UP a River Featured on "Discovering" on TV6
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Pre-Premiere Interview on Channel 12
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About the Filmmaker:
My boyfriend Justin and I snowshoeing along the Middle Branch Ontonagon River
My Dad and I at Woodtick Camp
My name is Kristin Ojaniemi. I was born and raised and still live in Paynesville, Michigan. Technically my address is Bruce Crossing but locals refer to the area I live in as Paynesville because at one point in time there was a town here. I live in a cozy little house with my boyfriend and dogs, surrounded by Mother Nature at her best, and family and friends nearby.
I graduated from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan (near Grand Rapids) with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Film and Video Production. My senior thesis, a short film titled “Family Portrait” won Best of Student Showcase at the Waterfront Film Festival in 2004 and was an official selection at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival that same year.
Ever since graduating from college I’ve had a dream to film a documentary. A documentary that would mean something to me. “UP A RIVER” is close to my heart. My dad and family members built a camp, Woodtick Camp to be exact and aptly named at that, along the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River in the mid-eighties. I have a lot of fond memories of hiking down “The Hill” spending time with my folks at camp, fishing the river, learning all the native tree species and drinking crystal clear, ice cold spring water. After I finished college and moved back home I brought my boyfriend to my camp and he fell in love with its rustic charm as well. He is also local but never had a camp to call his own.
I know I am late to this fight to save the hunting camps along the rivers in the Ottawa National Forest. If nothing else I hope to preserve the memories.
(2021 UPDATE)
"UP A RIVER" was my first documentary and a labor of love. I will always cherish every camp I visited and every person I met on this journey. It was also a huge stepping stone in my career as a filmmaker and video producer. Since this film I have produced 2 more feature documentaries and multiple shorts. I am currently a freelance video producer creating all types of marketing and promotional videos, along with short films. Since 2019 I have been producing stories for the U.P. based show "Discovering" on WLUC-TV6, which is my dream job. You can find those stories on the 906 Outdoors YouTube channel.
I graduated from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan (near Grand Rapids) with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Film and Video Production. My senior thesis, a short film titled “Family Portrait” won Best of Student Showcase at the Waterfront Film Festival in 2004 and was an official selection at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival that same year.
Ever since graduating from college I’ve had a dream to film a documentary. A documentary that would mean something to me. “UP A RIVER” is close to my heart. My dad and family members built a camp, Woodtick Camp to be exact and aptly named at that, along the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River in the mid-eighties. I have a lot of fond memories of hiking down “The Hill” spending time with my folks at camp, fishing the river, learning all the native tree species and drinking crystal clear, ice cold spring water. After I finished college and moved back home I brought my boyfriend to my camp and he fell in love with its rustic charm as well. He is also local but never had a camp to call his own.
I know I am late to this fight to save the hunting camps along the rivers in the Ottawa National Forest. If nothing else I hope to preserve the memories.
(2021 UPDATE)
"UP A RIVER" was my first documentary and a labor of love. I will always cherish every camp I visited and every person I met on this journey. It was also a huge stepping stone in my career as a filmmaker and video producer. Since this film I have produced 2 more feature documentaries and multiple shorts. I am currently a freelance video producer creating all types of marketing and promotional videos, along with short films. Since 2019 I have been producing stories for the U.P. based show "Discovering" on WLUC-TV6, which is my dream job. You can find those stories on the 906 Outdoors YouTube channel.
