I was hired on as a Teaching Assistant for a documentary production workshop held in Akwesasne's Youth Resource Center, located across Cornwall Island, across the US border into Massenna, New York but “technically” in Quebec, St-Regis Quebec, Mohawk territory.
Now, this documentary workshop was 3 days long. The participants were part of a summer co-op program ran by a dedicated and passionate educator named Clarissa Jacobs. The participants ranged in age, from as young as 13 to as “old” as 22. The opportunity was co-ordinated through the Mamidosewin Aboriginal Student Centre at Algonquin College and the School of Media and Design.
Now, this documentary workshop was 3 days long. The participants were part of a summer co-op program ran by a dedicated and passionate educator named Clarissa Jacobs. The participants ranged in age, from as young as 13 to as “old” as 22. The opportunity was co-ordinated through the Mamidosewin Aboriginal Student Centre at Algonquin College and the School of Media and Design.
I was there assisting Professor Peter Biesterfeld with this three-day docu workshop. There were a few in class lectures on documentary films, and hand on sessions on operating a camera, using the boom mic, editing and the business of documentary production.
Students were obviously eager to get to the filming and they managed to film a variety of sequences and a profile doc on a local carver... and one student even filmed a lacrosse game! Overall, the students had great chemistry and worked really well together, some of them I think had a knack for directing and even operating the camera.
Students were obviously eager to get to the filming and they managed to film a variety of sequences and a profile doc on a local carver... and one student even filmed a lacrosse game! Overall, the students had great chemistry and worked really well together, some of them I think had a knack for directing and even operating the camera.
Dalton, one of the youngest participants wrote “I liked operating the camera and directing my own film. I think it gives me a sense of control, what I found difficult was the visuals – it was not my choice but I had to do it”. Some found camera operating to be quite the task. Louie wrote, “I think using the camera was very challenging. Just keeping it real steady”. For Jerome the challenge came from elsewhere,
“I liked using the video camera and I thought it was difficult to not laugh and think of something to say in front of the camera”.
“I liked using the video camera and I thought it was difficult to not laugh and think of something to say in front of the camera”.
Clearly, it's not all about filming and being in front of the camera, Jaiden wrote “ I think the editing part of the process was the most challenging”. As for Nick, “I liked using the video camera and gaining experience from the workshop, also enjoyed being the sound guy, I thought that was a good experience”.
Finally, the last word has to go out to Delray! He had the best metaphors and analogies....and he was also a good camera operator! “To me the camera is like a sandwich. You can always make a sandwich , but what you choose to put on it is up to you”.
The three-day documentary boot camp was a career sampler for Akwesasne high school students. First they learned visual story telling, how to shoot sequences, a series of connected shots that can be edited into a scene.
Next they got a crash course in how to plan and shoot a profile of an artist capturing interview, actuality and visuals. They got to apply all of these skills to a five-minute mini documentary about a local carver, Ben Benedict.
Students received hands-on experience shooting in various locations and came away with a good overview of the various production jobs that need to get done in the making of documentaries.
Students screened and discussed their footage then participated in editing decisions during post-production.
The video below contains the sequences and mini doc students directed and shot during the three-day workshop.
The video below contains the sequences and mini doc students directed and shot during the three-day workshop.
I really enjoyed working with these students. I hope some of them pursue documentary, a few of them had some ideas they wanted to share with the world. I had brought my camera along to see if I could capture something short to share with y’all.
- Garmamie Sideau
http://www.documocku.blogspot.com/
- Garmamie Sideau
http://www.documocku.blogspot.com/
Thank You's
Clarissa Jacobs - Akwesasne Area Management Board’s Youth Resource Center
Dwight Powless - First Nation's Liaison Algonquin College
Elena Abel - Cultural Activity Coordinator Mamidosewin Center
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