You could say producer J. Joly is ahead by a century — well, at least ahead of the curve — with a “pioneering hyperlocal” production model for his new Kingston, Ont.-based prodco that counts musicians Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair of The Tragically Hip as investors.

Branded to Film (B2F), founded by CEO Joly, COO George Assimakopoulos and CFO Brian Wideen, plans to train and grow a local workforce in Kingston, while also shooting productions in the region and exploring ways to build studio space, in order to create a $100 million production sector in South Eastern Ontario.

B2F is targeting between $20-$30 million in financing over the next three years across 10 high-concept genre films. The financing will come from a combination of private equity, tax credits, economies of scale, provincial and federal grants and debt.

Joly is writing a white paper on the model, feeling it could be applied to other smaller city centres. Sponsoring the white paper are the Kingston Film Office, Kingston Economic Development, County of Frontenac, Frontenac CFDC, Upper Canada Equity Fund, and Ontario Creates.

Joly says he came up with the idea about 18 months ago when he moved back to Kingston, where he attended Queen’s University and toured in a rock band that opened for acts including the Hip.

“I looked at Kingston like, ‘This is like a Hollywood backlot. Why is there no industry here?'” he tells Playback. “I don’t think there’s a city as uniquely positioned in all of North America, where you’re 2.5 hours from your nation’s two biggest centres [Toronto and Montreal] and two hours from the nation’s capital.”

Langlois and Sinclair were the lead investors in B2F’s founders’ round, Joly says, noting they “have a meaningful stake and interest.” Sinclair points to other advantages Kingston offers, including crew affordability, “a vibrant social scene and unique blend of historical and modern locations.”

B2F is focused on genre films, the first of which is Den Mother Crimson, which started shooting this month on a $1 million budget in Kingston with a crew of over 60% locals. Siluck Saysanasy directs the AI drama, which Joly says will serve as a beta feature case study for his white paper.

Creative executives Joly, Assimakopoulos and Paul Vella are mentoring new producer Katalina Kovecses on the production. Production design is handled by Kington escape room company Improbable Escapes led by Melissa Eapen.

“In the next 10 years, if I can move the needle a little so the next J. Joly … might not have to move Toronto to continue her career, might be able to do it here and help build this industry in her own image — that’s pretty cool.”

This story originally appeared in Playback‘s Fall 2022 issue

Photo L-R: Gord Sinclair, J Joly, and Paul Langlois. Credit: Peter Hendra/Kingston Whig-Standard, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.