Local receives funding for film production

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Jessica Herman was listening to her art history professor give a presentation when she received an email that made her jump out of her seat and startle a few of her peers.
Herman, who is professionally known as Keena, had just received confirmation that her video pitch, Moja Mama, was selected to receive a $10,000 grant from Storyhive for producing her digital short film.
In connection with Telus, Storyhive has funded and helped create hundreds of films to online and audiences globally.
Out of 300 entries, Herman was one of 47 top award winners from B.C. and Alberta. The Strathmore native is currently enrolled in the Alberta College of Art and Design for graphic design and advertising. With a background in acting and animation, Herman had previously received a Storyhive award for an animated short film in 2015.
Herman stressed the importance of creating opportunities and calling attention to Alberta as a platform for the movie industry.
“When it comes to acting and filmmaking in the Alberta scene right now, it’s not. We’re not B.C. or Ontario. It’s a little bit more sparse around here, so creating your own opportunities is also a great way to get out and be seen,” said Herman.
“Keep a lookout for different opportunities to participate in competitions as well as taking initiative to create your own work. Storyhive isn’t the only platform that does funding like this. You can find different funding opportunities through the Alberta Foundation of the Arts as well as the National Screen Institute of Canada.”
Moja Mama tells the story of an elderly woman who confesses a long-buried secret to her night nurse: in her youth she was living with a vampire mother. The live-action short film tells the story of a death-obsessed young girl named Amelia who is ostracized by her community and then befriends a woman she discovers is a vampire. The woman also has her share of secrets that are revealed throughout the duration of the movie.
In creating her pitch, Herman logged hours of overtime researching vampire mythology and classic literature.
“What I wanted to discuss in this story is sort of the theme of dehumanization and demonization,” she said. “So it’s considering the idea that we as the human populace tend to simplify things that we don’t understand and that we fear. We often project a certain stereotype onto things that we fear… and then we in turn end up hating the things that we demonize. So we create our own monsters but in the end we end up hating them as well. So the vampire is a symbol of that.”
After submitting her application, Herman had two weeks to create a pitch video about Moja Mama. Candidates then received a few days to rally community votes online past a jury.
“By investing in creators, we are developing the next generation of storytellers and promoting dynamic and diverse creativity within our communities,” says Shaun Cathcart, Project Manager at Storyhive. “We continuously strive to support creators in Alberta, with more than just production funding. When they work with us, they also receive mentorship to elevate not only their projects, but also accelerate their career trajectory.”
According to Herman, the crew and cast has been finalized; however, someone is still needed for make up and wardrobe. Those interested can contact Herman at keena@castleacadia.ca. The final projects will be available in the fall at Telus on Demand, at storyhive.com and on their YouTube channel.