Each year Kelowna Film Society invites applications for scholarships or bursaries from students in full time, post-secondary Film Studies programs and also from local film makers. Funds are generated, throughout the year, from any excess of expenditure over entrance fees collected, at weekly film screenings, throughout the year.
This year we did not have any applications for scholarships but did receive applications for film projects. Bursaries were awarded to three applicants as follows:-
Ryan Ermacora attended some of our weekly film screenings when he was at Kelowna Secondary School and received scholarships from us during his time at Simon Fraser University. Together with a partner, he has collaborated in several film projects with good success. Their films investigate the visible and invisible ways in which humans have engraved themselves into natural spaces. Subjects have ranged from the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway to a film about Ocean Falls. The latest project, which was presented to us, deals with Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers Program and will be set on two farms (one in the Okanagan) and one greenhouse.
Ryan’s reaction to the award was to thank KFS on the great news which is truly appreciated.
Sinead Grewcock received a bursary from KFS last year and after spending a busy and successful summer on this project, applied for support for a new film. After consideration by the committee, we were happy, on your behalf, to make an award to her.
Sinead thanks KFS for support and interest in young local artists, like her, because it makes goals and dreams more achievable.
Jason Woodford has been working on films for the past seventeen years. He is a freelance videographer and an editor who has his own company – Crossword Productions. He has volunteered in local societies of Independent Film Makers and organized Film Festivals. He requested financial aid for his project, ‘A Short in the Mind’, a romantic comedy/fantasy film, which deals with the main character’s struggle to get back to his best after encountering a personal problem.
When told that KFS could offer him a grant, he said, ‘That is fantastic news’ and that it ‘made his day’!
We request an update from our previous year’s awardees so that we can follow up on their ‘film making journey’!
Dylan Monteith continued with very successful studies at Capilano University in Vancouver. He has kept his GPA high and been ‘crazily busy (in a good way) building his skills with lighting, directing, camera work plus the budgeting/producing side of film making. His long term plan is to get his degree in Motion Picture Arts and then continue on to studying for a teaching degree so that he can teach young people and help shape the future of film making in this way.
Dylan thanks KFS for helping to encourage creativity in this community and, by this, aiding the future of film itself.
Stephanie Townsend has now finished her third year at Capilano. She has worked on large projects as a Writer, Production Designer, Producer, Script and Post Supervisor, 2nd Assistant Director and Set Decorator. She was Director on a major film production that dealt with the current, and familiar, topic where the main female character has to decide between tolerating the advances of the male director or giving up her dreams! It is a complex and sensitive film that the team has submitted to film festivals.
Stephanie thanks KFS for taking part in her third year journey and is excited to see what her fourth year at Capilano and beyond has in store for her.
Brendan Taylor received a bursary in 2017 to help with his film project. He reports that he is still in the process of putting the finishing touches on the film. He feels he was naïve in planning how long the post production would actually take. The process of doing the reshoots, colour grading, creating and recording the music and sound design, plus editing the narrative elements was all more time consuming than expected. However, he is proud of the quality of the film and confident it will do well at Film Festivals.
Malibu Taetz has been supported by KFS on several occasions. He has just spent the year at Hertfordshire University in England as an exchange student from Capilano. This experience has provided him with a wealth of new experiences which Malibu feels will make his work richer. It has opened doors in his career and imagination in a number of ways. He has been able to network with students from varied disciplines including 3D Animation, Music and Game Design and to attend events at different places, including a major film studio. His film ‘Accidental’ was shown at 2017 Cannes Short Film Corner (a prestigious event) followed by a showing of ‘Return to Sender’ in 2018. Another film, ‘Sinfonia’, was screened daily at the PNE.
Malibu returns to Capilano for his 4th year of study. He remarks that KFS support has helped to carry him where he is today and that he strives to create projects that are worthy of all that support he has been given. We will continue to follow his career with interest.
