After 14 years, Ann MacKenzie is moving on from the job as CEO of Film Nova Scotia. Her final day will be Friday, March 30. Carolyn Horton, director of finance for Film Nova Scotia, will act as interim CEO.
News of MacKenzie’s departure is bound to be greeted with a mixed response. While she can take credit for having helped usher recent boom periods in the local film and TV business, I’d run out of fingers if I tried to count the number of times I’ve spoken to local filmmakers, producers and union reps who’ve told me (off the record, of course) of their frustration with the operations of Film NS. But no one wants to openly criticize the hands that hold the purse strings, right? And so it goes with the province and the cultural industries.
On the subject of her replacement, I could suggest a few qualified candidates with experience in the biz, something that would really benefit Film Nova Scotia. I wonder what Gregor Ash is up to these days…
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2012.
Wow, I’m gonna miss that photo!
Artistes are born bitching……and they die bitching.
IF life were fair, the new CEO would have a back ground in film ! Not just how to travel on the public’s dime & BS Producers from away. You don’t have to be in film making very long to realise a $100,000 feature film may be GREAT for those with no money & no way to make their film idea a reality.
But exactly how long do you think an industry will survive if free movie equipment, free labor, favours etc is what you have to get to make a feature made for that amount of money ?
While I have no problem supporting the film 5 low/no budget student films with free labor or rental houses helping with the loaning of gear for free etc. Making a film with a for profit Production house , like telefilm & expecting people who make their living in crewing motion pictures, to work for free or minimum wage at best is no good for our industry.
How would you as a painter, or carpenter, secretary, politician like to go do your regular job for the next 2 or 3 weeks for free ? Or at minimum wage for any skilled trade ?
I didn’t believe I’d get many takers !