2008 Production Highlights
- Motion picture production spending in British
Columbia totaled $1.2 billion, up over $250 million over 2007.
- This spending supports a wide range of
businesses, including vehicle rentals, building supplies, food and
beverage services, office and business equipment, wardrobe, props,
location rentals and professional services.
- Total motion picture production spending and
number of projects in British Columbia in 2008 are up almost 30 percent
over 2007.
- The majority of the increase is in foreign
feature film activity, which totaled $442 million in 2008, an increase of
146 percent or $262 million over 2007.
- The province’s animation industry continued to
thrive in 2008, with an almost 80 per cent increase in domestic animation
production spending over 2007.
- The
economic and social benefits of this industry extend provincewide, with a number
of projects shot in regions outside the Lower Mainland, including The Thaw
near Williams Lake, Stargate Atlantis in the Okanagan, Farewell Atlantis and
Battlestar Galactica in Thompson-Nicola, and Impact in Victoria.
Domestic Industry Comparison to 2007
- Overall domestic
spending in B.C. decreased 10 per cent, to $366 million, down from $408
million in 2007.
- A total of 174 domestic productions were shot in
British Columbia in 2008, including 25 feature films, 42 television series
(dramatic, documentary & lifestyle/reality series), 82 television
projects (TV movies, miniseries, pilots, shorts & documentaries) and
25 animated series or projects.
- The number of domestic feature
films increased 4 per cent, to 25 projects, up from 24 projects in 2007.
- The number of domestic television series
increased 75 per cent, to 42 series, up from 24 series in 2007. The
majority of the domestic TV series in 2008 were lower budget lifestyle and
documentary series projects rather than dramatic television series, which
led to a 47 per cent decrease in domestic TV series production spending.
- Domestic animation spending increased 79 per
cent, to over $96 million, compared to $53 million in 2007.
- Some examples of domestic film and television
projects shot in the province in 2008 included: The Art of War, Custody,
Deep Cove, Exes & Ohs, The Guard, 100 Mile Challenge, Mirabilis,
Ruslan, Sanctuary, The Thaw, Under One Roof and Year of the Carnivore.
- Some of the domestic animation projects in 2008
included: Barbie & the Diamond Princess, Escape from Planet Earth, Kid
vs. Kat, League of Super Evil and The Nutty Professor.
Foreign Industry Comparison to 2007
- Overall foreign
production spending in B.C. increased 57 per cent to $841 million, up from
$535 million in 2007.
- A total of 86 foreign productions were shot in
British Columbia in 2008, including 40 feature films, 14 television
series, 20 television projects (TV movies, miniseries, pilots, &
documentaries) and 12 animated series or projects.
- The number of foreign feature films increased 74
per cent, to 40 projects, up from 23 projects in 2007 with an increase in
expenditures of $262 million over 2007.
- The number of foreign television series decreased
22 per cent, to 14 series, down from 18 series in 2007, although
expenditures increased by over $40 million over 2007.
- Foreign animation
spending decreased 27 per cent, to $25 million compared to $34 million in
2007.
- Some examples of
foreign film and television series shot in British Columbia in 2008
included: Cats & Dogs 2, The Day the Earth Stood Still, X Files: I
Want to Believe, Farewell Atlantis, Night at the Museum 2, Tooth Fairy,
Harper’s Island, Kyle XY, The L Word, Reaper, Psych, Smallville, Stargate
Atlantis and Supernatural.
- Examples of foreign animation productions in 2008
included Martha Speaks, Maryoku Yummy, Viva Pinata, and Wow! Wow!
Wubbzy.
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