Pilot program introduces Indigenous youth to film industry

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 10, 2024.

Photo courtesy of Barry Morrisette - Participants attend an Indigenous youth film training program that has been launched as a pilot project at Lethbridge Polytechnic.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

An Indigenous youth film training program has been launched as a pilot project at Lethbridge Polytechnic.

IndigiTech Destiny, in partnership with Economic Development Lethbridge, the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta, ElevateIP Alberta and the Polytechnic, are running the program this weekend.

It started on Friday and runs through Sunday.

In a lunch break phone interview Friday, Barry Morrisette of Indigitech told The Herald this is the first such program Indigitech has done.

“It’s a three-day intensive film course for Indigenous youth,” he said.

The mission of the Calgary-based Indigitech Destiny is, according to its website, “to foster unity, learning and technological progress within Indigenous communities.

A press release calls the program being held at the Polytechnic, which focuses on writing, storytelling and producing “a transformative initiative” which aims to equip Indigenous youth with the skills and knowledge to thrive in creative industries.

The program has a culturally enriched and comprehensive curriculum and “offers a platform for Indigenous youth to unleash their creativity and build critical skills in filmmaking,” says Renae Barlow, vice president of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at EDL.

“We are dedicated to creating an environment where these young storytellers can flourish and significantly impact the creative industry, whether as entrepreneurs or in professional careers.”

The immersive three-day course covers key aspects of filmmaking with participants engaging in practical exercises while learning from Indigenous filmmakers and collaborating on producing short narrative and documentary films.

On Friday, participants heard from people involved in the film industry. Today they will be taking cameras out to get some hands-on experience while Sunday will be editing day at the Polytechnic.

“It’s about showcasing opportunity and hope. And saying the fact that ‘you’re storytellers, you can tell a lot of things anytime you want. It’s just a matter of laying that down is what it comes down to,'” Morrisette added.

As facilitator, he says his goal is to give an overview of the different opportunities available to Indigenous youth in the creative industries.

“We’re probably some of the best storytellers in the world,” and the program is showcasing the different ways in which people can work to get those stories out from working behind the camera to doing publicity and promotion, he added.

“Yes you can make a five-minute short or a 10-minute film, it’s just a matter of doing it,” he said.

“We’re trying to showcase the fact that there’s more opportunity for you with the growing creative industries that Alberta’s becoming. And at the same time, it’s all about workforce development. It’s growing the community and the opportunities for Indigenous youth and Indigenous people to get into the film business because it’s good paying jobs,” he said.

And those skills are transferrable to other industries and businesses, Morrisette added.

“The other side is Alberta needs a new skill set and this is where Indigenous people come in because they have a great opportunity to leverage these new market spaces,” said Morrisette, a producer.

A goal is to get people into good paying jobs and grow them into different parts of the industry from screenwriting, directing, producing, and other aspects.

“It’s about empowering people in the creative industries,” Morrisette said.

“What we’re looking at in the sense of Indigitech Destiny, a not-for-profit, our goal is to empower Indigenous” people through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, he said.

“What you do in the sense of storytelling, for example, can go into a feature film or it can go into a video game. It go into VR, it can go into XR, it can even go into AI, because once you’ve got the story down, you can move it around to whereever you want,” said Morrisette.

“It’s multiple facets and multiple opportunities for people to grow. It’s giving opportunities they never had and it’s planting seeds if you want to call it such,” said Morrisette, praising EDL for its foresight.

“Lethbridge wants to grow the creative industries here” and while Calgary has been the hub of filmmaking in Alberta, Morrisette says this city has great locations and opportunities.

“When you look at a lot of the communities like Kainai and Piikani, for example, there’s a lot of people that have actually got into the film business and done incredibly well. So the thing is we’re leveraging those opportunities,” he said.

The program is important, say organizers, because creative industries present opportunities for entrepreneurship, employment and career growth for Indigenous youth who can often face barriers including limited access to training and education. It seeks to overcome those challenges by offering training that is culturally relevant as well as a hands-on experience to open doors to future prospects and employment in the film industry.

“This program’s potential is significant. By nurturing local talent, we are not only celebrating cultural diversity but also planting the seeds of Lethbridge and Southwest Alberta as a creative industry hub. Indigenous filmmaking is a growth opportunity worth investing in – It exemplifies our commitment to inclusivity and innovation,” said Brock Skretting, Director of Creative Industries at EDL in the release, in the release.

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