A massive new movie studio on the outskirts of Niverville is ready for lights, camera and action.
For the past five years, Juliette Hagopian has been working on a huge project – a 25,000 square foot movie studio that could bring Hollywood to rural Manitoba.
“I think it’s really important that we have larger spaces to accommodate bigger projects that come here now,” she said, standing inside the enormous space dubbed Jette Studios.
She said the new facility will be able to accommodate anything from low-budget films to large scale productions.
She said Manitoba’s tax credits already make the province a desirable location for productions.
“The provincial government helps the film industry by allowing additional bonuses for shooting in small ruler communities, and Niverville qualifies for that bonus,” she said.
But to sweeten the deal, she plans on making Jette Studios home to a piece of new technology called a volume wall. It’s a huge wall of LED screens that allows filmmakers to virtually shoot anywhere they want – even in galaxies far, far away – without ever having to leave Niverville.
She said this technology is already being used in large scale productions and series, like Disney’s Mandalorian show.
“The more that we have, the better it is because it adds credibility, it adds the ability to do more production,” said Lynne Skromeda, the CEO and film commissioner at Manitoba Film & Music.
She said building Manitoba’s film infrastructure is an important piece to help boost the growing industry.
“We need to make sure that we’ve got studio space, that we’ve got good locations, that we’ve got good crews,” she said. “All of those things are part and parcel when it comes to making Manitoba a desirable shooting location.”
But it’s not just the film industry itself that is getting a boost.
“We’re very excited to have her in town,” Niverville Mayor Myron Dyck said, speaking of the new Jette Studios. “Looking forward to seeing, you know, trucks and actors and what all might be going on there very soon.”
Dyck said the addition of the movie studio on the edge of Manitoba’s fastest growing community will have an impact.
“There’ll be trickle down economics, for sure that will occur,” he said. “We’re wondering what that might mean for additional business ventures that might come, housing that might be required, things like that. So, we’re working with Juliette, and we stand at the ready.”
The Niverville mayor said he wants to keep the momentum going by adding film production as a vocation for students at the town’s high school.
“I wonder about what opportunities they might have working in the film industry, working in the various trades that go with the film industry,” he said, adding discussions are still ongoing.
For Hagopian, this is just the beginning. She wants to continue building onto this studio.
“Manitoba has a lot to offer, but I think we need more. We need more offerings just to keep people here and make them, you know, grow more,” she said.
