About

Sisler’s CREATE program is an entertainment arts training program located at Sisler High School, Winnipeg School Division. Founded in 2015, the CREATE Program provides high school and post-high students with educational and career pathways to the creative industries in Canada, and worldwide. Starting in grade 9, students in the CREATE Program will build foundational skills with hardware and software while using a wide range of creative toolsets. As students progress through the program, they specialize in a chosen creative field and apply their skills in project-based courses. The program culminates in post-high by providing portfolio development, studio training and certification.

Sisler’s CREATE program is comprised of three educational pathways: Graphic Design (Industrial Arts), IDM -Interactive Digital Media (Vocational) and MPA – Motion Picture Arts (Vocational). Students can study film, animation, game design, graphic design, photography, digital media and more. By combining technical training from vocational and innovative educators with industry mentorship and internship opportunities, the CREATE program brings job-readiness into focus. Our connection to talented creatives and industry leaders gives our students an advantage not found in any other high school; mentorship and guidance from the people who live it every day – here in Manitoba and around the world. Sisler instructors were key in the development and writing of the provincial Interactive Digital Media and Motion Picture Arts vocational frameworks.

Our Alumni:

The program has an incredible alumni success rate – well over 100 grads have pursued post-secondary education in the digital media field, while many have secured employment at places like Amblin Studios, Sony, Atomic Cartoons, Nelvana, Eagle Vision Inc., APTN and more. Since 2015, CREATE program students have secured well over $1.5 million in scholarships.

Courses:

Grade 9

MP206V1S – Exploration of Motion Picture Arts
GRAR1H – Graphic Design
DM093V1S – Exploration of Interactive Digital Media

Grade 10

MP207V2S – Introduction to Motion Picture Arts
GRAR2G – Graphic Design
DM094V2S – Introduction to Interactive Digital Media

Grade 11

MP208V3S – Fundamentals of Animation
MP209V3S – Fundamentals of Previsualization
MP210V3S – Fundamentals of Compositing and Visual Effects
DM095V3S – Interactive Digital Media Design
DM096V3S – Introduction to Interactive Digital Media Asset Creation
DM097V3S – Introduction to Interactive Digital Media Coding
COSR3S – Computer Science
GRAR3G – Graphic Design

Grade 12

GRAR4S – Graphic Design
DM098V4S – Advanced Interactive Digital Media Asset Creation
DM099V4S – Advanced Interactive Digital Media Coding
DM100V4S – Interactive Digital Media Project Management
DM101V4S – Futures in Interactive Digital Media
COSR4S – Computer Science (only available as a ZZ slot)
MP211V4S – Applied Motion Picture Arts
MP212V4S – Motion Picture Arts Project Management
MP213V4S – Motion Picture Arts Studio Training
MP214V4S – Motion Picture Arts Portfolio Development

Industry Liaisons

Thanks to CREATE benefactor The Schroeder Foundation, the CREATE program has two industry liaisons who assist with our industry partnerships and help students with internships, work placements, post-secondary applications, scholarship applications, resumes, cover letters and more.

Jeff Peeler is the founder of the Manitoba production company Three Film and Television. He started the company after 17 years at a senior management level at the award-winning international film and television production company, Frantic Films. With over 25 year’s experience in the industry he has overseen the production of hundreds of hours of film and television content across multiple genres. Jeff’s Producer and Executive Producer credits include the Canadian Screen Award and Banff Rockie winning Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC/IFC), the multiple award-winning Still Standing (CBC), Buy It Fix It Sell It and Backyard Builds (HGTV), The Winnipeg Comedy Festival (CBC), Killer in Plain Sight (Investigation Discovery), High Maintenance: Preventing Disaster (Smithsonian Channel), Meet the Family (City), and the feature films Stand!, Into Invisible Light and The Nature of Nicholas. Jeff also produced the sports documentary, The 13th Man for TSN’s Engraved on a Nation anthology which won Best Documentary Series at the Canadian Screen Awards in 2014 and the true-crime documentary Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier.

Ginny Collins worked as the Communications Director for Manitoba Film & Music (MFM) for 10 years. She is also a playwright and winner of the Best Manitoba Play at the 2019 Manitoba Book Awards. Before her time at MFM, Ginny worked in communications with the United Nations Development Programme in Namibia, and as a training with a local women’s magazine in Zambia. Ginny works with CREATE’s many partners including Nickelodeon, CBC, Bell MTS, Nelvana and more to coordinate opportunities for students. She also assists with resume and cover letter building, scholarship applications, post-secondary applications and more to ensure students achieve their full potential.