Telling tales about their town

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This article was published 15/08/2016 (3519 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Independent filmmaker Aaron Peters wants to hear stories about Portage la Prairie from current and former residents.

On Aug. 10, he said he’d already recorded two people’s conversations about the city in his recording studio/rehearsal hall at 1032 Logan Ave. in Winnipeg.

Peters, 45, grew up in Winnipeg and doesn’t have any connection to Portage, but he selected it as one of the four communities surrounding Winnipeg he’s using for his new film project. The others are Selkirk, Niverville and Stonewall.

Peters said he is using his filmmaking knowledge to develop 20-minute spots that feature stories from five people. He is asking them all the same questions about their communities, such as what the seasons are like and how they would describe their city or town.

“I’ve been looking for different ways to make videos,” Peters said. “It’s fun and at the heart of it, people are proud of where they come from.”

He’s been surprised by the response to his recent ads, listed on Kijiji Winnipeg, asking for people interested in participating in his films. He’s not getting any funding for the projects so can’t pay his subjects. However, the Portage listing was viewed by over 1,000 people within the first few days.

Once he finishes the first film, he said he plans on contacting Portage and area businesses to see if any small business owners are interested in advertising within the film. He’s recording all his subjects speaking in front of a green screen, so can later insert digital images behind them.

“The ads will become part of the content,” he said. “That’s what the green screen can do.”
With advertising options becoming fewer for small businesses, Peters said, this type of film can give them another way to reach customers. He plans on posting the film on Facebook and YouTube.

He sees this as a novel way to advertise a business as the film will be light-hearted, not a conventional promotional video.

If his first film about Portage is successfully, he said he’s open to making more.

His first film, Winnipeg Rock Part One, was made in 2011 and screened in Winnipeg’s IMAX theatre. Peters said he’ll be exploring options for a screening of the Portage film.

For more information, contact Peters at brownjovi@yahoo.com

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