BC Gov News

British Columbia's star power as a film-friendly production centre has received a boost from $275,000 in provincial government funding to help regional organizations attract and provide services to film and video producers from around the world.

The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development distributed the funding to regional film commissions, as well as specific tourism associations and municipalities that work closely with the BC Film Commission to showcase and promote their regions to filmmakers and liaise with film production companies.

Every year, British Columbia's regions provide locations for various film projects, including movies, television series, documentaries and commercials. Motion picture and television producers spent more than $1 billion in British Columbia during 2010. About 90 per cent of productions use the services of the BC Film Commission, including regional film commissions and offices.

Services provided in support of regional film include:

Surveying and scouting film locations.
Providing logistical support while filming is underway on location.
Supplying information for producers matching scripts with possible locations.
Offering production research, location expertise and technical support.
Assisting with film permits, labour regulations and immigrant/work permits.

Quick Facts:

British Columbia is the third-largest production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York.
B.C.'s film production industry directly and indirectly employs more than 25,000 people.
British Columbians working in the motion picture industry earned wages of about $450 million in 2010.
The B.C. government provides between $130 million and $200 million in annual refundable tax credits for the film and television industry, depending on the level of production activity.
The HST ensures a competitive film industry in British Columbia. Under the HST, the seven per cent PST portion of the tax is now recoverable and provides significant savings on the purchases of goods and services such as catering and equipment.
Since 1996, the Greater Victoria Film Commission (GVFC) has been the go-to agency for film productions doing business on southern Vancouver Island. Over the last decade, GVFC has supported the regional economy by helping to generate more than $165 million in direct spending in the Capital Regional District.
Since 1995, the Vancouver Island North Film Commission has serviced film productions generating more than $80 million in economic impact for rural communities on Vancouver Island.
Since 1999, the Northern British Columbia Film region has played host to several Hollywood feature films including: Double Jeopardy, Reindeer Games, Insomnia, Dreamcatcher, Eight Below and most recently The Grey, filmed in Smithers for six weeks this past winter.
In the last 10 years, the Thompson-Nicola Film Commission has worked with film projects resulting in $22 million in direct spending in the region, with a total estimated economic impact of more than $77 million in Kamloops and surrounding communities.
Since 1990, film productions supported by the Okanagan Film Commission (OFC) have generated a multi-million dollar economic impact on the region. OFC has worked with international animation studios set to open offices in the region, including Bardel Entertainment / Nickelodeon, Lizard Brain and Disney. These new studios will employ young professional people at above-average salaries.
In the fall of 2010, Nelson, Salmo and Ymir in the West Kootenays hosted filming of The Tall Man. The 42-day production generated $11 million in economic activity. More than 1,200 local people responded to an extras casting call.

Learn More:

For a closer look at how the B.C. government helps film production in the province, visit the BC Film Commission at: http://www.bcfilmcommission.com/

Check out the provincial government's role in supporting artists, arts and cultural organizations through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/cscd

Contacts:

Jeff Rud
Communications Director
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 953-3677

Susan Croome
BC Film Commissioner
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
susanc@bcfilmcommission.com
604 660-2732

BACKGROUNDER

B.C. supports regional film commissions and agencies

Recipients of provincial government funding through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for regional film production in 2011-12 are:

Agent Contact Location 2011-12 Funding BC Film Commission

http://bcfilmcommission.com

604 660-2732 Strategic Regional Initiatives $25,000 Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association

http://landwithoutlimits.com

250 392-2226 Williams Lake $15,000 Columbia Shuswap Regional District

http://filmcolumbiashuswap.com

250 833-5928 Salmon Arm $15,000 Fraser Valley Regional District

http://www.fvrd.bc.ca

604 702-5000 Fraser Valley $10,000 Greater Victoria Film Commission

http://filmvictoria.com

250 386-3976 Victoria $40,000 Kootenay Columbia Film

http://kcfilm.ca