2 filmmakers choose to shoot projects in P.E.I. as Island industry sees 'little bit of an uptick'
The Snake and Blind Owl are the latest film projects to be shot on P.E.I.
When Jenna MacMillan left Prince Edward Island to attend film school in Toronto, her plan was always to come back.
Now she has. With 10 years of producing under her belt, MacMillan is directing and executive producing the latest film to shoot on the Island, The Snake.
"For me, it was just an obvious location for The Snake," she said of P.E.I. "It's absolutely incredible to be able to work where I live and to have that opportunity."
Having grown up on P.E.I., MacMillan said she remembers the television show Emily of New Moon being filmed in the province.
"There was an active tax credit when I grew up, so that was a big reason why I decided to go to university for film," she said.
"Having that option available for the upcoming youth and the future me's of the world is a really cool thing. And even on this film set, having aspiring filmmakers that want to stay on P.E.I. — there's an option for them now."
In the past few years, a variety of film projects have come out of P.E.I., ranging from shorts to full-length features.
As The Snake wraps filming, another one is about to begin.
"It's absolutely pivotal that when a film production happens, there's another one that's coming up," MacMillan said.
"What's beautiful right now is you can work here and you can kind of move from project to project."
'A different side of the Island'
Blind Owl is set to begin filming in the next week. It's a psychological thriller based on a Persian-language novel of the same name.
Mostafa Keshveri, the writer, producer and director of the film, said producing the project on P.E.I. created new opportunities to reflect diversity on screen.
"The camera has to present the community that we live in, and I think that hasn't been the case so far with P.E.I.," Keshveri said. "We are stronger together, and I think diversity really helps to push the boundaries and make the films more believable to the audience as well."
He said he's seen some great films come out of P.E.I., but many of them are geared toward a local audience.
"We thought we could bring a more global audience to watch P.E.I. in a different light," he said. "There's a huge pool of talent here that's untapped, so we wanted to really show people a different side of the Island — not just the Anne of Green Gables side."
Seacow Head Lighthouse is the primary shooting location for Blind Owl, with some filming also taking place at Island Hill Farm, Keshveri said.
Since the film is being adapted from a popular novel, he said he hopes his adaptation will attract tourists to P.E.I. and get them interested in visiting during the fall, especially around Halloween.
"Hopefully people come to see a darker side of the Island," he said, adding that as much as P.E.I. can be warm and welcoming, it can also be edgy.
'We're on the map': Film P.E.I.
The province's unique look is one of the factors that draws filmmakers to the Island, said Rob Riselli, the executive director of Film P.E.I.
When they are choosing a filming location, it comes down to whether the look can fit the script, he said.
Locations like Charlottetown, Summerside and North Rustico are natural Hallmark Channel destinations, he pointed out, noting that Hallmark has already filmed in Canadian locations like Ottawa and Halifax.
The mix of suburban houses and vintage turn-of-the-century homes is also an attractive quality for filmmakers looking for a specific kind of set, Riselli said.
"We're not going to be New York City 2025, but we can certainly be New York City 1895," he said, pointing out that the relative lack of utility poles in the province makes it a great place for stories set in the 19th century or earlier.
With projects like Blind Owl and The Snake filming back to back, Riselli said he can see the industry growing.
"We've had a little bit of an uptick recently, which is great news," he said. "We're on the map, we're getting there, but it's slow and it's going to take some time."
Enhanced training
The influx of projects is great for local production crews, Riselli said, but Film P.E.I. would like to see more training opportunities on Island. That goes for more than just actors and directors, he said.
Enhanced training for all aspects of film production — from carpenters and painters to hair and makeup artists to transportation specialists — would help build the Island's film community, Riselli said.
In an email statement, UPEI said it has no plans to introduce a film-making program, but it does offer programs that incorporate the use of digital media platforms and equipment such as video cameras.
Programs like Holland College's animation program also offer opportunities to learn film-related skills, a provincial spokesperson said.
Officials with the province said it plans to continue its rebate for filmmakers, which varies depending on how much they spend to hire Island workers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Tony Davis