November 29th, 2012
Launch of another great social media campaign this time WITH VIDEO to celebrate and support the film, TV, and digital media professionals of Saskatchewan. Whether they stay or whether they go they remain a talented group who did not deserve the treatment they have received at the hands of the Saskatchewan government (my two cents – Annelise Larson).
November 8th, 2012
For Immediate Release:
Saskatchewan Film Industry Day of Support campaign captures almost 4.5 Million impressions
The Saskatchewan Film Industry is extending its heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of support shown on social media platforms yesterday. During the 24 hour #supportskfilm campaign, thousands of supporters from across Canada changed their profile pictures to an icon reading “My Canada includes the Saskatchewan Film Industry” and displayed messages of support in their status updates.
“People were just really feeling badly for the media community in Saskatchewan,” said organizer Annelise Larson, “Every conference, every market, every event, every class I teach across the country people awkwardly say how sorry they are and ask what they can do to help. We gave them a way to do that.”
Larson’s efforts were also tied to a disappointment in the decline of funding for arts and culture in Canada in general. “So many organizations are seeing their funding slashed from the CBC to the NFB to the loss of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. It’s important for Canadians to speak up when this happens and tell the world that this is not ok.”
#supportskfilm remained the top trended topic on Twitter in Canada for much of the day and by the end of November 7th, almost 1,500 tweets had been seen almost 3.9 million times by well over 300,000 followers.
On Facebook, the campaign reached an estimated 25,000 people with over 400, 000 impressions with about one third of these people actively talking about the Saskatchewan Film Industry during the day.
WHO WAS PARTICIPATING?
About 60% of the total audience for the campaign was from Saskatchewan, 32% came from elsewhere in Canada (including representation from coast to coast to coast) with the remaining 8% from the US, UK and many other countries in the world.
In the 24 hour “digital hug”, national organizations such as the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, and Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) joined Corner Gas actors Brent Butt and Lorne Cardinal and many others to tweet messages of solidarity and support for the Saskatchewan Film Industry.
The grassroots campaign was also referenced during Question Period in the Saskatchewan Legislature on Wednesday. NDP Culture Critic Danielle Chartier read a list of names of media industry workers who have left or are planning to leave the province.
“I cannot find the words to express how devastating this is to real people leaving their homes, lives and in many cases their immediate families just to put food on the table. The stories are heartbreaking, and I just can’t thank Canada enough for highlighting this terrible mistake yesterday. I am humbled and moved by the response and incredibly honoured to have been involved,” says Larson.
For more information about the Saskatchewan film industry’s fight, visit FilmTVSask.com or the grassroots Facebook page.
CONTACT:
Annelise Larson
Veria Search Media Marketing
annelise@veria.ca
306-653-6714
November 6th, 2012
For Immediate Release:
On Wednesday November 7th Canada will give the Saskatchewan Film industry a big social media hug.
Early Wednesday morning, people across Canada will begin changing their social media profile pictures to an icon proclaiming “My Canada includes the Saskatchewan Film Industry” and tweeting on the #supportSKfilm hashtag. This represents a national show of support for the province’s industry which is reeling from the loss of its Film Employment Tax Credit (SFETC), and a statement about the importance of maintaining proper funding for arts and culture in Canada in general.
“It was suggested to us by people across Canada who wanted to do something to show their support. I’m proud to have helped make it happen” said Annelise Larson of Veria Search Media Marketing who participated in spreading the word about the event. “The people who work in arts and culture need to take a stand when one of their own is targeted, and show that people do care, that it’s not okay to take from this group with one hand while giving huge tax breaks to big business with the other.”
The action falls on the anniversary of the last provincial election in which Premier Brad Wall was re-elected on a platform that celebrated the success of the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit.
The movement also comes on the heels of the release of a report by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce showing that the SFETC was economically successful. Chamber CEO Steve McLellan called the cut a mistake. The film community, the Opposition and members of the media have called for the Premier to acknowledge his error.
Friends, family, organizations and members of the public who have been touched by cuts to the SFETC and the arts in general are encouraged to join the industry and change their social media profile pics to the “My Canada Includes the Saskatchewan Film Industry” logo for one day on November 7th.
For more information on the film industry fight in Saskatchewan, visit www.filmtvsask.com and www.facebook.com/SaveTheSFETC
Contact:
Annelise Larson
Veria Search Media Marketing
annelise@veria.ca
306-653-6714
