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Why Films Are Shot in BC

Vancouver ranks behind only Los Angeles and New York in terms of the total value of film productions shot in North America.That figure is pegged at more than $1 billion per year and is growing at an annual rate of about 20 per cent.This has many people trying to figure out - What draws Hollywood productions to British Columbia?Why is Vancouver dubbed Hollywood North?The answers centre on several factors including costs, locations and available crews and facilities.

In terms of costs, the comparatively low Canadian dollar (worth less than 70 cents US in recent years) is an immediate advantage for Hollywood-based studios looking to save money.Many lower budget movies of the week, known as MOWs, hit Vancouver with the expectation of finding these immediate savings.In many cases, the comparative advantage grows when Canada’s lower labor costs (dollar notwithstanding) are factored in.

Not all decisions are based on money.British Columbia has a wide scope of topography ranging from snow-capped mountains to the Interior’s dry and dusty deserts.Within a few hours, production companies are able to move from a heavily treed location, as found in the Greater Vancouver Regional District’s protected woods in North Vancouver, to a beach suitable for bathing beauties such as Vancouver’s Spanish Banks.Within Greater Vancouver, neighborhoods have diverse architecture.In 1999 alone, areas of the city stood in for parts of Denmark, New York City and Los Angeles.Actors and background performers are also ethnically mixed because of British Columbia’s strong multicultural makeup.

In the early days of television production, the Crown-operated Canadian Broadcasting Corporation molded a strong yet small core of skilled film and TV technicians.The 1970s engaged these CBC workers in producing the highly successful Canadian series The Beachcombers.The majority of these workers are still employed in the industry and some are involved in training new technicians.Today, many of Vancouver’s colleges and universities are involved in training young people for this growing sector while the independent Vancouver Film School covers a wide base of industry-related courses.

While Hollywood North is warmly embraced in British Columbia, many American film workers are concerned about an apparent loss of work in what they term “runaway productions.”US Vice President Al Gore met with members of the Screen Actors Guild in Los Angeles on September 8th, 1999, to discuss ways to keep productions in the States.SAG President Richard Masur welcomed the high level of interest.

“On behalf of the more than 96,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild nationwide, I would like to thank Vice President Gore for listening to our concerns about the growing economic impact of US runaway film and television production,” said Masur.

“This is an issue that is affecting not just our members, but thousands of workers across the country.”

Even with this growing concern in the States, Vancouver continues to play a notable role in the North American motion picture industry.More than two dozen film and television productions are underway in Hollywood North at any given time.