Lights, camera, action for emerging artist

October 23, 2014

Gloria Burns, citizen of Garden River First Nation, works with video editing software.

By Margaret Hele
GARDEN RIVER FN – Emerging Garden River artist, Gloria Burns presented her short film “Cashier Classifieds” to a Sault College Anishinaabemowin evening class last month.

“Cashier Classifieds” is a comedy that came from Burns’ work as a cashier. The 33 year-old produced and directed her film at the National Scene Institute (NSI) in Winnipeg under the New Voices Program.

“The course brought me right through the realm of film making,” says Burns of the three-month program. “[I was introduced to] story, ready for the pitch, lighting, sound, writing, actors, place and props.”
As the director, Burns had to secure places where she would be allowed to film, was responsible for casting, script and sets.

Burns says that scenes were repeated so often that she thought it wasn’t funny – until the editing stage.

While in the New Voices Program, Burns was given an internship comprised of editing footage from NSI taken over the past 10 years and make it into a five-minute documentary. It was screened at this year’s graduation.
“I got more real world experience and now I feel like I’m ready to go out into the real world and create even more films,” says Burns whose background is in live theatre.