Qaujisaut Producer

Ah, the tales from my time in Iqaluit! Picture me, cruising to work on a skidoo in the winter and switching to a 4-wheeler in the summer—it was like living in two different worlds! Working on a show like Qaujisaut was an eye-opener.

The purpose of the show was to educate Inuit youth about their rich cultural heritage. The name itself means “to see, to find out,” and boy, did I discover a lot during my stint. From learning the Inuktitut alphabet and writing using syllabics to venturing out onto the icy expanse for caribou hunts and delving into the art of throat singing and drum-making for drum dancing—it was a crash course in Inuit culture. I hung onto every word as I sat down and interviewed Inuit leaders and elders, soaking in their wisdom about surviving off the land and upholding ancient traditions. From crafting snow goggles to firing up qulliqs using seal oil, or foraging for plants on the tundra to treat wounds, every tidbit was utterly fascinating.

It was like wearing a badge of honor, soaking up all that juicy knowledge about Inuit culture and then dishing it out to eager minds. Teaching others about the ins and outs of Inuit life gave me this warm, fuzzy feeling of pride that’s hard to put into words. And the best part? Sharing all that wisdom with the whole of Canada on APTN was like shouting it from the rooftops (but with less risk of getting kicked out of the neighborhood).

Suffice it to say, there was no shortage of mind-expanding experiences, and I cherished every single moment of it.

Reminiscing about my Northern escapades always brings a smile to my face! Picture me, venturing out into the great wide yonder with my trusty camera in hand. One highlight? Toonik Tyme—a spring festival that had everyone buzzing with excitement each year. It’s a festive ode to the thawing of winter and a celebration of all things Inuit. Snowmobile races, sea ice golf, igloo-building showdowns, the mesmerizing melodies of Inuit throat singing at the Alianait Arts Festival, and even a little Fear Factor, Iqaluit-style—just a taste of the action we captured.

But hold onto your hats, because that’s just the tip of the iceberg (pun intended)! I trekked to Pangnirtung for their rockin’ annual Music Festival and tagged along for a bit of caribou hunting in Taloyoak. And let’s not forget my visit to Igloolik, where I got an up-close look at the Canadian Coast Guard’s mighty icebreaker. Oh, and did I mention my jaunt to Kenai, Alaska, to capture the spirit of the Arctic Winter Games on film? But even when I wasn’t jet-setting, I was still honing my camera skills back at Iqaluit’s home base. Inuit Broadcasting always had their hands full, so I happily lent a hand in the studio for shows like Qanuq Isumavit—a weekly phone-in show —alongside Kippinguijautiit, where elders shared their wisdom, and Takuginai, a delightfully quirky kids’ show featuring puppets galore.

Let me take you behind the scenes of my bustling schedule! One of the many hats I wore was that of producer—tasked with mapping out all 26 episodes for each season, complete with captivating themes for each. Once the blueprint was in place, it was all hands on deck as I distributed the plan to our sister stations across Nunavut. Each station had the vital role of shooting and editing their own snippets in line with the episode’s theme. Meanwhile, back in Iqaluit, my team and I took charge of filming and editing our segments, weaving them seamlessly together with a captivating show opener, commercial breaks, English subtitles, and of course, those all-important credits.

I was also the scriptwriter, diving deep into research, brainstorming questions for our guests, and crafting scripts for those silky-smooth voice-overs. And let’s not forget the task of assembling the Qaujisaut crew.

After touching down in Iqaluit one of my first tasks was to embark on a whirlwind tour across Nunavut, hopping from station to station in Igloolik, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Taloyoak. You see, these vibrant communities were the lifeblood of Inuit Broadcasting’s programming, but there was a teensy hiccup—most of the folks there hadn’t had any formal video production training.

Enter yours truly! I swooped in armed with knowledge, to lend a helping hand. From coaching employees on mastering the art of shooting to fine-tuning their storytelling chops and polishing up their editing skills, I was there every step of the way. I also took on the noble duty of shepherding any fresh faces that joined our crew in Iqaluit, ensuring they were primed and ready to roll with the punches in the fast-paced world of TV production. It was all just part of the gig for this multimedia gal!

After three years, I made the tough call to bid farewell to Iqaluit and head back to Ottawa. However, my journey with Inuit Broadcasting was far from over for the next two years I settled into Ottawa office and pivoted the show to covering stories on the countless Inuit youth who journeyed south for their studies, as well as the Inuit organizations that welcomed them when their schooling was complete.

Another realm I plunged headfirst into during my stint on Qaujisaut was the world of graphic design and animation. I rolled up my sleeves and dove into learning AfterEffects, starting with the basics but quickly picking up enough skills to craft our show’s annual introduction.