Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative re-opens its doors
Action on the set at the Sask Filmpool’s 48-hour Film Frenzy challenge in July 2024. Sask Filmpool Facebook photo.
May 15, 2025
by Alexander Brass-James
The Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative reopened its doors April 1 after a seven-month hiatus.
Last September the Filmpool sent a letter to members announcing the organization was temporarily suspending operations to reorganize its programs “solely based on the current financial deficit of the organization.” The organization suffered a funding shortfall of $60,000 in 2024, according to a CBC News report.
Board director Jeremy Ratzlaff says they’re now back up and running with a mandate focused on “providing quality equipment rentals and production services to filmmakers of all kinds.”
The temporary closure allowed the organization to enter the strategic planning process and reassess their position and mandate, according to Mattias Graham, Sask Filmpool president
“After the crisis hit for us last year, we need to be functioning well as an organization to bring in reliable revenue in order to subsidize projects that wouldn’t get made and to make sure to upgrade our equipment,” he said.
The Filmpool’s 2025-2028 strategic plan is structured into three parts: operational stability, governance, and creation support. Part of the strategic plan is to implement workshops working with the volunteer program committee.
“We are not just a rental house,” Graham said.
This falls right into Ratzlaff’s idea to “re-engage the community” by reaffirming the Filmpool’s reputation as an organization that artists can rely on.
The Filmpool wants to be more transparent about its funding, and is now publishing audits on its website.
Members of the Filmpool have access to edit suites and an Arri Alexa Mini digital camera system, along with film cameras that shoot 16 and 35mm film, Ratzlaff said.
The organization is currently seeking a new technical director, which Graham said is “a core position within the organization.”
“This was a part of the organization's strategic focusing, because the equipment needs get more specialized as time goes on,” said Graham.
The board has also approved a policy to redesign the Filmpool’s creation assistance program, which will have two intakes annually.
Along with the Pool’s regular roster of production grants, grant opportunities include the Trudy Stewart Prize. Founded by the Film Pool in 2020, the prize annually offers five awards of up to $2,000 each for Indigenous creators.
Sask Arts and Canada Council also offer funding opportunities for Indigenous filmmakers.
In addition to the planning and budgetary changes, the Filmpool has hired Shari Hildred as executive director. Hildred brings over 20 years of executive experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.