The Youth Documentary Lab is a transformative program designed to build intergenerational relationships and strengthen community bonds by supporting youth and Elders in producing short documentary films together. Reel Youth facilitators bring film equipment and expertise, guiding small groups as they capture Elders’ stories, wisdom, culture, and history. Throughout the mobile intensive, participants engage in writing and reflection exercises that help shape their narratives, ensuring that Elders&#8217; experiences are honored in the filmmaking process. Youth will gain essential technical skills in cinematography, editing, and storytelling, while also embracing key values of preserving Indigenous knowledge and traditions. This program celebrates cultural heritage and promotes intergenerational learning, allowing participants to create meaningful films that reflect their shared histories and visions. By the end of the lab, youth will leave equipped with filmmaking skills and a deep appreciation for the stories and wisdom of their Elders, fostering lasting connections within their communities.

Offering mobile intensives that unite youth and Elders to collaboratively produce short documentary films. Participants will learn filmmaking skills while honoring Elders’ stories, wisdom, and culture, fostering intergenerational relationships and strengthening community bonds through shared storytelling.

YOUTH DOCUMENTARY LAB

Our online filmmaking program unites creatives of all ages, allowing participants to shoot and edit their own films from anywhere. Guided by experienced facilitators, participants will engage in writing and reflection exercises to help shape the narratives of their personal stories. 



Throughout the program, they will explore essential filmmaking and editing techniques, enhancing the impact of their films. With hands-on workshops, participants will learn skills in screenwriting, cinematography, and editing, empowering them to express their unique perspectives. 



This collaborative environment fosters creativity and connection, enabling individuals to share their histories, lives, and visions for the world. By the end, each participant will have completed a film ready for sharing, inspiring change within their communities.

An online filmmaking program that unites creatives of any age across distance. Participants from any location shoot their own films with our facilitation, and tell stories about their history, lives, and visions for the world.

ONLINE VIDEO LAB

Empower youth to create and distribute films on issues that matter to them in this engaging three to five-day program. Participants will learn to tell compelling stories while gaining technical skills in camera use, lighting, sound, and editing. 



Through collaborative teamwork, they will conceptualize, shoot, and edit their own short films, exploring genres like documentary, drama, and comedy. Guided by experienced Reel Youth facilitators, participants retain creative control while receiving mentorship throughout the process. 



At the end of the program, youth will leave not only with confidence in their filmmaking skills but also with their films ready for screening. The program includes all materials for hosting a screening, such as stickers and a screening DVD featuring all films created. Join us to empower youth to express their voices and share their stories with the community!

Our mobile filmmaking intensives in screenwriting, cinematography, and editing to produce impactful short films and empower youth to create films on issues that matter to them. Participants gain essential film production skills while expressing their experiences through documentary, drama, scary & comedy genres. 

STORYTELLING STUDIO

Participants make their own beats, write and record songs, and produce videos to accompany them. No experience necessary! [Details]



Ignite My Flame



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Ignite My Flame" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WHNeRCMmCDI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Girls at the <a href="https://www.reelyouth.ca/custody.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.reelyouth.ca/custody.html">Burnaby Youth Custody Centre tell their stories</a> in a 4 day hip hop program.</figcaption></figure>



The Land is the Language



<figure class="wp-block-embed alignfull is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Land Is The Language" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BaQtA_v6oQA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Produced <a href="https://www.reelyouth.ca/lyttonfilms.html">during a program in Lytton, BC</a> as part of the ShchEma-mee.tkt project.</figcaption></figure>

Participants make their own beats, write and record songs, and produce videos to accompany them. No experience necessary!

MUSIC VIDEO

This three to five day video production program is an opportunity for young people to produce and distribute short films about the issues they care about most. It is a journey into the process of creative collaboration and an opportunity for youth to speak up about the Changes they want to see in their lives, their community, and the world.



 Participants learn:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>How to tell an engaging Story about something important to them</li>



<li>The technical side of making including camera use. lighting. sound. &amp; editing</li>



<li>How to work a team to produce a film in a shod of time </li>
</ul>



The group is introduced to a professional editing and collaborates with an editor to complete their film, A soundtrack is chosen from Reel Youth&#8217;s database of Canadian music for use in youth filmmaking or produced by the youth the program.



Youth leave the workshop confident in their filmmaking skills. excited about the film they created and to share their creation with the community.



Reel Youth facilitators are artists themselves, fluent in empowering youth using the media arts. They are trained to mentor young people to make the best film possible while ensuring all creative control is left with the participants.



The program includes all the materials needed to put on your own screening of the touring Reel Youth Film Festival: posters, stickers, handbills, press release. screening DVD that includes all the films made in the program mixed with youth made films from around the world, and audience programs and voting ballots. 



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="353" src="https://saddlebrown-scorpion-442362.hostingersite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/voulez-vous.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-353" srcset="https://saddlebrown-scorpion-442362.hostingersite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/voulez-vous.jpg 300w, https://saddlebrown-scorpion-442362.hostingersite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/voulez-vous-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="226" height="126" data-id="544" src="https://saddlebrown-scorpion-442362.hostingersite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/talk.png" alt="" class="wp-image-544"/></figure>
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Empower youth to make films addressing issues that are important to them. Youth gain technical film production skills, while having fun and creating media that represents their experiences and opinions about the world. Documentary, drama, scary and comedy!

REEL YOUTH

YOUTH DOCUMENTARY LAB

ONLINE VIDEO LAB

STORYTELLING STUDIO

MUSIC VIDEO

VIDEO PRODUCTION