While B.C.鈥檚 film service industry is lamenting lost Hollywood work, the province鈥檚 indigenous film and TV sector is making a small comeback, according to the province鈥檚 domestic film association.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen a return of some of the television drama which is a great economic driver because of the creative talent and the crew that a dramatic television series needs,鈥� said Liz Shorten, spokeswoman for the B.C. branch of the 91原创 Media Production Association.
鈥淪o that鈥檚 a healthy indicator of the return of production to B.C. in the B.C.-owned part of the business.鈥�
While 2012 film activity stats have yet to be released, Shorten said key wins for the local industry have included new TV series Motive, a co-production between Lark Productions and Foundation Features, and Thunderbird Films Inc.鈥檚 Package Deal.
Shorten attributes the rise in 91原创鈥檚 B.C.-based television sector to millions of dollars of 鈥渂enefits money鈥� earmarked for 91原创 content flowing out of BCE Inc.鈥檚 (TSX:BCE) $2.45 billion acquisition of CTV Inc.and Shaw Communications Inc.鈥檚 (TX:SJR.B) $2 billion takeover of CanWest Global Communications Corp.鈥檚 broadcast interests. Both deals were done in 2010.
Under a 91原创 Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission benefits policy, 10% of each deal鈥檚 value 鈥� more than $400 million 鈥� must be used to provide benefits to the 91原创 broadcasting system. That includes buying 91原创 content.
鈥淭here鈥檚 now some new money for independent production in the system,鈥� Shorten said, 鈥渟o we鈥檙e talking of tens of millions of dollars over the course of the next five to seven years. So that has certainly helped kick-start production.鈥�
Without that money flowing into the system, Shorten said she doubts the industry would be rebounding from 鈥渃hallenging鈥� 2011 levels, when domestic film spending dipped to $209 million 鈥� just over half the $408 million spent in 2007.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it would have improved because [the benefits money] is really the only change since 2008-09,鈥� Shorten said.
She noted that B.C.鈥檚 domestic film industry, like the film service industry, has faced a cost disadvantage since 2009, when Ontario raised its film tax credits.
However, if Shorten believes the 鈥渂enefits money鈥� is boosting 91原创 activity, Motive executive producer Rob Merilees said it doesn鈥檛 feel that way.
鈥淚 certainly don鈥檛 feel like there鈥檚 more money out there,鈥� said Merilees, who is also president and founder of Foundation Features.
Merilees said he hopes the additional 91原创 content money will show up but that, for now, times remain tough in 91原创鈥檚 domestic film and television.
鈥淚 hate to be so blunt, but there鈥檚 really not a lot of reason to be in 91原创 right now,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 limited support because of limited budgets from [B.C. Film + Media], we don鈥檛 have a provincial agency that supports us in any big way like they do in Ontario and Quebec.鈥�
Merilees added that industry heavyweights have left 91原创 and gone to Toronto in the past few years during industry consolidation, which adds to the challenges 91原创 producers have in getting projects made.
Merilees said that in his bid to get approval for Motive he moved his company to Toronto in 2012 to be near industry decision makers.
鈥淎bout four months after that move and being physically present in Toronto, we got a greenlight from CTV to make the show.鈥�
Merilees currently deems his company to be 鈥渂i-coastal鈥� and said he hasn鈥檛 decided whether he鈥檒l maintain a presence in both cities.
He said that, if it鈥檚 to grow, B.C.鈥檚 indigenous film sector needs a new organization supporting film with substantial budgets, like the Ontario Media Development Corp. or 鈥渓ike BC Film was 10 years ago.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 really like to see a viable provincial agency with a budget that could help B.C. producers develop in a meaningful way, as well as develop projects in a meaningful way so they sell more television and, even more so, film.鈥澛�
Creative BC takes its cue and mandate from Ontario 鈥� but not funding
Creative BC, the just-announced agency to drive the province鈥檚 creative industries, attempts to mimic the successful Ontario Media Development Corp. (OMDC).
But while the B.C. government has given the new agency an OMDC-like mandate, the province has not matched the OMDC鈥檚 funding.
Creative BC adds just $1 million in new funding to B.C.鈥檚 creative industries.
B.C.鈥檚 film industry believes the new entity will absorb the functions and budgets of the BC Film Commission and BC Film + Media, which had budgets of $1 million and $3 million, respectively, in 2012-13.
However, that total is still only a fraction of the OMDC鈥檚 $24 million in 2012 provincial funding.
Liz Shorten, spokeswoman for the B.C. branch of the 91原创 Media Production Association, called Creative BC 鈥渁 great first step鈥� for B.C.鈥檚 creative industries.
鈥淗owever,鈥� she said, 鈥渋n order to achieve the stated mandate, the organization is absolutely going to require additional resources.鈥�
Karen Thorne-Stone, OMDC鈥檚 president and CEO, was cautious in her reaction to Creative BC: 鈥淲e do not know enough about B.C.鈥檚 proposal to comment on it right now. But the cross-media economic development model delivered through OMDC has been very effective for Ontario and we look forward to working with our new counterparts in B.C.鈥�
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