Newfoundland-based filmmaker and producer Mary Sexton got into the film biz almost by accident.

Sexton had worked a variety of jobs over the years to make ends meet: she ran a restaurant, managed a second-hand clothing store and was even a dental assistant. Then, because of her extensive knowledge of Newfoundland and the number of people she knew, she was given the opportunity to work as a location scout for the comedy series codco, starring her brother Tommy Sexton.

‘They shot most of codco in Halifax, but they did do location work here in Newfoundland for two weeks in the summer,’ says Sexton. ‘I was very hesitant, what with the crowd in film – they’re so flaky – but I did it and I really liked the pace of it – the 17-hour days, the 20 cups of coffee and the nervous energy. I did very well at it and they were pleased with me.’

From there, Sexton continued to work in Newfoundland, assisting producers Paul Pope and Jennice Ripley on various projects until landing a job at the National Film Board’s Atlantic Centre, where she remained for five years. After a tenure with the nfb, Sexton decided it was time to give producing on her own a shot. She came up with the concept for Dooley Gardens, under the banner of Rink Rat Productions, of which she is president.

The Dooley Gardens pilot turned into six episodes for the cbc. Satisfied with her first crack at producing for tv, Sexton decided to try a feature. She and Rosemary House collaborated on Violet, a film that shot last year. Sexton is hopeful the film will play the festival circuit this year.

Although busy, Sexton says she always likes to have a couple of ideas on the go. She is currently working on developing the mock-talk show Town Beat – and admits that it is a dream of hers to eventually try the real thing.

‘I’m really gung-ho to do a talk show, because I have the gift of gab, and my friends like Rosemary [House] and Mary Walsh also have the gift of gab,’ says Sexton. ‘We were talking about producing a talk show that would have women correspondents from all across the country. Not a Dini Petty Show, but something that talks about where the best place is to get your hair done and where is the best place to buy makeup in Canada, and do it like that.’

Sexton continues to work on a documentary about her brother Tommy, who passed away nearly seven years ago. She says it will be titled My Brother, My Sister.

‘Tommy is very special in my heart,’ she says. ‘This film is a tribute to him, a sister’s portrait of him. It also deals with how Irish Catholic families get through hard times with humor.’

Sexton says more than 76 hours of footage of her brother has been collected from his days with codco and elsewhere.

‘I am sort of meandering through it, but we are also taking the time to give it the tender loving care it deserves,’ says Sexton of the film, which is a coproduction with the nfb. ‘Sometimes when you make a documentary you have to push it out so quickly, when you would have done a lot of things differently. We are making sure this is exactly what we want.’

Sexton is very spirited when discussing filmmaking in Newfoundland and she is wary about the prospect of the Newfoundland chapter of the cbc shutting down operations.

‘cbc has been so instrumental here in Newfoundland,’ she says. ‘It has always given us money to develop and it has always given us resources and services. They plant the seed and nurture the community and to lose that, we are going to be in very rough shape here.’

With talk of a new soundstage to entice visiting productions, Sexton is hopeful that Newfoundland production will thrive. ‘I know everyone wants Hollywood to come but the indigenous filmmaking community in Newfoundland is very strong.’

While acknowledging that much Newfoundland talent has already been lost to other provinces, Sexton says that for the future of filmmaking in the province to remain strong, it is imperative to keep the talent within the province.

‘People have to leave here it seems to get recognition and it is a very bitter pill to swallow,’ she admits. ‘The top cbc show is This Hour Has 22 Minutes and the four people on the show are from Newfoundland. It is sad it wasn’t produced here. But I still think we plod along and we keep our heads down and make sure we keep production happening here.’