While most Cochranites were still sleeping, with some possibly just going to bed, filmmaker Eppo Eerkes was doing what he loves – telling a story.
In the early hours of a cold Thursday morning in Cochrane, Eerkes and his crew were filming a video for Habitat for Humanity in below-freezing temperatures.
The next day, a little later in the morning and a little higher in temperature, Eerkes chatted about how happy he was with the way the project was turning out.
“Everything is a journey. Each journey is finding the story, telling the story and it ends up impacting you, and you want to do something about it,” said Eerkes. “That’s why I got involved in working with Habitat for Humanity.”
The 30-40 second film is for Habitat for Humanity’s upcoming campaign, Home for the Holidays. Eerkes said the campaign is about raising awareness and funds that would go toward helping people find a home.
One would not have to live in Southern Alberta for long to know that affordable housing is a hot topic in the province.
Eerkes explained that the way Habitat works is that it helps people find an affordable mortgage and then it takes care of the first part of that mortgage. There is a misconception that families who work with Habitat are just given a home.
Eerkes pointed out that in places like Calgary and Cochrane, the cost of rent is way above what most mortgage payments are and an organization like Habitat really helps people in the province.
The concept behind the campaign videos that Eerkes is filming is based on real stories of people struggling with housing.
Eerkes said he was first introduced to Habitat when he had previously worked with them on a CMT television documentary series called Paul Brandt’s Pay it Forward.
According to CMT’s website, it was a series that challenged commonly-held ideas of poverty and the idea of giving back by documenting the journey of seven separate families struggling to build a future for themselves and for their families.
Eerkes will also be working with Habitat on its 25th anniversary campaign next year.
But Habitat is just one example of Eerkes storytelling for change.
“If it’s not outdoor wildlife adventure kind of stuff, then I’m involved in a lot of not-for-profit or anything that is giving back in some way shape or form,” said Eerkes.
On the wilderness side of things, Eerkes has shot a series of videos for Travel Alberta, a show called Wild Endeavour with Animal Planet and Iglaguqtug, a documentary about a Jamaican dogsled team – just to name a few.
Eerkes also said that this winter he would be journeying 500 kilometers across Alberta on skis with his dog, raising money for Wards Animal Shelters and promoting no more stray dogs in Alberta.
Not only has Eerkes given back with Habitat, but he has also recently had a screenplay licensed with Super Channel on the topic of child soldiers.
Eerkes described his experience of going to Africa and hearing these children’s story and the profound effect it had on him. He said this project is something that has become his dream and endeavour.
Perhaps a perfect combination of all of these passions for Eerkes is his dramatic short film Envy - The Story of a Stray Dog and a Homeless Girl. He said the idea came from a book he read about kids on the street after the fall of communism in Eastern Bloc countries.
“Kids ended up on the streets and it was a meltdown. The pets were the last things anyone cared about. There were stories of kids who were with and raised by dogs,” said Eerkes.
The film is about a young homeless girl saved by a stray dog. The dog leads her to her pack, where she eventually finds shelter, food and love.
“It is also about how maybe animals are more humane than humans and maybe we can learn from animals,” he said.
Eerkes said the film will be premiered at the Water Valley Church and Events Centre in January, a place that makes perfect sense since Eerkes calls Water Valley home.
From the beginning for Eerkes, it has all been about storytelling.
He described himself as a born-and-raised Alberta boy – born in Edmonton and having lived in Calgary, Bragg Creek and now Water Valley.
“It’s in my blood,” he commented when discussing his ability to capture wilderness in the province.
Eerkes acted professionally in Toronto, took broadcasting at Mount Royal University and is a still photographer. He said he eventually went into directing and started his company Pounce in 2004 with a partner, but now operates it independently.
Eerkes stopped and laughed when he realized that was 10 years ago.
Storytelling is something Eerkes kept coming back to in his discussion with the Eagle, but pointed out that there is more to it than that.
“Yes, I do want to tell a story, but I’ve got to cause change. Underlying all of that I have to. It’s a part of it,” he explained.
Eerkes said that part of storytelling is getting people to think without imposing political views or telling his audience they need to feel a certain way – telling a story for what it really is.
For more information visit pounce.tv.
