New grants to buoy film in province

Two new grants for Saskatchewan media creators are now available for applicants and are meant to help bolster the province’s filmmakers.

In a news release on Wednesday, Creative Saskatchewan announced two new grants for “Saskatchewan’s screen-based media creators.”

One is a grant for firsttime feature length film creators and one is for web series production. The feature film grant will provide up to $50,000 per project, and the web series grant offers up to $10,000 per project.

“Both grants were specifically developed to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving screen-based media sector,” Creative Saskatchewan CEO Greg Magirescu said in the news release.

This is a pilot year for the grant program, so there is no guarantee they will be renewed for consecutive years, according to Creative Saskatchewan.

The grants are a welcome addition to the resources available for young and aspiring filmmakers in the province.

Over the summer months, Saskatoon has seen multiple instances of amateur filmmakers and young actors and actresses coming together to try to create a large-scale production.

Jacob Stebner wrote and directed the movie The Tipping Point earlier this summer on a shoestring budget with a volunteer cast and crew.

When he heard about the newly announced grants, he said “it changes everything” for up-and-coming creators.

“The toughest thing for a filmmaker at the start is money,” Stebner said.

“All these students that are passionate about it and have the time to make these movies are the ones that don’t have the money to do it ... it completely changes the game.”

Stebner, who’s currently part of a web series production in Saskatoon, lamented that he missed out on the chance to apply for the grant for his project, as they were announced too late for him, but he said having the new grants available will help bring out the province’s best.

The provincial government used to offer a tax credit for filmmakers that has since been cut. Stebner said the new grant program is much better for new and local talent, noting the tax credit was aimed at drawing in large production companies.

Sophie Kokott, part of the creative team behind the web series Stebner is now involved in alongside her sister Hayley, said she’s happy the grants include online productions, which she considers a huge part of the industry.

Like Stebner, she said the grants feel like a vote of confidence in Saskatchewan filmmakers.