From small town, Manitoba 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, Manitoba to make it in Vancouver’s competitive film industry aka ‘Hollywood North’.

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Ever since David Roncin was a little kid, he’s 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’s first foray into the magic of movies began with just learning how to operate the family’s home video player.

“It 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,” Roncin recalled. “There wasn’t 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.”

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) Manitoba. That, along with his home grown movie making established Roncin’s reputation within the town as an auteur in training.

“People 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’s still sitting in my parent’s garage at home,” 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’s where he received his formal film training, and more importantly, the opportunity to work on real life movie sets.

“I 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’ 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’s 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.”

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 ‘Scout and the Gumboot Kids’.

‘Scout and the Gumboot Kids’ 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. 

“I’d 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’t as aware of in the original incarnation. But now that it’s there, I feel that it’s got a strong message for kids. There’s something really powerful about positive messages. At the same time, it’s not a preachy show. Kids won’t get the message if they’re not entertained. That’s the challenge, but it’s something, I believe, has been achieved.”

‘Scout & The Gumboot Kids’, airs on CBC, as part of the children’s programming block. It has won several Leo awards,  British Columbia’s 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’s programming.

As for other endeavours, Roncin recently served as first assistant director on the full length film ‘Never Steady, Never Still’ and directed a short film called ‘Match’. 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.

“I’ve been getting together a team of people, who like the project and believe in it. It’s still in the early development stages, but the goal is to bring out some key Vancouver people and get together with some talent from Manitoba and put together a film in the Parkland,” said Roncin. “In Vancouver, there is so much production here, people are used to it, so going into a community in which it’s 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’s what I want to do. Try to come back and harness some of that energy from where I grew up. I’d 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’s where I come from. I’m in the independent world and I’d love to bring that spirit back to my home.”

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.

“I always knew this is what I wanted to do, but I didn’t 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,” said Roncin. “On screen, it’s a great way to delve into the human experience, but it also happens on set. It’s working with people and working in unfamiliar places. You see the essence of people come out when you’re 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’s what keeps me in it. Bringing people together, with a common goal and that is what always excites me.”