SAMUEL RAFUSE

Craig Silliphant never thought an English degree from the University of Saskatchewan would land him a job as a director in radio for Saskatoon, but that’s exactly what it did.

In his role as creative director and film critic/entertainment commenter at Rawlco Radio, Silliphant manages a team of writers, audio producers, graphic designers and social media designers to produce radio content for Saskatoon and the surrounding area.

Silliphant is also the editor for thefeedbacksociety.com, where contributors write about pop culture and the media. Along with his full-time duties, he does freelance writing for The National Post, Planet S, Prairie Dog and the U of S alumni magazine Green and White.

Silliphant graduated from the U of S in 1999 with a degree in English but never saw himself as someone who would lead radio programming.

“The only thing I knew how to do was write. I was an idiot that just stumbled onto something that I knew,” Silliphant said.

Hard work, perseverance and tenacity paid off, as Silliphant slowly saw opportunities opening up in radio. He ended up as a film critic for C95 FM, where he became affectionately known as “Craig the movie guy,” a well-known and well-loved presence on the air.

Before his career took off, Silliphant worked at various movie rental stores, like Blockbuster, where he would watch upwards of 10 movies every week, leading him to gain an appreciation of film criticism.

“Now, you can go online and look up the best movies about any particular thing. But back in the days of VHS, you would get the 10 movies that came out that week and you’d take them home and watch them all,” Sillphant said.

Silliphant watched everything he could get his hands on. He emphasizes the importance of being open to new experiences and taking the bad with the good because you learn from others’ mistakes.

Discussing movies is still one of Silliphant’s favourite activities, despite his career having taken a turn towards production and directing. David Lynch’s Dune is among his top film picks. Silliphant watched the movie countless times and read the book over and over before finding an appreciation for Dune, but he now claims it is his favorite film to discuss with his friends.

Silliphant explained that the process of gaining experience in the media world involves being willing to explore any option.

“I followed my artistic ventures for years and years — 10 years of not saying no to anything because really any gig could turn into a job,” Silliphant said.

Working at C95 FM and working freelance eventually led to Silliphant’s current directorial position at Rawlco Radio.

Silliphant advises U of S students seeking a career in a creative field not to ever feel like they’ve reached a plateau in their journey. He spoke about the importance of always trying to learn more and improve.

“Keep doing it, keep writing, keep practicing,” Silliphant said. “At the same time, don’t ever let anyone tell you it can’t be done.”

According to Silliphant, it’s important not to underestimate the value of learning to work within restrictions. Silliphant explains one of the best ways he became a better writer was having to fit his work into 30 second segments for commercials, allowing him to become a more concise creative thinker.

“If you want to get paid to write, it’s a commercial endeavor,” Silliphant said. “But there’s no shame in commercializing part of your writing.”

When asked if he had any final words of advice for young writers, Silliphant was clear and to the point — with a wry smile.

“Spell things right on your resume.”