Multimillion-dollar LED wall for film production set to leave Saskatchewan after less than 1 year

Saskatchewan is expected to lose a $12.5-million piece of filmmaking apparatus called an "LED volumewall"that wasonce touted as big step forward for thelocal industry.

The wall is currently housed atthe John Hopkins Soundstagein Regina, but it's set to leave the provincein the summer 2025.

Word of the move comeseight months after the "grandunveiling" in March, attended by Premier Scott Moe.

"It's exciting to think about how many doors this will open for the industry," Moe said at the time in a news release.

Stakeholders citebudgetary concerns as the reason for the planned exit. In other words, there aren't enough big-money film and TV projectsto justify having it here.

The system was brought to Saskatchewan in partnership with local production company Karma Film and Volume Global, whichmanufacturers and produces virtual productions onLED volume walls.

The wall an 8.5-by-26-metreinstallation made entirely out of LED lights is the second largest in North America, according toAnand Ramayya, CEO of Karma Film and a Saskatoon-based producer.

It can be used as a virtual location backdrop for any film production and is popular for sci-fi projects with elaborate backgrounds.

WATCH |Huge LED wall for film production leaving Regina:

Huge LED wall for film production leaving Regina

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Regina is expected to losea massive LED wall installed for film productions at the John Hopkins Soundstagein summer 2025. Stakeholders cite budgetary concerns as the reason.

Ramayya said Karma Filmstill has two projects to shoot with the LED wall.However, Ramayya saidthe production companyhasa slate of projects coming after thatthat are too large for the province's budget to accommodate.

"The reality isproducers have to produce where the environment is appropriate for the projects that they have in front of them. That's a big motivation," Ramayya said.

Ramayya, who is originally from La Ronge, said he still is highly committed to making films in his home province.

"We're open to having discussions around what things we can work towardas a province. so I'd love for, you know, conversations to continue on how we can in the future, perhaps, facilitate doing some of these larger shows," he said.

"But right now that's what's in front of us and we have to make decisions now in order to manage what we need to do in the next six to 10months.So that's where the announcement is coming from."

Robert Hardy, executive director of the non-profit Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA), said he is not concerned about this LED volume wall leaving the province.

"I'm sorry to see them leave, but to be honest, it actually presents a bit of an opportunity for the province," Hardy said.

He said that when Volume Global first arrived in 2022, it had "very big plans" to make a large slate of projects. Hardy said that was good news,but at the same time meant Volume Global booked the entire John Hopkins Soundstage for exclusive use.

"Over the past, you know, couple of years, they've made two features and they have a couple more coming. But it's also meant that that soundstage hasn't been available for anyone else to use," Hardy said.

"So we've actually had producers who are inquiring about using it and then they've had to be turned away. So the opportunity is that once they have finished their slate, we'll be able to fill this with other productions, other movies, other television series."

Hardy said an apparatus like an LED volume wall is one tool in a filmmaker's toolbox, but it's not the be-all and end-all.

"The truth is we have a fantastic film incentive in Saskatchewan that is the envy of North America," he said.

"Other provinces and states wish they had the same kind of grant program. We have great crews, and SMPIAand others are working really hard to train more crew, and we have great producers and we have great talent here."