B.C. Film industry rebounds

According to British Columbia Film’s annual report (available at www.bcfilm.bc.ca/), the province’s film industry regained momentum after a slump in 2004. Foreign production increased 70 percent from $587 million to over $1 billion in 2005 while domestic production increased from $214 million to $225 million. In a conference call with the Straight , Lodi Butler, BC Film’s director of development initiatives and partnerships, pointed out that “domestic production companies are becoming stronger. If you look back to 1995, domestic production was $110 million; now it’s up to $225 million. So there’s been a consistent incremental increase in domestic production.”

Film and television tax programs have also offset a high Canadian dollar and competition. Robert Wong, director of the tax credit program, said that the program “played a significant part in the increase in activity” but adds that “there was also a movement back towards scripted production.”

As for areas for improvement, the report points out that a “strong and sustainable domestic sector” is needed to keep B.C. competitive and that “there is considerable work that needs to be done in this area.” When asked what can be done in this regard, BC Film executive director Richard Brownsey stated, “If the sector is going to continue to grow, then it probably does need to be better capitalized than it is now and needs to develop its own projects and be able to retain intellectual and financial control over them. And certainly BC Film and the development of the [direct-grant] Slate Program was looking at that as a means to help the industry move in that direction.”

Craig Takeuchi
Straight.com