$100K for Calgary sci-fi series represents importance of kickstarting filmmaking careers

A Calgary film crew has been given a new lease on life with $100,000 being awarded to them to fund their independent series calledPsyborgs.

The sci-fi, comedy-action series began as a short film funded through Telus' Storyhiveinitiative, which hasnow upped the funding 10fold to create a six-part series.

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With the feeling of an '80s cult classic, the series will continue to followa team ofpsychic super-soldiers who are tasked withdestroying the evil forces known as T.O.X.I.N.

"It means someone believes in this insane TV show as much as I do,"said DavidHiatt, the creator and director.

"Psyborgswas wonderful for my career and my team's careers because it helped us get noticed."

Getting started in film in Calgary

Hiattkeeps a full-time desk job in order to pay his bills while living in Calgary. Film creation while his dreamjust doesn't cut it financially at this point in his career. He calls it "pretty typical."

"It is a hard industry to break into," Hiat told CBC News.

He conceded that if he wanted to work as a production assistant, or in a similar role on sets, he thinks he could find full-time work. Instead, he's decided to pursue his dream of creating and directing his own projects, which leads to a much more precarious employment situation.

"I think that this$100,000[will earn us] alot more notoriety, a lot more street cred, and who knows, maybe this is just what we need to quit our day jobs and start doing this full time," Hiatt said.

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Hiat and the Psyborgscrew will be working with a number of organizations in their pursuit of this project, including Calgary Economic Development (CED) and itsnew Calgary Film Centre.

Grants are critical, says expert

Grants like the one offered through Storyhive are critical for emerging filmmakers, saysCED's commissioner of film, television and creative industries.

"It is a much more difficult thing in any marketplace to be doing your own projects and your own work," LukeAzevedo said.

"As far as incentivizing this type of production, or access to money, it's always been a very difficult process on smaller productions and local productions. However, these young and emerging filmmakers and producers have definitely gotten to the point where they've become innovative in how they fund their projects and how they get their projects off the ground."

Azevedo said the majority of the change has to do with the emerging platforms on which new filmmakers are able to broadcast their productions to the entire planet, instead of small local markets thatwere the way of the past.

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