Latest news with #VancouverFilmSchool
CTV News
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Creator behind Emmy-winning animated series holds boot camp for writers, animators, fans
The Vancouver Film School will host the three-day workshop for animators, writers and fans of The Dragon Prince show. (CTV News)
CBC
06-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
'Grief can eventually turn into growth': Winnipeggers share recovery stories after loss
Her volleyball career was cut short by a devastating back injury. Graduation from film school didn't land her a dream gig in the industry. Retiring from his life in construction left him at loose ends. Grief comes in many forms. It did for three Winnipeggers, who shared their stories as part of a new short documentary about unexpected forms of grief that aren't associated with death. "Grief is what happens when we experience a loss and it can be a variety of kinds of losses," said Wayne Sadler, an outreach and education co-ordinator with Palliative Care Manitoba. "So obviously the most devastating kind of loss is a death, but grief can also happen when we have other kinds of losses." Case in point: Lisa Kachkowsky's career as an elite national volleyball player ended prematurely after she suffered a herniated disc in her back. While she was "crushed" at the time, she moved on with her life and became a teacher. "Really volleyball — that life experience — was a small piece of the pie. There is still so much more to life than just that game," Kachkowsky said. For Francesca Munsi, graduation from Vancouver Film School didn't result in an immediate job. "I was upset for a while over not being able to jump straight in and be able to do what I loved," she said. And Herald Boychuk, 83, faced his own loss after retirement and the march of time. "When you admit to yourself that no matter how much you don't want to slow down because of old age, you've got to have in your own mind that you have no choice," Boychuk said. "And that in itself brought me some sadness." These reactions are not unusual, Sadler says. "When you experience a loss, it means that that person or that situation was really important to you," he said. Sadler says it's important to address those feelings of grief and then move forward by "taking that energy and turning it into new opportunities." For Munsi, her dream of an animation career is still on the table, and she is taking time to map out a strategy. "Dealing with grief has been a kind of a new thing for me," Munsi said. "I've kind of figured that, you know, you can learn a lot from grief. And grief can eventually turn into growth." Overcoming different forms of grief is the subject of a three-minute documentary by students in the Create program at Sisler High School, a post-high school program that trains students in the creative digital arts, including filmmaking. Create students Tyler Ullyot, Annabella Katiniaris and Ben Crowe produced the short video. Meet the filmmakers Tyler Ullyot has been interested in being a filmmaker since Grade 9, when he took a digital media class just for fun. He enjoys making videos for YouTube or shooting and editing short films with friends, and always tries to challenge himself by learning new techniques and programs to help prepare him for the industry. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, photography, biking and playing hockey. Annabella Katiniaris has had an interest in movie-making since they were little. They love filming and editing, and also have a love for graphic design. They love nature and being with the people they care about, and want to use their time on the planet to learn, create, feel, help others and discover the secrets of the universe — if they have the time. Ben Crowe has had a passion for filmmaking since starting as a five-year-old. He is interested in many areas of film production, including cinematography, shooting, editing and directing. In his free time, he likes to watch movies and his favourite YouTube creators, many of which serve as inspiration for future projects. More about Project POV: Sisler Create CBC Manitoba's Project POV: Sisler Create is a storytelling collaboration that partners filmmaking students with CBC Manitoba journalists to produce short docs. You can see past projects here. The Winnipeg School Division's Create program is hosted at Sisler High School and trains post-high students in the creative digital arts. During fall 2024, CBC journalists taught storytelling to filmmaking students and led producing workshops at Sisler.
CBC
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Métis woman teaches kids to love the culture — but her own daughter surprised her
Felice Gladue has a deep passion for sharing her Métis culture with children, but she says for a brief time, her own kids were her toughest audience. Felice, whose Métis ancestry comes from St. Laurent, Man., began sharing her culture with children while working for Aboriginal Head Start, a preschool program for Indigenous kids, more than two decades ago. "I just feel such a great connection and a great sense of joy to be able to share with others about the Métis people," she said. About a decade ago she founded Metis ALIVE, a company based in Beaumont, Alta., (just south of Edmonton) to help share Métis history and traditions in schools and the community. But while she's been helping other children learn about Métis culture, Felice said she "dragged" her own kids around to events and programs to immerse them in it. "There's a point where they're kind of like those teenagers where they don't want to do anything," Felice said. Willow Gladue, now 16, agrees with that assessment. 'Mom, I can jig' "I remember hating having to go to all the events and stuff and having to say hi to people all the time," Willow said. During the pandemic that changed, the teen said. She heard about a jigging contest with prize money. "I was like, 'Oh, I can make that much money for jigging?" she said, and asked her mom if she could take part in the virtual competition. Felice said she was skeptical. "I'm like, 'Well, you need to learn,'" she remembers saying. She said she thought she would need to teach Willow the steps. However, after growing up around it, Willow says she knew what to do. "I do remember that day being like, 'Mom, I can jig. Like, I literally have watched you all these years. Of course I can jig.'" She said she remembers her mom hesitating before putting music on, but once it was on Felice was convinced. "She flat out did the Red River jig. And I was just like,'What the heck?" From there, Willow says her love of dancing grew. "I just kinda was like, 'I wanna do this.' I'm proud of my culture and I'm proud of who I am and I just, I love to dance," she said. In addition to dancing and singing, Willow also plays the fiddle, guitar, piano, drums, harmonica, ukulele and the kalimba. While she enjoys each of those, Willow said she hopes to pursue acting and attend the Vancouver Film School after high school. Working for Metis ALIVE has helped her make some money to pay for it. Willow joins Felice at presentations, even travelling out of Alberta, and demonstrates jigging. In addition to dancing, Willow has also worked to put together DIY capote (or capot) kits for dolls. The capote coats are a traditional Métis garment and "really represents our ancestors" who worked as voyageurs, trappers and traders, according to Felice. The kits — which Metis ALIVE has also sold in child and adult sizes, as well as for dogs — include all the pieces of fabric needed to make the coats, a darning needle, pattern, instructions and even a tiny Métis sash. Pride in culture Felice also tries to bring the culture and history alive through dancing, singing and acting. When visiting schools, Felice says she begins by asking if there are any Métis, Inuit or First Nations kids in the class. "Sometimes nobody will lift up their hand," she said. "But by the end of my presentation, by the end of the experience, that kid is coming up to me in a real quiet voice [saying], 'You know what, actually? I am Cree.'" She said she's asked kids why they wouldn't identify themselves at the beginning of the class, and they've said they were embarrassed. But after seeing the friends and classmates enjoy learning about Métis culture — songs and dances and stories — they have the confidence to own their identities, she said. Felice said she was pleasantly surprised to see Willow enthusiastic about getting involved with presentations and the capote kits after years of not showing interest. "But you know what? Her foundation is there. And when she was ready to come back, she came back."
