Spotlight on filmmaker again

Miranda Andersen, 11, a Moody Middle student, continues to collect international awards for her filmmaking ability. This time, she was recognized for her 10-minute documentary on coral reef protection. Photograph by: Paul vanPeenen, Coquitlam NOW

And the winner is ... Miranda Andersen.

These words are likely familiar by now to the 11-year-old Belcarra filmmaker.

Last year, Miranda won first place in the elementary school category of the international My Hero film contest for her documentary on Ruth Foster, co-founder of the Mossom Creek Hatchery.

This year, she earned top prize again for her 10-minute film on Smithsonian Institution scientist Mary Hagedorn, who is working to preserve the world's coral reefs using cryobiology.

Miranda is heading to the University of Southern California this weekend to accept her award, just as she did last year.

"I was very happy and I was very surprised. I'm very excited to be going back," said Miranda, a Moody Middle student who attended Anmore Elementary when she made the film.

Since Hagedorn is doing research based out of Hawaii, Miranda flew to Oahu with her family to interview the world-renowned scientist face to face.

"It was really cool. We got to see the whole facility. She walked us around the whole island and gave us a tour," she said.

"My favourite part was definitely going and meeting her. She had so much interesting things to say that I would've never thought about."

The hardest part of the project, Miranda said, was adjusting the sound for her video. The Grade 6 student played guitar to provide background music for the film's images of brightly coloured coral. She was able to troubleshoot problems with a little help from Anmore Elementary teacher Jen Whiffen.

For another environmental film contest, Andersen condensed her documentary to a 60-second silent clip. She submitted an entry to an international film festival called Planet in Focus, which earned her a screening in Toronto last month.

Similarly, last year she entered a 90-second clip in Earth Day Canada's national film contest, Every Day Heroes. She was named overall winner of the competition.

With awards in hand, the young filmmaker is already thinking ahead to her next documentary. She might focus her film on an e-waste collection drive she hosted at Anmore Elementary in April. Miranda collected carloads of computers, modems, monitors and more, which she donated to the non-profit organization Free Geek to reuse and recycle.

The City of Coquitlam recently recognized Miranda for this e-waste initiative by naming her the winner of the Power of One contest. Developed with School District 43, the contest aimed to inspire and motivate leadership at the middle school level while contributing to the development of Coquitlam's young leaders.

Power of One judge Heather Barr said she scored high in all categories.

"Miranda recognized the need for action and came up with a game plan on her own. Her efforts positively affected people on a global level. She advocated the safe elimination of e-waste within the Tri-Cities area, thus keeping our e-waste from being unsafely dismantled in offshore destinations like China, India and Africa," Barr said by e-mail.

"It also benefited Free Geek in Vancouver by heightening their cause. Free Geek was able to refurbish electronics to be sold in thrift stores to people who otherwise could not afford them.

"Miranda took steps to inform residents through the media and even had Free Geek make up business cards for her. She solicited the support of her family to help educate others and lend their services to collect and transport e-waste to the Free Geek depot in Vancouver. She spoke to her local council and actively took part in an Earth Day festival."

Although Miranda continues to bring home awards for films, environmental work and even her poetry, the middle school student has set her sights on a different career goal.

"Actually I really like to do films as a hobby, but I've been wanting to be a marine biologist when I grow up," she said.

She listed a few reasons for this interest as part of her My Hero film submission.

"Everything that has anything to do with the oceans fascinates me. I live on the West Coast of British Columbia near Vancouver with my family. We live on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and are lucky enough to be able to explore the water anytime we wish.

"Saving the oceans for the future is a big concern for me and I hope that people can realize that we can all make a difference to changing the future in our own small ways," she wrote.

"Being able to [meet] people like Mary and learn from others is a big part of why making films is so much fun. There are so many people in the world doing things that others don't even know about it, and we need to share information and work together to make change happen."

To view Miranda's award-winning film "Help Mary Save Coral," visit http://myhero.com/go/films/view.asp?film=SaveCoral.