SPEAKER_00 0:00

Good morning, afterwards you are after watching the minus factors post of the July. Today we're going to be talking about you should. It's front of Norway. And it's a great opportunity to go in front of the conference to hear and watch these ways. So we're going to be talking to some of the organizers today about the conference, about things that we can learn from watching films, ideas that come from opportunities of gatherings. And so let's go ahead and jump in today and introduce our guests. So welcome everybody. We got the four house today. We're going to have you introduce yourself real quickly. Yeah, which you're going to go first.

SPEAKER_03 0:47

My name is I work at the UIT, the Arctic University of Norway, as the senior counselor and video producer. And I make um videos and films and other multimedia for teaching purposes here at the university.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Fantastic. Alright, Natalie, would you go next? And if I say your names wrong, I I'm trying really hard.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

No worries, it's not uh wrong to say Natalie like that. Um my name is Natalia Blomstrang. Um I'm a uh senior advisor at the resort here at the University Um the UIT, the Arctic University of Norway. Uh and I also uh work as a learning designer here, um where I um make uh multimedia for educational purposes uh amongst uh other things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Fantastic. Well well thank you. And and Terrier.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Yeah, my name is Tarje Vagli. I'm also a colleague of uh Natalia and Tia. I work as an ed uh uh tech advisor here at the university. I've been here for uh 17 years, I think. So I work with uh producing uh educational content for for our students.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

Fantastic. So I I I'm so thrilled to have each of you here to talk about Treff. So who uh maybe if one of you would be willing to tell us what what is what is Treff? What's the idea behind it? Why why is there a film fest educational film festival in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle, which seems uh not like a place of of high cinema necessarily. So it's kind of an interesting uh not only location, but uh interesting idea.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Well, we uh I can start. Uh we uh we um some years ago we were in um we were looking for a festival because we we work with the educational film and we felt that uh there was not giving credit for the the the work that we do and and that uh the faculty staff does to uh create and promote educational films. So we started looking for festivals or places that where we could uh that we could find, that we could show off what we are what we are making. Um but we couldn't find any festivals. There was one in Finland that we visited and and uh there was one in uh uh Iran, I think, that was the most uh one of the most um uh one of the festivals that had uh been going on for for quite a while. But uh Iran is probably not the place to go to right now. Uh so um we started working uh uh four years ago with um with uh our own idea of uh what a film festival should be. So uh in 2024 we we um established uh the or we held the the first uh TREF uh film festival.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

Yeah, and oh go ahead, please.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

Yeah, yeah. I was uh I thought I could just tell what uh TREF is and uh Trump's Education Film Festival. Uh it's a place where we uh want to connect filmmakers and educators and to promote film as a teaching tool uh to see how you can use film in a pedagogical way. So it's both the film festival where we watch uh educational films but also a conference where we discuss uh the potential that films have the films have for uh learning and teaching.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Yeah, I will say one of the things that really impressed me is that uh the and obviously if you're going to a film festival you expect kind of really high quality, but the amazing the thing was that I was just blown away by what educators were creating. It's uh pretty fantastic. Um so tell us a little bit like because I it can seem like I think that there's film that is um you know really well produced, it's very uh cinematic, it's beautiful, and then there's education. We and we see a lot of it, I see a lot of education films that are, you know, it's like a lecture style, or it's not necessarily using film techniques. So um what are some of the challenges of of finding these pedagogical kind of uh pieces that uh actually bring together both film and kind of the learning? Is that is that challenging? Is there is there lots of it out there, do you think?

SPEAKER_02 6:04

Yeah, um I believe so. Uh I believe that uh there exists a lot of films uh that are educational films, but I think that uh many people believe that educational films is like this talking head with a PowerPoint behind, but uh actually uh educational films is much more than uh only that. It's a co-creation between the educator and the filmmaker, uh, where we make films for a pedagogical uh framework. Uh so the film is supposed to exist within our framework. Um yeah, so it's a small field yet, but uh still an important field in uh education.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

Well, so let me ask this is as as you think about that, because it is small and it does seem like there's lessons to be learned. What is something that now you've done two of these conference film festivals? Uh you've watched probably uh well, you probably all had to watch all the selections, so you've probably watched hundreds of films, uh, but we watched 25 this year during the conference. Uh, what what's a lesson you wish educators would take away from uh film that they could apply more readily? Because I know, you know, working with the educators I do, sometimes again, it's just the talking head. Uh, is there a lesson you think to be learned that you wish all educators would apply or many educators would apply?

SPEAKER_01 7:42

Uh one thing that we can mention is um what we often see is that um um education educators try educators try to, like Natalie says, um about the talking head, they try to fit every uh sub subject into one video, every lecture into one video. But we uh we often try to fragment and and and uh and get them to uh create the video in in smaller parts. And and educational film often requires some kind of activity connected to it. So it's important to have something uh whether you see the film uh first or whether whether you have the activity uh during the film or if you have the activity after the film, it's very important to have some kind of um uh active measures uh taking place before, during, or after the screening, so that you can anchor the the learning objective in in some way. So that's that's that's kind of important with we feel absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Um and also uh we uh we said that the educators uh that come to the festival that they will be inspired and to see, for instance, I talked to um some participants and in advance they had been thinking like, oh I don't know how interesting the films will be because they are not about my professional field. Um but when they attended the festival and saw those films they were really surprised because they were actually interesting for them in the sense that they got new ideas of how to how what kind of uh forms uh you can use for instance when you make educational films uh different types of films and uh different types of uh tools that uh in the productions like we wish that the educators see that uh film is a different kind of tool than lecture or other resour learning resources and that they actually utilize those um possibilities that that uh form of communication gives. So that's been nice to hear that they it's because it's not the content of the film that is important in this setting, but more the um content of the film that it's important, but the way that it's uh made to enhance learning. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Yeah, I mean I I I noticed that because there there was a wide variety of topics and and discussions that that happened around each of the films, and and I'll be honest, I was I think I was part of that, like, oh gosh, am I gonna be interested in what's being this topic or is it be gonna be shown? And it it was so amazing to hear from all these different disciplines too. Like that and I think that's maybe another takeaway is that the it felt like this what film wasn't just for one uh maybe area or discipline. It it really did cover so many different topics, and it was really amazing to see what what these filmmakers were doing, the styles and approaches, um, you know, everything from things for for children to to you know, we call them grade schoolers, middle schoolers in the in the US, you know, those kind of middle ages of school, and then even for college students, and and frankly, many adults could benefit from some of the topics that were were covered. So I just uh so fascinating. So I appreciate that um your your approach that you know, film, it's great to watch and look at, oh, it's a good topic, but it's also about how did they approach that topic, which I think is an important lesson. So as you're um as you're working through festivals, uh and you're looking, you you all, like I said, watch all the films before it goes to the jury. You're kind of selecting. Um, and I don't want you to give away any secrets or anything that you shouldn't say. You don't want to tip the scales to people, you know, uh doing things they should to get into the festival or whatever, but are there things that particularly that filmmakers and these educators are doing that catch your eye, that say, oh, that that's something we're looking for in the films that we're going we want to screen and show. Is there an element about them that you know stands out or or is it maybe it's always different, depending on depending on the film?

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Yeah, um I can say that uh uh of course we look for some diversity. We want to show that uh educational films can uh be a lot of different things. It don't have to only be a film standalone film documentary. It can be a case that is used for reflection, it can be also be a project with uh uh VR or uh uh 360 videos. Um so we want to show the diversity of films, also, as well as uh uh some high-end films, but also we want to show uh that educators can make films themselves also. So therefore we try to implement some more low budget films uh that educators also can um make themselves so they can see that it's not that difficult. They don't have to be a Hollywood filmmaker to make films, kind of yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:52

And um we also experienced at that festival that some um some of the teachers who teach at the university that they came to us and told that they um had got really inspired uh by the films that they had been seeing because they had maybe previously also thought about making films um for their teaching and um for about their research, uh but now they were kind of uh thinking to throw those ideas out, and they were full full of new ideas, and that's really nice for us to hear because that's one of our goals to inspire the educators to see that film can be used in so so many different ways.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

Yeah, I I will say I was impressed um also just some of the diversity. I know there was uh we screened a film from the Norwegian uh police department that was, I mean, probably couldn't have been super high budget, but I it just was memorable because it was they used humor very effectively. Uh, but it was a great, to me, that was a great example of how a film didn't have to be super high budget, but it was also amazing on the other end to see what some of these truly moving, you know, uh heart-wrenching pieces that also were educating about uh you know what was happening in the world. So I'm I'm glad the educators are getting inspired. So for for you all, what's um what's next for Tref? Because Treff is obviously it's a well, maybe not obviously, so every year it's a it's not every year, it's every two years. So next one is 2028. Um what's the hope for the next festival? What's any dreams, goals, aspirations?

SPEAKER_01 15:45

Well, we have uh uh we have had uh uh an uh uh evaluation of of this year's festival and then uh the the feedback has been very positive. So uh so we are extremely glad that people that came had uh benefited from the from being there. Uh and we are we are keen uh to go on in 2028 to to um try to recruit even more people from uh we are an international film festival, but uh Scandinavia and and we also have uh maybe Tion and or Natalia can correct me. We have had contributions for I I think uh how many countries were there? Do you remember? Well, it's seven.

SPEAKER_03 16:33

Well in in the submissions uh we had like uh films from 20 over 20 different countries. And in the program, I I don't remember, but it was so we try to from all over the world.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Yeah, we try to make it so so that we can get uh different cultures and different uh inputs on on what educational film is throughout the world and and uh and and not just not in in Norway but in Scandinavia and in Europe and in and uh in Africa or if uh we had uh last year uh very uh uh um excellent films from from Africa as well. So we we try to make it a world worldwide um contribution for uh for educational film. Um and also yeah, uh that's that's uh that's uh one of our focuses uh to to expand.

SPEAKER_00 17:36

Yeah, absolutely. Well, that would be wonderful. So if anyone's listening to this and they're saying, hmm, that sounds interesting. Obviously, it's not time to submit yet, got some time to keep working on the films. What does that process look like? Because I'm I'm curious for so you know, my guess is there's people out there who are working on stuff, and maybe they're not even they're thinking about their educators, they're thinking about the process, or maybe they're an educator, they're like trying to create something. What does that process look like for just submission, just out of curiosity, to to have somebody thinking about like, hey, do I have something that I could submit to to a festival like Treff?

SPEAKER_03 18:17

Yeah, so we um we will open the submissions, I think um 2027, early in 2027, and we use Fin Freeway for as a platform for the submissions, so anybody can go there and create the profile and submit their projects to us. And what they should think about is if they if they can uh describe how they think this film can promote learning. And if they even have the project is a part of some kind of teaching program, or if they have thoughts about uh the pedagogical use of that film, then they can be sure that it's the right place, that trest is the right place, and um yeah, we hope that as many as possible want to send their films to us.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

And the more films for you all to watch.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

We love to watch film, and we love to get uh inspired by films that we see, and and it's not always about the the technical uh part of the film because we value the film in in different categories uh and and uh it's always uh uh a great mix between uh pedagogical uh um focus uh and also the context around the film. Uh uh but also the film itself, that that it's a it's a good film, but but also the it doesn't have to be the technical best film, but but if it's it serves a purpose uh in in an educational context, it it's uh it's it's uh definitely a film to to to uh submit to us.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

Yeah, I just also wanted to say that uh uh we also want um want films that show uh innovative ways of using uh educational films in uh in a teaching setting. So we welcome all kinds of uh films and projects that uh are trying out how to use educational films.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

Yeah, I I I I'll mention that on a previous episode I did interview uh Time Dewu, who was at the film festival, uh and he's a YouTube creator, and and I th so I think that's the nice contrast, right? Is you've got people who are educators, professors working in university, you've got like the Norwegian uh police academy, which is uh an educational institution, but then you had uh this YouTuber who was there to uh create educational content. So I do think that's it's nice to see the variety, and hopefully that continues. So maybe that's just my encouragement. Excuse me, that's my encouragement to anyone listening that if you've got a film that you think is educational, you've got some video that you think is unique or takes a unique approach, maybe this is an opportunity to showcase it. Does that does that sound fair uh from the group? Is that is that appropriate? Good. Well, uh, as we get close to wrapping up here, obviously, as you watch the films, there's always things to learn. I'd love to hear from each of you what's something from this year's festival that you were inspired by or learned that you either are going to apply, hope to apply, or try. Is there something that you took away from this year's festival? Now, granted, I understand you're also all. Very busy during the festival, and you weren't maybe locked in at watching. You were doing all the behind the scenes things, but I know you you've seen those films. So was there something from this year that you you took away um from the films that we watched that you would like to share?

SPEAKER_01 22:18

For me, uh there was um uh uh I kind of like also like the the keynotes, and and this year was an excellent uh keynote uh or two excellent keynotes speaking. So the keynotes for me are are um are uh essential for the film festival. Um yeah in addition to the films, of course. So we have a couple of keynotes every year.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Good, good, it's a nice mix, right? Because you got films and then you've got some educational content to mix in there.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Uh for me, yeah, it's uh I think it was uh cool that we had um several different um filmmakers that also was uh educators. Um so uh I really uh want that we um want uh for us to uh continue with uh giving them also uh an array arena to show their work um kind of I actually there was one there was uh uh a video a film this year about ethics.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Um and that has stuck with me. In fact, I went out and found because it's on one of the Norwegian uh website platforms, because Norway has these amazing educational resources available, and I watched other videos from that creator because I think he did the series that was the about the ethics uh question about abortion, and then he did one about ethics, like how to disagree and have conversations. And uh like I actually sought that out. That's how impressive I thought that that feature was that uh having this really great dialogue. So I think that's one thing that for me is a couple things. Norway has an amazing educational system that uh is supportive of film, which is uh amazing. But two, um, these creators are doing stuff that is ri really impactful. Like I I saw so many videos that I'm like I like really impacted by. Like I've thought about, you know, we're we're a month path over a month away, and I've still think I'm thinking about what I saw and what I felt and the impact that has. So I'm just gonna say, uh, for me, that was that's incredible to have that kind of impact as a as a creator, to have someone still thinking about your work uh even well after the time maybe they had to. And uh, I'm not required to take that professor's class, but if I was a student, I I would uh that's what I'd want. Uh that would be a fant that was a fantastic piece for me, at least.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

So and there's so many educators out there making exceptional uh educational films that that deserves uh deserves a broader audience or at least a recognition for for making those uh films for the students because they're a very good educational um uh they are uh they deserve to get a broader audience. So uh it's it's nice for you to acknowledge that or uh to to see that, and it's nice for us to hear that you you uh went back and and saw some more of of um of the this uh creators film.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

Yeah uh yeah and uh and uh also I also um when looking back at the festival, um what hit me also is that it's all about to have fun with uh education. Ums is a way of expressing education in a different way and making education fun in a different way. So a lot of the filmmakers and educators at Träff 2026 just had fun with the education, and I think that that also inspires to uh for students to learn that's true.

SPEAKER_03 26:20

And uh I also was surprised by some of the films like uh how they used interactivity in a way that I hadn't seen before. Because uh we talk about that the films should be a part of a kontext and with the other learning resources or learning activities but there was uh um for example one film that was really uh did it really well integrated in the film the interactivity so the learning activity was uh done while you watched the film, and that was quite um inspiring.

SPEAKER_00 27:04

Yeah, the learning it's interesting because learning from a kind of I think I think Terry, you even said this earlier. Learning learning doesn't happen in the film, it happens in your head, it happens you know, during and after the the the viewing of these things, and so uh I I love that point. Well, uh thank you all for taking time uh to be with me here on the podcast to talk to me about Treff. And uh, you know, it was really a highlight uh experience for me to be able to be part of that and to to view it. And I hope our list my listeners, those folks are out there, will consider this as something that they should put on their bucket list to do uh for whether it's a 2028 or a future one, um, because it really is a fantastic experience if you're serious about learning and and about video and film. So uh as we wrap up, um if if people want to learn more about Treff, about any of you is do how do you how do you want to do this? You wanna one of you want to be a spokesperson here and talk about how people can learn more?

SPEAKER_02 28:08

If you want to learn more about uh educational films and trf and what we do, you can um uh visit our webpage. Uh we have also an Instagram and we have a Facebook where you can re reach us. And we're very active, so if you send us an DM, we can we will answer you. So um yeah, feel free to take um to contact us.

SPEAKER_00 28:35

Yeah, and we will make sure links are in the con the descriptions below so people can easily what's your final take?

SPEAKER_01 28:43

Um I don't know. Uh maybe uh uh for the we working with um sometimes old uh uh faculty members and and and stuff uh or staff learning how to do video. But what we see now is there's a new generation uh arriving from uh that um uh that where video is practically practically their primary medium of of communication. So uh it's important that they treat video as a functional cog in in uh in their in a pedagogical wheel and and not just another swipe in the in the in the Doom scrolling. But I think the generations that's that's coming uh they are aware of this and and we see a shift now where uh where uh uh the the videos are are are being treated as as um as fragment in in uh what I talked about before: fragment of uh educational um uh uh uh an educational context. So that's that's my input now.

SPEAKER_03 29:55

I'm just um really happy and thankful for the opportunity to um uh create this festival and to make it happen and everyone who came and all the people that we have met, and I I'm I'm really happy about that because uh we work with this every day, but it's not a lot of networking possibilities. So it's been really nice to see uh this year that the same people came back and we also got new friends, and I'm uh looking forward to the next time already.

SPEAKER_02 30:36

Yeah, uh my final take is uh that um it's uh allowed to have fun with education and I think that's uh that is something that we are doing. We have fun with films and education, and it's a really fun crew that meet up at Traff and uh uh learn from each other and uh share experiences and uh get inspired from educational films. So uh educators shouldn't be afraid to try to use films and uh be inspired by um by others that is doing the same and just have fun with it. It's uh it's not scary to make movies. You can't do anything wrong.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

I love it. Well, thank you each for joining me in the Visual Lounge. Appreciate you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you, Matt. All right, everybody, as we wrap up here, just uh again a shout out to the crew at Tref and all the great things that they're doing over there. And I I I seriously, if it's not on your list of things to do, uh consider it because it's a fantastic experience, one that I will treasure and looking forward to going back for sure. So, with that said, one of the goals of the Visual Lounge, of course, is we want you to get better. We want you to think about using film and video edit for educational purposes. We want you to get better at your skill sets, we want you to get better at thinking about learning and pedagogy and all those types of things that make you more effective at helping to educate and teach, train, and do all that good work. And with that said, we we know you gotta keep working at it, and we hope you take a little time to level up every single day. Thanks, everybody.