FILM N.S.–-Growth for the Nova Scotia Audiovisual Industry
Nova Scotia's audiovisual industry continues to generate good jobs and help grow the province's creative sector.
The industry generated $115 million in production in the 2011-12 fiscal year, growing from $112 million in 2010-11.
"Nova Scotia's audiovisual industry is a cornerstone of the creative economy," said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris. "The industry continues to create good jobs for Nova Scotians, bring international attention to the province and showcase our talent and beauty through both local and guest productions."
Local productions account for 81 per cent of the activity, generating about $93 million. This includes four feature films, 14 documentaries, 12 drama series, five lifestyle series, five animation series and one new media production.
Throughout the year, many local productions have seen success on an international stage. Charlie Zone, directed by Michael Melski, took home four awards at the Atlantic Film Festival, including outstanding director, actor and cinematography, and was an official selection at the Cannes International Film Festival and Fantastic FilmFestival.
When You Sleep, a short film from director Ashley McKenize and producers Martha Cooley and Nelson MacDonald, premiered as part of the Canada: Not Short on Talent program at the Cannes International Film Festival. Films were selected to represent the diversity of Canadian talent, with directors from across Canada. When You Sleep was funded through the National Screen Institute of Canada's Drama Prize, a program that is sponsored by Film Nova Scotia.
Throughout the year, Film Nova Scotia worked with various partners to launch two new programs. Aimed at supporting the television industry, it partnered with EastLink to launch the EastLink TV Independent Production Fund. The fund provides equity investments of up to $300,000 in eligible productions, to a maximum of 20 per cent of the total budget, for television productions created and produced by Nova Scotians.
The First Feature Project, a partnership with Telefilm Canada, was launched to provide funding to a director-writer team for the production of their first feature film. Local producer Richard MacQueen and writer-director Michael Ray Fox shot their first feature film, Roaming, in February after being selected for the inaugural year of the project.
Generating almost $22 million, eight guest productions, including three documentaries, one mini series, one movie of the week, one lifestyle series and two animation series were produced in the province.
In the spring of last year, Tom Selleck returned to Nova Scotia to shoot Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt. The production was the eighth entry in the CBS series, which has been filming in the province since 2004. Also produced in the province was the Stephen King mini-series Bag of Bones starring Pierce Brosnan. During the 39-day shoot, various locations such as Halifax, Grand Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality, Windsor and Brooklyn, Hants County were used.
"The success the industry has experienced over the past year is a direct result of strong government support, the dedication of our talented industry and the various programs available to filmmakers in the province," said Carolyn Horton, acting CEO and director of finance at Film Nova Scotia. "The support the industry receives ensures that Nova Scotia remains one of the most competitive provinces in the country."
Film Nova Scotia is a provincial Crown corporation reporting to the Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. The corporation provides a wide range of programs and services to support the province's audiovisual industry. Nova Scotia is among the largest production centres in Canada.