Local content creators wanted, so bring your story to life with this $10K grant

Photo: Kris Kolesnikoff

Kris Kolesnikoff and his project partner, Karliana DeWolff.

UPDATE: STORYHIVE Voices intake deadline has been extended to midnight PT on May 11, 2023, to welcome in even more amazing community stories. Make sure to send in your application before then for your chance to receive $10,000 in funding.

If you're a first-time or emerging content creator in B.C. or Alberta who has always wanted to share your passion with your community, now's your chance. Level up your content creation journey with TELUS STORYHIVE Voices 3.0. Intake is open now until May 2, 2023.

The search is on for local online creators of all backgrounds to be part of TELUS STORYHIVE's supportive community, a creative hub to grow your impact and your audience, and develop your skills. The Voices program welcomes aspiring YouTube, TikTok or Instagram creators, and no experience is necessary. You could gain access to more than one million new viewers on TELUS Optik TV.

STORYHIVE is encouraging creators to submit their content ideas. Whether it’s a lifestyle show, a how-to-series, visual podcasts or a digital short, the possibilities are endless. They are offering $10,000 in production funding, customized online training sessions, access to a community of support and distribution of your project on TELUS Optik TV and online channels for up to 100 selected applicants across B.C. and Alberta.

Kelowna's music lessons website founder, Kris Kolesnikoff, received the STORYHIVE Voices 2.0 grant and created Music for All, a 10-part instructional series aimed at giving viewers a crash course on how to play guitar. He teaches the series, which features his partner, Karliana DeWolff, and covers topics from picking up a guitar for the first time to writing your first song.

Photo: Kris Kolesnikoff

Kolesnikoff and DeWolff joke around between sets while filming his STORYHIVE project.

“The series runs through brief overviews on parts of the guitar, chords, scales, strumming, harmony, music theory and song construction," he says. "At the end, for an example, we perform an original composition we wrote for the series; it's about Kelowna and that special feeling you feel in the valley during sunset, when the light hits just right."

The duo made the series to provide local beginner musicians easy access to free lessons, who may not have the means for taking in-person lessons. "We also wanted to create some awareness of my project, LectureOwl.com, a site where people can take live online music lessons, with high-level instructors," Kolesnikoff says.

The pair believes it's important to give back to the community that's been so good to it. "Kelowna has a thriving arts community. However, we found that in comparison to bigger centres like Vancouver, our musicians per capita were much lower, so this was our way of providing a little bit of support to future musicians," Kolesnikoff says.

Audrey Kiss, STORYHIVE territory manager says, “One goal with all STORYHIVE programs is to showcase that content creators don’t need to be from the big cities to create meaningful content."

The support creators receive is comprehensive and invaluable, not only for their project, but for how they see themselves as artists. Each project recipient is matched with their own STORYHIVE project manager to support them along the way.

"The support of our project manager, Audrey Kiss, really stood out for me," Kolesnikoff says. "Her feedback and guidance were instrumental in providing the best quality product possible. She helped a lot with covering topics like broadcast standards, proper export formats for both video and audio, setting up production, organizing and planning, legal aspects of production, lighting and shooting.

"Also, the support we had covering the legal aspects of production will help with future projects. From a legal standpoint, the document support and advice we received will help set us up for success.

"Since working on the STORYHIVE project, I am much more confident with creating content as a whole. I feel like I understand the process to a much greater extent, and editing ten episodes really teaches respect for the high-level expertise that goes into making a regular TV series.

Photo: Kris Kolesnikoff

Kolesnikoff with his guitar.

"STORYHIVE has been completely respectful of our individual artistic voice. There wasn't any micro-management or discussions on changing the direction of the project; they let us produce content in our own unique way."

He shares his advice for future STORYHIVE applicants: "The biggest focus of this program is community, and you should really think about how your project can be beneficial to your community. How through your project you can either educate, uplift, or give back."

Says Kiss: "We're so proud we have been able to grow this program aimed at new and emerging content creators interested in user-generated content styles over the last two years.

“Join us as we celebrate our third TELUS STORYHIVE Voices intake. We’re looking forward to sharing the stories of communities across B.C. and Alberta, and can’t wait to hear from the people of the Okanagan.”

Your passion. Your community. STORYHIVE Voices 3.0 application portal opened April 4, 2023. Apply at STORYHIVE.com/voices before midnight PDT on May 2, 2023.

This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.