BUSINESS LIFE WITH SHAUNA QUINN
Editor’s Note: In her role, Shauna attracts and supports film production, leveraging her industry experience to showcase Airdrie’s potential and create opportunities that drive economic growth and benefit local professionals.
As a young girl, I craved the spotlight. My basement was transformed into a grand stage, my bedroom into elaborate sets, and I stirred up a little drama wherever I went.
At nine, I auditioned for Hansel & Gretel at Storybook Theatre. To my astonishment, they offered me the lead role and, suddenly, my childhood dreams leapt into reality.
Months of rehearsals, memorizing lines and missing time with friends was hard, but the thrill was unforgettable. The accolades and autographs made me feel like a bona fide child star.
I continued acting, joined the drama club and turned school projects into videos. By 15, I boldly declared to my parents that I was ready to move to Los Angeles. They strongly disagreed.
After a year of university, I bought a JVC camcorder and backpacked through Europe with a friend, determined to create travel documentaries — a novel idea in the mid-’90s. But, halfway through the trip, our bags and camera were stolen, crushing my Oscar-worthy dream.
Determined, I enrolled in SAIT’s Cinema, Television, Stage and Radio Arts program, focusing on writing, directing and producing. I decided that, to get in front of the camera, I’d have to first learn to work behind it. But the reality was far from glamorous. I cold-called for ad sponsorships during an internship with the Travel Channel and manually loaded commercial cartridges on the red-eye shift at Red Deer TV. I sat by the rotary phone waiting for work.
By 1998, I’d joined Calgary’s new A-Channel (now Citytv) as a floor director for the evening news. After long, tedious days filled with endless chatter about Y2K, I decided to escape to Australia and pursue opportunities at the 2000 Sydney Olympics — where every major network would be and the whole world would be watching.
A twist of fate — getting on the wrong train — led me to the right path: a gig with NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and the Today Show during the Olympics. The 4-a.m. crew calls, controlled chaos and celebrity encounters were electrifying, if not terrifying.
The adventure continued at the 2001 Dublin (Ireland) International Film Festival, where I worked as a travel and hospitality co-ordinator, managing demanding guests. Despite tempting offers to stay, the gruelling hours, unstable pay and visa hurdles took me home.
By 2005, I was in Hollywood! Accepted for a production assistant role at the 77th Academy Awards, my Oscar dream was unfolding. The phrase “hurry up and wait” perfectly defined the experience. Sit. Silent. RUN! Unfortunately, as a Canadian, I didn’t have the necessary credentials to make it to the red carpet, and the gig was over before it began.
Returning home, I continued working on small productions, but the reality set in — Hollywood wasn’t for me. Over the years, the industry has evolved.
The dream didn’t die; it simply transformed, bringing me full circle in an unexpected way. Today, instead of pursuing the industry, it comes to me. As I build a film-friendly city, I find purpose in supporting those who are chasing the same dreams I once had.
Shauna Quinn is the Tourism Development Officer with the City of Airdrie.
