Top Contender Ep. 2

March 6, 2014

Tune in and watch as the guys from Top Contender, Brock MacDonald and Tyler Bitton, head to the Elmira Curling club where they team up with some seasoned locals and start tossing some rocks.

Feature – Stratford Cullitons

Surrounding Sounds Ep. 2

Aaron Stanley, born and raised in Cambridge, Ontario, was always one to look out for. It wasn’t until grade 11 when he found out that he had truly loved broadcasting and wanted it as his career, so when it was time to pick a program for college he knew which one it had to be. He’s a geek through and through, he loves playing video games, watching anime and reading, but don’t think he’s just that. He loves his family and friends so much and with the compassion he has, there is no doubt his circle of friends and colleagues in the broadcast industry will continue to grow.

Josh Whalen has always been one to entertain. He has always enjoyed acting on stage, performing magic, playing music, cosplaying and being in front of the camera. Now, being one of the hosts of Do or Die is just an extension of his previous skills. Josh also created several graphics for Conestoga Connected. Josh’s hobbies include playing video games, playing music, and most things that involve good hand-eye coordination. He continues to improve himself and his work, striving for eventual greatness. His end goal is to perform as a living, and if that fails, editing and post production is pretty cool too.

Tristan Greenhough from Cambridge, Ontario, has loved making videos since he was nine years old and started his YouTube career creating very simplistic videos. This process inspired him to do more than just make videos on YouTube, so he went to Conestoga College to reach for the stars and to breathe fresh life into the industry he was born for. Those close to him love that he’s able to get things done and refined into a polished end product. Tristan always faces things head on and will always give more than his best. He strives to create original content that inspires other young creators to take the path he has, and someday hopes to be among the greats, where his techniques and skills will be taught in the same classes he is attending.

From a very young age, Emily Little has had an interest in filmmaking. Some say her interest began from making home videos with her dad. Others say it began from watching dumb YouTube videos until two in the morning. Regardless of the origins, it’s undeniable that Emily is an entertainer at heart. Her main goal is to create content that people will enjoy and look forward to watching.

Emily currently films and edits for Do or Die on Conestoga Connected. She enjoys working on the segment as it’s a blast to both films and to watch. After graduation, her aim is to do post-production work for either an independent production company or television series. Emily spends her free time dabbling in drawing and creating cosplays. She also works on personal video projects to further her skills, in the hopes that one day she may become an After Effects Wizard.

Starting from a very young age, Kenzie has had a constant itch to create entertaining content. From 11-years-old with a Flip Camcorder to now, she’s been making videos that aim to make people smile and escape from daily troubles. As a student at Conestoga College, Kenzie enjoys working to take an idea and make it a reality. She especially loves to edit, but her drive to create a beautiful finished product pushes her to be involved in every aspect of each project she’s involved in. Kenzie enjoys working on her own projects outside of school, but her loyalty to her team ensures she will always put her heart into everything Conestoga.

Getting Crafty

Getting Crafty follows host Alex MacDonald on an adventure to discover great craft breweries around Waterloo region. Join him as he learns from local brew masters; the history of their breweries, how they make their beer, and of course, a final taste test and review of their specialty beers. Getting Crafty will educate consumers new and old about alternative beers for their palate, as well as support some local businesses. Where do they get their hops? Do they have any out of the norm ingredients in their craft beers? Do they have any unusual processes for making their beer? We will find out all this and more on Getting Crafty!

Born and bred in Kitchener, Jacob is a dedicated content creator and utilizes his talents in all aspects of video production. With a knack for editing and animation, a keen eye for cinematography, and a fun on-camera personality, he uses his very particular set of skills to deliver a quality product and adds humour and originality whenever possible. His love for creating videos and film began at a young age when he would create comedy sketches with his cousins and film them on an old VHS camcorder. That passion never left him, and he now brings his enthusiasm to Getting Crafty, where he continues to make people laugh and tell interesting stories.

Alex was born in Kitchener, Ontario. He has a strong passion for video, film, and television. He started creating videos initially in high school, and enjoyed the process so much he decided to continue this path into post-secondary to continue expanding and growing his skills as a videographer and editor. In his free time, he likes to play video games, play guitar, exercise, go on hikes, and cheer on his favorite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs! Alex hopes that his passion for video can translate into his hobbies, so he can not only enjoy the video making process, but also get to participate with some of his favorite activities. Whether it be Vlogs, Let’s Plays, or sports broadcasting, Alex has a love for it all.

Trevor is a local to the Kitchener-Waterloo region. He originally found his passion for the broadcasting industry after completing a co-op at Rogers TV after he completed the 10^th grade. He’s been doing volunteer work there ever since, as his passion for sports continues to drive the best in him as he volunteers on your typical Friday night covering Kitchener Rangers games. Now in his second year of the Broadcasting for Television and Independent Production program, he’s looking to improve on his skills so he can be the best he possibly can be, whether he’s working behind the scenes, or speaking in front of the camera. He’s a proud French Canadian with a good part of his roots coming from relatives who live in Quebec.

Born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario Eric strives for his creativity to shine through video production. Though he started out in computer programming, he wanted to find something that fueled his creative side a little bit more. Being afraid that computer programming could lead him to a boring nine to five job, Eric dropped programming and took one of his favorite hobbies and decided to turn it into the career of creating video content. Though he can contribute to all aspects of video production, sit him down in front of a computer and ask him to edit/create graphics for a project and that’s where he really excels. He is a problem solver, through and through. When he encounters an issue, Eric thinks relentlessly in his free time to fix it; and what better way to fix those problems than creatively, instead of a bunch of ones and zeros.

Jake Stevens was born in Kitchener, Ontario and has been here ever since birth. At the age of nine, he purchased his first video camera and made comedy skits with friends every day after school. That passion has led to Jake looking to pursue a career in the field of digital media. His end goal would be work for his favourite show, The Bachelor. He’d love to be on the set of the hit reality dating show and traveling the world. Jake is currently the script writer and production assistant for Getting Crafty, one of Conestoga Connected’s series, in which Alex MacDonald goes to local craft breweries and gives his opinions on the drinks he encounters. After graduation, Jake plans on working for himself in order to fully hone his skills and one day work for a big corporation.

Try-Outs

Try-outs is to show viewers that you can start playing a sport at an older age and still strive to be as good as the experts. We want to convey the message of “practice makes perfect” by showing an “Average Joe” playing a sport they have never played before and showing them that trying new things can be fun! We hope that Try-outs gives people the little push to get out there and not be scared to go to that dance class or try playing hockey. It can also be used as an educational tool for people wanting to learn a bit more about traditional and non-traditional sports.

Tyler Woodman was born in Cambridge, Ontario. At a young age, he got involved in sports, and knew he had immediately found his passion. Having such a love for sports, and growing up watching “Coaches Corner,” with his father, Tyler knew that he wanted to be involved in the sports broadcasting industry. He enrolled in Conestoga’s Broadcasting-Television and Independent Production program to learn more about the TV world and hopes one day to have his very own TV show. At a young age, he wanted a cooking show, but since growing up he’s changed that to a sport talk show. In his free time, you can find him most likely around a lacrosse field or in a lacrosse arena.

Noah grew up in the island nation of the Seychelles, off East Africa, where he found his passion for nature documentaries. Inspired by David Attenborough, he hopes to someday be a wildlife filmmaker. Noah currently does small photography and videography jobs around the Waterloo region. He chose to take Broadcast- Television and Independent Production at Conestoga College to get a feel for the different jobs in the industry. He is experienced In anchoring, reporting, directing, editing and graphics. However, he hopes to be a cinematographer, making wildlife documentaries. In his free time, Noah enjoys playing instruments such as guitar, ukulele, piano and clarinet. He also likes hiking, mountain biking and video games.

Born in Stratford, Ontario, Heather has always had a passion for creating, shooting and editing. Ever since she was little she would love to film music videos and sketches with her friends. Her passion is to help others’ creative thoughts come to fruition by helping them film and edit projects. Her dream is to continue that passion once she graduates from Conestoga College. Heather is the producer, co-videographer and co-editor of Try-Outs. She graduated from her dance studio after 15 years and thought the idea of people trying new sports was fun and interesting. She is excited to create and produce the segment Try-Outs.

School’s Out

Ever wonder what your teachers got up to after the bell rang? Wonder no further. On School’s Out, host Mackenzie Daub introduces Conestoga Connected viewers to a selection of extraordinary instructors with even more extraordinary extracurriculars. Each week, we visit a teacher to see what they get up to in their classroom. Then, once the students have left their desks and the textbooks are back on their shelves, we follow our subject to their hobby outside the school walls. It’s always a surprise when Mackenzie leads us to what each guest does when class is not in session. From arts, to sports, and even more, the secret life of a teacher is much more than one would expect. Prepare to be amazed, when School’s Out!

Sarah is thrilled to be co-hosting Conestoga Connected’s eleventh season, and also working as producer on the series, School’s Out! She has been interested in media and performing arts from a very young age. Classically trained in voice and theatre from childhood, the step into digital creation was a logical one in her teen years. Sarah most enjoys producing, writing, editing, and of course, performing on camera. Anchoring at the desk has been her favourite part of this program so far, therefore she is thrilled to bring that enthusiasm and drive to Rogers TV and the web.

Luke Hawkins was born and raised in Cambridge, Ontario. Even since her was young, he knew he wanted to work in the production industry. Luke has always had an affinity for films and television and took every chance he got to go to the movies with his family and friends. Going to the movies is what inspired him and created the spark to take the TV and Independent Production program at Conestoga College, and he has never been happier. Luke gets excited about editing and creating new content with his peers, as well as telling stories and really sinking his teeth into a new and exciting project. Luke hopes to be in an exciting career in editing or casting after graduation. He hopes that one day his work can create that spark for another kid that first inspired him to enter the field of TV and film production.

Edwin was born in Waterloo, Ontario. After high school he wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to go down so he took a year off to work and adventure. Edwin spent a month backpacking Europe where he discovered his true life’s passion: travel. He decided to enroll in the Broadcast TV and Film Production program at Conestoga College in order to learn how to tell stories with film. With dreams of world travels Edwin hopes he can someday share his passions with the world and maybe even inspire some people to explore the world as well.

Spinformation

Come join Spinformation on a trip down music memory lane. In this Conestoga Connected segment, we will be talking to local music experts and profiling local record stores while delving into the nuances of vinyl. We will take a look into a different genre each week and discover what impact it has in today’s music industry. Music makes such an impact in the world and Britt Fediurek, Brette Baybutt and Mac Elsley want to find out why. It’s time to face the music with Spinformation.

After working as a health care professional for five years, Brittany made the decision to follow her dream career in Film and Television. Her passions are script writing, directing, editing and acting. One day she hopes to produce, write, act and direct documentaries to help connect with a broad audience on social, economic and political issues within Canada and the world. To help further her career, Brittany Alexandra has acted in many theatre productions and is pursuing hours to become a part of the ACTRA Union in Toronto. With exuberance and anticipation, Brittany looks forward to creating content for Conestoga Connected.

Brette Baybutt lived and grew up in Kelowna, BC until she took the chance to move across the country to Kitchener. Brette has always had a love for film and television as most of her spare time was spent either watching movies or TV or making videos. Her passion lies in directing which she hopes to do full time one day after her time at Conestoga. She is excited to have the opportunity to be a producer for the Spinformation series to gain more knowledge into the genres of music she has never really experienced before.

Mac Elsley says his biggest strength in the TV and film production field is his passion for creating content of all kinds. Receiving raw video footage and being told to create this or create that with it is a challenge and, in this industry, challenging yourself is how you improve your skillset. The idea for Spinformation stemmed from Mac’s group’s collective love for music, and the foresight that records and record shops can produce great visual content for a TV show. The idea to incorporate a different music genre as the theme for each episode comes directly from his love for expanding his musical horizons and always discovering new songs and artists. It also provides each episode with a different feel, which is imperative to retain viewer attention while also providing a fun and unique editing experience.

Kyle Runnquist grew up in the Waterloo Region and has lived in the same suburban home in Ayr, Ontario since birth. Kyle gained an interest in video production at an early age when he started to create stop motion videos with wrestling action figures. Ever since that point, he knew that video production would be his calling. Kyle is currently the host of the Conestoga Connected segment, Out of Place. When he graduates, Kyle plans on pursuing a career in creating films or documentaries. In his spare time, he enjoys watching films and playing music with his friends and family.

Alissa Nankivell is one of the segment producers/videographers for Out of Place. She is a second-year student at Conestoga College in the Broadcast- Television, and Independent Production program. She was born in Guelph and is passionate about film. Her passion started when she was 12-years-old and started editing family vacation videos. She first wanted to edit movies but that changed after watching a Youtubers wedding video. Her dream job now is to own her own company that creates wedding videos. Since people describe their wedding day as the “happiest day of their life” she wants to make sure she captures the special moment for people to look back on.

Gerard Browne is working on becoming a first-class Freelance Videographer. His work will encompass all aspects of media, communication, and design. He is currently working towards completing the Broadcasting – Television, and Independent Production program at Conestoga College in Kitchener, ON.

Before getting into videography, Gerard spent 10 years as a cook, while pursuing his musical aspirations. He was part of a band, and also produced solo work. He performed his music locally, and even put out a couple of music CDs. During that time, Gerard also had his own production company, where he and his wife brought local artists, and some from a distance, to local venues to perform. Gerard now looks forward to using his past experience, together with his enhanced skills, to provide a fulsome and topnotch service to prospective clients.

Gerard enjoys spending time with his family, eating good food, listening to conscious music, and playing tennis.

Taylor is a driven and dedicated individual who has a passion for videography and video editing. Growing up, Taylor loved socializing and connecting with others. She stumbled upon her interest in content creation back when she was 13 years old shooting and editing music videos with her friends. Fast forward almost eight years later, Taylor had a realization that she was meant to be working in the media industry. That is when she dropped out of a Psychology program she was taking in Halifax, NS at Dalhousie University and chose to move back home to pursue her dreams. Taylor spent the last two years at Conestoga College perfecting her craft. She is so ecstatic to be a shooter and editor for Cool Callings this year on Conestoga Connected, and can’t wait to continue bringing her enthusiasm and determination to future projects once she graduates in the spring of 2019.

Skylar Nolan began an obsession with film at a young age, but it wasn’t until joining the Broadcast Television program at Conestoga College that she had the opportunity to get her hands on a proper camera. Since the first day of the program she has been watching, listening and taking notes.

Skylar is comfortable behind the camera and editing footage in the lab, but for Cool Callings, she is putting on her producer hat, and diving into pre-production.

When not creating work for school projects, Skylar is making videos for Conestoga’s School of Media and Design department as a production assistant, playing roller derby with her team Violet Uprising or caring for her many pets.

After school, Skylar hopes to find work with a film or television production company.

Jurgen Rae hails from a small town outside of Ottawa that half of Ontario hasn’t heard of. He became obsessed with creating at a very young age, and has been steadily developing his cavalcade of skills ever since – lending some of them to Cool Callings as a videographer and editor.

When he’s not working on school projects and speaking in third person, he enjoys writing, producing music, drawing and painting. Jurgen hopes to continue developing his skillset and find work in editing, writing, or sound design after school.