Article presented by Mondel, the Cinema Workshop

Interview conducted by Bellande Montour

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With 32 years in the business, Frédéric Pierre is a well-known actor and comedian in Quebec. After a brief foray as co-writer on two hilarious sketches, "Police de repentigny" and "En audition avec Siméon ," presented at Bye Bye 2020, Frédéric received the green light from France Inter to create his own series depicting the daily life of a Haitian family. A dream he has cherished for over 20 years! His initial wish was for all the main roles to be played by Black people (given the Haitian family's heritage), but he quickly realized that to truly showcase his project, the production also needed to be led by a member of that same community. After careful consideration, he accepted the challenge of producing "Lakay Nou" himself and assembled a strong team to support him in this exciting venture. Frédéric wears many hats in this series: executive producer, head writer, and actor (lead role). How did he manage to complete this project? Find out in this interview! 

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What was the process of going from actor to screenwriter to producer on your first television series? 

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I've been an actor for a very long time and I've always worked to advance the cause of diversity in my profession. I was often the only Black person on a film set and I always wanted to change this unfortunate reality. I served on several committees that brought together many stakeholders in the audiovisual industry. Together, we tried to find solutions to ensure better representation of underrepresented communities on screen and behind the scenes, but always with mixed results.

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Although things have evolved, I realized that as an actor alone, I would never have the same influence on my stories as a screenwriter. Furthermore, the decision-making power would never be in my hands, as it is as a producer. Therefore, the desire to be mentored in both of these areas of expertise was a necessary step in the development of my career.

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I'd read tons of screenplays in my life, but I'd never written one! Thanks to Catherine Souffront , Angelo Cadet , and Marie-Hélène Lebeau-Taschereau for their contributions to the writing and rewriting of Lakay Nou. Being criticized isn't easy... It's the same with the producer role; I understood its importance, but actually stepping into that shoes is a whole other level that I had to learn through mentoring and on-the-job coaching. I'm so glad I took this journey because the series wouldn't have had the same energy if all these elements hadn't been driven primarily by people from the community.

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Why was it essential for you to have a cast (in front of and behind the camera) made up primarily of Black people?

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From the very beginning of the project, I knew the series needed to have a unique style, and to achieve that, I needed to be surrounded by the best in the Black artistic community. I wanted to create an optimal environment for the actors and give diverse professionals the opportunity to work behind the scenes. In total, we managed to attract over 100 Black people to the team, including the cast and extras. Of these, 15 to 20 worked on set behind the camera. A first in the French television industry, and I'm very proud of it!

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In my opinion, the first important positions to fill were the magic trio: hairstylist, costume designer, and makeup artist. We go through the hands of these essential people before we're ready for filming. It's our little moment of relaxation, and if the energy of this team isn't ideal, the actors' days don't start off so well. A little anecdote: in my entire career, I'd only ever found one Black makeup artist, Joe Pat, who was able to do my makeup without making me look gray or orange (laughs). I hadn't seen her for 17 years, but I absolutely wanted her as head makeup artist, and she accepted the position! All the actors could then be themselves before the camera even started rolling. They didn't have to explain the particularities of their skin, hair, or body. An atmosphere of camaraderie and letting go was established right from the start of the adventure.

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Furthermore, having Angelo Cadet as assistant artistic director alongside Christian Légaré allowed him to bring a precise perspective to the angles I wanted to give to the series, preventing it from becoming folkloric or caricatural.

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Do you encourage young and old people in our community to get involved in technical jobs behind the camera?

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Yes, absolutely, especially if the person truly feels it's a calling they see themselves pursuing. In our communities, wanting to become an artist or work in the field is often perceived as just a dead-end job… not serious enough, but quite the opposite! We have laws, unions, and benefits that protect us so we can make a living from our passion. I myself had to stand up to my father to become an actor because it wasn't a career choice he found interesting. I'm glad I persevered, but it's clear that we suffer from a lack of experience in this industry, as we are often underrepresented and underqualified compared to the white majority who have been in it for many years. 

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So yes, these professions are valid and very relevant if we want to change the future for future generations. I also encourage parents to be more open to these professions and to allow their children to explore careers other than doctor, nurse, and lawyer! (laughs).

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At Jumelage Productions , our goal is to support the professional development of diverse individuals through effective mentorships that accelerate the learning curve of our talent. There's no better way to learn than alongside mentors and professionals who genuinely want to see you succeed!  

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Lakay Nou

The Lakay Nou series is available on ICI TOU.TV EXTRA and will then be on ICI TÉLÉ.

To watch the series: https://ici.tou.tv/lakay-nou

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Mondel, Cinema Workshop 

Are you interested in technical careers in film and television? Discover the training programs offered by Mondel, the Film Workshop: https://mondel.fr/ 

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