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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Regina, Saskatchewan

August 19, 2022 Creative Saskatchewan announces first major production to be filmed in Saskatchewan in 2022: King of Killers: the series

Creative Saskatchewan is pleased to announce that King of Killers: the series, an action thriller series, will be shot entirely in Saskatchewan starting in September, with an estimated spend of over $20,000,000 on local labour, goods, and services. This is the first big-budget production resulting from the increased investment to film and television announced by the Government of Saskatchewan on budget day. Support for this production is provided through Creative Saskatchewan’s Feature Film and Television Production Grant.

“A production of this size announces to the world that Saskatchewan is open for business,” says Erin Dean, CEO of Creative Saskatchewan, “this kind of activity raises the profile of our film and television production industry, which will go a long way in attracting future projects.” The series is based on a feature film to be released in 2023 under the same name, and tells the story of a group of top international assassins who are competing for a $10M purse and the coveted title of “King of Killers” the most dangerous killer in the world.

King of Killers: the series will utilize the John Hopkins Regina Soundstage for at least one year, estimating 90 production days and 120 post-production days in Saskatchewan. “We anticipate hiring over 100 crew members and 18 performers from Saskatchewan,” says Anand Ramayya, Producer with Saskatchewan-

based Karma Film Inc. Ramayya and Kelly Balon are Executive Producers and in a co-production with Manitoba-based Executive Producer Juliette Hagopian of Julijette Inc. on the series Developed and Executive Produced by Christopher Rush Harrington and Michael Hamilton Wright from Dovetale Media. Distribution is being handled by Roman Kopelevich and Roman Viaris of Red Sea Media.

This translates to more than $5M in Saskatchewan labour expenditures. The accelerated labour force development for Saskatchewan crew as a result of the sizable production schedule presents an opportunity for future seasons of the show, as well as to rent/hire for other productions in the future. “The economic spin-off from a project of this caliber is substantial, especially for the hospitality sector and service industries” says Dean.

King of Killers: the series is also utilizing cutting-edge technology with a massive, custom-built LED wall; a large screen that displays digital content for an impressive virtual environment for production. “Virtual walls and studio space are not widely available,” says Ramayya, “having one in Saskatchewan makes use of our unique infrastructure and puts us on the map with a competitive edge that is sure to attract more production in the province.”

“We are thrilled to bring the very first VOLUME to the Province and determined to help create sustainable careers for film professionals originally from and living in the province.” Says Christopher Harrington, Principal and Co-CEO of Volume Global LLC.

The wall alone will provide new, full-time employment opportunities for up to 20 people to operate and maintain. The producers intend to make the virtual wall available for rent by other production companies. nn-30-

About Creative Saskatchewan

Creative Saskatchewan is the economic development agency for Saskatchewan’s creative industries. Creative Saskatchewan unlocks the potential of the creative industries and fuels the economic engine of homegrown talent, converting creativity into cashflow. The agency’s investments propel creative entrepreneurs as they create, perform, innovate, and export in their pursuit of commercial success.

Creative Saskatchewan funds seven industry associations, amplifying their members’ skills, and helping them build extraordinary careers.

For more information or to provide commentary, please contact:

Erin Dean, CEO, Creative Saskatchewan

C: (306) 530-4031 | erin.dean@creativesask.ca | creativesask.ca

Creative Saskatchewan is pleased to announce the first of several successful production projects that have obtained funding through the Film and TV Development program: Summer at Charlotte’s. The 90-minute dramatic feature film follows Summer as she returns to her childhood cabin to plan her upcoming nuptials and reconnects with an old flame that leads her to question her plans. Produced by Saskatchewan-based Trilight Entertainment, the production is gearing up to film the project in Buena Vista and Regina this August.

“We are celebrating our 20th film from Trilight Entertainment and our 10th film shot in Saskatchewan since our inception in 2009. We’re incredibly grateful for Creative Saskatchewan’s support and are very proud to bring this film to the province,” says Jessica Watch, one of the producers on the film. “The program allowed us to secure an experienced Saskatchewan writer for the perfect Saskatchewan love story.” The grant also enabled them to move quickly from conception to production, starting the casting process within weeks of the application acceptance date by hiring a local casting director tasked with reviewing all the talent Saskatchewan has to offer, and sourcing lake-front locations. “One of Saskatchewan’s strengths is our ability to be nimble,” says Erin Dean, CEO of Creative Saskatchewan, “we’re a close-knit community, and thanks to the recent investment into film from the Government of Saskatchewan, the industry is poised and ready to work.”

The lucky beach-town resort of Buena Vista, SK will soon have a claim to fame as the location of choice for a feature film production – “Once we knew what this story was about, we immediately had to go back to the same beautiful cabin in Buena Vista where Trilight shot their previous film “Step Dogs” in 2012.” says Producer, Andrea Hoffman. The filming stages of the production and post-production are anticipated to take 6 months, injecting a boost of economic activity into the region and beyond. “Production expenditures often result in a substantial local hospitality spend, such as accommodations, food and beverage, and travel,” says Dean, “they also contract services such as skilled tradespeople to build sets, hire accountants and legal teams, rent equipment, and browse local retail stores to source props and clothing.” Productions also create jobs – from producers and directors to aspiring actors and technicians and everything in-between.

Polishing the script, preparing the production budget and schedule, location scouting, and casting are huge milestones that Creative Saskatchewan is pleased to support. “This critical step moves us from development into strong production territory,” says Watch, “we can’t wait to share the final product.”

Summer at Charlotte’s will be available to watch in Spring 2023.

Creative Saskatchewan is pleased to see the hard work of Saskatoon production company, KarmaFilm, and Métis director, Trevor Cameron, come to fruition in their documentary series Shadow Of…

The series dives into the history of some important, but not well known, local Indigenous heroes. The project received the following support from Creative Saskatchewan:

• Creative Saskatchewan’s Film & Television Development program
• SaskTel Max Equity Fund – administered by Creative Saskatchewan
• Television Production Program (now a combined Feature Film & Television Production Program)

Shadow of… was released recently as part of recognizing and celebrating Indigenous peoples in Canada and their stories for National Indigenous History Month. When asked about the ‘why’ behind this project, Cameron has this to say:

“I found in my research while doing Shadow of Dumont, my last documentary about the life and legacy of Gabriel Dumont, there was a lot of interesting people hiding in Saskatchewan’s history. I wanted to throw some light on them and cast a shadow!

The other why behind ‘Shadow of’ was to battle against those who ‘gate-keep’ history or believe the past should be only read about. Lots of interesting insight is waiting to be chatted about.”

Often projects result in special learning moments for the producers. Cameron comments on a few of his ‘ah ha’ moments, including the fact that researching historic Indigenous women proved more than a little challenging, “I thought the research would be the easy part. Nope. Many barriers, both systemic and overt, were waiting to slow the process down,” Cameron explains, “it was a constant battle to bring their stories out and celebrate their achievements.”

Additionally, COVID-19 slowed the production process down in a big way – multitasking and patience were key – but the wait was well worth it by the end. Reflecting on the high points of the production, for Cameron it all comes to back his experience as the interviewer. “My role is to be just smart enough to get into trouble in this series. So I temper the pursuit of hard history, with my subjects legacies, and seeing if I can relate to their lives by today’s standards. That means looking at every interview as a conversation with a cousin or close friend. Light teasing, honest observations, defusing tense moments.

I also keep myself open to ‘side quests’. Those are bits of story that lead you potentially away from the safety of known history. Finding a less travelled bit of story, leads to interesting experiences, other times it’s a dead end. Those moments are great highs, because I don’t know the ending until I’m there.”

We asked Cameron, why Saskatchewan? Of all the places to choose to film, Cameron had a personal connection to the prairie province.

“My family’s Metis roots have grown out of Saskatchewan and I’ve always considered it one of my homes, even though the farm was sold well before I was born,” Cameron says, “I also came to love the province when I lived there during filming of Wapos Bay, and Rabbit Fall.”

Creative Saskatchewan is pleased to support the efforts of creative entrepreneurs like Cameron and his team and look forward to their future success.

“Without Creative Saskatchewan, making a Saskatchewan specific production would be underfunded to the point where I’d be having to bring in out of province empties at Sarcan, and shoot on flip phones, both of which could be seen as a crime!”

All photos courtesy of the production, Shadow Of…

Tune in to CityTV to watch Shadow Of…and watch this space for its appearance at film festival screenings.

View the media release here.