Leading the Expedition

By Sue Bergstrom for Valdez City News –

Expeditionary Film School of Alaska; just the name is intriguing. Even in a state where everything is of mythic proportions, and somewhat unreal until you get used to it, that title stirs the imagination. What is an expeditionary film school?

According to its web site, “Expeditionary Film School of Alaska is the research interest and intellectual property of Professor DB Palmer, and supports the Outdoor Studies department at PWSCC.” The mission is to support the Outdoor Studies degree program at Prince William Sound College for the University of Alaska. Courses are an amalgam of interactive pieces designed to work together. So they not only include the actual adventure filmmaking, but emergency medical training, professional certifications and outdoor leadership. Add to this the opportunity to learn these things in the majestic, awe-inspiring Alaska outdoors. Expeditionary Film School of Alaska is the first and only adventure filmmaking degree program.

It would take an interesting person to formulate such a concept and DB Palmer is that. Dr. Palmer earned his MA in Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University, and completed his Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University in Seattle. In addition to being an Assistant Professor of Outdoor Leadership and Adventure Film, he is Deputy State Director of the Alaska Canoe Association, a member of the Board of Advisors of Levitation 49 and on the Valdez Avalanche Center Steering Committee. He is also a practicing psychotherapist, an open water coastal kayak instructor, a professional sea kayak educator and expeditionist, president of the UAA Academic Senate and on the judging panel of the 2015 Why Not? Adventure Film Festival in Ireland. He has combined his many and varied skills and wide experience into a course of study designed to cover all the bases of adventure filmmaking in Alaska.

The presentation and structure of the classes is as varied as the classes themselves. For example, the very first class offered in late August is a three day rafting trip down the Copper River. Beginning Rafting is designed to introduce students to the equipment, techniques and hazards of river rafting and teaches trip planning, equipment selection, minimum impact rowing and risk management. Pack-rafting in Alaska is another three day class in September and teaches beginning pack-rafting skills and swift-water risk management. The Emergency Medical Technician I course, which is aimed at outdoor leaders, working professionals, and anyone interested in getting into the field of emergency medicine. The course is done primarily on-line with three two-day clinical sessions. Pre-visualization and Pre-production is described as a core course in the Adventure Film concentration, key to the understanding of filmmaking. It meets live and on-line and also includes active projects. Other courses for the fall are Cross-training for Expedition Fitness, Avalanche I, Introduction to Backcountry Skiing, Introduction to the Study of Adventure Film, Four Season Backpacking, Introduction to Recreation and Outdoor Leadership, Recreation Program Planning and Evaluation, Adventure Research and Creative Activity. Instructors include visiting experts as well as familiar faces to Valdez outdoor enthusiasts.