Laurence Payette
By Andrew King
If you had to trace Laurence Payette ’ s impressive string of successes in live production back to single experience , it would be her work as the artistic coordinator on Radio-Canada ’ s hit show Les dieux de la danse back in 2015 . On top of being the young creative professional ’ s first major TV project , it taught her how artistic management can be just as rewarding as actually making things , and ultimately led to her current position as the creative assistant to Matthieu Larivée , the luminary designer behind Montreal ’ s revered Lüz Studio .
Born and raised in Joliette , QC , Payette inherited an artistic flair from some family members and developed a passion for arts and crafts ; subsequently , she decided to study set and costume design at the esteemed Collège Lionel-Groulx in the Montreal suburb of Sainte-Thérèse .
“ It was an instant crush ,” she enthuses while speaking with Professional Lighting & Production . “ It was constant discoveries of new professions throughout the four years of my studies . The educational path went from learning how to install and focus spots on one day to learning scenic painting techniques the other . It was an intense and very challenging four years , where I made the best friends and colleagues I still have today .”
After graduating in 2010 , Payette explored various creative disciplines in further detail , from scenic painting to sewing costumes to building sets and accessories . “ I really learned a lot about the industry , having the chance to work for theatres and on TV and film sets ,” she says . “ I also shared a workshop for a few years with some close friends from school , where we shared not only our latest expertise , but also some of our bad moves .”
In 2015 , she landed her position on Les dieux de la danse , and that ’ s where she first met Larivée – at least formally , as it turns out Lüz Studio ’ s former offices were in the same building as her workshop , and the two would often pass in the halls . Lüz was also working on the show , overseeing all of the video content , and the two developed a friendship . Two years later , Larivée was looking for a creative assistant and Payette successfully applied , leading to a fruitful creative partnership of nearly four years and counting .
One of her first major projects with Lüz Studio was working on the projection-mapped show on Parliament Hill during the official Canada 150 celebrations in 2017 . “ It was a perfect first encounter with video content and I think it led to defining my role in the company ,” she fondly recalls . “ Now , I can say I ’ m pretty well-versed . Matt is always joking and saying I ’ m a ‘ video girl ’ – I guess my nickname ‘ Lowres ’ helps with that …” Over the years , Payette and the team at Lüz have collaborated with artists like Jason Aldean , Jack White , Panic ! at the Disco , Foster the People , Billy Idol , and many others , as well as cultural institutions like Just for Laughs , Canadian Music Week , and Quebec ’ s Gémeaux Awards , to name a few .
Thanks to the quality of their work , they ’ ve managed to keep relatively busy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic . “ Fortunately , the TV industry has being going well since live events are very rare these days ,”
Payette says , pointing to their work on this year ’ s Gémeaux Awards gala as an example . That event , like CBC ’ s Canada Day 2020 broadcast before it , had Lüz Studio incorporating elements of augmented reality into their work .
“ The COVID-19 situation carries a lot of restrictions and augmented reality helps us bring some emotion and intimacy to these projects ,” she explains . “ I already notice the evolution that we ’ ve made since our first AR project . It ’ s great to see how we can create within this new medium and push its aesthetic to another level than what we ’ re used to seeing in its more typical use during election coverage or sporting events , for example .”
Outside of work , Payette enjoys much of what ’ s on offer in Montreal ’ s Villeray neighbourhood , where she ’ s been based for nearly seven years . She has a close group of friends , many of whom she met during college and her years in the shared workshop , and says their shared interests in creative pursuits blur the line between the personal and professional . “ I guess I can say that I ’ m a crafty person . I like to build , repair , and create things with my hands . I used to do it as a job ; now , it ’ s become more of a hobby ,” she says . With some encouragement from a colleague , she also took up running a few years ago and finds it very beneficial to her wellbeing .
“ Of course , I like to go to shows – plays , concerts , movies , exhibitions – to get inspired and see what other colleagues are creating ,” she adds . “ The Montreal scene is so rich and diversified ; you can ’ t get bored here .”
Still , she ’ s very much looking forward to travelling again , both for work and leisure . “ It ’ s nice to get to know more about your city and country for sure ,” she acknowledges , “ but I miss being somewhere I don ’ t know , surrounded by people , noises , restaurants , and buildings you don ’ t recognize .
“ Travelling gives me inspiration ,” she tacks on , and inspiration has been one of several keys to her success in this industry thus far .
Andrew King is the former Editor -in-Chief of Professional Lighting & Production .
Winter 2020 | 43