Login / RegisterBC Film Commission data reveals B.C.'s domestic industry grew in 2012
According to 2012 data released by the British Columbia Film Commission, film and TV productions continued to recover from a sharp drop in 2010.
Both the number of productions shot in B.C. and the amount spent by production in the province increased by$27 million from 2011 (from 281 to 294 total productions and from almost $1.19 billion to $1.2 billion).
Domestic production proved to show the greatest area of growth, which offset a nine-percent decline in foreign production spending.
The total number of domestic productions grew from 147 productions (spending almost $209 million) in 2011 to 159 productions (spending approximately $324 million) in 2012. The number of domestic features and particularly TV series (growing from 45 to 58)—which included shows such as Arctic Air, Continuum, and reality TV series—all increased. One area that continued on a downward trend was the number of domestic animated projects, which has fallen from 25 in 2008 to only 5 in 2012.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign productions remained roughly the same as the previous year, with a decrease in production dollars spent (from $980 million in 2011 to $891 million in 2012). Foreign TV series included Fringe, Psych, Arrow, Red Widow, Top Chef, Supernatural, The Killing, and more. Foreign films included Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters; Seventh Son, starring Julianne Moore and Jeff Bridges; action-thriller Red Machine, and more.
Of note, 31 of the 58 foreign features were listed as VFX only (including Cloud Atlas, Life of Pi, Prometheus, and Zero Dark Thirty). Two foreign features were listed for additional photography, and an additional two for reshooting.
Overall, B.C. came second to Ontario for another year in a row. Ontario's film and TV production industries logged another record year, hauling in $1.28 billion from 273 productions.
Although the data may paint a positive picture of the local screen industries, earlier this year, the Save B.C. Film campaign was launched in response to increased unemployment in the film and TV industries, which were excluded from the BC Jobs Plan. The provincial government has declined to increase tax incentives (at 33 percent for labour costs) in the face of increased competition from other jurisdictions, including higher tax-incentive programs in Ontario and Quebec (which offer 25 percent for all costs).
the movie industry isn't getting free money. Learn what's going on and then get back to us k.
A total of 40% of BC residents know someone who works in the film industry, with the proportion increasing to approximately 50% or more in areas of Metro Vancouver.
Matching Ontario's tax breaks for the film industry will ensure that BC film industry technicians will continue to work, pay taxes, and spend their money in British Columbia.
This is more than an election issue, it is an issue for a vibrant economy in BC.
This is about jobs for British Columbians.
You don't have to wait for a new provincial leader--we're seriously broke now!
If they bring and spend about 1.3 Billion Dollars in a year and the labour portion spent is say $500 Million and they get a provincial rebate of say 30% on the labour, which would amount to about 150 Million that leaves about 1.15 Billion Dollars in our economy that we never had before. That money goes everywhere and taxes get paid on that as people buy stuff and film productions buy stuff and rent stuff and I buy a house and a bunch of people get paid to build my house and on and on it goes.
Films only get a rebate on labour costs. Period.
What do you not understand about this?
Would you be happy if the reamaining 1.15 Billion Dollars that stays here went somewhere else?
Today the film recieves a tax credit of 240 million from the government so really what they are spending is 1.04 billion. I'd rather the government gave tax credits in lumber companies to open and operate more saw mills in this province then provide incentives to foreign production companies that come in make there movie and leave.
It's to bad because they have the best gear in town when compared to WFW and PS.
Today the unions try to go out and card all these smaller productions scaring them out of the province in the process and there jobs along with them. Somebody needs to rein in these unions and make them stick to the larger shows and leave the independent companies alone.