Blog

Writer/Director Spotlight – Jacquie Black

Jacquie Black
Jacquie Black

The role of women is important in the telling of the stories of Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Taken is about women and is being written entirely by women and has the majority of its episodes directed by women, and the majority of its episodes edited by women. In a world where women are consistently being underrepresented in the film and TV industry, Taken provides some needed balance with female storytellers leading the way. Taken is proud to have writer and director Jacquie Black on its team.

Jacquie Black is from the Ojibway nation and has worked on many projects, productions and programs that help to promote and showcase creative expression and storytelling through print, music and television.

She has a diploma in Criminology, studied at the Banff Centre for the Arts – Writing for Television Series for Indigenous Screenwriters and is a graduate of Creative Communications with a major in Journalism. Jacquie worked in the justice system in many capacities – counsellor, peace officer, cultural coordinator and always held steadfast to her gift of writing that has taken her on an amazing journey.

Jacquie was mentored into writing for her first television series, Tipi Tales, an award winning children’s television series, produced by Eagle Vision Productions, in 2003. She continued to write for Tipi Tales in 2004 and also became the Junior Story Editor.

In addition to this she has had numerous professional opportunities, such as interviewing/directing for the Legacy of Hope/Eagle Vision – Residential School Survivor stories, writing IndigenousDay Live for APTN (2010 – 2014), writing the Indigenous Peoples’ Choice Music Awards (2009 – 2014), writing for Cashing In – TV series (2010 & 2011) writing for the children’s TV series Planet Echo (2013), and most recently became published in the book First Lady Nation – Stories of Indigenous Women (August 2014).

Jacquie is also the Manager for the Indigenous Peoples’ Choice Music Awards and the Communications Manager for the Manito Ahbee Festival. She looks forward to writing and directing more episodes of Taken in Season II.