Road To Your Name - Season 6, Episode 2: A conversation with Jon Elliott on Indigenous Storytelling Behind the Camera

This episode was recorded in April 2023.   In this episode, Lisa speaks with Jon Elliot, a Mohawk filmmaker from the Six Nations of the Grand River whose work spans narrative film, documentary, commercials and mentoring Indigenous youth. Jon shares his passion for filmmaking that started with watching behind-the-scenes features as a kid and evolves into a career focused on community, authenticity and Indigenous crew representation.In This Episode: • Jon’s early inspiration: spending movie nights with his grandmother, watching films like Jurassic Park and the extended special-features of The Lord of the Rings—the “first film school”. • His path: studying film production (BFA) at York University, learning editing, camera work, cinematography, then directing. • What makes Indigenous storytelling different: community, authenticity, humour, heart, deeper meaning. • The importance of involving Indigenous crew members at every level, especially on his latest short film set on Six Nations with 65-70% Indigenous crew. • His current projects: a narrative short about runaways from the Woodland Cultural Centre’s former Mohawk Institute Residential School, commercials for major brands (e.g., Tim Hortons, Nike) through an Indigenous-run agency. • Advice for newcomers: start as a Production Assistant, dip your toes into departments, find what you like, build from there. • Job realities: filmmaking is freelance, you’ll need to be your own secretary, accountant, social-media person; but the industry has grown and offers real opportunities.Key Quotes:“People make these things … it was the moment where I realised, oh, people make films.”“What makes Indigenous filmmaking unique is that there’s always a lesson … it’s about community.”“Ingigenous crew are now filling every type of role … we’re bringing our people into these spaces.”Connect with Jon: Website → jonbelliott.com Instagram → @jon.b.elliottAbout the Show: The Road to Your Name shares conversations with Indigenous voices reclaiming identity, purpose and connection. Each episode explores how tradition, story and art intersect to build community and future pathways.Follow the show for more stories like this one.