Documentary films,
shaped by story.
An artistic approach to real lives, places and ideas. Small crews. Close collaboration. Room to try something different.
Documentary is a form
of creative expression.
We believe in the power of a well-told story. Film can give voice to experiences that deserve to be heard, preserve ways of life, deepen understanding and inspire change. A film can carry a meaningful message and still be a work of art.
At I See North, the story shapes the form: an intimate portrait, a remembered journey, a film built around a voice or a gesture. Through image, sound and rhythm, we seek not only to communicate, but to move people.
A few of the people we work with
Selected films.
01▶ Explore filmHoly Brother
Dance, identity & Indigenous resilience
02▶ Explore filmWhy Life in the Bush Still Matters
A James Bay Cree Story
03▶ Explore filmChildren of the Sigabon
Documentary
04▶ Explore filmSnowwalker
Traditional snowshoes of the James Bay Cree
05▶ Explore filmWeapons of Change
Camera · Aaron Francesco Zeiss
06▶ Explore filmTeach a Boy to Fish
A Cree story of sturgeon and becoming
Different ways
of understanding.
Much of our work takes us into northern landscapes and communities. These encounters have influenced not only the stories we tell, but how we approach storytelling itself.
How can Indigenous and Western ways of seeing the world enrich the stories we tell?
This question runs through our approach to filmmaking. We bring different voices, experiences and worldviews into conversation, exploring where they meet, where they differ, and what each can reveal about our relationship with the world.
Two-Eyed Seeing informs how we listen, observe and tell stories. Different ways of knowing and understanding the world are not simply perspectives to be compared, but ways of seeing that carry their own meaning, context and authority. Our films seek to honour these differences while exploring what emerges when they come together.
Our approach is informed by Etuaptmumk, or Two-Eyed Seeing, as shared by Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall. Learn about the principle
Place · relationship · experience
Observation · research · evidence
for a more considered story
Aaron
Francesco Zeiss.
Photo by Félix Boulanger
My work begins with people
and the places they know.
I’m a filmmaker, photographer and journalist based in Waskaganish, on the eastern shore of James Bay. I See North is the home of my documentary work and commissioned productions.
My field experience spans northern Canada, the Amazon, Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe. I’m particularly drawn to places and communities where life remains deeply connected to the land, and to the people, cultures and traditions shaped by that connection. I believe their stories have the power to inspire, offering examples of living that we can all learn from.
Talk with AaronCreative decisions.
Practical experience.
A small team, built around the project.
From the first question to the finished film.
01DevelopmentBefore pre-production
Before pre-production
Find the story before deciding the format.
We begin with conversations: what is happening, who is involved, and why a film is the right way to approach it. Research, listening and early conversations with participants help us find the central question and the people who can carry the story.
Story research · Participant conversations · Creative treatment02Pre-productionMake room for the unexpected.
Make room for the unexpected.
A creative plan grounded in field realities.
We develop the visual language, sound approach and narrative possibilities, then work through access, consent, local collaboration, travel, weather, safety and equipment. A small team keeps the logistics manageable and makes it easier to reach places where a larger production would be difficult.
Access & relationships · Locations & logistics · Visual and sound planning03ProductionStay close to what is happening.
Stay close to what is happening.
A small crew, responsive to people and place.
We travel light and adapt to the setting, working with local knowledge and appropriate support. Time with participants matters as much as time behind the camera. We follow the story as it develops, making space for observation and unexpected moments alongside carefully considered images and sound.
Direction · Cinematography · Location sound · Field production04Post-productionFind the film in the material.
Find the film in the material.
Shape meaning through image, sound and rhythm.
The edit is a creative stage in its own right. We explore structure, pacing, silence and the relationship between voices. Agreed review stages allow us to check context and accuracy with the people involved, before colour, sound, captions and delivery for the intended audience.
Editing · Context & accuracy review · Colour & sound · DeliveryDocumentary, commissioned films and photography.
Working across northern Canada and internationally.
Tell me about
your project.
Bring a brief, a question, or a story you want to explore. Tell me what you have in mind and we can take it from there.
aaronfz.media@gmail.comPrefer a conversation? Choose “Request a call” and include a few times that work for you.