Mitchell Stookey is the Education Coordinator at Pacific Cinémathèque, Vancouver’s premier non-profit film society, and as a member of the Education Department, engages in film and video based community outreach in both production and media literacy capacities. He studied at the University of Saskatchewan and Emily Carr University of Art + Design, receiving a Bachelor degree in Media Arts. He is also a filmmaker, editor, animator, cinematographer and photographer, and has been happily involved with media production for over a decade.
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Thanks for your interest in who I am; I’m flattered you want to know more! People always ask me if I prefer being called “Mitchell” or “Mitch” and I never really knew, but somehow today it is so clear: Mitch is way better.
So I’m Mitch. As of fall 2010, I am the Education Coordinator here at the Cinémathèque. It’s quite possibly my dream job — working with people, technology, and ideas. Whether we are assisting youth to produce thoughtful and meaningful Public Service Announcements, learning how to operate a new camera or editing program, or discussing the influences of media in our lives, I look forward to coming to work every single day. I recognize how privileged I am that this is somehow my job!
I think what interested me about filmmaking in the first place was the opportunity to work with others. I started making movies at age five, just goofing around with my friends and my parent’s camera. One of the first films we made was based on the amazing Rambo film series, starring my friend Cam. Needless to say, we called the movie “Cambo”. I was in love with the fun of making something together, and it has grown into a deep seeded fondness of the creative collaboration required in making a film. One of the best parts of my job is getting to see that all the time with the students. Witnessing the effort they spend in coming together and producing something meaningful to them constantly reminds me of why I got involved with filmmaking, and I love getting to be a part of that.
Along with the creative and collaborative side of filmmaking, I am a fiend for the technical. I adore technology. Cameras, computers, software, I love it all. Figuring out how things work and how I can utilize them is one of the most fun things I can imagine. And yes, I am aware of how nerdy that sounds / actually is. When I was a teenager my grandma gave me money to buy a car — I bought a camera I had no idea how to use instead, and it was the best decision I ever made. Thanks Grandma!
Because I preferred to get my hands on a camera and teach myself how to use it, I figured if I was ever going to be a half decent filmmaker I needed to work on the idea side of filmmaking — mine sucked. This led me to Emily Carr University of Art + Design, where I spent four years thinking critically about film and the world in general. And now that I’ve started, I can’t stop. I love the exchange of ideas that happens when facilitating both production and media literacy workshops, and I am grateful for how often I get to experience it here at the Cinémathèque.
Now that you know a little bit about me, let’s make or talk about movies!
