INUVIK
A new Northern show will be hitting the national airwaves in the near future, one created and produced right here in Inuvik.

Co-producer Jerri Thrasher travelled to Tuktut Nogait National Park over the summer to shoot video for the new program and says fieldwork is the best part of her job. - photo courtesy of Jerri Thrasher

The Inuvialuit Communications Society launched a promo last week to extend their Tusaayaksat magazine brand into a new television show, which they hope to see premier on APTN sometime next fall.

"People kept asking us about Tamapta, a show from 30 years ago, and asking us when we were bringing it back," said Tom Mcleod, co-producer of the new show.

"We wanted to give them that, the voice they wanted. We have the magazine, and it's good to expand the brand, create some synergy."

So far, the plan is for six episodes of a news magazine showcasing the people of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, to be aired on APTN. While a lot of footage has been shot, concrete episodes have yet to be cut and produced.

"We're still coming up with ideas for intro and whatnot," said co-producer Jerri Thrasher.

"We just made the promo to show what we have and hopefully get people excited about it."

Thrasher spent time in Tuktut Nogait National Park over the summer on a junket for national media to help increase usage of the least visited national park in Canada, and said being there with a video camera was an amazing experience.

"Fieldwork is the best," she said.

"It was my first time in a helicopter and it was amazing. Just being out there, with the traditional guides, was great. I live a traditional life as much as I can. I had an adventure this summer and I loved it."

For his part, Mcleod got weathered in at Shingle Point for the better part of a week.

"I didn't get a single e-mail the whole time," he said.

"When it was raining, I visited people in their camps and heard their stories, but no one wanted to talk on camera."

Each episode of the show will have four separate stories with something of a how-to segment in the middle.

"What's happening here?" asked Thrasher, saying the show hopes to answer that question.

"We've covered some main events and we've come up with some different themes."

One of those themes is women who hunt.

Mcleod said he was astonished when he moved to Inuvik from Aklavik where he grew up to find some men aren't keen on bringing women along on hunting trips. He said his mother and sisters were always involved in hunting in his family.

"My sisters and I go out fishing and we go out on the land," said Thrasher.

"One of the things we really pride ourselves on is being independent out there."

While this is not the first television production this Inuvialuit Communications Society team takes on, it is the first one aimed at an adult audience. Thrasher said she is eager to be working on something other than a children's show, although the experience was valuable.

While the show will present local stories to a national audience, Thrasher and Mcleod aren't too worried about who will be watching and what they will think. Thrasher said she was excited to present stories from "up here" to viewers all over Canada.

"People are the same everywhere," said Mcleod.

"If you put out a good product, they will like it."

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