Students from IDEA and IIF met for the first time this week. When David Geary and I decided to bring our two classes together, we had no idea what would happen. IDEA second years will be undertaking a project with a First Nations focus next term and having met some of David's Indigenous Independent Filmmaking students last year, I thought bringing them together with our students would be a great way to build a bridge between our two programs.

As the IIF students are working on scripts for their first short film. David suggested the IDEA students might have some production design ideas that could be useful to his emerging filmmakers. After a brief intro from David, on what production design is and some trailers of Aboriginal movies old and new, like Smoke Signals and Boy, the IIF students huddled with IDEA students and discussed their projects.

An hour later in the First Nations student lounge, the students chatted over lunch about their respective courses, projects and ways they can continue to collaborate. Thanks to David Geary, Clay Little, First Nations Liaison Officer and Elder Ernie George from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation for their support.