03/01/2024
Yesterday Sabrina Rani Furminger posted the following to the YVR Screen Scene Podcast Patreon, which you can find here: https://www.patreon.com/YVRScreenScenePodcast . The TL/DR is that we're doubling down and leaning in to kick the podcast up several notches, and we're inviting more lovers of to join me in this journey.
"I didn’t stay up to watch Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen ring in the New Year (in true Sabrina fashion, I was fast asleep by 9pm), but all the same I was glad to say "See ya!" to 2023. It was a challenging year – both for our industry, and for me personally – and like many people, I ended the year feeling at once frayed and ravenously hungry for a new beginning.
But before we charge into 2024 and seize that new beginning, I want to pour one out for 2023, and specifically what the YVR Screen Scene Podcast community was able to accomplish over those 12 months, because we accomplished a lot.
We raised tens of thousands of dollars for Ukrainian Canadian Advocacy Group's Rehabilitation Program for the Children of Fallen Heroes via two online auctions, two galas (YVR Screen Scene for Ukraine in March, and Carol of the Bells: A Ukrainian Christmas in Music in December), and one music video masterclass featuring Mayumi Yoshida and the team behind Amanda Sum's Different Than Before. We were honoured with a wonderful (and very flattering) profile in Pancouver Magazine, which you can read here: https://pancouver.ca/sabrina-rani-furminger-makes-it-her.../ The profile was written by veteran journalist Charlie Smith, and I feel like he truly understood what it is we've been trying to create with YVR Screen Scene.
We released more than 40 episodes featuring conversations with actors, directors, writers, showrunners, and other talented artists committed to doing The Work (capital T, capital W), and we drew attention to indie work, studio fare, and all manner of pulled-from-the-headlines issues and themes.
I loved each and every episode I released this year, but my three favourites, while vastly different from each other, are classic YVR Screen Scene Podcast:
Episode 252: Amanda and Sabrina go to Paris https://www.yvrscreenscene.com/home/2023/1/4/episode-252-amanda-and-sabrina-go-to-paris
Episode 290: ‘Sort Of’ star Bilal Baig https://www.yvrscreenscene.com/home/2023/11/28/episode-290-sort-of-star-bilal-baig
Episode 282: How the Hollywood strikes brought to a standstill https://www.yvrscreenscene.com/home/2023/9/29/episode-282-how-the-hollywood-strikes-brought-bcfilm-to-a-standstill
Speaking of the strike: it impacted this podcast, too. Support from sponsors dried up (and I don't fault them at all: they no longer had the funds to support us). In the second half of the year, we weren’t able to feature as many actors as we normally would because of SAG-AFTRA rules around promoting projects during strikes. The impact of the strikes rippled through other sectors of the industry, including the sector in which our parent company operates.
And yet, I’m proud of the work we did in 2023, because it was driven by passion and fuelled by love and it happened despite the challenges. Every episode we were able to release was a victory. Every dollar we raised for charity meant the whole world to me and grieving kids in Ukraine.
So that was 2023. As for 2024: I want to kick everything up a notch.
First of all, in the coming weeks, I’m going to re-imagine this Patreon feed a bit. I want to move beyond early access and into more Patreon-exclusive content. Maybe it’s conversations about pop culture or current events with some of my BFFs. Maybe it’s post-interview live streams with willing guests where we answer your questions. Maybe it’s something I haven’t even thought of yet! But I want to show my appreciation to this community. You’ve shone your light on YVR Screen Scene during some difficult days. I want you to feel our gratitude reflected back at you.
Also, my Gen Z pr***en says we need something akin to a Discord server for this Patreon community – or at least somewhere online to interact and have more in-depth conversations about our episodes and other -related happenings. Discord terrifies me but the aforementioned Gen Z pr***en thinks it’s worth it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do we need a message board? A Discord server? Comment below!
Also, I’m working on a YVR Screen Scene Live series that will take place at a very cool venue in Downtown Vancouver, and whenever we’re ready to sell tickets to those events, I’ll give Patreon members an early access code and some other special perks. This has been a dream of mine since even before the podcast, and I’m finally ready to make it so and make it happen. I’m hoping we’ll be able to announce that series in the next few weeks (although things never move as quickly as I want them to). Watch this space.
And finally, my big commitment to you is to return to a more regular posting schedule. You deserve it. The larger community deserves it. We are the only podcast of this kind doing this work in this specific way. The challenges of 2023 that prevented a regular posting schedule can stay in 2023. 2024 is ours for the taking!
Thank you for your support. Thank you for listening. Thank you for caring about and the remarkable artists who power it. Cast, crew, viewers, podcasters: we’re all part of this community. Thank you for making it possible to spotlight our community in this way.
With gratitude,
Sabrina"
creating a podcast that celebrates reel people in the BC film &