DEH CHO
When it comes to making movies for Deh Cho students the scarier the plot, the better.

Rik Leaf, front left, Angel Baton, Christian Baton and Ryett Cli-Moses, middle row, Sarah Lennie, Setia Antoine, Destiny Cli-Moses, Treven Cli-Moses and Charlotte Canadien, back row, and Blair Sellars watch the scary movie trailer that the Wrigley students made on April 10. Leaf led filmmaking workshops with students in five Deh Cho communities earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Colinda Blondin

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs sent Rik Leaf on a filmmaking youth tour to five communities in the region from April 7 to 11. Leaf, from Victoria, B.C., has spent the last decade doing education and cultural programming and has also worked on several television series and films.

During the half-day workshops students were able to make trailers for any type of movie they wanted. Leaf worked with the students to develop a story, write a plot, create a shot list and a story board, film and edit their trailer and add a bit of text.

"Across the board they wanted to make scary movies," he said.

In The Walk Home created in Nahanni Butte, students walking through the forest become separated and get eaten by the bush. In Fort Liard a dog that was playfully chasing the filmmakers was cast as the protagonist in Slender Dogs. At Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson three killers were on the loose.

When you validate their ideas and support the type of film and the plot choices they make the students get more and more excited, Leaf said.

"They would just get into it," he said.

Leaf uses film production to show young people that they have unique gifts they can use to empower their future.

"I believe every single human being has a number of creative talents and gifts that they are given," he said.

When people discover their talent they can use it to find their voice and tell their story, said Leaf. Film production is a great tool because there are lots of different roles that suit different people, he said. Some want to be in front of the camera, some behind, some writing and some editing.

In his workshops Leaf tries to use equipment that students will still have access to after he is gone.

In the Deh Cho he used a small HD camera and iMovie, an app that can be purchased for iPhones and iPads.

Leaf has the students make movie trailers because they contain all of the same aspects as movies, but require less time to create. In addition to following all the steps to make a trailer, the students also learned about camera angles and

what it takes to film a scene.

"The more they get into it the more their creativity gets going," he said.

Sky Lennie and Delainea Anderson respectively said the workshop at Thomas Simpson School was "amazing" and "really, really fun." Both of the Grade 8 students helped to edit the trailer for Devil's Island.

The plot revolved around spirits crawling out of rooms and doors in the basement and up the stairs onto the school's main floor.

It was the first time Lennie and Anderson had made a movie. Both agreed it was a good workshop.

"I'd like him (Rik) to come back and do a short movie," Lennie said.