Hollywood North industry players cautiously optimistic over TV/film production numbers picking back up.
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“Increased competitiveness for Los Angeles production in an increasingly dispersed and competitive global industry was already mobilized in California with their recent tax credit cap hike, and I think people here would be surprised if they were not trying to rebuild their industry and compete for business like everyone else.”
According to Creative B.C., there are currently 12 productions up-and-running with three more set to get started over the next couple of weeks.
There’s an additional layer of uncertainty as a trade war could break out between Canada and the U.S. American President Donald Trump has threatened a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian exports to begin in March. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that move would be met with counter-tariffs on some U.S. imports. That situation could further devalue the loonie, while raising on-set costs, from catering to costuming.
“I have a ton of friends, especially younger people, who’ve gotten into the film industry on the promise that business is booming over the last seven years of the sort of streaming wars. And that’s gone,” Ferguson said.
“It’s not B.C. film production has gone somewhere else or the dollar-is-in-the-wrong-place kind of situation. This is an industry-wide contraction on the volume of production getting made.”
The winter months are generally slower for Hollywood North, and industry types are eagerly awaiting spring. A quick look at Creative B.C.’s “in-production” list shows a handful of additional productions are set to begin here in March.
“There is, generally speaking, guarded optimism that we will start to see a marked uptick in the months ahead,” said Wootton.
Shawn Williamson, chairman and founder of Brightlight Pictures, a top film production and TV production company based in Vancouver, says things are still quiet in Hollywood North. But he, like Wootton, is confident business will pick up soon.
“Things should pick up when the local union deals are all finalized,” said Williamson. “Looks like it will be better this spring.”
On Jan. 21, the B.C. Council of Film Unions (BCCFU), the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) reached a tentative deal for a three-year contract. The ratification process is underway, and the voting will conclude Feb. 26.
The performers union, UBCP/ACTRA (Union of B.C. Performers/Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is currently bargaining with the AMPTP and the B.C. arm of the CMPA for a renewed B.C. master production agreement, which covers performers working in film, TV and new media productions in the province.