“The idea is to produce ‘feel-good articles’, said Janie Renée, project co-ordinator. “It was something that is doable in times of a pandemic.”
The project received funding from the Prescott-Russell Innovation Fund and the Creative Centre in Vankleek hill provided the work space for several local students and their mentor/partners. The students received workshop training on interviewing techniques, editing their videotape footage and doing the layout work, and producing a finished video interview suitable to attract and entertain an online audience.
The project began with 12 teams of student videographer and mentor. Eight teams finished their production by the December deadline for putting the completed podcasts online. QR codes were created to allow viewers to access the podcasts through their mobile phones and other devices and all of the podcasts became available on YouTube December 15 for online viewers everywhere. The podcasts became available later in the month through Sound Cloud and Balados Québec.
These young documentarians chose a wide variety of subjects for their individual podcast efforts. Lyn Duplantie decided on music as her subject and interviewed Denis Charron, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, on the topic.
“He used music as part of his (personal) therapy,” Duplantie said. “I thought he’d be a very good person to interview.”
Christopher Duplantie did three interviews with three different people to provide the depth he felt his podcast subject needed.
“I wanted to find out what technology people felt they just could not do without,” he said.
Sarah Shannon was one of Chris Duplantie’s interview subjects. Her camera is her essential piece of technology.
“I talked about what I do with my camera,” Shannon said. “Without that, I can’t capture memories and keep them. I like to document things. I am all about capturing the moment.”
Juliette Clermont’s podcast video deals with tae kwon do, a Korean martial art that she herself practises.
“I interviwed my sabum nim (instructor), Marie-Josée St-Onge,” Clermont said. “I wanted to share my own passion with others.”
All the podcasts are available through YouTube or through mobile apps at Balados Horizons Podcasts.
