Boot Camp for Seniors

GIFTS was started in 1995 with the idea of giving young people the opportunity to get involved with every aspect that relates to film and television production. Kids have been eating it up ever since. Over time people of all ages started attending the numerous programs GIFTS was offering. I guess it was just a matter of time before it would come to this: my claim to fame at the film school, that of being the first bonafide gold card carrying senior to graduate from a week long intensive program.

Intensive is right. From blending the interests and passions of your fellow team members to nailing down a project that everyone can get behind, to learning any number of brand new things, to developing your story, to getting clear as to its message, to working out a shooting schedule, to getting acquainted with the equipment, and we haven't even started yet kind of intensive.

Anybody who's ever tried this has great stories to tell about the adventures of going on a shoot. Too many variables! There you are desperately trying to hang onto the story you're doing while dealing with equipment mysteries, light, site features, dead batteries, timetable, you name it. It was the technology really flummoxed me. When I was in Grade 3 the telephone was still an exotic piece of technology. The teacher gave us a demonstration of how it was used and offered any student who had not yet used one the opportunity to try it. Of course I was too embarrassed to raise my hand. I'm still kind of in that situation; the technology is always one (giant) step ahead of me.

So there I was, hopelessly intimidated by these elaborate computer programs while my remarkable young instructors and technicians were standing by to help me succeed in spite of myself. With total confidence and competence they dug into tools that I viewed with fear and trepidation.

I guess for me, aside from the obvious reward of producing a piece of work, the opportunity to work up close and personal with persons that I might otherwise not even get to know was perhaps the most amazing aspect of my week at boot camp.

As groups, both youth and seniors sometimes feel themselves alienated and marginalized in our culture. GIFTS provides a ground where we can work together, although I must admit that while I wasn't looking my appetite for pulling all nighters seriously diminished.

The work that's happening at GITFS is imbued with so much energy, passion, and creativity, I'm delighted to have taken part in it if only for one amazing week.