Fort McPherson workshop day 1
We decided to have two workshops per day in order to accommodate and meet as many people in Fort McPherson as possible. The first visit to any community is about making connections and finding out interests and how best to work together.
BUT FIRST, Mary Jane has to get to CBQM by 10AM and talk about the film workshop and her latest film! The host this morning was Mary and it turns out Mary and Mary Jane used to go summer camping together when they were younger!!
Then it’s back to the Christian Fellowship Church to hold the first workshop of the day from 11am - 4pm.
We watched a few movies in the AM with folks as they showed up to the workshop: Esther, Ruby, Edward, Jeanetta and Dean. Then everyone had an animation tutorial and could work on animating their names as a warm up.
Ruby, of course, came with an idea to create a film for the short video contest celebrating Gwich’in language and encouraging language learning. To be eligible for the project she needs to pair an elder with a youth…and talk about revitilizing the Gwich’in language. She animated her name as well as animating two Gwich’in words: grandpa = shitsii and grandma = shitsuu.
Esther also animated her name and brainstormed a whole LIST of story ideas. She came to the conclusion that she would tell a family road trip tale and their meeting with a moose on the Dempster Highway near Tombstone…!
As the day progressed Edward considered creating a video about his camp but also agreed to help Ruby with her project. Ruby considered some Elders she knew in the community but didn’t want to ask too much of them and exhaust them, so she ended up thinking she could be the Elder. Then she cast Edward as the grandson! Ruby worked on a script (A LOT of laughing ensued) and Mary Jane helped with the Gwich’in
Jeanetta also has MANY ideas and is considering a day in the life of either herself or her grandmother. She took the ViXIA, tripod and audio recorder to her grandmother’s house and captured her grandmother waking up and cracking jokes…!
An incredible afternoon!
The mentors then took a break to eat and then returned for the 6-9pm workshop, mostly geared to folks who work or kids who go to school. It turned out to be a real kid energy kind of night!
Welcome Ally, Rylee, Jathena, Conrad, Naomi and Taylor!
All made their names in cut out animated letters and learned the art of stop motion animation!
Elizabeth popped by and talked about being interested to make a short film regarding saving the National Arctic Refuge, we showed her some films and made a list of media she could gather. She hopes to come by on Saturday!
Conrad is considering a longer film as well!! Exciting Night!
