BC 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).
Comments
11 Comments
bobo
Mar 14, 2013 at 9:17pm
Just last month "industry insiders" were calling for even more tax breaks because production was down. Oh well, anything to get more money I suppose. This industry gets tax breaks (our tax dollars), while other industries struggle or go broke. And our taxes just keep going up. Just wait until the New Debt Party gets in control.
Monique
Mar 14, 2013 at 10:21pm
Bobo...I really don't think you understand...
the movie industry isn't getting free money. Learn what's going on and then get back to us k.
Herb
Mar 14, 2013 at 10:24pm
Approximately 27% of BC’s population either directly or indirectly benefits from investment and spending that is made by the movie or film industry in BC.
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.
David Harris
Mar 14, 2013 at 10:24pm
It's not "Our tax dollars" that the companies get but a portion of their own money back which they use in the budget of the film itself. That's the way films are financed these days. There is so much money involved they go for the best deal. Physical production, that is live action stuff, is way down and that's where most of the jobs are/were. VFX is up and that's very different
Hazlit
Mar 15, 2013 at 8:19am
To the degree that film/TV is a popular/populist business it doesn't need tax breaks (since by catering to popular taste it is a business) to the degree that it is committed to art (and challenging the preconceptions of the public) it should be subsidized. Not sure which one this is, but film/TV tends to lean populist.
Xtina
Mar 15, 2013 at 9:43am
Dear BoBo
You don't have to wait for a new provincial leader--we're seriously broke now!
bobo
Mar 15, 2013 at 3:31pm
Monique, When one industry gets tax credits, then the services those taxes would have covered must be paid by other industries or people. What makes the movie industry so special????? Xtina, I know we're broke. Probably one of the reasons is that we give too many tax credits already.
Ian
Mar 18, 2013 at 11:10am
Do you understand "New Money"? It comes from outside our borders. 1.3 Billion Dollars. PER YEAR. I t filters throughout our entire economy. The studios recieve a rebate only on the labour portion of their costs of BC based employees. Let me see if you can get this.
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?
Tom
Mar 18, 2013 at 7:52pm
Ian the film industry spent 1.3 billion here in 2003 and back then there wasn't much in the way of tax credits they received. When you factor in inflation they should in theory be investing 1.5 billion. But the film industry in this province has never gone any higher then 1.3 billion. In 2012 they spend 1.28 billion.
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.
Jake
Mar 18, 2013 at 7:57pm
I've heard from people who work at the Paramount rental house that they are looking at closing shop here in Vancouver at the end of this year. They say that they can't find any cheap warehouse space north of the fraser river and that the high cost of there unionized labor has made them uncompetitive with the other rental houses.
It's to bad because they have the best gear in town when compared to WFW and PS.