I am spending this week (March 9-15) as a Visiting Writer at UBC’s Creative Writing Program.  I love talking about story and I’m so looking forward to a week of focusing on it with Master and Bachelor Fine Art students in Creative Writing.

Always Going Never Gone will be playing at Newport Beach Film Festival in California. This festival was in my top ten and I’m really honoured to screen there. I’m so grateful of their support of my work in the past.

Thanks to Horror Fuel and Joseph Perry for this amazing review! It’s so wonderful to see our cast and crew singled out. Follow the link here.  Here’s what he has to say.

Writer/director Wanda Nolan’s chilling Canadian short Always Going Never Gone has a gripping, ethereal tone. A graduate student in folklore (Allison Moira Kelly as Kari) interviews an older lady (Mary-Colin Chisolm as Ailish) as part of the former’s research on supernatural legends. This short is a difficult one to write about, as even giving some praise where it is due means giving away spoilers, and it should be seen knowing as little as possible going in. Chisolm and Kelly play off of each other beautifully, and Rhiannon Morgan also gives a fine performance. Sarah Harris’ unsettling score and Justin Simms’ sound design perfectly complement Nolan’s fantastically directed otherworldly tale, gorgeously shot by cinematographer Duncan De Young. 

So stoked to be nominated for Best Supernatural Short and Best Score (composer and rock star Sarah Harris) at the Women in Horror Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. This is festival is truly stellar.

Always Going Never Gone plays Thursday, February 27th 2020 at 6PM as part of the Not of this World showcase.

We are stoked to be showing at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival in February. It’s a bad ass feminist fest. Thanks to the programmers for selecting us!

So happy to be an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2020 Women in Horror Film Festival in Altanta!

Always Going Never Gone will be at Reels of the Dead in Chicago on November 23rd at noon.

Thanks to Andy Bulman for the chat about horror stories and why Newfoundland is the perfect place for them.  At the end of the piece, there’s a podcast with all the filmmakers. It also features our lead, the multi-talented Allison Kelly, who brought so much to the film. Read and listen here.

The University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing Program has invited me to be a visiting artist in the Spring of 2020.  I’m incredibly honoured to do this.

I spoke with Malone Mullin about our short Always Going Never Gone.  We talked about the themes the film touches on.

Interview here: In a tale of grief and dying outports, St. John’s filmmaker nods to banshee lore

Mary-Colin Chisholm as Ailish (photo by Greg Locke)

This festival was on one of my top fav lists. I’m so happy to be selected. Happening in Vermont in November!

Luben and Elena will be playing at the St. John’s International Film Festival:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019
2:30 PM 4:00 PM
THE ROOMS

I was the story consultant on  this film by Ellie Yonova. The documentary follows renowned artitsts, Luben Boykov and Elena Popova, who settled in Newfoundland, Canada, in the early 90s after escaping communist Bulgaria. Their work went on to contribute to the culture and landscape of the province, underscoring in a very real and visual way how the immigrant experience shapes and defines place.  Ellie  is a masterful story teller. She makes a film about art, a piece of art.  I’m honoured to have had such a tiny part of this story.

Always Going Never Gone will play at the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival!  It’s their 30th anniversary and we’re thrilled to be a part of it!

Sunday, October 20th
12-1:30pm
LSPU Hall!

Get your tickets here https://www.womensfilmfestival.com/tickets

Thanks to my bud Carsten Knox for giving Always Going Never Gone a shout out in his review. Knox  describes the film as “David Fincher-esque levels of icy creep”.

A few, brief words about shorts at #FIN2019

Always Going Never Gone will make it’s world premiere at FIN Atlantic International Festival!

http://program.finfestival.ca/Guide/e8f74145-5b39-4c2a-8d98-94a58640efe9/Always-Going-Never-Gone?fbclid=IwAR3Ov024IFiv0YG4-9r9Zf5DZoOr-L8LOdBdHhnYshz2Y3U5r34jq5LSGy0

Final mix and playback of Always Going Never Gone today!! Super grateful to everyone who worked on this film. All of them story tellers. It’s a ton of work getting to this point. Big love and respect to all the filmmakers out there. Stay tuned for festival updates #film #womeninfilm #supernatural

I’m teaching a feature film screenwriting workshop in September. Here’s the deets:

Application Requirements:
A short synopsis and a one-page long synopsis of your story. A four page writing sample. E-Mail info@nickelfestival.com with your materials!

Deadline for submissions August 18th
Notify successful submissions by August 23rd
Workshop on Sept 10th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, Oct. 7th
Cost $150

Find it on Facebook

“If there is something wrong with the third act, it’s really in the first act.” Billy Wilder

The first act lays the groundwork for your entire story. It is what activates your character, defines their world, the central conflict, the emotional stakes, and sets off the action across the length of your film. It determines if an audience will stay with your story.

In this hands-on screenwriting class, we will use writing in-class exercises, lecture, and film examples to write the first act of your film. In the process we will explore screenwriting elements like:

· Dramatic premise
· Plot (external world)
· Theme (internal world)
· Ethos/World
· Tone and point of view
· Character/Character arcs/Transformation
· Dialog
· Scenes and sequences
· Transitions
· Subplots

This class will be small and intimate. It requires each writer to share their work.

Creating Your Short Screenplay/Picture Start Short

Thinking about submitting to Picture Start? I’m teaching a short film workshop for NIFCO on July 30th that will help you with your script.  Sign up here through eventbrite

Thrilled that Mystery of the Secret Room is playing at the Art Gallery of Hamilton as a part of their exhibition This is Moving: Illustration on Screen http://bit.ly/2wwXtnC 

The exhibition runs June 21 – September 8, 2019

This film is being produced under the ACTRA  AIP Program and minimum payment is $100 per day for principals and $90 per day for Actors.  If you are interested in auditioning please contact eyefigurefilm@gmail.com

ALWAY GOING NEVER GONE is looking to cast all the roles listed below! Please e-mail your resume and headshot to eyefigurefilm@gmail.com

Production Title: Always Going Never Gone

Union: Both

Rate: AIP Rates

Project Length: Short Film (9 minutes)

Posted on: April 22, 2019

Production Location: St. John’s Newfoundland

Production Company: Eye Figure Film Inc.

Director: Wanda Nolan

Producer:  Kerri Mattie

Audition Location: 40 Kings Road, (NIFCO Red House)

Audition date: April 27, between 10am-5pm

Shooting dates: May 31st – June 2

*Please note all auditions will be given a specific time within this window with possible call backs to follow.

Shooting Location: St. John’s

Email: eyefigurefilm@gmail.com

CHARACTERS

 [KARI] [GENDER: FEMALE] [AGE: 25-40]

An ambitious folklorist who is in mourning. She has dedicated her academic career to collecting stories on fairies and fairy folklore. The role will require the ability to scream/react in terror.

[BANSHEE] [GENDER: FEMALE] [AGE: 20-45] 

A female harbinger of death. She is an ancient empath, full of gravitas.

SYNOPSIS:

A folklorist caught in the past is summoned by a rural elder to turn myth into reality.

Written by Wanda Nolan

We’re in prep for my short film, Always Going Never Gone. Here’s my producer, Kerri Mattie, on a location scout with me.

I’m so happy to have her on board!

My short film, Always Going and Never Gone, was chosen for this year’s Picture Start program. It’s supernatural thriller that will be shot in the Spring of next year. Tracy Gaudet will be producing it. I’m excited to make this one!

Over the last few months, I’ve been story editing for the Nickel New Voices program. A project that mentors new diverse voices in the province.

Crocuses will air on CBC September 23 as a part of Reel East Coast Season 4. Thanks to FIN Atlantic International Film Festival for selecting us for this presentation.

Here’s the lineup:

• Crocuses (dir. Wanda Nolan)
• Sixteen (dir. Sarah Rae & Dina Lobo)
• It Could Be You (dir. Cody Westman)
• Play Rewind Play (Stephanie Clattenburg)

You will also be able to watch Crocuses on the CBC website, watch.cbc.ca, after it has aired.

CROCUSES and MYSTERY OF THE SECRET ROOM will be screening at the University of British Columbia Creative Writing Film Showcase. I’m honoured to have both films show. This showcase features UBC students and alumni. It’s where I did my Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Thanks to UBC and Sara Graefe for including me.

Nickel Screenplay Series – The First 10 Pages

Hey! I’m teaching a screenwriting workshop as a part of the Nickel Screenplay series. It’s on Tuesday nights from June 19 – July 31.

If you are an established writer looking to kick start a new idea, a fiction/nonfiction writer that would like to try screenwriting, or a short film writer who’d like to make the jump to features, then this workshop is for you.

Over the course of six weeks, we will bring your idea from pitch to outline to the first ten pages of a screenplay. We’ll cover character driven narrative diving deep into act structure and what it takes to sustain your story over a feature length. You’ll walk away with an outline of the overall story and the first ten pages of the script.

Why the first ten pages? The first ten pages establishes tone/voice genre of the story, introduces your main character, defines the world, points at theme, and sets up the dramatic premise.

Along the way, we’ll get into the pitfalls of formulaic writing, using film examples that span genre and culture.

Want to participate?

Please submit the following to sarah@nickelfestival.com by 6 p.m. on Monday, June 11:

– Writing sample (maximum 10 pages) or directing sample (viewable links to at least two short films)
– Three-line pitch for a feature film screenplay
– Four-sentence bio

This is an active participation class. Bring a new idea and an open mind!

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/222475288484082/
 

Thanks to ArtsNL for providing with me with funding to write and research my next project Always Going and Never Gone. I will travel to the Cape St. Mary’s area a couple of times this year to conduct part of the research. It’s a beautiful remote part of the world and I’m really looking forward to spending some time there.

I’m working on a short documentary with Ruth Lawrence for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Think Twice program Think Twice is a provincial anti-stigma and mental illness education initiative for youth.

Ruth is directing. I’m writing. Justin Simms and Brad Gover shooting. Matthew Thomson on sound. Justin is also editing the piece.

As a part of FIN’s Reel East Coast, Crocuses will air on CBC in the fall. Dates will be announced with the release of FIN’s Film Festival schedule.

Thanks so much for FIN for choosing us as a part of the Reel East Coast gala presentation!

Huge news for us! Crocuses has been chosen for the Women in Film and Television International 2018 Short Film Showcase. This means it will be shown in 40+ chapters around the world this year.

From the WIFTI judges: “A beautiful memory, beautiful cinematography and beautiful music.  I was glassy-eyed and moved by this gem. I really enjoyed the addition of personal old photos to give the feeling of nostalgia.”