In the summer of 2016, I became accepted as part of the DFI (Documentary Filmmaking Institute) Summer program at Seneca College. Of course, it was my mom, Lisa who enrolled herself into the program but she thought that I could benefit from the classroom experience also. With the consensus of her professors and fellow classmates, Lisa introduced me to summer school.
The entire class welcomed me with open arms, with some even sharing their snacks with me (thanks for the banana chunks - you know who you are!).
Though I wasn't trusted to handle any equipment, I was able to participate in some of the assignments, as well as watch in-class documentaries.
According to my mom, DFI wasn't the typical school program or classroom structure. Students didn't get graded but rather received a certificate of completion based on the delivery of a short documentary which would be screened in front of an audience at the end of the summer. I also had a rather important role in my mom's final documentary (video below).
It was a memorable time and as such, the best summer" for my mom. I feel honored to have been the first non-human to attend DFI, even if I did have to be stuffed inside a bag to be snuck into the building (college security was pretty strict about the "no dogs in the building" policy)!
DFI 2016: 60-second Visual Essay Assignment
DFI 2016: Short Documentary
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