Creative BC and CMPA-BC Launch Story Department Internship

The Story Department Internship program provides funding to BC- or Canadian-owned production companies that are hiring BC-based talent, and making a production in the province, to support the costs of engaging local emerging professionals who are committed to writing for dramatic television series.

“This program plays an important role in Creative BC’s strategy to attract, build and retain the best creative talent for the province,” says Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC. “As the third largest full-service motion picture production centre in North America, we have a tremendous opportunity to embed more of our own storytellers into this thriving provincial industry.”

The Story Department Internship program will deliver skills expertise and mentorship to writers for success in BC’s growing motion picture industry.

In 2014/15, BC saw a 15 per cent increase in the number of domestic and international productions that received tax credit certifications for film and television production in BC. Of these productions, 136 were BC or Canadian productions and 151 were international productions. Combined, they contributed an estimated $2 billion to the provincial economy.

“Our goal is to ensure the success of Canada’s independent production sector,” said Liz Shorten, Managing Vice-President of the CMPA-BC Producers Branch. “This program, with its focus on mentorship and skill-building, supports the next generation of British Columbia’s writing talent and adds to our competitive advantage as a production centre.”

Geared toward professional development, interns will seek, and be mentored by, qualified senior industry professionals with the opportunity to participate in the writers’ room and story meetings, contribute to re-writes and write a minimum of one spec script for the series. Applicants for the program will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis until the program budget is committed for the current fiscal year 2016/17.

For more information on the program guidelines, as well as application forms, visit Creative BC’s website at www.creativebc.com/programs/skills development.

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About Creative BC

Creative BC is an independent agency created and supported by the Province of BC to build and promote BC’s creative sector (film and television, digital and interactive media, music, and magazine and book publishing industries). We deliver a wide range of programs and services to expand BC’s creative economy. These include administration of the provincial government’s tax credit programs for film and television and the new BC Music Fund; development funding, skills development and export marketing to support BC’s content creators; and motion picture services to attract inward investment and market BC as a destination for domestic and international production. The agency acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help BC’s creative sector reach its economic and creative potential both at home and globally.

About the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)-bc producers branch

The CMPA-BC is a trade association representing over 85 member companies across British Columbia engaged in the production and distribution of television programs, feature films, and interactive media content.  We are significant employers of BC creative talent (writers, directors, actors) and our members assume the financial and creative risk of developing original content for Canadian and global audiences as well as service work for international clients. Our members create content for distribution on traditional film and television as well as newly emerging internet and mobile wireless platforms.

Stay up to date with initiatives from Creative BC by following on social media:  

Twitter: @creativebcs
Facebook: /creativebcs

Media Contact:
Lindsay Nahmiache
lindsay@jivecommunications.ca
604-889-7996