AS WE APPROACH OUR FALL 2021 MEMBERS’ SCREENING + DIRECTORS TALK, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE THE FILMMAKERS WHOSE WORK WE WILL BE WATCHING AT THE EVENT! JEROME DE GOURVILLE’S SHORT FILM “WITHIN“ WILL BE STREAMED SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH AT 7:00PM (MDT), LIVE FROM THE CSIF OFFICE. TO WATCH THE STREAM, SIMPLY TUNE IN TO OUR FACEBOOK LIVE OR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. RSVP HERE.

CSIF: Tell us about yourself; what do you do in the film industry?

JEROME DE GOURVILLE: My name is Jerome de Gourville. I am an actor, director, writer, cinematographer, editor, and sound mixer. I am also an Indie-Soul artist (Rome IX). Little bit of everything.

CSIF: How did you get started in filmmaking? Why did you decide to become a filmmaker?

JDG: Really, it all started when I was 11 and my grandparents gave me an old Panasonic VHS Camcorder. My brother and I would spend hours pretending to be newscasters, or recording our imaginary secret agent missions … thankfully most of that footage is still on VHS and not likely to be seen anytime soon 😉 More recently, I have been in the Calgary film industry as a location sound-op and post-production sound editor, eventually trying my hand at other roles such as scriptwriting and directing.

As to why I am a filmmaker, I have always been interested in telling stories, whether through music, or attempts at writing books. Filmmaking not only allows me to tell stories, but to also work with other creatives to bring the story to life in a different way. I’ve always been fascinated by all the work behind the camera that it takes to create a scene.

CSIF: What movie(s) inspired you to become a filmmaker?

JDG: I would say more what inspired me was when I first began working sound on local short-films, as I was in the Academy of Production & Recording Arts program in Calgary. I got to meet and work with filmmakers and creatives who were passionate about the stories they were telling, and honestly I just wanted to be a part of that creative energy. The first short film I worked on was “Anna’s Wish”, doing post-production sound working with Gerrick Winston & Mitchell Verigin. Gerrick had a contagious energy & passion for storytelling that was a big part in helping me complete my short film “Within”, as well as driving me to continue pursuing filmmaking.

CSIF: What kinds of stories are you interested in telling?

JDG: For me, it’s all about telling thought-provoking narratives and stories that really make you think. I love mind-bending, psychological explorations of humanity, what makes us tick and what pushes us to the breaking point.

CSIF: What is the most important thing you’ve learned in your practice as a filmmaker so far?

JDG: Be prepared to not be prepared. No matter how much you plan and prepare, something will always happen that will make you need to adjust. Being able to make those adjustments has led to some of my favorite moments on projects, oftentimes leading to creative decisions that were so much more satisfying than what we had originally planned on.

CSIF: What advice do you have for other filmmakers?

JDG: Find your community.

CSIF: What is the most embarrassing or funniest thing that has happened to you on set?

JDG: I was acting in a commercial where I had to drink a glass of water and deliver a line. One take turned into 10, the pitcher of water got refilled about half a dozen times, till we lost track of how many glasses of water I had actually drank. We just couldn’t seem to get the right take and I was ever so slowly filling up with water. When I finally felt like I couldn’t drink any more water, they asked to go for one more take. We did the take, the director yells cut, and just as quickly yells “Go for another take! Jerome, you can just pretend to drink the water.” So here I am, waterlogged after somewhere close to 30 full glasses of water, and THEN they tell me that I could have been faking it all along? Needless to say, I felt like a human faucet the rest of the day.

CSIF: Tell us about your most recent project.

JDG: As a director, I have been working on music videos with local Calgary artists such as The Angela Wrigley Trio, where we shot a prohibition era love story for their song “Crazy Fool”. I have also recently acted in a couple of local short film productions such as “The Surrogate” which will be premiering at CIFF this September.

CSIF: Any final thoughts/words regarding filmmaking/being a filmmaker in Calgary?

JDG:  So much of what we do is about relationships and I think Calgary has a great community. I love having the opportunity to meet and run into filmmakers on set, and how willing people are to recommend each other for positions or roles. I look forward to building and growing with our industry, and watching what everyone continues to create.

CSIF: What is a film that you wish you made and why?

JDG: The Invention of Lying, just because it was such a great premise, but horribly handled. Would love the chance to make it right.

Movie that I wish I made because of how good it was would probably be Inside Man.

Favourite movie(s): The Prestige

Favourite movie snack(s): Skittles…no wait, Sour patch kids…no, its Maltesers…Mike & Ikes!

JOCELYN ILLING