Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

NSI alumna Leah Johnston: NSI was the first organization to believe in me as a filmmaker

Posted: 11 Dec 2019 01:59 PM PST

At the National Screen Institute, we’re blessed to see firsthand the difference training makes in the lives of storytellers. On our website throughout December we’re sharing impact stories from many of our talented alumni who’ve told us how NSI training transformed their lives and careers.

Today’s featured alumna is writer/director Leah Johnston who, in 2014, made Some Things Won’t Sleep through NSI Drama Prize with producer André Pettigrew.

Leah is an award-winning Nova Scotian filmmaker, actor and photographer. She divides her time between Halifax and Toronto. Her short films have played at over 50 festivals worldwide and been broadcast on Air Canada flights and CBC television. Her most recent, Ingrid & the Black Hole, was the recipient of the $35K WIFT/Bravofact Pitch Prize. It was showcased at Cannes Not Short on Talent and Fantasia Film Festival and went on to win best Canadian short at Edmonton International Film Festival. Leah is currently developing an original TV series and her first feature film.

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How did your training through NSI help you get to the place you’re at in your career today?

Participating in the NSI Drama Prize program in 2013 literally jump-started my career. NSI was the first organization to believe in me as a filmmaker.

Participation in the program gave me the resources to complete my first professionally shot short film which continues to be an asset to me as a filmmaker today. After making that short, I was able to trigger funding for two other shorts and land a directing agent in Toronto.

What advice or encouragement would you give a prospective applicant considering NSI programs?

NSI provides amazing training opportunities for emerging filmmakers. Filmmakers should not hesitate to apply as the training programs they offer are invaluable and life-changing.

What has your career trajectory looked like between when you completed training and now?

My career has taken off since my participation in NSI Drama Prize. I have since gone on to make numerous other short films and am now in development on my first feature and a television series.

Where can people find out more about your work online?

My website.

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Keep the story going and donate today

At NSI, we’re passionate about nurturing storytellers because stories connect us all.

Now we’re in the giving season, please consider a donation to support our students as part of your charitable giving. Big or small, your gift will provide value-added essentials that make their training experience really special.

For as little as $10, you can help fund an item from the NSI Gift Guide. Things like a weekly bus pass, the cost of hiring a van for a student trip, food for a traditional feast or help hiring a mentor are all ways you can help.

Tax receipts are issued for all gifts. Thank you for considering a donation.

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