Indie filmmaker says smaller production squeezed amidst N.L. industry boom
PictureNL says province to hit milestone of $1 billion in production activity since 1997
As major film and television productions are filming in Newfoundland and Labrador, an indie filmmaker says the scramble for leftover resources is leaving her squeezed.
Alexa Jane Jerrett is developing a new project from an original script called Flickers but she's been hitting roadblocks.
"It's been a real challenge to gather a crew this summer with all of the other productions going on," Jerrett told CBC Radio's Weekend AM.
The second season of CBC's Saint-Pierre and season eight of Hudson and Rex are among the major projects currently filming in the province, according to IATSE Local 709, the union representing technical workers in the industry.
"It's so exciting to have such a booming industry right now in St. John's but that means that in order to hire a crew of our own for a short film like ours, we have to schedule our production specifically on the weekends of the other shows," said Jerrett.
Jerrett said her crew members have been giving up their otherwise free weekends for a fraction of the pay they'd earn from working on more prominent projects.
They're helping her because they love making films, she said.
"I find the short productions really fulfilling," said Jerrett. "If [the crew] didn't feel like they were valued on these productions, why would they do it? There's no other incentive aside from the art."
Booming industry
PictureNL CEO Laura Churchill says it might be the province's busiest season yet, and it's a lot of shooting to squeeze into a short amount of time.
"When we look at our shooting season, it is only a few months. It's the summer season," said Churchill.
"Especially now with the Canada Games being here, we just do our best to kind of communicate and find ways to bring new entrants into the film and television world."
About 800 people are working the hours of more than 1,200 regular nine-to-five employees, said Churchill.
Churchill added the busy season will likely help the industry see a milestone of $1 billion in production activity since PictureNL's inception in 1997.
The organization's annual report from 2023-24 said the industry "generated $73.4 million in economic activity" that year.
"Then on top of that … you look at all the spin-offs," Churchill said. "So the tourism economy, housing, lodging, you know, restaurants, car rentals, all of these things are a big part of that number."
She said it's important for emerging filmmakers, workers and seasoned professionals to "hold hands" and work together for a sustainable future that will benefit the industry and the province's economy.
"I think everyone deserves a huge pat on the back and to champion what we've been able to build here," Churchill said.
"If you see a Newfoundland project, watch it. Watch it often… that's really what gets these projects made."
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