Tourism: The British Columbia Film Industry By:Copeland Jandrisch

History of “Hollywood North”

-Hollywood North also known as Vancouver is home to the third largest foreign based film production centre in North America

-As Early as the 1900’s, Filmmakers have been attracted to B.C’s natural beautybeginning with The Cowpuncher's Glove and The Ship's Husband, both shot in

1910 by the Edison Manufacturing Company.This first early encounter would spark the interest in film industry for decades to come

-The provincial government first established a film development office in 1977 to market the province to the Hollywood community which also today now includes expedited permitting, equipment availability audits, location and studio co-ordination and post-production services -in 1998 , the government started to provide direct financial assistance and benefits

-In 2000, BC crossed the billion-dollar mark in production for the first time,That same year British Columbia led the country in foreign film production receiving 44% of the Canadian total.

Why is it so important to our economy?

The Vancouver film industry is instrumental in the success of the economy because it contributes a yearly an average of $1.1-billion to the provincial economy through direct production spending. This does not include revenue from tourism and hospitality

-It produces over 3500 jobs with almost 90 percent of crew hailing locally from bc

-benefits locally by supporting Hotels, food suppliers, accounting services, vehicle rentals, gas stations and lumberyards due to the various need of a production crew

It is one of the most efficient industries to promote economic growth due it’s labor intensity and non-pollution thus bolstering the economy but not damaging the environment

Competitive Advantages

-Vancouver’s main advantage is the expertise and talent it has developed during the last two decades. It is now capable of handling many aspects of production even being able to specifically handle “forty projects simultaneously.”

-The resources available in Vancouver have been created by a high level of activity, combined with a world-class educational infrastructure that offers dozens of programs on all aspects of film and TV development, production, such as The Vancouver Film school often having a vast talent pool for various parts of film making such as visual effects,acting etc.

-Vancouver has the benefit of being near Hollywood and sharing the same time zone. It also offers a highly versatile physical setting with a mild climate being adaptable for year round

- Due to it’s physical weather and location as well as the fact of many American productions using the province the the New York Times once labeled it “the city that can substitute for all of America.”

-The B.C. government offers a 33 per cent refundable tax credit for Canadian or international film and television production companies that incur eligible labour costs in B.C.. Labour costs for digital animation, visual effects and video game development receive a 17.5 per cent credit.

-The Canadian Dollar is often cheaper than the U.S dollar thus many American productions use Vancouver as a way of making there production costs lest expensive

Private Film infrastructure in B.C

In addition to 200,000 square feet of warehouse conversion stages, and numerous FX and sound stages. Vancouver has very strong capabilities in post-production. It is home to a number of studios/companies that have created state-of-the-art, award winning visual effects.Examples Include:

North Shore Studios - formally Lionsgate Studios -

Vancouver Film Studios, largest production facility outside of Los Angeles

Bridge Studios one of the largest special effects stages in North America. Mammoth Studio holds the largest film stages in the world, their largest at 123,883 sq ft (11,509.1 m2).

Famous movies/television and actors/actresses

-X men days of future past

-X files

-Ryan Reynolds

-Seth Rogan

B.C’s Biggest Economic problem:Tax Laws and Incentives

- since the incentive program began, $14.3-billion has been contributed to the provincial economy; just $1.5-billion (approximately 10% of total generation) was through the province’s investments by way of tax credits.

- However, Over the last few years ranging from 2011-2014 many states and provinces have increased their tax incentives matching and even exceeding the ones offered in British Columbia which has made it more competitive for the province.

-These states include Georgia (30% based on a minimum investment of $500,000 New Mexico (20% Refundable Tax Credit and North Carolina (25% Refundable Tax Credit and Ontario(25%)

-this leads in to provinces competing against each other for film and television productions which results in many film and television productions to be foreign rather than home grown productions as well as the global payroll becoming less and less and less…

-Another huge factor is when BC abandoned HST and returned to using the archaic PST and GST taxation systems, it lost further competitive advantage to Ontario

HST AND PRODUCTION VALUE

On The National Scale

-There has been considerable lobbying from Many American based- companies to the federal government to change Canada's tax laws in their favour, at the expense of the Vancouver industry.

-If successful, this would possibly kill or severely curtail the industry in Vancouver, costing the economy about a billion dollars a year, plus several thousand related and indirectly related jobs.

-This is one example of the frustration felt in Vancouver and other western Canadian cities at the attitude of those in Central Canada, that everything should center around Toronto and that other film productions are not needed for the global economy

-the global economy and film production is severely weakened

- Canada, is put aside for American interests

-Canada does not get recognized for its contributions,thus less tourism revenue generated

-the demand for filming location is too high

On The National Scale results

Solution?To solve the Problem,the provincial and federal government must address and ensure these requirements are met and performed:

-to regulate the amount of tax incentives to ensure balance between provincial film industries across the nation

to bolster home grown productions to create global economic revenue

- to bring back The HST to give B.C. a further competitive advantage

SOURCESURL

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