A Niagara College alumnus has found a way to bring the outdoors in for vulnerable populations who can’t safely leave their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jacob Graham, who graduated from the Broadcast – Radio, Television and Film program last spring, worked with Heartland Forest to create a series of videos with footage from the Niagara Falls outdoor education centre as a way for older adults and long-term care residents to enjoy nature while sheltering in place.
“We had the idea that they’re stuck inside and can’t get outside,” Graham said. “It’s more them getting to experience nature from inside.”
Graham has spent much of his time since graduating at work on the series, which will include 15 videos. Though they serve a practical and compassionate purpose, the visual montages are really an homage to a place with which Graham has a strong connection.
Graham has volunteered at the nature preserve since he was in high school. His mother, Elisabeth, is executive director at Heartland Forest, and the ecologically sensitive swath with a focus on accessibility has played a profound role in the life of Graham’s autistic brother.
“(Heartland Forest) is about being able to experience nature to its full potential. That’s very close to my heart,” Graham said. “When I had the ability to share that, I took it on because it is close to me and I wanted to share that with people.”
The video series builds on another project Graham got involved with to showcase the beauty and mission of Heartland Forest to a broader audience.
Before graduating Graham was tapped by Cogeco/YourTV producer Jack Custers to produce a four-part documentary series about Heartland.
Graham had been volunteering at the local cable access station since high school and continued helping with graphics, audio, video and broadcasting OHL Niagara Icedogs games with Cogeco while studying at the College.
In fact, it was that experience that compelled Graham to study broadcast with the hope of pursuing a career in television production. He loved the energy and the fast pace, especially helping with the airing of those hockey games.
Graham was also drawn to the creativity of the work.
“Creating this show, you put all this work into, you see the final product, it’s rewarding,” he said. “That’s when I fell in love with it.”
In July 2019, he decided to combine his two loves: broadcast production and Heartland Forest. Graham came up with the idea to produce four five-minute segments about Heartland Forest, hosted by park employee Owen Bjorgen.
“The big thing is how beautiful a place it is,” Graham said. “Not just visually but what goes on there, how accessible it is to all, whether you have a wheelchair or mental disability. It’s for all. It’s a great place to learn and explore nature.”
The mini-documentaries were compiled to create one show that aired on YourTV late last year. All in, they demonstrate Graham’s editing and storytelling skills, which impressed Custers.
“With Jacob being the (project) liaison, and being part of our channel family already, it was a natural fit,” Custers said.
And the final product was a natural success, he noted.
“It was incredible. With Jacob, with his skills and the fact we knew him and he knew us, it helped,” Custers said. “With Owen, his knowledge is incredible as well. The ultimate goal is to promote Heartland Forest. It’s a hidden gem. People know it’s there but they don’t always know what it’s about.”
The project only deepened Graham’s connection to a place that’s been special to him for years. And it inspired the videos to help isolated seniors access the beauty of this natural resource while COVID-19 keeps them indoors.
Both projects have also filled a void for Graham as he adjusts to pandemic living and the fewer volunteering opportunities it offers at Cogeco/YourTV.
“The biggest thing is seeing it in a new light from a producer point of view. I’m not there volunteering and helping with what goes on. I’m stepping back and thinking ‘How do I put this together and make show?’” Graham said. “It’s seeing it through a new lens and how best to make it enjoyable for a new audience.”
