Two Years at Sea...Overseas

It’s hard imagine I’d be writing this two years ago. The thought of moving to Canada started to become a distant concept with all the setbacks of Covid, lockdowns and visa pauses during 2020-2021.

I remember waking up in a hostel in October 2021 after a night out in the city with friends to an email saying I was finally invited to work in Canada - if felt pretty surreal…two years on hold - was it finally happening?

It took me a month to sort everything and come to terms with the fact I won’t see faces for a while with the lockdown and not knowing when I’ll be back. I remember my last shift at my waitressing job having my first panic attack ever after a guest announced the airport was closing with a new strain on the news that day. I remember walking away with a heavy chest, tears starting to fall onto my face mask wondering what the actual heck I was doing leaving the security of work and healthcare in Australia and moving to an unfamiliar country with the hope of working in film. All I was leaning on was the fact I knew a handful of internet faces and a positive attitude that if it all turns to shit, I could just come back home…I hoped.

And now here we are…going onto a second visa via the RO Visa Program and working towards permanent residency. That panic attack seems a little laughable now however it was needed and I love that. I fed into the universe provides mantra and, God willing, it most certainly has.

Two years in Vancouver working in the film industry has catapulted me into worlds I didn’t know existed.

I arrived in Vancouver at the beginning of December 2021. Fulfilling my job contract in construction first, I then moved into film in February 2022 working on shows like Charmed, The Flash and Resident Alien as a Production Assistant. This entry level role allows you to experience international sets and film life however also assists you in building up points for your permanent residency application. The group that assisted me and I am always thankful for is Crushin Canada. Here I learnt what to have on set, etiquette and about courses to join the DGC union via ActSafe where I can eventually receive benefits.

I had the opportunity to work on other great shows as a PA such as Riverdale, The Night Agent, Family Law and So Help Me Todd and then as an On Set Key PA on School Spirits. I strongly believe in the universe provides as I was blessed to never be without work always taking on opportunities that came my way. In my first year I landed a shadow directing role, food styling gigs, work in props and transport and began learning the ropes for Assistant Location Manager roles in commercial land. I had the privilege of being paid to grow on set whilst auditioning for film and television and traversing the beautiful landscapes BC has to offer in all seasons. Life in Vancouver in my first year was pretty damn amazing and this carried into my second year. The friendships, the opportunities and the confidence of knowing where things were - I was no longer the tourist.

2023 did bring about a dark shadow with the Writer’s and Actor’s strike however though things were quiet and frustrating with the invitation of permanent residency and the sad fact I had to withdrawn due to the strike, light was still beaming through. I booked commercial work, found my groove in commercial crew projects, networked with a tonne of industry people and worked on my writing and pre-production of my directing portfolio because when there aren’t opportunities coming to you, you make them instead.

On a recent trip to Australia, a friend said, “It looks like you’re living your dream”. When you are in the middle of 15 hour rainy days on set that never seem to end, or filming an audition at 2am, or thinking of what other business idea you can drum up to make a dollar, you sometimes forget this is the creative hustle. It’s never going to be 9-5pm - even in the production office. And I love that. The hours are long, they are unpredictable but if you take a step back, you’ll realise how much has been gifted to you and that you were living the dream all along. I’m living the life of an artist.

I am so looking forward to seeing what the next two years has installed. And if you are having a predicament whether or not to book that ticket…book it…you have nothing to lose if you plan it right.

Watch this space
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