Staff at the SAW Video Media Arts Centre consists of seven permanent members (five full-time, two part-time), and two contractors.

Staff Member Profiles

Penny McCann: Director
penny@sawvideo.com
Penny McCann has been making films and videos since 1990. Her work, which ranges from dramatic to experimental, has been widely broadcast and exhibited at numerous festivals and galleries nationally and internationally. Over the years, McCann has received numerous grants for her work, most recently from the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Ottawa, and Bravo!FACT. A long-time member of SAW Video, McCann became director in January, 2004. In recognition of her contribution to the Ottawa media arts community, McCann was awarded the 2007 Victor Tolgesy Award for achievement in the arts.

Lesley Marshall: Administrative Coordinator
admin@sawvideo.com
Lesley Marshall is a recent graduate of the University of Ottawa with a Major in Communication a Minor in Geography with specialization in Media. Pulling from a background in theatre tech and visual arts, she is currently working on short fiction video as a cinematographer and artistic director. Beginning video training at the U of O she has expanded upon her technical expertise through workshop based training facilitated by SAW Video.

Ariel Smith: Technical Coordinator, Production
ariel@sawvideo.com
Ariel Smith is an award-winning film and video artist currently residing in Ottawa by way of Vancouver and Montreal. She has been creating independent works for the past six years, many of which have screened internationally. Smith’s recent works include 1, 2, 3 Knock Up, Saviour Complex, and Dear Diary.

Eric Larock: Technical Coordinator, Post-Production
post@sawvideo.com
Eric Larock began his foray into video production in 2007 while living in Winnipeg, where he worked on a number of local productions as a sound recordist, camera assistant and video editor.  He was also an active member of the Montreal indie music scene between 1997 and 2006, appearing on a number of critically acclaimed recordings and touring the continent in a smelly van.  Upon returning to his hometown of Ottawa in 2009, Eric completed a certificate program in Documentary Production at Algonquin College and became a fixture at SAW Video as a contract instructor for the Intro to Final Cut Pro workshop.

Christopher Rohde: Programmer
programming@sawvideo.com
Christopher Rohde is a practising media artist and has been a member of the Available Light Screening Collective since 2006. His video The Pink Ghosts has been screened across Canada and was one of the first films selected for the inaugural edition of EnRoute, Air Canada’s in-flight film festival. He has curated several programs for Available Light, including Stellar Regions: Jazz & Avant-Garde Film, and Raw Power: Rock & Avant-Garde Film.  Christopher is also responsible for writing and applying for funding relating to programming.

Rolf Klausener: Communications Coordinator
communications@sawvideo.com
Rolf Klausener is a long-standing member Ottawa's arts and culture community. A natural communicator, Rolf has lent his expertise to countless arts and not-for-profit organizations since 2003. Over the last ten years, he has made significant contributions to the city's cultural landscape by way of his musical projects, graphic design, and events promotion. His principle project, The Acorn, has released five critically acclaimed recordings, tours internationally, produced four VideoFACT-funded videos, and has been awarded numerous grants. A life-long movie buff, Rolf has also composed music for film and television, from NFB-funded documentaries to Hollywood films. He also cooks a mean brunch, and loves his girl cat Peet.

Pixie Cram: Workshop Coordinator
workshops@sawvideo.com
Pixie Cram has been involved in media art in Ottawa for 10 years as an artist, administrator, and teacher. Her films have shown at festivals across Canada, in the United States, and in Russia.  Pixie teaches filmmaking through the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of Ottawa, where she founded the Super-8 Filmmaking Workshop for Women in 2006.  She was a member of the Board of Directors of IFCO between 2002-2005, and of Artengine from 2006-2008.  Pixie has a BFA from Concordia University in Theatre Performance (1999). 

Michael Lechasseur: Webmaster
webmaster@sawvideo.com
Michael Lechasseur is pleased to assist SAW Video in maintaining its website. He has worked as a web developer in Ottawa for the past ten years, focused on providing services to the local arts community.

Erin Kelly: Bookkeeper
Erin Kelly has been involved in Ontario's visual and media arts communities for the past nine years. A graduate of Fleming College's Museum Management and Curatorship Program, and a member of the board of Peterborough's Artspace from 2003 to 2004, she went on to work at Galerie SAW Gallery from 2004 to 2006 in the capacity of Communication and Outreach Officer. After acting as SAW Video's Interim Office Coordinator, she transitioned into the role of Administrative Coordinator in April 2007. Erin is responsible for government taxing and ensuring SAW Video’s financial standing to the auditor.

Staff Positions