From small town, 水果视频 to 'Hollywood North'
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- Published on Thursday, June 29, 2017
Submitted photo. David Roncin has come a long way from his home town of McCreary, 水果视频 to make it in Vancouver鈥檚 competitive film industry aka 鈥楬ollywood North鈥�.
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Ever since David Roncin was a little kid, he鈥檚 had an obsession with film and storytelling. Anyone who knew the former McCreary resident growing up could tell you tales about him picking up a video camera and making movies with his classmates as the stars. Since those formative years, his passion for film has not only increased, but turned into a successful, award winning career. But before all that, Roncin鈥檚 first foray into the magic of movies began with just learning how to operate the family鈥檚 home video player.
鈥淚t sounds funny, but the thing that I recall is that, as a kid, maybe just four or five years old, we had a Betamax and my parents taught me how to work it. Then I realized I could watch things whenever I wanted and from that, it just turned into an obsession to go through all the tapes we had and discovering films,鈥� Roncin recalled. 鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 any specific film that really did it for me, but just sort of a fascination with the whole process. That just became my thing, learning everything I possibly could about different filmmakers and film history. I just devoured it, non-stop. And ever since then, you could say that I was pretty much obsessed with movies.鈥�
Those humble Betamax beginnings branched out into involvement with the performing arts, first on a local level and then with a membership in the Association of Community Theatres (ACT) 水果视频. That, along with his home grown movie making established Roncin鈥檚 reputation within the town as an auteur in training.
鈥淧eople in McCreary, who knew me growing up probably knew [my love of films] as well. I was always doing plays and stuff in school and getting my classmates to participate in them. When the Grand Theatre in McCreary closed down, I went and bought the projector from them and it鈥檚 still sitting in my parent鈥檚 garage at home,鈥� Roncin noted, with a chuckle.
After high school, Roncin further pursued his dream, first spending a year at Brandon University, before being accepted to the Vancouver Film School in 2005. That鈥檚 where he received his formal film training, and more importantly, the opportunity to work on real life movie sets.
鈥淚 had a pretty diverse experience through film school and then after I graduated. I had a few assistant directing credits on some low budget, independent projects. At the same time, I was also working with casting directors and continued directing my own [short films]. While doing this variety of work, I was also working part-time as a directing teachers鈥� assistant at the Vancouver Film School. Later on, I aided a new directing instructor with the building of the new curriculum and then became a directing instructor at the film school myself. Early on, it鈥檚 all about getting the experience and establishing your credentials. In a lot of ways, your last job is your best route to your next job.鈥�
After establishing himself within the local film industry, Roncin was able to leave his teaching post in 2014 and focus full-time working as a producer, director and writer with a wide array of features, television, short films and music videos to his credit. A previous production Roncin had been a part of put him on the radar of Eric Hogan and Tara Hungerford, the creators of 鈥楽cout and the Gumboot Kids鈥�.
鈥楽cout and the Gumboot Kids鈥� is an animated and live-action television series geared towards inspiring children to explore the grandeur of nature. Roncin became involved in the second season as a producer and assistant director, focusing primarily on the live action aspects of the show. He noted that he was very impressed with the project and its message.
鈥淚鈥檇 seen a pilot that they did a few years earlier that was a very, very different incarnation of the show. So, when they asked me to come on board with the production, it was interesting just to see how far it had come and what it had solidified into. The show has a whole element of mindfulness, which I think is the linchpin for them when it came to the structure of the show and the understanding of what they wanted to do with it. That element I wasn鈥檛 as aware of in the original incarnation. But now that it鈥檚 there, I feel that it鈥檚 got a strong message for kids. There鈥檚 something really powerful about positive messages. At the same time, it鈥檚 not a preachy show. Kids won鈥檛 get the message if they鈥檙e not entertained. That鈥檚 the challenge, but it鈥檚 something, I believe, has been achieved.鈥�
鈥楽cout & The Gumboot Kids鈥�, airs on CBC, as part of the children鈥檚 programming block. It has won several Leo awards, British Columbia鈥檚 highest film honour, and has also been endorsed by the David Suzuki Foundation and the UCLA Global Media Centre for Social Impact. Having worked on 30 of the 40 episodes produced, Roncin is thankful for the chance to be involved with such a great example of progressive children鈥檚 programming.
As for other endeavours, Roncin recently served as first assistant director on the full length film 鈥楴ever Steady, Never Still鈥� and directed a short film called 鈥楳atch鈥�. His next goal is directing his own full length feature film, potentially in his old stomping grounds of McCreary and area. Roncin believes it would be fitting to go full circle and return to where it all began.
鈥淚鈥檝e been getting together a team of people, who like the project and believe in it. It鈥檚 still in the early development stages, but the goal is to bring out some key Vancouver people and get together with some talent from 水果视频 and put together a film in the Parkland,鈥� said Roncin. 鈥淚n Vancouver, there is so much production here, people are used to it, so going into a community in which it鈥檚 a new thing is always interesting. [As a filmmaker], you love to see people coming out and wanting to be a part of it, so that鈥檚 what I want to do. Try to come back and harness some of that energy from where I grew up. I鈥檇 love to spend some time there [in McCreary], take advantage of the landscape and the visuals that it has to offer. But also tap into that independent energy, because that鈥檚 where I come from. I鈥檓 in the independent world and I鈥檇 love to bring that spirit back to my home.鈥�
Reflecting on the journey from McCreary to Vancouver, Roncin noted that the profession continues to provide new challenges every time he steps onto a film set.
鈥淚 always knew this is what I wanted to do, but I didn鈥檛 really analyze why I love filmmaking until I got a little older and I started to think about what is it that actually attracted me to it. Part of it is the magic of film, but the other part is an interest in people,鈥� said Roncin. 鈥淥n screen, it鈥檚 a great way to delve into the human experience, but it also happens on set. It鈥檚 working with people and working in unfamiliar places. You see the essence of people come out when you鈥檙e in a small group, trying to solve a puzzle somewhere with a camera, when there is nothing else working. I realize more and more that鈥檚 what keeps me in it. Bringing people together, with a common goal and that is what always excites me.鈥�
