AJAs 2024 Finalists
At the edge of the Island
| Slug/Label | The Coast is Disappearing |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | Dec. 1, 2024 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | Holland College course work |
| Name of Program: | Holland College Journalism and Communications |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | Prince Edward Island |
| List awards, grants: | none |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 19 minutes (video in link) |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: Everything started at a meeting of the P.E.I. Government's Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development in Charlottetown, where the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation at UPEI was presenting the 2023 PEI State of the Coast Report. Hearing about the challenges of coastal erosion, I realized there was so much more to uncover. I approached the scientists afterward to share my idea of creating a documentary on the topic as my final school project. Although the assignment was meant to be a 3-5 minute piece, I wanted to explore it in greater depth. I began reaching out to experts from organizations like ClimateSense, Climate Atlantic, and various watershed groups across the island. Each conversation provided more insights and pointed me toward new people and resources. Through these connections, I also met experts from Fish, Forest, and Wildlife, whose knowledge helped deepen my understanding of the issue. One of the most impactful parts of the process was meeting Sean Gurley, a resident who had lost a significant portion of his property due to coastal erosion. His personal story added a human dimension to the environmental problem, making it clear how much the issue affected local communities. I also traveled to East Point Lighthouse, an iconic site, after being directed there by a local conservation group. I had the opportunity to meet a lighthouse keeper who gave me an inside look at how erosion was affecting the lighthouse and the surrounding area. Yet, while writing the script, I requested access to the Island Archives of UPEI, where I found the diaries of the lighthouse keeper of 1926, where he has testimonies of coastal erosion even then. I also requested permission to use some archival photos for the production. Comparing the pictures with the drone footage was an eye-opening experience—one that not only highlighted the visible damage but also showed the emotional and practical ways the people living there were dealing with these changes. (Video in link) |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: As for production, I filmed the entire documentary using my Canon EOS camera. Since it was a school project, I didn’t have a budget for honorariums or other expenses. I covered the costs for gas while traveling between Charlottetown and filming locations like East Point. For the aerial shots, I teamed up with Chandler Martin, a photography student who helped show me how to operate a drone. Together, we captured stunning visuals that effectively conveyed the scale of the changes along PEI’s coastline. The editing process took about two weeks of full-time work. I handled all the editing myself using Adobe Premiere Pro and CapCut. In order to focus on the editing, I made a deal with my instructor, Lindsay Carroll, to miss a couple of class days, as I had already completed the necessary coursework. I also got to use a green screen for the first time. At the end the project was aprox.18 min. The video can be viewed in the link provided. |
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