Production in 2000 was hit and miss for the four Atlantic provinces, according to the East Coast film commissions. The major production centre of the region, Nova Scotia, dipped slightly while regional dark horse, New Brunswick, managed to more than double its production.

The Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation reports its year-end tally for total contracted program funds and finalized tax credits was $6.9 million, virtually unchanged from the previous year. Within that figure, more than $1.9 million was doled out in equity investment (down from $2.3 million in ’99), split among 17 Nova Scotia production companies representing 24 projects. The major beneficiaries were Salter Street Films and Topsail Entertainment (three projects each), Tri-Media, Ocean Entertainment and Eco-Nova (two projects each).

During the year, the NSFDC spent $275,767 on development funding, up from $219,037 the year before. The development money was dispersed among 20 companies and 28 projects, some of which have already gone into production.

New media funding dropped slightly to $159,500 in 2000 from more than $197,000 in ’99. NSFDC spent $84,000 on special projects, $54,652 on training assistance programs and $354,606 elsewhere in the industry (through sponsorships of the Atlantic Film Festival, Hot Docs, etc.). The NSFDC’s 2001 fiscal ends March 31.

Prince Edward Island’s Technology PEI, Film and New Media Development reports total production for 2000 was approximately $7.1 million, all of which went into production, down significantly from $20 million the year before. The drop is attributed solely to the loss of the Salter/Cinar television series Emily of New Moon.

"The figure $7.1 million is considered very good as prior to 1996 we counted almost nothing," says Technology PEI marketing officer Joan Turner Adams. "Our indigenous industry has grown tremendously in the past four years."

With the $7.1 million, nine projects – five TV series and four documentaries – were sent into production last year.

Technology PEI currently has $50,000 wrapped up in development.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation has released its numbers for the first three quarters of its latest fiscal, ended Dec. 31, 2000. According to the commission, the NLFDC saw production activity of $21.7 million, with production totaling $21.1 million and development at $629,934.

During the period, eight documentaries, four feature films and two television series were produced. Over the course of this fiscal, the corporation has also been involved with two major coproductions: the Newfoundland/Quebec/Ireland coproduction of Random Passage (eight episodes) and the Newfoundland/B.C. feature coproduction Rare Birds.

Most surprising to some may be the increase of production in New Brunswick. According to New Brunswick Film executive director Ray Wilson, production in the province shot up to about $40 million last year, more than double the ’99 figure. Wilson says Film NB has invested approximately $4.9 million of equity and tax credits in production over the course of its 2000/01 fiscal and approximately $300,000 in development.

The Film nb production investment will be dispersed among 16 different projects: seven documentary series (five of which are coproductions), four documentaries (three of which are coproductions), two indigenous feature films, one variety series and one television series.

Wilson says early signs point to another good year for the region. However, he admits even with a series of low-budget features lined up to shoot in New Brunswick, it is too early to declare 2001 a banner year.

I can’t say if there is going to be an increase or not," says Wilson. "What’s happened over the last couple of years is New Brunswick Film has made a priority of assisting New Brunswick producers with development funds. These projects [in development] are now starting to come to fruition and we should see a good increase of indigenous production as compared to the past. As for guest productions, I don’t know. We’ve had a lot of interest and things are looking good, but time will tell." *

-www.film.ns.ca

-www.newfilm.nf.net

-www.peicaps.org

-www.gov.nb.ca/filmnb