Production company offers Algonquin College students hands-on experience at Bluesfest

Algonquin College has partnered with Ably Productions for several years, offering students the opportunity to volunteer at major events like this month’s RBC Bluesfest to gain hands-on experience and fulfill their volunteer hour requirements.

Ably Production is an event production company specializing in audio, video coverage, design, and production. They provide gear, video directors, and camera operators for most of the major music festivals in Ottawa, like FrancoFest, JazzFest, Bluesfest, and CityFolk.

Every spring, Ably Production does a presentation at Algonquin College in hopes of recruiting new members. Usually, they attract 25 to 30 students from the television, broadcasting, and film programs.

Daphnee Perron, a student in Algonquin College’s broadcasting program, volunteered as a camera operator for Bluesfest with Ably Productions.

“I think I would come back, especially for this company, […] working at a festival like this is honestly the most fun experience you can have,” said Perron when asked if she would come back after her volunteer hours were done. “Some shoots can be boring, like a talk show about something you’re not interested in, like politics, for example. But at a music festival, it’s different. Anyone could have fun here. It’s definitely the most exciting way to get hands-on experience.”

Jordan Mills, another broadcasting student volunteering as a camera operator at Bluesfest, said she was learning a lot.

“It’s so much more hands-on,” said Mills. “I don’t learn well from reading a book or just setting up a tripod. I have to get in there and work at it, and this is the perfect experience to do that, especially before our second-year co-ops.”

Steve Johnston, the creator and owner of Ably Productions, shared that students appreciate their time with the company.

“We make it a fun and exciting time for the students,” said Johnston. “They always leave with stories from their time with us that they share with their friends and family. We keep student relationships for a long time, even hiring some students to work our paid opportunities in future years.”

Spencer Johnston, an Algonquin College graduate who works alongside his father, Steve Johnston, at Ably Productions, explained how their company supports students seeking hands-on learning opportunities.

“The biggest thing is experience. When you apply for a job, they want two years of it, but where do you get that when you’re young? Volunteering,” said Spencer. “In my experience, most volunteer spots either give you nothing to do or dump the worst work on you. It’s not fair. With our organization, we have you do the real job.”