Georgina Chaplin, TELUS STORYHIVE Program Manager and Territory Manager for the Lower Mainland, oversees a platform dedicated to championing new and emerging content creators in B.C. and Alberta. Through STORYHIVE, TELUS provides funding, mentorship, training, and distribution opportunities that uplift diverse and underrepresented voices, helping creators share their stories on TELUS Optik TV, Stream+, and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.
What is your business called and what does it do?
TELUS STORYHIVE supports and champions new and emerging content creators in B.C. and Alberta through innovative programs focused on uplifting diverse and underrepresented voices. We provide production funding, training, mentorship and distribution on TELUS Optik TV, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.
What made you want to do this work?
It is such a privilege to get to do what I do at STORYHIVE. My blend of experience in education, design, film and community spaces has always been centered around mentorship and storytelling. I love that I can lend my skills to help empower individuals to learn, craft and share stories that are important to them and their communities within our STORYHIVE programs.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
STORYHIVE’s funding opportunities provide a valuable learning environment that encourages individuals to challenge themselves and develop new skills in production. These projects invite collaboration with their community members and play a role in the project.
For example, Hollie Ha was able to expand on her pre-existing podcast into a new video series format. This format enriched the context of the Vietnamese-Chinese refugee experience as they shared heartfelt and vulnerable intergenerational conversations in Holding Heritage. Patrick Spencer’s experience as a music teacher also informed the development of Mr. Field Trip. Each episode brings puppet raccoon friends like Disco along on new adventures, where new songs were written to engage with younger audiences. Overall, it is encouraging to see how engaged people are and how they are contributing to the Western Canadian media landscape.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
New and emerging content creators across B.C. and Alberta. We encourage them to apply for our programs where no experience is required.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part of what I do is seeing the development process of each creative we work with. From an application idea to in-person live community events, it is a good reminder of how impactful it is for one’s growth, but also how these stories can uplift a community.
An example that I look back on with fond memories is the ReBoot ReWind series. The show spotlighted a key community of animators that played a pivotal role in the development of Vancouver’s animation industry. ReBoot was beloved by so many youth in the 1990s, and fans like Raquel Lin and Jacob Weldone were able to rally the community behind restoring and digitizing D-1 master tapes through their work on ReBoot ReWind. This project was loved by so many as it toured across Canada with sold-out screenings in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
I love this local tea shop called Cultivate Tea on Main Street. It’s a beautiful space that I like to visit and enjoy some tea. Jude makes his own tea kombucha and has a delicious selection of teas from China and Japan.
