Going Rogue River.
Co-founders Todd Forsbloom and Jim Shockey of the award-winning Rogue River Films located in Duncan give viewers an exclusive and intimate look at the day-to-day running of the award-winning Indigenous fine art gallery Coastal Carvings located in Coombs in the launch of their new docu-series of the same name. It will have its official broadcast premiere on APTN on Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m. with a new episode airing every week.
"We both feel proud and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many talented and wonderful people," said Shockey.
Rogue River Films had its beginnings in the Pink Mountain area of B.C. in October 2012, when Shockey first met Forsbloom, who was just a young Métis filmmaker at the time documenting the plains bison that were thriving in that area.
"It was clear right away that Todd was completely at home in that wilderness environment," said Shockey. "After five days on horseback, long hours of filming, and late nights brainstorming around the fire, we realized we shared the same vision — a production company that could tell powerful First Nation stories."
"I had never met Jim before, but had been following his career for many years," said Forsbloom. "No one was telling stories on TV the way he was at the time. He was just one cameraman filming all over the world, it was like he was bringing people along with him on these journeys. As a Métis filmmaker, I knew I could learn so much from him."
Shockey said on that fateful day they were led by Métis-Cree hunting guide Donny Harris from Chetwynd, B.C. Harris was part of the Rogue River Films family until he died in 2017. His wife, Annette Carter, is still a part of the team as an associate producer, and appears in each season of Yukon Harvest, which also airs on APTN.
"He lived his culture and loved sharing it with others, especially youth," said Shockey.
What's in a name?
Shockey owns a 12,000 square mile outfitting concession in the Yukon under the name Rogue River Outfitters. Harris worked as a professional hunting guide in the Rogue River territory for many years. In keeping with the spiritual harmony that he and Forsbloom are striving to share along with the underlying theme of adventure in the wild lands, Rogue River films was the perfect fit. Their main studio is based out of the Hand of Man Museum in Maple Bay.
"Walking the halls, you can’t help but feel inspired. Everything there has a story to tell," said Shockey.
Both strongly agree that RRF's production suite in Duncan has been very helpful, especially since Coastal Carvings, which is now in its second season of productio,n is filmed in the Parksville area, allowing them to be on set within an hour when needed.
The dynamic duo of RRF also flow into the third season of Yukon Harvest — a series that tracks Indigenous hunting guides who bring various Indigenous men and women ages eight to 80 on hunts to reconnect with their ancestral past and provide food for people in need in their communities. Season three will have its broadcast launch on Sept. 4.
"Yukon Harvest is about connecting with the land —harvesting the natural resources, and learning tradition and respect," said Shockey. "It’s cinematically stunning to watch, and the First Nation people we’ve been fortunate to film and work with are truly inspiring."
Forsbloom said a standout moment for him was filming a mother and daughter from the Gwich’in First Nation as they stepped onto their ancestral land in the Yukon and Northwest Territories for the first time in their lives in episodes 11 and 12.
"They wanted to harvest a caribou again, for the first time," said Forsbloom. "I won’t give away what happens, but the instant connection was clear. There were tears of joy, and it was very special to witness — truly incredible."
Forsbloom said that one of the favourite parts of his journey since creating RRF with Shockey has been the honour of meeting the people in every community they have the privilege to film in from the Onion Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan to the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun First Nation in Mayo, Yukon.
"It has been a privilege to capture their stories," said Forsbloom. "It’s been incredible to see how people respond to Yukon Harvest, my favourite part has been watching young ones get out on the land — learning, having fun, and showing respect to their elders by giving something back to them. In a world where screens dominate so many young lives, I find this refreshing. We need to give them opportunities to be outside, and to learn the skills that will keep them connected to the land."
As they shine a light on the beauty and importance of Indigenous culture, Shockey's hope is that viewers take away tolerance and understanding.
"Tolerance for a way of life that may be different than our own, and in opposition with our urban ideologies," said Shockey. "Understanding that embracing the traditional First Nations field to table lifestyle is a way for all of us to live healthier, and most importantly for us to be able to touch our ancestral soul."
