Despite the exodus of film industry professionals from Saskatchewan, a local film maker will leave his mark in Saskatoon tonight.

"There's no other place that I would have rather made this film and now I'm extremely grateful to be able to share it with the province and the city that I love," said Devin McAdam.

The creative process started four years ago when McAdam wrote the script at film school in Vancouver. It didn't make the cut for production, but McAdam believed in his vision and decided to fund the project out of his own pocket.

"It's one of the hardest things you can think about undertaking," said the writer, director, editor and producer of Encouragement.

McAdam quickly learned that in order to be an independent filmmaker, he needed to get acquainted with the many different aspects of the craft.

"You have to be an actor's director, you have to be a logistical planner, you have to be a promoter, you have to work with infinite amounts of software," he said.

It was the thrifty approach McAdam takes in his personal life that prepared him for the struggles that come with producing a movie with less than $15,000.

The actors volunteered their time, the set was donated and costumes creatively came together.

While the filmmaker intends to continue writing in the province, the death of the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit will require him to move elsewhere for bigger projects down the road.

However, his experience filming in Saskatchewan this time around was mostly positive.

"People are more willing to offer their services -- they're more willing to let you shoot in their shop or in the streets," he said.

Encouragement will premiere at Saskatoon's Roxy Theatre tonight at 9 p.m.

The 52 minute dramatic movie will leave the audience with something to think about, McAdam said.

"It's a unique film and it's a challenging film, but it's also a very rewarding film."

awills@rawlco.com

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