“They say our downtown looks like Chicago,” I told a producer at Sundance while promoting a film—a line I often used when trying to give Winnipeg some film industry credit. “And we can sometimes pass as New York!” For years, Manitobans traveling to other film communities, festivals, sets, and conferences shared similar sentiments. But to be blunt, I hated having to say them. The Manitoba film industry shouldn’t be viewed only in comparison to others; it stands on its own and rivals the largest cities in the country.
Fortunately, I find myself saying these phrases less and less, as Hollywood is finally starting to take note of what’s happening in little ol’ Manitoba.
In 2021, the province experienced its best year yet, with over $365 million in film production-related work flowing through our prairie lands. This success is due in part to the industry-leading tax credits offered by the provincial government, which attract studios to our beautiful landscapes, talented crews, and wonderful actors. WestJet, after lobbying from our provincial and federal governments and local agencies, has also agreed to support this influx of business by adding direct flights from LA to Winnipeg.
The growth of the Manitoba film industry is nothing short of remarkable, and Hollywood is paying attention. I recently finished working with Zach Galifianakis, Emilia Jones, and award-winning director Susanna Fogel, who were all here for their biopic “Winner.”
This boom has led to a sharp increase in demand for local film-related services. There’s never been a greater need for Manitoban crew members, set designers, producers, directors, and, of course, actors. We’re seeing significant investments in industry infrastructure, with studios like Big Sky establishing themselves in the province. Additionally, there’s growing demand for transport services, catering, hospitality, accommodations, and potential set locations.
As a proud Winnipeg native, I’m eager to seize the amazing opportunities brought on by this surge of work. Leveraging my 25+ years in film and television—from LA to Vancouver to Toronto to Winnipeg—as a director, producer, writer, and actor, I plan to help create careers in the Manitoba film industry and beyond.
While the Onalee Ames Film Studio has been around for about 20 years, I’ve decided it’s time to reinvigorate the status quo. We’re about to open a brand new state-of-the-art facility, offering new courses in writing, directing, producing, stand-up comedy, and acting, which we’re best known for. We’re also in the process of completing a light rebrand and rebuilding our website to match today’s digital demands and provide a more streamlined experience.
The sky is truly the limit to what we can accomplish—I’m proud to say we’ve already trained over 2,000 local actors, with more students getting auditions and roles each week. Currently, we have students working on projects across Canada and the US. Thanks to the strong relationships we’ve built within the Winnipeg arts community, I’ve been able to bring in some successful friends to share their wisdom.
For example, this past year, we hosted a writing course with Canadian director/writer Sean Garrity, who taught our students the fundamentals of screenwriting. I’m proud to say that eight successful students completed their first screenplays! What’s even more exciting is that they will present them to local producers in January, who may take them into production.
Another friend, actor Aleks Paunovic, who now lives in LA and has starred in many productions, including Van Helsing, frequently teaches at our studio. It was great to have Aleks spend time with our actors-in-training, sharing insights on navigating the film industry as a Canadian actor and the nuances directors look for in potential stars.
Bringing in successes like Sean and Aleks is always a rewarding experience, and we will continue to do so regularly.
There has never been a better time to be an actor in Manitoba, with open roles, new business, and growing support. I firmly believe that we are all the authors of our own stories—we just have to find our passion.
Published in Style Manitoba Magazine • Winter 2022