camera Lab come to fruition here in the city. I was one of two women in my graduating class who specialized in Media Production, so meeting and hearing from so many others about their experiences and talents has inspired me.
If you could give yourself advice today to yourself in the past, what would it be?
Take the chance. Ask questions. Allow yourself to take up space because you deserve to be in the room, making things happen. If you are truly passionate about something, and have a story to tell, make it happen in whatever way possible. If you are interested in something, likely, someone else is too, so dig into that.
What advice would you give to someone starting off in the media production industry?
Be curious. Take the meetings. Create as much content as you can just for the fun of it. If you enjoy doing something and can show your work, someone will almost always take notice.
Also, if you are interested in something specific, see if you can have a brief call or a coffee with someone in that field. They might say no, but at least you’ve tried.
Why is learning and training important?
I believe learning is crucial to everyday life, not just for the industry. As someone in a creative field, I find it integral to be passionate and curious. Creative industries change so rapidly; gear is always being upgraded, software changes year to year, and even interests and culture change so rapidly that staying up to date on any training in your field is incredibly important for this type of career.
What are some of the films, TV series or even books that have inspired you? How about anything new you’ve been into?
A24 has been pushing out some AMAZING content that I have appreciated for years. We Live In Time and Sing Sing are two productions I truly adore. (I am also a sucker for Midsommar and The Tragedy of Macbeth.)
COVID was a difficult time for everyone, but I must admit that being the theatre creator I am, several film adaptations of stage plays truly kept me sane and helped keep my creativity alive: American Son, Tick, Tick… Boom!, and The Boys In The Band.
Is there something about you or an interesting past experience that you’d like to share with your colleagues?
It always comes up in conversation, but I currently work as the Venue Technician at The Gargoyle Theatre, a live-performance venue specifically tailored to premiere theatrical works written by Manitoban playwrights. Theatre is integral to my life, and I am proud to be able to pursue both my love of theatre and media production so soon after my post-secondary education. Many of the people I have been introduced to through The Gargoyle have also become contacts in the film industry, and I love how interconnected the two fields are here in Winnipeg.
Is there someone within the film industry you would like to work with and why?
I had the chance to work with Rebecca Gibson this past year, and she was so incredibly kind and knowledgeable. I have been a fan of Laina Brown’s work with Folks Films for years, and it was a privilege to learn about cameras from her during FTM’s Camera Lab in 2023. I would love to get the chance to shadow her one day.
Also, after hearing her speak at FTM’s SWIFT conference this year, I would love to shadow Nathalie Massaroni and learn more about post-production. Most of my post-production experience comes from editing short promotional pieces and brief digital storytelling snippets in college, so I would love to learn more about her thought process when editing a feature.
Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?
Oh boy, that’s a big question. It may have taken me rewriting this answer 26 times, but I think the best answer I can give you is that I hope to see myself doing more of what I am currently doing but on a more grandiose stage. I am privileged to have so many varied interests (but it is also a curse because projects require a lot of money.)
I want to tell more stories in a variety of mediums. Ten years from now, I hope to have a couple of novels published, and I hope to have directed a number of plays involving local actors. I’d like to see my idea of a documentary series about adoption come to fruition. I want to spend as much time as I can creating in whatever way I can. That would make me truly happy.
FTM is a non-for-profit charity and member of the Province of Manitoba’s Sector Council program funded through the Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources. FTM builds a highly skilled and adaptable film industry workforce to support the activities of Manitoba production companies. FTM collaborates and partners with members of the film industry to identify training needs to support workforce development.