In 1989, producer Stephen J. Cannell opened the North Shore Studios to take advantage of the low Canadian dollar. The studio was home to “21 Jump Street”, “Wiseguy” and “Stingray”. It was a smart business move as the Canadian dollar would peak at $0.90 in 1991 and then drop to a low of just over $0.60 against the U.S. dollar by 1998. Even without tax breaks, Cannell was saving 40% right off the top. Also Vancouver was on the same time-zone as Los Angeles and hourly flights out of YVR made commuting easy.
Other producers followed his lead and a boom in the Vancouver film industry followed. New studios started popping up all over Vancouver and the city became known as the mecca for sci-fi television and movies of the week. “The X-Files” shot at the North Shore studios from 1993 – 2002 and was a big hit for the Fox network.
In 2007, the Vancouver shot series Stargate SG-1 surpassed The X-Files as the longest-running North American sci-fi series on TV with 10 seasons and 214 episodes. In 2011 that record was broken by Smallville (also shot in Vancouver) with 218 episodes in 10 seasons.
Me working on Stargate SG-1 back in the day.
Those were the golden years. Aspiring actors were able to quit their day-jobs as there was enough work in the film industry. If you were a union actor, and your agent didn’t have an audition for you that day, you could go work as an extra or a stand-in on a TV series and make $200-$300 a day. Plus there was a good chance that if you were on set and looked like you knew what you were doing, you might get given a line of dialogue or asked to perform a minor stunt.
But is the party over?
The reason Vancouver became known as Hollywood North was because of our proximity to the real Hollywood and our low Canadian dollar. Our dollar is no longer low ($0.98 US$ today) and Hollywood is no longer the film capital of North America. A new report by nonprofit agency Film L.A. reports TV dramas were down 39.2% for the quarter and 27.5% for the year. Less than half of all TV dramas are now filmed in the Los Angeles area.
Hollywood’s TV Exodus: Why L.A. Is Turning Into A City Of No-Shows
A July 6th article in Movie Maker magazine listed the 10 best cities to be a movie maker.
- Austin, Texas.
- New York, NY.
- Boston, MA.
- Philadelphia, PA.
- Orlando, FL.
- Las Vegas, NV.
- Los Angeles, CA.
- Portland, OR.
- Chicago, IL.
- Houston, TX.
In a March 5th article The Georgia Straight asks, “Are we still Hollywood North?” and goes on to report that Toronto has now surpassed Vancouver in Film production. With Toronto’s enhanced tax credits and BC going back to the old GST/PST tax system, it doesn’t look like we will be catching up to Toronto anytime soon.
Our Union is currently battling producers who have asked for a 30% wage cut across the board on our new contract. This at a time when there are currently only 6 TV series listed on the UBCP website (2 being kids shows and Fringe only shooting a half season). The producers argue that with more people spending time on the internet and TV viewership declining, how can they afford to pay us the same wages?
Last night I had a beer with an assistant director friend I work with. He told me he has been forced to leave his family and move to Calgary in order to work. He also told me of two other assistant directors I know leaving Vancouver this month. One is going with him to Calgary, the other moving to Toronto.
In May my own agent emailed all her clients and said that after 16 years in the business, she is closing her doors and getting out of the film industry.
These are all 40-60 year old adults in their peak money earning years who have now found themselves unemployed.
In order to thrive in life and be prosperous we have to be constantly adapting to new situations and be ready to jump at new opportunities. So, to my actor friends, how are you adapting to the new-normal that is the Vancouver film industry?
Do you think this is a temporary situation that will weed out the weak and those that hang on and stay in the business will be rewarded?
Are you planning to move to Toronto?
Do you think the film industry will earn you enough to fund a comfortable retirement, maybe buy a house and do some traveling?
Have you started a part-time job or gone back to school in order to bring in more income?
Please leave a comment.
I am not an actor, but this does not sound good…
Fringe, Once Upon A Time, Arrow, Arctic Air, Primeval: New World, Psych, The Haunting Hour, Level Up, Rogue, Supernatural, Emily Owen M.D., Cult (mid-season) and a couple untitled projects for television. Feature films include Hidden, Super Buddies, The Wedding Chapel, Cogito (TV movie), The Bouquet, Kid Cannabis. These are just the projects we know about and are currently sending out our clients for. Everyone is talking down the local industry and it is just ridiculous. Sure its more competitive and yes, the tax changes are going to spook some folks, but if anything this is going to be a correction and not the bottom falling out as everyone seems to cry about this time of year. Quit complaining, get into acting class or a workshop or make a short film and stay sharp if you’re an actor and be ready when you get an audition. And by the way, if you go to Toronto you’re not going to get hired because they HAVE TO HIRE ONTARIO ACTORS to support their tax credits. I’ve had several casting directors tell me to get my clients back to town for August ‘cuz its gonna be smokin’ busy.
Local Agent, thanks for your comments.
I have been talking to a lot of people who are veterans of the Vancouver film industry and are having a tough time making ends meet so far in 2012. Telling them to “quit complaining, get into acting class” is little comfort when they are having a tough time making their mortgage payment or buying groceries.
I agree we all need to keep our craft sharp and complaining doesn’t help. As this is a financial website, I am just exploring the economic factors that effect our industry.
In L.A. the number of TV dramas shooting is down 27.5% from 2011.
Total foreign production dollars spent in B.C. has gone from a peak of $1.23 billion in 2003 to $778 million in 2010 and $980 million in 2011.
Although there are shows shooting, a lot of them are low budget and have short shooting schedules. You mentioned “The Bouquet” which is shooting a whole movie in 12 days and isn’t budgeted for a single day over 12 hours. “Fringe” is also back this year, but has had their budget slashed in half and is only shooting a half season.
There are also far fewer union commercials shooting here than there used to be.
I was asked recently to audition for a union movie and was told the actors were going to get travel and accommodation and $100/day!
I also talked to a TV star from L.A. who said a lot of what is auditioning in L.A. is web-based and is paying actors $100/day. He said he and a lot of his friends who are B-Level actors have had a real reduction in income over the past couple years.
Anyways, here’s hoping for a busy August for you and your clients!
Respect.
Troy
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