Principal photography has started in Alberta on unscripted docu-reality series The Sugar Mama from Calgary’s IndigeKin Productions and Simba Creative.

IndigeKin Productions CEO Lolly de Jonge is executive producer and Sylvester Ndumbi of Simba Creative is producer on the project, which has Nauzanin Knight as director and Winnipeg-based Animiki See Distribution attached as distributor, Ndumbi tells Playback Daily.

The 6 x 60-minute, creative-focused competition series is filming through May 23 in Calgary and Priddis, Alta. Therese “Tag” Goulet is also a producer on the project, while Hal Eagletail and Andrew Jenkins are consulting producers, according to the website.

The series will see 12 visual artists, musicians and stage performers be mentored and take on themed and timed challenges to win the attention of a philanthropic investor called “The Sugar Mama” and her “trusted advisors.” Guest experts will help judge the creatives’ work.

Competitors will be judged on their creativity as well as “personal authenticity and integrity,” according to the series’ pitch deck. The show will bestow honouraria to all participants while the ultimate winner will receive a $100,000 prize to turn their career dream into reality.

Ndumbi says there is no network or streamer deal yet for the series, which has a budget of $1.5 million. The financing structure is a mixture of private investment and federal and provincial tax credits.

The Sugar Mama held a 26-day casting call that saw 420 Alberta creatives from a variety of disciplines apply, said the deck.

The show’s website says IndigeKin Productions is an Indigenous-led media arts production company. The Sugar Mama is described as being “infused with Indigenous values” with an Indigenous lesson ceremony in each episode, one of which took place (pictured) on set on Monday (May 15).

The mystery “Sugar Mama” won’t be revealed until the show airs but is billed as a “Matron of the Arts,” committing $400,000 toward the series’ budget, in addition to providing the $100,000 prize. She is also a successful business owner and “a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta.”

Photo courtesy of Sylvester Ndumbi