Mitch Davies couldn’t take it anymore.
The North Vancouver resident and president of IATSE Local 891, an entertainment union representing film workers in B.C. and the Yukon, finally had enough of walking past a Thanksgiving food drive box in his workplace lobby. With the exception of a few sad cans worth of donations, the box was for the most part empty, despite the obvious need at that time of year.
“It just hit me that we can do a lot better here. I know firsthand the generosity of our membership, I’ve seen it. People in the film industry are very, very generous,” he says.
Thinking about the sheer number of people working on local film and television productions, Davies felt there would be strength in numbers and so began taking steps to get an industry-wide food bank drive off the ground. He brought his idea to other local unions and industry personnel and his peers quickly pledged their support, deciding to band together with him for the cause.
“It was such a collaborative effort, everybody got behind it,” he says.
And so, in 2013, the first annual Reel Thanksgiving Challenge was launched and raised approximately $50,000 for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and families-in-need. The initiative has continued to grow each year, raising approximately $60,000 in year two and more than $87,000 in 2015.
The fourth annual Reel Thanksgiving Challenge 2016 kicked off Monday and will run through Oct. 7.
Those involved have high hopes of continuing the upward trend.
“We’d really like to break six figures this year,” says challenge organizer Rob Larson, a business agent at the Directors Guild of Canada, B.C. District Council, and a Vancouver resident.
The initiative is designed to pit the 35 productions currently filming in the Lower Mainland against one another in a friendly competition to see how much money each can raise for the cause. Last year’s winning production was Lucifer, which raised more than $17,000.
The event website logs each show’s progress and community members are encouraged to log on to see how their favourite show is doing as well as get involved themselves. “We’re encouraging everyone in the public who wishes to donate to their favourite show filming in B.C. to visit the (Reel Thanksgiving Challenge) website, and make a contribution to those less fortunate. Everybody can get involved. If Supernatural is your favourite show, if it’s Lucifer or if it’s Once Upon a Time, and you like those shows, support the show, go to the (event) webpage and make a donation under your favourite show,” says Davies.
Of the 35 productions currently filming in the Lower Mainland, a number of those are active on the North Shore. Examples include Once Upon A Time, iZombie, The 100 and The Arrangement.
Larson is confident they’ll meet this year’s fundraising target.
He’s helped increase sponsorship this year, “and given how busy it is right now in the film business, I think we’ve got a good chance of breaking that new record,” he says.
Local productions film all over the Lower Mainland, in the heart of communities, giving crew members an opportunity to see and engage directly with people who are less fortunate.
“They just see that there’s a need,” says Davies.
“I think people are really thankful that they have a good career in the film business and they want to give back to their communities,” adds Larson.
Both men are proud to be involved in the effort and of the support shown by all involved in the annual challenge.
“It’s seeing the film community come together in a very, very supportive way to just help those less fortunate. It’s a wonderful event, it’s a win-win. Everybody is so happy, everybody is so charged up,” says Davies.
“Every time I meet with the food bank I find out how big of an impact this is,” adds Larson. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank supports 26,500 people every week. “To know that we’re contributing to that is amazing,” he says.
To find out more about this year’s Reel Thanksgiving Challenge or to make a donation in support of your favourite show, visit foodbank.bc.ca.
