North Bay to hear ‘Lights, camera, action’ more often

The provincial government is providing more than $4.4 million for film and television projects in the North Bay area.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli at the historic H.E. Brown building in downtown North Bay on Dec. 8/23 to announce more than $4.4 million in provincial funding for area film and TV projects. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli was on hand at the H.E. Brown building on McIntyre Street for the announcement on Friday. The historic downtown building has been transformed into a set for a post-apocalyptic independent film called ‘Nobel and the Kid’ that is currently in production. The film with its cyber-punk feel is one of six projects receiving funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHF).

Other Animal Entertainment Inc. is receiving more than $400,000 to ‘Nobel and the Kid’ – the story of a man with a troubled past who mist take custody of his friend's child after a tragic event.

Ryan Keller is the managing director of Other Animal Entertainment and the film’s producer, he told CTV News that without the NOHFC, this production would have never happened.

“The ability to make independent films that are truly independent from a creative perspective is only possible with this sort of economic support and trust that comes with programs like this," said Keller.

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The full breakdown of the funding announced is as follows:

• $2,000,000 for Great Productions (Ontario) Inc. to produce the film, “Everything’s Going to be Great” in partnership with Amaze Film + Television Inc. and Everything Great Holdings, LLC., that follows the story of a struggling small-town, family-run theater and stars Oscar, Golden Globe, and Emmy-winner Allison Janney and Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston.
• $500,000 for Hideaway Pictures Inc. to produce the film “Christmas By Chance,” a family holiday film that follows a newly single woman who accepts an invitation meant for someone else.
• $500,000 for Hideaway Pictures Inc. to produce “Harvest Homecoming,” a romantic story that follows a substitute teacher who moves back to the family farm.
• $500,000 for KM Windmill Love Productions Inc. to produce “Christmas on Windmill Way,” a holiday story about a woman’s attempts to save a historic windmill from a hotel development.
• $500,000 for HP Styled Christmas Productions to produce “Royally Styled for Christmas,” which follows the story of an assistant manager of an upscale boutique who is roped into being the personal stylist of a visiting duke.
• $415,000 for Other Animal Entertainment Inc. to produce the feature film “Nobel & The Kid.”

Provincial officials said this funding is strengthening our local economy and creating real opportunities for the people who live, work, play and do business here in North Bay.

“We are very connected to the north, having produced several returning series like ‘Carter and The Lake’ over the years and will continue to be a huge supporter of northern Ontario,” said Alex Lalonde, a producer with Amaze Film + Television Inc., in a news release.

“Thanks to the backing of MPP Fedeli, Mayor Chirico and the NOHFC, we’re able to continue contributing to the region’s growth with projects that support the northern ecosystem.”

Fedeli said North Bay’s “ecosystem" makes it so easy for film projects to choose area locations where companies can rent props, cameras and lights.

“(The) funding is helping solidify the North’s reputation as a first-rate production centre in North America and the world,” he said, calling the region “Hollywood North.”

Fedeli told CTV News that northern Ontario has seen a huge return on investment in the film industry this year.

"I would say 2023 was a record year even with the strike,” he said.

“We had big productions, big productions. Ten, 20 and 30 million dollars each. That's something we never had before."