After submitting the winning entry in a video contest a young Baker Lake videographer can upgrade his gear and include on his resumé that he’s an award-winning filmmaker.
Daniel Tapatai, 17, was named the winner of the Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest, organized by the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, which covers Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission announced the winner May 10 in a news release.
Tapatai’s video, just under two minutes long, focused on safety instructions for workers at Baker Lake’s Qulliq Energy Corp. power plant.
Tapatai worked at the plant last year as a summer student.
“When I was training, I had to read a safety book about the jobs you’ll probably be doing,” he said in an interview.
“From there I thought, since they have PPE [personal protective equipment] and the safety book, I can use them as props and I thought it would be a great video for that.”
Tapatai was awarded $1,000 for winning the contest. He said he hopes to use that money to upgrade some of his camera gear.
The teen runs his own videography business in Baker Lake and said he hopes to continue filmmaking and working on his craft. He’s only at the end of high school, and still thinking about his long-term goals.
“I feel very proud of myself because that’s the second video contest I actually won,” Tapatai said.
“It can be like on my resumé saying I’m an award-winning filmmaker and I have award-winning videos.”
Tapatai won a three-day trip to Banff National Park last year for winning first place in a video contest sponsored by Take Me Outside, a non-profit that raises awareness of the value of outdoor recreation.
The contest is “a great way for youth in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories to not just learn about workplace safety in a fun, creative way, but also to share what they learn with their fellow young workers,” said Rick Hunt, president and CEO of the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, in the commission’s May 10 news release.
Written by Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News
