This release was issued under a previous government.

Post-production industry gets permanent support

Minister Miranda (second from right) at Six Degrees Studio in Calgary to announce $1.25 million to make the Post-Production, Visual Effects and Digital Animation grant permanent.

The Post-Production, Visual Effects and Digital Animation grant began as a pilot in May 2017. Minister of Culture and Tourism Ricardo Miranda has committed $1.25 million in new funding to make the grant permanent. The money will help companies in Alberta’s cultural sector attract more film/television projects and animation production to Alberta, and retain cultural professionals in the province by offsetting labour costs.

“We saw tremendous success with the pilot program since introducing it last May, and I am pleased to be able to make it permanent. As part of our ongoing support for Alberta’s cultural industries, this grant will help diversify the economy, create more jobs and make life better for talented Albertans to follow their passions here at home.”

Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism

The Post-Production, Visual Effects and Digital Animation grant represents 18 per cent of eligible invoiced Alberta labour expenses. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with a per-company maximum of $200,000 in grant funding.

The funding is part of a $2-million investment in cultural industries through the Capital Investment Tax Credit announced in Budget 2018 to help support direct and indirect jobs and encourage new investment in Alberta.

“The post-production grant program provides great incentives to support growth in the post-production services sector. This sector of the screen-based industries provides a robust source of economic diversification with full-time, knowledge-based jobs, creating opportunities for our students and retaining our talented experts in the field.”

Susan de St. Jorre, chair, Alberta Post Production Association

Eligible companies can begin applying for grant funding Oct. 1. Details on eligibility and the application process can be found on the Alberta Media Fund website.

Quick facts

  • Alberta has about 57 post-production companies (mainly micro – employing one to four people, and small ­– employing four to 99 people).
  • According to Statistics Canada, Alberta’s post-production subsector generated $10.5 million in operating revenue and $8.1 million in operating expenses in 2015.
  • Support that is focused on small and medium enterprises will allow startup companies ample opportunity to develop and grow within Alberta.
  • The post-production industry includes video and audio editing, subtitling, closed-captioning, described video, the creation and editing of visual and sound effects, soundtrack mixing and digital animation.