KAMLOOPS — Lights! Camera! Action!
A pair of Kamloops filmmakers are asking for the public’s help securing some grant funding prior to shooting two short films.
Telus STORYHIVE has funded productions for the past five years with an aim to nurturing film talent in B.C. and Alberta.
If successful, both Kamloops films could receive up to $10,000 in funding.
Vesta Giles, writer, director, and producer of the soon-to-be-shot short film “When I’m Dead,” says the grants are a big deal.
“It’s so important because short films don’t make money. You can’t get an investor and get a return on a short film. Short films don’t make money but they make a statement, they’re a place where filmmakers can experiment and they can get an established reputation and it’s really hard to get that if you’re not making short films and showing them at film festivals.”
And along with the grant, Giles says Telus STORYHIVE offers another key element to filmmakers: distribution opportunities.
“It’s a huge platform for distribution. We can make short films all we want but trying to get people to see them is a hard thing to do. So, what Telus does is they not only promote it on their own YouTube channel, but they actively promote you to film festivals, they mentor your career to try and get you going because they want you to succeed.”
Cjay Boisclair, writer and director of “The Bench,” adds filming short films in Kamloops also helps showcase both the industry and the city.
“There are quite a few people here in Kamloops who are trying to promote the film industry,” she says. “And this is one way to really promote it, by voting for your own content. We want to see Kamloops locations explored and we want the world to see them. We want the world to see Kamloops talent.”
Those wanting to learn more about both short films can click here and here.
Voting concludes this Friday.
