Tanner James is producing the documentary ‘Chess 4 Life: A Rehabilitation Strategy for At-Risk Youth’ (Photo courtesy Tanner James)

By Justin Goulet

Local filmmaker receives $20,000 in funding for new documentary

Feb 1, 2021 | 9:27 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A local filmmaker is shining the spotlight on a unique U of L-based rehabilitation program that uses the game of chess to help at-risk youth.

Tanner James is one of the recipients of TELUS STORYHIVE’s $20,000 production grant. James will use that money to produce the documentary ‘Chess 4 Life: A Rehabilitation Strategy for At-Risk Youth’.

The film focuses on the Chess for Life program, which operates out of the University of Lethbridge. Youth going through the criminal justice system learn the art of chess as an alternative to traditional community service.

“Chess is a game of tactics and strategy and decision-making and forward-thinking decision-making, so I think that bodes well with someone that maybe made the wrong decision in the past and helping them think about that and how they’ll strategize in the future,” James told Lethbridge News Now.

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TELUS STORYHIVE provides funding and guidance to emerging Canadian content creators. The theme for this year’s round of funding is ‘Local Heroes Documentary Edition’.

James told LNN it was quite the pleasant surprise to have received the $20,000 in production funding.

“It would have been a big deal any year but in a COVID year, it’s extra special. [It’s] something to really look forward to and kind of a bigger project that I can sink my teeth into and it’s a pretty good amount of change to put toward the documentary,” the Taber-raised filmmaker said.

James noted that TELUS STORYHIVE also offers a strong mentorship program, with experts helping educate and guide content creators through the process of bringing their project to life.

The program (STORYHIVE) sets deadlines for its participants and although a specific release date has yet to be set, James said the first cut of ‘Chess 4 Life: A Rehabilitation Strategy for At-Risk Youth’ is due this spring.

“Then we’ll go over it with our coach, work on it a little bit more and then we’ll send it back…probably this summer, it’ll most likely be released.”

As for the filming process, James said that step actually shouldn’t take too long. It’s the editing and post-production work that will take up the bulk of time.

COVID-19

Of course, like any project in the works amid a global pandemic, James admits the filmmaking team is prepared for any challenges COVID may bring.

“We’ll be a very minimal crew when we’re doing the actual interviews and we’ll be masked up and six feet apart and hopefully we can keep our interview subjects safe,” James told LNN.

“I think this project already was relatively streamlined. It’s a good project to do during a COVID year, so I think that bodes well, but there will still be some challenges. Hopefully everyone is still on board, but we do have a lot of potential people to interview so we should have it covered either way.”

TAKE A CHANCE

James encourages any storytellers to take a chance and apply to the TELUS STORYHIVE program.

“[I] just want to encourage anyone who is interesting in the theme and the program to apply next time, just because there was still pretty good odds and there’s some really good resources for emerging filmmakers. It doesn’t really matter what stage of the game you’re in – there’s the educational component to help you out.”

James’ project was one of 40 selected out of 171 applicants for the most recent round of STORYHIVE funding and mentorship.

More details on the TELUS STORYHIVE program can be found here.