Latest news with #Keil
National Post
05-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Effect on Canadian industry could be widespread after Trump threatens tariffs on films
Article content U.S. productions come to Canada because of great locations, a cheaper dollar and well trained local talent, he said, none of which tariffs will impact in the short term. Bringing production back to America means 'less will be made and prices will be higher; therefore you'll have to charge consumers more. Once again, tariffs will affect the consumer more than anybody.' Article content Keil noted that other countries have tried to push back against an influx of American films with tariffs and other methods. China famously has an annual quota on how many U.S. films that can be screened there, which it recently reduced in response to U.S. tariffs in other sectors. Article content 'There's been a whole arsenal deployed against a behemoth,' he said of other countries' efforts. 'This is the behemoth turning around and saying we want more for what is still for them a fairly lucrative industry to be taking place on domestic land.' Article content The effect on the Canadian film industry could be widespread, he suggested. Article content 'Our industry is very much a supplemental service industry. We are kept afloat by the fact that we are the service industry of choice for many American-made entertainment products.' He added that Australia, the U.K. and much of eastern Europe are in a similar position. 'All of those industries would be damaged by this.' Article content Article content Justin Rebelo, CEO of Canadian studio Vortex Media, said the threat of tariffs highlights the need for Canadians to invest in the domestic industry. He noted that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is holding hearings this month and next on regulations for Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, which became law in 2023. It amends the Broadcasting Act to include digital platforms, and gives the CRTC new powers with a goal of promoting Canadian cultural expression. Article content 'I think it's really important for Canadians to continue to have … the right to own their own (intellectual property) and their own content, and I think it's really important that all platforms that are existing here in Canada have an obligation and a requirement to invest in Canadian content. This only continues to escalate and highlight that importance.' Article content On Trump's specific announcement, he said: 'For now I think it's just very vague. I'm not sure what else to say except that the devil will be in the details.' Article content A similar tone was taken by Reynolds Mastin, President and CEO of the Canadian Media Producers Association. Article content 'While specific details are far from clear at this point, the proposed actions outlined in U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement will cause significant disruption and economic hardship to the media production sectors on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border,' he said in a statement to National Post. Article content 'Yesterday's announcement, and the uncertainty it has caused, underscore the incredible importance of ensuring that Canada has a strong, independent domestic media industry. We look forward to making this case at the upcoming CRTC C-11 hearings.' Article content Segal suggested that a federal-level tax credit in the U.S. could help move more production back home, more efficiently than a tariff. 'I understand that (Trump) is noticing there's a problem, so good on him. But bad on him for trying to take a complicated problem and oversimplify it. At first blush, that approach won't work for anybody.' Taking the example of Deadpool & Wolverine, which was shot in Canada, he said that if tariffs go into effect: 'Disney will still make Deadpool. It'll just cost 25 to 30 per cent more.' Article content
Winnipeg Free Press
04-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rain Barrel Village gives visitors a taste of old Florida and a photo op with a giant lobster
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — A holdover of the once numerous roadside attractions that lined U.S. 1 from Jacksonville to Key West, the Rain Barrel Village is collection of eccentric, colorful buildings serving as a home for artists and art sellers in the Florida Keys. While the rustic outpost might be easy for travelers on the Overseas Highway to pass without notice, the giant lobster out front is not. Rain Barrel Village, on an Islamorada island, promises visitors a unique experience filled with paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clothing, handcrafted goods and island-inspired souvenirs. Besides shops offering original artwork, the Village is home to Betsy, a 30-foot-tall, 40-foot-long (9-meter-tall, 12-meter-long) sculpture of a Florida Keys spiny lobster. A family's heartbeat Sande Keil, who owns Rain Barrel Village with her husband, said the Keys became part of her family's heartbeat after the Miami couple bought a vacation home on Islamorada in 1978. 'When the Rain Barrel Village came up for sale in 2007, I didn't see a business. I saw a way to continue our story in the Keys,' Keil said. 'The Village already had a soul. I just knew it needed someone to preserve it and to help grow it.' Named after the large cisterns that once provided drinking water to the Keys, Rain Barrel Village isn't just about selling souvenirs, it is about supporting a community, Keil said. As an artist herself, Keil is proud to support other artists, artisans and small business owners and give them a space where they also can build something real. 'We've poured love, hard work and intention into the Rain Barrel,' Keil said. 'We've created something that reflects who we are.' Betsy the Lobster While artists make up the soul of the Village, the face is undeniably Betsy. She is among the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, second only to the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. Jennifer Cullen, property manager and owner of a souvenir shop called the Tipsy Octopus, said Betsy definitely prompts people to pull over as they make their way down to Marathon or Key West. 'People love to take pictures with her,' Cullen said. 'She's a great roadside attraction. We love her.' Artist Richard Blaze completed Betsy in 1985. The fiberglass statue originally was commissioned for a local restaurant, but the business had closed by the time Betsy was done. The giant lobster was placed at another Islamorada attraction, Treasure Village, but she ended up in storage after the location became a charter school. Betsy was relocated to Rain Barrel Village in 2009. After stopping to see Betsy, visitors can discover the cluster of small, unique shops, along with a garden area and two cafes. Megan Stennes was visiting the Keys with her family in April and made sure they stopped at Rain Barrel Village on their way back to Palm Beach Gardens. She knew her mother would enjoy all the stores, which she discovered by accident on a previous visit. 'I just wanted a picture with Betsy, and then I realized that they had all the shops back here,' Stennes said. 'So we came in, and we actually were here longer than I expected to be.' A community of artists William Purser, owner of Sculptured Glass, has been at the Rain Barrel Village for more than two decades. Visitors can watch as he shapes molten glass into detailed figurines of fish, birds and other wildlife common to the Florida Keys. He discovered the village while visiting art galleries in the Keys and liked the idea of being surrounded by other artists. 'We all have something in common, and doing your artwork is what it's all about, whatever your media is,' Purser said. 'We all want the same things from our work. You want to progress, you don't want to stay stagnant. You just keep growing and growing.' A place like Rain Barrel Village is great for visitors because the inventory is always changing depending on what the artists are inspired to create, he said. 'It's a type of place, if you've been here once, you'll probably be back,' Purser said. 'You'll come back again and again to see what's new. We're always constantly making different pieces.' Judith Chesher, owner of Art on a Whim, sells work from about 30 different Keys artists at her store. 'I try to find unique and different things, which is not hard because the Keys are full of artists doing all kinds of weird things,' Chesher said. The free-spirit nature of the Keys has a long history of attracting artists and those communities tend to strengthen and encourage each other, she said. 'It's a good atmosphere,' Chesher said. 'The thing about the Keys is you don't usually get hassled. Just don't break any real serious laws, and you don't have to wear shoes.'
04-05-2025
- Business
Rain Barrel Village gives visitors a taste of old Florida and a photo op with a giant lobster
ISLAMORADA, Fla. -- A holdover of the once numerous roadside attractions that lined U.S. 1 from Jacksonville to Key West, the Rain Barrel Village is collection of eccentric, colorful buildings serving as a home for artists and art sellers in the Florida Keys. While the rustic outpost might be easy for travelers on the Overseas Highway to pass without notice, the giant lobster out front is not. Rain Barrel Village, on an Islamorada island, promises visitors a unique experience filled with paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clothing, handcrafted goods and island-inspired souvenirs. Besides shops offering original artwork, the Village is home to Betsy, a 30-foot-tall, 40-foot-long (9-meter-tall, 12-meter-long) sculpture of a Florida Keys spiny lobster. Sande Keil, who owns Rain Barrel Village with her husband, said the Keys became part of her family's heartbeat after the Miami couple bought a vacation home on Islamorada in 1978. 'When the Rain Barrel Village came up for sale in 2007, I didn't see a business. I saw a way to continue our story in the Keys,' Keil said. 'The Village already had a soul. I just knew it needed someone to preserve it and to help grow it.' Named after the large cisterns that once provided drinking water to the Keys, Rain Barrel Village isn't just about selling souvenirs, it is about supporting a community, Keil said. As an artist herself, Keil is proud to support other artists, artisans and small business owners and give them a space where they also can build something real. 'We've poured love, hard work and intention into the Rain Barrel,' Keil said. 'We've created something that reflects who we are.' While artists make up the soul of the Village, the face is undeniably Betsy. She is among the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, second only to the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. Jennifer Cullen, property manager and owner of a souvenir shop called the Tipsy Octopus, said Betsy definitely prompts people to pull over as they make their way down to Marathon or Key West. 'People love to take pictures with her,' Cullen said. 'She's a great roadside attraction. We love her.' Artist Richard Blaze completed Betsy in 1985. The fiberglass statue originally was commissioned for a local restaurant, but the business had closed by the time Betsy was done. The giant lobster was placed at another Islamorada attraction, Treasure Village, but she ended up in storage after the location became a charter school. Betsy was relocated to Rain Barrel Village in 2009. After stopping to see Betsy, visitors can discover the cluster of small, unique shops, along with a garden area and two cafes. Megan Stennes was visiting the Keys with her family in April and made sure they stopped at Rain Barrel Village on their way back to Palm Beach Gardens. She knew her mother would enjoy all the stores, which she discovered by accident on a previous visit. 'I just wanted a picture with Betsy, and then I realized that they had all the shops back here," Stennes said. "So we came in, and we actually were here longer than I expected to be.' William Purser, owner of Sculptured Glass, has been at the Rain Barrel Village for more than two decades. Visitors can watch as he shapes molten glass into detailed figurines of fish, birds and other wildlife common to the Florida Keys. He discovered the village while visiting art galleries in the Keys and liked the idea of being surrounded by other artists. 'We all have something in common, and doing your artwork is what it's all about, whatever your media is,' Purser said. 'We all want the same things from our work. You want to progress, you don't want to stay stagnant. You just keep growing and growing.' A place like Rain Barrel Village is great for visitors because the inventory is always changing depending on what the artists are inspired to create, he said. 'It's a type of place, if you've been here once, you'll probably be back,' Purser said. 'You'll come back again and again to see what's new. We're always constantly making different pieces.' Judith Chesher, owner of Art on a Whim, sells work from about 30 different Keys artists at her store. 'I try to find unique and different things, which is not hard because the Keys are full of artists doing all kinds of weird things,' Chesher said. The free-spirit nature of the Keys has a long history of attracting artists and those communities tend to strengthen and encourage each other, she said. 'It's a good atmosphere,' Chesher said. 'The thing about the Keys is you don't usually get hassled. Just don't break any real serious laws, and you don't have to wear shoes.'
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rain Barrel Village gives visitors a taste of old Florida and a photo op with a giant lobster
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — A holdover of the once numerous roadside attractions that lined U.S. 1 from Jacksonville to Key West, the Rain Barrel Village is collection of eccentric, colorful buildings serving as a home for artists and art sellers in the Florida Keys. While the rustic outpost might be easy for travelers on the Overseas Highway to pass without notice, the giant lobster out front is not. Rain Barrel Village, on an Islamorada island, promises visitors a unique experience filled with paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clothing, handcrafted goods and island-inspired souvenirs. Besides shops offering original artwork, the Village is home to Betsy, a 30-foot-tall, 40-foot-long (9-meter-tall, 12-meter-long) sculpture of a Florida Keys spiny lobster. A family's heartbeat Sande Keil, who owns Rain Barrel Village with her husband, said the Keys became part of her family's heartbeat after the Miami couple bought a vacation home on Islamorada in 1978. 'When the Rain Barrel Village came up for sale in 2007, I didn't see a business. I saw a way to continue our story in the Keys,' Keil said. 'The Village already had a soul. I just knew it needed someone to preserve it and to help grow it.' Named after the large cisterns that once provided drinking water to the Keys, Rain Barrel Village isn't just about selling souvenirs, it is about supporting a community, Keil said. As an artist herself, Keil is proud to support other artists, artisans and small business owners and give them a space where they also can build something real. 'We've poured love, hard work and intention into the Rain Barrel,' Keil said. 'We've created something that reflects who we are.' Betsy the Lobster While artists make up the soul of the Village, the face is undeniably Betsy. She is among the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, second only to the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. Jennifer Cullen, property manager and owner of a souvenir shop called the Tipsy Octopus, said Betsy definitely prompts people to pull over as they make their way down to Marathon or Key West. 'People love to take pictures with her,' Cullen said. 'She's a great roadside attraction. We love her.' Artist Richard Blaze completed Betsy in 1985. The fiberglass statue originally was commissioned for a local restaurant, but the business had closed by the time Betsy was done. The giant lobster was placed at another Islamorada attraction, Treasure Village, but she ended up in storage after the location became a charter school. Betsy was relocated to Rain Barrel Village in 2009. After stopping to see Betsy, visitors can discover the cluster of small, unique shops, along with a garden area and two cafes. Megan Stennes was visiting the Keys with her family in April and made sure they stopped at Rain Barrel Village on their way back to Palm Beach Gardens. She knew her mother would enjoy all the stores, which she discovered by accident on a previous visit. 'I just wanted a picture with Betsy, and then I realized that they had all the shops back here," Stennes said. "So we came in, and we actually were here longer than I expected to be.' A community of artists William Purser, owner of Sculptured Glass, has been at the Rain Barrel Village for more than two decades. Visitors can watch as he shapes molten glass into detailed figurines of fish, birds and other wildlife common to the Florida Keys. He discovered the village while visiting art galleries in the Keys and liked the idea of being surrounded by other artists. 'We all have something in common, and doing your artwork is what it's all about, whatever your media is,' Purser said. 'We all want the same things from our work. You want to progress, you don't want to stay stagnant. You just keep growing and growing.' A place like Rain Barrel Village is great for visitors because the inventory is always changing depending on what the artists are inspired to create, he said. 'It's a type of place, if you've been here once, you'll probably be back,' Purser said. 'You'll come back again and again to see what's new. We're always constantly making different pieces.' Judith Chesher, owner of Art on a Whim, sells work from about 30 different Keys artists at her store. 'I try to find unique and different things, which is not hard because the Keys are full of artists doing all kinds of weird things,' Chesher said. The free-spirit nature of the Keys has a long history of attracting artists and those communities tend to strengthen and encourage each other, she said. 'It's a good atmosphere,' Chesher said. 'The thing about the Keys is you don't usually get hassled. Just don't break any real serious laws, and you don't have to wear shoes.'
Associated Press
04-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Rain Barrel Village gives visitors a taste of old Florida and a photo op with a giant lobster
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — A holdover of the once numerous roadside attractions that lined U.S. 1 from Jacksonville to Key West, the Rain Barrel Village is collection of eccentric, colorful buildings serving as a home for artists and art sellers in the Florida Keys. While the rustic outpost might be easy for travelers on the Overseas Highway to pass without notice, the giant lobster out front is not. Rain Barrel Village, on an Islamorada island, promises visitors a unique experience filled with paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clothing, handcrafted goods and island-inspired souvenirs. Besides shops offering original artwork, the Village is home to Betsy, a 30-foot-tall, 40-foot-long (9-meter-tall, 12-meter-long) sculpture of a Florida Keys spiny lobster. A family's heartbeat Sande Keil, who owns Rain Barrel Village with her husband, said the Keys became part of her family's heartbeat after the Miami couple bought a vacation home on Islamorada in 1978. 'When the Rain Barrel Village came up for sale in 2007, I didn't see a business. I saw a way to continue our story in the Keys,' Keil said. 'The Village already had a soul. I just knew it needed someone to preserve it and to help grow it.' Named after the large cisterns that once provided drinking water to the Keys, Rain Barrel Village isn't just about selling souvenirs, it is about supporting a community, Keil said. As an artist herself, Keil is proud to support other artists, artisans and small business owners and give them a space where they also can build something real. 'We've poured love, hard work and intention into the Rain Barrel,' Keil said. 'We've created something that reflects who we are.' Betsy the Lobster While artists make up the soul of the Village, the face is undeniably Betsy. She is among the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, second only to the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. Jennifer Cullen, property manager and owner of a souvenir shop called the Tipsy Octopus, said Betsy definitely prompts people to pull over as they make their way down to Marathon or Key West. 'People love to take pictures with her,' Cullen said. 'She's a great roadside attraction. We love her.' Artist Richard Blaze completed Betsy in 1985. The fiberglass statue originally was commissioned for a local restaurant, but the business had closed by the time Betsy was done. The giant lobster was placed at another Islamorada attraction, Treasure Village, but she ended up in storage after the location became a charter school. Betsy was relocated to Rain Barrel Village in 2009. After stopping to see Betsy, visitors can discover the cluster of small, unique shops, along with a garden area and two cafes. Megan Stennes was visiting the Keys with her family in April and made sure they stopped at Rain Barrel Village on their way back to Palm Beach Gardens. She knew her mother would enjoy all the stores, which she discovered by accident on a previous visit. 'I just wanted a picture with Betsy, and then I realized that they had all the shops back here,' Stennes said. 'So we came in, and we actually were here longer than I expected to be.' A community of artists William Purser, owner of Sculptured Glass, has been at the Rain Barrel Village for more than two decades. Visitors can watch as he shapes molten glass into detailed figurines of fish, birds and other wildlife common to the Florida Keys. He discovered the village while visiting art galleries in the Keys and liked the idea of being surrounded by other artists. 'We all have something in common, and doing your artwork is what it's all about, whatever your media is,' Purser said. 'We all want the same things from our work. You want to progress, you don't want to stay stagnant. You just keep growing and growing.' A place like Rain Barrel Village is great for visitors because the inventory is always changing depending on what the artists are inspired to create, he said. 'It's a type of place, if you've been here once, you'll probably be back,' Purser said. 'You'll come back again and again to see what's new. We're always constantly making different pieces.' Judith Chesher, owner of Art on a Whim, sells work from about 30 different Keys artists at her store. 'I try to find unique and different things, which is not hard because the Keys are full of artists doing all kinds of weird things,' Chesher said. The free-spirit nature of the Keys has a long history of attracting artists and those communities tend to strengthen and encourage each other, she said. 'It's a good atmosphere,' Chesher said. 'The thing about the Keys is you don't usually get hassled. Just don't break any real serious laws, and you don't have to wear shoes.'
