On the last page of every issue of Industry West, we find a Saskatchewan business person or leader to answer our version of the Proust Questionnaire. Marcel Proust made the questionnaire famous, believing that 35 specific questions could reveal a person’s true nature. We grabbed this idea—you’ve probably seen it in Vanity Fair—and made our own version. The first five questions are ours, and then we ask our subject to pick their favourite Proust questions to answer.
Say hello to Shane Luhning, Industry West’s very own videographer and photographer. Shane has been working with us as freelancer for three years. He’s taken beautiful cover and feature photos, and he’s been the driving force and creative behind our roundtable videos. He’s now joined the team because there are some exciting things happening at Industry West—stay tuned for more information about our growing video and photo services.
Here’s what Shane had to say.
- Where are you from? I was born and raised in Regina, but both sides of my family come from Lumsden.
- Where did you attend school and what did you study? I went to high school at Martin Collegiate in Regina, then I studied at the University of Regina where I graduated with a B.F.A. in Film and Video Production in 2005.
- What is your career history? An unhealthy mix of sales, management, and media production.
- What’s the best piece of business or career advice you have or have been given? “Do what you love” feels a bit cliché, and sometimes a bit unrealistic, but if you can get there, that’s a good place to be.
- What’s your favourite thing about Saskatchewan? Saskatchewan is actually a great place to grow up, a lot of the time you have to make your own fun but that gets the creative side of your brain ticking at a young age.
- Which living person do you most admire? My Grandfather Alfred Luhning. He was 14 years old when he started farming and retired when he was 96. He brought in 82 crops in his lifetime, that’s a work ethic I’d like to emulate. And he’s still with us at 101 years old.
- What is your greatest extravagance? Camera gear: It’s an expensive addiction that keeps me working 7 days a week. But it’s such an exciting time to be at that intersection of technology and creative work.
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Overanalyzing, overpreparing, overthinking, overworking … I need to take a weekend off man.
- Where would you most like to live? I taught English in Mexico City years ago, and it’s such an amazing place, rich with history, culture, and art. There are so many places throughout that country that are just magic. These days though I can’t seem to get enough of Banff and Canmore, but Regina is going to remain home for the foreseeable future.
- Who are your heroes in real life? Gordon Downie: Gord’s words and music will always remind me of the importance of telling Canadian stories, and that the work we do here can be world class.
