Work Interview: Claire Allore
“I think when you work on any creative project, you make so many choices based on your own beliefs that what you end up making is inevitably a reflection of those beliefs. I choose what I want to make based on my beliefs, and so doing my best to be a helpful feminist drives my filmmaking almost entirely.”
I had the pleasure of seeing WORK at it’s World Premiere at Hot Docs this year and it blew me away. I know very little about sex work – I had no idea what a cam girl was – but I was interested to learn from the perspectives of people fully immersed in this world.
Sex work is a career people can choose and educating the public on the diverse people and jobs in this field not only allows a greater understanding of what this work is but will hopefully make it safer for the people involved.
Claire talks to two sex workers — Malcome and Vixen — to illustrate how this career found them and why it was the perfect choice for their lives. Claire does a beautiful job keeping the viewer’s attention with great interviews and stunning visuals that capture the essence of Malcome and Vixen.
This is a dazzling short that shows real promise for the future of all involved.
Claire Allore is a recently-graduated student with degrees from the University of Calgary and Ryerson University. She is a member of the Dean’s list at Ryerson and was awarded the Norman Jewison Filmmaker’s Award for WORK. Claire acted as a co-chair of the Ryerson University Film Festival in 2017 and has volunteered with many film festivals in both Calgary and Toronto. Work had its world premiere at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival 2018.
You can see WORK and other shorts from emerging women directors at Breakthroughs Film Festival, happening June 15 and 16 at the Royal Cinema. We highly recommend hitting up both days.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved with filmmaking.
Claire Allore: When I was nearing the end of my first degree, I realized I was taking more film courses than English courses. By the time I finished my first degree, I was one course away from a (very unplanned) minor in film. One of the big catalysts for me wanting to actually make films was the Lord of the Rings audio commentaries and special features. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been through the audio commentaries. I was always in awe of how so many creative people had to come together, think outside the box, and do their best work in order to make that trilogy happen. I wanted to be a part of that collaborative creative process, and so I went to Ryerson for Film Studies to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!
Tell us about Work. Where did the idea come from?
CA: Work started partially because I have a bunch of friends who do sex work, and many of the stories they were telling me about their work didn’t match up with portrayals of sex work that I’d seen in narrative and documentary films. I wanted to give a platform to sex workers to tell their stories and encourage the audience to listen to what they were saying.
Why did you decide to shoot Malcolm as a gold statue and Vixen with the lights and bubbles?
CA: The design of the film is the result of some very thorough Pinterest boards and an Instagram group chat with my very patient crew. With Malcolm, I feel like he brings a lot of light into the lives of the people around him, so I wanted something that would visually represent that. Vixen’s sequences are very much inspired by the aesthetic of her cam room and Instagram.
Did you learn anything about the industry and their experiences that surprised you?
CA: By the time I started preproduction on Work, I’d been researching the industry for a couple years. Inarguably, the most helpful sources were ones written by sex workers themselves. Twitter was one of my main resources for learning about people’s lived experiences, as were Coming Out Like a Porn Star, Selling Sex, and Sex Workers Unite. I was definitely surprised by a lot of the things I learned, sometimes in wonderful ways, and sometimes in terrible ways. It was a very long and slow process of reading and listening.
What are you hoping people take away from the film about sex workers and the sex work industry?
CA: I’m hoping that people who see the film will be more likely to see folks who do sex work as real people. One of my goals was to make sex work and the industry a little less mysterious and a little more grounded for people outside of it. I find that sex work can often be portrayed as all good or all terrible, so I’m hoping that “Work” will help to dispel those notions.
Can you tell us about some/all of the other amazing women who worked on this film?
CA: I would love to tell you about them! Vivian Toth is our producer, one of the kindest, gentlest souls I know, who took a chance on me and my idea before I could properly articulate it. Nyssa Glück, our cinematographer, who is generous, trusting, and managed to use some sort of camera alchemy to combine all the visual references I threw at her. Our key makeup artist, Zoe Robertson, who was enthusiastic about all of the messy ideas I had. Maya Henry, our production designer, who not only went along with my ideas but brought things to set to surprise me.
Our second camera folks, Megan Gable, Gabriella Van Osio, and Hayley Wong. Molly Jenne, who recorded our location sound in a very echoey room for hours at a time and never once complained. Some of our genius gaffers, Ida Jokinen, Rachel Glassman, Alex Tse, and Khanh Tudo, who built me whatever strange light setups I asked for. Our stills photographers, Chelsea Birnie and Yuli Scheidt (Yuli also did my headshot!), who were absolute champions. One of our craft assistants, Robyn Matuto, who was so supportive and energetic. My mom, who helped make our vegan and/or gluten-free craft and was endlessly supportive. And, of course, Caitlin K. Roberts and Vixen Vu, who have humbled me with their generosity.
Tell us about why you are a feminist and why it’s important to your filmmaking.
CA: I’m a feminist because I believe that everyone deserves equality, regardless of gender, race, ability, or sexuality. I am of the sometimes unpopular opinion that all art is political. I think when you work on any creative project, you make so many choices based on your own beliefs that what you end up making is inevitably a reflection of those beliefs. I choose what I want to make based on my beliefs, and so doing my best to be a helpful feminist drives my filmmaking almost entirely.
Who are your favourite women working in the film industry?
CA: Oh GOSH that’s a tough question. In terms of people I admire from afar: Dee Rees, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Lynne Ramsay, and Andrea Arnold, among many others!
What’s the best advice about filmmaking you’ve ever received?
CA: Sir Richard Taylor, head of WETA workshops, told me before I went into film school that the most important skill to learn in filmmaking was communication. He told me that if you can clearly communicate what you want, and the team you’re working with can do the same in return, then you’re well on your way.
What are you working on now/next?
CA: Currently I’ve got a fiction project in development that I’m co-producing, and I’m starting to do research for my next film!
If you were reincarnated as an ice cream flavour, what would it be?
CA: If you are what you eat, then most definitely Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked.
What kind of hat best describes your personality?
CA: You know, I wish I could give you a very sophisticated, chic answer, but I think the true answer is top hat.
Finally, recommend one #MUFFApproved** film for our blog readers!
CA: How to pick just one! I’m late to the party here, but I just watched Desiree Akhavan’s Appropriate Behaviour for the first time and I adored it. I love seeing canonically bisexual characters on screen, and I love women who are allowed to be messy and make mistakes and grow.
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*This post was originally featured on The MUFF Society.*
