3 content creators share their experience with their biggest funding opportunity yet

2023 marks ten years since TELUS launched STORYHIVE, a funding program that supports new and emerging filmmakers and content creators across BC and Alberta with production funding, training, mentorship, and distribution support for their projects.

Through this program, STORYHIVE has developed a platform where underrepresented communities can share their local, Western Canadian stories with a large audience.

This year, STORYHIVE is coming back bigger than ever with a special edition for TELUS STORYHIVE’s 10th anniversary. They’ll be funding 80 short documentaries with $20,000 in production funding, training, mentorship, and distribution on TELUS Optik TV and Stream+.

STORYHIVE’s Anniversary Documentary Edition is now open for applications until Tuesday, February 28, so act fast. STORYHIVE is looking for any locally reflective story — welcoming content creators from all backgrounds and areas in BC and Alberta to apply.

To help spark some inspiration for your submission, we talked with three content creators who’ve received funding through STORYHIVE and learned how this opportunity has supported their careers.

Showcasing your local community

Artwork for Arlo’s first STORYHIVE project, the ‘More’ music video, portraying Soup played by Mustafa Fadl El Mola (Brendon Ryder/TELUS STORYHIVE)

An aspiring DIY Filmmaker, Actor, and Hip-Hop MC, Arlo Maverick has had projects funded through past STORYHIVE Editions for his song “More,” and an in-process documentary about Edmonton’s first breakdance super group, “Untouchable Crew.”

Being an alumnus, Maverick says that the experience has been invaluable to his growth as an artist. Paired with a mentor who understood the world of hip-hop and dance, he was able to gain more knowledge of the filmmaking process to help make the overall creative process smoother.

“Far too often as artists we apply for grants assuming we have everything figured out, but when we realize we don’t, we are on our own,” Maverick tells Daily Hive. “Having a mentor that I can ask questions and, more importantly, give me advice I didn’t even know I needed was so crucial to my film and my development as a filmmaker.”

Arlo interviews Curtis Black in a colourful room for the filming of ‘The Untouchables Crew’ (Natalie Meyer/TELUS STORYHIVE)

For those looking to apply for STORYHIVE, Maverick suggests speaking with previous recipients about their applications, or messaging STORYHIVE with any questions you may have.

Being proactive and arming yourself with as much information as possible will only make your application stronger.

“I really appreciate the [STORYHIVE] Black Creators Edition because I think it’s going to open the doors for a lot more Black filmmakers in Western Canada,” says Maverick. “We have a lot of stories to tell but until we have people that look like us behind the scenes others will tell our stories the way they perceive us.”

Regardless of whether you get accepted or not, he also suggests getting involved with STORYHIVE and its community as much as possible and building a network in your area.

“The common misconception is you have to move to Los Angeles but look at what Atlanta has done with film and music. Do the same. Bring the world to you,” says Maverick.

Chasing a childhood hero

Kat Jayme with her filming gear (Mike Dinsmore/TELUS STORYHIVE)

While still in film school at the University of British Columbia in 2017, Kathleen Jayme wrote and directed the short film “Finding Big Country” about the search for her childhood hero, Bryant “Big Country” Reeves of the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies, thanks to support from STORYHIVE.

Since the release of “Finding Big Country,” Jayme says doors have opened for her, crediting STORYHIVE with playing a huge role in her filmmaking journey. The program gave her an opportunity to connect with industry professionals for expert feedback on her project, as well as allowed her the creative freedom to find her voice and chase a story she was passionate about.

“STORYHIVE was one of my biggest cheerleaders,” Jayme tells Daily Hive. “I felt like I was given the trust from the STORYHIVE team to be true to myself. ‘Finding Big Country’ is a piece of my heart and STORYHIVE empowered me to create something so personal.”

Her advice to people looking to apply for STORYHIVE is to just go for it. Since this program helped get her dream project off the ground right when she was starting out, she says you really have nothing to lose.

“Lean into uncertainty and don’t be afraid to feel uncomfortable when you step outside your comfort zone,” says Jayme. “That feeling only means good things are right around the corner.”

Sharing stories that break boundaries

Roberts with stars of ‘Sensei’, Natalie Olsen and Sensei Heather Fidyk (Erin Lucca/TELUS STORYHIVE)

Jill Roberts’ “Sensei” is a short documentary about Natalie Olson, the first Canadian with Down Syndrome to achieve her black belt in karate. It’s a warm-hearted, quirky, and inspiring story that looks at the world of martial arts through a female and neurodiverse lens.

Because STORYHIVE allowed Roberts to tell a story so personal to her — as she spent a decade studying martial arts and knew both Olson and her sensei, Sensei Heather Fidyk, for years — she has finally embraced calling herself an artist after working in corporate media production for many years.

“STORYHIVE was a really important milestone for me as an emerging artist,” Roberts tells Daily Hive. “It made me feel like being a career filmmaker was possible, and it also connected me with a lot of other artists and future collaborators. I recently received a Calgary Arts Development for my continued development as a filmmaker and am collaborating on several projects in different stages of development that I’m excited about.”

Natalie Olsen and Sensei Heather Fidyk, looking tough for the filming of Roberts’ STORYHIVE film, ‘Sensei’ (Sean Smith/TELUS STORYHIVE)

While the grant program was a lot of work for her, Roberts says being paired with a mentor helped her not get bogged down in the process and to consider the bigger story — to truly create a narrative instead of a simple profile.

While it can feel intimidating for new filmmakers to apply for such a career-changing opportunity, Roberts says that shouldn’t let that stop them from applying to STORYHIVE — because your story is worth telling.

“Not being in a major metropolitan area can feel isolating, but great ideas come from everywhere and especially from thinking outside of the (urban) box,” says Roberts. “Tell your stories for no other reason than you want to. You’ll be surprised at what can happen once you believe in the power of your own voice.”

If you’re looking for assistance to help tell your story, you can apply on TELUS STORYHIVE’s website before midnight on February 28. You can also follow STORYHIVE to keep up-to-date on their latest projects on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.