Success From Behind the Scenes
Lights, camera, action -- and we're off on another movie adventure. But did you ever wonder how we get there time after time?
The first things that come to mind when most people think of the film industry are, naturally, the movie stars and the stories. But it takes a lot more than a pretty face or a great idea to get a new flic on the screen. It takes cameras, cranes, lighting, grip -- in short, a whole lot of infrastructure and equipment.
The cameras, lights and other equipment needed to bring a film to life is the bread and butter for two companies in Nova Scotia.
For William F. White International Inc., established in Halifax in 1995, this year has been an even more exciting time than usual. With an expansion that includes a new 15,000 square foot facility in the historic port area of Halifax, White's, as the company is known locally, is looking forward to the new opportunities and exciting challenges of servicing the Nova Scotia film industry. The freshly expanded operation features an equipment-rental facility complemented by a sales branch. The expansion shows White's renewed commitment to the film industry in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic region as a whole.
"Despite some of the challenges facing this industry across Canada, the film industry in Nova Scotia is holding its own," said Kris Gilbert, White's marketing manager for the Atlantic region. "This is largely thanks to the incredible talent in this province that keeps our industry rolling forward."
Rob Riselli agrees wholeheartedly. Mr. Riselli is the general manager for the Atlantic region of PS Production Services Canada. "Nova Scotia has a core group of great talent -- our writers, directors, and crew -- who keep this industry viable and dynamic," he said.
PS Production Services opened its Atlantic doors in 1987 and has seen the province's film industry blossom from a fledgling business to adulthood. The company recognized the potential in Nova Scotia and stayed with it to grow alongside the film industry over the last 17 years.
In addition to supplying equipment to the film industry, these companies have something else in common: They give back to the industry with valuable behind-the-scenes support.
For example, PS Production Service has a program called KickStart that provides first-time filmmakers with equipment at no cost. Then there is White's ongoing relationship with the Nova Scotia Community College and its commitment to providing equipment for training purposes and for young filmmakers. Both companies are solid supporters of Canada's and Nova Scotia's homegrown film industry.
"It takes so much collaboration to make the film industry the success it is today -- from government to private production companies and suppliers like William F. White and PS Atlantic," said Ann MacKenzie, CEO of the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation. "We respect these companies for recognizing the value of doing business in Nova Scotia and for remaining dedicated to nurturing the extraordinary talent that exists here."
It has been a busy spring and summer on the Nova Scotia production scene, with continuing activity forecast for the fall season.
Guest productions shot in the province included movies of the week for A&E and Lifetime. A number of TV productions -- including series for Bravo, CBC and Showcase, an animated series for Teletoon, a stop-motion series, a mini-series and numerous documentaries for CBC -- have either completed filming or will do so soon.
This fall, production will be starting on a series for Space, an animated series for Teletoon, documentaries for CBC and Bravo, a dramatic television special for CBC and a feature film, while two guest-production movies of the week are currently considering Nova Scotia as their location.
The Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation reporting to the Minister of Economic Development. The corporation provides a wide range of programs and services to build the capacity and competitiveness of the province's film, television and new media industries.