By Dylana Milobar

Mastermind Studios awarded grant for work with emerging hip-hop artist

Nov 11, 2018 | 12:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — A local film production company has been awarded the Telus STORYHIVE grant for their work with an up and coming artist.

Executive Producer and President of Mastermind Studios, Peter Cameron-Inglis says the 10 thousand dollar grant was given for their work in developing a concept music video with an emerging hip hop artist.

“The artist that we chose to work with is a gentlemen by the name of K.A.S.P,” Cameron-Inglis explains, “He’s a hip hop artist, and his day job is working with at-risk youth, and he’s a motivational speaker, and works with street youth.”

K.A.S.P has been on the music scene for more than a decade, and Cameron-Inglis says, as an Aboriginal hip-hop artist, his work has not hit the mainstream yet.

The concept music video was designed around K.A.S.P’s latest song, “Thank You”.

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“His focus for this particular song is that hip-hop culture and western culture can not only exist alongside of First Nations culture, but in fact it can thrive together if you come at it with a positive perspective rather than a negative perspective,” Cameron-Inglis explains, “We liked what K.A.S.P had to say about that, so we decided that we wanted to work with him, and help him get further recognized as an emerging artist.”

Being that their specialty is centered around a visual component, Cameron-Inglis says they began to brainstorm ways to pair his music with a complimentary image.

With hundreds of applicants for the grant, it was a tight competition.

“So I believe they had 200-300 applicants that entered the competition, and I believe they chose 40 from British Columbia, and 40 from Alberta that recieved funding.”

Also winning a funding grant in this round of applications, was local screenwriter, director, and freelance writer, Vesta Giles.

Mastermind Studios has hosted STORYHIVE events, and film makers workshops before, and Cameron-Inglis says they’ve also started having those events in their newly expanded school facilities.

“We’ve helped other artists and other film makers along the path of STORYHIVE Funding,” He explains, “This is our first time throwing out own hat in the ring directly rather than us acting as a mentor.”

Planning is already underway for the full production of the music video, and Cameron-Inglis says they look forward to helping other artists trying to make a go of things in the film industry.

“We hope to continue to go down the road of offering various different courses and workshops and programs with STORYHIVE, in addition to working with them in getting funding grants for various different film making projects.”

Along with their continued work together, Cameron-Inglis says Mastermind is planning to give local artists and those involved in the film industry better access to programs like STORYHIVE.

“We’ve invited Telus StoryHive to come in an have a greater prescence here in Kamloops, actually inside our studio space,” Cameron-Inglis explains, “And actually become part of our ongoing programs that we’re offering to help build the film making community.”

According to Cameron-Inglis, what makes the grant opportunity unique is the focus on emerging artists.

“I think the angle that they’re coming at it with creating community around smaller, local centres, and not just focusing on the major markets is a very good thing,” He explains, “Telus should be commended for that, STORYHIVE should be commended, and I think its definitely the right approach.”