THUNDER BAY — The film and music production industry in Thunder Bay has received a boost from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
Funding totalling $435,000 was announced Tuesday for three production companies, a non-profit organization and a marketing agency in support of local projects and jobs.
"We're very excited that this is growing the industry throughout Thunder Bay," said Adrien Harpelle, director of the Vox Popular Media Arts Festival.
"All of these people are benefiting, and we are able to help showcase them, help grow this whole community, and showcase all the amazing artists in Thunder Bay and the region."
Recipients of the funding announced by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland on behalf of Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford include Shebafilms Studios, Blueprints — an audio and music production company — Pastime Productions, Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple, and Shout Media.
"We've got a rich culture here. A rich film industry and arts community in Thunder Bay, and the ability for our government to help them sustain and grow their industry is very exciting for me," Holland said.
Shebafilms is using $119,000 to produce an animated film series Mr. Noah and the Second Flood, and $28,000 to hire a 2D animator and character designer intern.
The series is about the consequences of the exploitation of nature, and is based on an illustrated children's book with the same title published by the late Thunder Bay author Sheila Burnford in 1973.
Blueprints is putting about $109,000 toward new equipment and renovations to its studio.
Pastime Productions is investing $62,000 in the production of the documentary A Sobering Story, focusing on substance use and mental health issues in the community.
Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple is using an NOHFC contribution of $35,000 to hire a research TV intern, and $34,000 to hire a graphics and animation intern.
Two graphic designer interns are also being hired by the Shout Media marketing agency with the help of $48,000 from NOHFC.
Harpelle said the internship roles are "incredibly useful for all these organizations to take in people with limited experience, but growing them into very efficient arts workers, and people who can work in all these different sectors. We get time to work with individuals and create opportunities for them afterwards...and continue to work with these amazing organizations that promote the arts and northern voices."
Kelly Saxberg, president of Shebafilms Studios, said NOHFC's support has enabled the company to build a production team in Thunder Bay to produce a variety of media projects that engage people with the area's history.
"This team consists of a diverse group of young artists and historians who can follow their dreams in Thunder Bay instead of having to move out of Northern Ontario," she noted.
