News Article

CNA Film and Video Production students win contest


9/30/2010 9:39:27 AM


Students from CNA’s Film and Video Production program receive their award for winning the Co-op Eat Atlantic Video Contest. From left to right, Paul King, Co-op Newfoundland Area Supervisor, Tony White, Stephenville Indian Head Co-op Manager, Ryan Smith, prize recipient, Connie LaSaga, prize recipient, and Film and Video Production instructor Marty Beniot.

Connie LaSaga and Ryan Smith will tell you that winning isn’t everything – it’s more about the passion you put into your work. It’s that passion that helped them capture a recent video contest held throughout Atlantic Canada.

LaSaga, from Flat Bay, and Smith, from Stephenville, are Film and Video Production students at College of the North Atlantic (CNA). They discovered a poster at the college explaining that Co-op grocery stores were holding a video contest. The concept was for Atlantic Canadians to submit videos showing why they love local and Atlantic food; the best video from each province would win a multimedia prize pack. This sparked an interest in them both and within a few days they had a video ready.

“We had a vision in mind, it was just a matter of putting it together,” LaSaga explains. “We created this video specifically for this contest so it wasn’t like we had footage lying around! We wrote a script in an hour, shot in three hours and edited for two. Basically, we had it completed and ready within a couple days.”

Both students have worked on previous college projects together but this was the first time they had prepared something for a public audience. Their video, titled Cyril & Mavis Eat Atlantic, has expanded into a series of other videos since they entered the contest.

“We have a series of videos created using the same characters,” explains Smith. “We currently have 30 concepts written with a diversity of story lines. It could potentially turn into multiple episodes.”

One of LaSaga and Smith’s instructors at CNA, Marty Benoit, was very proud of their accomplishment and says the students worked very hard to complete the project.

“It is just wonderful that Connie and Ryan won this competition. They worked very hard and seemed to have a lot of fun doing it. They shot part of the film in my backyard so I had firsthand experience with the content of the video and the sheer enjoyment that led to their entry and winning. Connie and Ryan are great, hard-working students and it is a pleasure to see them win,” says Benoit.

The end date for the contest was August 15, 2010 but LaSaga and Smith submitted their video in June.

When they received the e-mail informing them that they won for Newfoundland, they were ecstatic.

“This is awesome, now I can replace my girlfriend’s broken laptop!” says Smith.

LaSaga’s reaction was similar; she was thrilled to finally have an up-to-date IPod to replace her self-described ‘ancient one’.

Both intend to continue in the field of film and video after college. LaSaga is leaning towards opening her own film-related business while Smith is excited about the thought of creating his own portfolio website with the intention of doing some independent producing.

To view the winning submission, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFJqWg8Iy54.

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Media Contact:

Pamela Spencer-Sheppard
Public Relations Assistant
College of the North Atlantic
709 643 7928
pam.spencer@cna.nl.ca