The Motion Picture and Video Production program is wrapping up its first year at the Sunshine Coast campus of Capilano College. The 14 students enrolled in the program will seek entry-level employment in the film and video production industry or continue their education at the North Vancouver campus of Capilano College. The college held a screening on March 1 featuring three student productions entitled Girl Interrupted, Paper Cut and Budget News. Girl Interrupted was a serious assignment that required the students to recreate a scene from the original movie. The other two productions were submitted as part of a contest between the Sunshine Coast and North Vancouver campuses. The groups were given 24 hours to shoot and edit a five-minute project that incorporated props selected by the instructors. The full-time, two-term program introduces students to the world of dramatic film, television and video production. It offers a general overview of the types of creative and craft jobs that are available and enables students to identify specific areas of personal interest and employment options while working as members of a production crew.
"I'm glad we have this program offered in Sechelt," said Bill Thumm, film program instructor. "The students are showing a keen interest. There is a lot of solidarity among this group."
The three productions featured local actors cast by the students in the program. Marilyn Browning, manager of Heritage Playhouse, was contacted by the college to assist in the casting process.
"I phoned everyone I knew and asked for their resume and headshot," Browning said. "Then I got the scripts and knew which people would suit the parts."
Deirdre Palmer has been acting locally for the past three years and says she enjoyed working on the student films. "It was a very positive experience," Palmer said. "I think it was a wonderful experience for both sides involved. I learned the ins and outs from their side of the camera."
Film student Nathan Pond enrolled in the program because he has always had an interest in film. He acknowledges that being employed in the industry requires having a recognized education.
"This experience has been a blessing," Pond said. "When you learn how it works behind the scenes, you watch television differently. Instead of watching the acting, I now notice the camera angles and the lighting."
Jean Bennett, Sunshine Coast campus manager, said the film program has been a wonderful addition to the campus in regards to the enthusiasm it brings locally, adding that using local actors has brought the community together. "The program adds to the rich cultural environment that already exists on the Coast," Bennett said.
