Lisa Jackson went from law to film as a way to find truth

It was her desire to create change that led Lisa Jackson down a path she never expected. 

"When I was younger I wanted to get into Aboriginal law because I wanted to make change," said the Anishinaabe filmmaker.

She was in the midst of an undergraduate degree and was choosing a law school when she put on the brakes.

"I spoke to a few people working in Aboriginal law and I sort of had an epiphany that it probably wouldn't be the right place for me."

Jackson said the time and energy needed to win a case was just too long, so she left school, even though she wasn't sure what she wanted to do next. Ultimately, she settled on becoming a writer, penning profiles of people making a difference.

"I fell in love with people," she said, but the written word was not enough to make her completely feel their energy. So she went back to school at 26 to learn the art of documentary filmmaking.

"I discovered that I had this huge, creative, playful side," she said, smiling. "I just had so much fun with the medium itself."

Since then, Jackson has been making films non-stop including her acclaimed short, Suckerfish, Reservation Soldiers and How A People Live. Jackson expanded into fiction with Savage, which won a 2010 Genie award for Best Short Film. Her cross-genre work includes current affairs, animation, performance art film, and a even a music video with acclaimed cellist Cris Derksen.

Next Generation

Now she is passing her knowledge on to the next generation of filmmakers as a mentor for the National Screen Institute's program Indigidocs. She said one of the first thing she tells students is to know what story you are trying to tell and why it matters.

"That comes from inside each one of us," she said. "If you're starting with 'what does the audience want to see, or what does the funder want,' it's hard to maintain your creativity."

She also tells them to hone their craft, pay attention to lighting and sound but most of all, pay attention to the people.

"Fundamentally most documentaries are about people so understanding who people are and allowing them to be themselves, especially when there's a camera in their face is not that easy."