Mindless Love Story for CHUM TV

Filmmaker Jiri Bakala on the set of Mindless Love at Dr. Knox Middle School.

Photo courtesy of Capital News.

Ascent Films Inc. has finished production of “Mindless Love”, which was shot around Kelowna, Vernon and the Boundary regions of BC from October 19^th to 27^th. “Mindless Love” will run as an hour-long episode airing nationally within the CHUM/CityTV comedy-drama anthology series “13 Stories about Love” to be aired in 2005. The story is a modern day fairy tale about a First Nations science-addicted whiz that yearns for social recognition through romantic love. It was written by Kamloops writers Robert Goss and MJ Politis, and will be produced by Jiri Bakala and MJ Politis.

The Reel Deals

The summer months proved to be very busy for the Okanagan Film Commission. The office received 44 location inquiries between July and September:

17 Feature Films

18 Commercials

1 TV series

1 TV Movie-of-the-Week

3 Documentaries

4 Music Videos/Stills Shoot

The office also received 308 production related phone calls, 130 emails and 42 drop-ins during the same three-month period. These inquiries range from crew information, to suppliers, location providers, community presentations, education and project inquiries.

Filming activity during the summer included:

“Bell Making the Cut” TV Series (North Okanagan)
“Proof Positive” TV Series (Central Okanagan)
“Mindless Love” TV Series (Central and North Okanagan, Boundary)
Ford Commercial (South Okanagan)
BC Lottery Corporation Commercial (Central Okanagan)
Ministry of Transportation Commercial (Central and North Okanagan)
Sun Rype Commercial (Central Okanagan)
“Stutterfly” Music Video (Central Okanagan)

OFC Production Guide Update!

The Okanagan Film Commission Production Guide is now available! With information on every community in the Okanagan, the guide lists: community contacts, demographics, weather statistics and industry-related business services. There are also maps, tax incentive information, and production credits.

Copies are being distributed to production companies throughout North America and will also be used at industry events and trade shows.

The complete version is available to download on the Okanagan Film Commission website and is also available on-line as an interactive, searchable database.

UBCM & OFC

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities was held in Kelowna from September 20 to 24, 2004. Sara Shaak was invited to present on “Regional Film Commissions and Local Government: Partners in Production”. Several delegates who attended the workshop were informed that the key to the future growth of film productions in the regions will be continued, stable and thriving partnerships with communities and all levels of government.

“Ultimately, the film industry is a very clean and lucrative economic generator for communities. The session reinforced in my mind the aspect that time, patience and the political will to invest and construct the infrastructure is necessary to attract the film industry to your region,” states Ron Cannan, Kelowna City Councillor.