STORYHIVE selects 25 grant winners for its largest edition to date
Each screen-based project will receive funding of up to $100,000.
Vancouver, B.C – STORYHIVE has announced the winners of its 100K Edition, its largest edition to date. 25 content creators in B.C. and Alberta will receive grants of up to $100,000 to produce their screen-based projects. Each production team will also receive production support and mentorship from the National Screen Institute.
“Today is an important day for both STORYHIVE and these 25 talented creators who will use these grants to bring their projects to life,” says Kim Guise, Director of Content at TELUS. “We are proud that 13 of the greenlit projects are from STORYHIVE alumni, which demonstrates our long-term commitment to supporting creators throughout their careers. In addition, 11 of the 25 winning projects have project leads who are self-identified women, which is exciting for us to see as we continue to support the drive for equal opportunities for women in film and television.”
The 100K Edition opened for submissions in April 2017 and encouraged content creators from across B.C. and Alberta to submit their ideas. This edition is not genre-specific with both web series and one-off films eligible for funding. Submissions were open to a variety of projects from documentaries to animation, reflecting the diversity of work STORYHIVE supports.
“We continuously strive to support both emerging and more experienced creators, throughout B.C. and Alberta, with more than just production funding: when they work with us, they also receive mentorship and career acceleration support to elevate not only their projects but also accelerate their career trajectory,” says Guise. “The passion and creativity these local storytellers bring to their projects inspires us at STORYHIVE. We are proud to help them push boundaries, take risks and tell local stories that will make an impact and reach broader audiences.”
New for the 100K Edition, STORYHIVE has partnered with Creative BC, which is offering top-up grants for the 17 winning BC content creators. These creators will be eligible to apply for a top-up grant from a pool of $200,000.
“STORYHIVE is a phenomenal platform for discovering and growing local talent,” says Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC. “By investing in emerging and mid-career creators, we are developing next generation storytellers and promoting dynamic and diverse creativity within our communities.”
The final projects are due to be delivered by Spring 2018 and will be showcased on TELUS OptikTM TV On Demand and STORYHIVE.com. The winning project titles are listed below.
For more information about STORYHIVE, please visit STORYHIVE.com.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is Canada’s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $13 billion of annual revenue and 12.8 million subscriber connections, including 8.7 million wireless subscribers, 1.7 million high-speed Internet subscribers, 1.3 million residential network access lines and 1.1 million TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video. TELUS is also Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers business process solutions around the globe.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed over $482 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 7.7 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS’ 12 Canadian community boards and 5 International boards have led the Company’s support of grassroots charities and have contributed more than $60 million in support of 5,595 local charitable projects, enriching the lives of more than 2 million children and youth, annually. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jenny Peters
(604) 868-9682
[email protected]
Douglas Self
(403) 616-8741
[email protected]
STORYHIVE 100K Edition Funded Projects:
1. Girls Vs. The City | Comedy, B.C.
Partial improv comedy series about 2 millennial girls navigating their Vancouver lives, while doing their best to fit in.
2. Changing Faces | Documentary, B.C.
An intimate look at the changing landscape of Vancouver’s Chinatown through the eyes of those living in the community.
3. NarcoLeap | Drama, B.C.
Heather, a 25-year-old loner with narcolepsy, is thrust into a world of espionage when she discovers that during her lucid dreams she is commandeering the bodies of real people across the globe.
4. Love Intersections | Documentary, B.C.
Diverse stories of queer, trans, and intersex people of colour living in the margins in BC.
5. Me, Mum & Willie: From Kid to Caregiver | Documentary, B.C.
Tricia learns the value in caring for others through her mother’s adoption of an alcoholic logger
6. Red Chef Revival | Documentary, B.C.
Rich Francis - first nations chef who travels across Canada to tell his people's stories through modern Indigenous cuisine.
7. Finding Big Country | Documentary, B.C.
The story of the NBA's infamous team, the Vancouver Grizzlies, as told by a superfan who grew up idolizing the team in the 1990's, and who had dreams of becoming the first professional female basketball player.
8. My Rainbow Family | Documentary, B.C.
A ten-year follow-up documentary to a previous film about same-sex marriage fathers who had adopted children - where are they now?
9. Eddy's Kingdom | Documentary, B.C.
Documentary about ailing hostage taker Eddy Haymour as he attempts to reconnect with his daughter before he passes away.
10. Relics | Documentary, B.C.
Exploring forgotten and abandoned places to tell meaningful stories of our past.
11. The Radicals | Documentary, B.C.
Five action sport athletes who have chosen to go beyond the norm and are making a big difference in the world.
12. The Last Hangman | Documentary, B.C.
Alberta's last mass hanging involved Nazis and a pedophile, told through the eyes of the hangman's surviving secretary.
13. Dust 'n Bones | Documentary, B.C.
Educational documentary that examines the challenges of the re-dedication of First Nations remains.
14. Esluna: the world beyond | Animation, B.C.
Thrust into the mystical lands of Esluna, estranged Ruby uncovers the dark past of her father as she searches for a way back home.
15. She's Not Funny | Documentary, B.C.
A series about the challenges faced by female comics in the male dominated world of stand-up comedy.
16. Geoff & the Ninja | Comedy, B.C.
Geoff had it all... until he didn't. In desperate need of a roommate, a ninja answers the call.
17. Nîsowak | Action/Adventure, B.C.
After the death of her mother, Mêkwan now has the ability to shape shift a power that "The Whip Man" wants to eliminate.
18. The PsyBorgs | Comedy, AB.
A 1980s inspired campy futuristic sci-fi action comedy about a team of super soldiers with psychic abilities to battle against the forces of evil.
19. A Gentleman | Drama, AB.
After an event of sexual misconduct with his coach, a high-school basketball player struggles to keep his self-identity.
20. Abracadavers: The Series | Comedy, AB.
A group of kids with superpowers tied to a salon chair embark on a coming-of-age road trip.
21. Necessary Evil | Comedy, AB.
A low level demon promoted to CEO of hell must overcome new foes and his own personal demons to save the universe.
22. HERoic | Documentary, AB.
Web series that chronicles the journey of diverse female athletes as they overcome odds and expectations.
23. No Filter | Documentary, AB.
Profiles of local women innovators dedicated to teaching girls about real strength, empowerment, and self-worth.
24. Nerdvana | Comedy, AB.
The key to saving all reality rests in the hands of those of those least in touch with it.
25. Afterlight | Family, AB.
When all electrical power suddenly stops, a small town works to survive as they rediscover the true meaning of community.