NEW FILM CENTRE’S GM
Meet Erin O’Connor
Erin O’Connor’s career in the arts has crossed a number of borders.
As a performer, she has been a Highland dance champion, Young Canadian and worked with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. As a manager, she was executive director of theatre company One Yellow Rabbit for six years, a stint that earned her a Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management in 2013.
She is currently managing director of Contemporary Calgary, an art gallery and organization in the midst of transforming the Centennial Planetarium into its new home.
But O’Connor will leave that job on April 4 to oversee the opening of the Calgary Film Centre.
The facility, which will have its grand opening on May 19, will provide long-needed sound stages — 50,000 square feet to be exact — and other infrastructure for the Alberta film industry.
O’Connor took some time to chat with the Herald about her new role as general manager of the facility.
Q You are leaving Contemporary Calgary at an interesting time in its development. What is the stage of the planetarium project?
A I’m actually not at liberty to talk about the future of the organization. I can tell you, though, that it is an exciting time. I do have a track record and expertise in helping organizations through specific phases of their development and I think this organization, Contemporary Calgary, is about to enter a new phase as they move toward the Centennial Planetarium. There’s a lot more exciting announcements to follow about that.
Q Are you going to miss working with this organization?
A I’m definitely going to miss it. I attended a meeting yesterday and it’s been really hard, I had a big lump in my throat. Because I get very attached. I’m the kind of person who jumps in with both feet wherever I’m at. I would love to do both jobs, because I believe in that cause and in building that cultural destination as well. But I have supreme confidence in the board of directors and the staff that is here to follow that vision. I find (the Calgary Film Centre) a very attractive project for me, personally. It’s an interesting move for me and I’m honoured to be selected and I think I can bring what’s needed in terms of skills and expertise to bring them from construction to operations.
Q People in the industry have been talking about the need for indoor studio space for decades in Alberta. How do you see this as addressing the challenges the industry has had because of a lack of infrastructure?
A I’m am all about reaching the potential of that facility. I think I will bring forward my background — which is all about connecting reality with possibility. I can hardly wait to move in and bring my brand stamp of stabilizing operations on that facility and help it grow to what it aspires to be.
Q What will your role be as general manager?
A I am the facility manager. I operate the facility and make sure it will have stable operations. I will be the face of the facility to the local community, the national community and the international community. I’m all about developing it and incubating as many projects as possible in the film centre and growing as many programs as possible to ensure that we support the local community and have a next generation of content creators in the industry in Alberta.
Q Ever since the facility was announced, there has been some question about how it will benefit the local filmmaker as opposed to bigger productions coming in to use the studio space. How will the Calgary Film Centre serve the first-time filmmaker looking to make his or her debut?
A The Calgary Film Centre has not only potential as an incubator but also has potential as a portal. I really plan to develop that aspect of that so we can really showcase the talent base that is in Alberta and the crews that are in Alberta to the world and be able to entice the world, the broader markets of the film and television industry, to come to Calgary and utilize the talent base that is here. So I think it’s a win-win for everybody.
Q There is always lots of talk about what Alberta can do to better attract outside productions here, including improving our incentives. In particular, many in the industry say the $5-million cap per project of the Alberta Production Grant is a barrier when it comes to attracting higher budget projects. Obviously, such things are out of your hands, but what changes do you think are needed to attract projects?
A The film centre can only provide the opportunity. The film centre can aspire to be a part of economic diversification for the region and the industry. All you can do is build it and hope that they come. Not to be so cheesy. It is a physical community asset that is built and I think everybody needs to acknowledge and celebrate this fact that we’ve gone this far and have nothing but potential to go further.
Q Alberta is known for its incredible vistas and scenery, which obviously tend to attract a certain type of project. Now that we also have these sound stages, do you think it will change the sort of projects Alberta attracts?
A Absolutely. Of course we have astounding geographic locations. But now creative projects are not tied to natural light or seasons or the weather. Now we can elongate the season and have 12 months of the year alongside our incredible geographic locations and vistas and talent base that is here. It just expands the potential and possibility. It’s a lot more enticing.