VALERIE WESTGATE

In 1977, Valerie Westgate attended Humber College for Cinematography, she then moved to Edmonton and worked as an apprentice sound mixer for Westworld Productions Ltd. Here, she worked with many directors and editors from Alberta, and was commissioned for a variety of freelance work. Some of this work included; recording an audio biography of the late Senator Manning, working on narrations with W.O. Mitchell on a series of provincially funded vignettes and syncing up daily rushes for the feature “The Mad Trapper” starring Charles Bronson. In 1980, Valerie worked for the University of Alberta, Department of Film and Radio as a video story editor, completing ten documentary productions within two years. In 1982, she returned to Kingston, Ontario to raise a family, and worked as a Community Producer/Director at Cogeco TV. Here, she was able to utilize her skills and creativity in an impressive number of productions and within a wide variety of formats. Alongside this demanding schedule of live and taped community programs, she developed, wrote and directed a six part sitcom and a 15-minute historical drama.

As an independent producer, Valerie has continued to develop, direct, and shoot documentaries, including a film on racism for Queen’s University and another on poverty for KAIROS. In 1997, Valerie was selected by Women’s Television Network for their first national endowment. The WTNdowment entitled her to a four-month residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts where she edited projects for the International Artist Program. In 1998, she returned to work on the “Women in the Director’s Chair Workshop” led by Stacey Curtis. In 2004, Valerie produced and directed “Under My Shell: Profile of Printmaker Nan Yeomans” which aired on Bravo! Network. And this year, the experimental film entitled, Still a Girl Inside enabled Valerie to combine visuals with the thoughts of aging women. And in progress is a ½ hour documentary on an heirloom seed sanctuary which combines a local story of a couple who have devoted their lives to saving seeds with the global issues surrounding seeds and food.

Her film STILL A GIRL INSIDE played at the WILDsound Film Festival in August 2008