The Floor

A young woman wakes up face down on the floor of an abandoned hotel and tries to recall what happened the night before. Music by J.C. Campbell.

Creative team

Writer/director: Dion Telesky

Producer: Floyd Blackhorse, Erica Daniels

Director’s statement

Dion Telesky says:

“Through the NSI New Voices program I directed this music video for local singer/songwriter J.C. Campbell.

This video was probably one of the best things I could have done as a filmmaker. It was the first time I’ve ever put anything personal into my work.

I listened to this song for about a year and when it was time to pitch a film project in the program I knew what I wanted to do.

The lyrics just hit my soul like nothing else. I put a hell of a lot into this video; the whole concept was taken from personal experiences. I never imagined writing and filming what Iʼve been through could be so therapeutic.

I finally found what I love to do and why I love doing it!”

About Dion Telesky

Dion was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began filmmaking at the age of 12 and what started out as an escape from everyday boredom soon developed into a passion that would eventually save his life.

After his family purchased their first video camera, Dion started making short
character-driven videos with his friends.

At age 16 when most young men are still searching for their niche, Dion received top honors for best public service announcement at Freeze Frame International Film Festival for his PSA Human Rights Awareness Video which he co-directed, edited and wrote with friend and filmmaker, Jenny Marrin.

Fresh off their win and excited about filmmaking they teamed up again right away to co-direct, edit and write a few music videos for local Winnipeg artists including Lonely Man by Dylan Cash and Broke Down Busted by Christy Neveu.

Then filmmaking came to a sobering halt for Dion.

Problems at home and battling with his sexuality pushed him into a dark depression with thoughts of suicide and a retreat to drugs. It wasn’t until a couple of close calls and the introduction of friend and filmmaker Holly Marchuk that Dion gathered the strength and guidance to turn his life around.

Dion says, “We talked for a year about life, its struggles, and the dreams that we once had and how it’s sad how sometimes life just gets in the way and forces those dreams to fade.”

After forming a strong relationship, Holly eventually gave Dion a script she wrote which would soon turn into Dionʼs first short film Wait. “When she showed me that script all this passion and drive just started racing through my veins again. I knew from that moment that I had to try filmmaking again and to do so, the drugs had to go.”

Dion went on to make an experimental film Osis and took on the job as director of photography, co-editor and co-producer on Hollyʼs first short film White.

Realizing very quickly that there was still a lot to be learned in filmmaking he applied to NSI New Voices through the National Screen Institute. Dion says, “I applied to New Voices specifically because it was a program for Aboriginal filmmakers. It teaches you about filmmaking and incorporated the Aboriginal teachings. I knew all my life that I had Aboriginal blood in me but I never had the opportunity to explore the culture. This was a chance to do both and I was really excited.”

Today Dion is in the long process of working on his first screenplay and you can bet it will be filled with a lot more personal stories.

For him, he says, “It’s all about the journey, fulfillment, healing and getting better at my craft.” You can say he’s taking the long way around but I’m sure if you were to ask the openhearted filmmaker he’d tell you that’s just the way he likes it.