Mitchell Sutherland: Aspiring Actor
It is wonderful to hear from Transition to Life graduates like Mitchell, who are following their passions and interests in exciting directions. We spoke with Mitchell about his experience with the Transition to Life course, his interest in film and television and his goals for the future.
“Transition to Life helped me narrow down what I wanted to do for a career,” said Michell Sutherland, a 2015 graduate of the program.
“When I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until taking the program that I had to narrow down my options and think about my interests.”
While Sutherland credits Transition to Life with helping him carve out a path in life, his journey through the course took a more unique path than many. Hailing from the small northern Ontario community of Moosonee, Sutherland – along with his mother – travelled to Kingston to take the course.
Moosonee is a picturesque town situated in the heart of the arctic watershed, mere kilometres away from James Bay. With no road access, the primary link between the town and outside world is the famed Polar Bear Express passenger train. After a five hour rail journey to the nearest town on Cochrane, Sutherland and his mother then drove another ten hours to Kingston where they stayed for the three month duration of the course.
It is an experience that Sutherland says speaks to the lack of ASD services in the Ontario northland.
“In Northern Ontario, there weren’t any ASD services at the time,” said Sutherland. “I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome by a child psychologist when I was seven years old. Other than that no other services were available that I was aware of.”
Sutherland credits the dedication of his mother – whose diligence in researching ASD and willingness to adapt her parenting strategies to better suit Sutherland – with putting him in contact with services for his ASD. Including, but not limited to, Integrated Autism Consulting and the Transition to Life program.
“It wasn’t until we had moved to Kingston that we found some accommodations for my ASD,” Sutherland said.
Through the program, Sutherland says he was empowered to think about his interests and narrow down what he wanted out of life. After considering his passion for film and television, he enrolled in Canadore College’s Digital Cinematography course where he graduated in 2020. He is now in the process of taking the college’s Acting for Stage and Screen program and is in his final semester. After graduating, he says he hopes to start acting in film and television.
What draws him to a career in the entertainment industry?
“I’d say the most enjoyable part of it is finding the process with which I can just play and tap into a more emotional state. When I’m confident in my talents and my memory, I can look for ways that work for me to embody certain feelings in the play/film/etc,” Sutherland explained. “I have a vivid imagination – something I attribute to my ASD – so finding things to play with when building a character or acting in a scene feels more intuitive.”
Although he feels confident and invested in his direction, Sutherland emphasises that it is okay if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. Such uncertainty, he says, presents those who are experiencing it with an opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth.
“The world will not end if you don’t immediately know what you want to do with your life. Find something that you think will interest you and empassion you and pursue it. If you are hesitant, slow down and find the drive to do something, and then just do it. Take a stab at it and keep doing it, even if it doesn’t work the first time,” Sutherland said.
“Doing things over and over again will build confidence and skill. Over time you may discover specific things you enjoy and if you get scared or nervous, find a person or a hobby or a piece of time that will calm you. Reorient yourself and find peace. That’s what I would say.”
- Article Written by Connor Lalande
