IATSE 891 Presents: Apple Box Talks

The newest episode of our Apple Box Talks podcast welcomes BC Federation of Labour President Sussanne Skidmore. Elected as the BCFED President in 2022, Sussanne is a well-established labour leader in our province, and joins us on the Apple Box to talk about the importance of labour education and building capacity and community in the labour movement.

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded prior to the BCGEU and PEA reaching their tentative collective agreements.

"If you're not at the table...you're on the menu."
Our newest guest on the Apple Box Talks podcast shows what it means to walk the talk in the union world, as we welcome CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta. No stranger to union leadership, Karen also served three terms as CUPE BC General Vice-President, and four terms as President of CUPE 2950, while sitting on several other boards and committees. To hear about what it means to show up in the labour world, pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

"Universal design is really putting a lens of bringing everyone along with us on this journey...it is really truly thinking that everyone in the sector has value."

With 30 years of experience as an advocate and activist for accessibility rights, Winnie Luk was appointed in June 2023 as the Disability Screen Office's inaugural Executive Director. She joins us today to share some of the inspirational work she has done to raise awareness for accessibility rights in the motion picture industry. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Please see the following resources to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

NDTR events taking place on September 30:

Today, we welcome to the Apple Box two award-winning members of the 891 Costume Department, Carole Griffin and Sam Stroman! Carole and Sam were both part of the hugely successful production Shōgun, with Emmy and CAFTCAD awards among their individual accolades. They join us behind the mic to talk about their Shōgun experiences and motion picture journeys.

Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

**WARNING: This podcast contains some coarse language. Listener discretion is advised.**

With workers' rights and the labour movement in the news at the federal level, and with Labour Day on the horizon, we're joined on the Apple Box by ILWU Canada President, and prominent labour community voice, Rob Ashton. First elected Vice President of ILWU Canada in 2012, Rob became President in 2016, and now represents 17,000 workers in BC and Saskatchewan. Also serving as a Vice President for the BC Federation of Labour, Rob sits down to talk to us about what it means to show up in the union world. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

"The work that we do is just talking about our value and our worth...supporting and empowering and elevating the Asian diaspora and the racialized diaspora in North America. And I'm not gonna wait for you to say that what we bring is valuable because we know we're valuable."

Today on the Apple Box we're joined by local activist, advocate, and artist Barbara Lee. Barbara has been an inspirational voice in BC's motion picture community, advocating for racial equity and representation at every level of production. She founded the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, which celebrates its 29th year in 2025, and leads both the Racial Equity Screen Office and the East by Northwest Global Creative Summit. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Click here for the podcast transcription.

**WARNING: This podcast contains discussion of sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.**

"We want people to be able to enjoy and celebrate our culture, our rich and vibrant cultures—plural—and languages...that's really what I see June and National Indigenous Peoples Day being about."

In honour of June being National Indigenous Peoples History Month, our newest Apple Box Talks podcast features local activist and school board trustee Mikelle Sasakamoose—the first ever Director of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation for the City of Burnaby. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk.

Click here for the podcast transcription.

"Our job is to make sure that it's a world-class experience to film in British Columbia...we're 'shot locally, seen globally.'"

Today, we're joined on the Apple Box by two leaders in the BC motion picture industry: BC Film Commissioner Marnie Gee, and Screen BC Executive Director Leslie Wootton. For a deep dive into some of the behind-the-scenes collaboration it takes to bring productions to our province, pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Click here for the podcast transcription.

Joining us today on the Apple Box is BC's Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport, Spencer Chandra Herbert. First elected provincially in 2008 as the youngest MLA in the Legislature, the Minister is now the representative for Vancouver–West End, and has been a long-term advocate for renters' rights, environmental stewardship, and protections in the BC Human Rights Code for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Plus, the Minister has a deep-rooted connection to the BC motion picture industry — as a child, he was a background extra on the set of Legends of the Fall! Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!