Writer and producer, Rick Anthony was recently on set of a new film being shot in Regina.

“Patient 62 is a sci-fi action movie about a guy named Lucas Chase who’s searching for his estranged sister and realizes she’s been kidnapped by a group of some very unsavoury people,” he explained.

Anthony got his start in film back in 2011 – just before the Saskatchewan government axed the province’s film tax credit. Since then, he’s been involved in a few low budget projects, and while they get made finding a crew is challenging.

“If there were a more steady stream of work then when Indy filmmakers, like myself, were looking to pick up crew they’d still be here. A lot of them are chasing work in other provinces,” Anthony said.

The end of the film tax credit meant the end of steady work for a most people in the industry.

When the government discontinued the film employment tax credit in 2012, opponents said this move would ruin the film industry. However, since then, both Corner Gas: The Movie and Wolf Cop were shot and produced in Saskatchewan.

Does that mean there’s reason to be optimistic? The Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA) thinks so.

“Obviously we’re in a very different space than we were before, and looking backwards often brings up the hard feelings from that time,” said SMPIA president, Nova Alberts, but she added: “The industry is really entering a period of re-growth and development.”

One example is in August of this year, Creative Saskatchewan announced they can now increase the amount of money they can grant films from $250,000 to $600,000 without needing Cabinet approval.

Some local films are being produced with the increased help, but many say the industry continues to struggle.

Watch Focus Saskatchewan’s feature “Sask Films Now” Oct. 3 and 4 at 6:30 p.m. on Global News.

Source: Global

On Saturday, October 3rd, over 200 students and emerging filmmakers visited William F. White Centre, Etobicoke’s world-class production support complex, for a unique opportunity to interact with the latest state-of-the-art movie-making technologies and innovations.

This one-of-a-kind event featured an uplifting speech by Whites’ Chairman/CEO Paul Bronfman, and a stellar lineup of guest speakers including Academy Award Winner & Kino Flo inventor, Frieder Hochheim, along with Project Manager, Luke Van Osch and Creative Director, Stefan Grambart from the recent Emmy-winning studio Secret Location. In addition, George Willis, President of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and Jaimy Warner, Executive Director of Raindance Canada each delivered educational speeches about crafting images for the screen and how to use social media to raise attention for your film, respectively.

As well, Unmanned Cinema’s drones took to the skies, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in aerial cinematography. Guests also were able to test out the drones via computer-generated simulation, while discovering the exhilaration of drone flight firsthand. Whites’ Remote Heads and Cranes department was also on display, with looming Technocranes outfitted with cameras to afford emerging filmmakers the chance to experience what it’s like to be behind the lens. Finally, the Whites Interactive Viral Van, was parked nearby, proving that filmmakers can combine both production value and mobility with an impressive package, for those on a tight budget.

The event also featured an interactive dolly display set up, with a Sony F3 Full-HD camera pointing to a collection of illuminated jewels, like something from an “Indiana Jones” movie. These set ups encouraged guests to get hands on experience, while Whites employees demonstrated how gels can create distinct moods and atmospheres.

Throughout the day, students were given an exclusive 10% discount at The Store @ Whites, an offer which is still ongoing today, while getting a firsthand glimpse at the latest in GoPro camera technology. Over $6,000 in grant prizes were also awarded to Mohammad Saadoun, Atul Jain and Shenaz Baksh.

“I can’t emphasize enough how our students appreciate the financial support and recognition your award bestows. The personal and continued commitment of so many individuals to our programs and to students is extremely gratifying.” – Alexandra Anderson, Ryerson University, Chair, School of Image Arts

“My classmates and I had a great time and definitely learned quite a bit about the equipment you have. Your staff was also incredible and very helpful.” – Michael Maddeaux, Student

William F. White International Inc. (Whites), Canada’s oldest and largest provider of production equipment and technical expertise, is excited to once again host its annual Student & Filmmaker Open House, taking place this Saturday, October 3rd, from 9am – 5pm. This is a unique opportunity for both students and filmmakers to visit William F. White Centre while experiencing the latest state-of-the-art movie-making technologies and innovations.

This one-of-a-kind event is slated to feature a stellar lineup of guest speakers including Academy Award Winner & Kino Flo inventor, Frieder Hochheim, along with Project Manager, Luke Van Osch and Creative Director, Stefan Grambart from the recent Emmy-winning studio Secret Location. In addition, George Willis, President of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and Jaimy Warner, Executive Director of Raindance Canada will each be delivering educational presentations.

Representatives from TVOntario Digital Media will also be on hand to share details about their newest Short Doc Contest and how guests can submit their work. As well, Unmanned Cinema’s Cinematic Drones will take flight during the event, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in drone technology. Students can also look forward to receiving exclusive discounts at The Store @ Whites along with $2,000 in grant prizes. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.

“I can’t emphasize enough how our students appreciate the financial support and recognition your award bestows. The personal and continued commitment of so many individuals to our programs and to students is extremely gratifying.” – Alexandra Anderson, Ryerson University, Chair, School of Image Arts.

The National Film Board of Canada will be at MIPCOM (October 5‒8), the world’s entertainment content market, with a strong fall lineup that includes acclaimed releases launched at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as well as a slate of just-signed deals.

Features fresh from success at TIFF – acclaimed director Mina Shum’s NFB documentary feature Ninth Floor revisits an infamous 1969 riot at Montreal’s Concordia University that captured international headlines and was a watershed moment in race relations history; visual artist and filmmaker Mark Lewis dazzles audiences with a dynamic tour of cityscapes, shot over a period of two years in Paris, São Paulo and Toronto, in the NFB-co-produced feature Invention―a loving homage to the City Symphony films of the 1920s.

Short films just launched at TIFF include film critic and author Katherine Monk’s directorial debut, Rock the Box, a documentary look at LA-based DJ Rhiannon Rozier’s struggle to break into the male-dominated world of electronic dance music, as well as BAM, the latest animation from Howie Shia, whose 2006 NFB short Flutter made anime history as the first-ever work from outside Asia to win the coveted Open Entries Grand Prize at the Tokyo Anime Awards.

Signed deals that the NFB is bringing to MIPCOM include Patricio Henríquez’s Uyghurs: Prisoners of the Absurd, the incredible story of how members of China’s Uyghur minority were held illegally at Guantánamo for 11 long years. The film has already been sold to seven countries, including Canada, Turkey, and Denmark, as well as to Al Jazeera.

Hadwin’s Judgement has been picked up by Universum Film for all rights for Germany. Based on a best-selling book by Vancouver author John Vaillant, Sasha Snow’s spellbinding hybrid drama/documentary feature chronicles BC logging engineer and survivalist Grant Hadwin’s emotional crusade against clear-cutting―which ends in a shocking, illegal act.

Arab satellite TV channel Alaraby TV has picked up five NFB titles, including Helene Klodawsky’s latest documentary, Grassroots in Dry Lands, focusing on three unconventional social workers in Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, united by a common vision that transcends the antagonisms between their countries; as well as Alberta Noke’s Imagined States of America, which takes on the big myths about the United States to get at the heart of a country that continues to fascinate the world.

Following its world premiere at Sundance, Sophie Deraspe’s multi-award-winning The Amina Profile continues to attract interest from markets around the world. Already sold in several territories, including the US and France, this feature documentary is part love story, part international thriller, and a gripping chronicle of an unprecedented media and sociological hoax.