The Making of Courage: Episode One
Releasing Episode One of The Making of Courage feels a little surreal. Going back to Day One on set brought up so many memories that I honestly forgot I had stored away. It reminded me of how this film actually started. Not in the festival circuit. Not in the editing room. It started with a group of people who showed up because they believed in the story and wanted to help bring it to life.
Day One was when everything finally shifted from planning to doing. We had crowdfunded and raised the money, and suddenly all the conversations, rehearsals, location scouts, and prep turned into a real set coming to life around us. I remember standing there and thinking, we really got here. We really pulled this off. And that feeling carried me through the entire shoot.
The thing that stands out most to me from that first day is the crew. Watching everyone step into their roles with so much care made me proud before we even rolled the camera. Every department was dialed in. Camera, lighting, production design, makeup, wardrobe, sound. Everyone found their place and made the world of this film real. I want people to see that in this episode. This film exists because a team of talented people gave everything they had to it.
In the episode I talk about feeling grounded because I knew this story. That was true. Working with the actors on those first scenes felt natural because these moments came from my life. Helping them step into those emotions was something I cared about deeply. There was pressure, but there was also this calm sense of purpose. I knew why we were there.
This series means a lot to me because it shows the actual process. The real work. The early mornings, the problem solving, the collaboration. I want young creators, especially Indigenous youth, to see how a film gets built from scratch. Nothing about this happened overnight. It happened one day at a time, one scene at a time, one person at a time.
Episode One is just the start. There are five more coming, each one sharing a different part of the journey. I am excited for people to see what went into making Courage and to meet the team that helped shape it.
