Vancouver Island North Film Commission (INfilm) partners with North Island College (NIC) to celebrate the completion of BC’s first TV and Film Crew Training program–one that has successfully prepared more than 135 students in its first graduating cohort for careers in the motion picture industry. NIC launched the program last year, after the federal and provincial governments allocated almost $500,000 to deliver the pilot program on Vancouver Island.
INfilm championed the inception of this program as the regional film commission that provides liaison and location services to film, television, commercial and media companies filming from Nanaimo northward. INfilm commissioner Joan Miller saw an opportunity to increase the region’s success through availability of local crew and led collaboration with NIC to deliver local training which now qualifies crew and creates a base of talent that can help attract a wider range of film projects to Vancouver Island.
Current synergy exists between the acclaimed show Chesapeake Shores, which filmed its first two seasons in Parksville and recently announced its renewal for a third season. This announcement coincides with the graduating class and representatives from the show will be present to congratulate graduates.
Chesapeake Shores is the Hallmark Channel’s most-watched original television show (in Canada the show airs on the W Network).
In a previous interview, Matt Drake, Chesapeake Shores producer, said crews are excited to take advantage of North Island College’s TV and movie industry courses, “I think that will be a really good way for us to get some new faces into the industry.”
Today’s graduation is taking place at Vancouver Island Film Studios in Parksville which will provide the motion picture industry with three new sound stages, office space and prop shops. A portion of the space is already complete with the remaining sections scheduled to be completed in mid-2018.
