Sound Stage Takes Cape Breton Centre Stage

World-class film and television productions have often carried "filmed on location in Cape Breton" in their credits. Soon they will be able to replace it with "Made in Cape Breton."

Federal and provincial governments announced funding today for a new sound stage, designed to capitalize on the province's growing film and television sector. The new Filmscape sound stage has already attracted a major CBC television production.

Senator Al Graham, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Manning MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, announced $1.575 million in funding under the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification.

Additional funding from Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority of $175,000 was announced by executive director Eileen Lannon-Oldford. The economic development authority is also making available the former Micronav building at Sydport Industrial Park, valued at $400,000, as a location for the new sound stage.

Senator Graham also announced on behalf Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, $2.5 million in funding for the production of the a CBC-TV series, to be filmed at the Filmscape sound stage. This funding is being provided through the Transitional Jobs Fund.

Mr. MacDonald also announced support of $2.5 million for this $12.1-million production. Cochran Entertainment will produce the new series, which is based on the successful film Pit Pony, produced for CBC last year.

"At Filmscape, companies like Cochran Entertainment will not only use Cape Breton scenery and stories as inspiration for their films and videos, they will also be able to finish their production work here," said Senator Graham. "This will make our island far more attractive to the film industry."

Filmscape will house production of 26 half-hour episodes of Pit Pony, a series aimed at family audiences. The movie sold in 54 countries, and expectations for the Cape Breton TV production are high.

"The production of Pit Pony in Cape Breton will build jobs, expertise and profile like never before," said Mr. MacDonald. "We're talking about close to 160 direct and another 78 indirect jobs. Combined with the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation's Film Job Training Initiative, Pit Pony will enable Cape Breton film crews to increase their level of expertise and attract still more work. And the production itself will act as some of the best culture and tourism marketing the Island could hope for."

Economic impact from the production is estimated at $2.5 million in Cape Breton this year, with $8.8 million in expenditures and $4.7 million in household income.

"It's especially fitting that the stories and experiences that happened here at the beginning of this century will now be propelling Cape Breton into the next century," said executive producer Andrew Cochran. "The skills that we will be developing here are lasting skills, skills which will help Cape Breton claim its place as one of the country's most favoured locations for film production."

The Filmscape facility will include a 750-square-metre (8,000-square-foot) sound stage and two other stages totalling up to 1,300 square metres (14,000 square feet). It will be able to handle projects ranging from feature films to TV productions and music video, as well as commercial and industrial videos.

Funding will be used to renovate the existing plant and construct a new sound stage attached to it. The new facility will include two floors of office and administration space, bringing the overall size to 2,200 square metres (24,000 square feet).

"Almost four years ago, the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority released a Strategic Economic Action Plan for Cape Breton County that recommended the potential opportunity to develop both the film and television industry in Cape Breton," said Lannon-Oldford.

"The Filmscape sound stage will offer incredible economic opportunities for those in the culture, tourism, knowledge based sectors, as well as, tremendous economic spinoffs for local business owners," she said.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. is a strong supporter of the project with the construction of a sound stage identified as a strategic initiative in its corporate plan. As well, Enterprise Cape Breton has worked closely over the past number of months with the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority.

The federal government's Transitional Jobs Fund promotes economic growth and employment in areas of high unemployment. The fund assists regions throughout Canada to develop long-term, sustainable employment in areas that have good prospects for future growth. Projects must also be consistent with regional economic development strategies.