The Work That Made Me: Ally Pankiw

After being named as one of Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 15 Canadian Talents to Watch,” writer/director Ally Pankiw made her TV directing debut with Netflix’s 'Feel Good', created by comic Mae Martin. She directed and executive produced the show’s hit first season, which was critically acclaimed as one of the best series of 2020.

Pankiw has since directed on Hulu’s 'Shrill', starring Aidy Bryant, on Tony McNamara’s Emmy-nominated comedy, 'The Great', with Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, and the much lauded 'Joan Is Awful' episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror, starring Annie Murphy and Salma Hayek.

Pankiw recently completed her first film, 'I Used To Be Funny', starring Rachel Sennott. She wrote, directed and served as executive producer on the movie, which premiered at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival to rave reviews in March 2023 and was honoured as a Critics Pick by both the New York Times and The Globe and Mail upon its theatrical release. The film releases on Netflix on September 5.

In addition to her work in film and TV, Pankiw has built an impressive career in music videos and branded content. She has helmed ad campaigns for top brands like Amazon, Adidas, Chanel, and Pepsi, and spearheaded a series of Women in #STEM shorts for MTV and The Ad Council. She has also directed and produced videos for artists such as Katy Perry, Phoebe Bridgers, Janelle Monae, and Ariana Grande.

LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…

Ally> Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” music video stopped me in my tracks when I first saw it. I think it was the first time that I experienced girls being sort of grimy and tough in a time when bubble-gum pop reigned supreme, and the fact that the concept was still considered sexy was pretty mind-blowing.

It was the first time I had seen a music video lean into the grittiness of life instead of trying to make everything seem so clean and polished. And my angsty teen heart loved that. And Christina’s low-rise pants.

LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…

Ally> Maybe Michel Gondry’s Kylie Minogue video for “Come Into My World.” I just remember loving how it presented people as real people and the world as a real, tangible world, and then tipped one element on its head. It was both visually compelling and beautiful, but also absurdly comedic - a balance I’m always striving for in my work, to this day. 

LBB> The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…

Ally> 'The Artist’s Way' by Julia Cameron. It is basically my weird little bible. lol

LBB> My first professional project…

Ally> I was working on a Canadian children’s singing competition television show as a PA and then an associate producer. I heard a lot of bad renditions of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” and then I got the hell out of reality TV. 

LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…

Ally> The Idol. 

LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…

Ally> Can I say Josie and the Pussycats? That movie kind of felt like one long, perfect music video, and I loved its comedy and its aesthetic and just how smart and funny it let young women be. 

LBB> The creative project that changed my career…

Ally> That would be directing the full first season of the Netflix original comedy series, 'Feel Good', starring Mae Martin and Lisa Kudrow.

LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…

Ally> My feature film, that I both wrote and directed, called 'I Used To Be Funny', which stars Rachel Sennott. It’s a personal and tonally singular movie, and it’s been really special to see how it’s resonated with funny young female audiences all over the world. 

LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…

Ally> Oh god. Too many to count. But probably a fossil fuels commercial??  But we hired a bunch of non-binary and queer actors to star in it (and make residuals), so maybe that balanced out the karmic load a bit????

LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…

Ally> I was fortunate to direct 'Joan Is Awful', the most streamed episode of the sixth season of Black Mirror. It was so fun to work on something that was so wildly prophetic and topical, especially amidst our unprecedented guild strikes last year and the larger conversation around AI’s place in arts and culture.

And just for the record, I think AI should like, cure cancer and clean up oil spills in the ocean, not get its scripts greenlit. lol