New Calgary-based production company celebrates its launch by honoring nurses through its first completed production, Nurse the Dead, while investing in Alberta’s growing film and television industry.

CALGARY, AB – After more than seven decades helping shape Hollywood productions, legendary production company Birns & Sawyer is entering a new chapter with the launch of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada (BSSC), a Calgary-based production company dedicated to developing original film and television while connecting Alberta with Hollywood and the Philippines through international storytelling and production.

The launch marks a significant expansion of the company’s historic legacy beyond production support into original content creation and production services in Alberta, creating new opportunities for local writers, crews, performers and filmmakers while attracting international productions to one of Canada’s fastest-growing production destinations.

BSSC’s first completed line production is Nurse the Dead, the first Filipino studio-produced television series filmed in Hollywood, now streaming worldwide on iWant, ABS-CBN’s global streaming platform.

To commemorate both the launch of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada and its inaugural production, BSSC will host a special not-for-profit community red carpet screening of the first two episodes of Nurse the Dead on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at Globe Cinema in downtown Calgary with SmileKo and Blas Real Estate Group as the presenting sponsors for the event.

Presented in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary, the Philippine Canadian Nurses Association, Mac Martial Arts, Filipinos Rising, Sentro Rizal, Kapwa Care, Anderson Physiotherapy, Cindee Martinez and other local community organizations and Filipino-owned businesses, the evening is dedicated to honoring nurses, caregivers, healthcare professionals and immigrant families whose compassion and sacrifice continue to strengthen communities across Canada and around the world.

Rather than introducing itself through a traditional corporate launch, Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada chose to begin its journey by giving back to the very community that inspired its first production.

“Birns & Sawyer has spent more than 70 years helping filmmakers bring their stories to life,” said Mari Acevedo, Chief Executive Officer of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada. “With the launch of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada, we are building on that incredible legacy by producing original stories while creating new opportunities for filmmakers here in Alberta. Calgary has an extraordinary creative community, and we are excited to connect local talent with Hollywood and international productions while bringing more film and television projects to this province. We believe Alberta has the talent, the creativity and the heart to become a global destination for storytelling, and we’re proud to be part of that future.”

Created by Filipino-American writer, and showrunner Mark Labella, Nurse the Dead is a supernatural workplace dramedy that follows a young Filipino nurse supervisor working in a haunted Los Angeles hospital who unexpectedly discovers she can communicate with ghosts.

While filled with comedy, supernatural mystery and heartfelt moments, the series ultimately serves as a tribute to the healthcare workers whose compassion carried countless families through some of life’s most difficult moments.

Inspired by Labella’s service as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman, his work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as an Infection Control Supervisor, and his mother’s 46-year nursing career, Nurse the Dead was created as a heartfelt love letter to nurses everywhere.

“Every decision we made on Nurse the Dead was guided by one question: ‘Does this honor the people who inspired this story?’” said Wesley Villarica, Chief Operating Officer of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada, Director and Producer of Nurse the Dead. “This series has been our tireless labor of love and our heartfelt thank-you to the nurses, caregivers and frontline healthcare professionals whose compassion carried the world through its darkest moments. As Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada’s very first production, we couldn’t imagine a more meaningful way to introduce ourselves to Calgary than by celebrating the people who dedicate their lives to caring for others. We hope every nurse, caregiver and healthcare worker who watches this series feels seen, appreciated and honored.”

"Nurse the Dead was born from both heartbreak and gratitude,” said Mark Labella, Creator, Executive Producer and Showrunner of Nurse the Dead, and Director of Creative Development at Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada.

“During the pandemic, I watched extraordinary healthcare workers continue showing up despite unimaginable exhaustion, fear and loss. My mother devoted more than four decades of her life to nursing, and so many of the people I served alongside sacrificed time with their own families so they could care for someone else’s. This series is our way of saying thank you. If audiences laugh together, cry together and leave with a deeper appreciation for the people who care for us every day, then we’ve honored the people who inspired this story in the first place.”

The launch of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada represents an exciting new chapter for Alberta’s film industry. Building upon Birns & Sawyer’s historic reputation as one of Hollywood’s most respected names in production support, BSSC will develop original intellectual property while providing full production services for projects filming throughout Alberta.

The company also seeks to foster meaningful creative collaboration between Alberta, Hollywood and the Philippines, creating opportunities for local crews, artists and storytellers to participate in productions with international reach while welcoming filmmakers from around the world to discover what Alberta has to offer.

Guests attending the July 22 celebration will experience a community pink carpet reception, a screening of the first two episodes of Nurse the Dead, a Filipino Martial Arts cultural presentation by Mac Martial Arts, and an intimate conversation with the creators and filmmakers behind the series as they discuss the journey from Hollywood to Calgary and the real-life experiences that inspired the story.

The complimentary event reflects BSSC’s commitment to storytelling that brings communities together while honoring the people whose lives inspire meaningful stories.

Media Availability

Showrunnner Mark Labella, and BSSC Executives Mari Aceved (CEO), Wesley Villarica (COO), Rhia Carlos, and Marvin Aritrangco are available for interviews regarding:

* The launch of Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada

* Alberta’s growing role in international film and television production

* The making of Nurse the Dead

* Filipino representation in Hollywood

* Creative collaboration between Hollywood, the Philippines and Alberta

* The series’ tribute to nurses and healthcare professionals

Media Contact

Kristina Wheeler

PARKER PR

kristina@parkerpr.ca

403-819-0732

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About Birns & Sawyer

Founded in Hollywood in 1954, Birns & Sawyer has spent more than 70 years supporting filmmakers with industry-leading camera, lens and production equipment. Today, the employee-owned company serves productions around the world through equipment rentals, sales, lens services, broadcast integration and production support. With offices across North America and Asia, Birns & Sawyer continues to empower storytellers of every scale through technical excellence, innovation and an enduring passion for filmmaking.

About Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada

Birns & Sawyer Studios Canada (BSSC) is the Calgary-based production company of Birns & Sawyer. Building upon the company’s historic Hollywood legacy, BSSC develops original film and television projects while providing production services throughout Alberta. By connecting Alberta with Hollywood and the Philippines, BSSC is committed to creating meaningful stories, supporting local talent, attracting international productions and expanding opportunities for global creative collaboration.

About Nurse the Dead

Nurse the Dead is the first Filipino studio-produced television series filmed in Hollywood and streams worldwide on iWant, ABS-CBN’s global streaming platform.

Created by Mark Labella, the supernatural workplace dramedy follows a Filipino nurse supervisor who discovers she can communicate with ghosts while leading one of the busiest hospital wards in Los Angeles. Inspired by real experiences from the front lines of healthcare, the series celebrates the extraordinary humanity of nurses and healthcare professionals while exploring grief, healing, resilience, family and hope through laughter, heart and the supernatural.