Samurai to Union Organizer: Sano with IATSE 891 talks about Vertical Films

He went to an open casting call as a joke and ended up a samurai on Shogun. Six months later, IATSE 891 asked him why he was on set. Now Sano is the union's lead organizer, and in Episode 2 of Beyond the Hook he tells host Tarak how a former engineering student and hotel-union "salt" ended up championing the crews behind the camera. Recorded live at the Canadian Vertical Film Festival 2026 in Victoria, BC, Sano explains why IATSE 891 stepped up as a gold sponsor of the very first CVFF: "I think they are so talented, and can really produce the most magical stuff, and also that it is really a community that cares about each other." He's blunt about what happens on lower-budget sets ("One of the first things that happens in lower budget productions is that safety goes out the window") and why unions have a job to do in a new medium. The conversation opens up into what vertical makes possible: storytelling that's accessible to communities that have never had the training or resources, from Indigenous communities in remote BC to the Italian families who built Trail. Sano also breaks down how IATSE 891 helps people before they're members, and what comes after: training, health benefits, RRSPs and retirement. And the fill-in-the-blank finish, "The future of our industry depends on...": his answer is about how bold Victoria and Kelowna are willing to be. Beyond the Hook is brought to you by the Canadian Vertical Film Festival. Media sponsor: Townley Visual Media Made possible by Victoria International Marina, IATSE Local 891, ACFC West Local 2020 and the Actsafe Safety Association. Full article and links at verticalfilmfest.ca.