A free program offered bi-weekly for students in GRADE 4-8, focusing on the art of captivating storytelling through documentaries.

Under the instruction and guidance of filmmaker Steve Miller of ReFilms, participants will work as a group over the course of 8 weeks (meeting bi-weekly) to create a short documentary. This program will explore the filmmaking process while teaching technical skills in story formation and planning, scriptwriting, interviewing, camera operation, lighting techniques, sound recording and video editing. The experience will also allow participants to develop skills in creativity, critical thinking and collaboration, while building confidence in their self-expression.

The program will conclude with a final screening event where participants will have the opportunity to showcase their completed works for friends and family.

NOTE: Shoot days may be scheduled offsite and are not limited to Monday evenings.

Steve Miller is a Guelph based filmmaker who co-founded the video production company REfilms with his partner Janelle McFarlane in 2008. From the diamond mines in Sierra Leone to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Steve’s passion for adventure and storytelling has taken him around the world. His undercover filmmaking work along the Kuwait-Iraq border was featured on the CBC’s Power and Politics. Steve shared his love of documentary storytelling by creating Director’s of Change, a youth filmmaking initiative developed with Nokia. Steve travelled to Kenya, China and Mexico teaching youth how to make their own documentary films which were later featured at film festivals across Canada.

Steve is extremely excited to be a part of Ed Videos Reel Stories and looks forward to helping the next generation of filmmakers to create and share great stories!

This project is funded by the JP Bickell Foundation - General Charities grant.