Before his death, Paul Pope fought for a film training centre. Now open, it's named after him
Paul Pope, who died in 2022 at the age of 63, had advocated for years for a centre where students could learn skills to work in the film industry. (Submitted)
The phrase "yes and…" is the guiding rule of improv comedy, and it's how the late St. John's film producer lived his life, according to those who knew him best.
Now that phrase has new meaning for people wanting to pursue a career in film and TV in Newfoundland and Labrador, as officials paid tribute to Pope — who died in 2022 at 63 — at a production centre he had long dreamed of and fought for.
On Friday, the College of the North Atlantic announced the name of its new film campus: the Paul L. Pope Centre for TV & Film, located on Strawberry Marsh Road in the city's east end.
Pope had been a pioneer in the province's growing film industry for four decades, through numerous productions and often with his own company, Pope Productions.
But for years, Pope knew there was a limitation to "yes and' in the province and didn't let it slide.
"Like many industries, we get people, we would mentor them, we would train them up, but they'd have to go back to Toronto, they'd have to go to Halifax to work in the industry," said Lisa Porter, his wife and current president of Pope Productions.
Pope had a vision: he wanted to establish a film and television school in Newfoundland and Labrador. It became a reality through the province and College of the North Atlantic.
The name of the College of the North Atlantic's film and TV school was revealed on Friday. The new campus is named after film pioneer Paul Pope. (Zach Goudie/CBC)
With productions like Hudson and Rex and Son of a Critch, among others, filming in the province, opportunities are everywhere for aspiring filmmakers and actors.
"It's really important that we started from the ground up to start training these people so we could have enough people in the industry to make it worthwhile to come here," Porter said.
'Passion for this project'
Insistent to see the project through, Premier Andrew Furey and former education minister Tom Osborne said they both received texts and calls from Pope while he was in hospital, shortly before his death.
"It was that passion for this project that really made us see beyond the economics of it, although they are there," Furey said.
"It really made us see the true legacy of Paul Pope."
Porter said Friday Pope would be tickled to see the school up and running.
"He would be in the equipment room naming off all the gear. He would be talking everybody up, and he would be giving credit to everybody that made it happen," Porter said.
The first classes of students started at the Paul L. Pope Centre this fall.
CNA president Elizabeth Kidd said the college already has students working on several sets throughout the province.
"Our students are working on the sets of Son of a Critch, the sets of Peter Pan [and Wendy], the sets of all the wonderful Christmas Hallmarks," Kidd said.
Furey said the school will help further blossom the province's film industry.
"We no longer have to turn to the mainland. We will educate our own and do it full from beginning to end right here," he said.
But Porter is happy to see the province's film industry lose its limitation.
"Continue meaningful shooting was his motto, and it's a philosophy he took into everything that he did," she said.
"Paul was a 'yes and' kind of guy."
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