After a semester learning about all things digital, students with Powell River Film School will display their work at a Public Gala Screening, which takes place at Max Cameron Theatre tonight, Wednesday, June 20.
During the certificate program various projects familiarize students with the use of cameras, sound, editing and working with actors and props. All skills are then pooled into creation of a feature film, which this year will be Night Shift.
“It’s about two guys who are working in a gas station and they are just doing a night shift, hanging out and doing their thing, and there is an attempted robbery that happens,” explained Tony Papa, school director. The robbery is foiled when it becomes evident the robber is on his first job, and the gas attendants spend time giving him pointers.
Between eight and 12 students participated in the program this semester and Papa said his students have done a great job. “They have been a very hardworking group. They have put together quite a variety of material.”
The school recently received a donation of a production camera crane. Papa has been working with Mark Biagi, marine biologist with Salish Sea Advocacy Group, for awhile as they have been pondering a marine biology section with the film school. “We just got to talking about some of the tools that enhance production value and we were talking about a crane,” said Papa. “He took a couple of designs of some of the commercial ones and put it together in his garage.” Papa describes the crane as a production tool and students have already used it in shooting a music video. As for filming in the marine environment that might happen in the future.
Recent technology has made novice filmmaking quite accessible with GoPro cameras and high definition shots on iPhones. “It is kind of an evolution in a way of how youth are being able to understand the language that is inherently thrown at them,” said Papa. “Then there are other students with no experience and it is cool because the ones that know more can actually help the ones that know less.”
For a number of years, the school has had an affiliation with Capilano University, making it quite easy for a student to move on in film studies. “This year there is one student going into Capilano,” said Papa. “This particular student is from Terrace so she came here to take advantage of what we do here which is
open to any student in BC.”
Next year the school will work with Emily Carr University of Art + Design on a dual-credit program. As Capilano is more of a commercial industry school, Emily Carr is more arts oriented, explained Papa. The credit would be applied to a course that the film school and Emily Carr have in common.
Tonight, doors open at 6 pm for a reception and the program begins at 7 pm. Admission is by donation. “I’d just like people to come and see what our future filmmakers are doing.”
