Former ACC student releases documentary series on outdoor rinks in Canada

Winnipeg filmmaker Randy Frykas, a former student at ACC in Brandon (1998-2000), is currently working on a series of documentaries capturing the stories, sights, and sounds from outdoor rinks around the country.

“I have always wanted to make a hockey movie and after a couple of years of running the Outdoor Hockey Club Instagram account, I decided to combine my love for outdoor hockey and filmmaking” Frykas told bdnmb.ca.

The plan for year 1 is to release 10 total episodes. As of Feb 9, Frykas has released two episodes (Moosomin, SK & Whitehorse, YT) and filmed five. He usually spends 10-12 hours shooting and 20-30 hours editing for each episode. That doesn’t include the pre-production and research hours that keep things moving efficiently. Research for the series began in June 2022.

Frykas has spent weeks researching, emailing, and making phone calls to learn about various rinks and the community around it. He is trying to include backyard rinks, community rinks, rinks on lakes and rivers, etc. There are many challenges with planning travel, keeping the costs manageable, unpredictable weather, and whatever else comes up.

You can follow OHC on Instagram and YouTube (@outdoorhockeyclub) and keep an eye out for the story coming soon on CBC The National.