Welcome to the 500-channel universe. Television is hungry for new material, and documentary film-makers with something to say can jumpstart their career using equipment that is simpler, lighter and less expensive than ever before. That's the premise behind the new documentary and small unit production program at Capilano College's Sechelt campus, launched this week.
Eight students are already embarking on a 16-month diploma program that is more rigorous than those offered by many film schools.
"There are lots of schools that ask students to make one documentary as part of their training," says Dave Gordon, co-ordinator of the program. "The students max out their credit cards, then the documentary sits on a shelf. Here, we're also teaching how to run your own venture capital small business and how to finance your film. Students will make 12 to 18 of their own documentaries."
Gordon is a 40-year professional and veteran of multi-million dollar U.S. films. When he got tired of blowing up buildings and chasing cars on film, he turned to teaching motion picture production at Capilano's North Vancouver campus. To ensure that this new program stays high quality, he has brought in other working professional film-makers to teach, such as Charles Wilkinson, film and TV director (2004 independent U.S. feature The Heart of the Storm) and the award winning film-maker Michelle Mason (The Friendship Village and Breaking Ranks, a film about U.S. military deserters).
Most of the students, with two exceptions, are closer to 40 than 20; they're not starry-eyed and seem clear about their career path. Student Kris Backs is happy that they are already hands on with the equipment. It takes about $20,000 to set a person up with everything that's required these days, says Coast photographer and student Dianne Whelan.
"The video cameras are light and portable, you need to buy digital tape and use a computer to edit. It would have cost millions before," she says. Whelan has her own aspirations during this program to finish a documentary she begun years ago - a narrative about a miracle that took place in her mother's family. Another student, Susan Brinton, also from Gibsons, has a goal of making a documentary about the community and its approach to the environment. Brinton has worked in the industry in the business offices of Global; this time, she wants to learn the fun side.
Gordon points out that a number of the students already have degrees. "I asked one lady with a degree why she wants to be in this program," he says. "She told me that in today's market she wants to learn a visual language."
Some of those films will be short - a few minutes or even one minute in length to be heard on an IPod. They could be on subjects suitable for the specialized channels: home and garden, science and nature. They could be commissioned work for industry on health or safety topics. Local interest films could appear on Coast Cable. Others will be docu-dramas on subjects that attract a film audience and will be shown on the popular festival circuit.
Why the Sechelt campus for this new venture? Fine and applied arts dean Dorothy Jantzen says the North Vancouver campus, which already teaches motion picture making and several other film and stage related courses, is short of space. Sechelt Campus dean Jean Bennett is hoping this type of program will draw students to the Coast from all over to enrich the community. Next intake will be in January 2007.
