Location Spotlight: Why Film in Canada
Canada has the nickname of “Hollywood North”. Why? Because it is a superior location for filmmaking.
The major production centres, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are hugely popular and used by a variety of filmmakers.
Even better? Toronto arrives as the second most popular television programming location, just slightly behind Los Angeles.
According to Statistics Canada, production revenues historically reached $4.85 billion in 2015 and continue to rise.
Filmmakers have been heading north of the border for years, particularly since 1988 and the beginning of the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement.
One of the most popular reasons to film in Canada is because it looks just like America in certain areas, but offers large tax incentives.
And these incentives are highly competitive with those in the USA (NEEDaFIXER can help with tax incentives for various states).
Bear in mind though that the cost of living is slightly more expensive in Toronto. According to numbeo.com, if you are renting accommodation, 5,134.35$ (6,834.95C$) in Toronto would maintain an equal standard of life that 5,800.00 $ provides in Los Angeles, CA.
What has been filmed in Canada?
There have been some BIG movies shot in Canada over the years, including:
Titanic (1997)
Titanic was (and still is) a HUGE movie. When you think of true love and tragedy, we wouldn’t be surprised if you think of this classic film.
It was shot mostly indoors in Vancouver, California and the Baja studios in Mexico. The outdoor water scenes were mostly shot in Canada though.
If such a massive movie like this was shot in Canada, then surely filming here cannot be a bad thing.
Mean Girls (2004)
From tragedy at sea to the downright mean, Mean Girls is a chick flick that made a great impression.
The fact that it was partly shot in Canada’s Toronto Schools no doubt contributed to its financial success.
Etobicoke Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate Institute were two of the major Canadian colleges that star in Mean Girls.
Blades of Glory (2007)
Filming in Canada really did bring the glory for Blades of Glory. There is something unique about filming in Canada and we think the movie shows it well!
The exterior skating scenes were shot in Canada, while the interior scenes were shot in the USA.
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Canada had an interesting part to play in Fifty Shades of Grey. The city of Vancouver was actually used as a stand-in for Seattle.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
The ultimate feel-good movie, Toronto played the part of Chicago in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Top 3 reasons to film in Canada
If Canada’s good enough for the blockbusters above, then we’re definitely advocating it as a filming location here at NEEDaFIXER.
Here’s 3 reasons to film in Canada:
- Canada can act as different countries.
Just as Toronto played Chicago in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Vancouver was used as Seattle in Fifty Shades of Grey, Canada is a popular choice of film location to play various different areas.
- Loads of opportunities for filming.
There are 57 acres of filming possibilities in Vancouver alone, including lakes, forests, green areas of land and town locations too. There is, of course, even more possibility for filming across the whole of Canada.
Think about Niagara Falls, the snow-capped mountains of Banff, the buzz of Toronto and the vast expanse of Osoyoos Desert Canada has to offer. In fact, Canada is so diverse in terms of its filming opportunities, there are very few locations that can offer as much variety.
Feeling creative? Then Canada is definitely the country for you.
A simple visit to Canada will inspire creatives with the endless possibilities for filming that reside here.
- Canadian cities are rich in culture.
As well as being used to play other cities, Canadian cities have their own rich culture that becomes a star of various productions.
Canada’s connection with British and French culture makes Canadian movies particularly attractive to consumers over here in Europe.
Canada is representative of “progression, diversity and multiculturalism” and could therefore be a true leader for the rest of the world when it comes to modern culture.
If you need a bit of direction when filming in Canada?
Here’s an example of what can be achieved with NEEDaFIXER:
As expert filmmakers with experience shooting in Canada, NEEDaFIXER can help you when it comes to filming in Canada.
Simply contact us to speak to our expert film fixers about your requirements.
