The Thompson-Nicola Film Commission (TNFC) is once again looking for a Film Commissioner.
That is because Gareth Smart, who was hired in April to replace the retiring Victoria Weller, was let go earlier this month.
“I can’t share any of the details of course because it is a personnel matter but Gareth’s appointment ended and we are actively working on a strategy now with more information to come in the near future on kind of what our plan is,” Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) CAO, Scott Hildebrand, told NL News.
A graduate of the Vancouver Film School and a member of the Directors Guild of Canada, Smart previously lived in the Cache Creek area for 10 years prior his appointment as Film Commissioner. He also had experience in locations management for several years, and regularly worked with the TNFC on film locations.
“Unfortunately sometimes things happen and we have to make adjustments and this is one of those times but I’m still very positive of what the future looks like with the Film Commission,” Hildebrand added. “We’ll continue to do our best to follow in the great steps that Vicci has led up through over the last two decades.”
Weller – who was hired as the first-ever Film Commissioner in April of 2000 – officially retired at the end of May. Over her 22 year career with the TNFC, she helped grow the Kamloops-area film industry while helping to attract A-list film productions – like the recently released Jurassic World: Dominion.
“[Vicci] is moving on but we are working on that strategy to bring in some resources to help us manage and then finalize our strategy going forward,” Hildebrand said.
“There is always a possibility [that she could be back in the interim, but from my understanding, I think she is looking forward to her retirement and taking some vacation leading up to that.”