Tahnee Curtis

Tahnee Curtis is that rare person: someone who has forged a career in the Hollywood film and television industry. It was thanks to the encouragement of UNE Film and Television Studies lecturer Professor Dugald Williamson that Tahnee was encouraged to enrol in Arts310 and spent her fourth year at Washington State University. Her first intern job was on Conan O'Brien's Late Night show. Now Tahnee works as a Script Supervisor  and has recently completed the Warner Brothers Directors’ Workshop and just submitted a pitch to Netflix for an original series for their Canadian Filmmakers Competition.

What was your UNE qualification?

I completed a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business majoring in media and management, graduating in 2011.

Online or on-campus study?

I spent the majority of my degree studying on campus. In 2009 (my fourth year of study), I moved to the United States of America to study broadcast media at Washington State University. After completing my one year study abroad, I moved to Los Angeles to intern at Conan’s Late Night talk show in 2010 and finished my final semester at UNE online.

How was your experience with UNE lecturers?

The introductory film class prerequisite for my English major changed my life. Prior to that class I had been swaying between becoming a journalist or high school teacher. Gaining an insight into film and television - studying and critiquing content made by some of the most influential Hollywood Directors ignited a passion in me that had been lacking in my earlier studies and prompted me to change both my degree and my arts major. From then on, every class in my Arts degree was an inspiration - from learning about children’s television to drama to screenwriting. Those lectures - and lecturers - encouraged me to dive deeper into my studies, to strive for more and to believe that I was capable of making it to Hollywood. Perhaps the most important thing my lecturers at UNE did was support my desire to study abroad and to challenge the traditional rules regarding internships when the opportunity to intern at a major television show in Hollywood presented itself. Because of Dugald Williamson, I was the first student to use ART301 to complete an internship overseas.

What was your reason for studying at UNE?

Ironically enough, I chose UNE for it’s teaching program. When I was in high school I wanted to be a journalist, however my career counsellor warned me against it stating that journalism was a dying art and that I would be unlikely to become anything more than a regional reporter. This was obviously discouraging and I ended up at UNE studying something I wasn’t truly passionate about. As mentioned above, that all changed after taking an introductory film class and in my second year of study I changed my degree from teaching to Arts/Business majoring in media and management and minoring in film.

Though the classes at UNE were invaluable at building my self-confidence at pursuing a career in film and television, I craved more. The theoretical nature of study was an excellent base for my studies, but I wanted to put those lessons into practice. This is what lead me to studying abroad at Washington State University, which lead to my internship at Conan in Los Angeles and ultimately launched my career.

Your current job?

I currently work in film and television in Vancouver, Canada. My current role within the industry is as a Script Supervisor and I primarily work in episodic television. What that entails is maintaining the continuity and story for a film or episodic series, working with the director to ensure they get all coverage and story beats required, sending nightly notes to post production so the edit is assembled with the director’s vision in mind and prompting actors for dialogue and continuity. I love my current job and view it as an extended education. I’m currently pursuing a career in episodic television directing and have had a few major breaks in the past 12 months. I shadowed an episode of Riverdale during season 4, was accepted and recently completed the Warner Brothers Directors’ Workshop and just submitted a pitch to Netflix for an original series for their Canadian Filmmakers Competition.

Due to COVID, our industry has been shut down in North America since March 2020. I was working on Riverdale Season 4 prior to the pandemic. I will be starting a new series in the coming months.

The personal qualities needed to do your job?

One of the things I love most about the film industry is the eclectic group of people that come together to make the shows and movies sold to the world. That being said, there are a few stand out qualities that can make you more successful working on set: most important is a “can-do” attitude. There is no such word as “no” in film (except when it is a matter of safety), so being adaptable, quick thinking and positive is imperative.

Resilience is important - film is a difficult industry to break into and you’ll face many rejections before you get your break. I moved countless times (including to different countries) and suffered years of rejection, poverty and humiliation before breaking into the industry in Canada. You need to have the drive to continue against all the odds. The need for resilience doesn’t go away once you’re in the industry either. A career in film translates to long, unsociable hours, working in all kinds of conditions (rain, snow, heat, on the side of a mountain, in a field with no shelter etc) and a long slow climb up the ladder if that’s what you’re hoping to do. What you get in return is a true thrill. It’s camaraderie, creativity, humour, passion and a chance to be a part of storytelling on a global scale. You are literally doing what hundreds of thousands of others wish to do, and you had better not forget how lucky you are.

Resilience is important - film is a difficult industry to break into and you’ll face many rejections before you get your break.

If you weren’t in this line of work, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

I have many interests including fitness, aviation, psychology, music, journalism and travel, but in all honesty, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

Your advice for anyone interested in pursuing this type of career?

You are capable of more than you think. Don’t give up on your dreams just because someone else doesn’t believe in them. Every single person that has made it in this industry has taken their own unique path. Find yours.

The biggest challenge and biggest achievement you’ve experienced in your work or life in general?

The biggest challenge I’ve faced - and continue to face - is living abroad. I’ve now lived in four different countries over the past decade and though I love Canada and the life I have here, I miss my culture, my family and my home. I’m too far down my career path now to look back. I’m completely driven to succeed and will not give up. But I do dream of being able to come back to Australia - at least for a few months a year - some day.

Professionally, the further I climb the ladder and the more opportunities I am presented with, the more I need to pinch myself. I still identify as the small town girl from Port Macquarie and every day I need to consciously work on my self confidence and to own my place in the industry.

How has your UNE qualification aided you in your career?

Truthfully, my UNE qualification hasn’t really aided my career. At the crew level, no one requires a diploma and training happens on the job. That being said, without studying at UNE, I would never have studied abroad, interned in Los Angeles or had the confidence to move to Canada and therefore would not have my career. My gratitude to UNE for unearthing my passion and self-confidence to pursue something outside the norm is endless.

What inspires you inside work and outside work?

My inspiration for work is to tell compelling, relatable stories that are entertaining and thought provoking. These stories can come from anywhere, but I love drawing inspiration from people I know and experiences I have had. I also want to make my dad proud. He has supported my career ambitions from the beginning when others were skeptical. I owe it to him to succeed just as much as I owe it to myself. He inspires me to work hard, be kind and stay humble and staying true to his lessons is non-negotiable for me.

My inspirations outside work include travel, adventure, pushing my body and mind to achieve more, family and compassion. There is an interconnectedness between what inspires me in and outside my work. In my mind, one can’t exist without the other.

Do you volunteer your time for a community project or organisation?

I act as an alumni for Washington State University, mentoring senior students looking to get into film and television production. Once a year I go back to the university to speak on panels and run workshops related to the industry.

I also participate in industry initiatives such as food drives and fundraisers. Early on in my time in Vancouver, I volunteered at a women’s shelter in the Downtown Eastside which is known for its large scale homeless and drug impacted population. This is something I wish to go back to post-Covid as advocating for women is deeply important to me.

In this time of Covid-19, how has the virus impacted your work?

Our industry shut its doors March 15th and we are in the process of trying to reopen now. It’s a complicated issue as we are so reliant on the United States. I am hoping to be back on set late September/early October. New safety protocols have had to be drafted and approved, so we will likely be working in designated zones, based on proximity to the actors, will have to undertake regular testing and will be provided PPE to wear while working on set. It’s a slow road to restart, but I can’t wait to be back on set.

You are capable of more than you think.

Don’t give up on your dreams just because someone else doesn’t believe in them. Every single person that has made it in this industry has taken their own unique path. Find yours.