The Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus

Latest Episodes:

Live Spark Chat: Renuka Jeyapalan Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

For the July Spark Chat, I caught up with director Renuka Jeyapalan! She's directed episodes of Kim's Convenience, Workin' Moms, Murdoch Mysteries, and film too! We talk learning guitar and baking in quarantine, family lockdown routine, remote post production, and more! @rjeyapalan

Every first Sunday of the month, I talk to a past guest about what's going on with them now, and we release it as a bonus episode on the pod! Look out for August's Spark Chat with Tamara Podemski to be released as a podcast episode NEXT month!

Follow Renuka @rjeyapalanLife Support short: LINKShare Her Journey: LINK Stream Kim's Convenience on Netflix and CBC GemGinny & Georgia coming to Netflix soon!

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Firecracker Aftershow: Erin Karpluk Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

Naomi, AJ, Emily and guest Core Member Sarah Beaudin got together to talk about the one and only Erin Karpluk! All four could not get over her humility, kindness, and genuine excitement for the work she gets to do!

Catch up with firecracker core members Naomi @Naomi Emily @emchurchill AJ @atotheje and Sarah Beaudin on the newest Firecracker Aftershow now! If you haven't yet heard this week's episode yet, listen now wherever you find podcasts!

Erin Karpluk Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

Today's guest on the pod is actor, ERIN KARPLUK! She played the titular role on Being Erica, and you can see her soon in a recurring role on A MILLION LITTLE THINGS on ABC! She's been on your TVs for years in Being Erica, Slasher, Rookie Blue, Masters of Sex, Saving Hope, Supernatural, and a TON of other shows. Her role as Pepper is the first crossover character to be featured in both 911 and 911 Lone Star on FOX!

We talk about how she's doing in 2020, vision boards, having faith, being raised by artists, pep talks with yourself and just all about her journey so far!

Tami Reiker Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

Our guest today is cinematographer TAMI REIKER! Tami is best known for her work on HBO's Carnivàle, and with Gina Prince-Bythewood on The Old Guard and Beyond the Lights. Most recently, Tami worked with Regina King on her feature directorial debut One Night In Miami. She was the first woman to win an American Society of Cinematographers Award AND the first woman to ever be nominated!

We talked about her journey to cinematography, the magic of the darkroom, traveling with The Ramones, shooting One Night In Miami, problem solving on set, advice for up-and-comers, working with sloths on Christmas, and more!

Follow Tami on Instagram

Follow One Night in Miami on Twitter

Stream The Old Guard & Beyond The Lights now on Netflix.

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Firecracker Aftershow: TJFF Comedy Panel Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

Naomi, AJ, Emily and guest Core Member Anna Gustafson got together to talk about the hilarious panel Naomi hosted at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival in 2019. On the panel were history-making comedians: Marla Lukofsky, Monica Parker, Gay Claitman and Rosemary Radcliffe. What a wild conversation they got into and the Firecracker team had a blast talking about the dedication, the fearless desire to do other things, and the guts it takes to be funny.

TJFF Women in Comedy Panel Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

Our guest today is not just one, not just two or three, but FOUR iconic, hilarious, brilliant comedy trailblazers: Marla Lukofsky, Monica Parker-Savard, Gay Claitman and Rosemary Radcliffe. Last year during the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, I moderated a panel of these firecrackers, and we had so many laughs and great pieces of advice from these hilarious, storied, longtime comedy ladies!

TJFF's fall online edition is available for the first time Ontario-wide October twenty second to November first , it includes an online film Masterclass with Marc Lapadula on Cinema With A Cause, Live Special Guests for Zoom Q&As, and a ton of narrative, documentary, and short films from a variety of voices, like Emma Seligman's Shiva Baby, Caroline Link's When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and Shari Roger's Shared Legacies: The African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance. For the full schedule and programme, visit tjff.com.

TJFF Links:

Follow TJFF: @TJFFgrams

TJFF Online Festival: TJFF 2020

Donate to Mazon Canada

Donate to The Stop Community Food Centre.

Marla's Links:

Twitter: @marlalukofsky

Instagram: @mmlukofsky7

TED Talk: YouTube

Monica's Links:

Twitter: @iammonicaparker

Instagram: @iammonicaparker

Gay's Links:

Gay Claitman

Rosemary's Links:

Rosemary Radcliffe

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Firecracker Aftershow: Laura Rivas Oct 15, 2020

Show notes

Laura Rivas is the embodiment of joy and enthusiasm for her work. She and Naomi jumped into a conversation about her work ethic, the guilt and stress of no-budget creation and how our attitudes are what keep us focussed. Our team fell in love with her energy and excitement for her work and the collaborative process.

In this #firecrackerAFTERSHOW we talk about how much we all understand Laura's journey, our appreciation for natural familial comedy and how a story worth telling is worth fighting for. Catch up with firecracker core members Naomi @Naomi Emily @emchurchill AJ @atotheje and R.L. Read on the newest Firecracker Aftershow now!

Laura Rivas Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

Our guest today is writer, director, producer, LAURA RIVAS! She's worked on indie films, was an intern at NBC, moved up from a PA to an Associate Producer at Warner Brothers Television, wrote comedic copy for syndicated shows Two Broke Girls and The Middle! From there she's directed web talk shows, dating docuseries, and has a killer short film lineup on deck.

The hilarious digital series she directed, wrote, and executive produced, TINY LAUGHS, is now available on Revry streaming platform with Live and On-Demand LGBTQ Movies, Shows, Music, News, and Podcasts all in one place!

Follow Laura on Twitter

Follow Tiny Laughs on Twitter

Follow Laura on Instagram

Follow Tiny Laughs on Instagram

Check out www.tinylaughs.com

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Firecracker Aftershow: Marquesha Babers Oct 08, 2020

Show notes

Marquesha Babers is a legend in the making. She and Naomi had a genuine and inspiring conversation, discussed how life affects art and how an artist can be born without evening knowing it. Our team fell in love with her heart and mind!

In this #firecrackerAFTERSHOW we talk owning your history, not being afraid to feel and how we are all emotional beings working to bring our artists energy to the world! Catch up with firecracker core members Naomi @Naomi Emily @emchurchill AJ @atotheje and R.L. Read on the newest Firecracker Aftershow now!

Marquesha Babers Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

Our guest today is poet, artist, mentor, public speaker, actor, Marquesha Babers. She was 15 years old and experiencing homelessnesss on the streets of Hollywood, when she met the filmmakers working on what would become a new documentary called AMERICAN STREET KID. Since then she's performed on VH1's Verses & Flow, been featured in The New York Times, and performed for global icons like Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Princess Reema Al Sah-ood of Saudi Arabia, and Freida Pinto.

She studied poetry for four years with the youth poetry group GET LIT. Next year you'll be able to see her a new film called SUMMERTIME, where she stars in a role based on one of her poems.

Marquesha's Twitter is @LADI3LYRIX

Follow the doc at @AmericanStKid

Instagram: @americanstreetkid

Stream American Street Kid at https://www.americanstreetkid.com/stream-now

Donate to Get Lit at https://getlit.org/donate/

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