Haida Gwaii is filled with countless amazing storytellers and stories yet to be told. There are, however, key systemic issues of inequality within the media production space, especially for Indigenous women and 2SLGBTTQQIA+ people. They are often not present in this space or are filling supporting roles. A small team based in HlGaagilda Skidegate has created a new initiative to address these complex barriers, as well as community-specific challenges that locals face in bringing their stories to life.

The Haida Gwaii Media Collective (HGMC) is a community-driven, barrier-free film initiative for all residents across Haida Gwaii to gain the resources, skill sets and experience in digital storytelling. Its approach aims to be culturally rooted and collaborative, while prioritizing underrepresented and equity-seeking groups. A public launch is planned for Fall, 2021. The Collective was envisioned and funded in Fall 2020 as a 2-year pilot project. It is funded by Grand Challenges Canada through their Indigenous Innovation Initiative (I3) program, which primarily aims to address systemic barriers faced by Indigenous women and 2SLGBTTQQIA+ people.

Creation of the HGMC builds off of the youth-focused film projects led by Patrick Shannon through his film production company Innonative, and the youth/community empowerment work facilitated by Julia Weder at Hiit’aGan.iina Kuuyas Naay Skidegate Youth Centre. Patrick’s experiences with youth mentorship in film helped identify the greatest challenges in creating a local film industry: a lack of access to space, equipment, skill-building, and opportunities to build experience without leaving the islands. This initiative was envisioned to address all of these areas.

The Collective will allow community members to affordably rent film equipment housed in the Haida Gwaii Museum, and to access editing computers for their creative projects. There will be skill-building and mentorship opportunities offered throughout the year, facilitated by local and visiting Indigenous and 2SLGBTTQQIA+ artists, and a training honorarium for workshop participants. HGMC’s team will support artists in taking control of every aspect of the creative process: recording, collaborating, acting, editing, producing, and distributing.

The HGMC is a social enterprise (see sidebar), administered by the Skidegate Health Centre. The goal is to build a sustainable model for film production and have the flexibility to adapt and continue beyond the grant-funded pilot project, a process that is much easier as a for-profit business model with community-focused values and protocols.

The key challenges faced by HGMC organizers has primarily been capacity and hiring. The initial roles required to launch the Collective have yet to be filled beyond the key stakeholders (Julia, Patrick, and the advisory team). Community members interested in helping manage the project are invited to get in touch.

The HGMC envisions a world where residents of Haida Gwaii are able to create films and media that will not only enrich our communities, but also share with the world the brilliance that our islands have to offer. Let’s come together and explore our creativity while embracing our distinct values, histories, and experiences.

To get involved or stay in the loop, please visit haidagwaiimediacollective.com.

What is a social enterprise? Basically, it’s a business, but it’s a business whose focus is more on its core mission and values than on making a profit. Generating income is, of course, essential for keeping a social enterprise alive, just as with any business. But for a social enterprise, profit is secondary to creating change in the world socially, culturally, economically, environmentally, and so on.