PRINCE ALBERT 鈥� One student and two alumni from Carlton Comprehensive High School hit the ice this year for a documentary series about the PJHL Junior B Prince Albert Timberjaks.
Grade 12 student Naviah Johnson and graduates Phillipe Ebende and Saugat Budathoki completed the series, which will be airing on both terrestrial cable and YouTube.
Johnson said Timberjaks president, Ken Malenfant, approached them about creating a documentary in June 2024, and they eagerly agreed. They began filming around the time of the Prince Albert Exhibition Parade, which had a Timberjaks float in it.
"That was basically our first day of filming,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭hen we filmed their whole season. Basically, we went to their practises and all their games and then started putting together the first episode in October.鈥�
The group released the first episode on YouTube in mid-December. They continued filming until April 5.
Johnson said the goal was to show how the Timberjaks players interacted with the community.
"The point of the series is not specifically about how great they are as a team. We wanted to kind of get it away from that. (It鈥檚) more about how the Timberjaks are part of the community. (We wanted to) tell a little bit of the story of how these kids integrate into society and how these guys are connected.鈥�
Johnson said episode two will focus on how players are part of the community after the crew followed players to their workplaces.
"It's showing the culture of the kids in the change room, getting a connection to the boys as individuals and just (showing) the culture and the ways that these guys fit into the culture in PA,鈥� Johnson said.
Malenfant had the idea for a documentary, but was just looking for someone to film the documentary series. Johnson, Ebende, and Budathoki were a good fit.
"Ken just wanted somebody to film it,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淗e wanted to tell the story about PA and just the culture.鈥�
This is Johnson鈥檚 first large project, along with a documentary she produced for the Plates of Hope fundraiser. Along with her film work, she also does a lot of photography.
She鈥檚 also planning to start a business doing social media marketing, videography, and photography.
Johnson said that the business is a highly competitive one, but also growing.
鈥�(In) Grade 10, I took photography class and I've just kind of stuck with it and loved it ever since then,鈥� she said. 鈥淐arlton gives us so many opportunities.鈥�
The documentary came together because Malenfant knows Mark Odnokon, who is a teacher at Carlton and the Director of Player Personnel for the Timberjaks.
鈥淢r. Odnokon approached Miss (Danelle) Van Steelandt, who is my photography and videography teacher,鈥� Johnson said.
Van Steelandt recommended the three students to produce the documentary.
The series has four episodes, and the production is awaiting music clearance before the episodes can air.
Johnson explained that they hope the series can begin to air in the next month.
鈥淚t's really up to them. As soon as we get the licences, then they can schedule it,鈥� Johnson said.
The series will be airing on Rogers and SaskTel Max TV. On YouTube, it can be found by searching Timberjaks.
"Sagaut just reached out to a few of the local channels, and they said, 鈥榶eah, just send us over the video and we'll look them over鈥�, and then two of them said yes,鈥� Johnson said.
Johnson explained that the work was split three ways, and there was no leader.
鈥淭here's no real set things on what we do,鈥� she explained. 鈥淲e go and we plan it out what we're supposed to do, and then this person does this part, this person does this part, and then we'll come together at this end.鈥�
Once the rights are cleared, they expect the series to begin airing on the cable channels, with Episode 2 coming out within the next month.
