Paul Pope, pillar of N.L. film industry, dies
Paul Pope, a widely known producer and driving pressure within the Newfoundland and Labrador movie business for greater than 40 years, has died.
Pope, who labored on lots of of movies and reveals, owned Pope Productions, the corporate behind productions like Hudson & Rex, Grown Up Film Star, Uncommon Birds, and Life with Derek amongst many others.
In keeping with a submit on Pope’s Fb web page, he died peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by household.
“His kindness and dedication will likely be missed,” stated the submit.
He was an advocate for unbiased Canadian media, and served as a founding member of the Newfoundland Filmmakers Cooperative in addition to a board member of the Canadian Media Producers Affiliation and vice-chair of the Canadian Media Fund.
Pope obtained quite a few awards, together with the Arts Achievement Award from ArtsNL, the 2020 St. John’s Tourism Award award and an honorary doctorate from Memorial College.
“It’s with deep disappointment that St. John’s Metropolis Council realized of the sudden passing of Paul Pope, a dynamic pressure in Newfoundland’s movie and tv business,” learn an announcement from the Metropolis of St. John’s on Thursday.
“Paul’s affect on the nationwide leisure group is immeasurable.”
As information of Pope’s loss of life broke on Thursday, distinguished members of the Newfoundland and Labrador movie business expressed their condolences and shared recollections on social media.
Paul Pope’s Secret Nation was my 1st job as a movie additional. His Anchor Zone was my first lead position in movie. Many individuals bought their 1st jobs in movie & TV from Paul. Then their 2nd, third & even one centesimal. Due to his work with CNA, many extra will now be taught the craft. RIP Paul Pope.
—@markcritch
A tireless advocate
Pope was nonetheless advocating for the Newfoundland and Labrador movie business lower than per week in the past; on Friday, he talked to CBC Information about the significance of the new movie and tv campus at School of the North Atlantic for native productions.
“We want this sort of skilled coaching assist to ensure that we stay aggressive on the nationwide and worldwide market,” he stated.
Pope was unable to attend an occasion Wednesday to announce the campus, however those that spoke pointed to him as instrumental in its inception. Premier Andrew Furey known as Pope a “fixture” of the business.
“You are actually one of many high drivers of this new campus and you actually spearheaded this,” he stated. “Your successes communicate for themselves, so this can be a large second for you, Paul, and we actually need to thanks from the underside of our hearts.”
Throughout the identical occasion, John Vatcher, government producer with Take the Shot Productions, stated Pope was his colleague and buddy in addition to a “lovable disrupter” who labored tirelessly behind the scenes on behalf of the movie business.
Throughout manufacturing of Season 4 of Hudson & Rex final fall, Pope mirrored on how the movie and tv business has modified previously few a long time.
“I keep in mind after we celebrated our first 12 months of doing half one million {dollars}’ price of manufacturing. After which within the ’90s we bought to one million,” he stated.
He stated extra individuals in Newfoundland and Labrador are selecting to affix the business that he’d supported for therefore lengthy.
“There is a large increase in Canada and we’re sort of a part of the increase,” stated Pope. “It is an amazing place to movie. Individuals just like the places, love being right here. It takes some time to construct an business — and you already know we’re not completed but.”
Learn extra from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
