So ya wanna be in pictures?

Instructor Richard Story gives his time to the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre film and media workshop.
Instructor Richard Story gives his time to the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre film and media workshop.

By KA Smith

NORTH BAY – Budding North Bay film makers are hoping to see their short film on the big screen at the North Bay Film Festival.

They all took part in Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, a one day workshop that recently took place at the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre. Richard Story, a professor of Digital Cinematography at Canadore College, offered the workshop as part of the Northern Images Festival focus to provide education.

Canadore donated the equipment for the workshop designed for students to write and shoot a script.

Students, aged 16 to 21 yrs, brainstormed ideas, developed the script, rehearsed, recorded, and then edited their film.

The instructor Richard Story is giving his time to hook future film and media makers into the technical art.

Story’s roots are as a Squamish Kanaka, a Coast Salish from British Columbia.  His ancestors came from Hawaii in the 1820’s to settle and intermarried with Indigenous Peoples. “I am from Vancouver, lived in Toronto for a dozen years and now I teach at Canadore College in the Digital Cinematography program. It’s applied film making, and that is what we are going to do today, some hands on film making.”

Another workshop volunteer, Doug Lewis, is heading towards being a graduate of Digital Cinematography.  Lewis says he likes to learn and help out whenever he can. “Documentaries are great for real life detail and history, but I really enjoy the creative process of working in drama.”

The reason Story wanted to put on the workshop is to expand opportunities for Aboriginal Youth.  “I’ve taught workshops for aboriginal media makers and film makers right across Canada. I’m half aboriginal myself. It’s really interesting what we’re seeing happening is that young aboriginal people are getting into filmmaking and media making. We’re trying to enhance that.”

Story says, “Aboriginal Peoples are naturally born story tellers. They are also very talented in so many ways including acting. It’s in the culture.”

Story asks the group about prior involvement with filmmaking. One enthusiastic student, twenty year old Donald Shipman put up his hand to say he has experience in front of camera. Shipman became aware of the opportunity to attend by viewing a video poster on the lobby monitor at the Indian Friendship Centre.

Shipman played a charactore in Cousins in 2008. It was filmed on Walpole Island on Bkejwanong Territory by Sunfest. “I thought that was pretty cool.” Learning Intro to Film is a fun certification for Shipman who has goals for his future. “I want to graduate and become an architect.”

Richard Story told the participants there would be three set ups: a master shot- a wide with everything in it, a closer in shot and then a close up. We will tell our story in pictures. Now, let’s brainstorm to write a script and then you’ll act in it, direct it, be behind the camera and be on sound. We’ll help you out.”

Paige Restoule was ‘on set’.  Restoule is the Waaban Program Facilitator for 12 to 17 yr old youth at risk who are involved in the justice system or labelled at risk. Restoule is familiar with youth attending the Indian Friendship Centre for many functions.

“I do alot of the cultural programming. I give the youth the opportunities to express themselves and share opinions and ideas.” The film students asked Paige to watch the workshop unfold.

“I’ve known many of the students for a long time. They will often seek me out to see if there are any interesting events to take part in.”

Restoule is hoping a finished film from the workshop could showcase our local aboriginal talent. “It went awesome! The youth really enjoyed themselves – it was definitely a great turnout.”

The first showing of the film will likely be at a local venue. “Richard said he would ultimately like it shown at the North Bay Film Festival.”