A platform for those whose voices often goes unheard.
Coming up on its tenth edition, What's Up Doc? is a socially-conscious initiative pioneered by Frictive's Dr. Matt Rogers involving students from New Brunswick's Anglophone School District West high schools. What's Up Doc? is a program created to give students the tools and film making skills necessary to engage in participatory documentary film making. It aims to provide a platform to give a voice to a demographic whose voice often goes unheard in Atlantic Canada, and to allow them to voice their perspective while examining the social issues that affect their every day lives. To date there has been over forty youth-driven documentary films created, telling the stories that matter to them and illuminating the struggles faced by the youth of today.
Programs run from Early April to Mid-May in-class in the following school:
- Fredericton High School
- Leo Hayes High School
- Nackawic Senior High School
Film Festival & Awards Ceremony takes place at the end of May.
Students get the opportunity to learn about participatory documentary and gain the tools needed to create their own documentary films. It gives students, an underrepresented group, a voice to share their perspectives and concerns about social issues that impact them in their day-to-day lives. It highlights the need for ongoing commitment, involvement, and support from team members to collaborate on a creative project. It also provides a powerful place for participants to explore their situation, and reflect on experiences together, to deepen understanding about reality and move forward based on what they learn.
