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The Tall Poppy Interview – Karina Griffith, Film Producer
Born in Toronto, raised in Mississauga, Karina Griffith is the kind of person you want to hang around with and talk to all the time. Her infectious personality is important for her job. As a creative film producer, she has already been involved in three consuming works. A feature length film called Horsie’s Retreat directed by Tony Asimakopoulos, a series of short videos called Confessions, and a short documentary shot Berlin.
For the past year, Griffith has been travelling between Berlin, Ottawa, and Toronto – but calls Toronto home. Although her job keeps her on the road, she took the time to talk with Torontoist.
How did you end up in the producers roll after going to journalism school at Carleton?
I fell in love with video after taking television broadcast and documentary courses during the final years of my Bachelor of Journalism. Later that year, I took part in a youth residency at the SAW Video Cooperative in Ottawa. Tony Asimakopoulos was the facilitator. When he needed a producer to apply to the Feature Film Project (FFP) the next year, I said, “I could do that!” and he believed me. So did the FFP, because they chose to develop and finance Horsie’s Retreat.
What is the most difficult part of your job?
Protecting the director’s vision. There are a lot of other voices in the filmmaking process, and that is both the best and worst part for the director. It is my job to help the director filter through it all and decide what is useful, and what can harm the creative intent of the project.
You’ve recently been in Berlin working on a short documentary. Tell us a bit about that. How did you end up working on a film in Germany?
This year, I was invited to the Berlinale Talent Campus, a series of workshops for emerging filmmakers held during the Berlin International Film Festival in February. All of the alumni of the Campus can apply for the Berlin Today Award. The jury nominated three creative producer/director teams out of over a hundred applications: Samuli Valkama (Finland) and Roman Sorger (Austria), for their project Alright Love, Anca Miruna Lazarescu (Germany) and Cristian Mungiu (Romania) for their project Bucuresti-Berlin and Tomasz Wolski (Poland) and me for If I were a Fish. The challenge was to make a short film about Berlin, and Tomek and I chose to make a documentary about Miroslaw, a construction worker who has been living there for 16 years. Miroslaw thought he would find his dreams in Berlin. Tomek and I thought we would find Polish workers for whom Berlin was the “promised land.” The city surprised all of us.
What advice would you give to someone trying to make their own movie?
Don’t try to do it all yourself. You can find support at local cooperatives. Toronto has some great ones: LIFT, Charles Street Video, Trinity Square Video. Also, treat your volunteers well, and if you ask them back for your second film, make sure you pay them something.
What’s the best Toronto date spot?
Gayley’s Cafe – (1424 Dundas St W) for a long, late brunch. You can really get to know each other waiting for a table.
What’s your favourite shop in Toronto?
BMV books (2289 Yonge St.) is the best place to get gifts that seem more expensive than they are.
When and where can we see any of the movies you’ve worked on?
The Canadian Film Institute is holding a retrospective of Tony Asimakopoulos’ work at the end of January as part of their EMERGENCE series. Horsie’s Retreat will be featured in the program, along with some of Tony’s short films (National Archives, 395, rue Wellington Street, Ottawa, (613) 232-6727). If I were a Fish will premiere at Berlinale Talent Campus during the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival in February.
What’s your next big project?
A blacksploitation film called Bumble B.