Artist-in-residence shares the magic of New Brunswick’s creative scene
Author: Hilary Creamer Robinson
Posted on Oct 25, 2023
Category: UNB Fredericton
Lance Blakney (BA ’14) is a talented photographer, filmmaker, lighting designer and general creative. A proud member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, they are now the culture and media studies artist-in-residence at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) with a simple formula for success.
“You have to learn the rules to break the rules. I'm here to help [students] break those rules,” said Blakney.
Blakney graduated from the media arts and culture program in 2014 and worked in the university’s marketing office for five years until they left to focus on their film production company, Strike Pictures, with partners Arianna Martinez and fellow UNB grad Gordon Mihan. “I feel like I’ve really come full circle,” they said.
This past summer, Strike received $250,000 in Telefilm Canada funding to produce a 90-minute, feature-length film, shot throughout New Brunswick.
“It's been an invaluable experience creatively but also in terms of giving us some revenue to build our company,” said Blakney. “Now we are able to hire and work with local talent.”
Martinez directed and co-wrote the film with Mihan, with Blakney serving as director of photography. The film tells a story of what-ifs and follows a couple through “a cosmic storm, where one of them disappears and is replaced with someone else.” It will be completed in early 2024.
As part of their year-long tenure at UNB, Blakney hopes to share their real-world knowledge of the industry with students.
“When I was going to school, I often felt like I was learning to write piano music, but never getting to play the piano,” said Blakney.
“I'm hoping to be able to answer some of those questions that I had as a student. What does it look like to be an entrepreneur? How do you navigate taxes or apply for funding, from small to large-scale projects and everything in between?”
Blakney has always had a passion for sharing knowledge.
“I think that's one of my love languages – sharing knowledge and seeing passion grow. The filmmaking community [in New Brunswick] is very close-knit. Anyone who has spent any time in that community realizes that if one person succeeds, it lifts everyone up to the next level.”
“I want to see students succeed and become talented filmmakers and media artists,” they said.
Blakney’s inclusive approach to the New Brunswick film and creative scene is part of why they are such an asset to students.
“The media artist-in-residence position is usually someone who has a good rapport with students and the interesting work they will do under the auspices of that role,” said Lauren Cruikshank, associate professor, culture and media studies and one of Blakney’s first instructors when he was a media student at UNB. “It’s someone who provides a local example and who has taken their media skills and done something in the community.”
“Lance fits the role perfectly,” she said.
“Looking at the progression of their work from student to now, you can see how it’s a story of a local image maker and storyteller who has taken the foundation they got at UNB, made it their own and has had this interesting journey of creativity, courage and art.”
Blakney is known to always have a project on the go, working with friends and other creatives whenever the chance is available.
“That’s special and can show our students how you can stay [in New Brunswick] and build a network and relationships with other cool, creative, artistic people and make it your livelihood and passion,” said Cruikshank.
“Lance is a young artist at the beginning of a very promising trajectory.”
Blakney sees New Brunswick in the same light; a province full of hope with a budding creative industry.
“[In New Brunswick], we are making feature films,” said Blakney. “We are making art. We have a thriving community. The future here is very bright. I don't see why, in the next ten years, we can’t have a full-fledged, thriving film industry here.”
Blakney’s office hours are Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Their office is open to students, instructors, professors and members of the public and can be found in Marshall d’Avray Hall, Room 239B.
Photo credit: Kelly Baker