The unions and guilds representing B.C.鈥檚 film and TV industry workers are stepping up efforts to raise awareness of their industry鈥檚 impact on the local economy 鈥� and the latest initiative is taking a unique twist.
The groups met this week in New Westminster to announce their 鈥淧aid for by Movie Money鈥� card scheme. Approximately 15,000 members will get special 鈥淧aid for by Movie Money鈥� cards to hand out to merchants whenever they make purchases, to advise those businesses that the money being spent was earned in the film industry.
Supportive businesses can also get stickers for their windows announcing 鈥淏C film and TV dollars spent here.鈥�
The tactic is part of the groups鈥� overall action plan put in place by the groups to inform the government and the public of what is at stake as productions are being lost to Ontario and Quebec due to their higher industry tax incentives.
Industry representatives said they were disappointed that no corrections were made to the province鈥檚 film tax incentives in this week鈥檚 B.C. budget.
鈥淲e understand that the government has competing demands, but forgoing a percentage of its revenue from the industry in exchange for keeping the industry competitive with other jurisdictions is still an overall net benefit to the province,鈥� said Alvin Sanders, president of UBCP/ACTRA.
Other plans include:
路聽聽聽聽聽聽 phoning and writing to MLAs and nominated candidates;
路聽聽聽聽聽聽 bumper stickers;
路聽聽聽聽聽聽 an online petition; and
路聽聽聽聽聽聽 raising issues at all-candidates meetings.
In January, thousands of actors, directors, producers and technicians聽聽to discuss ways to bolster the industry.
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