By Katie Chambers
Welcome to NYWIFT, Tanis Parenteau! Tanis Parenteau is Métis/Cree from the Métis Nation of Alberta. She is an actor, producer, and casting director. Her work focuses on uplifting Native voices telling contemporary and futuristic Native stories.
As an actor, she has appeared on Billions, House of Cards, Designated Survivor, FBI: Most Wanted, Gossip Girl, and Tribal, and she has performed at The Public Theater, Signature Theater, 59E59, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Tanis has produced eight short films, has a short form digital series in post-production, and is developing multiple Native-led features and series. She is an associate casting director at tbd casting co in NYC.
Her latest project, the short film Glenburn 12 WP, is fiscally sponsored by NYWIFT.
Tanis spoke to us about her dedication to uplifting Native voices, how working in casting has influenced her performing, and the best advice she’s ever received.
Tell us about yourself – give us your elevator pitch!
I am Native American (Metis/Cree), an actor, and an emerging producer. My work focuses on decolonizing the entertainment space by uplifting Native voices, who are telling contemporary and futuristic Native stories, and working with as many Native creatives above and below the line as possible.
What has been your favorite project to date and why?
The short film I’m producing right now, Glenburn 12 WP. It started out as a play that I did at 59E59 Theater in NYC 2015. I love the play so much and have always wanted to turn it into a film and now I am!
You have said that “uplifting contemporary Indigenous stories and smashing harmful Indigenous stereotypes” is very important to you. How do you aim to accomplish that in your creative work?
I chose to focus on work written by Native writers who are telling contemporary and futuristic stories in genres I feel like we don’t see enough of when we see Native content – genres like comedy, romance, sci-fi, horror, thriller.
In addition to acting, you also do freelance work in casting. How has your work as an actor informed your work on “the other side of the table” at auditions?
I feel it’s more the other way around, my work in casting has really informed my work as an actor. Mainly, to approach auditioning as if it is my first day on set and this is my first take.
I’ve also learned to not overthink technical things and things I can’t control when self-taping at home.
Also, timely communication is imperative!
What kinds of projects excite you?
Projects that are led by the people whose story is being told.
What is the best advice you ever received?
A “no” is a redirection. It just means you have a different path.
What inspired you to join NYWIFT and how do you hope to engage with the organization?
[NYWIFT Board Member] Yvonne Russo encouraged me to join. I hope to build my network of NYC filmmakers to find awesome people to work with on my projects and theirs.
And what is next for you?
Finishing Glenburn 12 WP, which is in post right now, and looking forward to a festival run; festival runs for two other shorts, Dating Indian and The Politics; an APTN lumi short form series launching January 2024; and I’m developing a feature and a series adapted from plays written by Vickie Ramirez (writer of Glenburn 12 WP).
Connect with Tanis Parenteau on Instagram at @TanisParenteau and on her website tanisparenteau.com. Donate to Glenburn 12 WP on its NYWIFT fiscal sponsorship donation page.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Chiemeka Offor
Chiemeka Offor is a NYC-based Nigerian-American interdisciplinary artist, image maker, and director currently focusing on editorial photography and poetic short films. Her artwork has been featured in Cultured, i-D, Vogue Italia, Women’s Wear Daily, Buzzfeed Photo, Frieze, and Office Magazine. Chiemeka has received National recognition as a Grand Prize Winner in the Smithsonian Teen Portrait Competition for her portrait “Showtime”, and a 2020 National Young Arts Foundation Award in Photography. In the spring of 2023, she joined the 2023 Voice X PhotoVogue NFT Residency and is currently pursuing a major in Film and Television at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she continues to construct visual and sensory worlds of inclusion through her intersectional and community-driven work. Continue to read more about Chiemeka and how she hopes to mesh the two worlds of fashion photography and visual activism in her career.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Board Member: Toni R. Isreal
This month, NYWIFT announced the results of our latest Board Elections. This included the election of new board member Toni Isreal! Toni has been a NYWIFT member for over five years and we are thrilled to have her join our leadership team. Isreal is no stranger to arts and entertainment. The former accounting specialist sought and secured key apprenticeship opportunities to thrive from her greatest interests in film, television, and theater, leading to decades of experience in group sales and brand management. Isreal is the Founder of REALEMN Productions, Broadway and Touring with a focus on partnerships, marketing, PR, and producing.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Angela Inez
Welcome to NYWIFT, Angela Inez! Angela is a screenwriter, podcaster and SAG/AFTRA actress with a deep love for words. Her upcoming audio drama “Where Loyalties…Lie” will debut in Fall of 2024. She was in the Writers Guild Fellowship for military veterans where she developed a supernatural drama television pilot. Read our interview with Angela below to learn more about her creative journey, her upcoming audio drama and her advice for pursuing careers in podcasting and television.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Gina Moore-Herring
Welcome to NYWIFT, Gina Moore-Herring! Writer, Filmmaker, and Digital Content Creator Gina Moore-Herring is a proud New Yorker and graduate of NYU where she studied Digital Communication & Media. Gina, also known as “G”, started her creative journey in the Fashion Industry in production, and as a designer. Her dream job with Calvin Klein led her to Gerber Technology where she worked for 10 1/2 years learning the importance of technology in global business. Her “can do” fearless approach allowed her to build lifelong business networks and travel the world. It is also the catalyst to spearheading her own consulting company, where she uses her business savvy skills to work with corporations, large and small, saving them time and money through her strategic, transformative thinking.
READ MORE
Comments are closed