City councillors, film industry, game & mobile app development experts were all present while Edmonton’s Mayor Don Iveson talked on stage. Left and right of our mayor, 3D video projection mapping on the walls, and behind, a large projection screen was running some of Edmonton’s most creative motion content. Iveson said the city realized there was a need for a rebooted film commission to jumpstart the industry in Edmonton, now branded ESIO.

The Edmonton Screen Industries Office (ESIO) is here to represent creators in our city with funding, education, networking opportunities, and intellectual property protection. Great news as Edmonton looks to diversify its economy in Alberta. The Edmonton Screen Industries Office’s goal is to act as a catalyst, a cultivator, a stimulator for the screen media industries in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.

“Now we’ve got the Screen Industries office, they’ve got funding available, they’ve got programs and are bringing together people in the industry.” said Iveson, and commented via Facebook “…announced yesterday is not “new funding.” The money was from an earlier film and TV program that had been discontinued, and had been held in reserve for several years.”

The Edmonton Screen Industries Office (ESIO) was founded in 2017 to replace the existing film commission, which had “fallen by the wayside.” At the head of this commission, veteran filmmaker Josh Miller. Edmonton-born Miller won its board over with his encourage-local vision and resume, which includes degrees in English and drama, film production, and a fellowship at the American Film Institute. This led to writing for TV in Hollywood, being director of development at Super Channel.

The fund is currently supplied almost wholly by the city and could be even more critical after the announcement of the provincial budget, and easier to access for Edmontonians, not only to directly support screen industry projects, but stir a buzz, and conversations around the arts from the private sector as well.

“I think having a holistic approach to supporting the growth of screen industries here in our city is important, regardless of what the tax policies are at the provincial level. That’s beyond our control at City Hall. What we can control is support for the sector, and that’s what we’re launching here today,” said Iveson.

“We saw real growth in the interactive digital media side of things in Edmonton, in gaming specifically, and the elimination of that tax credit is a concern,” said Carman McNary, chair of ESIO. “But it’s not going to kill the industries.”

McNary believes now that funding from the city is in place, they will be able to convince other levels of government this is an effective way to support the industry through measuring the growth of the projects EISO funds and supports.

“We were told consistently that one of the barriers to success by local enterprises was a lack of capital. We know that there is private capital available and willing to invest in this sector, and we think we can be a catalyst to allow that to happen,” said McNary. “This is a multi-billion dollar industry, $4 million is not going to change the map materially today, but $4 million rotated and levered could make a real difference to our sector in Edmonton.”

Looking towards alternative industries to boost our economy rather than relying on one that is struggling itself is an exciting direction by the city. Arts and entertainment have typically gained less support than other industries in Alberta. Attendees of the launch event and people on social media expressed that it’s great that the film, television, and video game industry are given a fighting chance, while others are expressing concerns about spending.

There are a lot of passionate and hardworking Edmontonians who work here as creatives, filmmakers, electricians, grips, riggers, which can now get jobs on larger, locally produced entertainment projects.

Until now, creatives may have had a difficult time in Alberta. And many others have made a move to provinces where there’s support for artists in the screen industry.

I love Edmonton’s dedication to the arts and entertainment industry. It’s the creative minds that warm us up in the long -30 winters.

To apply for funding, you can visit EdmontonScreen.com

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