mini MUFF Profile: Natalie Rae Robison
“Being able to create films on topics that I’ve struggled with or that are from a lesser known perspective feels like a place where my work could have an affect.”
In honour of our December feature Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains, we have selected locally-directed music videos for our Mini MUFF program this month! First up is Natalie Rae Robison’s video for “Not Up To Me” by Canadian singer/songwriter Kandle.
Natalie’s video for “Not Up To Me” was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2015 Juno Awards and won the Fan Choice Award at the 2015 Prism Prize Awards.
RSVP to our screening here and get advance tickets here.
Toronto-based filmmaker Natalie Rae Robison is a director of commercials, music videos, and films which have been celebrated internationally by Creativity Online, Fast Company, Ad Week, SHOOT, the JUNO Awards, the Much Music Video Awards, the Prism Prize Awards, the Women in Film Festival, the International Art Festival, the CFC World Wide Short Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival, among many others.
Get to know more about Natalie Rae Robison and her video for Kandle’s “Not Up To Me”!
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH FILMMAKING.
Natalie Rae Robison: I learned about filmmaking early on, as it was just sort of the way of life in my family with both parents working in film full time. I had to go hang out on their sets in order to see them! And I think it’s been a natural way for me to work and express ideas.
TELL US ABOUT THE VIDEO YOU CREATED FOR “NOT UP TO ME”. WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
NRR: The idea came from Kandle’s lyrics based on a woman in her life that was battling depression and my interpretation of that type of mental state from my own experiences and Kandle’s as well.
WAS IT A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO HAVE THE MAIN CHARACTERS BE A SAME SEX COUPLE? WAS IT IN ANY WAY A COMMENTARY ON THE STRUGGLES OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY?
NRR: It was actually based on sisters, but kept it open to interpretation as for me the message is about women helping each other, loving each other, and illustrating an unconditional sort of sisterhood. Where so many young women who are dealing with eating disorders and depression are often pitted against other women around them, competition breeds easily from social pressures. So, the most important thing here was to suggest that young women need to reach out and support each other to build strength and confidence.
THE UNDERWATER SCENES ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL AND IMPRESSIVE. HOW TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT WERE THOSE SHOTS TO PULL OFF?
NRR: It took a while to black out a large olympic diving pool, which was important to creating the endless depth and a larger looking space. My DP had his scuba license, so he stayed at the bottom of the pool for almost the whole day. Then we had a B cam closer to surface level. Using two cameras helped achieve coverage on actions we couldn’t repeat many times. Also, an amazing choreographer, Wynn Holmes, used movements to help convey the story efficiently. Hayley, who is the main girl in video, also had a very talented body double for some of the deeper more complex movements underwater. So, with all these elements, we were able to put together quite a lot of narrative into that sequence.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME/ALL OF THE OTHER AMAZING WOMEN WHO WORKED ON THIS VIDEO?
NRR: YES. So many! Kandle and Haley were both amazing performers. Wynn, like I said, did underwater choreography. Avery Plews was the stylist and made those gowns with fabric that would perform underwater how we needed it to. Erika Lobko was the production designer and she transformed a studio into that apartment, did the flooding with the bathtub, and really created so much detail in every frame. Emily Einsmann was the underwater dancer who was incredible. Then in post, Tricia Hagoriles did a beautiful job on the colour grade.
TELL US ABOUT WHY YOU ARE A FEMINIST AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOUR FILMMAKING.
NRR: Because I believe in gender equality and see and feel there are lots of areas women only have a controlled experience. Being able to create films on topics that I’ve struggled with or that are from a lesser known perspective feels like a place where my work could have an affect.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WOMEN WORKING IN THE FILM INDUSTRY?
NRR: There are so many and not enough!
WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE ABOUT FILMMAKING YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
NRR: You should be scared of your idea. Then you have to do it.
IF A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE WAS CAST/CREATED, WHO WOULD STAR AS YOU AND WHAT GENRE WOULD IT BE?
NRR: Haha, good question! It would be a dramedy and I would beg Natalie Portman.
WHAT THREE PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD, WOULD YOU INVITE TO YOUR FANTASY DINNER PARTY?
NRR: Oprah, Florence Welsh, Sophia Coppola.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW/NEXT?
NRR: I’m in New York at the moment doing a new video for an artist called H.E.R. I am very excited about it. It will be out in the new year! 😀
Follow Natalie Rae Robison on Instagram and keep up with her work on her website.
The mini MUFF Society is our short film program. We aim to screen at least one local short film at each of our monthly event to highlight the amazing female talent we have in Toronto. Join us at our next screening!
