mr.x
June 3rd, 2005, 01:00 AM
awesome news! and quite a few high profile productions going on as well!
Local film industry rebounding
Film and TV activity is up 30 per cent so far this year
Marke Andrews
Vancouver Sun
Thursday, June 02, 2005
After a disastrous 2004 during which film and television production in the province dropped in dollar value by 43 per cent, things are rebounding dramatically in 2005.
Over the first four months of 2005, film and TV activity is up 30 per cent over the same period last year, according to numbers supplied by the B.C. Film Commission.
The latest film production list issued by the commission lists 19 feature films, including the big-budget X-Men 3, seven dramatic series, two movies of the week, two animation series, and a TV pilot. A number of new dramatic series will likely appear on the list in the coming weeks.
Features currently shooting here include RV, with Robin Williams; Catch & Release, with Jennifer Garner; The Wrong Element, with Harrison Ford; Martian Child, with John Cusack; The Fog, with Selma Blair; Fido, with Carrie-Anne Moss; and Gray Matters, with Sissy Spacek, Heather Graham and Alan Cumming. Next week, production begins on Pacific Air 121, with Samuel L. Jackson.
Last year, the late-May list had just 10 feature films.
B.C. film commissioner Susan Croome said that from Jan. 1 to April 15, the number of productions in the province were up 30 per cent over last year, and the number of scripts sent to her office for location scouting is also up 30 per cent. Permitted shooting days in the city of Vancouver was up 50 per cent over last year.
"Last year, we had increased competition from Louisiana, a lot of other American states and other countries, and it made us less attractive," said Croome. "It's not that we weren't getting consideration, it's just that when [producers and studios] met their creative needs and did their cost-benefit analyses and stacked B.C. up against other states and countries, we didn't come out on top.
"So the tax incentives have really done their job for 2005," said Croome.
Last December and January, a number of productions slated for B.C. were prepared to move to Ontario when that province increased the labour tax credits available to producers shooting their projects in Ontario. On Jan. 18, the B.C. government matched Ontario's tax credits, which not only kept productions from running away, it also generated interest in new productions coming to B.C.
All the major labour unions involved in the industry report increased activity this spring. Tom Milne, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Union Local No. 155, said 2005 employment is up at least 40 per cent over last year.
Neither Don Ramsden, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 891, nor Rob Morton, treasurer of the Union of B.C. Performers (UBCP), could provide employment figures for 2005, but both said this year should be busier for their members than 2004.
"It looks like a better year," said Morton.
Statistics released Wednesday by the B.C. Film Commission showed that even though the number of productions in 2004 exceeded those in 2003 (194 compared to 169), production spending fell from 2003's record of $1.405 billion to $801 million last year.
However, 2003's numbers were skewed upwards by several big-budget films.
"In 2004, we were down significantly from 2003, but we have to remember that 2003 was an anomaly," said Croome. "In 2003 we had Catwoman, Chronicles of Riddick, Blade 3, I Robot, Miracle, Paycheck, Scary Movie 3, Scooby Doo 2. We had a huge number of big feature films in 2003.
"The production spending doesn't tell the whole story. The budgets were down, no doubt about it.," said Croome. "The number of productions in 2004 were up. Domestic production [in 2004] was up, which is good news."
In contrast to 2003, the industry only saw three big-budget features come through the province last year: Fantastic Four, Elektra and Man About Town.
However, 2004's increase in total productions makes the gains this spring even more significant. If the trend continues -- and it likely will, as a number of television series will be added to the list in the coming weeks -- 2005 may break the all-time record of 205 productions, set in 2002.
Croome believes that the Canadian dollar's rapid rise against the American dollar in 2004 put a dent in that year's numbers, as U.S. producers could not budget a shoot in Canada.
"It wasn't just that the dollar rose rapidly, it was the fluctuations it took," said Croome. "It's really hard for people to make plans when the dollar's rising. That uncertainty was really impactful, especially in television, shows that are going to last a long time. If the dollar's moving up that fast and they do a budget at the beginning of a six-month shoot, where's the dollar going to be throughout the production?"
IT'S NO LONGER QUIET ON THE SET:
B.C.'s film industry is back in business after a disastrous 2004 and some major stars are heading the casts of films now in production in the province.
10: Number of feature films shooting in mid-May of 2004.
19: Feature films shooting in mid-May of 2005.
30%: Increase in B.C. film and TV activity in first four months of 2005 compared to same period last year.
50%: Increase in permitted shooting days in the city of Vancouver in first four months of 2005 comparted to same period last year.
Source: B.C. Film Commission
SHOOTING IN B.C.:
Jennifer Garner Catch & Release
Samuel L. Jackson Pacific Air 121
Robin Williams RV
Carrie-Anne Moss Fido
Harrison Ford The Wrong Element
Heather Graham, Sissy Spacek & Alan Cumming Gray Matters
Ran with fact boxes "Shooting in B.C." and "It's No Longer Quiet on the Set", which have been appended to the end of the story.
© The Vancouver Sun 2005
Local film industry rebounding
Film and TV activity is up 30 per cent so far this year
Marke Andrews
Vancouver Sun
Thursday, June 02, 2005
After a disastrous 2004 during which film and television production in the province dropped in dollar value by 43 per cent, things are rebounding dramatically in 2005.
Over the first four months of 2005, film and TV activity is up 30 per cent over the same period last year, according to numbers supplied by the B.C. Film Commission.
The latest film production list issued by the commission lists 19 feature films, including the big-budget X-Men 3, seven dramatic series, two movies of the week, two animation series, and a TV pilot. A number of new dramatic series will likely appear on the list in the coming weeks.
Features currently shooting here include RV, with Robin Williams; Catch & Release, with Jennifer Garner; The Wrong Element, with Harrison Ford; Martian Child, with John Cusack; The Fog, with Selma Blair; Fido, with Carrie-Anne Moss; and Gray Matters, with Sissy Spacek, Heather Graham and Alan Cumming. Next week, production begins on Pacific Air 121, with Samuel L. Jackson.
Last year, the late-May list had just 10 feature films.
B.C. film commissioner Susan Croome said that from Jan. 1 to April 15, the number of productions in the province were up 30 per cent over last year, and the number of scripts sent to her office for location scouting is also up 30 per cent. Permitted shooting days in the city of Vancouver was up 50 per cent over last year.
"Last year, we had increased competition from Louisiana, a lot of other American states and other countries, and it made us less attractive," said Croome. "It's not that we weren't getting consideration, it's just that when [producers and studios] met their creative needs and did their cost-benefit analyses and stacked B.C. up against other states and countries, we didn't come out on top.
"So the tax incentives have really done their job for 2005," said Croome.
Last December and January, a number of productions slated for B.C. were prepared to move to Ontario when that province increased the labour tax credits available to producers shooting their projects in Ontario. On Jan. 18, the B.C. government matched Ontario's tax credits, which not only kept productions from running away, it also generated interest in new productions coming to B.C.
All the major labour unions involved in the industry report increased activity this spring. Tom Milne, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Union Local No. 155, said 2005 employment is up at least 40 per cent over last year.
Neither Don Ramsden, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 891, nor Rob Morton, treasurer of the Union of B.C. Performers (UBCP), could provide employment figures for 2005, but both said this year should be busier for their members than 2004.
"It looks like a better year," said Morton.
Statistics released Wednesday by the B.C. Film Commission showed that even though the number of productions in 2004 exceeded those in 2003 (194 compared to 169), production spending fell from 2003's record of $1.405 billion to $801 million last year.
However, 2003's numbers were skewed upwards by several big-budget films.
"In 2004, we were down significantly from 2003, but we have to remember that 2003 was an anomaly," said Croome. "In 2003 we had Catwoman, Chronicles of Riddick, Blade 3, I Robot, Miracle, Paycheck, Scary Movie 3, Scooby Doo 2. We had a huge number of big feature films in 2003.
"The production spending doesn't tell the whole story. The budgets were down, no doubt about it.," said Croome. "The number of productions in 2004 were up. Domestic production [in 2004] was up, which is good news."
In contrast to 2003, the industry only saw three big-budget features come through the province last year: Fantastic Four, Elektra and Man About Town.
However, 2004's increase in total productions makes the gains this spring even more significant. If the trend continues -- and it likely will, as a number of television series will be added to the list in the coming weeks -- 2005 may break the all-time record of 205 productions, set in 2002.
Croome believes that the Canadian dollar's rapid rise against the American dollar in 2004 put a dent in that year's numbers, as U.S. producers could not budget a shoot in Canada.
"It wasn't just that the dollar rose rapidly, it was the fluctuations it took," said Croome. "It's really hard for people to make plans when the dollar's rising. That uncertainty was really impactful, especially in television, shows that are going to last a long time. If the dollar's moving up that fast and they do a budget at the beginning of a six-month shoot, where's the dollar going to be throughout the production?"
IT'S NO LONGER QUIET ON THE SET:
B.C.'s film industry is back in business after a disastrous 2004 and some major stars are heading the casts of films now in production in the province.
10: Number of feature films shooting in mid-May of 2004.
19: Feature films shooting in mid-May of 2005.
30%: Increase in B.C. film and TV activity in first four months of 2005 compared to same period last year.
50%: Increase in permitted shooting days in the city of Vancouver in first four months of 2005 comparted to same period last year.
Source: B.C. Film Commission
SHOOTING IN B.C.:
Jennifer Garner Catch & Release
Samuel L. Jackson Pacific Air 121
Robin Williams RV
Carrie-Anne Moss Fido
Harrison Ford The Wrong Element
Heather Graham, Sissy Spacek & Alan Cumming Gray Matters
Ran with fact boxes "Shooting in B.C." and "It's No Longer Quiet on the Set", which have been appended to the end of the story.
© The Vancouver Sun 2005