A local filmmaker, Samantha Shannon, will receive a $20,000 grant to produce a short documentary project in Airdrie. The focus of the documentary will be on a builder-grade home that is being retrofitted to Net Zero without any demolition. 

Shannon will work alongside 40 creators that are embarking on their journey with $20,000 to produce their documentaries, plus training and mentorship for a spring 2023 release date. The grant has been made possible by Telus Storyhive.

According to a press release by Memories 2 Memory, the business owned and run by Shannon, ahead of the 2030 building code changes that will see all new build homes be Net Zero ready homeowner and entrepreneur Amelie Caron is trying to eliminate her home’s dependence for natural gas and grid electricity.

"As the Primary Building Scientist for EcoSynergy Amelie is hoping to use her own home as a case study nationwide. With the use of air sealing practices, geothermal heating and solar panels her research is supporting her attempt to be completely carbon neutral without sending any construction waste to the landfill."

The construction and filming are still underway and have not gone without their challenges such as squeezing a drilling rig the size of a city bus into a suburban backyard where these rigs were initially designed for the expansive Albertan oil fields. 

A local filmmaker has received a large monetary grant (Photo provided by Samantha Shannon / Memories 2 Memory)A local filmmaker has received a large monetary grant (Photo provided by  Samantha Shannon / Memories 2 Memory)

“I’m so proud to have this project selected by Storyhive. Amelie has been an amazing mentor to me as a fellow female entrepreneur and I’m thrilled to highlight her sustainability project on a national stage," said Shannon in the press release. "Not all of my projects are of National interest, but they are still just as important to me and our local small businesses especially now where the demand for digital content is more than ever. It’s exhilarating to be able to show off this amazing team and my community with this documentary."

Since 2013, Telus Storyhive has funded productions and supported emerging filmmakers with mentorship and support from the National Screen Institute, bringing hundreds of films to life online and around the world. 

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