Nova Scotia to be set for television pilot

PROVINCE WILL PLAY THE ROLE OF NEW ENGLAND

Nova Scotia is playing the role of New England in a television pilot based on a comic book series written by best-selling author Joe Hill, the son of Stephen King.

The provincial government announced funding Tuesday for four productions through its film and television incentive fund, including the horrorfantasy drama “Locke and Key.”

The Hulu pilot will get $111,512, based on an eligible provincial expenditure of $446,049.

According to producers High Park Entertainment, it’s about three siblings who move back to their ancestral home in Maine after their father’s murder, and find keys that give them new powers — but face a demon who wants them, too.

Nova Scotia hosted production of another Kingfamily series last year. The Stephen King horror series “The Mist,” filmed for the American cable network Spike TV, received $5.9 million from the same fund.

Nova Scotia Business Inc. has also approved two other television series, including “Mega Marine Machines,” which gets $276,389 based on an eligible provincial expenditure of $1,005,054, and “If We Built It Today,” which received a commitment of $260,660 based on a $947,856 expenditure.

The documentary film “Power of Play” was also approved for $131,807, based on a $479,300 expenditure.

Nova Scotia’s production fund covers between 25 and 32 per cent of eligible costs for labour, goods and services purchased from a Nova Scotia-based supplier.

The fund’s total budget for fiscal 2017-18 is $18 million, with $17,535,610 of that figure already committed.