Eleven students from seven Sun West schools came together on March 19 for the first-ever Creator Olympics, a daylong event in Rosetown focused on digital storytelling and filmmaking.
The event, open to students in Grades 9 to 12, gave participants a chance to learn about filmmaking, develop new technical skills, and connect with peers from across the school division.
The Creator Olympics was co-hosted by the Sun West School Division and the Recording Arts Institute of Saskatoon (RAIS). Layla Bautista, a Motion Picture Arts instructor at RAIS, led the workshop, teaching students how to use camera angles, lighting, and editing to tell emotional and meaningful stories.
Students worked in small teams and were assigned roles such as director, camera operator and editor. Each group had just a few hours to plan, film, and edit a 30-second video of their choice. The finished films ranged from dramatic stories to uplifting documentaries.
Gracelyn Gee, a student from Kindersley Composite School, co-directed and starred in a short film called The Lights at the End of the Tunnel, which dealt with grief and hope. “It was a story about two cousins who were really close,” she said. “One of them dies in an accident, and the other is shown in therapy saying, ‘I see the light at the end of the tunnel.’” She described the experience as “really cool” and said it was great to work with students from other schools.
Kyle San Andres, also from KCS, directed a documentary-style film about personal resilience. “We showcased what one of our team members goes through and how he overcomes it,” he said. Kyle enjoyed learning about storyboarding and production, adding, “I had some knowledge of film before, but now I feel like I have a much deeper perspective.”
Both students said they would recommend the event to others. “You get to learn new things and meet people who share your interests,” said Gracelyn. Kyle encouraged others to start small. “Start with your phone, then a camera, and slowly build up from there,” he said.
As the first event of its kind in the division, the Creator Olympics gave students in rural areas a rare chance to take part in hands-on film production. Based on the success of this year’s event, the students are hopeful it will return, and perhaps grow, in the future.
You can find the video's created by the students at the Sun West School Divisions website.