I first met Alison Garwood-Jones at the University of Toronto when we sat on a panel for a Digital Strategies and Communications Management course. A classroom of curious social media mavens, bloggers, PRs and journalists asked us questions related to the work we do in the digital space.
I’ve appeared on that panel several times now and am always delighted to sit beside Alison who enthusiastically shares her story with the class: working as a journalist for a decade in lifestyle and beauty before the media landscape shook up and she transitioned storytelling to her blog.
Fast forward a few years later and Alison is now an instructor of that very course at U of T. After bringing in a few guest speakers and interviewing them Charlie Rose-style for the class, one of her students, Yann, suggested that the conversations she was creating would work well on YouTube.
The duo are now collaborating on a new web series called Willfull which combines their skills in journalism and TV production to share stories about creatives in Toronto. Yann chirps, “our initial vision was to conduct a one-hour interview every week with an artist or creative entrepreneur, then edit the interview down to five three-minute snack films designed to appeal to YouTubers on their mobile phones.”
Alison adds, “we hope these videos act as a source of daily inspiration and motivation for folks who are in the middle of their own creative quests. We need more role models online whose good work and positive attitudes can counter the negative tone that has overtaken our social feeds. We’re trying to keep alive the audacity of hope.”
So far they’ve shot 12 interviews with different artists:
Maureen Judge, Genie award-winning documentary filmmaker whose latest film, My Millennial Life premiered at the Hot Docs Film Festival last Spring. Maureen talks about where ideas come from, how the internet has affected her storytelling and how being female can be an advantage in filmmaking.
Andrew Dobson (that’s me), talks about how blogging has changed since he started in 2007, getting paid for your creativity (and changing the online culture of free) and how to avoid burnout.
Angela Misri is a novelist, creator of the Portia Adams Adventure, and now TV Writer. Misri is working with the Canadian Film Centre to turn her books into a TV series. Angela talks about the skills every mystery writer needs, whether boys will read books with female protagonists, and the advantages and disadvantages of being a novelist in the Digital Age.
Rachel Krehm and Aria Umezawa, co-founders of Opera5, an independent opera company based in Toronto. Rachel and Aria talk about what’s missing in contemporary opera, why YouTube became their opera company’s blowout tactic, and how whitewashing is still a big problem in opera casting.
Nikki Linton, former Elle editor and children’s book editor turned landscape designer. Nikki talks about a run in she had with Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, what she’s learned about transferrable skills after switching careers, and how nature teaches us resilience.
Nick Babatsikos, actor, writer and comedian talks about the futility of chasing fame, the joys of writing for the stage, and how body issues held him back for years.
David Mackett, a New York-trained award-winning actor and founder of the Fly On The Wall theatre company. David talks about we why pub theatre is more fun than traditional venues, and why staging plays with male characters who act besieged by new realities and who no longer feel at home in the world is more relevant than ever.
Mark Challen is an arts and culture historian and founder of StyleCooler.com. Mark is the former VP of Communications for House and Home Media. Mark Challen talks about planning for a career pivot, staying curious and interested, and StyleCooler.com, his new website and podcast.
Ricardo McRae is a painter turned brand strategist, or, as he likes to say, “vision activator.” Ricardo is also the founder of Black in Canada, an organization that seeks to shift the popular narrative of Black achievement in this country. Ricardo talks about how his degree in fine arts shaped his thinking as a brand strategist, how financial success gave him a deep sense of loss and why avoiding fear is no way to live.
Sheryl Gordon is the author of A Rewording Life. Sheryl explains why she enlisted over 1000 Canadians in the arts to help pen her book, A Rewording Life, and why words give her life so much meaning and validation.
Anthony Jenkins is a caricaturist and longtime editorial cartoonist for The Globe and Mail. He describes working during the Golden Age of journalism, why illustrators are sometimes dismissed as idiot savants by writers and opinionators, and what illustrators really think of Trump’s win.
Jerry Leger is a singer songwriter whose collaborations include Serena Ryder, Ron Sexsmith and the Cowboy Junkies. Jerry talks about how the internet has re-arranged the music industry, how Toronto has become an international mecca for singer/songwriters, and the toe-tapping appeal of 1950s Southern music and lyrics.
Heather Kocsis is an internationally acclaimed artist whose wood assemblages of buildings make us rethink our past and present. Heather explains about why she feels compelled to recreate old buildings out of scraps of wood, the role urban activist Jane Jacobs in her art, and the reaction to women wielding buzz saws.
