About
Mary Fowles has 20 years of experience as a reporter, researcher, and documentary filmmaker, and she is also a professional photographer and videographer. Her skill set makes her an ideal reporter to be able to share news across digital platforms
Fowles is a graduate of Concordia University’s journalism program. During her studies she gained familiarity with civic reporting and later interned and freelanced with the Montreal Gazette and the CBC Radio.
In her last semester, Fowles was one of four journalists across Canada awarded with a fellowship from the International Development Research Centre. This award took Fowles to Casablanca, Morocco for one year where she interned at a cutting edge political newsweekly magazine, reporting on a variety of social issues on the front lines.
After working in Morocco, Fowles went on to make documentary films, and continued to freelance write. Her first film was about a woman in Morocco who had to fight her way into a man’s job as a taxi driver, and her second film reported on the Syrian refugee settlement that took place in Vancouver in 2016. Most recently, Fowles took a job with Cuso International and moved to Kingston, Jamaica for two years. Here, she developed an extensive portfolio in documentary photography in a city plagued by crime and violence.
Her commitment as a journalist is to amplify the voices of those who are underserved within their communities. Her past employers and editors have relied on her for her work ethic, thorough research, journalistic integrity and insight. She has a proven track record of excellent in-depth reporting but can also work on smaller stories and will produce content quickly.
Education
Concordia University/ Journalism Graduate Diploma June 2004 - June 2005, Montreal; Awarded with a Canadian fellowship in International Development Journalism from IDRC ($20,000)
McGill University / BA: Major English/Cultural Studies, September 2000 - June 2003, Montreal; Graduated with Great Distinction
SFU Writers Studio - Certificate in Creative Non-Fiction Writing
2012, Vancouver
Journalism Awards
2022 - Recipient of the Webster Award in the Category Excellence in Legal Journalism (Sponsored by the Law Society of British Columbia)
2004 - International Development Research Centre. Awarded a $20,000 fellowship for promising young Canadian journalists to work in a developing country that I used to work at Le Journal Hebdomadaire in Morocco (see above).
Work Experience
Journalist
Freelance Reporter: 2004 - Ongoing
The Tyee, Tricycle Magazine, Vancouver Magazine, Maclean’s, Morocco Times The Montreal Gazette, Qantara.de (Germany), Voices Across Boundaries, Vox Feminarum, Entrepột, McGill Reporter, McGill Daily, Concordia’s Thursday Report, The Concordian (Concordia University), The Link (Concordia University), The Catholic Times, The West Island Chronicle, The Gulf Islands Driftwood
Le Journal Hebdomadaire / Writer/Editorial Intern: July 2004 - January 2005, Casablanca, Morocco; Interned as a writer for this Moroccan newsweekly magazine that received the International Press Freedom award from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The McGill Daily / Writer: September 2001 - June 2003, Montreal
Journalism Internships
- CBC Radio / Intern JANUARY 2004, MONTREAL
- The Montreal Gazette / Writer/Intern MARCH - JULY 2004, MONTREAL
- Enroute Magazine / Writer/Intern JANUARY - JUNE 2006, MONTREAL
Photography
Mary Fowles Photography / Photographer / Founder: NOVEMBER 2020 - PRESENT, VANCOUVER Documentary-style family, lifestyle and events photography in Vancouver, BC, www.maryfowles.com
Member of:
- Vancouver Street Photography Collective
- Portfolio of documentary photography
- Portfolio of commercial photography
Equipment:
- Nikon D750, 85mm 1.8, 50mm 1.8
- Fuji Hx1, 23mm 1.4
- Rode Mic
- Rode wireless mics
Documentary Film
Global Oneness Project / Director/Producer: SEPTEMBER 2016 - DECEMBER 2017, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Welcome to Canada: Produced, directed and wrote a short documentary on the resettlement of Syrian refugees to Vancouver, Canada in 2016. The film was shown on The Atlantic, premiered at the Seattle Film Festival and is being distributed throughout North America, including the NFB. Recipient of the Sapporo Peace Award.
Safran Films Inc / Producer / Director/ Writer/ Founder: MARCH 2007 - DECEMBER 2009, MONTREAL Taxi Casablanca: Produced, directed and wrote a feature documentary for broadcast on TV5 which follows in the daily life of Morocco’s first female taxi driver.
Grants awarded include:
- Canada Council for the Arts
- Quebec Council for the Arts - Media Arts Grant
- Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
- Canadian International Development Agency (Development Information Program)
- National Film Board of Canada ACIC program
- Fondation du Maire de Montreal
- SODEC
Professional highlights include:
Fundraised a production budget of $220,000 through government grants in the arts and international development agencies.
Liaised with financiers and negotiated contracts;
Oversaw all grant reporting and deliverables
Hired, scheduled & directed crew;
Secured copyright and license clearances, including broadcast agreements, location agreements, and errors and omissions insurance;
Managed bookkeeping and accounting (using Quickbooks and Excel);
Met all requirements for the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credits program
Delivered on time and under budget.
- DLI Productions / Associate Producer/Writer/Production Manager: MARCH 2005 - DECEMBER 2007, MONTREAL Was an associate producer and production manager on multiple documentary films for TV broadcast (CBC Newsworld, TV5, TeleQuebec, Global) including a 3 part series titled Inside the Great Magazines and the one-off Canadaville, USA
Research
- Research Assistant / Timothy Taylor 2014, VANCOUVER For a feature article for the Walrus titled “Happy Returns” https://thewalrus.ca/happy-returns/
- Research Assistant / Charles Montgommery/Writer, 2014, VANCOUVER
- Found Images Research / Research Assistant, Archival researcher for museum exhibits and films SEPTEMBER 2016 - DECEMBER 2017, VANCOUVER
- Reader's Digest / Fact Checker, 2010 - 2014, MONTREAL
Computer
- Advanced computer competency in Microsoft Office, Adobe, Mac and PC systems, Excel, Quickbooks, Outlook, and competency in spreadsheets and database systems
- Photo editing: Lightroom (advanced), Photoshop (basic)
- Video editing: Adobe Premiere Elements (intermediate)
Languages
- English - First Language
- French - Second Language (working ability, conversational, reading)