Province looks for public input on future of Regina Sound Stage
CBC News | Posted: August 12, 2015 11:08 PM | Last Updated: August 12, 2015
Survey launched to find out what creative industries, public think should be done with Sound Stage
The province is looking at ways to make more use of the spot where many of Saskatchewan's biggest productions were filmed.
During Saskatchewan's film industry's boom years, the Regina Sound Stage regularly housed major projects like Corner Gas and Just Friends.
The Sound Stage, located on College Avenue near Broad Street, sits empty a lot more of the time now.
"Our focus going forward is to make sure they're fully utilizing it and that more aspects of the sector are involved," said Scott Brown, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport.
An online consultation process has been created for organizations in the creative industries and the public to express their ideas on how they'd like to utilize the space.
Music, video game development are possibilities
Some ideas that have been thrown out as possibilities include using parts of the space for musical development and video game development.
"We've heard things like a cultural hub. People have talked about that — where you get a combination of industry groups in there, short-term rentals. You'll see venues rented for events like Fashion Week, as an example," said Brown.
"There's all kinds of aspects of the creative industry that generate jobs and economic growth and some pretty cool products at the same time," said Brown.
Some organizations expressed excitement about artistic disciplines working together under one roof.
Others talked about the benefits of having an additional space to work in.
"It has a lot of the bells and whistles that are needed for more of a large scale production. And right now, a lot of independent artists in Regina, and Saskatchewan, have to sort of keep a low-scale," said Joey Tremblay, artistic director of Curtain Razor's Theatre in Regina.
The Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association said it is fine with the province renting out space, as long as it reserves at least two soundstages for film.
It says with more funds now available, it is trying to rebuild the film industry in the province, and that space is needed to make that happen.
The survey closes Sept. 20. The province says it will compile the results and put together a plan going forward.