TV students take learning to CityFolk
Algonquin College television students were at CityFolk to gain hands-on experience as camera operators and put into practice the knowledge they have developed throughout their studies.
CityFolk is an annual event in Ottawa held at Lansdowne Park. This year, the festival ran from Sept. 10 to Sept. 14.
Originally created as the Ottawa Folk Festival in 1994 to highlight folk music, the festival was rebranded as CityFolk in 2014 to showcase a wider range of music genres, including alt-country, hip-hop, roots and blues.
Matt McCooeye, a program coordinator for the broadcasting, television, and streaming video program, said many students have participated in live event coverage at CityFolk.
“I think any opportunity outside the classroom to learn in a real-world environment benefits our students,” said McCooeye. “We have a lot of students who want to work, who want the experience and these festivals provide our students with real hands-on experience that elevates what they’ve learned in the classroom.”
McCooeye added that students benefit from working with people who bring in varying perspectives on the industry and can give them advice to hone their skills.
Events like CityFolk allow television students to develop their skills with filming and live event coverage. By working alongside professionals in the industry, they learn valuable information and build connections that can help them after graduation.
Ethan Jeon, a TV broadcasting student who had the chance to volunteer as a camera operator at Bluesfest and CityFolk, said he enjoyed the opportunity the college gave him.
“It’s really great that Algonquin College students can actually volunteer and get their field placement at those big festivals,” said Jeon.
Jeon recognizes the nervousness that comes with covering major events, but he said mistakes are part of the learning process. He recalled advice from his director while working at Bluesfest, who told him slip-ups happen, even to him, during live shows.
“Don’t let nervousness stop you and give it your best shot,” said Jeon.
Penny Levetsovitis, another TV broadcasting student, said her time at Algonquin College prepared her for event coverage at major festivals like CityFolk.
“Algonquin gives you time to work with cameras and work with live audiences to have you prepared for a moment like this,” said Levetsovitis.
Levetsovitis said her second night at the festival was the most memorable.
“We had some guy in a wheelchair crowd surf. That was crazy,” she said.
Naomi Runstedtler, an alumna from the film and media productions program who has worked at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Bluesfest and CityFolk, described the unique feel of the music festival at Lansdowne Park.
“City Folk is unique because the venue is much smaller. I feel like it’s a bit more of a niche festival in comparison to Bluesfest and Jazz Fest,” said Runstedtler. “It’s a way to kick off the end of the summer. It feels like a nice transitional festival. Small, intimate and a good time.”
Looking past the music, Runstedtler emphasizes the importance of volunteering to help shape student development and maximize the opportunities the college gives students.
“CityFolk helps students get more involved in the community for networking opportunities. It proved the skill set I’ve built through Algonquin is valuable beyond the school walls and applicable to real-world scenarios,” said Runstedtler. “It’s another way to practise and will help me sharpen my skills for what I want to pursue in the future, filmmaking.”
As the festival came to a close and students returned to class with new experiences, they were reminded of Matt McCooeye’s words.
“The goal is for our students to graduate with a broad set of skills that they can use to adapt to whatever production environment they find themselves in,” said McCooeye. “That’s ultimately our goal.”
