With the quick rise in production volume, the most pressing concern for Saskatchewan producers is a crew crunch. There is a shortfall of approximately 300 trained crew to fill positions on projects slated for production in 1999 and an additional deficit of 1,000 personnel over the next three to five years. Training initiatives are top of mind at Saskfilm and the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Association.

Saskfilm has initiated a training project, Hot Stops, to develop and produce two half-hour tv dramas worth over $500,000, with local production, post and equipment companies donating supplies and services.

Cable Regina is kicking in airtime, studio space and equipment, and the local Directors Guild, actra, iatse and the Writers Guild are also assisting in the training initiative.

The project is tied to the Saskfilm tax credit, which has a mentorship component allowing for out-of-province crew to be deemed eligible labor for the credit as long as they train a local crew member. Crew members mentored through the credit are given the opportunity to take part in the tv program and upgrade to the new position they have been training for.

The two half-hour dramas are Herald, directed by Stephen Hall and mentored by John N. Smith (The Boys of St. Vincent), and Psychic Television, directed by Ian Black and mentored by Steve Rash (The Buddy Holly Story).

This marks the tv directing debut for both Hall and Black. The crew was all involved in last year’s first mentoring program through the tax credit.

Saskfilm and smpia have announced the first recipient of their new low-budget feature film program, which will annually award a writer/director team $100,000 towards their first dramatic feature. The film is titled Solitude, an exploration of the interconnections between two women and a monk at a monastery, to be directed Robin Schlaht from Regina.

A high school training initiative, spearheaded by Minds Eye Pictures Kevin DeWalt, president of the Saskatchewan Film Producers Association, Luther College High School and the cftpa, is underway as a means of feeding new recruits to the Saskatchewan film and tv industry.

The curriculum-based project gives high school students hands-on experience in film, tv and new media production and is being funded by the cftpa’s National Training Programme, the Saskatchewan Film Producers Association, Luther College, SaskPower, Saskatchewan Economic and Co-operative Development, Matrix Video Communication Corporation and PS Production Services.