The Progressive Conservatives won a majority in Alberta on April 23, 2012.

AAMPTU sent a congratulatory letter to Alberta’s Premier, Alison Redford.

AAMPTU Congratulates Alison Redford April 2012

April 10, 2012

I am writing you today on behalf of the Alberta Association of Motion Picture and Television Unions (AAMPTU). AAMPTU represents over 2,400 entertainment industry professionals and 500 individual companies. AAMPTU is the largest stakeholder in Alberta’s screen-based industries, and our collective membership is dependent on the continued success of motion picture production in this province.

The strong Canadian dollar, along with increased competition from other jurisdictions, has had a significant impact on production activity. We understand that in these economic times, supporting a vibrant screen-based industry can be difficult, but every dollar invested provides an economic return of approximately five dollars and provides employment for thousands of Albertans.

We have prepared a short slate of questions regarding your party’s position on Alberta’s motion picture industries. We would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to respond. Your reply will be distributed to our collective memberships via newsletter, as well as posted on the AAMPTU web-site, as an information service to our members.

1. In what practical ways does your party plan to support film, television and digital media industry in Alberta?
2. How would your party support the continued development of film, television and digital media infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton?
3. What is your party’s policy on unions and unionism? Do you have any plans to change the Labour Code in Alberta?

Once again, our thanks for providing this valuable information and insight into  your party’s platform. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions, comments, or concerns.

NDP RESPONDS to AAMPTU – April 12, 2012

Alberta Party response AAMPTU Survey – April 16, 2012

Alberta Liberals response to AAMPTU – April 19, 2012

WR Response to AAMPTU – April 19th, 2012

A Celebration of a Canadian Cultural Icon in her 75th Year

Hosted by the University of Calgary
March 28 – April 1, 2012

ACTRA members may register for the conference for FREE.

Please note, special events are not included with the free registration.

(eg. Performance of “Marg Szkaluba (Pissy’s Wife)” at the Auburn on Saturday, March 31)

For a full schedule of events, please click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/zHq0V8

Launched March 16, 2012, the $10 million Edmonton Filmed Entertainment Fund invests in film and television projects made in and around Edmonton. A partnership between Edmonton Economic Development Corporation and Los Angeles-based Kilburn Media, the fund is profit-motivated. Both partners invest jointly and exclusively in projects that have a pre-sale agreement in place. Profits resulting from EEDC’s investment will be returned to the fund to generate more opportunities for Edmonton film crews and ensure the fund’s sustainability and viability.

The fund raises awareness of Edmonton, adds to the city’s quality of life and creativity, and enhances the city’s reputation as an industry-friendly filming destination.

Submissions are welcome from Canadian and international applicants as projects will be reviewed on their economic merits. Projects will be submitted to Kilburn Media for financial due diligence and pre-approval, after which they will be reviewed case by case by a business panel on behalf of EEDC.

To be considered, applicants must provide the following information to Kilburn Media (address below): project name, cast, writer, director, budget, comprehensive distribution plan, genre, and logline.

For more information:

http://www.edmonton.com/for-business/3621.aspx

Alberta Association of Motion Picture and Television Unions (AAMPTU) welcome boost to film, television and digital media industry

Multi-Media Development Fund retooled for competitive market

Changes to the Alberta Multi-Media Development Fund (AMDF) recently announced by Minister of Culture and Community Services Minister Heather Klimchuk, will support thousands of Albertans by creating more employment and will reinvigorate the production community across the province.

The province simplified the guidelines from three to two funding streams and increased the percentages available to production companies  from the Alberta Multimedia Development Fund helping to ensure Alberta’s production incentives remain competitive with other jurisdictions throughout North America.

ACTRA Alberta Branch Representative and AAMPTU Chairperson, Tina Alford is excited by the increased support stating. “Minister Klimchuk has given our industry a long awaited gift this holiday season.  Changes to the AMDF guidelines will revitalize our industry and get our cultural workers back to work, in front of and behind the camera”.

“I am pleased to see the new funding guidelines come into effect. The new guidelines represent a significant move towards stabilizing Alberta’s screen-based industries.  Changes to the guidelines come as a result of an extensive province-wide consultative process that engaged hundreds of stakeholders.  I look forward to the positive affect these changes will have on our production community”, said I.A.T.S.E 212 President Damian Petti.

For more information on the changes to the Alberta MultiMedia Fund, please visit the Culture and Community Services website: http://culture.alberta.ca/multimediafund/screenproduction.aspx

The Alberta Association of Motion Picture and Television Unions, (AAMPTU) represents over 2,400 entertainment industry professionals and 500 individual companies. AAMPTU is the largest stakeholder who`s collective membership is dependent on the continued success of Alberta’s motion picture and television industry.

AAMPTU (Alberta Association of Motion Picture and Television Unions) sent a letter to Conservative leadership candidates, Alison Redford, Doug Horner & Gary Mar last week asking one simple question:

If you become leader of the Progressive Conservative party, what would you do to support the screen based industries in Alberta?

ACTRA doesn’t support one candidate over another or any political party, but we wanted to ask the question so our members who are going to vote on Saturday, October 1 can make an informed decision.

To date, we have only received responses from Alison Redford and Gary Mar.  Both responses are included below along with  links to the candidates website where you can find additional information on their arts & culture policies.   We will post the response from Doug Horner once we receive it.

ALISON REDFORD

Alison Redford Response to AAMPTU Letter

http://www.alisonredford.ca/issuespolicy/arts-and-culture.cfm

GARY MAR

Response from Gary Mar

Vibrant Communities – Arts and Culture as an economic driver

http://garymar.ca/policy/vibrant-communities-policy/

Prestigious David Billington Award to be presented to Heartland star

on November 5

CALGARY – ACTRA Alberta congratulates local member Shaun Johnston on being named the recipient of the 2011 David Billington Award. The annual award is presented to an individual who has made an invaluable contribution to Alberta’s production community, and celebrates those individuals who, like David Billington, inspire us all with their vision, passion and dedication.

“Shaun is a proud Albertan and has been an ACTRA member for more than 20 years. He is one of those graceful people who are generous with his time in the community, from fundraising for the Actors Fund of Canada, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Calgary to being a supportive ACTRA Alberta union member. We join in the chorus of applause for Shaun,” said ACTRA Alberta President Duval Lang.

“Shaun Johnston is a gifted actor and a bona fide Canadian TV and film star,” says Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President. “The breadth of his resume speaks eloquently to that — from the lead role in Jake and the Kid to family head Jack Bartlett in Heartland, Shaun has always found a creative way to make his character deeply rooted in humanity and completely compelling to watch.”

In his first film, Shaun played the lead character in William Hornecker’s 1993 feature Two Brothers, a Girl and a Gun, for which he won an Alberta Film & Television Award for Best Actor. He won this same award a second time for his portrayal of Captain Fancher in Christopher Cain’s September Dawn. Shaun’s TV credits include playing Jake in Jake and the Kid, Sid Flemming in Da Vinci’s Inquest and he was a series regular on Traders. Additional credits include the Emmy Award winning Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and the Gemini winning Mayerthorpe. Shaun starred with Christopher Plummer in both TV movies Agent of Influence and Dinosaur Hunter.

Born and raised in Ponoka, Alberta, Shaun Johnston has lived in Edmonton since he graduated from the University of Alberta. Shaun was honoured to receive a Gemini Nomination for his portrayal as Jack in the first season of Heartland.

The Award, by the Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) will be presented at a gala lunch on Saturday, November 5th, 2011 at the Westin Hotel in Calgary. For information on tickets, please go to www.ampia.com.

ACTRA Alberta is the local branch of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television & Radio Artists (ACTRA) representing 22,000 professional performers across Canada with over 600 performers represented across the province.  As an advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member driven organization that continues to secure the rights and respect for the work of professional performers.

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*photo available upon request

Contact: Tina Alford, ACTRA Alberta Branch Representative, Tel: 403.228.3123 ext 4

email: talford@actra.ca