CHUMS Uses Feature Film & TV Production Grant to Connect Kids With Their Culture

Eric Jackson is a successful grant recipient of our Feature Film & TV Production Grant for his TV series, CHUMS Season 1. The show is now in its second season and pending approval for another grant.

Television programming is often more than just pure entertainment. CHUMS, an animated show from the creator of the award-winning children’s series, Wapos Bay, is a shining example.

CHUMS, a joint production by Zoot Pictures Inc. and CHUMS Media, is airing on APTN and Citytv this year. It tells the story of a rag-tag group of furry friends on Turtle Island as they discover their relationship with the animals and their environment on Mother Earth.

The show, aimed at preschoolers, presents a culture that has faced eradication to children at the beginning of their lives. Zoot Pictures CEO, Leslea Mair, states, “We’re teaching kids to be proud of who they are.”

In addition to providing a positive cultural impact, CHUMS is also helping to strengthen and grow Saskatchewan’s film industry and economy. Through the production process, a lot of younger, up-and-coming people in the industry, such as animators and producers, are gaining crucial industry experience. This experience will do wonders in helping them have lucrative careers right here in Saskatchewan, where they will buy homes, pay taxes, eat out, and spend locally.

Much of the labour and equipment costs associated with this project are paid for with grants and tax credits from outside Saskatchewan – money that otherwise wouldn’t enter our province without this production. Financing from Creative Saskatchewan helps to attract this outside investment. The Saskatchewan-based directors, writers, producers, and creative and technical teams work extremely hard to create this meaningful show that benefits our province’s economy.

As CHUMS Season 2 nears 50% completion, there’s no slowing down in sight. Mair states, “This project has so much heart and so much good in it, I’m so proud to be a part of the team.”